The Diary

A/N: Thanks for the wonderful reviews - I am glad to see that people like that. At times when I was writing this, I wondered if I was spending too much time on mundane things, but I was having a hard time buying into the idea of Snape just jumping into bed with Hermione, because they\'re both interested - it seems to me like it would be a lot of hesitation and misunderstanding on both parts...

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Getting up early the next morning, Hermione made a list of questions that she thought Snape might ask her, in the hopes that she might be devise a few answers before 3:30pm. With Crookshanks curled in her lap, she set to work.

Several hours later, Hermione headed down to the kitchens to grab a late lunch, before heading back to the Head Girl’s bath for a shower, and a perusal of her closets. One the one hand, this was Snape, and she didn’t have any desire to apprentice herself to him. But, on the other hand, she mused, this would be a perfect practice for her interview with Seerstram. And, she sighed, if worst came to worst, and Seerstram didn’t accept her, she might be forced to apprentice herself to Snape. So, she pulled out her formal robes, and got dressed.

A last check in the mirror, a falmialming – well, supposedly calming – breaths, and she was on her way down to Snape’s private laboratory.


“Ah, Miss Granger, please come in.” Hermione walked in, trying not to stare at her surroundings; she had never been to Snape’s private laboratory. Snape guided Hermione over to one of two chairs, separated by a large desk. He set opposite her, his face set in its usual mask.

“Miss Granger. Perhaps you could start by telling my why you want to apprentice yourself to a Potions Master.”

“Professor, I’ve chose Potions as my field of specialization because I enjoy the subject more than anything else I have studied. The required precision and rigor of the field appeal to me. The field also interests me, because it requires a knowledge in a wide variety of fields – herbology, magical creaturesstorstory and languages, to name a few. Potions has always struck me as a summation of so many of the other fields of magic.”

Snape nodded, his fingers interlaced in front of him.

“And while I feel that I have been able to pick up rudimentary skills,” she paused, flashing on how that sounded, while Snape’s lips curved behind his hands, “er, I feel that I have picked up the skills that will allow me to truly begin a study of potions. Just like you have to learn the alphabet before you can truly learn to read, I would like to learn to ‘read’ potions.” I hope, she silently added, thinking again how that sounded.

Snape nodded. This was one of the first students who understood that all that they learned in their years at school were really just basics; they didn’t start to learn anything of any consequence until they picked a field of specialization. He paused before he spoke. “Very well. Potions is a wide field. What area, specifically, do you wish to pursue?” And why do you think you have to go tondinndinavia to do it, rather than staying here? He bit his tongue, not speaking the last part of his question.

Hermione smiled. She had prepared for this one, as well. “Professor, because I have an interest in ancient Runes, as well as herbology, history, and magical creatures,” Snape nodded, get on with it girl, I know that you have an interest in every subject that has ever been on your class schedule, “I wd tod to study with someone who tries to synthesize knowledge from a variety of fields.” She paused. Damn. None of this sounded as good now, as it did in her head, earlier, in her rooms.

“Besides,” she added, trying a new tact, while trying to delicately remove her foot from her mouth, “It is my understanding that if I want to go into research, it is best to expose myself to more than one approach to research and experimental design.”

Again, Snape’s lips curled behind his hands. Miss Granger was squirming a bit. Good. Alth, sh, she had clearly put some thought into this, and wasn’t squirming as much as he would have liked.

Before Snape could say anything else, she took a breath, and began to speak again, figuring that it was now or never, ” Professor. I want to study Potions because I was extremely fortunate to have a Potions Masters that was demanding, exacting, and rigorous. I had a Potions Master that wouldn’t accept any less than the best, and in doing so, he pushed me to a level where I was able to get a sense of the possibilities of Potions. He pushed me to where I learned that I loved Potions.”

Snape hid his surprise, and cleared all expression from his face. “Really, Miss Granger. May I be so bold as to ask who this Potions Master was?” He kept his face blank.

Black-hearted bastard. Her face flushed as she tried to think of a polite way of responding. “Er. Of all the classes that I have taken in my years here, your class has been the most challenging, the most frustrating, and ultimately, the most enjoyable class that I have ever taken.” Not that I would have ever admitted it to you, unless you pressed me like this.

Snape nodded. Gods, the girl was straightforward. Snape took a breath, and then responded. “Miss Granger. As much as it pains me to says, ys, you are the type of student that every instructor dreams of. What first comes across as a Know-It-All attitude masks a desire to learn everything you can about everything. You are dedicated, you are intelligent, and you have the ability to challenge an instructor to teach the highest level class a person can offer.”

Hermione clenched her jaw muscles; she felt like she had just entered the magirsiorsion of the Muggles’ Twilight Zone. Snape saying something nice to her?!? Alternative universe, here I am. And Merlin, am I supposed to respond to this?

“Miss Granger. You mention that my class has been frustrating for you. In turn, you have been the most infuriating student I have had the pleasure of teaching. You have driven me to recall areas of research that I had long since forgotten. Indeed, there are times that I have had to concede that perhaps you do have some potential.”

He paused. That was a complimenasn’asn’t it? “Miss Granger, I would like to formally offer you an apprenticeship with me, at Hogwarts for a period of 5 years following your graduation.” He held up his hand, as she opened her mouth to speak. “I realize that you wish to study with Seerstram in Scandinavia. And I support your desire to learn new and different methodologies; it is important to learn new approaches – it will help broaden your mind, and your research abilities will greatly benefit from studying with someone different.”

“I know Seerstram – not well, but I know him – and I think that he would be an excellent person with whom to hone your skills. I would be extremely surprised if he did not want to accept you as an apprentice. I can’t think of any Potions Master who wouldn’t be happy to have you studying under, uh, with him.” Great choice of words, Severus. You’d want her studying under her, wouldn’t you?

Hermione looked at Snape, unable to speak. Did he just praise her – for the first time, ever? Did he just say what she thought he said? She gulped. “Thank you, Sir. I greatly appreciate your offer, and if I hadn’t already spent seven years under your exacting eye, I would not hesitate to accept your offer.”

Snape raised his hand, and interrupted her. “I understand Miss Granger. Please understand, my tendering your offer does not, in any way, diminish your responsibilities in the classroom. In fact, because I have a profesal ral responsibility to my fellow Potions Masters, I feel it is my duty to press you further, and challenge you more. It would not be responsible for me to turn a student who is unprepared over to a fellow Potions Master.”

Hermione nodded. “Thank you. Again. And I appreciate your offer, Sir.”

Standing up, Snape dismissed her. He watched her walk out of his offices. Damn. She would have been a good one. And yet, he could understand how she would want to train with someone different – it would be better for her studies, and better for her career. Seerstram not being an ex-Death Eater would also be good for her career. He sighed. Maybe he’d just head for the Scotch now, and leave the laboratory work for tomorrow.

Only later, sitting in his private quarters later that evening did he remember that he had told Miss Granger that he would this meeting to see whether he’s schedule an interview with her. He shook his head; the eriterity of her words about his class being the most challenging, most interesting class she had taken really moved him. He couldn’t think of a time when a student had told him that she really enjoyed the challenge of his class, and that had prompted him to offer her the apprenticeship right then and there. Even though he knew she wasn’t going to take it. He sighed. Damn Seerstram.