an awfully big adventure...

Detention with Filch was fresh in Hermione’s mind as she walked down depressed to the Potions class, where she was to meet him. Ugh. But if all went to plan, Ron would take care of it.

Ron had prior in the secluded spot they had obtained, told her she was stupid, selfish and all the other names in the book, but seeing her tears had hugged her and informed her he’d try to help.

Now she stood a few feet from Snape’s office, sure that if she even went by it and made a noise he would stomp out and give her another detention. She surely didn’t need that.

A few moments passed as Hermione stood, her body aching from exhaustion. She had been working very hard all day, and the last thing she needed was a detention with Filch. She looked to Snape’s door and she questioned whether she should go in.

Her minds flitted to Ron’s conversation with her after all the name-calling was out of the way and he offered to help her.

“So this stuff if extremely potent and permanent.” Ron had asked earnestly to which Hermione had nodded emphatically.

“And you think you know the counter curse or elixir to set things straight again?”

Another nod from Hermione.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“It’ll take another month.”

“So?”

“And it means sneaking into Snape’s private storage again.”


Snape sat at his desk that night, the only sound was the bubbling of a nearby potion and the sound of a quill scraping against parchment. Suddenly a knock sounded on his heavy door.

“Enter.” he said loudly with that familiar sense of a king in his castle persona and went back to his work. He heard the door open and the light scurry of feet.

“I haven’t all day.” Snape muttered hollowly, “I’ve got a lot of pathetically inept papers to mark, so make it quick.”

“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt.” Said a deep and smooth voice, Snape’s head snapped up. Black stood with a boyish grin on his face, and Snape automatically scowled.

“What do you want?” he asked harshly, and Black almost looked hurt. Then countered with another quick smile.

“What are you up to tonight? Care for some tea?” he asked softly, Black moved to the seat across from Snape’s large desk and Snape looked to him in anger.

“You’ve never cared nor offered before. Now leave. I’ve got a lot of work and am not in the mood for your petty games.” Snape asked now standing and giving Black an eyeful as he took in his dashing pose and face.

Black smiled appreciatively at this opportunity, and noticing he was under obvious scrutiny, Snape whipped his cloak around himself and pointed to the door.

Black gave him an airy shrug and turned on one sharp boot heel, “I suppose I’ll see you later then.”

Snape’s eyes bulged at this as he shook his head swiftly and spoke in a slow tone as if he would to a child,

“I… doubt…it.”

Black hung onto every word and nodded as he acknowledged his presence was a bother.

“Sorry to have bothered you Snape.” He said shortly and made his way out the door. Snape collapsed into his chair, rolling his eyes and muttering that Black had evidently been let out of St. Mungo’s too soon.

Suddenly another short rap sounded on his door and Snape’s temples throbbed painfully.

“I TOLD YOU TO BLOODY WELL SOD OFF!” Snape roared as the door opened again. Hermione’s worried face whipped around the door and Snape’s boiling blood seemed to simmer.

“Sorry Professor.” She said meekly, “It’s just that Filch hasn’t shown up…”

She entered the room tentatively and stood by the door, obviously her emergency escape route. Snape was about to answer her, tell her to take the night off as he saw the dark circles under her dark eyes, he imagined she must be exhausted. But she interrupted rudely in that traditional Gryffindor style.

“…And I saw Professor Black leaving, and he looked a bit disturbed, should I go assist him instead for my detention?”

Suddenly Snape’s moderately good mood was ruined. Damn that Black. Taking all his good students. He knew for a fact that Miss Granger was considering a profession in Potions, but when Black had come she had suddenly changed her mind, and believed DADA teaching was more her style. What bullocks.

‘No. I don’t believe you should rush off to help that knob.’ Snape thought standing, “No Miss Granger. If Filch hasn’t shown up then I believe I could use your assistance myself.”

Hermione looked to him nervously and suddenly wondered why she had bothered to come to him at all. And she didn’t like the way he was looking at her, sort of beady and thoughtful. Snape tapped a tapered finger to his lips and pointed to his private storage.

“I need those alphabetized.” He said thoughtfully, “I suppose you’ll know where everything goes.”

This was too easy! He was practically giving his stuff away, she hadn’t even had to try and convince him. All she had to do now was take a small helping of…wait a minute. It had all been much too easy.

“What could you possibly mean by that, Professor?”

Snape glided over to her, his robes gracing the floor every now and then. She shrunk back, her back to the cold door of his classroom. It slammed shut behind her as she gasped in surprise.

Suddenly Snape was directly in front of her, a mere few inches. He bent down until they were almost nose to nose, and his arms shot out over her shoulder’s as he held the door behind her, shut with his palms.

“I know it was you, Miss Granger.” Snape said gently, and Hermione would have almost preferred if he were to yell. When he talked like this, low and dark, she could easily imagine him as a Deatheater.

“What?” Hermione said, feigning ignorance. Snape chuckled, or assumed that that dark and throaty sound at the back of his throat was a chuckle. He tsked a moment, and looked to her from behind hooded eyes.

“Miss Granger, you must believe me to be a complete moron, if you don’t think I suspect you. Need I remind you of the unfortunate Chamber of Secrets ordeal?”

No. He didn’t.

“You never had any proof then, and you don’t now.” Hermione said defiantly then stopped her cockiness when she saw his sneer form in that usual evil way of his.

Funny, she hadn’t noticed how full those lips were before. No matter, Snape was still looking down at her with a contemptuous look mixed with what she believed to be thoughtfulness.

The only sound was his breathing as it brushed against her cheeks; he was just that dangerously close. His breath was soft and warm, and she tried not to look at him too much, as she was feeling considerably warmer under her cloak.

Suddenly he broke away from the door and she breathed a silent sigh of relief. He went behind his desk and motioned for her to exit.

“Get out, Granger.”