Strength in What Remains Behind

Hermione

It started with a glance. Amazing to think that such a trivial thing could lead to so much, but it's true. I was in potions class, diligently working (as always) and saw that Harry was having a bit of trouble, so I did what I always do. I helped. Though I had checked to see if Professor Snape was looking before leaning over to Harry to whisper instructions, he picked that moment to glance over at us, and all was lost.

"Granger! What have I told you about interfering with other students during the class?" He snarled at me in such a manner that I was momentarily taken aback. Though I was no longer as frightened of him as I had been in my first year, he still had the ability to scare me out of my wits now and then. That's just the kind of man he was.

I managed to stammer out, "I... Well," before he cut me off with a contemptuous, "20 points from Gryffindor for talking in class, and 30 points from Gryffindor for failure to comply with a teacher's request." I slumped down in my seat. I had lost the house 50 points, just for trying to be helpful! It was humiliating and infuriating at the same time. Unable to help myself, I glowered at him from where I sat.

"Another 10 for that look on your face, Granger, and also detention. It's time you learned your place." He sneered at me as the shock crossed my face. Detention? For a look? I was in a funk all the rest of the class. I could barely concentrate enough to stir my potion the appropriate number of times, though I was determined not to let the nasty man affect my grade. After I handed in my stoppered flask, I stomped out of the classroom and directly to my room, listening half-heartedly to Harry and Ron bad-mouth Snape in between reassuring me about my detention. They had to leave off once I went up the stairs to the girl's side, though. It may have been rude of me not to answer them, but I just wasn't in the mood.

I had planned to sulk until it was time to head to the dungeons for detention (because of course detention was scheduled to be held with Snape tonight), but after wallowing in self-pity for a while, I just had to start in on my History assignment. I got so wrapped up in writing that I almost forgot to leave for the detention, which of course meant I had to run to get there on time.

When I popped into the room (just in the nick of time), I was out of breath and had a stitch in my side. Snape looked up from the work on his desk and his lip curled in disdain. "10 points for running in the hall, Granger. And another 10 for tardiness." If I wasn't already red with the exertion, my cheeks would have flamed in anger. Tardy! The nerve of the man! I clenched my fists and took a seat. Snape waited for me to be settled, then addressed me and the two other students in detention that evening. "Now that Granger has decided to grace us with her presence, let's begin. I want you to follow the formula on the blackboard. The ingredients are laid out for you out that table over there. There will be no talking. You are here to serve out your punishment and replenish the potion stores, and I. Do. Not. Accept. Failure." He spat out his last words, the venom so thick in his voice it nearly had a corporeal presence. He glared at us for a moment, letting it sink in that he was a busy man, and we were wasting his time by being stupid enough to be here, then snapped, "Begin."

After all that, the detention was actually quite pleasant. He never said another word to me, which was surprising, though not unwelcome. Once I accidentally caught him looking at me, though he didn't guiltily glance away from me like Ron does when I catch him doing the same thing. Rather, his gaze was appraising, and almost approving, as if he noticed that I was a good student and appreciated my talent in potions, despite his opinions about me personally. I dropped my gaze from him, suddenly nervous for no reason I could name. I glanced up at him every now and then after that, though he never looked my way again. For some reason, that was disappointing.

That night, I dreamt of dark eyes, probing, assessing... finding me wanting, and woke up shivering in a cold sweat.