Sugar and Spice

Chapter One

(Disclaimer: I own no HP titles)

Sunlight streamed through the curtains of a young girl's window, beckoning her to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open, the ray of the sun illuminating her coffee color eyes. She slipped out of her white sheets and padded across the room to the restroom, preparing for a new day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hermione studied herself in the mirror, frowning as she reached places in herself that needed fixing. A knock came upon her door.

"Come in." She said, her voice rather hoarse from sleeping.

"Hey, 'Mione." Ginny Weasley said, walking in with a towel in her hands.

"Hey Gin." Hermione said. "You're up early."

"Yeah, well…" The youngest Weasley shrugged. "I'm going to get in the shower. Since we've some extra time I think I'll go down to the library when I'm done."

"Okay."

Hermione turned and exited the bathroom, taking with her a brush. She slipped into her robes and attempted to run a brush through her hair before gathering her supplies and exiting the girls' dormitory.

The seventh year Gryffindor walked along the hallways of her school, used to seeing the paintings come to life to smile and wave at her, to which she politely smiled back. She made her way to the library and pulled out her potions book, turning to page 96 and scanning it form top to bottom.

Hermione would never ever admit it to anyone, but she had been having trouble in her potions class, for, under the word of Dumbledore himself, she had been eligible to move to up advanced. Excited for a new academic challenge, Hermione plunged herself headfirst into her work, annoying Snape for even more homework. Yet the work was getting increasingly more challenging, but just plain difficult.

As she scribbled down notes and key words, a hand came from nowhere and ran down her spine, massaging it gently. Though the person's touch felt amazing, Hermione felt herself withdraw and gaze around, finding Harry Potter standing behind her, smiling gently.

"Good morning, 'Mione." He said, taking a seat across from her.

"Morning Harry." Hermione said, smiling.

"I wanted to thank you again for what you did." He said, taking one of Hermione's hands in his, sending shivers all through her body. "Ginny and I are so happy."

Hermione smiled warmly. Harry was her best friend, and Ron of course, but seeing her other best friend date him was, well, odd. She didn't like Harry in that way, yet still didn't want him with anyone else. She'd never admit that to anyone, especially after putting Harry and Ginny together.

"Of course, Harry." She said softly, focusing her mind on her work now.

"Are you going to the Valentine's Day dance?"

"There'd be no point in me going, Harry." Hermione said, rubbing her temples and setting down her quill patiently. Without noticing, Hermione put an edge to her voice. "I've no one to go with."

Harry was quiet then, looking down at his potions essay with a blank look on his face.

"Harry, I'm sorry, okay?" Hermione took her hand from his. "I'm stressed out. I'm tired of playing matchmaker, too. You and Ginny. Ron and Lavender. Seamus and Julie. If something goes wrong, they all come running to me."

Harry decided to change the subject. "Dumbledore says there's a way to get Sirius back, 'Mione."

Hermione looked up from her textbook. "How?"

"It's called Mirrored Transfusion." He explained. "Dumbledore was pretty vague, but he did tell me a little bit. You get this rare mirror that has the power to revive the dead, or in other words, take Sirius from behind the curtain, but he has to be replaced with another life."

"What about Volde-"

"I suggested Voldemort, but all Dumbledore said was that this would take an extreme amount of thought. He told me this method has never been used before."

Hermione scribbled this down quickly, her quill making short strokes with alleged brevity.

She then looked into the emerald eyes of her best friend, who stared right back with the same intensity.

"This'll all work out, Harry." Hermione said, not breaking eye contact. "I promise."

XxX

"Turn to page 392 in your textbooks and copy down the ingredients for the Aidyl Drought and begin making it. You have one hour. Begin."

Hermione rummaged through her basket of ingredients and pulled out the unicorn hair, which would later be blended with the sap from the Whomping Willow.

Snape surveyed his advanced potions class as they all fretted about. He paid particular attention, though, to Hermione Granger, the only Gryffindor in the class. She moved very gracefully, putting in the ingredients perfectly- not sloppily like other students among her.

"Thirty minutes." Snape said after half an hour has passed.

Hermione didn't look up from her cauldron, but added one pinch of pixie dust before her potion glowed neon green before simmering down to a golden color, I light silver mist hovering above it. She sat down and took out some other homework and began writing, a concrete look on her face.

"Miss Granger." Professor Snape said, coming from behind.

"Professor Snape." Hermione replied in a monotone voice without looking up from her paper.

"Miss Granger, you are to look at me when I'm speaking to you." Snape snapped. Hermione slowly set her quill down, taking her time to turn around and meet his eyes.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Are you done?"

"Yes."

"Yes sir."

"Yes sir."

Hermione was smirking on the inside. She loved toying with her potions professor almost as much as she enjoyed reading or writing.

"Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape said. "For talking back to the professor and having a bad attitude."

"Well you're one to talk…" Hermione muttered under her breath.

"What was that, Miss Granger?"

"I said, 'well, you're one to talk.'" She said calm and fearlessly.

"And why would you say that?"

The class was silent now; the other seventh year Slytherins listened with excitement to the battle between their potions professor and the know-it-all Gryffindor.

"You say I have a bad attitude when you're always sulking around, thanking about how Slytherin is way better than Gryffindor, or any of the other houses for that matter, and blaming every fault your house makes on other people."

"That's one weeks detentions, Miss Gr-"

"No, professor, I'm not done." Hermione was loosing it now, all of the past weeks' stress was coming out and she couldn't stop herself. "I don't' see how Dumbledore trusts you, when you're always running around with the Dark Lord and killing innocent muggleborns. People who have families. People like me!"

Snape hadn't shown any emotion, only a glint of anger flashing through his eyes. "Miss Granger, please see me after class." He said calmly. "Everyone turn in your potions on my desk. One and a half foot essay on how Aidyl should be properly used."

As the class turned in their valves of their potions, Hermione packed up her things and filled her own, taking it up with her as she strode up to Snape's desk.

What had she gotten herself into?

XxX

A/N- Anyone willing to beta, please e-mail me at