Chapter One- Yet Another School Year

Professor Severus Snape blackly strode up too the great hall. Another start to another doubtlessly half-witted, pointless, school year. Fantastic.

He pushed the small door into the Great Hall open and took in the whole space with a momentary glance, before moving into it. Most of the students appeared too all ready be there, irritatingly jolly and loud. The first years were due to arrive any moment. Snape surveyed the staff table, and with annoyance saw that it had all been swapped around. His customary space too the immediate left of the Headmaster had been taken by some woman, and the only free seat was one squashed between this woman and Hagrid of all people. He would be having words with Dumbledore about this.

Completely ignoring everyone, he sat down, and watched as McGonagall came in, a stream of frightened first years following her.

The sorting. He tried too concentrate on who was going into Slytherin. No one very interesting it seemed.

Now Dumbledore's speech. For a split second he wondered how much longer he could go on like this, year after year the same thing, nothing but pointless tedium. He abruptly shut that thought away. Suicide was where thoughts like that went, and to Snape that was a cowards way out. Severus Snape was many things, but a coward he was not.

He zoned back into Dumbledore's speech.

'Due to Professor Slughorn's retirement we are delighted to present you with a new potions professor, in the form of our very own cleverest witch of her age, Professor Granger.'

Snape didn't know how to compose his face as the figure next to him stood, inclined her head, and held up her hand in acknowledgement of the clapping, and occasional cheers. He clapped extremely stiffly. Dumbledore had neglected to tell him about this. The bastard. Hermione Granger? That annoying know it all? One of the bloody golden trio? This year would we be worse than he'd anticipated.

'And with that merry announcement let us enjoy our merry welcome feast, and all the promise it brings for a most magnificent school year!' Dumbledore waved his hand jovially and the tables were piled with food.

Stiffly Snape helped himself to some food. Hermione bloody Granger. Honestly. She was barely out of school herself. What, three years had it been? He had read how she had achieved a potions degree, a year early, with some surprise. Not at her capability, but at her choice of subject. With irritation he watched as she turned to him.

'Good evening Severus.'

Severus? This was all wrong indeed.

'Miss. Granger.'

'Perhaps, I mean, as we're colleagues now, you should call me Hermione.'

He studied her face. She looked much the same as she had three years ago, perhaps a little older, more refined, longer hair. But still those same petulant eyes and lips. He sighed audibly.

'Very well Hermione.'

Suddenly Hagrid turned and shoved his branch sized arm in front of Snape's face to wring Hermione's hands.

''Ermione! I always knew you'd make a bloody great teacher 'ere! Professor Granger! Well in't that summat!' He beamed.

Severus turned to glare at him and Hagrid dropped the handshake abruptly. But still they persisted in talking across him.

''Ow's Ron an' 'Arry? I ai'nt seen 'em in a while.'

'Well they've just started the new league haven't they so they're a little tied up. But Harry caught the snitch in the England match, against Barcelona, and Ron scored five goals. Krum wasn't too amused. Oh, and Ginny's been fretting about the wedding, they're definitely having it on Christmas day, but she still can't decide where. Harry thinks it'd be fine to have it at the Burrow, but Ginny has higher ideas.'

'Well I can' wait, imagine, there'll soon be little red headed 'Arry Potters runnin' round all over the place!'

Snape shuddered at the idea. Hermione saw him and a small smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

'I thought you and Weasley were engaged.' He said for lack of anything better.

'No, not any more. I broke it off.'

'Good, you were always too intelligent for him.' He realised in horror his words- but too late;

'Was that a compliment you just gave me?!' She raised her eyebrows, a smirk on her lips.

'Most certainly not. A squashed grape would be too intelligent for him.'

At that Hermione laughed. She had admittedly had had too use a lot of courage to address her old Professor so casually this evening, but being a brave Gryffindor she had carried it off. And now the first step had been taken it was easy. She had known Snape for many years, as his pupil, but never had she suspected him of having a sense of humour. Just because she was no longer in education, it by no means meant she was no longer learning it seemed.

She also seemed uncomfortably conscious, sitting this side of the table, that he was in actual fact a man. Of course, she had always known that, but for some reason it registered quite differently on her brain today, and made her much more aware of the fact.

'That wasn't very Gryffindor.' He continued. 'You're supposed too be affronted and stand up for Weasley's questionable honour.'

'Oh I don't think he needs me too defend it, I think he proved his honour too the world with his part in Voldemort's downfall. Besides, it was funny, especially as it came from you.'

'Why?'

'I never thought you'd have a sense of humour.'

'Well I hardly go about cracking jokes with my students. And anyway I wouldn't exactly call it a sense of humour, it is so dry the friction can be quite painful.'

'Oh but that's the funniest kind of humour, at least that's what I find.'

'You must be quite the masochist then, but I suppose one must expect that of a girl who's two best friends are Potter and Weasley.'

Hermione tittered. 'Once again with the humour. You know I might have to mark this day on my calendar.'

'No doubt with Umbridge's pen.'

'Oh yes. But you know I can be quite the sadist as well. Why do you think I persisted in annoying you so much in class?'

'So you gave me seven years of intense irritation, enjoying it, and took my retributions, no doubt enjoying that too. A rather unfair exchange.'

'I don't think my masochism extends too as painful a realm as your retributions, and I rather think you enjoyed giving them. So perhaps we are equal.'

'Are you insinuating that I, Severus Snape, am a sadist?'

Hermione chuckled. 'Oh no Sir. I would never dream such things.'

'No, that would be stuff of nightmares.'

At this they found themselves in the surreal situation of actually smiling at each other. Snape's was mostly in the eyes, but definitely there, and it shook Hermione rather pleasantly too see it, especially as it was directed at her. Something else new. Snape didn't just sneer, he could genuinely smile.

Before they knew it, the feast was over, and they all had too go their separate ways, but not before wishing each other a rather bemused good night.

Snape strode down too the dungeons, but this time a little less blackly, with the slightly unsettling feeling of drunken light-headedness, and uncertainty as too what had just happened.

Hermione got into her room and sat on her bed. Well. She had expected her evening too be happy, a reunion with some of her favourite teachers. Snape however, had been anything but that, and it was he with which she had had a happy evening with. What other strange happenings could this year bring?