{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Scholastic Books and Warner Brothers.  I, therefore, own nothing.}

Author's Note:  Before we begin, I wanted to explain this fic.  I've been introduced in the world of pairing Hermione Granger with our dear Potions Master, Severus Snape.  Unfortunately for me, a little plot bunny soon appeared with its own ideas for the aforementioned duo.  It then decided to bounce around in my head and do what bunnies do best (multiply).  So this is a result of that bunny.  The title, Take Me Away, is the name of track 9 on the Stanley Climbfall album by Lifehouse, which I have been listening to since a few days after Christmas.  I don't know how far this fic will go.  I originally wanted to finish Into The Flames first, but I figured getting this out would make work on that easier.  Continuation will come on basis of the reviews it receives.

Chapter 1

Life's Little Idiosyncrasies

"No! For the last time, Albus, absolutely not!  A Snape does not work with anyone unless they have good reason to!"  Severus Snape was becoming incredibly frustrated at the Headmaster's attempts to persuade him into working with another person on an extremely important project.

"It is not that I think you cannot handle the work alone, my dear boy.  I know the extent of your talents quite well.  It is more of two brilliant minds being able to produce more results than one."  Albus Dumbledore did know Snape nearly better than the man knew himself.  He had figured that the Slytherin would object to the idea at first, but would eventually give in with some persuasion.

"Brilliant?  Ha!" Snape gave a derisive snort.  "I doubt you could find someone else of my capacity that would even be of any small assistance to this project of yours."

"Yes, that is absolutely true," Blue eyes twinkled merrily behind the half-moon spectacles.  "I know there are few people who would willingly work to your level, but fortunately for you I have located the perfect person to do so."

Snape plotted quickly as Dumbledore mentioned this.  He created quick plans for making whoever this person was completely miserable by working with him.  It would be the easiest way of getting out of this mess since he couldn't exactly refuse.  "Allow me to meet this person and do a personal interview before we begin work.  I will have to test his worthiness."

"Wonderful!  I will contact her so you may begin work immediately."

Severus stopped dead in his tracks as he turned to leave the office.  Had Albus said what he had thought?  "Did I hear you correctly?  I could have sworn you said 'her'?"

Dumbledore hid his amusement well.  "Yes, I did indeed say 'her.'  Do you have any difficulties working with a female colleague?"

"No, not at all," Snape lied.  Of course he had difficulties with women!  They were absolutely impossible to work with, much less research with.  "If you could, contact her and set up a time in which we would be able to meet to discuss ideas."

"Is tomorrow fine?  Around noon, at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"That would be agreeable.  Good night, Albus."  Snape left the office, feeling relatively pleased with himself.  Food at the Leaky Cauldron was always delicious, even if he would have to share a table with an annoying female.

He could think of few women who were skilled with potions that he might consider even remotely close to his talents.  They were all extremely unremarkable people with absolutely nothing compared to him.  What they knew about potions was a small amount in contrast to his vast working knowledge.  It was almost pathetic that Albus would try to pair him up with one of these imbeciles to work on the classified potions project he had in store for them.  The old man had promised to reveal everything in full detail later, but all Snape knew was that it was something dealing with a potion created long ago, by the Founders themselves.  Why did the old man find it necessary to be so frustrating?

Snape growled menacingly at a passing student.  He was almost too glad he no longer taught Potions at Hogwarts.  After the war, Dumbledore had given him leave to pursue his own path in life.  The only reason he had stayed at Hogwarts had been for self protection and to keep himself in better regards in Voldemort's mind.  But with the Dark Lord officially gone, he was free to do what he wished.  He still came back to visit Albus once in a while, though the visits were growing shorter and farther apart.

He had set up a laboratory in one of the Snape Estates where he could experiment freely with what he wished.  The house, if it could be called such, was large and unoccupied, therefore perfect for his uses.  The Ministry still owed him compensation for his work with the Final Battle and funded his research as long as he reported back to them once in a while.  It was all he could have ever asked for: peace and quiet, no screaming children who understood nothing, and perfect freedom.  It was the happiest he had been for a while.

Naturally, of course, Albus wanted to change things.  He had offered Snape a job that he couldn't resist.  The potion that the Headmaster had mentioned was one of the most obscure and difficult mixtures in existence.  Severus was not completely certain of its properties, which was most likely why Albus had given him the task.  To be truthful, no one was familiar with the so-called Founders' Potion.  Albus had asked, and he had accepted, albeit unwillingly.

Then when things were going perfectly fine with the concept of a new project, Dumbledore had added the idea of having a two person team working on the potion and that ruined everything.  Severus Snape was a loner by nature.  He despised people and people hated him in return.  There had never been anyone whom he was close to, including his parents.  Being a Slytherin didn't help, since the snakes were naturally untrusting individuals.

To make matters worse, Albus stated his partner was a woman.  Women, for some strange reason, simply did not like him.  Who ever this one was would probably be no different than all the rest.  It would make the whole experience of recreating a magnificent mystery much more unpleasant than he had hoped for.  He supposed that worrying would do him no good and sleeping would be a better option.  Finding the unused, lit fireplace, Snape Floo-ed back to his estate and tossed and turned through a night filled with haunting dreams.

Morning did not come quick enough.  Severus awoke at eight, seeing no need to sleep any later or arise any earlier.  He took a quick breakfast in his study and reviewed his notes on his current project.  It could be postponed for a while, he supposed.  Thankfully, the Ministry was also sponsoring Dumbledore's project.  At quarter to twelve, he Floo-ed to the Leaky Cauldron.

The serving room was packed with people.  It wasn't necessarily a surprising thing, but it bothered Snape more than it should have.  He detested large crowds.  That probably came for spending countless years teaching and dealing with loud, obnoxious teenagers.  He spotted an empty chair at the bar, deciding to wait for whoever was meeting him there.

Severus looked over the people in the two other seats before approaching the stool.  The first was an older man with scraggly, gray hair and a full beard, probably a ministry worker needing a drink before returning to work.  The other person couldn't have been more of a complete opposite.  He found her much more interesting than the first and studied her for a quick moment.  From what he could see from his position, the woman seated there would at least be pleasant to sit next to.  She was a brunette with long hair pulled back in a high pony tail and wore a skirt that showed off nicely shaped calves.  Maybe this lunch wouldn't be so bad after all…

He sat down on the empty stool and Tom automatically gave him his 'regular,' one glass of fine brandy.  Snape sipped his drink appreciatively, feeling the pleasant burning sensation it gave him.  He noticed the woman glance over at him and go back to her drink.  It figured.  One glance was usually all the females would give him.

"Hello, Professor," she spoke up, surprising him.  He guessed that she only wanted to greet him so he wouldn't hex her later for not doing so.  He glared at her, looking at her face, attempting to put a name to it.

"Good afternoon, Miss…"  He couldn't put a name to her.  She had probably been a student only a handful of years ago when the war was in full swing and he hadn't the time to memorize student's names.

"Granger, sir, Hermione Granger," she replied with a slight grin.  She honestly had not expected him to remember her, even if she had been the class know-it-all.  Hermione had blossomed in the past few years, looking very different from how Snape would have remembered her if he had.  She had been almost scrawny in school with no perceptible feminine curves.  Thankfully, she had only been a late bloomer and her body had filled out quite nicely since then.

Snape was shocked even though he didn't show it.  Potter's obnoxious, bushy-haired friend had become quite an impressive female specimen, if he could say so.  He wagered with himself that she was still obnoxious despite the differences physically.  "Very well.  Good afternoon, Miss Granger."

Hermione gave another grin that continued to stun her ex-Potion's Master.  "Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts, Professor?  I thought school was already in session."

"You aren't as observant as you used to be, Miss Granger.  I gave up teaching two years ago."

"Oh," Hermione had remembered something about his retirement, but forgot about it until now.  "I'm sure your presence at Hogwarts is sorely missed, sir."

"The brats are probably much happier without me teaching them."

"Don't be so sure of that.  You were the only teacher who inspired me to do something with my life other than Professor McGonagall."

"Oh? Is that so?" he queried, wondering what in the world she was talking about.

"Well, Professor McGonagall assisted me with becoming an Animagi during the war.  She worked directly with me on the transformation process."

"And what did I do?" he reluctantly questioned her, taking a sip of his brandy.

"You showed the wonders of potion making."

He narrowed his eyes.  "And that has what to do with anything?"

Hermione's grin changed to a smirk that did not suit her very well.  "I chose to study Potion making after I graduated."

Snape paused, mulling over what she had just told him.  Hmm… Maybe he did have an effect on his students after all.  One of the most brilliant students Hogwarts had ever taught decided to go into the Potions field.  He trailed off, realizing what he had just figured out.  He couldn't be absolutely certain, but he did have a hunch that he needed to resolve.  "I assume you are doing research now, Miss Granger?'

"Of course!  I'm currently working with the Experimental Potions Department in the Ministry.  The work is completely amazing!  I never knew there were so many uses for some of those ingredients we used to discuss in class," she trailed off noticing Snape's face begin to darken.  "Did I say something wrong, sir?"

"No, Miss Granger, you did not.  I finally figured out what Albus was talking to me about yesterday."  The old fool had decided to pair him and Granger together for this project.  He rarely admitted that she was brilliant to anyone even though there was much truth in saying so.  She was annoying to some degree and a Gryffindor to make the situation worse.  At least she wasn't some ugly, decrepit hag.

"He didn't mention who it was you were going to be working with, did he?"

"Perceptive as usual, I see.  Two points to Gryffindor.  You are correct; he chose not to mention that I would be working with you, only that I would be working with someone of my caliber who happened to be female."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully.  Dumbledore had contacted her about the project a few days before.  She naturally accepted his offer, even if it meant working with Snape.  "I don't think that I am quite at your level yet."

"At least you admit it, unlike some of the other insipid individuals who call themselves 'Potions Masters.'  Even at your young age, I would not be surprised if you already surpassed some of them."

"Was that a compliment?"

Snape thought for a moment.  He hadn't meant it that way, but if that was how she wanted to take it, let it be so.  At least he would have to a chance to work agreeably with someone and did not want to ruin the chances before they even began.  "Yes, it was.  Don't let it inflate your head too much."

"And here I was, thinking you hated me."

"No, Miss Granger, for once you are wrong.  I never hated you.  I simply hated the people you associated with.  You were the only one of your Gryffindor trio who had promise to go somewhere in life.  You were one of the best students I have ever taught."

"Thank you," she was thoroughly impressed by his frankness with her.  Maybe working with the man wouldn't be so bad after all.  "Even though you did give Malfoy more house points and higher grades than me?"

"That was only for cover.  Lucius would have had my head if I didn't coddle his sniveling son."

"Oh."  Hermione smiled at her ex-professor.  "I understand."

Snape decided that working with a partner on this project wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.  He might be able to get along decently with Miss Granger from what he had seen so far.  It would be easier to do than with some people he was acquainted with.  "Would you mind if we agreed with Albus's proposition and had lunch?  I, for one, am quite famished."