A/N: Hey, sorry this took so long, but I had all sorts of culminating activities in school the past two weeks. This chapter is a little short, but they'll get more frequent and longer now that school is almost over.

As usual, any sort of comment is welcome, especially if you have a suggestion for improvement. I'm open to suggestions on the plot.

A Light in the Dark: Chapter 2

Hermione looked at the page of her textbook but could not read it. Her mind just refused to settle enough to decipher any words on the page. She sighed and set the book down on the empty seat next to her. Looking around the Great Hall, she realized just how early it was to be up on a Saturday morning. There was no one else at the Gryffindor table for breakfast yet and only two from the other three Houses, both in Ravenclaw. No doubt for some early morning studying, she thought. Hermione wondered what it would be like to be sorted into that House. She could study as much as she wanted without having people like Harry and Ron giving her a hard time about living in the library.

Hermione's eyes wandered from the House tables to the Staff table where there was only one staff member, Professor Sprout. Many of the plants in the greenhouses had to be cared for at odd hours so Sprout could be seen around the school at all hours of the day. Hermione's eyes eventually traveled to the empty chair of the one person she was trying to avoid thinking about. Professor Snape. The previous night was still a huge mystery for her and the longer she thought about it, the more confused she became. Why would Snape have a conversation with her, a know-it-all Gryffindor, at one in the morning? And if that was not strange enough, he seemed to enjoy it. Why else would he have stayed for so long talking about whatever came up? Surely he has better things to do, like sleep, the talk to her for so long. 'What happened, Professor,' Hermione whispered to his empty chair, 'That had made you come to me for conversation?'

Hermione guessed it was the same reason that she had talked to him, loneliness. She had never seen Snape having a pleasant conversation with any of the staff, even Dumbledore. Was he just like her, so alone because no one else could keep up with him? Hermione knew that Snape was a genius, how else could he have become a Potions Master? And he had shown last night that he knew about more then Potions. Maybe he had no one to talk to that could speak with him on the same intellectual level. Well, Dumbledore could, but for some reason, he did not seem like the type of person Snape would go running to so they could have a chat. Hermione giggled as she imagined the dour Potions Professor sitting in Dumbledore's shockingly bright office drinking a glass of tea and talking about the weather. No, Snape would not have chats with Dumbledore for fun, that much she knew.

But if he did not talk with the Headmaster, then who? McGonagall? No, she was too Gryffindor and would probably only talk about Transfiguration. Flitwick? Too squeaky. Binns? Too boring. Sprout? Too bubbly. As Hermione continued to stare up at the staff table she ran through every member of the staff and found something wrong with each one, some reason no matter how small that would make Snape avoid them. Really, who did the man spend time with? Maybe he spent all his days alone…

Hermione shivered and looked away from the staff table. She knew that feeling all too well, spending each day by yourself, watching those around you having fun and laughing. To be separated from your peers simply because of your intellect. Hermione feverishly wished that was not the case with Snape, that he had someone. No one deserved to be alone.

Hermione closed her text book and strode purposely from the Hall. Those thoughts led to nowhere she wanted to be on a Saturday morning. She reached the Entrance Hall and decided that she would go for a walk around the lake, it was a beautiful morning and the fresh air might help clear her mind of Snape. As she walked towards the shimmering lake, she stubbornly thought of anything besides the Potions Professor, going over her timetable, planning her schedule, even reciting spells, just to get him out of her mind.

By the time she was half way around the lake, she had given up on thinking at all. That always happened whenever she walked on days like this. It was so peaceful and quiet, she did not think for fear of risking the perfection of the landscape. Hermione quickened her pace as she approached her favourite place to sit and not think. It was a large rock underneath a Weeping Willow tree. Shaded by the large tree, it was right beside a dip in the lake so Hermione had to climb around the Willow to get to the rock. But since her stone seat angled into the lake at the end, it gave her a place to cool her feet, and even a dock for swimming. The view was beautiful; all of Hogwarts could be seen from here.

Hermione reached the tree and climbed around it to lay out on her back on the rock. It was heated slightly from the morning sun that fought through the branches and the warmth on her back chipped away at the coolness of the early September climate. She closed her eyes and listened to the world around her, the wind whispering through the trees, birds chatting off in the forest, the water lapping…

Hermione slowly drifted off into a light doze. She had often let herself do so in the past, knowing that few people ever came around this part of the lake. But just as sleep was about to take over, she heard footsteps behind her and shot up like a dart, looking around for who was walking near. Her eyes were drawn to a figure making its way around the tree to the rock. Hermione could tell the person was wearing a black cloak, but their face was obscured by long black hair…

Oh crap, Hermione thought, panicking slightly, Here comes the one man I did not want to think about today! SNAPE! Hermione briefly thought of running before he saw her, but he was currently standing in her exit. She decided to let him know she was there before he could say she was hiding. Hermione took a calming breath then said, 'Hello, Professor.'

Snape's head shot up form where he was watching where he placed his feet and met her eyes. She saw confusion in his eyes for a moment before he looked back to his feet to make the last step to the rock and then he stood in front of her, arms crossed and looking down with an unreadable expression. 'Well hello, Miss Granger. We do seem to be crossing paths a lot now, don't we?'

Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself before replying. 'Yes, Professor, it does seem like that, though in all fairness, you are the one who keeps sneaking up on me.'

Hermione nearly gasped at her words. Sure, her and Snape had been congenial the night before, but she was not sure that he would act the same way today. She braced herself for the verbal assault that would no doubt follow her insolence, but feverishly hoped at the same time that he would act like he did last night. Not nice, but not mean either.

'Well, the blame cannot be completely laid at my feet, who would have known that you would be in the library that late? And honestly, I didn't think that anyone else knew about this spot or bothered to come out here.' Snape sat down on the rock and began rifling through his cloak for something, and Hermione had to smile. It seemed that he was going to allow their camaraderie to continue outside the library. She was still confused by is actions, but decided to take advantage of this nice Snape and so sat down on the rock and leaned back against the tree.

'I didn't think this was a well-known spot either, least of all by one of the teachers.'

'What,' Snape asked, pausing in looking through his voluminous cloak to catch her eye, 'Just because I'm a teacher means I can't sit near the lake on a rock?'

'Well, it's hardly a common thing at near seven in the morning.'

'Hmmm. I suppose you have a point there.' Snape grew silent after that and resumed to looking through his pockets. Hermione was content to look out over the lake and steal nervous glances at the Potions Professor every few moments. He was, in a word, creepy at the moment. It was like he was acting like a human being. Hermione had never seen this side of Snape before, last night they had at least been talking; right now he was simply looking through his cloak for gods knew what in silence. Hermione wondered why she was not nervous or frightened, or...feeling anything but the hope that he would start another talk and amusement at the fact that he had actually lost something in his robes.

She looked away from the lake and back at the Professor when she heard his heavy sigh and then, 'Ah, here it is, the greatest thing to come from muggles.' Hermione looked over in time to see him drawing a package of cigarettes from his robes. She stared, Snape smoked? Muggle cigarettes? Of all things, she would have labeled him as a drinker, not a smoker. He looked up from his pack of smokes and met her eye, 'You don't mind if I have a smoke, do you?'

Hermione stared at him, baffled. Did Snape just ask my permission to have a cigarette? 'Uh, no, my dad smokes so I'm used to it. And besides, with all the trouble you went through, you deserve it.'

Snape glared at her, mumbled something, and pulled out is wand to light the nicotine bar. Hermione worried that she might have pushed it too far, maybe he didn't like jokes at his expense, but she knew he was fine when he sighed and exhaled the smoke, pulling his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. Hermione could not help but watch him look out over the water. He looked almost…childlike. She couldn't explain it, not even to herself, but there was a certain vulnerability and sadness to his pose. The look in his eye, Hermione marveled at how she had ever thought those black orbs were expressionless. In the morning light she could see his eyes glittering with emotion. The rest of his face was stone, but his eyes danced.

Hermione, slightly unsettled that she was examining Snape's face, tried to think of something to say. 'So…why are you out here this early, sir?'

'Couldn't sleep.' Snape said. 'I assume the same for you?'

He looked up at her and she nodded. 'Too many things to think about,' she said and he mimicked her nod.

'Yes, last night brought up many questions, Miss Granger. Tell me, why were you in the library that late? Surely you do not have that much homework this early into the term?'

'No, it wasn't homework; I just needed a place to think, that's all. Why were you up there, sir?'

For a moment Hermione did not think that he was going to answer her, but he did, hesitantly, 'I could not sleep either…the library was just…a place to go.'

'I know what you mean,' Hermione whispered softly.

'What is it that I mean, Miss Granger?'

'No one else understands me either.' Hermione answered.

Snape just looked at her then turned his attention back to his cigarette and the lake. After a few moments of silence, he quietly asked her, 'Why did you stay last night?'

Hermione was shocked. He sounded like he was afraid of the answer. Why didI stay? Wasn't that fairly obvious? 'Because you would talk to me.'

Snape looked up at her once more, 'Surely you talk enough with your schoolmates?'

'Not like that, sir. I mean really talk, about something other then Quidditch. You have no idea how hard it is to find someone who is willing to talk about Potions or Runes in this school.'

'Oh, believe me, I do. Have you ever had a conversation with Dumbledore? That man is supposed to be a genius, but I swear all he talks about is gossip.' Hermione laughed and heard Snape chuckling with her. 'But to be honest, Miss Granger, it was…nice to have someone to talk to.'

Hermione almost started laughing again. Did Snape just say 'nice'? This cannot be happening! 'It was, sir.'

Hermione swore she saw a hint of a blush along Snape's cheeks before he looked away again. She watched him take another puff of his cigarette then dared to initiate conversation. 'Do you ever feel suffocated by it, sir?'

Snape let go of his knees and sat cross-legged, turning to face her, 'Do I feel suffocated by what?'

'Your intelligence,' Hermione answered. 'Do you ever feel separated from everyone just because of what you know?'

'Well, let's just say I was a library nerd when I was in school.' Snape answered.

'So,' Hermione said in a teasing voice, 'You were the Slytherin know-it-all?'

Snape looked shocked for a moment at her daring, and then burst out laughing, Hermione quickly joining him. 'Yes, I guess you could say that,' Snape answered when he calmed down. He crushed what was left of his cigarette on the rock and once again wrapped his arms around his knees. 'So tell me, Miss Granger, am I just a paranoid Slytherin looking for teenage drama, or are you, Golden Boy, and Weasley falling out?'

Hermione regarded him for a moment, wondering if she should be telling Snape these things. After all, what if he just used it as ammo against her in Potions class? And since when did Snape ever care about his student's lives, let alone the Golden Trio's? It seemed that there was much, much more to the man then she had ever thought.

Seeing that Snape was waiting for an answer (patiently, even!), Hermione decided to throw caution to the wind and finally talk to someone about what was going on. At least she knew that he would listen.

'Yes,' she said quietly, looking back out over the water. She did not know if she could keep herself from crying. 'We have had a…falling out, as you say. It started just after Harry defeated Voldemort. I don't know what happened exactly, but they just stopped acting like we used to, the camaraderie was gone and…since then it hasn't been the same.'

Hermione did not know if Snape was expecting her to go on or not, but now that she had started, it seemed she would not be able to stop until it was all out. 'It was like I was just not needed anymore. Well, except for homework, anyways. They always ran to me for help whenever they had a problem. Harry had his dreams, I solved the problem. Harry didn't know what to do with Cho, he went running to me. Him and Ron wanted to sneak out to Hogsmeade, I figured out how to do it. Then Ron, oh, he was the king! He was so worried about Harry, needed a shoulder to lean on, so he came to me. Yeah, we lasted about two months, then suddenly Harry wins against Voldemort and I'm not needed anymore.

'They used me for my mind, and I never saw it the whole time! I just thought that they genuinely wanted to be my friend, but all they wanted was someone to do their Potions homework.' Hermione looked over at Snape and gave him a small smile. 'How do you think they have passed your class all these years? Even I can see they are almost as bad as Neville at brewing.'

Snape snorted. 'No one can quite match Longbottom in uselessness, but yes, I knew that you had to be helping the dunderheads. My class is meant for the best, and they certainly aren't.'

'No, not in Potions, or Charms, or Transfiguration. They would have had me doing their Divination homework if I could have put up with the subject. But I guess my company isn't worth anything unless they get something out of it. Now they only talk to me when they need homework done, or to insult my study habits. We still sit together at meals and in classes, but they only ever talk about Quidditch, and I'm just left to trail behind.'

Hermione looked back to the water and blinked back the tears that were dangerously close to spilling over. 'I'm sorry, Professor. I know that you don't need to deal with all this, it's just…'

'I know, Hermione.' Snape said, 'I know that sometimes you just have to talk, even if it's to the dour Potions Professor.'

Hermione turned to look at him and saw a small smile gracing his face. She gave her own in return and the tears disappeared. He was right, sometimes you just had to talk, and now that she had she felt better. Better then she had felt in a long while. 'Yes, well, it's good to have someone to listen, even the Potions Professor.'

Snape blushed a little and lowered his gaze to the rock. Silence enveloped them once more. Hermione and Snape looked out over the water, both lost in their own thoughts. Hermione kept her gaze on the water, but her mind continuously turned to the man beside her. So many things had happened in the past twenty-four hours that had forced her to re-think her entire opinion of the man. It seemed like the isolated and brooding Professor was really starved for conversation, intelligent conversation, enough to ask her about Harry and Ron. It was weird, but she did not mind talking to him at all. In fact, she quite liked it. When she spoke to him, the words came easier, and she just knew what to say. For some reason she knew that he would not mock her, that he would just listen and tell her what he thought. But he would be honest. No, Snape would not lie to her just for comfort, he would tell her straight up what was going on in his mind. Hermione liked that. He treated her like an adult, not some immature kid. It was almost like he respected her…

'Miss Granger,' Snape's soft call brought Hermione out of her reverie. She looked over at the Professor.

'Yes, sir?'

'I was just wondering…do you miss Potter and Weasley?'

Hermione was startled at the strange question. Did she miss them? Yes, she did, did she not? Do I? Do I really miss them, or even need them? To give herself more time to think, Hermione questioned Snape. 'What do you mean, exactly?'

'Do you miss Potter and Weasley? Their conversation, presence, doing whatever you used to do?'

Hermione ran a hand through her hair before answering hesitantly. 'Well…I guess…no…not really. I mean, I defiantly don't miss the Quidditch talks, but for the rest of it…no. I don't miss them. It's actually kind of a relief not to have to deal with them anymore.'

'Well, I'm glad to say, Miss Granger, that you have split the Trio. Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but they were only holding you back. Now that you are free from the dunderheads, maybe you can become your own person.' Snape looked up into her eyes, 'Now, I'm afraid I must go, I have some potions to complete before my research tonight. I believe Madame Pince ordered some new books that may help. Good morning, Miss Granger.'

Snape stood and left with a nod of his head. Hermione mumbled a good-bye, still thinking over his words. What did he mean, 'become your own person'? Hermione sat, looking out over the water for a long time afterwards, anxiously looking forward to a night in the library with her Professor.

He called me Hermione...