A/N: Sorry it has taken so long for me to update. Work, love life, & other real life crap has been at the forefront of my days the last few months. Just a quick little reminder, this story is a rewrite of The Need To Protect, HOWEVER, this is a rewrite with a new plot/story line/ect. so please don't expect everything to be the same, such as a quick hook up between our two characters.
Disclaimer: All notable characters, places, spells, ect. belong to JK Rowling. No copyright infringement intended. Just taking the characters out for a spin.

Hermione stayed in the hospital wing for a week and she hated every second of it. But not for the usual reason a brainy student would hate it. She wasn't missing the classes, class work, or homework. Her teachers or friends would come in with the day's class work and homework. Well, all but one teacher. She knew she shouldn't be upset by it or hurt, after all she was just a know-it-all swat of a girl.

As Hermione made her way back to the Heads dorm she wondered what Severus was doing. Was he in the middle of lecturing a class? Was he hidden away in his private rooms? Or maybe his private labs? Could he be sitting at the Head Table finishing up his Sheppard's pie?

Severus was walking back towards his labs after eating his supper, his mind full of questions. Questions he wished he didn't have. He felt like his thoughts were inappropriate because the woman may be of age but she was still one of his students. What was she doing? Was she still in the hospital wing? Is she still worried about me? Why does she have an interest in me?

Both of them were so lost in their thoughts that they didn't notice the person of their thoughts walking towards them. Before either could do anything about it they walked smacked dab into each other.

"Why you bloody idiot! Why weren't you watching where you were going?" Severus finally stood up after untangling himself from his robes, not realizing that he had knocked over Hermione.

"I should asked the same of you, as if someone fresh from the hospital wing purposely walks into someone," Hermione bit back, not registering the voice as her Potions Professor. She felt bad for snapping but she couldn't understand why she was to blame for him not paying attention. She knew he was a bastard, but she was the one that just got released from the hospital wing after being beaten repeatedly for months.

"My apologies, Miss Granger. I did not realize you were the one to ran into me," Severus was snide as always, but he did feel a pang of guilt for knocking her over. "Why don't you let me walk you the rest of the way to your dorm?"

"I'm fine, but thank you professor," Hermione replied. She was in a foul mood now; she was hoping to see Severus before she started attending classes again but she didn't think he'd be so snarky to her. After all, she did what she could to keep him safe.

"Miss Granger, please? It's the least I can do after knocking you over and then getting snappy with you for it," Severus replied. He could practically hear the wheels turning in her head. Could see that he had hurt her feelings more than anything by his attitude. "I wanted a chance to talk to you in private anyway."

"That won't be necessary, Sir," Hermione began to walk past him acting as if he was nothing more than a first year who got lost on their way to class again. "Besides you had a week to visit me in the hospital wing where I was left to count the stones in the ceiling. Which I still haven't figured it out. Always managed to fall asleep after three hundred and ninety-four."

"Miss Granger, need I remind you who you are speaking to?" He couldn't believe this little swat of a woman. How dare she speak so towards me! He thought to himself as he rounded on her. "Do not think for one moment that just because you allowed your self to be beaten to 'protect' me from some arrogant arse gives you any right to be so blatantly disrespectful towards me."

"Oh does that make you so uncomfortable that it gives you the right to be disrespectful towards me? You air my personal reasons for what I went through as if it was your right to do so!" Hermione turned toward his, jabbing her finger into his chest. "I've been getting beaten and raped to keep you from being killed by rogue Death Eaters! I've been keeping my distance from friends and family to keep them from asking questions. I've been keeping him from hurting everyone I love! I'm sure Lucius and the Carrow's would love a crack at the traitor, so I guess I should have let him go about his business instead of trying to distract him!" Before Hermione could stop herself she slapped him hard across the face and ran. She paid no mind to where she was running, she just new she need to get away before she said much more. After all, Hermione was the only one to know that McLaggen was actually the son of the Carrow's.

Severus stood there, hand holding his left cheek. He didn't know whether to be mad at her for slapping him, or protecting him at the expense of herself. As far as he was concerned toward Lucius, Alecto, and her brother Amycus, bring it on. He knew the only reason they hadn't died in the war was because they ran like cowards. And one thing Severus was not was a coward.

With that thought in mind Severus finally followed Hermione. He was going to get to the bottom of why she wanted to protect him. He got a glimpse of something while she was in the hospital wing, which was why he had not visited like his colleagues. Severus wasn't sure if what he saw was truly how she felt or just because he had saved her and Ginny from the brute of a boy. Merlin knows the last thing I need is a simpering girl fawning over me because I'm now her "hero", he thought as he headed towards the Heads dorm.