'Add two drops of dragon's blood, stir counter clockwise twenty times before setting for fifteen minutes.' Hermione read the instructions over twice before adding the dragon's blood. As she stirred the cauldron her mind drifted. '20… 19… What is Professor Snape saying to that poor boy now? Neville when will you learn… 14… 13.'

With her final stir, the potion stilled from its simmer and sat, opaque and yellow as described. Hermione grinned in satisfaction. She took a quick peek around and noticed that the Potion's Master had moved on from the distraught boy next to her.

Neville's potion had turned a deep red while bright green fumes wafted from the cauldron. If one got close, the smell was enough to make one's eyes water. Hermione frowned, it was a wonder he had made it this far without a serious problem. After the war had ended, all students from the seventh year had been forced back to complete their schooling. It made sense; even those who were in school at the time had the Carrow's and 'deatheater' Snape running the shots. Very little practical learning took place.

Since then it has become mandatory that Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and Defense Against the Dark Arts are taken throughout all the years at Hogwarts. Snape had returned after being bitten by Nagini. Hermione's quick thinking and ever extendable purse with all sorts of blood replenishing potions and bezoars had just barely suppressed his death until help had arrived. Not that it had any change on his dour disposition whatsoever. In fact, Hermione seemed to get the worst of his attention, even more so than Harry who he had now taken to just ignoring.

All of this brings back the issue of Neville in Potions class. He was sweating, his breathing was shallow, and he made a small choked noise as his potion started to produce thick bubbles in its depths. Cutting off the head of a possessed snake was no match for him, and yet here he sat in a classroom, looking as though the devil himself would be upon him in a moments notice. Acting quickly, Hermione reached over to lessen the flames and add some lacewing flies before those bubbles popped and splattered everywhere. Neville smiled in relief and mouthed a silent, 'Thank you.'

"Be careful and watch your potion," she whispered before turning back to her near complete potion. Once her potion was bottled, labeled, and her station cleaned, it was as if she had never come to Neville's aide at all. Professor Snape's back was to her at the front of the class, sneering down at some other poor soul. 'He is so intimidating with that height; if Neville had been a short boy he would have wet himself several times throughout the years.' Hermione thought with an inward chuckle.

Hermione softly whispered instructions which he followed to the best of his abilities. It was helping. A tall shadow loomed over her table and she started. "Miss. Granger, would you please explain to me why Mr. Longbottom is not using his own brain in this class?" he hissed leaning in closer to her.

Hermione flushed. "Sir, his cauldron was going to …"

"Silence," he cut her sentence short. "In the future allow Mr. Longbottom to fail," the Potion's Master paused and glared at Neville who was doing his best to dissolve into his seat. "Or succeed on his own."

Hermione silently fumed in her seat as he walked away. She was never one to disrespect her teachers, but this man seemed to be able to push her buttons in just the right way that she came very close to at times. 'Why is he so… well… rude? Just because he can intimidate us doesn't mean he should!' Hermione thought. But if she was being honest with herself it was just that type of intimidation that drew her to him. It was borderline erotic when his rich tones caressed her, even with his snide barbs. 'Enough! I will NOT think these things.' She chanted this mantra over and over to herself until all thoughts of him were pushed aside.

Hermione pulled out her text and began to read ahead when she heard a faint hissing sound coming from the cauldron next to her. She bit her lip, 'I won't help.' The hissing turned to quiet, steady popping sounds, 'I WON'T help!' A low rumble began and Hermione hastily pulled out a small scrap of paper and hastily scrawled a few instructions. But before Neville could grasp the lifeline in his hands the paper fluttered upward. It flapped to the ceiling before bursting into flames, ash rained down on the desk in front of her.

Hermione gulped and her heartbeat quickened; she was in for it now. "Miss Granger, it seems that, like some of your classmates," another pointed glare at Neville. "you are unable to follow simple instructions." His sneer cut through her as she realized she had managed to disappoint him yet again. "Twenty points from Gryffindor and detention tonight."

"But Sir…"

"Tonight and tomorrow then. Would you like to make it a week?" he said over her.

Hermione's mouth snapped shut and her eyes cast downward in the most intense glare she could muster. 'How can you be attracted to that?' she belittled herself. It was embarrassing to be treated as a child when she had not only saved the Wizarding world, but his life as well. It was even more embarrassing that she still could not think of anything but him whispering in those same tones in her ear. Deep, commanding, in control, aware, and self assured … she shook her head. 'FOCUS!'

Class passed uneventfully as she continued to bore holes through the text in front of her.

"Bottle your potions and leave them on my desk. You are dismissed," the Professor said without lifting his head from the papers in front of him. Hermione packed her things away as fast as possible. "Not so fast Miss. Granger. We have a few things to discuss," he snapped as she attempted to maneuver to the door unnoticed.

She grimaced and made her way to his desk. Harry and Ron were the last to trickle out of the class, offering her a sympathetic smile.

Snape lowered the papers in front of him, eyeing the potions with a shake of his head. Hermione stood across from him, determined to stare him in the eyes. But once his eyes rose to hers, the floor seemed a much more interesting view. As quick as her anger had come it had been replaced by shame and disappointment in herself. She had been trying so hard to win his favour these past months and she was in his bad graces once again.

"As much as you seem to know everything Miss Granger," he started. "You seem to lack the basic understanding of hierarchy in a classroom."

She glanced up, confusion written across her brow.

"I am the Professor in this class. If I am giving instructions in MY classroom you are expected to obey," he said coolly. His gaze was steady on her, harsh and unyielding. It was hard to look away once you were drawn to them.

Hermione felt her loins clench at his words. 'Not now!' she pleaded with her body. Remembering his gift for Legilimency, Hermione lowered her eyes once again and nodded hastily.

"I can't hear you Miss Granger," he said quietly, she could practically hear the smirk on his lips.

"Yes Sir." Her core clenched again.

"I expect you here at 8 o'clock this evening. Now go."

Hermione bolted from the dungeons as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn't stop until she was safe in the Gryffindor common room.

"Aww c'mon Hermione, just a quick look through I swear," whined Ron. He was draped lazily on the common rooms biggest couch, trying his best with a puppy dog look.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione shook her head, "Ron you know I've got detention. I haven't got the time. Maybe when I've come back …"

"But you've looked over Harry's essay!" he cried out indignantly. The tips of his ears were turning a soft pink.

Hermione sighed in frustration; she didn't have time for this. "Yes Ronald, but Harry had the common sense to show me two nights ago, NOT the night it was due." She snapped her book shut and hastily threw it in her bag. She had a detention to get to.

A few of the younger students had started to glance toward the arguing pair. It seemed as though anything that happened in the Golden Trio's lives was worth a few days worth of gossip at least.

"I just figured you would make time for me, considering our ... you know..." he fumed, his entire face turning pink now. A few gasps were heard from those students close enough to hear his remark. Was two of the trio currently an item?

Hermione's cheeks flushed a brilliant red and her eyes narrowed. With a flick of her wrist a muffliato encased the two in a faint buzzing noise. Ron at least had the decency of that moment to look a little embarrassed by his own comment.

"In case you hadn't noticed Ron, we've never spoken about anything that happened after that night," Hermione seethed.

Ron flared up once again, "Well it didn't seem like we really had to. I mean that night seemed pretty clear to me." He was hurt. When it came to emotions Ron was as open a book as you could get.

Regardless Hermione stood her ground. "Believe it or not, we do have a lot to discuss. It's obvious that things aren't as clear as they seem." She looked at the clock above the fireplace and groaned. Five minutes to detention. "Now is not the time," she finished quietly.

The spell was broken around them and Ron just stared at her looking as though his heart had fallen out of its chest and lay beating on the dirty ground in front of him. As if this day couldn't get any worse!