You're Asking for My Opinion?

Chapter 7: You're Asking for My Opinion?

On Friday morning when Hermione opened the envelope with her week's pay inside, she saw it held more Galleons than had been agreed upon when she accepted the position. "Sir, I believe you miscounted. There are eight additional Galleons here," she said, turning to face Snape.

As always, he was hunched over his cauldron. He had all but tossed the envelope in her direction before resuming his work that morning when she'd arrived. Snape didn't even bother to turn around when he replied, "It is repayment for the meals you insisted on bringing me each day."

"Oh, but sir, that's really not necessary. I only wanted to help –"

"That's quite enough, Miss Granger," Snape said, effectively cutting Hermione's explanation short. "I'd prefer to pay for my own meals. The Galleons are yours; keep them. I don't want to hear any more discussion on this. I believe you have work to do."

Hermione opened her mouth again, but thought better of it and snapped it shut. He certainly ran hot and cold, or at least lukewarm and cold. Something nice or thoughtful always had to be balanced with cruel words or annoyance. He never opened up without clamming shut afterward. It was beginning to drive her mad to be around someone so utterly unpredictable in his treatment of her. She decided to keep the money and not bring the subject up again. It appeared to be something he preferred not to talk about, and she would respect his wishes.

The morning went by fairly quickly, and Hermione returned shortly after noon with their meals. As had become routine, Snape followed her into the kitchen, and they sat down for a quiet lunch together. They rarely spoke during lunch, but Hermione enjoyed the peaceful cottage and Snape's company, silent though it was. The birds tittered outside the kitchen window, and the sunlight cast a soft glow in the otherwise dim kitchen. The clanking of silverware had become a comforting sound to Hermione. It reminded her of these peaceful lunches with a most unlikely companion.

The stew Rosmerta sent with her was wonderful, but Hermione nearly choked on it when Snape cleared his throat to speak. "I'm quite interested in the theories you put forth in your article on cell growth, Miss Granger. As you know, I have been working on a potion for patients in comas, and I believe that the information in your article could be of some use if expounded on."

It took her a moment to orient herself to the invitation for conversation that had suddenly sprung from Snape's lips. "I agree, sir. If we can provide a stable way to grow new brain cells with the help of a potion, then it can most certainly be modified to stimulate existing brain cells or supplement them with new cells."

"It would depend on the type and extent of the patient's injury," he replied.

Hermione furrowed her brows and dropped her spoon into the bowl of stew. "Wait," she said, "you're talking about my article."

He raised his brows in question. "Indeed, I am."

"You've read my article?"

"I have."

A huge smile rapidly grew on Hermione's face. "You've read my article." This time it was a statement, brimming with pride.

Snape's lips turned up slightly. "Yes."

"But how –"

He waved off her question with a graceful hand and leant back in his chair. "I read the article several weeks before we met in The Four Winds Café, but I did not connect the author's name to the Jane Wharton I was meeting for a job interview. When I realized that you were her, Miss Granger, I easily connected the dots."

"You read my article," she repeated, unable to stop smiling.

"Hush with your silly nonsense, girl. As I was saying, I know all of the researchers in the field of potions, and they never publish under pseudonyms. They want all the fame they can receive from their academic circles. That meant the author would have to be a former student of mine. While I have had a few worthwhile students pass through my classroom in the past, none of them were capable of an article like that, none of them except for you, Miss Granger. It only made sense that you would be Jane Wharton. I should have realized before I even scheduled the interview."

She felt giddy. None of them were capable of an article like that, none of them except for you. That sounded like a compliment if she ever heard one. "Did you just compliment me and my article, Professor?" she asked with a grin.

Snape tossed his napkin on his empty plate and stood. "Don't let your head grow too big, Miss Granger. I found several miscalculations in your theories on cell growth."

Hermione stood up as well because she was having difficulty controlling her excitement. She continued in a breathless voice, "Even so, sir, I would love to talk with you about my theories on the subject. I find that no one else is interested in discussing it with me, or they are unable to because their knowledge of potions is rudimentary. Perhaps you might consider allowing me to assist with that potion you're making? I'm confident that I could bring a fresh perspective to your research, and it would mean a great deal to me to have the opportunity to experiment and develop a ground-breaking potion with someone such as yourself." Hermione's hands were clasped tightly in front of her stomach as she waited expectantly for his reaction.

Several long seconds ticked by before Snape gave a brief nod of his head. "The majority of my personal research is done on the weekends. If you are so interested in this project, then you will have to participate on Saturday or Sunday."

She nodded her head vigorously. "I'd be more than happy to spend my weekends researching with you. It really is a passion of mine, sir. There is nothing else I'd rather be doing."

Snape's dark eyes held her brown ones for a brief moment. "Very well, Miss Granger, I'll see you tomorrow."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione felt like she was looking at something sacred. Professor Snape's journals and notations from his experiments were laid out in front of her. The books had scraps of parchment jutting out between the pages and notes cluttering the margins. At first glance it looked disorganized and haphazard, but as she began her explorations of the information, she realized that it was quite tidy and very much in order. It looked like years of work reduced to a pile of crumpled parchment papers with a few select books.

She felt slightly uncomfortable even touching it. It was obvious that a great deal of Snape's life was in this research. Some of the notes and experiments dated back to when she was only a child and knew nothing of magic. It came as a surprise to her that he allowed her to look through his notes at her leisure.

When Hermione arrived that morning he swept her into his office and told her to take a seat at his desk. He placed the stack of research materials in front of her with a suggestion that she review it. He said that she would be of no help if she was not aware of his past research and avenues of experimentation. Most of her Saturday had been spent devouring his personal notes and the content of the few books he deemed appropriate for her crash course in the investigation of a cure for coma victims.

By late afternoon she realized she had not eaten anything since breakfast. She rubbed the blurriness from her strained eyes and walked across the hall to the laboratory. Snape was standing at the island, facing the door. His hands were resting on the table, and he was staring at a pile of herbs Hermione did not recognize. He appeared to be lost in thought, and he had not heard her enter the room.

She cleared her throat and spoke up. "Your notes are interesting, sir. I'm honored that you allowed me the pleasure of reading them."

Snape looked up, and she watched his eyes slowly focus in on her. He looked exhausted and somewhat lost. He really wasn't taking proper care of himself, and it was painfully evident by his thin, undernourished body, the dark circles bruising the skin beneath his eyes, and the haunted look in those eyes when she caught him unaware.

When he didn't reply, she spoke again. "Is that gotu kola?" Hermione gestured to the herb on the countertop.

He glanced down at the pile of leaves and shook his head. "No, it's mint – my own variation that does not affect the properties of a potion, but masks the bad taste."

"Well, if it isn't working there is no need to make it taste better, and I'm sure someone in a coma wouldn't care one way or the other what it tastes like," she said, sliding onto a stool across from him.

"Yes, I suppose so," he said. Snape gave his head a quick shake, and she could see him visibly pull himself together. "You've read the notes on the research I've done?"

"Yes, sir."

"And? Do you have any thoughts, Miss Granger?" His tone was sharper than she liked, and it provoked her into responding in the same voice.

"Of course I have thoughts, Professor. I never thought I'd see the day when you asked for my opinion."

"Nor did I, Miss Granger. Desperate times call for desperate measures, of which you are one."

"I'm a desperate measure in this research?"

He plucked a small leaf from the stem of the herb and tossed it into the cauldron beside him. "Of course you are. As much as I hate to admit it, Miss Granger, I have run out of options, and I'm also running out of time. I've been attempting to develop this potion for many years, but to no avail. I'm afraid I need a fresh set of eyes to look at things from a different perspective."

"Why me?"

"Must I have a reason?"

"There are several masters who would be willing to offer their opinion to someone of your expertise," Hermione said.

Snape nodded. "Yes, and we've already had this discussion about those masters, Miss Granger. Most are old, set in their ways, and have no desire or drive for true research and development. Their opinions mean nothing to me because I already know all they can tell me."

"You certainly have a high opinion of yourself," she said.

He caught and held her eyes with his own. "I'm being realistic, Miss Granger. I have been doing this since before you were born, and we both know my knowledge of potions is extensive, or else you wouldn't have begged for this position. I know you certainly didn't press the issue because you wanted to work with the greasy git."

"I never called you that!" Hermione exclaimed. "I always defended you when anyone called you names. I've always had respect for you. I've always trusted you."

"I seem to recall an incident in your first year when you and your bothersome friends thought that I was searching for the Philosopher's Stone."

She rolled her eyes. "I was twelve. I didn't know anything at the time. You were intimidating and mean to all the Gryffindors. What was I supposed to think?"

Snape abruptly turned around and snatched a jar from the shelf behind him. "Perhaps it would be best if we avoided discussion of the past."

"I agree," Hermione said. "What really matters is where we are now and what we can do about it. If you'd like my fresh perspective on the potion, I believe that the first step would be to identify all potential ingredients and thoroughly catalog them as to their properties and what other ingredients they interact with in either positive or negative ways. Once we have a complete list, we can try each combination to find a stable potion."

"I've already done that."

"Yes, you did it fifteen years ago. You're the one who said that all Potions Masters are stuck in the past. I think the problem is that you're focusing too much on one or two key ingredients and not looking at the larger picture."

Snape looked angry as he replaced the lid on the jar and slammed it back onto the countertop. "And what are these new and mysterious ingredients that you seem to think I've missed?"

"May I use your books?" Hermione nodded in the direction of the bookcase at the far end of the room.

He threw an arm out. "By all means, I couldn't possibly keep a bookworm like you away from them."

Hermione was trembling slightly from the confrontation. Confrontation was easy if she was the angry one, but dealing with an angry Snape while retaining her cool was more intimidating than she'd originally thought. She ran her finger over the spines of the books until she found what she was looking for: Essential Components to Restorative and Healing Potions.

She returned to her seat and opened the book, thumbing through the chapters that she knew would be of no use to them. He certainly seemed to be obsessed with this potion. Years of constantly studying and attempting to develop a potion like this made her think that it was not simply a hobby, but a mission, and his wild emotions made her think that the mission was a personal one. She suspected that the poor condition of his health was due to his unflagging obsession with this avenue of research. All of his free time appeared to be devoted to creating a stable version of the potion, making him neglect his body, mind, and the world around him.

Hermione felt a small twinge in her heart for him. He was desperate for a cure, and he was destroying himself in the process of trying to find it. She wished she knew why he was so intent on this particular potion.

"Here," Hermione said. "This chapter has several ingredients that we may want to consider." She tapped the page as Snape walked around the table to look over her shoulder. Despite his appearance, she found that he smelled very good as he hovered over her, scanning the pages of the book. She hadn't been this close to Snape since her fifth year at Hogwarts when he used to lean over the students to see the contents of their cauldrons. She suddenly felt like a very self-conscious fifteen-year-old.

Hermione shook the silly thoughts from her head when he started speaking again. "I've considered all of these in my previous research, as you saw in my notes. They are either ineffective or too difficult to include in such a potion. Gotu kola has been the only one I've found to be truly feasible."

"What has been your trouble with the gotu kola?" she asked.

Snape leaned closer to get a better view of the page. His breath was warm on her ear when he replied. "It reacts badly with many of the commonly used ingredients meant to boost its power and effectiveness. I'm always left with a potion that is too unstable and volatile to administer to a patient, or a potion that does not have the proper strength."

If only I could find a guy that would whisper potions research in my ear like that, she thought while she suppressed her giggles. Hermione tried to sober herself because it was certainly not the time for flights of fancy about the perfect man, especially when that man possessed Snape's voice and knowledge. She was spending far too much time around him if she found any part of him desirable.

"Perhaps gotu kola is not the ingredient you need to create a successful potion. There are over a hundred known ingredients for restorative potions and those can be combined with other ingredients to boost effectiveness. The potential number of combinations is mind-boggling," she said, turning the page twice more to show him the extensive list of ingredients they should be cataloging.

She felt a rush of air as he pulled away from her and returned to his workstation. "Are you questioning my research, Miss Granger?"

Hermione wasn't sure what to say. "Well, no, sir, I'm not questioning the validity of your research. I'm sure it is quite thorough and comprehensive. I'm just afraid that you've narrowed your possible ingredients down to too few. If gotu kola is not the ingredient that will ultimately create an effective potion, then all of your energy spent on that particular herb will have been wasted."

He didn't respond; instead he began gathering ingredients for a new potion. He pushed the cauldron with the mint leaf to the side and slid a new one in to take its place. She watched as he swept around the room and piled the herbs, liquids, jars, and other assorted components on the countertop. His movements were precise and smooth when he began preparing each of the ingredients for inclusion in the potion. She wanted to say something to provoke some sort of response from him, but he seemed too intent on his work, and she was too enraptured with the sweeping motions of his hands as they dropped ingredient after ingredient into the small black cauldron.

Half the ingredients were in the mix, and he was stirring them before he spoke up again. "The ingredients are not the only things which affect the outcome of a potion. There are numerous variables to the process, and each one can create a dramatic change in the final product."

Snape dropped a pinch of white powder into the cauldron and continued. "The temperature of the fire or the lack of heat beneath the cauldron, the exact preparation of each ingredient, the length of time between stirrings and the direction it is stirred – any of these may cause a shift in the potion."

"That's why most students find Potions so difficult," she said in a soft voice.

"And you? Did you find it difficult, Miss Granger?"

Hermione smiled softly. "Only when Neville wouldn't listen to me."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Longbottom and his notoriously volatile concoctions. I hesitate to even call them potions because they were good for nothing more than destroying one the cauldrons."

"He tried his best."

"Yes, and you tried your best to help him."

She shrugged and watched him drop a finely cut leaf into the cauldron. "Someone had to help him. He was scared stiff of you."

Snape added the final two ingredients and continued to stir. "Were you?"

"Scared of you?" Hermione asked. "Perhaps during my first two years at Hogwarts, but once I was older I realized that you were simply trying to run a safe classroom. I do think you could have been slightly nicer about it though."

"Nice was something I could not afford to be with my role as a spy and a Death Eater."

Hermione propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin in the palm of her hand while she watched Snape stir the potion. His face was tilted down to watch the swirl of the liquid inside the cauldron, and his stringy hair fell on both sides of his face like a curtain. He looked weary. Hermione wished that she could snap her fingers and make everything right for him; she wanted to give him a stable, working potion and allow him to get some real rest, possibly for the first time in his life. It looked like he hadn't had a decent night's sleep in years.

Snape knocked Hermione out of her thoughts when he stopped stirring and produced a small, empty vial from his pocket. He quickly bottled a portion of the potion and placed it back in the pocket of his frock coat. "Is it finished?" she asked.

"Finished, but unlikely to work." He finally looked up and met her eyes. "I'm afraid I've wasted your time and mine, Miss Granger. I suggest you run along and attempt to salvage what is left of your weekend. Good day." Snape Disapparated with a crack, leaving Hermione alone in the laboratory.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione stood in Snape's empty cottage for several minutes, wondering where he had gone so suddenly. Finally, she hoisted her bag over her shoulder and Disapparated as well. A moment later she found herself in the large lobby of St. Mungo's, asking the elderly witch at the reception desk for Ginny Weasley. Ginny met Hermione in the lobby before they decided to take a walk outside.

"What's up?" Ginny asked after they stepped out the front doors.

"Have you ever seen Snape visiting anyone at St. Mungo's?"

Ginny shook her head. "I haven't seen him since the hearing after the war."

Hermione shrugged. "Oh, well, it was just a hunch."

"What was a hunch? What's going on with Snape?"

Hermione pulled in a deep breath. "I'm worried about him."

"Worried about him?" Ginny smiled at Hermione. "Why would you be worried about Snape?"

"He works constantly, and he spends all of his free time trying to create a potion that will revive patients from long-term vegetative states. I've actually had to force him to eat lunch this past week." Hermione shrugged and glanced over at her friend. "I just thought that he might be creating the potion for a certain person... and that this person might be at St. Mungo's."

Ginny waved at a coworker who was returning from her break. "There is a ward of patients who have been in comas for years – patients that don't have much hope at all of waking. I've never worked in that section before, but I know a couple people who have."

"Would it be possible to obtain a list of the patients in that ward?"

"It would have to be through unofficial channels. I'm not allowed to give that information out to just anyone."

Hermione elbowed Ginny lightly. "Come on, Ginny. I'm not just anyone."

"Yeah, yeah," Ginny said, laughing. "I'll get a copy for you, even if you are using it to help the bat of the dungeons himself. It's like you've picked up a new project. Are you planning on reintroducing a new and improved Snape to the wizarding world?"

Hermione shook her head and smiled. "This isn't a project. I'm just curious. Besides, I'm not sure if anyone in the world could help Severus Snape overcome his demons."

Author's Note: Big thanks to Snarkyroxy for being such an awesome beta. Thanks also go out to Jessica and Allyness for lending me their eyes. And thank you to everyone to has left reviews or comments about this fic. I appreciate it so much. I promise that all of your questions will be more or less answered before the ending of this fic.