Chapter 25

Chapter 25

You don't remember me

But I remember you

I lie awake and try so hard

Not to think of you

But who can decide what they dream?

And dream I do...

--Taking Over Me by Evanescence

Hermione's fourth year, part 1:

Severus' eyes snapped open. He'd had 'the dream' again. This time he'd almost been able to feel Hermione in his arms before she had disappeared. He heaved a great sigh. At least this dream was better than the ones he had been having lately. They were dark dreams, filled with dark images. They were memories from his Death Eater days and nightmares of the return of Voldemort. Severus would bow before the evil despot and look up to see the green light of the killing curse coming at him, and then everything would go black. He would usually wake up screaming at the end of those dreams.

But this dream was not of evil, it was of her. His heart ached within him for his Hermione. The school year had just started, and already the similarities between his Hermione and the girl who now attended Hogwarts were becoming more and more evident. With each year, the student Hermione was growing into the beautiful woman she would eventually become. Seeing her on a daily basis only drove home the fact that he could not have her now, nor for years to come.

Severus gritted his teeth together. He had known when she had left that he would watch her grow up. He had known it would be difficult, but he hadn't had an inkling as to just how difficult it would be. Sometimes seeing Hermione had made his heart happy, but on other occasions it had seemed that time had just been dragging along, mocking him and laughing at his heartache.

Severus tried to calm himself. He knew she would return. It was one of the few things that kept him going every day. The fact that she would be his eventually made up for a myriad of small heartaches he felt as he watched her be friends with Weasley and Potter, yet simply address him as an acquaintance, a teacher, or someone with whom she was not very familiar.

He wished he could snap his fingers and all of the next eight years would pass away and his Hermione would be back. Unfortunately, time didn't work that way. He was stuck waiting...forever waiting...waiting for a time that never seemed to grow closer.

Sighing, he tossed around and got into a more comfortable position. Remembering Hermione's promise to always love him, Severus slowly went back to sleep, eager for time to pass and her return to his arms.

oooOOOooo

There was a wild knocking on the Potions master's door. Severus got up from the couch and went over to it. He opened it a crack and found an anxious looking Harry Potter.

"Come in," Severus said, and Harry rushed past him.

Severus motioned for him to take a seat on the couch. Harry lowered himself onto it.

"Do you know what the first trial is?" Harry asked.

Severus looked to Harry quizzically. "I do not," he said simply.

"Hagrid showed me. It's dragons! I have to take an egg away from a dragon. What am I supposed to do? I can't use my wand. I'll be burned to a crisp!"

Severus steepled his fingers and gave it some thought. After some time, he got up and went over to a picture of an old wizard stirring a cauldron. Pulling the picture away from the wall, he revealed a hidden cupboard. He extracted a vial from a small group and returned to Harry, sitting next to him on the sofa. He lifted the vial up so Harry could see its yellowish-green liquid.

Harry lifted a brow. "Is that Severus Snape's Patented Strengthening Solution?" he asked.

Severus smirked and nodded.

"What are you suggesting? Are you insinuating that I should get into a fist fight with a dragon?"

Severus arched an eyebrow at him. "Only if you are left with no choice."

Harry carefully took the vial from his professor. "Are you sure you don't have some kind of Potion I could throw on the dragon to put it to sleep?"

"It would be hard to pry an egg from under a sleeping dragon, Harry."

"Yes, but it will be impossible to get one away from a dragon that is awake."

"Harry, you will find a way to do it, I'm sure. The Strengthening Solution gives you extra speed, don't forget. Perhaps you could just run up and run away with the egg."

"I don't know. I'll have to think of something." Harry got up and went to the door. "Thank you for the potion, Professor. I'm sure it will help."

"Harry, these trials, although difficult, are not impossible. You will prevail."

Harry nodded and left the room.

oooOOOooo

The day of the first task had arrived. Harry felt fear grip him, but he shoved it away. It would do no good for him to dwell on such things when he needed to concentrate. He had taken the Potion that Professor Snape had given him just before his turn with the dragon. Taking Professor Moody's advice that he should do what he did best, Hermione and he had worked on summoning charms almost all night. Harry was tired, but he had his plan well formed in his head. He had listened to the other three champions perform each of their challenges, each receiving cheers when it had been accomplished. He feared that he would be the only one to fail. Quickly putting that depressing thought out of his mind, he left the tent to emerge near the Hungarian Horntail and her nest.

He ran over to a rock and hid behind it as the dragon turned and shot some flame his way.

"Accio broom!" he chanted and waited while his broom sped out of his room and raced toward him.

Finally the broom reached his hand, and he climbed aboard it and took off, just missing a spray of fire that the dragon had let loose. He shot into the air and circled the dragon's head, luring it off its nest. Getting his bearings, he found the best angle to see the egg. He spied it, glimmering in the sunlight. Stopping and hovering for a minute, he extended his hand and cried the summoning spell once again. The egg sailed out of the nest and flew at him. He grabbed at it and shot away, just as a plume of fire shot at the spot where he had been hovering.

Harry sped away from the dragon on his broom, but the dragon raced around him and stopped right in front of him. Harry felt his stomach clench as the beast hovered, blocking his path. It seemed his joke to Snape about fist fighting with the dragon was about to come true. He secured the egg within his robe, holding it with one arm to protect it. Harry scooted forward and bent low so that his hand could still grip the broom while his arm protected the egg. Extending the other hand, he made a fist. Aiming for the dragon's underbelly, he shot quickly toward the snarling beast.

Harry felt intense heat at his back as the dragon shot streams of fire toward him. He was traveling so quickly that the flames overshot him and heated his backside. Within seconds he had made contact with the fleshy stomach. His fist crashed into it, sending the dragon flying backwards. It crashed to the ground and slid for some time before coming to a rest. Harry though he heard it whimper.

Harry examined his hand. He thought the hand and entire arm should have been shattered, but the potion had done its job, and he had come away unscathed. He turned his broom around and raced back to the podium, landing lightly and gracefully. He lifted the egg above his head and was rewarded with the crowd going crazy. He smiled in relief, thankful that the harrowing experience was now behind him.

oooOOOooo

It was the night of the Yule Ball. Students danced together to lively music in the Great Hall. It was decorated in a winter theme, the Hall having been transformed into an ice palace. Snow and ice bedecked everything. There were three giant Christmas trees at the head of the Hall which were covered in snow. Of course, the enchanted ceiling had snow falling from it, which disappeared a few feet above everyone's head. The Hall did look nice, even Severus had to admit it. He stood off to the side bedecked in midnight blue dress robes.

The robes were similar to the ones he wore daily, except they were of a finer material. There was just something about the button-down look that he loved, so most of his wardrobe consisted of suit coats that had many buttons. The fabric of these particular robes was a fine silk. The whole ensemble was incredibly comfortable but looked well tailored and fit his build perfectly.

He stood in between Karkaroff and Minerva. Severus watched the students twirl about happily. They did not understand the great danger that was soon to be upon them. His mark had been darkening over the past few months, and he feared that the Dark Lord would resurrect himself soon.

"Would you care to dance, Severus?" Minerva asked him.

He raised an eyebrow to her.

"Well, I know that if I didn't ask, you never would ask me," she said with a smile.

Severus' aversion to dancing was well known among the faculty. Of course, he didn't really have an aversion to dancing, it was just that there was only one woman he wanted to dance with, and she was currently dancing with Viktor Krum.

He took Minerva's hand and led her to the dance floor. They soon were twirling with everyone else.

"Severus, you really dance divinely. I don't know why you don't do it more often," Minerva commented.

He gave her a small smile. "I just would rather watch everyone else dance, to be honest with you."

Minerva clicked her tongue at him. "You're impossible, Severus. Don't think that I don't know you'd rather be dancing with a different Gryffindor tonight."

Severus' eyes wandered over to Hermione. She appeared more like her future self than she normally did. He didn't know what she had done to her hair, but it was beautiful, as was her dress and everything else about her. She literally flowed on the dance floor, the soft layers of her fuchsia dress swaying around her. She was looking raptly into Krum's eyes. She beamed at the young man as he twirled her around in the dance. Severus felt a pang of jealousy but quickly smothered it. He would have his chance with her in the future.

"Minerva, she is not the person who I fell in love with."

"Oh, of course she is, she just doesn't know it yet!"

"And she will not know it for several years. Let her enjoy her youth. She is too young for me now anyway. She seems quite taken with Mr. Krum at any rate."

Minerva patted his shoulder. "She will come to her senses once she returns from the past."

Severus rolled his eyes at Minerva as they continued to twirl on the dance floor. The song ended finally, and Severus made his way back to the sidelines, taking his place next to Karkaroff. Minerva found another dance partner in Albus. Severus watched them twirl about for a few minutes.

After a while the dance ended and many couples left the floor and either headed to tables or to the refreshment table where Severus was standing. Severus heard a familiar laugh and turned his head to see Krum and Hermione behind him. Krum was handing her a glass of punch, and she was beaming at him. Severus felt his stomach begin to be tied in knots. He hadn't realized how painful it would be to see Hermione looking lovingly to someone other than him. He really needed to forget about her, but he couldn't. The young couple stood there making small talk, and Severus tried hard not to listen.

Then the MC took the microphone to make an announcement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Professor Dumbledore has requested that we have a special student-teacher dance at this time. He invites any student to ask a faculty member to dance with them for this next dance."

Severus closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, hoping against hope that no one would ask him to dance. His thoughts went to all of the possibilities. Luna Lovegood? He shuddered. He could never make small talk with her; she had the strangest things to say. Pansy Parkinson? She would yabber on endlessly about nothing. He couldn't think of a single student he would want to dance with. Suddenly he felt a tap on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and about gasped.

Merlin, no, he thought to himself.

There before him was none other than Hermione Granger, smiling at him.

"Would you care to dance, Professor?" she asked.

Severus arched an eyebrow at her. He should say no... that's what she would be expecting. He opened his mouth to decline.

"Of course, Miss Granger," he uttered.

Umm, that wasn't what he was going to say. Now he was leading her to the dance floor, and they were beginning to dance. Of course, it was a waltz. What had possessed his mouth to utter those words? Now she was holding one of his hands, and his arm was around her waist. He felt his heart begin to hammer in his chest. She was just a girl, for heaven sake, he needed to control himself.

He bravely looked down at her. She was looking up at him with a small smile on her face.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Miss Granger?" he managed to mutter without his voice squeaking.

"Oh, yes. I'm having a wonderful time," she gushed.

He couldn't help but smile at her, simply because she was so overjoyed with everything.

"I'm glad, Miss Granger. You look very nice tonight."

It was the best compliment he could give her, given their circumstances. She would have probably given him a very curious look to say the least if he had said she looked stunning, or beautiful, or ravishing for that matter. Why, oh, why, had she asked him to dance?

Hermione beamed at his compliment and added one of her own.

"You are a wonderful dancer, Professor," she commented.

"Thank you," Severus answered.

I dance even better with your head on my shoulder and your arms around my waist, he thought and quickly put that out of his mind.

Perhaps he should just excuse himself and return to the sidelines. No, he couldn't do that. Then she would think that she had done something to offend him.

Her closeness was driving him crazy. She may be just a girl, but she was the younger self of the girl he loved. His heart was exploding in his chest at her closeness, yet he wanted her closer still. This situation was impossible! How could he have such feelings for a mere teenager? Why, oh, why, had she asked him to dance, of all people?

"Why, of all people, did you ask me to dance, Miss Granger?"

"I like a challenge, sir," she said plainly.

"A challenge, Miss Granger?"

"Sir, it is widely known throughout the school that you don't dance... ever. I was startled to see you with Professor McGonagall on the dance floor earlier. I wondered if you'd give it a go a second time in...how long has it been since you danced before tonight?"

Severus' breath caught in his throat. "Many years," he whispered. And only ever with you.

She was the one to raise an eyebrow this time. "Well, if I were you, I would do it more often. You're quite good at it."

If I could dance with you, I would do it every day, Severus thought.

"Luckily for me, these dances only occur once or twice a year," he stated blandly. "I only have to subject myself to such trials on those occasions."

Hermione laughed at him, and he thought of her laugh in his past. Would this bloody dance never end? He wasn't sure how much longer he could take her closeness. Finally the last chords of the waltz were played, and they were separating.

"Thank you, Professor, for breaking your long standing no-dancing rule for me," she joked to him.

Severus mumbled something under his breath and wandered back to his place on the sidelines. Mr. Krum was readily by Hermione's side again, twirling her at the start of the next dance. She gave him a broad grin. Albus wandered over to Severus as he watched the students dancing.

"I hope you enjoyed your dance, Severus. I just couldn't keep myself from having that special dance just for you."

Severus eyed his boss. "How did you know she would ask me?"

Albus shrugged his shoulders, but his eyes twinkled furiously. "Just a hunch," he said and walked away.

Severus stared after the meddlesome, old coot. The old wizard was always sticking his nose where it didn't belong. Of course, Severus had enjoyed himself with Hermione. Perhaps he should give Albus his thanks after all.

He glared at the retreating form and then glanced out at the merrymakers. All of the students seemed to be having a good time except for Harry, Ron, and their poor dates, the Patil twins. For some reason, neither boy was dancing, nor did they look like they were going to any time soon. The two girls were huffing at each other. He expected they would probably get up and find other young men to dance with if things didn't change soon. Severus shook his head at the stupidity of youth.

At least everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves. Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley were dancing together, as was Dudley Dursley and Susan Bones. Fred Weasley and Angelina Johnson twirled by when he noticed Draco and Pansy Parkinson doing elaborate movements to call attention to themselves. No matter how showy their display was, however, Severus found his eye drifting away from them and to a different couple.

Severus watched Hermione covertly under a curtain of his hair as she danced. She certainly looked radiant. He sighed to himself as he watched her look up at Krum. That was the look she usually reserved for him alone. He found it unsettling for her to be showering it on someone else.

She twirled with Krum over and over again. All at once her glance went to Severus. She gave him a smile as she danced with Krum. Severus' heart melted in his chest.

Severus chided himself. He knew that this was not his Hermione. How could he let himself moon over the young girl, she was only fifteen, for heaven's sake. He shook his head and berated himself for being such a lovesick fool. He thought of his lovely Hermione. It seemed like he still had to wait forever until he could see her again.

Rolling his eyes at his absurd behavior, he decided to go do something productive, like search the halls and coaches for snogging students or something. Getting a little smile on his face at the thought, he turned to head out to the courtyard.

oooOOOooo

Severus had been on the prowl for a while now. He had gone out to the courtyard and had found several couples in the middle of a good snog. He had deducted points and had sent them on their way.

He didn't know why enforcing the 'No public displays of affection' rule was one of his favorite pastimes, but it was. He assumed it was probably the stunned looks on the student's faces that made him so giddy. The last couple he had broken up had almost jumped out of their skins. Severus smirked as he recalled their horrified looks. It had been hilarious.

He had given up on the courtyard, as Karkaroff had been out there badgering him about his Dark Mark growing darker. The man was a pest. He had been loyal to Voldemort to a point but had betrayed him by turning in his compatriots to avoid a lengthy stint in Azkaban. Severus knew that when the Dark Lord returned, Karkaroff was as good as dead.

Severus was now stalking the halls, looking for some more fun. He noticed a couple behind a curtain. Snatching it aside, he found two Hufflepuffs going at it. They looked up in shock as the curtain was pulled away.

Mr. Dursley, Miss Bones, ten points each from Hufflepuff! Now get back to the dance, or return to your Common Room!"

He turned and smirked as he stalked away. Severus rounded the corner and walked silently down the hall, listening for telltale shuffling. He wandered past a suit of arms and thought he heard some movement behind it. Aha! Another chance to scare some students senseless! He quietly snuck up to the suit of arms and shot his head around it. The person behind the knight didn't even flinch. She was sitting against the wall, her head buried in her knees, and she was sobbing. Severus' eyes grew wide as he assessed the situation.

"Miss Granger, are you alright?" he asked.

Hermione's head shot up. "Oh!" she cried.

Severus extended his hand to offer her a help up. She accepted his hand and stood quickly, coming out from behind the knight.

"Miss Granger?"

Hermione quickly wiped her tears away. "Sorry, sir."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Miss Granger. You have done nothing wrong. Why are you hiding behind a suit of arms? Has Mr. Krum behaved badly?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, no. It's nothing like that. He has been a perfect gentleman."

Severus looked at Hermione curiously. "Then why are you not enjoying yourself with him?"

Hermione's shoulders sagged. "It's Ron! He's a total prat!"

"What did he do?" Severus asked with concern.

Hermione looked up at him with her tear-stained face. If Ron had hurt her, Severus would see that he never got out of detention.

"You don't want to hear my silly problems, sir. I'll just go to bed."

She turned to leave but felt his hand on her forearm stopping her.

"Tell me what happened, Miss Granger."

Hermione looked sadly at Severus. His heart broke within him.

"He said some horrid things to me. That's all."

"What did he say?"

She shook her head. "Nothing important."

"What did he say?"

Anger suddenly gripped her. "He said that I was fraternizing with the enemy by going to the ball with Viktor. He had the nerve to say that after he mooned over him at the Quidditch cup and followed him around half of the semester! Can you believe the nerve of that? He's nothing but a jealous prat! He thought I would just wait around for him to ask me to the dance! Then he got upset because he asked me after I already had a date! You should have heard him, telling Harry that I was lying and no one could possibly want to go to the ball with me. So when no one would go with him, he asked me as a last resort! He treats me like an afterthought and then gets angry when I've already made plans! I should have punched him in the face for what he said!"

Hermione seethed for a minute, then looked at her professor in horror.

"Oh! I shouldn't have said all of that!" she exclaimed.

Severus smirked at her.

"Nonsense. It's better to be angry about other's foolish behavior than to cry about it. He doesn't deserve your tears, Hermione. He's just being a jerk. Don't let him ruin your evening. You should go back to the ball. Mr. Krum probably is wondering where you got off to."

Hermione looked at Severus in wonder at his words. Had he just called her Hermione? And he had called Ron a jerk. She couldn't help but grin at him for his comments.

"You're right, Professor. I'll do that. I won't let that git spoil my night. Thanks." With that she was off.

Severus stared after her. All he wanted to do was envelop her in a hug and comfort her, but this was for the best. He debated whether to go do something about Weasley, he was so infuriated with him, but he decided against it. It was one thing to encourage the girl in an empty corridor, but quite another to give a detention to Weasley for his actions in the middle of a party. Nonetheless, he was furious at the boy's idiocy. He hated to see Hermione upset like that, especially since she deserved nothing but happiness. How could that prat treat her so poorly? His actions had made her feel insignificant and unwanted. He wanted to string Weasley up by his toes and throw curses at him he was so angry. The next few class days for Weasley would not be pleasant ones.

oooOOOooo

Harry entered the Room of Requirement for his weekly session with Severus, closely followed by Hermione. Harry's mind was obviously not on dueling. He held the golden egg that he had taken from the dragon during the first task. He had been unable to figure out how to understand it and was seeking help. He and Hermione had been sitting in the Common Room all day yesterday and this morning poring over books. Well, at least Hermione had been pouring over books, looking for some sort of answer. Harry had looked at some books, but spent most of his time staring at the egg, trying to will it to spill its secrets. Nothing had been forthcoming.

Harry noticed his Professor standing off in the corner eyeing a dueling dummy. He cleared his throat, and Severus turned and flashed him a brief smile, which fell away quickly when he saw Hermione standing next to Harry.

"Harry, these sessions are supposed to be secret. That doesn't mean you are to bring your friends along with you whenever you feel like it."

"I need your help, and besides, Hermione figured out what I was doing two years ago. She won't tell anyone, she never has. She hasn't even told Ron." Harry said quickly, cutting to the chase.

Severus glanced to Hermione who was looking hopeful that he would let her stay. Her baleful eyes about pierced his heart.

"At least you brought the friend who can think on her feet," he muttered.

Severus eyed the golden egg in Harry's hand. "You still haven't been able to get the message from it?"

"No," Harry scowled.

"Have you opened it at all?"

"It screeches when I open it."

"Let me hear it," Severus demanded.

"You won't like it," Harry muttered as he set the egg down on a table and cracked it open.

A shrill shrieking sound emerged from the egg, and Severus immediately clapped his hands over his ears. Harry snapped the egg closed again.

"Ow," Severus grimaced.

Severus looked to Hermione. "What have you found out about it?"

Hermione smiled to herself, glad that her professor recognized her ability to research a topic.

"I have found nothing, sir. There is no reference to such a thing in any textbook that I have searched."

Severus gave her a quick smirk, knowing that if she had said she had gone through textbooks, there was no point in researching more. She had probably checked every possible text in the library.

"I'm sure you did a thorough job, Miss Granger," he remarked.

He went over to the egg and picked it up. It felt heavier than a normal dragon's egg felt. It had no distinguishing features. He cracked it open, and it screeched at him again. He snapped it shut quickly. The sound from the egg sounded somewhat familiar. Severus wracked his brain to think of where he had heard it before.

He looked up at the two students. "Does that sound familiar to either of you at all?"

They both shook their heads.

"I think I have heard something like this before, but I don't know where," he mused.

He cracked it open again, bracing himself for the onslaught of sound. Yes, it sounded familiar, but where had he heard it?

Snapping the egg shut, it suddenly came to him. He had heard it from his enchanted window. It mirrored what was truly passing by in the lake. Once in a while one of the Mer-people would swim by. Even rarer were the times he would catch one surfacing. On those occasions the Mer-person would make this very same sound as he shot into the air. The sound would continue until the being went back below the surface. Then a beautiful song would come from the creature.

Severus looked up to Harry. "It's Mermish; the language of the Mer-people in the lake."

He handed the egg back to Harry. "You must submerge the egg to understand the message."

Harry looked at the egg curiously and then up to his Professor. "Thanks, sir. I would have never figured that out."

"You will have to submerge yourself with it to understand the message, I think."

Harry turned to Hermione. "That must have been what Cedric meant by taking a bath with the egg."

She nodded to him.

'Then that is what you should do, Harry," Severus advised. "However, we have our own work to do right now." He turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger, since you are here already, would you like to duel with us?"

Hermione's eyes grew wide. "Yes, sir!" she gushed.

Severus hid his smile. He nodded and waved his wand at the dummy he had been staring at when Harry and Hermione had entered the room. It moved to the center of the room. Harry placed the egg on a low table near the door and turned back to Severus.

"This dummy," Severus explained, "is for training purposes. You can cast spells on it, and it can cast spells back. You will pretend it is a Death Eater, and it will duel with you. Why don't you both attack it at the same time to start?"

Hermione and Harry raised their wands and awaited the dummy's move.

"Stop!" Severus cried. "If this were really an attack, Miss Granger, what is the first thing you would do when you realized a Death Eater was approaching you?"

Hermione thought for a moment and then replied, "I would make a preemptive strike, sir."

"Good. So, what are you waiting for with the dummy?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Treat the dummy like a real opponent. Make a strike before it has a chance to incapacitate you. Once a Death Eater strikes, it is difficult to escape from him. You must take the upper hand and keep the enemy from taking control of the situation."

Hermione and Harry both nodded and got ready again. This time, Hermione shot a stunning spell at the dummy even before Harry had made his stance. The dummy shot back and hit the wall.

"Good, Miss Granger. Let's let Mr. Potter have a chance now."

Harry did much the same thing to the dummy on his turn.

"All right," Severus said. "Hermione, duel with the dummy. Harry, critique her performance."

Harry looked to Severus in incredulity. "You want me to tell her what she does wrong?"

"That's part of a critique, is it not, Harry? I expect you to also tell her what she does right."

"You've never seen Hermione when she's told she's done something wrong, have you?" Harry murmured.

Severus cracked a smile, thinking of some interesting interactions with Hermione in his past when she had been proven wrong.

"This is a teaching situation, Harry. I'm sure Miss Granger will take everything you tell her with grace as long as you are not rude to her."

"Um, I'm standing right here!" Hermione cried. "I think I can answer for myself."

"By all means, Miss Granger, I meant no offense," Severus told her.

"Professor Snape is right, Harry. I know I'm not perfect."

"Could have fooled me," Harry said under his breath.

"What did you say?" Hermione demanded.

"Nothing!" Harry said a little too quickly.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed. "You think that I think I'm perfect?"

"I didn't say that, Hermione!" Harry retorted.

"You implied it!" she said, a bit miffed with him.

Severus calmly watched the two students fight before him, folding his arms and taking everything in.

"No I didn't. And it's not my fault that you get your nose out-of-whack whenever somebody gives you some advice!"

"I do not get my nose out-of-whack, Harry Potter. Why on earth would you say such a thing?"

"Look, I didn't come here to argue with you!" Harry cried. He stalked over to his egg. "I'm just going to go listen to this message. I don't have time for all of this."

With that he took the egg and stormed out of the room, leaving Hermione glaring after him and Severus looking a tad amused.

"You really are quite feisty, Miss Granger," Severus stated.

She turned to him and narrowed her eyes. Remembering he was a professor, she softened her look.

"I'm sick of him implying that I'm a know-it-all. It's perfectly fine when he needs an essay written or needs someone to pore over books to find an answer to his Golden Egg question!"

"Hermione, calm down. You know you have a hard time with criticism."

Hermione's eyes grew wide.

"Just because you're Muggle-born doesn't mean you have to prove anything to anyone. It's okay to be wrong."

Severus conjured up two chairs, and he motioned her to sit down in one, settling himself in the other. It seemed that he was to play counselor again to one of his students.

Hermione folded her arms in front of her. "I know it's okay to be wrong!"

He smirked at her. Little did she realize he knew her so well.

"Then why do you have such a hard time when someone lets you know that you are wrong?"

"What do you do, follow me around in your spare time? How do you know I act like that?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "The paintings have both eyes and ears, and they use their mouths very often. How do you think the teachers know so much about the students' doings? It's like having a thousand spies working for us."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at his admission. Although his statement was partially true, Severus wished he could tell her the real reason he knew her so well, but he didn't dare. He didn't want to scare her into fearing her future.

"Now would you mind answering my question?" he demanded.

Hermione sighed. "I don't know why I do that. I know I don't know everything, but it just irks me when somebody figures out something before I do. Maybe you're right about it being because I'm Muggle-born. I feel like I came here at a disadvantage, and I constantly have to struggle to keep up."

Severus thought of the time that Narcissa Black had insulted her in Hogsmeade.

"Why does it always come down to that?" she had asked, referring to her birth circumstances.

Severus sighed. He assumed it would always come down to that with some people. But that did not mean that Hermione had to feel inferior for her entire life.

"Miss Granger, when was the last time you ever struggled in a class?"

Hermione lowered her eyes. "I can't say that I ever have, sir."

"And why is that?"

Hermione shrugged.

"Could it be, Miss Granger, because you're brilliant?"

Hermione looked up at him in shock.

"Professor Snape, I'm not brilliant."

Severus narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm not asking you to become a conceited wench, Hermione. There's nothing wrong with recognizing your talents."

Hermione looked to her hands that were in her lap.

"I really don't have many talents, sir."

It was worse than he thought. The girl thought nothing of herself.

"Get up," he commanded.

She rose from her seat, and he vanished the chairs.

"Let's duel," he said simply.

She readied herself, and he shot a spell at her. Hermione easily deflected it and shot one of her own. They moved about quickly, each shooting and deflecting spells. Severus had a great sense of déjà vu with them bounding about the Room of Requirement shooting hexes at each other. After a while, Severus got the upper hand and knocked her against the wall. He rushed over and helped her stand.

"Do you know how long my first duel with Harry was?"

Hermione shrugged.

"Thirty seconds," Severus answered.

"He was a first year."

"He wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as you did in this particular situation without the extra help I have been giving him. You far outclass him, Miss Granger."

Hermione nodded, but looked unconvinced.

Severus blew a piece of hair out of his face. "Who figured out the logic puzzle I created to get to the Sorcerer's Stone in your first year?"

Hermione blushed. "I did, sir."

"Who has never received less than an E on any assignment, ever?"

"That would be me, sir."

"Who will probably receive straight O's on their OWLs next year?"

"I don't think..."

"You will, Miss Granger. Who figured out there was a Basilisk hiding in the Chamber of Secrets before she got herself petrified?"

"I did, sir."

"Who was the only one of my students to understand my clues about Remus Lupin being a Werewolf last year?"

"Me again, sir."

"Who taught Harry the summoning charm so he could escape the dragon for the first task?"

"I did, sir."

"And you say you have no talents, Miss Granger? You are by far the most remarkable witch of your age."

Hermione's mouth dropped open at his statement. She had never heard him compliment anyone like that, not even Draco Malfoy, who was quite bright in his own right, and a fellow Slytherin with a father who was Professor Snape's friend.

"Professor," she finally murmured. "I don't know what to say."

"Just believe in yourself and your abilities, Miss Granger. It will help you to be less offended when someone gives you advice. Your birth status has nothing to do with your abilities. There is no pureblood, half-blood, or any other blooded student in this entire school who could best you at anything."

Before Severus knew it, Hermione had thrown herself at him and given him a great bear hug. Severus stiffened, and his eyes grew wide at the display of affection coming from the younger counterpart to the woman he loved so dearly. He kept his cool and patted her on the back. She pulled away sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, Professor," she said as her cheeks turned red. "I just really needed to hear all of that, and I'm thankful that you were frank with me."

"Let's keep your exuberance down to a handshake from now on, Miss Granger," Severus said as he smiled at her.

"Yes, sir!" Hermione said nervously. "Um, I should be going."

With that, she turned and fled the Room of Requirement, not even looking back to say goodbye. She couldn't believe she had just hugged her teacher. What had she been thinking? It wasn't like he was the cuddly type either. She could see herself hugging Hagrid, or maybe Professor Flitwick, but Professor Snape? He had obviously been incredibly embarrassed too, the way his cheeks had flushed.

oooOOOooo

Severus watched Hermione as she made her getaway. She was going to be the death of him, he knew it. How he would contain his feelings for her was beyond him. He knew he would do anything to just see her smile.

---

A/N: More of fourth year.

Thanks everyone. I know it's been a while since we've seen Severus' Hermione, but now that she's getting a little older, her relationship with Severus is becoming closer. Hopefully, that will contain you until she reallyreturns.