Hermione Granger, ever the know-it-all, could not figure out what did that look mean.

It was a rare case, that she caught "the look", as she named it in her mind, on Severus Snape's face. Four years as co-workers in the Department of Potion Research, Hermione could be fairly confident in saying that she could read the Potion Mater's face in most of the cases. Like his eyes would narrow, lips would pinch into a thin line when he was angry, or his eyes would have that tiny cracks around the corners when he gave a witty comment. But "the look" that he would sometimes give her, normally when he thought she wasn't looking, was still a puzzle to her. She never saw it on any other occasion, and it was such an uncommon occurrence that she could count the times with one hand. The fact that he would hide it as quick as a flash wasn't helping.

She was nearly obsessive to figure out what did it mean that she bought a pensive just to replay those memories to further analyze it. And she thought about it almost every time she had some leisure for free thinking. She pondered when she was eating her meals; when she was in her shower; when she about to drifted into sleep. Was it just because it was a good puzzle, she wondered, or was it because her foolish wish of it to be something more.

It was not love, at least she thought it was not. It was not the same look she saw when he looked at Lily's photo. Though he did tell her he felt guilt more than love toward the woman.

Yet today, when Hermione stepped into the laboratory, she saw the look again. This time it was not directed to her and he did not bother to hide it. His focus was on the small crystal vial with a dark purple potion on his hand. Hermione wondered if the wizard knew it was the same look he was giving her secretly.

"Spring of youth?" She asked cautiously, trying in vain to conceal her flushing cheeks and pumping heart. Luckily, the Potion Master wasn't paying attention to her, his long finger caressing the crystal, dark eyes examining the liquid content in an intense gaze. Hermione only got a half-hearted snort as the answer to her question.

Spring of youth, a Master-level Potion that required several expensive and rare ingredients to make. It was a contract coming from a Prince as the gift to his father. It was a potion that Severus could never have the money to make by himself. And it was every Potion Master's dream to make one.

Finally, she knew the meaning of "the look". It was the look for something that was unavailable to him, that he could only observe from afar, and yet content with every minute he could have with it. It was the look for an unattainable treasure.

Her throat suddenly went dry, deep-buried emotions bubbling up like the lava in a near-erupt volcano.

She stepped closer to him, gently removed the vial from his fingers and put it on the nearby bench.

He did not stop her, just looked down at her with raising eyebrows, his hands dropped to his side.

Gathered her courage, Hermione reached out with trembling hands and slowly draw his head down toward her. He followed willingly, dark eyes focus on her face, searching.

"I love you, too." She breathed into his lips, no more than a whisper.

He did not say anything, but his answering smile against her lips was all she needed.