Hello my lovely readers! I'm back with a completely new story that I hope you will all enjoy. Let me know exactly what you guys think about it…any feedback is welcome!

As always everything is owned by the fabulous JKR…I just like playing with her characters.

Enjoy and Happy Reading!

Wicked Intentions

Chapter 1

Returning Home

The beauty and awe had not worn off even after ten years away from the castle she used to call home. As Hermione stepped off the Hogwart's express and onto the station's platform she couldn't help but to take a moment to bask in the wonder that the castle exuded. It had been quite a long time since she was in its presence but the feeling of familiarity washed over her and she knew she had arrived back home at last.

With the nostalgic moment finally over, Hermione shrank her trunks, put them in the pockets of her navy blue dress robes, and took a seat in the thestral-drawn carriage just a few meters from where she was standing. She could see the thestrals now thanks to the death and destruction of the final battle…but at least the Dark Lord was vanquished and the wizarding world was at peace.

On her journey up to the castle she reflected on how she had ended up back at her old alma mater. She had heard rumors of an open Potion's apprenticeship with Professor Snape at Hogwart's. She didn't think that he ever took apprentices and it was her dream position. She immediately applied and within a few weeks received a brief congratulatory letter from Professor Snape welcoming her to his apprenticeship program. It had all happened so fast! She quit her job with the ministry, packed up her entire life and left for Hogwart's. And now here she was-sitting in a carriage on her way up to the castle.

She felt a jerk and the carriage come to a stop. Hermione took a step out of the carriage and was welcomed with a tight hug from her former mentor, Headmistress McGonagall.

"Welcome, Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall said enthusiastically, "It's so great to have you back with us."

Professor McGonagall released Hermione from her death-grip and took a step back to look her over approvingly.

"It's great to be back, Headmistress," Hermione said politely in return.

"Please, enough with that Headmistress nonsense- its Minerva," she responded back.

"Head…Minerva, please call me Hermione then," Hermione said back with a smile.

"Of course, dear. Now it's time to get you settled in before the students arrive tomorrow. I'm sorry this was such a last minute decision but you know how Professor Snape is…,"Minerva said as she ushered Hermione through the doors of the castle and into the majestic stony foyer.

Once Hermione was inside she noticed a movement in the shadows. It was so silent and almost imperceptible that she thought she had imagined it for a moment.

"Severus. Quit hiding in the shadows and welcome your new apprentice properly. There's no need to be rude," Minerva said loudly into the seemingly empty corridor.

"I wasn't hiding, Minerva. I was simply observing. Miss Granger…,"Professor Snape said as he inclined his head slightly in Hermione's direction.

Hermione's heart fluttered inside her chest. She still had a crush on him after all of these years. No one but Ginny Potter knew about it, but Hermione still adored him. How she wished that he would just return the sentiment. She figured this was the only kind of welcome she was going to get from the man so she confidently nodded her head back in acknowledgement.

"Well, I trust that Severus will show you to your rooms, Hermione. Get yourself settled in and I shall see you at the staff dinner tonight," Minerva said to the young woman before quickly walking off into the darkness of the hallway.

"I see that you are on a first name basis with the Headmistress already, Miss Granger. But see to it that you remain professional with me. Professor Snape or sir will do," Severus said with his nose turned up at Hermione.

Hermione resisted rolling her eyes at him and decided to start off on the right foot and just be obedient-no matter how much it was against her nature.

"Yes, sir," Hermione answered.

"Follow me, then," Severus said as he quickly turned with his billowing robes flowing behind him and made his way down the hallway.

His abrupt departure took Hermione by surprise and he was already out of sight by the time she recovered. She broke out into a slight jog to keep up with him before returning to a walk once she was by his side. His strides were so much longer then hers because he was well over six feet tall and she was barely over five on a good day. But she managed to keep up and was a bit out of breath by the time they arrived in the dungeons.

"Unfortunately your rooms are right next to mine because of some ridiculous by-law. Do try not to disturb me unless the circumstances are dire," Severus said as he lifted the wards on her door and ushered her into the room.

It was enormous to say the least. Although there was only one bedroom it had the most luxurious amenities and furnishings. Her king size bed had a feather top and down comforter that was the fluffiest she had ever seen. The entire room was decorated in navy blue and gold, her two favorite colors. Whoever had chosen the colors and furniture knew her style well. Her bathroom contained both a glass encased shower with two showerheads and a 2-person Jacuzzi bathtub with his and her sinks against the walls-all in dark marble. The living room was encased in rows and rows of mahogany bookshelves filled with the rarest books and furnished with dark brown leather furniture and a beautiful Persian rug. This place was the closest to heaven she had ever been.

"I will leave you to unpack. Dinner will be served promptly at 6'oclock. Don't be late," Severus said as he left her shell-shocked standing in her living room.

Hermione gave a girlish scream out loud once she heard the door slam shut. She had her dream rooms at her dream job with her dream man. Nothing could bring her down!

With a sigh she then began to enthusiastically unpack her trunks.

As Severus huffed his way back to his office to continue his lesson plans for the upcoming school year, he cursed Minerva McGonagall. He hadn't taken on an apprentice since he began working for the damned school and now he was stuck with Miss Granger of all people. He recalled back to how he had gotten into this situation in the first place with the meeting from a few days ago:

"Severus, thank you for coming on such short notice," Minerva said to him from behind her desk as she gestured for him to take a seat in one of the chairs.

"As if I had a choice, Minerva," Severus scowled back.

"I have been thinking, Severus. The Great War has been over for nearly ten years now and yet you still have not taken on an apprentice in all these years. I think it would be lovely if you enriched the mind of one of your former students," Minerva said with a twinkle in her eye.

'Is that damned twinkle a pre-requisite for getting the position,' Severus wondered to himself. He knew she was up to no good-nothing good ever comes from that twinkle.

"As 'lovely' of an idea as that is, I think I will have to decline. I'm much too busy already to be looking after another dunderhead, let alone bringing one back from the past," Severus argued sarcastically.

"Now, Severus, I must say that there isn't much room for an argument here. It is my duty as Headmistress to ensure that the educational future of the wizarding community is withheld to the highest standards. You will have an apprentice and that is final," Minerva said a little more sternly now. She knew that Severus was going to put up a fight, but it was good for the man. He shouldn't be alone for the rest of his life.

"I refuse to put out an ad or anything of the sort for this little endeavor of yours. You can't force me to do that," Severus responded angrily.

"Stop acting like a stubborn child, Severus. Of course I wouldn't ask you to do that," Minerva said to appease Severus's anger.

Severus sighed a breath of relief and settled himself smugly back in his chair. He had found the loop-hole to her demands and he wouldn't have to have an apprentice after all.

"I already put out an ad in the Daily Prophet and I had a number of responses back. The only qualified one was Hermione Granger, you remember her don't you?" Minerva said innocently back.

"Damn it, Minerva! First you push this whole apprenticeship on me and now I found out that you hired someone for the position already behind my back, and that witch is Hermione Granger! You will be the death of me, woman!" Severus quickly stood up out of his chair to yell at Minerva.

"It will be good for you, Severus. She is a brilliant young witch- by far the best student since you to have passed through these doors. She will arrive at the castle in a couple days and you better be on your best behavior. Don't take your anger with me out on her either," Minerva said calmly but sternly.

"Fine. But I'm not going to act like I'm happy that the little chit is around. You and your meddling, Minerva. I swear that you're just as bad or worse than Albus ever was," Severus said as he made his way to the door and left the office.

Minerva leaned back in her chair with a grin on her face.

"He's right you know. But I have to say, my dear, that Hermione Granger was the best choice. I think the young woman may even adore him a bit," Albus Dumbledore said from his portrait that rested against the wall immediately behind the Headmistress's desk.

"Exactly my thoughts, Albus. I just hope that he can see it. He deserves to be happy," Minerva said with a sigh and a glance back at the portrait.

Severus knew that she was meddling in his life somehow. He just couldn't imagine the impact that is was going to have on his future.

It was 5:50 and Hermione had just left her rooms. She walked as quickly as she could towards the Great Hall from the dungeons- she couldn't be late for her first staff gathering.

She arrived at 5:59 and took a moment outside the doors to collect herself and even out her breathing and clothing. She shut her eyes for a moment to calm down but opened them quickly once she heard a man's voice behind her.

"Sleeping on the job already, Miss Granger?" Severus said coldly before entering the Great Hall.

Hermione huffed in irritation before following the Potion's Master to the table where the staff was gathered for dinner.

Everyone was chatting with Hermione and welcoming her back to Hogwart's. It was the same old professors plus Remus Lupin was back in the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. It was nice that not much had changed since she left. It was going to make her transition back much smoother.

"Please, everyone take your seats so we can start the meeting and eventually get to dinner," Minerva said while standing at the head of the table.

The staff immediately took their seats. It seemed to Hermione that everyone had their unofficial 'assigned' seats and that left her sitting next to Professor Snape in one of the only remaining seats left.

'This should be interesting,' Hermione thought to herself before taking her seat. Maybe he would finally take notice of her if she was next to him during every meal.

Before Minerva even began speaking again she noticed that the seat immediately to her right was still empty. She took a quick glance around the room and didn't see any other professors unseated.

Very interesting.

"As you all know, my successor to the Transfiguration position- Professor Hanover- chose an early retirement to spend time with her grandchildren and has left us for this school year. This left me with an opening to fill. Unfortunately there weren't many options to choose from and I was unable to do so," Minerva began her tale.

All the staff murmured to each other. What were they going to do without a Transfiguration teacher when classes were beginning in the next two days?

"Yesterday the Board of Governors stepped in to solve this problem. They have chosen one of their own to take over Transfiguration for this upcoming school year. Everyone, please welcome Professor Lucius Malfoy," Minerva said less than enthusiastically.

The room fell silent as the doors to the Great Hall burst open to reveal the pompous man. Lucius Malfoy looked the same as he did ten years ago. His long blond hair, perfectly sculpted face, and ugly upturned nose had not changed. It seems that his brief stint in Azkaban had not affected him at all. This was going to be a very interesting school year indeed.

Hermione felt Professor Snape stiffen as Lucius Malfoy walked by. The two men had once been very close friends but Severus's betrayal had obviously tarnished their relationship.

Hermione gasped when Lucius Malfoy sat down next to her. He immediately put his hand on her thigh, raised his eyebrow, caressed her leg a bit and then removed it before anyone but she had noticed. Her skin crawled after he touched her and she couldn't wait to be out of his presence.

"Thank you, everyone, for having me. This should be a pleasant school year together," Lucius said arrogantly. The staff didn't seem to agree.

"Well, that is all for my announcements for tonight. Now let's feast," Minerva said and with a wave of her hand delicious food appeared on the table and the chatter began once more.

Hermione piled some food on her plate but her once ravenous appetite had been lost the second Lucius Malfoy sat down right next to her.

The talk in the room became louder and louder even though, Severus, Lucius, and Hermione all ate in silence.

Lucius once more slipped his left hand under the table to caress Hermione's thigh. She tried to remove it but he just gripped it tighter. His eyes then met hers and he smirked.

"My revenge will be very sweet won't it, Miss Granger?" Lucius asked maliciously.

Hermione scowled back at him before pushing her chair back and excusing herself from the table to leave the Great Hall.

Nobody had heard or noticed the interaction between the two so all were surprised by her abrupt departure from dinner.

Lucius ate the rest of his meal with an evil smirk smeared across his face. His plan was in motion.

Author's note:

OK everyone, the first chapter is complete. What do you think? Should I continue? What is Lucius going to do to poor Hermione?

Reviews of any sort are welcome! Just take a minute to make me a very very happy writer!