Chapter Six

Snape led the way quickly to the dungeons; they walked in silence with Hermione wondering if he really would make her serve her detention. They reached the Potions classroom and Snape moved quickly between the empty desks to the storeroom.

"Quickly Miss Granger, I haven't got all night." He growled and Hermione sighed inwardly as she realised his anger had still not abated.

Once in the storeroom, Snape tapped a series of jars with his wand and the entire back wall slid noiselessly to one side revealing a dark room beyond. Snape flicked his wand and lit the torches bathing the space with a warm cheery glow. As she stepped into the room, Hermione could see that it was a small Potions lab. The equipment gleamed in the torch light along with rows and rows of jars with dark slimy looking contents. There were shelves from floor to ceiling along two walls. Rows of caldrons in different sizes and every conceivable kind of metal were polished until they shone and stacked on one set of shelves. There were ancient looking books, their cracked leather spines worn with age until their titles were no longer discernable. The whole room smelt of a musty old library book and Hermione's fingers twitched with the need to delve into those books and discover the secrets within.

Strange instruments littered the other shelves amongst the jars of ingredients. There were different kinds of knives and stirring rods as well as something which looked very much like a muggle Bunsen burner. Hooked instruments with wicked looking points vied for space with wooden boxes and long rubber tubes; it was like an Aladdin's cave.

In the centre of the room was a large wooden bench with a sink at one end. There was an old wooden stool and a rather rickety looking step ladder propped up against it. Professor Snape carried the step ladder to one of the shelves and climbed up to reach something on the top one.

"This is my private lab Miss Granger, whilst you are in this room you must use as little magic as possible. Some of the items in these jars can be extremely volatile and react badly if there is too much magical residue in the air. The only time I permit the use of a wand is in a dire emergency. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

Snape came down from the ladder, it creaked and groaned ominously but he paid it no attention. He was carrying a large tray of something covered with a hessian cloth.

"This is your task for the evening Miss Granger. The Headmaster has rather rashly seen fit to burden me with your presence yet again, and he has requested that I postpone your detention." He sneered as if greatly displeased by this notion. "Therefore I will make use of you some other way. This potion requires a great deal of care Miss Granger; any mistake could prove fatal to anyone attempting to confront the Dark Lord. Do I make myself clear? I require the utmost concentration while you are here."

"I understand sir, what do you want me to do?"

Snape gave her a hard appraising look and she fidgeted awkwardly under his gaze.

"This is the finest quality lavender that Professor Sprout can provide. I require large quantities of it chopped as finely as you can. I will provide you with the correct knife and it must not be contaminated with any foreign matter."

His lips wrinkled in disgust as he took in her appearance, lingering on her hair which floated about her face in its usual curly mass. He flicked his wand and she felt a chill at the back of her neck. Lifting her hand to feel what had happened, she discovered that he had secured her hair up on top of her head in a rather efficient bun. Another flick of his wand and her muggle jeans and jumper were covered by a long apron which was tied rather tightly at the back.

"Professor, I thought we weren't supposed to use magic in here, what if something happens?"

"I believe I said that you were not to use magic in here Miss Granger." Snape smirked and Hermione felt her cheeks redden.

He uncovered the lavender and laid a small wicked looking knife on the bench. The blade was gold and it looked as scarp as a surgeon's scalpel.

"Chop this as finely as you can. When you have finished place it in this jar." He indicated a large empty glass jar on the furthest shelf. "I will begin to prepare the base. I will tolerate no interruptions!" He glared at her to emphasise his point and turned back to the shelves, climbing the ladder again.

Hermione sighed and picked up her knife. This was going to be a long night if all she had to do was chop lavender in silence! The rhythmic chopping soon lulled her into day dreams and the smell of the herb washed over her its perfume growing stronger with each slice of its leaves. She had soon chopped the pile in front of her and she moved to place it in the glass jar. Snape was busy on the other side of the bench and he gave no indication that he was even still aware of her presence.

Taking the rare opportunity to see him so absorbed in his work, Hermione watched him carefully. He was slicing something which looked like a large pomegranate; chopping the small amount of flesh and crushing the seeds into a pulp. His long slender fingers held the fruit steady as his sharp knife whispered through the skin. Hermione was mesmerised; his fingers were slim and tapered, piano fingers her Mum would've called them. He moved deftly, almost seeming to caress the fruit and the knife.

"Have you finished Miss Granger?" Snape said lazily making Hermione jump and then blush slightly when she realised he knew that she had been watching him.

"Yes, is there anything else I can do Professor?"

"There is always plenty more you can do Miss Granger." His voice was low and melodic now; chopping the pomegranate must have soothed him out of his bad mood. He was watching her intently now, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"Cat got your tongue Miss Granger?"

"Uh no Professor sorry, I was just, um, what is it you want me to do next?" She cringed inwardly as how flustered she sounded. Since when had she ever been flustered around Snape? Hermione concluded that it must be the heat in the room and the overwhelming smell of lavender that was making her babble like a first year and not the fact that she suddenly found Snape's hands so fascinating.

Snape had ascended his creaky old ladder again and came down bearing yet more lavender. He placed it on her chopping board and returned to his side of the bench. The room seemed to be growing increasingly hot and Hermione wiped her brow surreptitiously, a thin film of sweat covered her face and the smell of the lavender was now starting to make her feel quite sick.

She chopped listlessly stealing occasional glances at Snape. Eventually he finished what he was doing and approached her side of the bench. He leaned over her to inspect her work and she heard him snort softly.

"Miss Granger I believe I asked for you to chop this as finely as possible, kindly ensure that you pay attention to my instructions." He barked and Hermione recognised the tone of anger that had returned to his voice.

Without warning Snape reached down and seized her hand with his. He guided her fingers over the knife and began to cut the lavender into impossibly small slices. His breath was warm on her cheek and she tensed every muscle in her body. Her sudden awareness of him; his smell, his warmth, his solidness, made her completely unable to concentrate on what he was showing her. The feel of his hand over hers on the knife was red hot and burning.

"That is how it should be done; ensure that you give it your full concentration."

"Yes sir, I'm sorry." She said in a breathy voice which sounded alien even to her own ears.

Snape abruptly let go and strode over to another huge pile of lavender.

"I expect this lab to be left in the condition in which you found it, Better hurry Miss Granger you have fifteen minutes until curfew and I hear Mr Filch is giving out particularly nasty punishments this term." He smirked nastily, "Goodnight Miss Granger!"

He swept out of the room and back towards the Potions classroom leaving Hermione gaping at him. Was he really going to just leave her there? She looked at the huge pile of herbs she was working on and the equally large pile Snape had left her. Flexing her back and neck muscles she settled in for a long nights work.