Authors Note: This is my first time writing a HP fan-fic,. I have so far only watched the films, so I will be taking my characterisation from them. I hope you enjoy what I have to offer.

The classroom was bubbling with hushed tones and the sound of glass vials clinking together as the students worked on their potions, determined not to be caught in the venomous gaze of the Potions Professor. He stood at the front of the room, gathering his long heavy robes into his hands as he crossed his arms across his chest, looking like a large bedraggled crow hunched over its prey. Severus Snape sneered, his countenance darkening further as his ashen gaze fell on Hermione Granger, watching her work swiftly but precisely. The girl had been a constant irritation to him, always with her hand in the air and answering his questions with an arrogant air, so sure of her own intelligence. He had made a sport out of baiting her just to get through a lesson without losing his composure completely.

Hermione was no longer the wild haired wiry little thing he remembered from her first day at Hogwarts. Her mane had calmed into soft curls, and he noted with some interest that she had filled out and had lost the gangly body of a little girl and had gained the curves of a woman. The professor scowled and tightened his arms across his chest, lowering his head a little so that his black hair curtained his face, hiding the worry on his brow. He had found himself lately wondering how it would feel to run his hands down those curves. To snatch those curls up in his long fingers to see if they really were as soft as they looked.

Snape narrowed his eyes as he turned on his heel and began to slowly walk around the edge of the classroom, for all the world looking as if he was checking on his students progress. The hushed tones fell silent as his shadow fell on the teenagers, cloaking them in his presence, only daring to start up again when he was at a safe distance. He dropped his hands to his sides and lightly fisted them, allowing his robes to fan out behind him as he stalked around the room, looking down his arched nose at the students.

The only one who didn't look up as he went past was Hermione. So engrossed in the creation of her potion, she simply did not notice the dark shadow that fell across her as he moved silently behind her. It wasn't just her appearance that had changed. He had noticed, with some relief that the arrogant self assurance had waned and left behind a quietly confident young woman who no longer needed to show off her intelligence and gain affirmation from others.

His fists tightened slightly in annoyance as she carried on pottering about, happily gathering the ingredients needed and delighting in the task ahead. Despite Harry and Ron trying to subtly warn her about the steadily advancing professor, she was still blissfully unaware.

It seems some things never change...

"Miss Granger..."

Hermione jumped at the sardonic drawl from behind her, and carefully put down the glass jar she had been holding before turning to face her Professor.

"Sir?"

Snape took a moment to glare down his nose at her before stepping forward intentionally into her personal space, causing her to back up against the desk, and yet he continued his advance. He stopped mere inches from her and he had to stop himself from closing his eyes and revelling in her scent. Her perfume was sweet, but not intoxicating and so he could smell the woman beneath it. For the third time that day he imagined her beneath him and being surrounded by that delicious scent, but he brought himself back to the present to sneer his disdain at the young woman.

"For someone of such esteemed... intelligence, I expected better. Less of the leech juice, unless of course you wish to poison your classmates..."

Amused, he watched her blush and squirm under his hard gaze and utter an apology with the assurance that she would get it right. He 'hmmm'd' and slowly turned away from the flustered female, lest he give himself away. His little game had become self preservation, both pushing her away, but at the same time gaining her attention.

His inner turmoil felt as if it would soon tear him apart. He wanted to give into the part of him that demanded he take her... He stopped and turned to look at her again. She was still blushing prettily and her curls cascaded across her shoulders, taunting him once again just to reach out and touch...

No. He refused to give into such base instincts, he was a man not an animal and would control himself as such. Snape's eyes darkened as he turned back and strode to his desk. He seated himself and opened the books ready for marking. He would cure himself of this budding obsession; he would ignore the young woman and carry on as before.

If only it was that easy.

b Author's Note:/b Thank you to everyone for your reviews! They have spurred me on to continue writing. This is no longer a drabble, but a full fic. However, there will be no set story line. It is more a study of Obsession and how it affects those caught in its trap. I hope you enjoy!

"Put your hand down, Miss Granger. I am in no mood for your self-important drivel..."

Snape's sardonic drawl prickled irritation across Hermione's skin and her hand dropped despondently to the desk. He hadn't even looked up from his marking, how on earth had he even seen her. He hadn't even the manners to look up as he dismissed her! She kept her eyes on him for a few moments more, watching for any hint that he was going to look up, but he was concentrating fully on the book in front of him, his quill scratching rapidly across the parchment and his long, lank hair covering his dark eyes.

Harry gave his friend a little nudge and a smile to try and perk her up. For some reason she still hadn't gotten over the way Professor Snape treated his students. He just assumed that it was her pride that was bruised every time he besmirched her intelligence. Hermione gave him a wan smile and continued to busy herself with the potion she was working on. If her Professor wasn't going to help her, then she was sure she would find the answer in one of the many books she had piled up next to her.

Unknown to Hermione, Snape had in fact been watching her the entire time. Dark eyes hooded beneath sooty lashes and hidden behind a curtain of hair stayed locked on her as she glared up at him from her desk. For reasons he could not explain, little prickles of delight ran up and down his spine at the knowledge he had annoyed her greatly. There was fire in this lioness, and he enjoyed stoking it. Perhaps this was the root of his obsession? She gave the impression of being a studious, demure young woman, but beneath that was there wildness? He wanted to take that fire and hold it in his hands. To take it away from the world and keep it for his very own.

He shook his head and snapped the book shut with an exasperated huff. He had to get a hold of himself. What kind of man was he, mooning over such a young woman, no a girl. And a student no less!

i Forget the annoying little chit... concentrate on your work/i

But that was more difficult than he could have ever imagined. As he busied himself with rearranging the papers on his desk, he could not help but look up every now and again and watch her. Her cheeks were still flushed with anger as she pottered about gathering ingredients and slamming books down. He closed his eyes for a moment, bracing his hands against his desk as he breathed deeply through his nose as if trying to catch her scent, just the slightest tendril and he would be satisfied. But of course all he got was the over bearing smells of the potions the students were making.

Gathering his robes around him, he glided silently across the room, keeping to the edges so he could take in what the other students were doing as he passed. Standing directly behind Hermione he leaned forward taking a moment to smell the sweetness of her hair before snarlingsoftly in her ear.

"If you wish to pay for all new equipment for this class, then by all means continue to throw them around."

The young woman jumped and turned in wide eyed surprise to stare up at her teacher. She hadn't even noticed him come up behind her. Harry and Ron narrowed their eyes in disgust at Snape and hoped that he wouldn't be too harsh on their friend.

"I... no Sir, I'm sorry, Sir."

His lips twitched as she stammered her apology and he crossed his arms across his chest taking another step forward so that she was once again trapped between himself and the desk.

"I do not care what got your knickers in a twist, but I will not tolerate drama queens in my classroom. Ten points from Gryffindor, and I will see you in detention. Report to me as soon as your classes are done for the day. Do not be late, Miss Granger. I am not a patient man."

He waited for her to nod her agreement before sneering at Harry and Ron who were still glaring at him.

"Is there something you wish to say to me, Potter? Do I need to deduct more points from your House?"

Ron quickly turned back to his potion and became incredibly interested in one of the books Hermione had opened. Harry however shook his head, but continued to glare.

"No, Sir. Not at all."

Snape reached out and placed his long fingered hand upon the boy's head and forcefully turned it so he was looking back at his potion.

"Then I suggest you get back to work."

He ignored the grumbling coming from the two boys as he stalked back to the front of the room, pointing out mistakes with his wand and confiscating sweets as he went. All he could think about was his foolishness. His aim had been to stay away from the girl, to push her from his mind and avoid her at all costs. And now he would be alone with her for a whole hour. Perhaps there was some degrading task he could give her that was out of his sight. The store room did need to be rearranged again, and of course leeches that needed to be boiled down.

Snape smirked a little at the thought of the little Gryffindor Princess getting her hands dirty. He doubted she had ever done a hard day's work in her life. He would dirty those pretty little hands, and he would make her hate him even more than she probably did already. If she didn't want to be anywhere near him, then it would make his task of avoiding her far more easy for him.

He eased himself into his chair and leant back with a little sigh, pressing his fingertips together and resting them under his chin. He hoped it would stop the dreams, he day time fantasies and the wandering thoughts. Even now he could see her in his mind's eye, that mane of curls spread out against his sheets, her back arching to his touch. The sweet scent of her intoxicating his senses as he took her.

iWhat are you doing, you dirty old man... ? get a hold of yourself./i

Once again reaching for his books, he tried to lose himself within their depths, but all he could think about was later that afternoon when he would be alone with Miss Hermione Granger.