She realized with a harsh nod from her teacher that she'd neglectefto continue stirring her potion and was now left with a rather messy-looking goo, rather than the silvery blue syrup it was meant to be. She cast it aside with disgust and began again, deciding to scrub the soiled cauldron later when it had cooled. 

She looked up again at Professor Snape, who had begun a conversation with her teacher. They spoke low, so she couldn't hear them, but she thought maybe a potion was being discussed. 

He looked at her then. And she noticed that he was in fact paler. There were purple bruises under his eyes, and his scowl wasn't as strong as it used to be. 

Her teacher leftthen without a word, leaving them alone in a silence so thick it couldn't be cut with a knife.

For a while, they simply stared at each other, and then he averted his eyes, obviously annoyed.

Or was that embarrassed? 

Hermione couldn't tell. 

"There must be something amiss in my appearance, Granger. I know you wouldn't be staring so rudely otherwise." His eyes met hers again, dark and cold. Had he always looked so exhausted? 

"No, sir." She said quickly and bussied herself by plucking the wings and legs off three common American cockroaches. He regarded her with a little more interest than she was comfortable with. 

"Granger. You could have had your apprenticeship with anyone," the word 'me' hung between them like a dead rat, "why Grandeville?" 

She shrugged. 

"I didn't think anyone else would be interested in having me." She added a brick to the rat and could here the metaphorical thud. 

He gave her a hard glare. 

"You know what they say about assumptions, Miss Granger. You never even sent in a request." Hermione put the beetles down. 

"Like I said. I didn't think you'd be interested. After the war--"

"Do not speak about the war." His voice was acid and she heard her own intake of breath at his tone. 

"Granger, as someone who in the past has proven even the appearance of talent in Potions, you are holding yourself back." His eyes were dark with something she'd never seen from him before. 

Disappointment. 

"Is everything quite alright here?" Hermione jumped. Grandeville's arms were filled with various potions ingrediants. "Hermione, why have you not begun your potion again?"

"I believe Miss Granger is having a change of heart in her apprenticeship," Severus said, holding Hermione's eyes. She glared at him. "I think it may be a good idea if I were to relieve you of her. Afterall, I have a far better awareness of her abilities." He dug through his pockets while the older man was still trying to find words for this abruptness. Snape paid for his ingrediants and with wand shrunk them to fit in his pocket. He turned back to Hermione and held his hand out to her. Slowly, she walked to him. His hand pressed into her lower back and she fought the urge to squirm. 

They'd left the store before Grandeville had even had a chance to respond, and when they were outside, Snale pulled her roughly against him and Apparated.