Disclaimer : Snape, Hermione and everything else in and around Hogwarts belong to Queen JKR the First. I just borrow them, not for any profit, but for my twisted fun.

Rating : This one is definitely a NC-17, if not for the reason you're probably thinking of. The subject of this ficlet is rather controversial, so if you're not both of age and an open-minded person, please stop now, kthx.

"Miss Granger, could you kindly explain what you think you are doing here ?"

I froze in horror. Standing in the door that led from Snape's private stores to the Potions classroom, the bottle I'd fetched still clutched tightly, I could only stare at our teacher striding towards me through the empty room, his black robes billowing around him, his face a mask of cold fury.

Damn. I had thought the Teacher's Conference would last at least another hour.

Snape stood before me, and his dark eyes swept over me accusingly. Caught in the act, as it were. Then his gaze reached the bottle I was holding, and his eyes widened slightly. I almost fainted as I realised that he must have read the label.

Tansy extract. Not exactly many potions required that one.

His brows furrowed, he eyed me with his cold gaze. "Miss Granger, what in Merlin's name has possessed you not to go to Madame Pomfrey with this, um, problem of yours ? The gods know that with you fornicating youngsters around she has to deal with it on a regular basis." His face was full of contempt.

I tried to find my voice. "I ... I was afraid she might have to tell anyone ... the headmaster ... my parents ... Ron ..." The last vestige of my courage left me, and I hung my head in shame.

Snape's cold clear voice shattered the silence. "Miss Granger, you are seventeen, of age by wizards' laws, and consequently what you do or don't with your private life is entirely your own affair. And even if it were not, what made you so afraid that you'd rather risk raiding my stores than face the matron ?" A pause. "The thought that somebody might learn that the grand Miss Granger, Head Girl, could make a mistake just like anyone else ?"

I felt tears spring into my eyes. What could he know of it ? "A bigger mistake than you could possibly imagine," I murmured.

Silence stretched uncomfortably between us. Damn the man – I knew I was in deeper trouble than I'd ever been before, but did he have to celebrate it like that ?

I felt the bottle being taken out of my grasp, and saw the hem of his black robes move away from me in a swish. I looked up in confusion; he was striding towards the workplace I'd set up for my use. He examined it, nodded to himself and then slightly tapped the fire bowl with his wand. It sprang to life obediently.

What on earth was he up to ? He seemed to have forgotten my presence completely. For a wild, fleeting second I considered sneaking away, but then he spoke up again.

Without even turning around, he said, "This potion's effect is unpleasant enough even when brewed by an expert, and while your skills are not that bad for a Gryffindor, I do believe I am a trifle more experienced. So in the meantime I suggest you go and fetch yourself something for the bleeding, which I believe will be considerable."

I just stood and stared, not believing my ears.

With a tad of impatience, he added, "Of course you are free just to bleed on the floor, if you clean it up afterwards. Suit yourself."

Not knowing what else to do, I fled the room in search of the next toilet, to equip myself with a couple of sanitary towels, my head spinning.

When I returned, hesitantly stepping into the classroom and not sure if I'd dreamed the whole episode, he was just decanting some of the brew into a beaker. Two opaque, already stoppered vials stood next to the ingredients I had gathered, which puzzled the small part of my brain that hadn't gone completely numb by now – was he planning to store some of the concoction for Madame Pomfrey's medical supply ?

He warded the door, then handed the beaker filled with the pitch black liquid to me. I shuddered, but my resolve was clear, and I emptied it at one go.

Snape watched me drain the beaker, his face impassive. After I had set it down, he remarked, "You had better come here," motioning to the free space between the rows of worktables where he was standing. Confused, I followed the order, but couldn't suppress a small, "Why ?"

Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my entire body, and I doubled over, the air knocked from my lungs.

Dimly aware of a pair of arms catching me and holding me firm, I heard him say, "Therefore."

Fortunately the pain subsided after a few moments, passing as quickly as it had come. I felt blood seeping out of me and soaking the pad between my legs.

A vial was pressed against my lips, and I heard him say, "Drink that to stop the bleeding." I took it with trembling hands, noticing it was one of the pair I had seen before, and swallowed its contents. The seepage subsided to a trickle, then stopped.

Suddenly I became aware that I was still in a half crouch, held upright by Snape's arms. Embarrassed, I got up and he let go of me. He took up the second vial and handed it to me, saying, "Dreamless Sleep potion, should you require some tonight."

I took it, trying to say, "Thank you !" in a firm voice but all that came out was a whisper. He nodded curtly, unwarded the door and dismissed me with a gesture.

I all but fled the classroom, unsure what to say or do. For one, I still could not quite believe what had happened. And then, I did not know how to ever again face him in class.

"Miss Granger !" His voice called me back as I reached the corridor. I turned around, looking back inside.

"Five points from Gryffindor for not closing the door of the classroom when you leave it !" The slight smile that flitted over his face, just for the briefest of moments, betrayed his stern voice.

As I obediently closed the door, I felt the first smile in days come to my lips. I was a fool to have worried that anything should change in Potions class.