Hermione was told by Professor McGonagall that the headmaster had agreed to her request if she still wanted to go ahead with it, After thinking it through over the day she explained to her head of house that she wished to proceed, she was surprised by his terms but accepted regardless.

She headed towards the dungeons to 'sign on the dotted line' so to speak, when she arrived at the headmasters personal potions room she knocked and awaited permission to enter. Once granted entrance by a familiar grunt she entered slowly, slowing the door behind her.

"Miss Granger, I wasn't expecting you tonight." Snape explained, "I was told by Professor McGonagall to inform you directly of my decision." Hermione replied very matter of factly. Snape nodded in understanding, "And?" He pressed, the girl that once always had an answer had to be pushed, it was like squeezing blood from a stone.

"I wish to accept your offer, sir" the witch replied curtly, he saw her as a wilted flower.
He wished he could take the burdens from her frail shoulders.
"Then we will start tomorrow, in the evening. I will be giving you 3 potions from different grades, and you will produce them for my judgment without any notes or text books to aid you" he explained.

"I will be here." She replied, turning to leave. He fought himself to let her leave but in the end he weakened and called out to her, "Miss Granger..."
She spun around and looked at him, and he bit the bullet.

"You can talk to me... If there's anything..." He insisted nervously, clearing his throat and breaking their eye contact. He was never good at showing her cared, mainly because he never did care.... But now he cared more then he could express in meaningless words.

Hermione didn't say another word and left without making a sound. It was as if she floated away, it was as if she was never there.
She didn't leave one small part of her behind, Snape knew only too well that she had nothing left to give, not yet.

🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍

He thought of her as he tried to find his rest, but his slumber was lost to the darkness.
There was no way he could sleep.
He didn't understand why he worried so much, he didn't know why the sadness in her eyes broke his heart, he couldn't comprehend any of it. All he really knew, was that he would try to fix her. No matter what.

He wondered what things went through her wondered if she would ever be the Insufferable know it all again?