"People gonna see you, how they wanna see you, people gonna rate you, people gonna hate you, people gonna shove you, people gonna love you, people gonna do whatever makes them feel they own you better.."

I frowned and stopped in front of the door the voice was coming from. It was a male voice, quite nice actually. I put my ear to the door, and just caught a small sigh before the person started humming the rest of the tune softly. On an impulse, I eased the door open and stepped silently inside. I winced when the door clicked as I shut it behind me. The figure on the desk jumped off and spun around. When we each realised who the other was, we froze.

"Er, hi, Sn—Severus." I said, nervously.

Severus regarded me warily for a moment. Something in my eyes must have reassured him, though, because he spoke, a faint tinge to his cheeks, "It's a muggle song. I quite like the lyrics," he explained.

"Oh."

He sat down on the desk behind him, and I moved closer. "I, er, didn't know you sang," I said, leaning my hip against the old table he was sitting on.

Without looking at me, he replied, "I don't, not really. Just, sometimes it helps, you know… let things out."

I nodded, and we sat in companionable, if awkward silence.

"So, where are the other three tonight," he asked, meaning my best friends, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail.

"Common room, with their unfinished Divinations homework."

Severus wrinkled his nose, and it struck me how cute and bunny-like it looked. Wait, what? I blinked. Where did that come from?

"I suppose you've already done yours, have you?" Severus asked, a friendly smile playing at his thin lips.

I smiled back, "I take Ancient Runes instead, but yes I have. Although I still have to do the Potions essay for tomorrow. I can usually get by, but advanced healing potions completely throw me."

The dark-haired boy hesitated, then, "I could, er, help you. If you want. I've finished mine, and its six inches longer than it should be."

Trying not to sound too eager, I said, "Would you? I could go and get my things now, and meet you back here in ten minutes."

After a pause, Severus said, "Okay."

I grinned, and headed out the door.

"Wait! ..Not here. Meet me in the Entrance Hall – I know somewhere better."

I nodded, and headed up to Gryffindor Tower. I entered the common room at a run, not giving Sirius time to say anything. I gathered what I needed for the essay, careful not to wake a snoring James, and went back down to the common room.

Sirius was waiting for me, and grabbed my arm as I passed. "Where're you off to in such a hurry, Moony?"

"I just remembered my Potions essay, and I'm going to finish it in the Shack," I gabbled out, pulling away from my best friend's grip and dashing towards the portrait hole.

"Don't forget about the prank tomorrow morning!" I heard Sirius call after me.

"Okay, Pads," I called back over my shoulder.

On the way down to the entrance hall, my brain was going a hundred miles an hour.

'I have to tell him!'

'What if James or Sirius find out?'

'They won't!'

'What if Severus doesn't believe you – thinks it's another prank?'

'He will! …I hope.'

When I got there, Severus was already waiting, his painfully thin frame silhouetted in the sliver of moonlight coming from the half open door. He silently motioned me through, and shut it behind us.

He started walking, and explained, "There's a place near the east shore of the lake I go to, to get away. No-one can get over the rocks, but I know a way."

The east shore was blocked off by a huge area of jagged rocks. None of the students bothered to go there, because it was further away than the nicer west shore, and because the rocks were very hard to climb.

Severus led me to a completely hidden gap in the rocks, and through a short, narrow passage that opened out onto a clearing on the edge of a wood. The rocks behind us blocked the view of the lake, but in front of me, the trees grew on an incredibly steep slope, allowing a view towards what would probably be a gorgeous sunrise.

"Sometimes, I stay out here all night, just to watch the sun rise."

"It must be beautiful."

"It is."

We settled ourselves on the grass, and, wands aglow, Severus proceeded to teach me all I need to know and more about advanced healing potions.