Disclaimer: Do I actually need one of these? I seriously wonder why we have to go through this every time we write a new fanfic.

A/N: IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALLIIIIVVVEE! Mwahahaha! Lol. I brought it back! Different beginning, though. Much darker at first, because you can't have a good HG/SS fic without something terrible happening. "Great, but terrible." (Got that from the first HP movie. You know, when Harry's in Ollivanders? Yeah.) A lot more detail, too. A little randomness, mostly Ron and Harry as comic relief. Well, Ron, really. Such a funny character, I think. I like him, don't get me wrong! I actually really really like him! He's not all stupid-he can be really serious at times, and he's proven himself to be a very capable wizard, just like Harry and Hermione have. I kinda put that into this fic, as you will soon notice. Absolutely NO SMUT WHATSOEVER! Ugh, I hate that in Hg/Ss fics, where they have errmmm…relations in what, the 9th chapter or something, or even the 2nd or 3rd chapters WHILE SHE'S STILL AT SCHOOL! I think that's just SICK if they do that during the school year, and Albus is all right with it! I'm still a virgin, so I don't know much about how you do it. I've got a chastity ring and everything. I don't think I needed to mention that, but as I don't know much about it, I don't think I'd do a very good job writing it. X-X

AND BEFORE YOU FLAME ME ABOUT ME LOOOOVING HG/SS TOGETHER, READ THIS!

I know Severus is what, twenty-odd years older than Hermione. She's about 18 in this fic, because of the Time Turner. That's what I've read in other fics, so I decided to make her eighteen, or almost eighteen, anyway. I haven't really decided yet…. And YES, I know he's her teacher. But she's much more intelligent than half of her professors all together; or at least, she seems to be. She is very mature, and I want to incorporate that in this story. She has faced Voldemort with Harry and Ron, and I'll make up something for 6th year to show how capable she is of being herself and other stuff. –grin—I think she can handle falling in love with her Potions Master.

I love reading HG/SS, but I also really like reading HP/HG, HP/GW, DM/GW, DM/HG even RON AND HERMIONE! We all know they're gonna get together, it just depends on when. If they don't, that'll come as a shock to me. And probably everyone else obsessed with the HP universe.

Phew! OK, now that that's over with, you can go ahead and read!

-Alianne

Scattered torchlight caused shadows to dance along the cold stone walls of a hallway deep beneath Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Two figures clad in dark silver cloaks dueled, sending harsh jets of multi-colored beams of light at the other. The bursts of light caused by the curses dimly illuminated the white masks adorning the combatants' faces. Pouring in sweat, both fought fiercely, the masks slowly slipping off their faces and the sound of their incantations echoed throughout the dungeons.

Hundreds of feet above the two battle encompassed Death Eaters, students from all Houses slept peacefully, save a Mr. Harry Potter in the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, dreaming of murderous red eyes and two dueling men in silver cloaks. Unbeknownst to him, his best friend Hermione Granger was downstairs poring over her textbooks by the light of the fire in the Gryffindor Common room. And Ron, well…he was dreaming of tap dancing spiders yet again.

AHeadmaster paced his study, waiting for his only spy to return from the routine Dark Revel to the office guarded by a gargoyle. He knew not that his Potions Master was fighting for his life in his very own school.

Albus Dumbledore was worried.

He could sense the dark magic emanating beneath the castle, but a barrier of an even more potent force enshrouded the dungeons, making it impossible for even the most powerful wizard alive to breach.

"Albus!" the Deputy Headmistress swept into the Headmaster's office. "What is going on? Is Severus back yet? I sensed a great power coming from his dungeons, is he involved? Oh Albus! I can't bear the thought of him…him…" she trailed off, her normally severe bun allowing wisps of grey to escape its equally severe tie.

"No, Minerva. He still has yet to return to us." None of the familiar twinkle was in the old wizard's eyes. "However, I have a feeling that he is indeed involved in the situation beneath our school."

A hand flew to McGonagall's mouth. "We must do something, Albus! We can't just stand here while the man I see as my very own son is in grave danger! I won't stand for it!" she cried, her motherly instincts showing through.

'My dear Minerva, it is all we can do at the moment. I cannot breach the barrier with my magic, and I cannot-must not- risk the lives of my students," he said wearily.

"But you can risk the life of the only person who can possibly save us? He has the information we need to defeat Voldemort! He is our only hope, along with Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger, of course," she said. Upon saying the last line, her face softened as she thought of her three brave Gryffindors.

"Ah yes…Ms. Granger. She has proven her abilities as a witch more than anyone, as Misters Potter and Weasley have proven themselves to be powerful wizards in their own right."

"But surely—absolutely NOT, Albus! I am not sending my students against that! Not right now…it is still the beginning of September! They are not ready!"

Albus stopped his pacing and stood in front of Fawke's perch. "Minerva…no one is ever ready for war. We must try to be as prepared as we can. You and I know that those three are the key to Tom's downfall."

"Yes, Headmaster," the Head of Gryffindor said, defeated. She headed towards the door leading out of his office, but before she could reach the door handle, she heard the Headmaster's voice again.

"He will come back, do not fret."

She nodded and exited the room.

The Headmaster sighed deeply and resumed his pacing.

"Crucio!" a cold voice cried out. Pale white hair gleamed in the flickering light from the sconces along the wall. The white mask had slipped off sometime during the duel, exposing a beautiful aristocratic face, marred by intense icy blue eyes, cold and cruel. The jet of red light hit its mark, throwing the Potions Master against the wall with a sickening crack; tremors ran through the man's body, the aftereffects making him writhe in pain.

But he did not scream.

He had developed a sort of immunity to the curse over the years. Oh yes, he had screamed a lot when he first joined Voldemort, but that changed when he realized that they wanted to hear the sounds of terror and agony coming from their victims. Of course it still hurt, nothing could change that.

Not hearing Severus' cries of agony that he should have, Lucius Malfoy stepped over to the man, hoping he was dead so he could return to his master and be lavished with praise from the Dark Lord.

That was most certainly not the case.

Severus stayed still, making the other Death Eater believe he was real and truly dead until the last moment. He shot up from the floor, knocking Lucius back with a cry of "Expelliarmus!"

Both men circled, looking for any openings the other might leave unguarded. Curses were cast and deflected in a blink of an eye, until both grew so fatigued from the use of their magic that the spells were cast half-heartedly, never hitting their mark.

It became a fist fight now, both grown men still not having an advantage over the other. Soon bruises and shallow cuts were littered over their faces and arms. Minutes seemed like hours Lucius overpowered Snape and with a blow to the head knocked him unconscious. Crimson blood trickled from the ex-Death Eater's head down his cheek.

The blonde man sneered, "Why Severus, I do not think red is your color. Perhaps some errant student will find you—then again, maybe not. I think you'll die here, slowly. I would watch, but I have some other important matters to attend to. You do understand, right, traitor?"

The man crumpled on the floor made no answer. This time, he wasn't pretending.

With one last contemptuous glare, Malfoy Sr. strode through the hallways, emerging from the dungeons battered and bruised but with a smug smirk plastered on his face.

As Hermione Granger was Head Girl, she was allowed to be out of bed after hours. So, taking full advantage of the privilege, she rose from the overstuffed chintz armchair by the fire and exited the portrait hole.

She walked slowly through the corridors of her beloved school in the moonlight, her footsteps echoing through the silent halls of the castle. The pale light shone through the windows and illuminated her figure. She had gotten rid of all the bushy, frizzy hair over the summer before 6th year. Now her hair was tamed in long curls down her back, warm golden brown tendrils of it occasionally getting in her eyes. She had grown taller, now 5'8 or so, and her body was gently curved, not too much, but not nonexistent, either.

Hermione was now comfortable with herself. She continued to read every book she could get her hands on, learning every spell she could. She came to a window seat and sat down on the cushions. As she looked out on the grounds, she mused over all the memories she had while at Hogwarts. A corner of her mouth quirked up as she thought of her best friends who had become the brother she'd never had and their adventures together. Then she remembered the reasons behind those said exploits and the small smile was replaced with a furrowed brow.

"Damn Voldemort to hell," she spoke aloud. "Although, he's probably best mates with Satan himself, so that might not do him well enough."

Movement from down the corridor caught her eye, and she crept over to see the figure better. The person in the dark silver cloak looked around shiftily before creeping outside. Pale silver hair glinted in the moonlight and Hermione gasped.

She raced to the double doors that led outside.

'I thought he was in Azkaban….' She thought to herself as the Death Eater apparated with a crack that echoed across the school grounds. I hope Dumbledore knows about this…Ah, he probably does. It's not my place to worry about that. I'm sure the wards have left him know anyway.

A small cat wound its way around her legs and her eyes widened. Hearing Filch coming from the end of the corridor, she ran all the way back to the Gryffindor dorm.

"Hey 'Mione. Whoa, you look….terrible."

"Hello Harry….excuse me?"

"HEY! What about me!" Ron pouted.

Hermione didn't answer.

Ron proceeded to stuff his face.

The Gryffindor girl muttered something that sounded strangely like "Boys."

"Attention students!" Professor Albus Dumbledore stood up facing his students.

Hermione's head snapped up. Usually, the Headmaster made announcements at the Start of Term Feast. Uh-oh...I don't think this is a good thing...

"I regret..."

Yep, I knew it.

"...to inform you all that unfortunately, your Potions Master, Professor Snape, will not be joining us for the rest of this year---"

Loud cries of joy erupted from the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables.

"'Mione! SNAPE'S GONE! NO MORE DETENTIONS WITH THAT GREASY, SLIMY--did I mention greasy-- git!" Ron yelled for the whole Hall to hear. He immediately turned red when he saw Professor Dumbledore looking at him through his lowered spectacles. "Errmmm…." Then he saw the old wizard's eyes start to twinkle, and Ron realized he wouldn't get into trouble, as the rest of the teachers were trying (rather unsuccessfully) to hide their amusement at the young seventh year.

The redhead looked to his left and right and saw his friends' grinning faces.

All but one.

There! A lot longer than the second time I posted it. I MADE SURE TO TAKE ALL THE IN-TEXT AUTHOR'S NOTES OUT!

WOOT! Hahaha!

Thanks D'Euly and HeatherLayne for pointing that out!