To say Severus was surprised when the girl threw herself into his arms and shouted, "Severus! I'm so glad you're okay! I was so worried about you!" was an extreme understatement.

Then when he gently, albeit a little confusedly, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. In front of the entire school. Including Dumbledore and Minerva, who had expected something between them all along.

"It's okay. I'm fine. Just…tired." Severus murmured into her ear.

She pulled back so she could smile up at him adoringly. "Thank Merlin! I was so scared I had lost you…" Without giving him the chance to respond, she threw herself at him and buried her face in his chest.

"Well, it appears our potion's master is getting quite the warm welcome from our young Slytherin prefect." Dumbledore noted, eyes twinkling.

Snape looked up. "Indeed." He lowered his voice. "Lydia, let go please."

She tightened her grip and nestled closer, reluctant to let him go. "Nuh-uh."

"Yes. I'll still be right here." He whispered.

"Are you sure?" She mumbled, voice thoroughly muffled by his shirt.

"Yes, now if you don't mind…" He waited for her to loosen her steely grip on his waist, which she slowly did.

He pulled away, than turned to Dumbledore, resting his arm around the girl's shoulders. "You-Know-Who is going to lay siege on the castle." He announced grimly.

Gasps went up around the Great Hall. "How have you come of this knowledge, Severus?" Minerva demanded.

"I've been spying for Dumbledore against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named ever since the deaths of Lily and James Potter." The Slytherin said, ignoring the outburst of complaints and shock from the students behind him.

"Severus, do you think you'll be able to continue spying for me?" The Headmaster asked softly.

The potion's master lowered his gaze. "No, sir. I barely escaped with my life." He said hoarsely, fatigue finally catching up with him.

"I see. How, pray tell, are you doing, Severus?" The blue-eyed wizard asked.

"Not too good." Severus took a step forward, staggered, and without Lydia's support, would've fallen. "I'll be fine though, really!"

"Remus?" Dumbledore called. "Escort Severus to the Infirmary, please."

"No, it's okay!" The other protested, a whiney edge seeping into his voice. "I-you need me! I can tell you where he is and-"

"Severus." Lydia calmly interjected.

He fell silent and turned his attention to her, along with the rest of the Great Hall. "Yes?"

"You're going to the hospital wing."

"But, I'm-" She cut him off.

"You're going. Now." She growled the last bit, crossing her arms the best she could with him hanging on to her.

"I…" He realized he couldn't win this fight, so he sighed and gave in. "Alright. But the second Pomfrey says I can come back…" He trailed off threateningly as he allowed Remus and Lydia help him past the Gryffindor table and towards the Infirmary.

"And Severus?" Dumbledore added.

The potion's master turned back. "Yes, Headmaster?"

"Where's Mr. Malfoy?"

The dark-haired man sighed. "I'm not sure, sir. He knocked me unconscious with a misfired spell and when I came to, I was alone. I apparated here as quick as I could." He announced.

"I see. He's probably alright. We'll send out a search for Draco than." Dumbledore replied.

Then Lydia gently took his arm and pulled him out the doors of the Great Hall. The students stared after their Professors and fellow classmate.

"Am I the only one extremely confused by what just happened?" Harry asked, jade eyes wide with confusion.

"Of course not, Harry." Ron muttered. "That greasy dungeon bat was just being…nice to that girl."

"Her name is Lydia Elwood, she's a Slytherin prefect." Hermione commented. "I've heard she's so good at Potion's class, Snape's thinking of taking her on as apprentice for future potion's mistress."

Harry and Ron traded a look. "But Snape swore he was never going to take on an apprentice!" Ron said, shocked beyond words.

"I know!" Harry gasped out. "He seems to like her though. I mean we just saw them hug…"

The three fell momentarily silent at this odd thought. Snape hugging a female. It was utterly ridiculous. Just to think that he might just have fallen in love with one of his precious little serpents.

They obviously didn't care about the age difference, Harry had seen the way he had smiled comfortingly down at her when she'd hugged him as hard as she could and demanded if he was okay. The way Snape had hugged her back, gently winding his arms around her; it had told Harry that there was something more between the two.

"So, what do you think Snape was talking about?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"He said Hogwarts is going under siege…" Ron said, chewing on his lip.

"By Voldemort." They both flinched. "Snape said that the Dark Lord was going to lay siege on the castle, and that he found out Snape was spy." Harry said.

"So we should get ready. Put up shields, prepare defenses…" Ron began to say.

"Wait! Snape has been on our side this entire side, and we've never known anything true about him." Hermione said. "It's crazy, he said he just barely escaped with his life!"

"I guess he isn't all that bad." Ron admitted.

"Yeah, I guess he does need the benefit of the doubt." Harry agreed.

"Snape said that we need him to show us where You-Know-Who is. We should go see him in the Infirmary." Hermione said with a tentative smile.

"Yeah, good idea." The pair agreed quickly, and the trio made their way towards the hospital wing.

=ooOoo=

When the trio made it to the Infirmary, Hermione peeked around the doors. Madam Pomfrey was bustling around, chirping that Snape should've come sooner. She gave him a Cruciatous counter-potion and a pain-killing potion.

After he downed them, the medi-witch ran her diagnostic on him, declaring that he had a fractured wrist, multiple deep cuts, and he would be bruised to the point it would hurt to move. She cast a few simple healing spells to ease the pain further, than told him to get some rest. She then hurried back into her office so she could write her repot of her latest charge.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry watched from the door as Lydia settled herself in the chair at his bedside. "How are you doing?" She asked softly, smiling down at him.

He sighed. "Better. I'm sore, though." He muttered tiredly.

"Is there anything I can do? Because I want to help you in any way I can…" Lydia said, reaching out and brushing her fingertips across his prominent cheekbone.

"I don't think anything but your presence will help." He murmured softly, reaching up and taking her hand away from his face.

"I'm not leaving, if that's what you mean." She said firmly, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

Snape couldn't help but smirk. "I know." He shook his head in silent laughter. "You're almost as stubborn as Draco." He noted.

Lydia grinned. "That's a good thing, I suppose?" She asked playfully, adjusting the chair so she could lean over and rest her chin on his shoulder.

"Of course, my dear." He answered, obsidian eyes warm with affection.

Lydia smiled back, unintentionally seductive. "Good. Now get some sleep, alright? You'll need your strength, Sev." She ordered.

"I know." He sighed deeply and closed his eyes, leaning back against the pillow as she sat up and kissed the back of his hand.

"I love you, Sev." The Slytherin prefect whispered.

His lips barely moving, he replied in a hoarse whisper, "I love you too, Lyddie."

She smiled at him as he fell asleep, the Dreamless Sleep potion taking wing and lulling him into a deep sleep. "Sleep well, love."

Then she stood and slowly made her way over to the door, glancing back at the sleeping potion's master with every few steps she took. Ron, Hermione, and Harry just managed to jump out of the way as she reached the door.

"Hi, I'm Harry Potter, it's nice to meet you." Harry said awkwardly, holding out his hand.

She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I'm Lydia Elwood, and you probably don't need to introduce yourself to anyone…" She said, looking him up and down before shaking his hand.

"I'm Ron Weasley, and she's Hermione Granger." Ron said as the raven-haired Slytherin strode briskly down the hall, expecting them to follow. "We're his best friends." He added as they hurried after the girl.

"Good for you." She shot back, loving atmosphere evaporating.

"Well, Ms. Elwood, we would like to talk to you." Hermione nearly shouted as they rushed after her, her long, purposeful strides carrying her down the hallway at a fast pace.

The girl whirled and faced them, grey eyes flashing. "If you're here to drill me about Sev and me, I'm not in the mood. Deatheaters, Dumbledore and McGonagall have already done that, I don't need the Golden Trio on my back about it as well." She snarled, fury lacing her tone.

The trio exchanged a worried glance. "Well, actually, we wanted to talk to you about defenses. We heard you were good with that sort of stuff…" Harry said.

She visibly calmed. "Oh. Okay, then. What would you like to know?"

The three grinned. "Everything."

A/N: Well, how did you like it? This is my first attempt at an HP fic, so bear with me .

And this is a completely AU, lots of people are OOC and Lydia Elwood is my OC. The only one I have so far. But anyways, this is a little snippet of the fic I might write, and if you like this, reviews will make me start it faster! R&R please!