Pansy absently crumpled Draco's note as she pondered its implications. She had been wrong to let her feelings show this evening. She should have learn by now that no good ever came out of it, and that even Draco was no exception to the rule. The worst part was that it had led *him* to disclose true position in this matter. "And it's all my fault. Yay." She laughed mirthlessly.

Shaking these thoughts from her head, she crept under the covers, positioning her wand within easy reach under her pillow, and willed herself to sleep. It was too late to change things now anyway, and drowning oneself in guilt had never helped matters any. She would just have to choose accordingly, and that made the decision all the more difficult. Before, it was only a matter of knowing she would have to face him in battle one day, and fight for her life. Now it was a matter of risking to betray him at the first veritaserum interrogation should he choose to spy for Hogwarts. Could she do that? Betraying an adversary was not a problem to her, so long as she did it of her own volition. Now there was a definite threat that that wouldn't be the case.

She shifted restlessly, tangling skinny limbs between the dark-green silk sheets. Why should sleep elude her tonight of all nights? She certainly needed all her wits about in the morning. She had a decision to take. "You did this on purpose didn't you, you cunning bastard ? But of course you have. Who other than Draco to trick me into supporting him in such a shamefully gryffindorish manner, so that I don't suspect that I was manipulated."

Well. eye for eye. She picked a quill from the side of her bed and scribbled at the back of the tattered piece of parchment. 'I'll tell you. Afterwards.'

"Afterwards?!" Draco mentally slapped himself for speaking out loud. Thank goodness his wards were up. At three in the morning, the dormitory was deadly silent and his word would have echoed like thunder.

The note burst into flame a his unspoken command, and he cursed under his breath. She had either chosen to bow, or to fight as a spy. Either way, she would go. And she knew his mind.just as he knew hers. They were as good as dead. Unless he could persuade her not to go, to stay at Hogwarts under the Headmaster's protection.

He cursed again, mentally berating himself for giving in to such a ridiculous urge as to try and save his comrade instead of just sacrificing her to save his skin. Then again, she obviously didn't intend to sacrifice him either. If they both made it, it was a profitable choice, but if one should fall, then the other would follow him down. "God I hate group work!" And he flopped back in his pillows.

"Professor Snape?"

Said professor lifted his eyes from his cauldron and eyed Pansy Parkinson expressionlessly. She was thinner, he noticed. And visibly more pale than she had ever been. She had never sought him out before, merely letting him observe her from afar and indicating that she knew and gave him her leave to do so. After some consideration, Severus muttered an extinguishing spell and checked his cauldron one last time before silently motioning her towards his office.

"Miss Parkinson."

Pansy let no emotion show, yet if she had she would have swallowed uneasily. As it was, she took a letter out of her pocket and handed it over to her Head of House, who scanned it quickly, then looked expectantly up at her.

"I thought you were entitled to be aware of this. And of the fact that I will be answering the summons."

"And why, pray?"

"I know what you are, professor. Idon't plan on betraying you, but if I am to be Initiated, there is a risk that I will be dosed with veritaserum or a variant, and you should be careful."

"Why all this if you have no wish to advantage your seemingly chosen side by betraying me?"

She laughed bitterly.

"Seemingly indeed! You are not unaware, I trust, of my. familial predicament. This is the only way I will be allowed to choose. And I want to be free, professor. Being a spy for Dumbledore is the only way for me to express my choice if I have a will to live."

Severus sighed, and Pansy was taken unawares by the sudden defeat that dulled his eyes.

"I admire your determination, Pansy. I wish there was another way. You of course realise that should I be identified as I spy subsequently to your action, you would have to take my place as Dumbledore's pet death eater? It is not an easy position, child, even when compared to your limited alternatives."

He considered the girl seated primly in front of him. She could do it.

"I do."

That was it then. No noisy declarations of fidelity, no solemn oaths. So like yet unlike the night he himself made his choice. He felt a surge of pride at the thought that it was partly his presence that had turned the confused eleven-years-old Parkinson child into such a steady young woman. No Gryffindor could ever hope to reach this level of willpower, resolution. and measure. And he had to ensure his children were safe once he was gone as well.

"Pansy."

She quirked her eyebrow at him in a way that reminded him so strongly of himself he almost lost his gravity, and yet which comforted him in his decision.

"Will you be my successor? This is an official request: I need a replacement worthy of our House once I retire. I had been thinking either of you or of young Malfoy, but it would seem you are the most indicated after all." and I might need replacement unexpectedly soon, he mentally added.

The girl smiled a strained smile at him, and nodded briefly before silently exiting the room, and Severus was left alone with his thoughts.

A/N: Tremendous thanks to all reviewers: this was meant to be only in one part, but I actually made a whole story out of it. A warning: this will go back in time a bit in a little while. to talk about other loyalties, and about betrayal, and a lot more about Snape.( Gosh I love this character!!!!!) Sorry to disappoint Darco/Pansy fans: they will not be the main characters of this fic after all. Though they will still frequently make an appearance. Thank you again, and I hope the sequel will meet your standards. (still not much going on here I'm afraid, but next chapter will introduce some action, I promise!)