A/N Thank you so much for my first 2 reviews! Hope you like the update! For those cosplay fans check out the blog for this story, i'll be posting the story plus photos & blogs for the characters soon, blogspot search rileydumbledore

Little White Paws

Riley took a deep breath to calm her nerves before pushing open the 5th year Gryffindor girls dormitory door. The room was circular and spacious in one of the castles top most towers. Six four poster beds stood around the edge of the room, their occupants trunks already present at the foot of each bed. Riley walked over to where hers was sitting at the end of the last bed before the door to the adjoining bathroom. Hermione was already present unpacking her trunk in the bed next to Riley's. She looked up as Riley approached and smiled holding out her hand.

'Hi. I'm Hermione Granger, you must be Riley, welcome back to Gryffindor'. Riley smiled back, pleased to start making friends.

'Yes I am, and thank you', she sighed contentedly as she looked around the room, 'it's so lovely to be back in the castle, back home again'.

'I bet', Hermione replied, 'although it must have been wonderful to attend Chilton, I've heard amazing things about their transfiguration department'.

Riley turned back to Hermione, stunned that she knew of her former school and her attendance there, there was obviously more to this girl than meets the eye.

'You know about Chilton? Yes, their academics are generally outstanding, and I had some wonderful teachers but I just never quite felt like I belonged there, it just wasn't home', she said shrugging. 'I'm very much looking forward to finally studying here, I've already read Thestandardbookofspellsgrade5 and Defensivemagicaltheory twice through and have some queries on wand movement that I'd love to talk through with Professor Flitwick.

Hermione was temporarily stunned. Finally a student who shared her love of academics and one who actually bothered to read the set books, the feeling was however only temporary, after all, she concluded with Dumbledore and McGonagall as parents what else could she have expected. Still she felt she had met a new friend whom with she could actually talk about work.

'Me too! I can't wait to start working on counter jinxes in defence against the dark arts. If you have any free time tomorrow I can show you a great book that expands on the principals started in Defensivemagicaltheory', she paused, 'if you want to of course', she added nonchalantly.

'That would be great', Riley replied, both pleased and relieved to have made her first friend. Suddenly she realised she had spent at least a good ten minutes talking with Hermione, she shut her trunk lid with a deep thud and made a grab for her wand,

'I just have to make a quick call on an old friend, I'll see you in the morning'. Hermione turned from her bed to where Riley was, already opening the door,

'You do know we're not supposed to go wandering around the castle this late? I'd hate for you to get in trouble', she said a genuine note of concern in her voice.

'I know', Riley replied, 'but it's ok, I lived here for 11 years, I have my own way of avoiding old Argus'. She winked at Hermione, then with a noise like the sound of sleigh bells transformed herself into a tiny kitten. Snow white from head to paw, the only similarity to the almost fully grown witch who was standing there just a second before was the pair of strikingly blue eyes that looked back playfully at Hermione, then, in the flick of a tail, she was gone.

Riley knocked twice on the solid wood door of the potions lab, the noise echoing down the dark deserted corridor. Without waiting for an answer, she pushed it open a fraction and slipped inside. Snape was sitting at his desk at the far end of the room, illuminated by only a few stray candles, his quill scratching away furiously at the parchment on the desk in front of him. He looked up at Riley's entry, laid down the quill and pushed his chair away from the desk.

'Miss Dumbledore', he started his voice low and rounded, 'to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?'. He seemed unsurprised by her visit, something no student would usually do, and certainly not on a social call.

'Severus, I trust you remember the conversation we had when I last saw you', Riley replied walking the length of the room and coming to stand next to Snape's desk, her right hand resting lightly on the wood surface. Snape took several deep breaths,

'Of course I remember, how could I forget it', he paused his voice a mere whisper, 'or forget you'. His black eyes softened revealing hidden pools of depth and emotion that he usually kept locked away from prying eyes. Riley lifted her head, and said imploringly,

'then you know why I am here. I have done what was asked of me, I have waited my time, I will be sixteen soon, I don't want to wait any longer'. She came around the end of the desk and delicately placed herself in front of Snape, between him and the desk. Snape inhaled sharply there was no space between them now, Riley stood one leg on either side of his, the heat radiating off her. Sky blue eyes bore into his, full of passion and promise. It took him a moment to gather himself before he spoke.

'Riley', he breathed, tearing his gaze from hers, 'It's not a matter of what one wants, it's not that simple. You are still very young to be making such a decision.'

'Don't tell me I'm too young Severus. Do you not think I havn't given this serious thought? It's not some childhood crush, it's something real and solid and there, I'm not just simply betrothed to you, I love you'. Snape moved in an instant. Standing he lifted Riley up onto his desk and pulled her close till he was standing between her legs. Hands shaking he ran long fingers up the inside of her bare thigh, the skin pale and soft. She sighed and he took the opportunity to claim her lips with his, kissing her deeply. Riley was lost as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him even closer to her. When they parted both were breathless. Resting their foreheads together Snape said,

'Please don't think this is easy for me either, but I am your teacher now and as such we must be very careful about persuing our relationship'.

Riley couldn't help but pout, 'once I'm in sixth year I can give up potions, then no one could argue with us', she was aware of how childish she sounded but she knew Snape had a harder time resisting when she teased him. Snape laughed and pulled Riley in for a hug, resting her head upon his chest.

'You can't give up potions, deep down you don't want to and I won't let you, you're too good, I need more students in my class who can actually tell the difference between the top and bottom of a cauldron'. Now it was Riley's turn to laugh. She'd missed this time spent together, when they were free to laugh, free to be themselves and all that mattered was the two of them. 'You should be getting back to Gryffindor tower little kitten', Snape said lifting Riley's chin with his hand, 'You have had a long day, you need some rest'. Riley knew there was no point in arguing, she had a full day of Hogwarts classes tomorrow and she was tired from her long journey earlier.

'You're right', she replied, placing the softest, sweetest kiss on his lips before jumping down from the desk. 'Goodnight Severus', with one last look she headed for the door.

'Sleep well, my little one'.

In a flick of her long hair she was gone, and silent paws carried her back to Gryffindor tower.