A girl named Hermione Granger: Year Three
Chapter Three: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
Disclaimer: Still not mine (sigh)
Hermione had just finished booking her room at the Leaky Cauldron when she was tackled from behind by two overly rambunctious boys. "What the-" "Quick Fred, before ickle Ronniekins sees." She was whisked off to a dark corner in the dingy pub before she realized that it was Fred and George, Ron's older twin brothers, whom had dragged her off. "Er..." She leaned against the wall as the twins smirked at her knowingly, "Hello Hermione," Fred said smoothly, laying his right hand on her left shoulder as George laid his left hand on her right shoulder, and they blocked her view of the hall.
"I'm not sure if you're quite aware," George cut in, "we're devious, cunning little sneaks." "Spies, rather," Fred said, mockingly scolding his twin, "And at the end of last year, we noticed something incredibly odd." She swallowed nervously, wondering just what they were getting at. "Now, ickle Ron and Harry are a bit slow on the uptake," they both snickered making her feel uncomfortable, "But we, are much cleverer." She very much doubted this claim, as 'cleverer' was not a real word, "We noticed a certain Professor spending an awful lot of time attending to a certain student."
She bit her lip and tried to shift away from them, "We, were curious and concerned," George took over speaking now, and he lowered his voice, "So naturally we broke into the student's records. Would you believe that dear old Snape has a daughter?" His tone was devious, and she cursed silently. "And would you believe who his daughter is?" Fred asked. She groaned and her head slumped forward, "You know? Who else have you told?" She heard their feigned gasps, and drew back coldly, letting her inner Slytherin take over. "Well, look at that." "She is Slytherin." They gave her twin smirks and fully wrapped their arms around her shoulders, "We haven't told anyone, princess." They said in unison, while Fred pulled a piece of old parchment out of his back pocket. "However, this will. We were thinking about passing it along to the new generation of trouble makers."
She eyed the parchment suspiciously, "How is that going to tell anyone?" The twins chuckled and George tapped it with his wand, whispering something she couldn't hear, and ink flooded the parchment. "It's a map of Hogwarts?" She asked cautiously, taking in the map. "Yes." They replied in unison. "You can't see it here, of course," Fred waved the map in front of her, "as we're not in Hogwarts." George tapped the parchment again and everything vanished, "But it shows the full names of every one inside the castle. And, when there's a relation between two names," "It gives off this lovely red glow."
She frowned and tried to escape their grips, but they held tight, "What's your point? Are you going to tell Harry and Ron?" She continued to struggle, "Are you going to tell everyone? Make a big joke of it?" She finally succeeded in escaping their grip and fixed them both with a stern glare. "You're meddling in things that are not your concern, Fred and George." She placed her hands on her hips and they shrugged. "We just thought you'd like to know," Fred said, "so you could have time to think up excuses for ickle Ron and Harry, when they possibly spot you lounging with Slytherin's." She clenched her hands into fists, "But we won't tell. Anyway, Ronniekins is waiting for you. Best run along now, little snake."
She watched as they strode off down the hall, and as soon as they were out of sight, she kicked the wall with her foot. She limped her way back down to the main part of the pub and met up with a very enthusiastic Ron. "How long have you been here? Seen Harry yet?" He asked as soon as she was close enough to reply. "No, I've only just finished checking into my room Ron. Tom said Harry's stepped out already. I'll bet he's looking at brooms." They left the dingy pub and Hermione led Ron up to Gringotts, and made him wait as she went to her vault. She withdrew enough money to fill her purse and they left to find their dark haired best friend.
They spent an awkward hour, making bits of small talk as they went to get new robes and books. Finally, around lunch, they spotted the very bored looking Gryffindor team seeker wandering aimlessly by Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor, where they had stopped for a snack. "Harry! HARRY!" She jumped up, waiving her arms to gain the boys attention. He made a bee-line for them and took the empty seat at their four person table. Ron launched off, speaking a mile a minute, and when Harry cut him off to ask how they'd known he was staying at the Leaky Cauldron, she decided to scare the boys with her serious tone. "Did you really blow up your aunt Harry?"
He looked down and brushed his hair away from his face, and she caught a glimpse of his scar before his scraggly hair covered it again. "I didn't mean to." He said sourly, and Ron roared with laughter, "I just - lost control." She bit back a chuckle of her own, she knew it wasn't really funny that he'd blown up his muggle aunt, but she could just imagine a female version of Vernon stuck floating to ceiling of a prim and proper little muggle kitchen. "It's not funny Ron," she said sharply, "I'm honestly amazed Harry wasn't expelled."
The dark haired boy sighed, "So am I. Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked to Ron, "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?" Ron shrugged and Hermione bit her tongue. Maybe Ron didn't know, but she had a pretty darn good idea. She figured it had something to do with the convict that had escaped Azkaban, the wizarding prison, over the summer. She just wasn't quite sure what the connecting factor was. "It's probably just 'cause it's you." Ron said after a moment, before going off on a tangent of what his mother would do to him if he'd blown up his aunt. "Anyway, you can ask dad tonight, we're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! Hermione's there as well." She cleared her throat and gave the boys an awkward grin, "Yeah, my parent's just dropped me off. Thought it would make it easier."
"Excellent," Harry said happily, she guessed he'd probably been rather lonely here. "So have you got all your new school stuff?" The first thing Ron showed Harry was his brand new wand, and Hermione smiled wryly. Perhaps now Ron would fare better in his classes, with a wand that liked him. "What's all that Hermione?" Harry asked, finally noticing the three bulging bags of books beside her chair. "Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you two, aren't I?" She said defensively as the Ron picked up one of the bags to sift through. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies-" Ron snorted and cut her off as she snatched the bag back, "What're you taking Muggle Studies for? You were raised by muggles."
She tucked the bag back down with the others and ignored the red head, "It'll be fascinating to study them from a wizarding point of view." In truth, she was hoping to try and discover where exactly the prejudices against muggles came from, and hopefully get to speak with her distant grandmother. "Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" The boys asked, sniggering now, and she ignored them. "I've still got ten Galleons." She said, mentally counting how much she had left that she'd decided to allow herself to spend for the day, "It's my birthday in September, and mom and dad gave me some money to get a present." She stood and gathered her bags, fully intending to leave the boys behind, when Ron piped up about wanting to get some tonic for his pet rat, Scabbers.
Harry led them off to the closest magical creatures shop and she let her attention wander to the many animals in the shop. Her eyes fell on a fluffy ginger cat just before it made a mad leap at Ron. "NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" The witch behind the desk shouted, trying to get the cat away from Ron's rat, "Scabbers!" Ron shouted, lunging for the frightened, sickly, balding rat. The boys rushed out of the shop and Hermione stayed rooted for a moment. The large orange cat was now sitting on the counter, being held by the shop keeper. "He's beautiful." She said, stepping forward to pet the cat. He purred as she scratched behind his ears. "Poor Crookshanks has been here ages now. We can't seem to sell him." The witch behind the counter said, stroking the cat's soft fur as well.
Automatically Hermione reached for her purse, "How much?" She wasn't sure Archie would like her having a cat, but she couldn't leave the poor thing behind. "Eight Galleons." The sales witch said brightly, "And that includes a travel basket, collar and food dish. I'll even throw in some food!" The twelve year old witch handed the gold coins to the enthusiastic shopkeeper and soon walked out of the store with the fluffy orange cat curled up in her arms, and a travel basket of supplies. "You bought that monster?" Ron gasped as she walked up to them, and she smiled, "He's gorgeous isn't he?"
Crookshanks purred happily in her arms and she rubbed her cheek against the top of his head, "Hermione! He nearly scalped me!" Ron shouted, cringing as the cat fixed his eyes on him. Hermione scoffed, "He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" She rolled her eyes at the now sulking boy as he ranted about his poor, sick rat, which needed rest. Her response was to pluck the rat tonic out of her pocket and hand it to him, reminding him as well that her cat would be sleeping in her room, not his.
Hermione lay in her bed that night, wide awake. Crookshanks had perched himself on her chest, purring away happily, but her mind was far away. Her life had changed so dramatically, and so had she, in the last two years. She felt like she was being forced to grow up much too fast now, and she longed for the care free days she had enjoyed in primary school. When she was younger, she would have never, ever, gone running off after dangerous men, or been able to face an attacker without crying in fear. Granted, she still had difficulty controlling her emotions, she felt very old at the moment.
She ran her fingers numbly through Crookshanks' fur, wondering what would happen this year. Voldemort had yet to fail to make an appearance at Hogwarts, and the escaped convict, Sirius Black, was a death eater. It made her wonder if maybe she ought to run off into hiding with David and Jane, and leave her father to face the evils of the wizarding world the way he had before. Draco had told her, when they'd had a few moments alone in Paris, that most of his father's society believed her to be dead. She ought to have felt reassured by this, if the wizards and witches her father was worried about thought his daughter was dead, then there would be no more attacks. But then, who had attacked her at Julie's?
The train was packed by the time Hermione and Ron boarded it, searching for an empty compartment, Harry lagging behind to speak with Arthur Weasley. "There's got to be somewhere that's free." Ron grunted as they moved further down the train. By the time Harry had joined them, telling them in a rush that he had something very important to pass along to them, they had stumbled on the closest thing to a free compartment they could find. Inside was a man, dressed in shabby robes, looking ill and exhausted, and sound asleep. "Well, it's here or nowhere." She said, opening the door and quietly taking a seat across from the sleeping wizard. "Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron asked as he and Harry followed her in.
"Professor R. J. Lupin." She responded, her eyes falling on the briefcase resting on the rack above his head. "How d'you know that?" She pointed up to the case and sighed as the boys looked up. They really weren't as observant as they ought to be, when it concerned anyone other than Snape or Malfoy. "Wonder what he teaches?" She wanted reach over and smack the red head, but she restrained herself. "That's obvious isn't it? How many openings do you think there are?" It finally seemed to click that he would be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, "Hope he's up to the job. Looks like one good hex would finish him off." Ron said after a moment, with his usual tactlessness.
"Anyway, what'd you want to tell us Harry?" He drew Hermione's attention back to Harry, and the dark haired boy began to speak. "Well, it's about Sirius Black," He said quietly, and they leaned in closely. "Fudge reckons that he's escaped to come after me. Your dad," he nodded to Ron, "thinks that Black wants me dead because he believes it'll bring back -" he dropped his voice even lower here, "-Voldemort." She felt her jaw drop.
"Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban to come after you? Oh Harry..." She bit her lip, twisting her t-shirt in her hands, "You'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for -" He cut her off with a derisive snort of laughter. "I don't! Trouble usually finds me." Harry insisted. Ron, as usual, was on Harry's side. "How thick would Harry have to be to go looking for some nutter who wants to kill him?" She opened her mouth to point out that they had done exactly that in their first year, and something rather similar during their second year, but Ron cut her off, adding shakily, "No one knows how he got out of Azkaban. No one's ever done it before. And he was a top security prisoner."
"But they'll catch him, won't they?" She asked as the red head finally fell silent. "I mean, they've even got the muggles looking for him." She recalled the conversation she'd over heard in Paris, when David had been arguing with her father. It had apparently started when David had mentioned seeing the news report before they'd left England. They slowly became aware of a faint whistling sound, and after a short search, Harry pulled a small object from his trunk. "Is that a sneakoscope?" She asked as her eyes fell on the small glass spinning top. "Yeah, mind you it's a cheap one. Went haywire when I was tying it to Errol." Ron said, watching the spinning top as well.
They stuffed it back into the trunk, inside of a pair of large woolen socks. "We can get it checked in Hogsmeade," Ron offered as Harry closed his trunk. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges." They spent the rest of their time before lunch discussing what they thought they might find in the small wizarding village. "It'll be nice to get out of the school a bit and explore Hogsmeade, won't it?" Hermione asked with a dreamy sigh, at which Harry scoffed. "'Spect it will. Let me know when you've found out, will you?" He went on to explain, at their curious looks, that he had been unable to get his uncle to sign the permission form. Hermione felt rather kindred to him there, she'd fought tooth and nail to have her father sign the form. Or rather, to keep him from shredding the form after Sirius Black had escaped.
As night began to fall, she left the compartment to find a washroom so she could change into her school robes, as the boys did the same in their compartment. As she stepped out into the hall again she came face to face with Draco. They were the only two out of their compartments, she noticed, so she offered him a small smile, "Hey." He cleared his throat awkwardly and shoved his fists into his pockets, "Hey. How was the rest of your vacation?" She shrugged and hugged her folded jeans and shirt to her chest, "It was alright, I suppose. Yours?" He grimaced, "I was reunited with my Quidditch tutor."
She felt slightly awkward, chatting with the blonde boy after he'd stopped by their compartment and taunted Ron, but she was relieved he was being nice again. She was getting whiplash from his two-faced act. "I think you'll do better this year. Just remember not to let yourself get distracted by other people so much." She offered kindly, and he smirked in return. "Yeah. This year, Slytherin is going win the house cup and the Quidditch cup, as long as you Gryffindor's play fair." She laughed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "Don't worry. So far, there are no plans to thwart any evil. In fact, Ron and I are trying to find ways to keep Harry out of trouble. And in the dormitories." The trains whistle blew, and she sighed, "Speaking of them," Draco nodded and looked as though he were debating with himself, before stepping aside, "Best get back before Potty and Weasel lose their heads." She rolled her eyes and walked back in the direction of her compartment.
She had barely taken her seat when the train screeched to a halt. The power went out, and they fell into darkness. "We can't be there yet." She looked down at her watch, the face of it glowing up at her. It was far too early for them to have arrived. Pandemonium broke out in their compartment as Neville and Ginny found their way in, toes were stepped on, and people were sat on until Professor Lupin suddenly spoke up. "Quiet!" His voice was hoarse, and she thought that it was perhaps more the surprise that he was awake finally, that compelled them into obeying the command, then the fact he was a teacher.
Flames sprung to life in the palm of his hand and he seemed even sicker in the flickering light. "Stay where you are." He slowly got to his feet, but the door opened before he made it very far. A large cloaked figure was towering in the doorway, as tall as the ceiling, a slimy greyish hand protruding from it. Hermione suddenly felt as though she were re-living every horrible day of her life. She swallowed hard as her father's voice floated around her, with her freezing breath, and then, she heard a new voice. It was female, and it was gasping with pain. She could almost make out the whispered words between the grunts of pain, when the voices vanished. She looked around, shaking violently, and shrieked when she saw Harry unconscious on the floor of the compartment. "Calm down, calm down. He's fine." Lupin's raspy voice stunned her.
Hermione wrapped her arms around herself and leaned into Ginny, whom had slumped down onto the bench beside her. "What was that thing?" She asked after a moment, realizing that the hooded figure had gone. "A Dementor." Lupin answered, lifting Harry and placing him on the bench he had previously been occupying. As soon as the boy was settled, the shabby Professor reached up into his bag and pulled out a large bar of chocolate. He snapped it into several pieces and handed one to each of the shaking students. "It's just chocolate." He assured them, "It helps."
Harry woke up a few minutes later, looking ashen, as the lanterns flickered back on and the train began to move again. "Are you ok?" Ron asked nervously, as Lupin broke off another piece of chocolate for Harry. "Yeah." The dark haired boy pushed himself into a sitting position, "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?" Ron looked more nervous and told him that no one had screamed. "Speak for yourself, I heard a scream too." Hermione groaned under her breath, remembering the pain-filled voice of the mystery woman. She fixed her eyes on her lap as she felt Professor Lupin's eyes on her, she didn't want to know if he'd been let in on the secret or not.
"What was that thing?" Harry asked, drawing the Professor's attention away from Hermione, and she zoned out as he explained again for Harry. She wondered why only she and Harry had seemed to hear the screaming woman; and if what they heard had even been the same woman. What she had heard hadn't seemed much like a scream, so much as shouting. "I need to go speak to the driver, excuse me." Lupin left the compartment and Hermione brought her focus back onto the conversation. Ron was explaining what had happened as Harry had blacked out. She silently nibbled on her chocolate, after offering the only bit of information she could remember. Her own mind had gone foggy as the shabby Professor had stepped over Harry. "It was horrible," Neville's voice was much higher than normal as he piped in his thoughts, and Ginny huddled closer into Hermione's side, the older girl wrapping an arm around the young red head for mutual comfort.
By the time Professor Lupin returned, Harry was sulking over Ron telling him that no one else had fallen from their seats. Hermione had wanted to tell the dark haired boy she had nearly fallen, but the words died in her mouth when she saw Lupin. "We'll be at Hogwarts in about ten minutes." He said kindly as he stepped back into the compartment and sat in the last bit of cramped space.
They scrambled off the train and were greeted by Hagrid, but were unable to stop and speak with him as the swarm of students pushed them onward. "Where're we going?" Harry asked, looking as confused as Ron, and Hermione laughed bitterly after a moment, "That's right; you didn't come this way last year. We're going to the coaches." She led them onward and they found a mostly empty carriage. As they passed by the school gates they spotted two more Dementors and felt the same rush of sick cold that they had felt on the train. She had never been happier to see the front steps of the school as they pulled up and stepped out of the horseless carriage. Before they could even reach the front doors, she heard the familiar taunting drawl of Draco Malfoy from behind them. "You fainted Potter?"
She heard Harry curse under his breath, and she sighed. Never a moment of peace, is there? "Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?" Draco made his way up the steps and elbowed past her, and she made a silent reminder for herself to speak with Neville as she grabbed hold of the backs of both Harry and Ron's robes, just in case. She sent a glare at the blonde boy, but he ignored her as Ron attempted to lash out, "Shove off Malfoy." "Did you faint as well Weasley?" The Slytherin boy sneered, and she wished he would go away. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you, too, Weasley?"
Just as she was about to lose her grip on Ron's robes, Lupin appeared in the crowd, "Is there a problem here?" His presence was just enough to end the taunting, but the sarcasm dripping from Draco's words as responded was palpable. "Oh, no - er - Professor." He made his way into the castle flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, and Hermione released her grip on the boys. Just as they about to enter the great hall, McGonagall's voice floated over the heads of the students, drawing her and Harry away from the promising feast. "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!" Dejectedly they left the crowd and made their way to Professor McGonagall.
"There's no need to look so worried - I just want a word in my office." She said as they got closer, and Hermione guessed that Harry must have looked terrified. "Move along Weasley," She called out, and Hermione watched the red head make his way to the feast out of the corner of her eye. She and Harry followed their head of house silently up to her office, and sat as near to the big, welcoming fire, as they could. "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead and said you had taken ill on the train, Potter." McGonagall said as she sat in the large chair behind her desk, as Harry tried to reply, the door to the office opened and Madam Pomfrey bustled in. "I'm fine, I don't need anything-" Harry tried to protest as the healer fussed over him. "Oh it's you." She said plainly, realizing that once again, it was Harry Potter who had been the 'victim'. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again, have you?"
Hermione fought the urge to smile as McGonagall corrected the healer, informing her it was "Dementors at fault this time, Poppy." The healer tutted under her breath and muttered about the insanity of allowing such horrible creatures to be around such delicate students. Harry's temper flared, "I'm not delicate!" He shouted. Poppy patted his arm patronizingly and hummed, "Of course you're not dear." While checking his pulse with her other hand. "What does he need?" McGonagall asked crisply after a moment, "Bed rest? Perhaps a night in the hospital wing?" Hermione could feel Harry seething now, and she managed not to jump when he raised his voice once again, to insist he was fine. "Well he should have some chocolate at the very least." Poppy stated, ignoring the outburst.
"We've already had some," Hermione said politely, as Harry looked fit to burst. "Professor Lupin gave it to us." Madam Pomfrey finally backed away from the dark haired boy, a smile playing across her lips. "Did he now? So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies." "Are you sure, you feel alright Potter?" McGonagall asked at the healer opened the door to the office again, "Yes." Harry said firmly, "Alright, then step outside please. I need to have a word with Miss Granger about her schedule." It was silent until the door closed loudly behind Harry.
The Transfiguration Professor fixed her eyes on the young brunette in front of her and pulled open her desk drawer. "I trust you have been wondering about your schedule this year." She pulled a small wrapped box out of the drawer and placed it on the table. "Inside this box is not only your special timetable, but a rare magical item." Hermione bit her lip as the wrapping was undone, and the lid removed. "This is a time-turner." McGonagall pulled out a long golden chain with a circular pendant, a small hour-glass charm in the middle of it, sparkling in the fire light. "We had to pull a few big favors with the Ministry, but we secured this for your use only." She handed it to the young girl, "To use it, the chain must be around your neck, and turn the hour glass once for every hour you need to go back." Hermione tucked the chain around her neck and beneath the front of her robes, "Doing this, you will be able to repeat hours. There are two things I think you will need to be aware of."
"Number one, and this is vastly important, you must not be seen. Not by yourself, nor anyone. Bad things happen to those witches and wizards who meddle in time." The stern words sent shivers down Hermione's spine and she nodded once, "Also, if you prolong the use of the time-turner, you will age faster. If you use it the whole year, and I implore you drop a few classes by the end of the year, you will be fifteen at your next birthday." Hermione looked down at the slight lump beneath her robes and then looked back up, "I'll lose a year?" She asked, wondering for a moment if it was worth the lost year, to have so many classes. "Yes and no. You will live two years simultaneously, and believe me; your father was not pleased by the idea." The young Gryffindor sighed, "I bet...Oh...Professor, I have a question about Professor Lupin."
She plucked her timetable out of the box on the table and tucked it into her robes before continuing, "I was wondering if he, - that is, if Dumbledore has told him -" Professor McGonagall shook her head with a wry smile, "No, Miss Granger, he has not been told. Although I implore you to be careful. He was not friendly with your father when they were in school together, and should he find out, we can't know what would happen." She gasped and the head of Gryffindor house chuckled, "Not that he would hurt any student, Professor Lupin is harmless. Now, come. We must be getting back to the feast."
When they arrived in the great hall, the sorting had just finished, and as they took their seats, Professor Dumbledore stood to give his start of term speech. "Welcome!" He said jovially, before seriousness took over. He informed them about the Dementors, who were there to protect them all, in the event Sirius Black should make an appearance. He went on to introduce the new Professor, and Ron's focus was lost. "Look at Snape!" He hissed in Harry's ear, and Hermione rolled her eyes as she caught the words, before settling her gaze on her father. Indeed, he had never seemed particularly fond of any of their previous DADA teachers, but he seemed to really loath Professor Lupin. She recalled McGonagall's words and shivered.
"And our second new appointment," Dumbledore's voice brought a new wave of silence over the room, "Well I am sorry to inform you Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say his place will be taken by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties." There was a thunderous roar of applause for Hagrid from the Gryffindor table.
When the feast finally ended, Hermione found herself rushing to the staff table with Harry and Ron, squealing a congratulations at the giant man, "All down ter you three," He said, wiping his face with his napkin as he looked down at them, "Can' believe it...great man, Dumbledore. Came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough. It's what I always wanted..." He became overcome with emotion and buried his face in his napkin, and they were shooed away by McGonagall. They followed the rush of students and found themselves in their dorms soon enough. Hermione curled up with Crookshanks and was about to drift off to sleep when Lavender and Parvati came in. "You'll never believe what I heard." Lavender boasted, "Oooh what is it?" Parvati squealed, making Hermione roll her eyes, despite the fact they were still closed.
"Well, my uncle started working at the Daily Prophet, and he was in charge of an article about Hermione." Said brunette felt the colour drain from her face. "It got cut because there wasn't enough details, but the main part was that a random death eater attacked a muggle dwelling, while Hermione was there. It's like she attracts them to muggle places!" She growled under her breath and promised retribution against the gossipy girls.
End chapter three!
Now that my flu is gone, I can focus enough to write my AN!
First, thanks to my reviewers, and yes, I know...JulieXSnape was unexpected. I hadn't intended for it to crop up in this story, but it won't alter our beloved Severus Snape too much. There's some really interesting plot 'twists' coming up though, to make up for the sort of sudden JulieXSnape bit.
My chapter of Severus/Draco POV was so well received in Year Two, that I've done it again in Year Three around Christmas, so you have something interesting to look forward to. I have to admit, I was worried this one might turn out a little dry for plot, seeing as Harry and Ron are angry with Hermione through most of the book, and she's not in a good chunk of it. But I think I've made up for that, with my Dramione, and my Father/Daughter bits. And my twist!
I'm still hammering out the ending of the story, but don't worry, I'll keep it pretty accurate, I'm just debating if Harry and Ron should discover the actual relation between Hermione and Snape in this book or the next one. I, so far, have her straighten them out about their earlier 'theory' (wherein they (Ron) suggest that Hermione is in a sort-of-twisted relationship with their potions master.)
I've let this chapter run longer than the first two because I won't be posting for a couple days, and I want my readers to have something to read.