A/N: Finals are OVER! And now as promised another chapter. Next semester is going to be tough but I plan on regularly updating. Please leave me comments/reviews. One I like reading them, and two it makes me update more frequently if I know that there are other people who like the plot. lol. Anway, without furthur adieu...

'Of all the overpriced, obstinate'. Hermione wanted to scream in frustration. The damn thing bit her. It had taken her ten minutes to convince the owner that this was the familiar she wanted. Ten minutes of begging, pleading, and in the end flirting. And yet here they were. She had dealt with the repulsive man, spared this bird's life, and the damn thing bit her. It was worse then Crookshanks. Who by the way was eyeing the crow like it was a midnight snack. Hermione was almost tempted to leave them alone in the room together, see how that would make it feel.

"No Crookshanks. You must learn to play nice with…hmm. What ever shall I call you?"

The crow glared at her as she bandaged its broken wing absentmindedly. Naming this crow would bind it to her, for better or worse. If she just healed it and left it nameless…well then there would be less for her to worry about. She had done her duty as a Gryffindor, she'd spared the thing from a cruel and unusual death. She'd even bothered to wash it, joy that that had been, and fix its wing. Her duty was done. But then this wasn't really about duty. This crow was more than it seemed, she'd realized it before Crookshanks had even sensed her master's new pet. It was smart, cunning, and highly underestimated. 'Like me'.

The thought came unbidden to her mind. She had always been underestimated, whether by Harry and Ron or by her teachers. To them she was book-smart, not courageous or cunning. She was praised for nothing else than the good sense she had been born with. Not that it wasn't enough. Hermione was not the type to go looking for praise, or to break rules just for the satisfaction of knowing they would earn her the admiration of her peers. That was something the boys were famous for. And she had to admit that despite the hurt, and their obviously low impression of her, she almost missed being a part of that. After all, they had been the trio for seven years now. And seven years was a long time.

"Oh I don't know. You are a handsome crow." She said to no one in particular. "And I do need a carrier. I suppose keeping you wouldn't be so bad, would it…"

Severus. Hermione lurched forward to catch the crow, ignoring the reproachful glare. Where had that name come from? Yes he was every bit as obnoxious as the late potions master. And she supposed that if the marauders were smart enough to become animagi then Severus very well could. Hermione smiled at the thought of saving her former professor. No, smart as he was, this bird could not be Severus. There were similarities to be sure, its blatant disregard of her attempts to save its life, its crankiness, and sleek black feathers. But Severus Snape would not have allowed her to save him. He was a powerful wizard, and she highly doubted that if he had been chased by the owner of Eeylops, that he would continue to allow the man to do so.

"Still I think it would be rather funny…" Hermione stroked its feathers in an attempt to placate it.

Of course Ron and Harry wouldn't find it as amusing if they ever spoke again. After all, Harry took Dumbledore's death very personally. As if no one else had been affected. Hermione held the crow up in front of her eyes suspiciously. An animagus generally had markings, features that identified with its human form. Her first thought was to check its leg. Nothing. And as she could hardly judge based on the overall cleanliness of the bird… Hermione frowned at it while she thought. She didn't want another Peter Pettigrew on her hands, especially if the boys…

"Why am I worried about what they will say! I'm not going to apologize for who I am. And if they don't want to talk to me because of it, well, that's their choice."

She glanced down again at the bird in her hands. If they were truly her friends, and chose to return and apologize, well they wouldn't care if she had another familiar. Or if she had named it after someone who had taken them into immediate disliking. Not that she could really blame him right now. They were being right gits to her.

"All right, all right. I'll let you go back to your perch….Severus."

The crow made no acknowledgment of the name it had been given, but Hermione felt a ghost of a smile grace her lips. This bird was a Severus. Severus. She said the name to herself a couple of times, until it had become more of a mantra than a name. A very Slytherin name in her mind, harsh in meaning but smooth. Silky. Like a snake. Hermione snorted as the bird began preening itself. Since when had she become so interested in names? Or in his name in particular. It was not the sort of name she found common in muggle London. Although it did roll off her lips rather nicely.

"Hmmm sleep well Severus. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

She didn't even bother planning on breakfast in the alley. The more time she spent there the more she realized that it wasn't safe for her. Not for now anyway. Besides, she was rather interested in what the headmistress was planning for her. Why did the person running Hogwarts always have to be so mysterious? Hermione had the feeling Albus Dumbledore was like that from the moment he was born, but Professor McGonagall? Of all the teachers she was the most forward.

"Interesting. Interesting in deed." She mumbled.

Perhaps she would be allowed to eat in the main hall with the rest of the professors. Surely with school rolling around again they would be returning to the castle. She would definitely be interested to see the two latest professors for the Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions classes.

"Goodnight Crookshanks…Goodnight Severus"