It was a week before Severus' impending departure that Hermione realised she had completely lied to her mother.

In fact, she was sure she'd fallen in love.

She woke up next to Severus one morning after one of his nightmares, her face dangerously close to his.

He'd snuggled into his pillow during the night, hugging it closely, nose pressed into the fluffy down and hair tousled like a toddler's.

She decided not to move, instead observing him as he slowly came out of his slumber.

Soon he was yawning and stretching ridiculously until he flopped, facedown, into his pillow again.

"Sweet dreams?" she said, a smirk playing at her lips.

"There was a," he began, his voice muffled.

She was content to look at him while he mustered the brainpower to continue speaking.

"—a drug lord…" He turned his face toward hers, his eyes closed in a frown.

"Oh?" They didn't really have those sorts of things in the wizarding world.

"…who was a platypus."

She snorted.

"I think," he muttered, "it may have had something to do with those articles I read in yesterday's news, but it could also be my imminent insanity."

"Probably the latter," Hermione supplied.

"I'm sure." He closed his eyes, again, yawning widely snuggling into his pillow. He was slow to wake. "You?"

"I was a mouse."

"How intriguing."

"I could smell the cheese, but I swear that maze was impossible."

"Mmm, what kind of cheese?"

"Gouda, of course."

"Yum," he said. "I could easily go back to sleep I'm so tired."

"You didn't sleep very well. It's understandable." She was losing him to dreamland.

"It's always better when you're here," he mumbled as he readjusted and curled up to doze. "You chase the bad away."

Yes, Hermione thought.

She had most definitely lied.