Disclaimer: I own nothing; I bow down to JK and her awesomeness.

Note To The Reader: Thank everyone for the lovely reviews I am so glad that you all are enjoying the story. I seem to have HP on the brain and I figure that's from seeing the movie 3 times and starting to re-read some of my favorite books. I thought I would channel some of that excitement into a chapter! I apologize for my mistakes, they are of course my own and there is no one to blame but myself. Hopefully there are fewer mistakes than normal since I had this chapter edited! Read and Enjoy!


"Harry are you sure this couldn't wait?" Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and watched her best friend pace across his room. He had sent her a letter asking that on hr next visit to Hogsmeade, if she could apparate to his room at the Burrow and to make sure not to tell anyone. She wasn't sure what all the secrecy was about but if Harry needed her, then she wasn't going to question it. "I mean I had to ditch everyone in Hogsmeade and come here, if I don't get back soon they will notice."

"I know I know, here" he said coming up next to her and pushing small box in her hand. Hermione looked down and she broke out in a grin. She pulled the box open and looked down at the white gold ring that enclosed an oval diamond in the center surrounded by smaller ones on the side.

"She is going to love this Harry, you did so well." She said closing the box and handing it back to him.

"Do you think so? I looked at so many before I decided on that one. Do you think she'll say yes?" She had to bite back a laugh; here was Harry Potter savior to the wizarding world nervous about asking his girlfriend to marry him.

"I absolutely think she will say yes. Don't worry about it."

"Easy for you to say Hermione, you aren't in a relationship you don't know the kind of pressure I am feeling." It took him a split second before he realized what he said and his eyes widened. Hermione stood there looking at her best friend feeling as though she had just been slapped across the face. "Hermione, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."

"I should go." Hermione took a step back from Harry and glanced down at the floor.

"No wait, really I didn't mean it." He went to grab her arm to keep her from leaving, but stopped at the dejected look she directed his way.

"It's okay, I am used to you all throwing your relationships in my face, acting like I don't understand those feelings. You all walk around on egg shells trying not to look too happy, and yes its simple things like asking my opinion about Ginny's engagement ring, or the girls telling me about the letters you both write, that's what hurts more than anything. That and the fact that you can have a relationship out in the open, you don't have to hide anything." She didn't really mean to say the last part, but she couldn't really help it. Apparently she needed to vent.

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Harry looked confused and concerned.

"It's nothing, just forget I said anything."Hermione titled her head down taking full advantage of her long hair hiding the frustrated blush that crept across her cheeks.

"Come on you can talk to me, what's going on?" Hermione studied his face and for a split second she thought about telling, about confiding in Harry but of course she decided against it. Severus wouldn't be too happy if she decided to go public with this, even if she only did just tell Harry. It was enough that Luna knew, and that was something else all together, how did she know?

"It's nothing bad Harry I promise. I just have some things to work out. Do me a favor and don't mention this to anyone, not even Ginny?" Harry hesitated but then nodded in the end.

"Alright you've kept plenty of secrets for me. But if you need to talk, please come to me."

"Sure thing Harry." Hermione nodded and then disapparated.


Severus was trying to work on a batch of Potions for Madame Pompfry when he heard his ward alarm go off. It wasn't warning him that someone who wasn't allowed into his office it was actually a subtle alert that someone who was allowed had entered his office. He walked out of his small lab and saw Hermione standing at his desk. She looked, as though she were upset or something. He frowned and moved into his office.

"Mya?"

That seem to break the dam and she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. He froze for a moment concerned at her behavior but wrapped his arms around her as well glad that she had already shut the door. "Mya what's got you so upset?" He asked when he felt something wet against his neck. She was crying, and even though he had witnessed this before, it wasn't in this capacity. He had feelings for her now and he found that he didn't particularly care for her tears, or to see her upset like this.

"It's stupid really." She said as she pulled away reaching up to wipe her tears away. "I was with Harry at the Burrow and he showed me Ginny's engagement ring. He wanted my opinion. But then he said something stupid and it just got to me."

"What did Potter say?" He wasn't sure what bothered him more, the fact she was alone with Potter or the fact that he had said something dumb enough to upset her.

"Just that I didn't understand what it was like to be in a relationship, that I didn't understand the pressure or anything like that." She shrugged her shoulders but he saw a fresh set of tears fill her eyes. "And I just sort of snapped at him ya know, I think you might be rubbing off on me, I was very snarky." Severus raised an eyebrow at her beckoning her to continue, while he found it amusing that she would compare herself to him he knew there was more to the story than that. "I told him that I was tired of them throwing their relationships in my face and trying not to bring up their happiness. It's just so frustrating."

"I'm sorry for your friends Hermione ." Severus hesitated again and fought with himself to find the right words. "If you'd rather, try and find someone else, someone that could give you what you need…"

"Severus Snape, don't you dare." He was cut off and he looked at her sharply, he was getting used to being told off by her, but still he couldn't help but feel as though they were about to cross a point, one that he wasn't sure they would be able to come back from. "I don't need or want anyone else. My feelings for you aren't just some sort of flight of fancy, if being a secret is what we have to do for now then that's what we will do. They don't have to understand, I just wish they would all stop treating me I'm so fragile." She smiled at him and he still wasn't sure. He wanted to believe in what she said, that she wanted to continue their relationship.

He parted his lips to speak but she cut him off again "Please don't doubt me Severus, I want this, in anyway I can have it." And with that she leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his lips. It was just as good as the more passionate kisses they had shared, but it burned with a softer intensity. Severus ran his fingers through her hair tucking it behind her ear. His lips left hers and then he planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Come, let's have some tea." He said doing something that he hadn't done before, he reached down and took her hand in his and lead her through a door that entered his small sitting area just outside his bedroom. He tried to ignore that thought. She was finally calming, and he didn't want to rush into anything after her emotional afternoon. "I'll be right back." Severus gave her a nod and then headed to the far end of the sitting room where there was a small kitchenette.


Hermione walked around his sitting room, surprised that he so openly invited her into his private chambers. Her head was swimming still hearing Harry's words in her head. If her mind hadn't been so clouded she might have opened the only other door in the room, the one that she could assume lead to his bedroom. No right now, this was exactly what she needed. A moment that made her feel like they really were a couple and not just that they had a strong chemistry. She turned to look at the one wall that she hadn't bothered to check out just yet and saw that it was covered with books. She perused the titles with growing interest when she realized that many of them were first editions, and older than any other book she had seen before.

"I take it you approve of my Library?"

She turned around and smiled at him finding him watching her with an arrogant smirk. She nodded and then turned her attention to the tray he had set on his coffee table. A tea pot, two cups and some biscuits. "It's amazing, can I borrow something sometime?" Severus chuckled but nodded.

"I'll have to see which ones you'd like to borrow first. Sit." Hermione gave him a confused face but sat down on the sofa and watched as Severus sat next to her. "Some of them are a bit dark and will require special instruction, but other than that I don't mind what you would borrow. But don't let people know where you borrowed them from."

Hermione sighed and nodded "Of course Severus. I know that you feel the need to keep reminding me that we have to keep things Secret, but I wish that you would trust me." She looked at him softly even though she was screaming inside that she didn't need or want to constant reminder of keeping them a secret.

"I'll remember that." He nodded at her as he handed her a cup of tea, already made the way she liked it. She smiled as she held the cup, maybe they already had these little things, like him knowing how she took her tea, or knowing that she would like his library, or learning what her expressions meant. "Mya?"

"Sorry I was just thinking." She said still smiling down in to her cup. She lifted it to her lips and took a long sip. "It's good, thank you." She said looking up at him that same smile still on her lips.

"I'm glad, would you care for a biscuit?" She nodded and started to glance and the selection he had placed on the tray. "I've got the chocolate cranberry ones." Hermione grinned and reached out to take one.

"Those are my favorites." She said taking a bite.

"I know." She wiped away a few crumbs when she looked up at him. He knew her favorite biscuits too.

"Who needs a traditional relationship?" She said with a grin, excited to see his confused expression. "You're the best boyfriend I could hope for." The shock on his face was just as amusing as before, but when he didn't say anything after a minute, she started to worry she had jumped the gun. "Severus?" He was just sort of sitting there frozen staring at her.

"Boyfriend?" He finally spoke and Hermione nodded, what else would she call him? "Aren't I a little too old for that term?" It made him uncomfortable or something, she could tell but she shrugged off his comment.

"I don't think so, besides when we are together do you feel too old for that term?" She watched him carefully as he thought about what she said.

"I suppose you do have a point." He said after a moment, a faint smile on his lips. "It's not a term that I am used to, forgive me."

"Nothing to forgive." She said with a smile, she jumped when she heard the chime of his clock. "I didn't realize it was so late. I should get going, or I'll be late meeting everyone in the Great Hall." Hermione took another sip of her tea and bite of her biscuit and then stood up.

"What did you tell them when you left Hogsmeade early?" Severus asked standing with her, not entirely happy that she was going so soon, but he understood.

"I just told them that I had a headache and that I was coming back to rest."

"And what if they came back early to check on you?" Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

"I'll deal with that if it comes up, but they all had each other, I doubt they were too worried about me."

Severus gave her a strange look and then pulled her to him and kissed her soundly on the lips holding her arms in his strong hands. She felt her knees go weak and she thought for a moment that maybe missing dinner and having a tour of his bedroom would be the best idea ever. But he pulled away and looked down at her with a serious expression.

"They may not worry about you, but I will, you are after all my girlfriend." She smiled brightly at him and threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. When she pulled away she saw him smiling at her. "I may not be used to the phrase but I certainly like it where you are concerned." She kissed his lips again and then pulled herself away.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said winking at him playfully before she disappeared from his sitting room and his office. Severus chuckled shaking his head slightly.

"Such a wicked witch." He muttered waving his hand to clear away the small mess they had made. "But she is my wicked witch."