A/N: Heya'll my wonderful readers who truly are the best people in the world!!!!

As you may have noticed, a few days have not passed. BUT I LOVE YOU ALL TOO MUCH TO MAKE YOU WAIT!!!!! And with any luck I will have this story finished before I go on holidays or else I will leave you all hanging!!!! This is officially the last bit that I have written so far so my typing fingers will have to work fast in order to achieve this and wonderful reviews make them work so much faster!!!!

Also, last chappy I dedicated to the wonderful Sayrika. I am not in the habit of dedicating chapters so the fact that I am gonna do it again is as unheard of as my sanity, but here you go.

This chapter goes out to Contrary Gurl and blueacidpop

Oh and (long AN, sorry) SHAMELESS CROSS PROMOTION: I am currently writing another HPFF. It does not have a title yet and as I haven't actually written a single word yet and it is all in my head, nothing has been posted, but keep an eye out for it!!!!!!

Chapter 9

This went on for several weeks, over which the school had been alive with roomers and both Harry and Ron had barely spoken a word to her, not that she had given them much chance. Outside of meals and classes she would disappear though the two boys put it down to the roomers and Harry did not blame her. Every night Professor Snape would cast a different separation charm on the bed, even resorting one night to pilling cushions in between them, yet every morning they would wake up snuggled up together. It was a week before the Christmas holiday when Hermione finally suggested that she try sleeping in her own bed again. Professor Snape reluctantly agreed. Although he was skeptical that anything could have changed he desperately needed a night of sleep where he did not need to worry about what compromising position he and his wife would wake up in the morning. And he was looking forward to a nice hot shower. It wasn't until Hermione also made the comment about wanting to go home over the Christmas holidays that Professor Snape suddenly seemed to become distant.

"Miss Granger," he replied coldly, something that shocked Hermione as they had gradually been becoming closer, "I think it would be safer for you to remain at Hogwarts. As for the sleeping arrangements, I will come and check on you tomorrow morning before breakfast, however if you are having difficulties before then I request that you return to my quarters." Before she could respond he had left her alone, his black robe billowing out behind him.

Hermione did not sleep well that night, though she slept far better than she had when the nightmares had first begun. Professor Snape had not even returned to his quarters until the false dawn was casting a light across the lake. He was glad that his wife had obviously not needed his company that night but at the same time he felt disappointed that this would most likely mean the end of their night time conversations and morning embarrassments.

He had spent a good deal of the night arguing with Albus, it was an activity that always left him exhausted and grumpy though he had stood his ground this time. Hermione had every right to know what was going on with her parents and he was sick and tired of the headmasters constant meddling. They both knew that the argument was long from being over!

Hermione was awake but still in bed when he entered. One glance at her told him that although she was not completely rested she had defiantly slept.

"Good morning Miss Granger, how did you sleep?"

"Almost perfectly," it wasn't too much of a lie. "Professor, I know that you said that I would be safer her at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays, but I really want to go home and see my parents, even if it isn't for the whole holidays."

"I am sorry Miss Granger, I can not allow it."

"Yeah, well I am sorry too Professor because it is not your decision." She bit back. She could see the anger in Professor Snape rise but he knew that it was best not to fight fire with fire in this case.

"Miss Granger," he ground out, "although it is not my decision I strongly suggest that you do not venture from the castle grounds over the Christmas holidays. The risks are far too great."

"Professor Snape," she mimicked his tone, "unless you can give me a solid reason not to go then you cannot stop me."

"Miss Granger, I am your husband and you are sorely mistaken if you believe that I am powerless in this situation. You will not leave the grounds." All attempt at keeping his temper lost, his anger, meant for the headmaster more than for her, spilt out of him. He had yet to sleep and this whole argument could have been avoided if only Albus had not been such a meddler. Before she had a chance to reply, for he knew that it would only end in another sharp retort from him that he would later regret, he left her rooms and returned to his own.

Hermione fumed all day. Ron was still not talking to her and she had seen so little of Harry recently that she felt she could turn to neither of them for comfort. Besides, they wouldn't understand, they would want answers. She had been purposely avoiding Harry, knowing that he was still searching for answers over the whole Krum thing. Draco was always a shoulder that she could cry on, but never in public and it still hurt her how different they were to each other in the privacy of their own rooms. And she couldn't entirely go to her husband for comfort, even if he wasn't the cause of her frustration she couldn't see him being the kind of person that would envelope her in his arms and whisper reassurances in her ear.

In the end the decision was made for her. Harry found her curled up in the library during lunch.

"Hey 'Mione. How are you?" He spoke softly but still managed to startle her. She looked up at him and gave a weak smile. He sat down beside her and put a reassuring arm around her and she melted into his embrace as tears began to stream down her face.

"I am so sorry Harry, I am so sorry for everything, I never meant for it to happen."

"Hey, its ok, don't blame yourself."

"I am sorry for lying to you Harry."

"It's ok 'Mione, everything will be ok."

"No it wont, oh Harry, there is so much more happening, and I want to tell you, I really do, but I cant. I promised I wouldn't Harry, I am so sorry."

"It's ok 'Mione, who did you promise?"

"Dumbledore." She sniffled

"Hermione, look at me." He lifted her head gentle so that they were looking at each other. "You and R-Ron think that I tell you everything, but the truth is there are so many things that Professor Dumbledore makes me swear not to tell anyone, even you guys. I keep secrets too, sometimes you have to. And if it is from him then there is most likely a very good reason why he doesn't want people to know. I trust him. And I trust you. I understand if you can't tell me anything, or even if you just don't want to tell me anything, but please stop avoiding me and please know that I am always here for you, even if you just need a shoulder to cry on. Ok?" She nodded and slouched back into his embrace. They sat like that for a few minutes as Hermione cried out all of her frustration and anger. When she was done Harry's shoulder was wet and they were both sore from their sitting positions but Hermione felt so much better.

"Here," Harry pulled out a plate of pumpkin pasties, "I brought you some lunch."

"Thanks Harry." Hermione smiled and began nibbling on one of them.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" he asked her gently. Hermione paused for a moment before gently nodding her head.

"I think I need to tell you about Krum." And so for the next half an hour she spilled forth the story of her relationship with Krum, ending with Professor Snape saving her and Draco coming to talk to her. She knew that it was a lot for him to take in and so she sat and waited for him to absorb it all.

"Oh," he said after a while. "Wow." He turned to face her. "You are ok now though, aren't you." She tentatively nodded and saw his shoulders slump in relief. "Oh Hermione, I am so sorry for not noticing. I should have paid more attention to you, I should have not believed your lame excuses, and I should have-"

"Harry, I didn't want you to know, so I hid it from you. And the fact that you trusted me means a lot to me. Even though you could see that I wasn't telling you the whole truth you didn't pry. Thank you for trusting me Harry." She hugged him.

"So you and Malfoy are pretty good friends now huh?"

"Only in private." She nodded. There was silence for a moment.

"And Snape, I mean, wow. I am glad he is on our side." Harry laughed. The tension was broken and Hermione was suddenly feeling a great deal better. They both laughed until their sides hurt even though they didn't really know what they were laughing about any more.

That night Hermione slept in her own bed again, despite the cold and loneliness she slept reasonably well again and it came as a bit of a relief to know that she would not be dependant on Professor Snape's night time company for the rest of her life. Though she had to admit, even if only to herself, that she was disappointed that she didn't see her husband until potions that afternoon and was shocked to see him looking so tired. No chance arised in which she could talk to him, however, and even when she purposely told Neville in a loud voice the next step, he still did not even look at her, let alone assign her detention as she had thought he would.

The next couple of days passed without insident, Snape was his old grumpy self, though still looking slightly worse for wear. Harry and Hermione were talking again. The roomers had died down and even Ron managed a hello one morning. And of course, Hermiones mind was working overtime divising plans and working out the best way to put them into action. It wasn't until the second last day of school that Hermione put her plan into action.

"Harry, can I ask you a favour?" It was the second last dinner at Hogwarts before everyone left, well almost everyone, and most of the students were busy shoveling food into their mouths. Harry paused in this act and looked at her.

"Sure 'Mione, what is it?" Hermione could feel the eyes of her husband watching her, although they hadn't spoken since the argument about her going home, she did not fail to notice that he watched her like a hawk. But not only that, several of the students that were in ear shot suddenly fell silent. Despite the lax in roomers, no questions had been answered yet and everyone was still waiting for Hermione to let slip some vital piece of information that would send the scandals back into the gossip channels.

"Not here." She muttered, and both of them returned to their meals.