Note from the author: Here's chapter 10! I'm studying for my last exam (monday!) and after that I'll try to write a bit faster, though I can't make any promises. I still have a paper to defend next friday, so it could be that I don't have time to write chapter 11 next week! Enjoy this! Thanks everyone for the nice reviews.

Cheerio,

Aribeth

When Miranda and Severus entered the Great Hall the next day, they both noticed Dumbledore's empty seat. Since both of them had already heard about the arrest of Hagrid and the suspension of Dumbledore, they both were not surprised, but Miranda couldn't help but feel her fear growing. If the greatest wizard of all times could not stop the attacks, then who could?

Severus stayed very close with her that day and only when she swore that she was going to bed, he left her alone. She had mixed feelings about everything that had happened between them. A part of her still loved him, she had always known that. She had fallen hard for him and such feelings were not meant to die. But the other part told her how much pain he had caused the last time and reminded her of the promises she had made during her many travels. She would never let him play with her like he had done when they were younger.

While she lay in her bed, she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking of all of this. She was certain that the fact when he had hugged her last time, made him lose some sleep as well. She had noticed him looking at her, with a strange expression upon his face, as if he wondered why he had done such a thing. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. When she finally was deep asleep, her thoughts about Severus crawled into her dreams. When she woke up the next morning, she couldn't remember a single dream.

Miranda would always remember the afternoon when professor McGonagall had told them Ginny was attacked and was dragged into the chamber of secrets. She had felt as if her heart had stopped beating for a time. Severus had looked at her, paler than ever before. This was bad. If students could be killed in Hogwarts…, Miranda and the other professors couldn't do anything else but agree with Professor McGonagall that the school had to be closed. While she hurried back to her office, she saw her hands trembling. Had she lost her home again? She opened the door to her office and slammed it behind her. She hurried towards her bedroom and took a seat on top of the bed. With one hand she played with a curl of her hair, while she tried to gather her thoughts. Her experience in the field would be enough to find another job, but did she want that? No, she didn't. She wanted to stay at Hogwarts where she had been happier than anywhere else. And most of all, though she was scared to admit it, she didn't want to say goodbye to Severus. It was a ridiculous thought. After all they had been through in the past two years; he would never leave her alone. They would still be able to meet each other and he would probably visit her, but it wasn't the same. At Hogwarts they saw each other every day. If she had to go back home, then she would be alone again. She wasn't sure whether she could handle that.

She closed her eyes and made a fist of her hand. Was bad luck following her? She had tried to make a home again and had made peace with her past and right at the moment that everything was being taken away from her.

Suddenly someone knocked upon the door.

"Yes?" she said, while she opened her eyes.

The door opened and she could hear footsteps coming her way. When she looked up, she saw Severus standing in the doorway.

"I thought you might need some support," he said, his voice a mere whisper.

Miranda swallowed and tried to smile.

"Yes, I could need that," she answered.

Severus smiled and walked towards her. He stopped right in front of her and grabbed her hand tenderly.

"You look like you've lost everything," he said, "But you shouldn't think like that. We're friends now, you're not alone anymore."

Miranda smiled, but had to look away from his eyes. She was still alone, no matter what he said. Yes, they were friends, but friends weren't there always. Lily and her had been friends but she still had not prevented her friend's death.

Severus let her hand go and took a seat next to her. He was sitting very close to her and she felt slightly nervous. "Get a hold of yourself," she said to herself, "He's a friend, nothing more."

"Would you like me to stay with you?" he asked his voice tender.

She nodded, because she didn't trust her voice.

"Then I'll stay," he whispered.

They were laughing together when suddenly some entered her office. It was none other than professor McGonagall and Miranda immediately stopped laughing.

'Professor!" she said, taken by surprise, "Is everything alright? Has there been another attack?"

"No, on the contrary," the professor started, with a smile, "The attacker has been caught and Ginny Weasley has been saved."

Severus rose from his seat and looked pale.

"Are you saying Professor Lockhart…?" he started.

"No, no," McGonagall interjected immediately, "That idiot didn't do a thing. No, it was Potter. Harry Potter was able to find the chamber of secrets and he has saved Ginny."

Miranda went pale, while upon Severus' face an unbelievable look appeared.

"Harry?" Miranda repeated, weakly.

Professor McGonagall smiled and nodded.

"So… the school will not close?" Miranda asked, while her hope rose.

"No, probably not, miss Bloom," Minerva answered.

"Oh Severus!" Miranda let out a cry, ran towards him and hugged him.

Severus started blushing and professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows, but Miranda didn't mind. She felt like the luckiest person in the entire world! She could stay at Hogwarts and her home remained. Perhaps bad luck did not follow her…

The last day of the school year was a cheerful one. The petrified people were cured, the monster was killed and Ginny Weasley was well. While Miranda was eating her last supper at Hogwarts that school year, she looked through the Great Hall in search of Harry. He hadn't been too badly injured and the terrifying things he had experienced did not seem to leave many scars.

"You seem extremely happy," Severus said, while he looked at her.

She smiled at him and took a piece of pie.

"Of course I am. Everything is alright. I can stay here!" Miranda answered cheerful.

Severus nodded in agreement, but did not say anything for the rest of the meal. He had been taken a back when she had hugged him so spontaneously and she could still see that he was trying to figure out what it meant. But it had meant nothing special to her! She had been thrilled and hugging him had been a way of showing this to him. Of course, it had felt great to feel his arms around her, but he was a friend. Nothing more.

They said goodbye that evening, but both felt as if there was something unsaid between them. Miranda made him promise her that he would pay her a visit. Not that that was necessary. The look in his eyes told her enough. This school year had only brought them closer and when she left the gates of Hogwarts behind her, Miranda could not help but wonder when she would see Severus again. With a smile, she disappeared.

Severus saw her leaving and followed every move she made. He had no idea what was going on in his own mind, but he felt completely confused. He had hugged her and then she had hugged him. What the hell was going on with him? Had he not made a promise that he would not put her in danger? If anyone would ever found out that they were growing so close to each other, then his and her life could be at the line.

With a sigh, he turned around and went back to his office in the dungeons. When he entered there, he looked at the fire and smiled. The first day of the school year she had arrived soaking wet and he could not forget the image of her standing there in clothes that were not hiding anything any more.

He took a seat in a chair nearby the fire and placed his fingers against each other. He had to find a way to push his feelings aside and think rational. He had done that perfectly when he had been a spy for Dumbledore and when he had to lie while he was staring right into the Dark Lord's eyes. But now, he just couldn't. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. It was getting late and he should be leaving to his home soon. Since he knew he wouldn't be able to solve his problems this evening, he stood up and grabbed his things. With one last look at the fire, he turned around and left his office.

The next days Severus tried to think of things to do. The house needed to be cleaned and he was occupied with that for a couple of days, but when the last hours of the day passed, Miranda always appeared in his thoughts. He had to find a way to solve this mess. He had to find a way in which he wouldn't be nervous anymore when he looked at her.

When every room of the house was more clean than it had ever been, he had no reasons anymore to not pay her a visit. He wanted to see her again although his mind told her that it was a bad idea. It would not solve his problems, it would only enlarge them. But he couldn't resist the urge and left a week after the end of the school year.

When he arrived at her home in the afternoon of an extremely hot summer day, he could not help but wonder how much things could change in a short period of time. She had hated him when they had met again, but now they were friends. He visited her in the holidays and when they were at school, there didn't pass a day without them meeting each other. He had been overly protective this year, but he told himself that he had done such a thing to make up for all the bad things he had done to her so many years ago. But that debt was paid now, so why was he still walking towards her home? Why did he desire to see her? Severus did not know the answers to those questions and after taking a deep breath, he rang the door.

She didn't open immediately and Severus felt the anxiety growing inside him. Immediately he told himself that it was stupid. Miranda could be busy in the kitchen or in the garden. That she didn't open the door immediately did not mean that she was hurt. He tried to listen whether he heard footsteps, but froze when he heard the voice of another man. She wasn't alone.

"My dear Miranda, why would I not pay you a visit?" he heard the man say, "You meant the world to me, in fact you still do, and I could not bare the thought of never seeing you again."

"Thomas," Severus went pale when he heard Miranda's saying that horrible name and he made a fist of his hand, "Stop teasing me! Why don't you tell me the truth? When I left you, you hated me. I could tell that."

"Hate and love lie close to each other, Miranda," Thomas answered his voice deep and strong. Severus felt the urge to jinx the man, but decided it would be better to remain calm, "Have you not told me that yourself? You hated Severus Snape, but you loved him as well," he challenged.

"I don't hate him," Miranda's voice trembled and Severus started to feel nervous. What if she said that she loved him? "Not anymore. Or maybe… maybe I never truly hated him."

Apparently Thomas wanted to interject all of this, but Miranda was faster.

"No Thomas, I don't want to hear it. He broke my heart yes, and he made me feel miserable. But did I ever wish him death? No. And is that not what you want when you hate someone?"

Thomas sighed and Severus could hear footsteps.

"Should you not open the door? Someone just rang," Thomas said.

This time Severus heard footsteps coming towards the door and he tried to look as normal as possible. When the door opened, his black eyes met Miranda's blue eyes. When he saw a smile appear upon her face, he smiled as well. She was obvious glad to see him.

Suddenly, someone appeared next to Miranda. It was a strong, confident man with blond hair and green eyes and Severus immediately hated him. Thomas laid his arm around Miranda's shoulder, smiled coldly and said:

"You must be Severus Snape. I always wondered how you looked like."

He paused for a moment and Severus saw his eyes moving over him. He remained calm and tried to think of something else than pushing Miranda away from Thomas.

"Now I can see that Hugh had his mother's looks," Thomas concluded.

Miranda went pale, while Severus turned red.

"Excuse me?" he whispered, coldly.

"Yes, Hugh was a beautiful charming child, Severus. He adored us all. It's a shame he was killed. I would have loved to see him grow up," Thomas told him spitefully.

Every word hit Severus like a knife and he did no know what to say. Miranda, however, did. Furious, she turned around and pushed Thomas' arm away.

"Would you stop it?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, Miranda," Thomas apologized, but Severus could tell it was not meant, "But had you not warned your friend that I was coming this holiday? I'm here since yesterday. I've stayed for the night you see."

The way he said that last sentence, made Severus 'blood boil.

"I see," he started.

"No, Severus, it's not…," Miranda interjected, but Severus just continued.

"I know when I'm not welcome. I'll see you another time, Miranda. Goodbye."

Severus turned around and walked fast away. Miranda threw one last furious look at Thomas and than ran straight towards Severus.

"Severus, wait, it's not what you think!" she yelled.

He turned around and looked at her coldly.

"No?" he asked, sarcastic.

"No! He came yesterday out of nowhere. I thought I would never see him again…," Miranda tried to explain.

"But you let him stay," Severus interjected, "He was welcome and you enjoyed his company."

"No… I don't know. He is a friend, Severus," Miranda moistened her lips and looked at him.

"I thought I was your friend," Severus whispered.

"You are, but I … I can have more than one friend!" she defended herself.

"I thought our friendship was special, unique. I thought I meant something to you like you meant something to me," Severus said, slightly desperate.

"You… are ... I mean, you mean something to me too," Miranda said, blushing.

"Then what is he doing there?" Severus asked, while he pointed in the direction of the house.

"You can't expect me to throw him out. He has protected me and he and me share a past. I can not forget that," Miranda reasoned.

"I see," Severus looked away from her and gazed at the street, "Well, I suppose you have a lot to tell each other. I'm sure you'll love to tell him how we both went to see the grave of our son."

"No, Severus, please…"

"Of course he'll tell you it's more his son, because he was there when he was born and then he'll tell you how much of a fool I am. After a while you'll start believing him again and before you know it, he's in your bed!"

The last word came out as a yell and Severus felt the anger boil inside him.

"What?" Miranda asked, completely taken a back, "How can you think such a thing of me? I would never…. sleep with him! That fact that you think such a thing of me… it disgusts me. I thought you knew me better, I thought I knew you better!"

"Well, you trusted him well enough to trust our son with him! But me, the real father of Hugh, I was kept in the dark!"

"That's your fault! You killed my uncle, you destroyed my world and then you thought I would tell you that I was carrying your child? I thought you had changed, Severus, but clearly I was wrong."

Miranda turned around and ran away from him. Heavily breathing Severus saw her walking towards Thomas. The man was smiling triumphantly and Severus couldn't help but think that this was what Thomas had always wanted. Now, there was no one in the way of making Miranda his again… Severus shook his head and looked away. Had he lost her forever?