A/N: I now have over 100 reviews! YIPPEE! I'm glad you all liked the last chapter; it took me about six hours total to write, just because it was so complex and difficult. However, I was successful! Bwhahahaha! - Furry black doggie chases tail after o.d.ing on doggie treats! - Heehee! ;)

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Chapter 11: Pulling Strings

"We…had…sex, don't you get it?!" Hermione rasped, standing there, staring at her teacher, her superior, and her love in shock, horror, betrayal, and confusion. Severus Snape was floored, not really knowing what to say that would make the situation any better.

True, they were extremely drunk, but he thought it would have happened sooner or later. But did she think that that was the only reason they had sex? Did she think that their love and their relationship was just a joke? He was an older man, much more experienced with this kind of thing. Although, he had to admit he had done anything this drastic with the opposite sex for 16 years, since his school years. Better with me than with one of her stupid guy friends, right? He mentally slapped himself, what the bloody hell was he thinking???

"Severus, I need to go pack my trunk, I'm supposed to go home for Christmas," Hermione said formally, and walked out of Snape's private chamber, leaving a very confused and naked Professor staring after her, wondering if he'd messed their entire relationship up for good.

This can't be happening to me, not to Hermione Granger, not to me…Bloody professor! Why did I have to fall in love with you?? Why? Thoroughly embarrassed, she rushed up to the Gryffindor Tower while everyone was at breakfast and changed into her school clothes, realizing with every minute passing that she was no longer a virgin. She'd manage to lose it to her goddamn Potions professor at age 16! What was happening to her? She should have never gone down to see Severus, how did she know that he was taking advantage of her? Was he? Possibly, but why would he do such a thing after all they'd been through? She couldn't truly believe it, but the idea was eating away at her heart, questioning his devotion, faithfulness, and respect of her.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, she stepped onto the Hogwarts Express with her friends to spend the break with her parents, without Severus Snape.

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For the next several days after returning from an uneventful Christmas at home, not a word was said between Hermione and her Potions Master, she did not even bother to raise her hand in class, saying nothing and refusing to meet Snape's eyes, even when he spoke directly to her. Harry and Ron, of course, were completely oblivious to the whole thing and were extremely concerned (aren't they always?) for her, and she would not tell them what was wrong. Why would I? She thought bitterly. They'd want to murder Snape, and then the whole school would find out. That's the last thing I want.

"Hermione Granger, please stay behind after class," the Potions Master said professionally as all the other sixth years scrambled out of his class to lunch.

Hermione sullenly put away her books and supplies and walked up to his desk. Snape looked up from his papers he was grading, grabbed Hermione and pulled her into his office and shut the door.

"Hermione, please, talk to me. I can't stand seeing you so depressed."

"Me? Depressed? I wonder why," Hermione's tone was bitter, Snape had never seen this side of Hermione, and he didn't think she possessed it.

"Please, Hermione, if it's about that night-"

"It's all about that night! How do I know you've been taking advantage of me this entire time? How do I know you purposefully got me drunk just so I'd bed with you? How do I know all this is a lie?" She finally looked straight at Professor Snape, no, not at him, right through him; her gaze seemed to penetrate to his very soul, searching, demanding answers.

"Hermione," he placed his hands gently on her shoulders, "I would never take advantage of you, and deep down you know that. I don't know what I was thinking when I pulled out the firewhiskey, you have to understand, I am somewhat an alcoholic. I depend on that drink to ease my pain or thoughts when I am confused or excited. And my honest opinion is that we would have gone to bed eventually, and I promise I did not want it to happen that way. Please, can you forgive me?" Black ebony eyes gazed into brown hazelnut ones, eye for eye, mind-to-mind, soul to soul, watching the other for acceptance. They did not speak for several moments. Then, Hermione took a deep breath and managed a small half-smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"You know, it would have been romantic if I could remember it." To her delight, Severus's lips creased into another one of his secret smiles.

"So you forgive me?" He pressed.

"Alright, you old man, I suppose I forgive you," Hermione laughed as Severus swept her into an embrace and kissed her.

"Old man, is that the best insult you could think of?" He smirked.

"Well, I could call you a greasy git, but that's not very nice, is it? At least the latter is a true statement." Her eyes now were twinkling with amusement and laughter.

"You cheeky little girl, I am not that old!" tweaking her nose playfully. "Now get to lunch before I kiss you again." And with that, Hermione grabbed her book bag and dashed out of his office, blowing him a kiss as she exited the classroom.

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"What on earth is happening to Hermione?" Ron asked Harry in the Great Hall.

"I have no idea," Harry answered, quite puzzled. Just then, Hermione walks into the Great Hall, with a smile on her face!

"Hi you guys! What's for lunch, I'm starving," Hermione said, smiling ear to ear as she helped herself to the food placed at table, leaving Harry and Ron staring at her blankly in utter disbelief.

"HERMIONE, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Ron just couldn't take it any longer; he didn't care if people stared, he didn't care if he was overreacting, his other best friend was acting like a lunatic.

"Ron, please, shut up!" Hermione hissed, jerking him back down, for he was standing by the time he was finished with his sentence.

"Hermione, we're just really curious to know why you're acting the way you are," Harry said gently, he was always the calmer of the two.

"It's nothing, I promise," looking at their skeptical faces. "Really!" she said, exasperated. It was getting harder and harder to keep such a large and dangerous secret from them. What am I going to do? She thought.

"Ah, Severus, it is nice to see your smiling face," Dumbledore said wryly, staring at an extremely out-of-character Snape sitting down to lunch. His smile quickly disappeared into the usual glare, not realizing outwardly he looked so happy.

"Good morning, Albus," growled Snape. "It's great to see your disgustingly happy face at lunchtime, it just makes my day," he said sarcastically, sipping his punch.

"Why so cheerful, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes on the Potions Master.

"Cheerful? Hardly know the word," Snape growled again, clearly caught off guard in his happy mood that he was in until Dumbledore started talking to him.

"Well, is there any new interest in your life right now, Severus?" Snape choked on his punch, coughing and spluttering for several minutes. Does he know? Is it that obvious? Dammit, what is wrong with that man! Telepathic old fraud…Once he stopped coughing, he glared through watered eyes at the Headmaster.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice raspy from choking.

"Oh, I think you do, Severus, it just is an old feeling for you, don't worry, age has nothing to do with love," Smash! The Potions professor was now thoroughly freaked, dropping his glass on the table, causing it to smash into little pieces spraying punch on everyone around him at the teacher's table.

"Oops, quite clumsy of you, Severus. Not to worry, I'll clean up. Scourgify, Repairo!" little Professor Flitwick supplied and the punch vanished and the goblet was repaired. Professor Snape's knuckles were white from clenching his fists, his lips were tightly drawn, and his eyes were darting towards someone in the Great Hall, of course Dumbledore knew who it was, none of the other teachers noticed. He was looking at Hermione Granger, which did not surprise him in the least. He smiled. The gift-exchange day idea had worked, because, for obvious reasons noticed only by him, they were now more than just a typical, respecting student-teacher relationship. Much more, in fact.

"I…must…go, ah, prepare for my next class," said the tight-lipped potions teacher to no one in particular, and swept out of the Great Hall.

Hermione had noticed Severus choking and dropping his goblet, she was not sure why, but see had a faint idea. Possibly, the Headmaster knew something about them and was pulling Severus's strings to get him to admit something. Thankfully, he had exited the hall without drawing any attention to himself, giving her a panicked look as he walked by.

"Hermione, what are you staring at?" Ron said, waving a hand in front of Hermione's face.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing, Ron." Shit. What are we going to do?

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A/N: Okay, I love your reviews, and the only thing I can say against the pregnancy idea is that I've read another fic that has that, in which Hermione is raped by Draco, so her becoming pregnant during school does not offer a very good image for me, but mark my words, it will happen! (Just not in that way) And now, the obvious action after reading this chapter: REVIEW!