The next morning, Hermione awoke to find two lovely gray eyes staring at her, and a soft hand touching her face. She knew immediately who it was, but not how he had managed to get into the Common Room. She had fallen asleep on one of the couches. She had read long into the night, trying to take her mind off Ron, and now Neville.


"Draco, how did you get in here?" she asked.


"Password. I can't believe its still Pink pixies. You Gryffindors should really consider changing your password."


"Okay, now what are you doing here?"


"Snape told all us Slytherins that Neville was missing. I came to see how you were. I just got away from him a few minutes ago."


"Worried. Scared. But now that you're here, I'm just fine." She told him, kissing him.


"Could you two keep it down over there?" Harry called from another couch. "Some of us are trying to sleep."


"How can you sleep while you're talking?" Hermione shot back playfully. "Did Snape want to see you about something? Is that why you had to escape?"


"Actually, he wanted to tell me I was staying here for Christmas break."


"Told you?" Hermione asked in confusion.


"Yeah. After my father disowned me, and Snape helped me escape, I stayed with him. I think the Ministry is going to make him my legal guardian."


"Oh, I feel so sorry for you." Harry laughed. "Please tell me you know something embarrassing about him. Something to comfort me while he torments me in potions. Is his house painted pink or something?"


"Actually, his classroom looks pretty much like his house does. But he does have some lovely black rose bushes in his garden."


The vision of Snape in a sun hat with gardening gloves, pruning roses proved to be too much for Harry, who burst out laughing, and had quite a hard time regaining control of himself.

*****************

In no time at all Halloween came, but the normal rigor and excitement of the feast was subdued. Word had spread rapidly that two Gryffindors were now missing. The Slytherins were acting as though nothing was wrong, though Hermione suspected they wouldn't ever care unless one of them disappeared. Seamus managed to force Harry and Hermione to eat an entire meal, more than they had in days. Hermione caught Draco's eyes. He nodded his head towards the door ever so slightly, but Hermione knew what he meant. She smiled in reply and stood up, telling Harry she would meet him in the Common Room later.


Draco was waiting for her just outside the Great Hall. They snuck off to find an empty classroom, and their search soon paid off. Draco pulled her into a room, shut the door, and sat down on the couch with her. She pulled him to her and began kissing him as though she'd never see him again.

**********************

Harry and Seamus walked with the other Gryffindors to the Common Room. Harry didn't see Hermione, but wasn't surprised. He was pretty sure he knew where she was, and what she was doing, and who she was with. He stared at the fire for a while, wondering if Sirius would suddenly appear in it to talk to him. He doubted it. He hadn't spoken to him like that since his pardon. There was really no need to. Still, he had to admit that he missed it. It had been fun sometimes, trying to clear everyone out of the Common Room without giving away he was up to something. He pulled his eyes from the fire in time to see Colin Creevey coming towards him, camera in hand.


"Relax." Colin smiled, seeing Harry tense up. "I don't want a picture. I just wanted to know if you had some extra leech juice so I can develop some pictures. I don't really feel like going to the store room."


"Sure Colin, I think so." Harry led the way up the stairs to the dormitory. While rifling through his trunk, Harry noticed a stinging sensation in his scar.


"Hey Harry, what's this?" Colin asked. Harry looked up from his trunk to see what Colin was talking about, only to see...nothing. Colin was no where to be seen.


"This is not good." Harry thought, running to find Professor McGonnagall.