Barbi Bee - Hey, it's great to see a fellow Kiwi. No, I missed the 'Making of' CoS show last week unfortunately! I could kick myself for that - I bet there was some juicy AR bits sigh

Beth Ann - Yes, there's going to be a suitably nasty punishment for Draco. Aha. Ahaha. cough

Duck, Goddess-Isis-112, Marston Chicklet, Rosmerta, Ryoki - Thanks!

Luna Writer - OK, OK, here's the next part! (Anyway, I have a wand to counter your axe, heh g )

Altagracia, Eriu, Rhiannonmr, Snapefan51, Tegan, Zoe - Dumbledore has a reason for doing this.really.

Samantha - Thanks for your review! I'm trying to have Harry be more tolerant to H/S than he was in my story 'Reflections After Dark'.

Part 20

Severus couldn't believe that he was being required to drink Veritaserum, and his black eyes glittered angrily at Dumbledore, who was watching him calmly.

"You cannot mean this, Albus," Severus whispered, his fingers closing convulsively around the goblet. "You know I would tell you the truth!"

Dumbledore nodded calmly. "Then see this as just a way of verifying the truth so it will be established for all who hear," the headmaster said gently, and his eyes flickered briefly in the direction of Sirius, who was leaning forward slightly with an anticipatory smile on his face. Sirius, who was no doubt expecting to hear an account of how Hermione had been pushed down the stairs by him, and tales of magical coercion, depravity and the corruption of innocents, Severus realised in fury.

"Is this right, Sirius?" Dumbledore asked Sirius sternly.

Sirius nodded grimly. "Yes," he said shortly.

Though it galled him to admit it, Severus knew that drinking the truth potion would be the only way to reveal the accusations of Sirius for the lies they were. He was furious though at being made to reveal personal details in this way - Sirius would pay for this indignity.

"Very well," Severus said curtly and he lifted the goblet to his mouth and drank down the contents swiftly, holding on to an image of his love in his mind for strength. At first he felt no different but then after a moment the world took on a dream-like quality and a glassy look appeared in his black eyes. The goblet fell from his suddenly slack fingers onto his lap with a soft thud, a few leftover drops spattering over his black robes. He gazed down at the cup with a vague frown.

Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair, his intent gaze on the younger wizard.

Sirius smiled. Now Severus would be revealed as the heartless man he was. And if Dumbledore would be too lenient, then he, Sirius would make sure he got his just deserts.

Remus frowned to himself. The situation was bad, and getting worse with Severus being forced to take Veritaserum for the sake of young Hermione. He didn't believe for one moment that Severus had pushed her down the stairs or cast an enchantment over him, but Sirius had overridden his views to Dumbledore with his own version of events. Remus felt himself to be a shrewd judge of character, and Severus did not have the air of one who had bent another to his will, but rather of one understandably upset over the plight of his girlfriend.

Dumbledore's voice towards Severus was calm and soothing. "Severus, please tell us your name."

Severus raised his unfocussed, glassy gaze to the headmaster. "Severus Sebastian Snape," he said slowly.

Dumbledore nodded. "Thank you. Now, I just have a few questions for you.."

Despite his promise to watch over Hermione, Harry was finding himself starting to nod off, when suddenly Hermione moved restlessly on her bed and her eyes flickered and then opened.

"Hermione, you're awake!" he exclaimed and Madam Pomfrey came hurrying over.

Hermione winced and groggily brought up a hand to her forehead. "Not so loud...ah, my head hurts!" she mumbled, wondering what was going on. She closed her eyes and heard Madam Pomfrey telling Harry to stand aside, and then she felt her warm hands gently touching her forehead. Hermione felt some of the pain ease, which made it easier for her to think. How had she come to the sickbay and why was her body feeling slightly battered?

Madam Pomfrey spoke again and Hermione opened her eyes. "Tell me what your name is, child."

Hermione frowned. What a stupid question to ask! "Hermione Marion Granger," she replied testily.

The nurse held up three fingers. "Now, how many fingers am I holding?"

"Three," Hermione muttered. She wasn't brain damaged, for goodness sake! Madam Pomfrey smiled in relief. "Not a serious concussion then, thank Merlin."

Concussion? Hermione frowned. She was..she had.she had fallen down the stairs; she remembered suddenly, flinching. There had been an argument with Draco and he had shoved her, she had fallen down the stairs. She remembered crying out, remembered landing painfully and a star-filled darkness blotting out everything.

"I fell.how did I get here?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Professor Snape brought you here," Harry said quietly, and there seemed to be a strange undertone to his voice, though Hermione didn't feel up to interpreting it.

"He did?" Hermione whispered, glancing around the sickbay but there was no sign of her sardonic professor. It was raining outside with water streaming down the diamond-paned windows. Despite lanterns nearby the sickbay seemed to be filled with shadows and Hermione shivered for no accountable reason.

"Yes, he did," Madam Pomfrey said briskly. "Quite concerned he was, too." Hermione bit her lip. There was nothing worse than discovering an unconscious friend, something that unfortunately happened quite regularly at Hogwarts. She could just imagine how horrified Severus would have felt on finding her. But where was he? Hermione wondered to herself. Did he feel he would have given away too much anxiety over her, perhaps alerting others that he cared for her. Hermione felt guilty at that thought.

Madam Pomfrey continued. "Try and sit up my dear, so I can give you something to make you feel better." Hermione gingerly sat up with the help of the nurse, Harry hovering nearby. The room spun for a moment then steadied, and her pillow was put behind her back to make her feel comfortable. Hermione thanked her and accepting a goblet filled with a yellow potion that resembled chicken soup, drank it down. It felt soothing as it slid down her throat, and after a moment Hermione could feel her various aches and pains easing. She still felt somewhat weak though, it was probably a good idea to stay here the night and rest. Her uniform was a crumpled mess though - there was no way she was sleeping in that!

Madam Pomfrey took the goblet from Hermione when she had finished and turned to Harry kindly. "You should leave now, Harry - she's out of danger now and just needs a good nights sleep."

There was an intense look in Harry's eyes. "Can I just stay another five or so minutes? I just want to talk to her privately - is that all right?"

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and frowned, and then she relented when Harry looked at her with pleading in his green eyes. She had always had a soft spot in her heart for the orphaned wizard who had saved their very world from destruction.

"Very well - but no longer than five minutes mind! She needs rest," Madam Pomfrey said sternly and then rose and bustled away to her office.

Harry sat down on the side of Hermione's bed and then looked at her searchingly. "I have to know something - Hermione, how did you fall down the stairs?"

Hermione's mouth tightened and her eyes were dark. "It was Draco's fault, the rat. He picked a fight with me in the corridor and when I defended myself he shoved me and...I fell down the dungeon stairs." She hesitated over whether to tell why she had been in that part of Hogwarts in the first place.

Harry's eyes widened in amazement. "Draco?" he echoed. "It wasn't Snape after all.I knew it!"

Hermione looked at him in bewilderment. "Of course it wasn't Snape - why would he do that?" she said carefully. There was something wrong here, Hermione felt it. "Why do you think he would do that in the first place, Harry?" she continued.

"I don't believe he did - but Sirius does," Harry said heavily.

Hermione blinked and there was a feeling of dread in Hermione at the mention of Sirius Black's name. What did he know?

"Why would he think that?" Hermione said warily as she brushed a strand of hair out of her face, feeling as though she was tiptoeing on eggshells.

Harry took a deep breath. "Because when we - that is, Sirius, Remus and I - found Professor Snape carrying you up the dungeon stairs, Sirius practically accused him of being responsible. Professor Snape denied it and brought you here - but Sirius and Remus went straight to Dumbledore."

"What?" Hermione breathed in horror. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Harry continued. "Dumbledore came here a little while ago and asked Professor Snape to come with him back to his office..for questioning."

Hermione's face was white and she was feeling dreadful - and past caring if Harry would be suspicious as to why she was concerned about the Potions teacher. She was horrified at the thought of Severus being questioned over her - she could just imagine how furious he would be at being accused by Sirius.

Did Sirius know about her and Severus? And if so - how many others had he told? Did Harry know?

Harry spoke carefully, looking awkward. "Hermione; there's another thing. Sirius believes too that Professor Snape has some sort of evil hold over you.because he knows now that you've been seeing each other. I'm sorry for this, but I saw you both in the library tonight and I told Sirius because I didn't know what to do. Remus happened to be visiting Sirius at the time; he said he felt Severus had been seeing someone."

Hermione closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath, shocked. This was more than just trouble - it was deep trouble. What if Severus was punished in some way? She would have to do something to prevent it - this was more important than seeking vengeance on Draco. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Harry, refusing to cower and look guilty.

Harry returned her gaze, looking steadily and slightly sadly at her. He wasn't yelling at her like she expected, and there were things about what he had said that left her puzzled. "Why would you be sorry?" she queried warily. "You're probably thinking I'm really sick...aren't you?"

Harry looked uncomfortable. "At first I thought you must have been out of your mind, especially when I heard Snape had tried to seduce you at Christmas time."

Hermione winced. Here it comes, she thought. He's going to accuse me of using Ron. Of being crazy for going back to Severus.

Harry continued. "But when I saw you both together, you looked happy. Snape of all people looked happy too! And then I thought about it I realised you were probably the reason why he's been less of a bastard lately. I don't believe he put a spell on you at all. Perhaps Ron wasn't meant for you after all. "

Hermione looked uncomfortable and her cheeks were slightly pink. "I didn't mean to hurt Ron, Harry," she said urgently. I wasn't using him or anything - I tried to love him but in the end I couldn't. Then Professor Snape told me he was sorry and that he loved me after all - I ah, decided to give him a second chance. I can't explain it," Hermione gave a bemused shrug, "but when I'm with him I feel...I don't know how to say it. My life feels better because he's in it - he's not so bad, once you get to know him."

Harry gave her a rueful smile. "Snape told me before that you were the part of him he'd never realised he had missed. I think he really loves you, Herm."

Hermione's face went pinker. Severus had said that to Harry? Maybe there wouldn't be so much dislike between them in the future. Then she shook herself. There wouldn't be much of a future if she didn't get to the Dumbledore's office in time to stop Sirius from ruining everything.

"Harry, I've got to get to Dumbledore's office! I have to tell him my side of the story and that it was Draco who pushed me!" she said urgently. She pushed the covers of the bed aside but the room spun around her again. She could have screamed in frustration. Damn her body for betraying her like this - it was painfully obvious that she wasn't going anywhere. She leant back on her pillow and the movement this time made her slightly nauseous. Obviously her panic was agitating her body and she tried to calm down, but she couldn't help but feeling anguish for Severus.

She stared at Harry, her eyes slightly wild. "Harry - you have to go to Dumbledore's office - you've got to stop Sirius! Please! He'll probably try and get Severus banished from the school!"

Harry's eyes were grave and he nodded. "I'll do what I can," he began to say when suddenly there was a soft hissing sound in the sickbay. "What's that?" he said uneasily and he turned around, Hermione looking across the room as well.

They were both startled to see a long snake gliding across the floor over to them. There was something unusual about it for it was a deep dark green colour, with a bright silver pattern on its back that seemed to be glowing.

"Harry, can you speak to it?" Hermione asked him carefully, never taking her eyes off the snake as it paused on the floor by her bed, coiling neatly then raising its head gracefully to stare at her with beady black eyes. "This isn't a snake I've seen in 'Reptiles Natural & Magical'." She had always been uneasy by Harry's gift of Parseltongue that he had 'inherited' from Voldemort but now would be a good time for him to use it.

Harry had his hand on his wand but as he warily stared at the snake he was aware that the look in its eyes was somehow familiar. Then he realised it reminded him of the look in Fawkes eyes - a look from a creature that was unbelievably ancient, yet wise, though there was a look of shrewd cunning in the snakes black eyes as well.

"This just isn't any old snake, Hermione" Harry said slowly. "I think..I think it's a, the ah, Slytherin Snake."

-Yesssss, Boy-Who-Lived- the snake hissed, amusement in the black eyes as it looked at him.

"I can hear you" Hermione exclaimed, "but I don't have Parseltongue," she added in confusion. The snake turned to look back at her.

-You hearrrr me Gryffffindorrr girrl, becaussse you are pppartner to Head of Ssslytherin. You arrre loyal to him, and ssso I come becaussse you want to help him. He isss in danger from the dddog."

"Sirius!" Hermione and Harry both said aloud. Hermione was amazed at having somehow summoning this snake, which somehow represented Slytherin. She had never heard of such a thing, nor had Severus ever mentioned it. Perhaps it was a closely guarded secret - but how could it help her now?

"Pardon me uh, Sir Snake," Hermione said carefully, "but I'm too weak to get out of bed."

The snake undulated impatiently on the floor.

-Helppp you I can- it hissed and then suddenly shrunk until it was the size of small garden snake, glowing a bright green now. It glided quickly over to the bedside table and made its way up to the top and then moved so it was just inches away from Hermione's arm. She watched it carefully and it seemed to sense her unease for it hissed softly at her.

-Trussst me, Gryfffindor girl-

"All right," Hermione replied and then the green snake moved and wound itself quickly around her arm like an exotic bracelet. The snake touched its head to her wrist but did not bite her. However, a sudden surge of strength flooded through her, making her feel as though she could do anything.

-Come!- the snake said urgently and her mind decided, Hermione got out of bed. "Let's go!" she said determinedly to Harry, who was staring wide-eyed at her.

Madam Pomfrey came rushing across to them. "Hermione, what is the meaning of this - oh!" The nurse put a hand up to her mouth at the sight of the glowing green snake on Hermione's arm, which hissed warningly at Madam Pomfrey.

Hermione smiled reassuringly at her. "It's all right, really - but I have to go and help Professor Snape. It's really important."

Madam Pomfrey looked as though she was going to protest then sighed. "Very well. Go then, child - but come back here afterwards!"

"Thanks - I will!" Hermione said and then she, the snake on her arm and Harry were hurrying off to the headmasters office..

A/N - The next part will probably be the final - and because it's getting *way* too close to Christmas it could be delayed a week. Or maybe not. But don't be too alarmed if you don't see it next week - I won't leave this story unfinished..