Barbi Bee - Yes, I did tape the CoS documentary - email me and we'll work something out (see my profile for my e-address). I am fond of fudge.

Ella Jaye - Another reason that I had Dumbledore act the way he did was that I was re-reading GoF recently and the part that stuck in my head was when he was unusually pleased for a moment that Harry no longer had his special defence against Voldemort - are there hidden depths to the headmaster no one knows about..

Fairygirl - Hmm.if I put new characters in they might starting turning into Mary Sues (shudder).

Beth Ann, Dracoschick, gorgegirl, lollylips3, Luna Writer, RoseFyre, snapefan51, Strega Brava, troesnaja, Zoe - Thanks!

Raija D. - Yes, it's the doghouse for Sirius for a while..

Rosmerta - It's possible that each House would have their own sentient mascot..

Ryoki - You'll see..

Part 22

When Severus had drunk the Veritaserum a feeling of peaceful dreaminess had come over him, and he had experienced a willing eagerness to answer truthfully and fully any question he would be asked. This state of mind was so unlike his normal suspicious one that part of his self managed to remain intact, and for protection it retreated far below the upper layers of his mind.

But because of the strength of the potion, even this small core of him had to make a grim effort to string coherent thoughts together. He was aware of himself answering Dumbledore's gentle yet persistent questions about Hermione and himself, damn him.

He was dimly aware yet helpless when there was commotion nearby, but because Dumbledore's attention had been turned away from him he was effectively mute and helpless. He heard Hermione's voice nearby - was he hallucinating now for he knew that she was unconscious in the sickbay! There was the sound of raised voices and more commotion..a dog barking..hissing..then Hermione suddenly stepped into his field of vision and he could only stare at her blankly, unable to respond. It was Hermione; somehow she was here.

He had to respond. Fight. Fight the potion. Fight it. Damn it, he was a Slytherin, the Head of Slytherin. Fight it.

Inside himself he cursed in frustration when all he could do was blink at her.

"It's all right," he heard her say softly to him, felt her hands clasp his shoulder and arm to get him on his feet. He couldn't decide whether it was humiliating to be helped to his feet like a child, or whether to feel disbelieved relief that he wasn't hallucinating, that she was actually here.

He certainly felt amazed when he heard hissed words he didn't expect to hear in this office, saw a green light that flashed through his world and then felt a sense of dislocation. Suddenly he and Hermione were standing in his bedroom that was still bathed in the light of various lanterns he had lit earlier. But he was suddenly too weary to wonder how this had occurred, his head drooping slightly. He was unable to respond when after a pause Hermione murmured his name sadly and slim arms wrapped around his waist for a brief embrace.

He could not have cared less when his cloak and heavy frock coat were removed and he was gently led to sit down on his bed, which had had the covers pulled down. His shoes were removed and though he was still clad in his shirt and trousers, he was beyond caring about the impropriety of his clothes doubling for nightwear. After being helped to lie down, the covers tucked over him as if he was a child, (though the child he had been so many years ago had never had such small gestures shown to him), Severus was asleep within moments of his head touching the pillow.

Hermione stood by the bed looking down at the sleeping man soberly. She hoped that he would be feeling better in the morning - it had given her an eerie feeling putting Severus to bed as if he was nothing more than a stiffly moving robot. He had recognised her before though, she was sure of it.

She glanced warily down at her arm. After the Snake of Slytherin had Apparated both of them here (something she had always believed was magically impossible in Hogwarts) it had vanished, leaving only a bracelet on her arm. It looked like an ordinary silver bracelet made up of small silver links joined together - however, every third link was an unusual green metal that seemed to gleam in an odd way. It was as if it was reflecting a light that did not originate in this room, and another odd thing about the bracelet that she saw was that there wasn't any noticeable way for it to be removed - no clasp or anything! She tugged experimentally at the bracelet but it was not big enough to be pulled over her hand. She wondered uneasily why it had been given to her and what its properties were. But anyway, she couldn't do anything about it right now and she felt reasonably sure the Snake of Slytherin had meant no malice in placing it on her arm (she hoped).

Feeling weary, Hermione decided she was better off staying here rather than going back to Madam Pomfrey. What if Severus awoke in the morning with no clear memory of how he had got in his bed and no one around to provide an explanation? 'Irritable' would be too moderate a word in that case for him.

Besides, she really did not feel like trudging back through the long corridors to the sickbay (and she knew from experience how sinfully comfortable Professor Snape's bed was). Then there was the reason that she had always wanted to wake up beside Severus in the morning, to feel his arms around her and hear the affection behind the sardonic way he talked to her.

Mind you, now that Dumbledore knew what he did, the whole school would probably know about her and Severus by breakfast time. Hermione couldn't help but wince slightly at the thought of people's reactions (thinking of how Sirius had reacted as an example) but then she shrugged. She would have to deal with it when it came. She would make sure though in the morning that Draco was punished like the rat he was, she thought with a grim smile.

But now there was a slight problem - what to wear to bed?

She didn't keep any nightgowns here and she wasn't about to sleep in her now thoroughly crumpled uniform. She thought about it and then a slightly guilty smile appeared on her face. Surely he wouldn't mind...

She padded quietly over to his wardrobe and careful not to make much noise opened its wooden doors. Not surprisingly, Severus hanged up his clothes with mathematical precision. Several of his heavy black frock coats were followed by neatly pressed black trousers and then his fine white shirts (also pressed) with two spare sets of his billowing black robes present also. The only garment that was different was a frock coat that was obviously for formal occasions for it was cut from cloth of a dark forest green, edged with discreet silver embroidery. Hermione took one of the white shirts off its hanger and after quietly shutting the wardrobe doors hung the shirt over a handle.

Wanting nothing more than a good sleep Hermione disrobed down to her underwear, taking off her shoes and socks and then putting on the white shirt. It was far too big for her of course, but that was to be expected and she felt oddly comforted by wearing it.

Being the child of dentists that she was she had cleaned her teeth straight after the evening meal and taking the wand out of the pocket of her uniform she went over to the spare side of the black covered bed, yawning softly. Looking across at Severus she noted with a softened expression that his breathing indicated that he was in a deep stage of sleep, his silky black hair spilling over the pillow and his features more relaxed now than they were in public. Hermione softly recited a spell to extinguish the various lantern lights in the room and after placing her wand against the side of the bed (where she could reach it easily if there was a magical emergency in the night) turned down the bed covers and quietly got into bed.

She cautiously moved so she was close enough to Severus without him rolling over and squashing her in the middle of the night, reaching out to softly touch his arm for a moment.

[Good night] she silently wished him and closing her eyes was asleep within a few minutes, her brown hair cascading over the pillow like a brown waterfall.

It was in the hours before dawn that Severus woke in his dark bedroom, frowning when he realised he was wearing his shirt and trousers in bed rather than his usual grey nightshirt. What the hell? He stretched and his out-flung arm touched something soft. In his half-asleep state he pulled back his hand and readied a defensive spell. Then he paused to listen and reached out a hand carefully to touch the other occupant of his bed. Yes, it was a soft, gently snoring someone whose body was as familiar to him in the dark as the back of his hand.

How had Hermione got into his bed? Severus thought, startled. The last time he had seen her was in the sickbay where she lay unconscious..then memories came flashing back. The last coherent memory though was taking Veritaserum in Dumbledore's office, and after that his memories were somewhat..muddled. It seemed that the potion had worn off (to his relief) for he felt in charge of his body again. He shuddered involuntarily and grimly vowed never to take Veritaserum again, not even if the Ministry of Magic begged him to. That sensation of not being in full control of his senses reminded him all too clearly of when Voldemort had compelled him to do as many humiliating things as the dark wizard had felt like..

He was filled with angry hurt at being made to drink the truth potion, though it seemed Dumbledore had had a valid reason. But did the headmaster at heart truly see him as nothing but an ex-Deatheater, someone never to be fully trusted?

Then his expression softened as he considered the sleeping Gryffindor next to him. He was impatient to learn how she had recovered so quickly and how she had contrived to bring him back to his bedroom (since Apparating was impossible within Hogwarts).

He shifted close and without managing to wake her he slipped a arm around her waist, gently moulding his long body against her back, breathing in the smell of her hair that was peach scented from the shampoo she used. She stopped snoring for a moment, mumbling something in her sleep then went back to snoring. Severus was amused rather than offended by the fact that she seemed to be wearing one of his shirts. Wearing his clothes indeed, the impudent baggage. He was content for now to just hold her in the dark.

When Hermione awoke she did what she usually did first thing in the morning and had a big stretch to get the kinks out of her muscles. However, she promptly heard a masculine grumble behind her as her elbow hit a firm body. She blinked then remembered. Oh yes, she was in the bed of Severus..and stretching that way was not a good idea..

A/N: To be continued - I can see an ending in the distant horizon you know! g