Hermione awoke the following morning, had her usual argument with Professor Snape, and made her way down to the Great Hall. As she sat down and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl, she noticed that her morning greeting was a little more cheerful than usual.

"Hey 'Mione! What's up?" Ron said excitedly.

"The opposite of down, Ron." She replied. She hated morning people. She was not necessarily grumpy in the morning; she just couldn't stand perky people this early. (Yeah! Perky people suck. If there are any perky morning people reading this. . .you suck! But please keep reading. . .)

"Morning 'Mione!" Harry exclaimed with a slight blush on his face.

"Morning Harry." She replied, eyeing him suspiciously.

"How'd things go yesterday? I noticed you missed lunch." He continued, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Professor Snape and I ate lunch while we were working." She replied.

"And what were you working on?" Harry drawled.

"Potions." She imitated his voice.

"What kind?" He asked.

She knew she would hear it from Snape, but had to anyway. "Contraceptives." She replied with an air of boredom, which caused Harry to do a double take. His eyes widened, and she sighed with impatience, "We were researching the cause and effect of the potions accident!"

"Ah! I see!" He said, sounding very unconvinced.

"Harry-"

"Morning Hermione!" Neville interrupted, blushing slightly when he saw the half eaten banana in her hand.

"Hey Neville. How are you this morning?" She asked. Anything to distract herself from Harry at that point was an irritation. What was up with him this morning?

"I'm all right." He replied, sensing her irritation. "I'll be glad when this whole mind meld thing is over. It feels like I have Professor Snape snapping at me all day."

'Good. Maybe I'll finally get something through that brain of yours.' He heard Snape think. Neville's eyes widened.

"Remember Neville." Hermione said. "What I hear, Snape can hear. Good thing I've been keeping to myself since the accident." She continued while side glancing at Harry and Ron.

"What?" Ron asked, feigning innocence.

She shrugged her shoulders and turned back to her breakfast.

"When will this be over, Hermione?" Neville asked.

'The effects should desist this evening, Mr Longbottom.' Snape replied instead.

"Thanks, Hermione." Neville drawled, intending Snape to hear it.

'Don't get smart with me, Mr Longbottom. After your bungling potion has worn off, I will have the ability to deduct points from you.'

"That's right, Neville." Hermione said absentmindedly.

Neville glared. . .(HE GLARED! AND HE DRAWLED!!! HE. . .GLARED!! WHAT HAS HAPPENED OT OUR DEAR, SWEET NEVILLE!?! . . .Oh! Wait a minute! I happened. . .Sorry! Shall we continue?)

Anyway, Neville glared at Hermione. "At least my nights are more interesting." He replied innocently. Hermione's eyes widened, desperate to keep her mind clear. But Snape's thoughts were too busy stuttering and doing the same to notice. Harry looked up at Neville as he said this, looked at Hermione's expression, looked back at Neville, and signaled for Draco. He than pulled Neville away from the table, leaving Hermione, Ron, and the rest of the Gryffindor table staring off at their retreating forms.

~@~

"Mr Longbottom. May I speak with you?" The Headmaster stopped him before Draco and Harry could drag him any further. "I believe you to have classes to attend to?" They nodded, and headed for their classes.

"Mr Longbottom. . .Neville," The Headmaster began. "I must ask you to no longer assist those two with their plans."

"Sir?" Neville asked.

"Mr Malfoy and Mr Potter are planning on playing some childish pranks on both Miss Granger and Professor Snape. I must ask you to no longer encourage their efforts." Professor Dumbledore said. "I am somewhat disappointed in you."

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know that they were going to use that information for anything." Neville said. (So NOW he's going to be innocent!! What happened to the night before?)

"Well, Mr Longbottom. Just to make sure, I'm going to have to cast another spell on you. I know how manipulative a pranksters mind can be at times." The Headmaster said. Neville nodded, and the spell was cast.

~@~

Hermione approached the door to Professor Snape's office. Remembering what she had said to Harry this morning, she knocked on the door, stifling a giggle at the expression that graced his face.

When Snape opened the door to let her in, and indicated the seat that she had used all day the day before. Before handing her a book, he drawled, "Miss Granger, I insist that you do not include me in such an inappropriate topic with your friends." She frowned slightly. She missed the slight twitch at the ends of his lips. "However, your response to Mr Potter's nosy inquiry was. . .amusing. I must know what the look on his face was like."

And all her efforts to keep from laughing were in vain.

~@~

It was after classes and after lunch that Harry and Draco dragged Neville away from the crowd again.

"Now Neville, what was that this morning?" Harry asked, a bit out of breath from running and dragging Neville away.

"I'm sorry guys, but I won't help you." Neville said as they relinquished his arms. "I don't know what you're planning, but it no longer will involve me anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Draco said with complete innocence.

"Something Dumbledore said about you two using me for some prank."

"Would we do that?" Harry asked. Neville shot a glare to Draco. "Come on, Neville. How often have I included you in my schemes?"

"Well, lots of times." Neville answered sheepishly.

"And have I not included you in all the details of those?" Harry asked.

"Well, yes." Neville replied. "However, the headmaster never pulled me aside to tell me not to get involved." He pointed out, showing a nice bit of sensibility.

"Come on, Neville." Draco pleaded. "Please?" Neville shook his head, determined not to give in. "Pretty please?"

"No Draco. I'm not saying anything." Neville said, stomping his foot down for emphasis.

"What if I get down on my knees and beg?" Draco asked. He really wanted to know what this was all about. He was curious as hell.

"I don't know if it would help, but you can try." Neville replied.

"Come on, Potty. It may take our combined efforts for this one." Draco said, nudging Harry in the side. Both boys got to their knees, hands folded in front of them, puppy dog eyes facing Neville. In unison, they both drawled out a high-pitched "Please?"

"Well, I really can't. Professor Dumbledore cast a spell so I couldn't tell you anymore." Neville admitted finally.

"And I've been sitting here pleading with you. Why didn't you just say so?" Asked Draco angrily as he got back to his feet.

"Cause I've never seen a Malfoy beg before and wondered if you'd actually do it." Neville said, and received a death glare for his troubles. "I wanted to see what it looked like."

With an angry huff, Draco stormed out of the room. Harry, who was now back on his feet, turned to Neville, shaking his head and smiling.

"I know I should probably be angry with you for putting us on like that, but I just can't not enjoy that." He said, patting Neville on the back. "Way to go." And he exited the room.

~@~

Hermione turned the corner on her way to Snape's office when she was grabbed from behind and pulled into an empty classroom. Her abductor shut the door behind them and turned on the lights. Her thoughts before she turned and saw her attacker alerted Snape. When she turned around, she came face to face with Draco.

"Oh. It's you." She said. 'Sorry, Professor. It's just Draco.' She thought.

'Than perhaps I should hurry, Miss Granger.' He shot back. She knew he was just expressing his brand of dry humour.

"Hello Hermione." Draco said. "Where are you heading off to?"

"I'm going down to assist Professor Snape." She replied.

"When is he expecting you?" Draco asked while tracing his index along her shoulder, following the path with his eyes.

"Well, there isn't a definite time. I just told him that I was going to lunch and I'd be back."

"So than he's not in your head anymore?" He asked hopefully.

'Miss Granger. What is the meaning of this?' Snape snapped.

'I'm not sure, sir. But I intend to find out.' She replied.

'Miss Granger. We don't- what did he just say?'

"Hermione. Were you listening?" Draco asked.

"I'm sorry Draco. I'm a bit distracted." She said, indicating his finger that was still tracing her shoulder.

"How 'bout this then?" He asked, encircling her waist with his arm, and pulling her closer. He leaned his face down towards hers, nudging her nose with his to lift her face. She could feel his shallow breathing on her lips, and feel his words as they were whispered. "Ever since the night we played truth or dare, I had no idea that you had such a wicked, playful side to you." He brushed her lips with his own. "And I've got to admit. I really want to explore it."

'I'm going to stop this now!' She heard Snape growl.

'No! Wait!' She thought back.

'Miss Granger. I refuse to be witness to a student's sexual encounter.'

'Trust me.' She replied.

"So. Now that you have me alone, what are you going to do with me?" He asked, lips still brushing.

"I thought I already told you." Hermione replied, voice barely above a whisper.

"I want to know what you're really going to do with me." He bent down and kissed her. When they broke apart, she replied. "I did mean most of what I said, Draco."

'I will not stand by any longer.' Snape interrupted.

Hermione ignored him and began to unclasp his cloak and loosen his tie. Both were discarded on the chair nearby. He reached up to do the same, but she slapped his hands away. "This is what I'm going to do with you, Draco." She whispered in his ear, letting her lips brush against the lobe of his ear. He shivered, causing her to grin.

She continued to unbutton and remove his shirt and trousers, discarding them on the chair with his cloak and tie.

'My, you're taking a long time to get up here, Professor.' She giggled in her mind.

'I've been held up. I'll get there soon enough.' Snape growled. She could tell he was speaking to someone, but couldn't tell who. 'The potion must be weakening.' She thought.

'I believe so, Miss Granger.' She heard the reply.

Hermione led Draco to an open space on the floor. She could tell he was. . .excited. She gave him a sultry smile as she transfigured another chair into a comfortable rug and set him down on the floor. He turned to her, "You're not going to tie me down, are you?" He asked.

"I thought you wanted to explore my playful side?' She asked with a pout.

"Ah. Well, when you put it like that, continue." He replied.

She smiled again, transfiguring his clothes into ropes. She tied his limbs to the legs of the surrounding tables, then lent down, and pressed her lips to his, tracing his torso lightly with her hands and fingers. She broke the kiss and nibbled on his jaw line, moving towards his ear. She blew a puff of air across, causing another shiver to go through him.

"You're not really going to leave me here for some 'poor soul' to find, are you?" He asked breathlessly.

She smiled, lifting her eyes to meet his. "No." She whispered. Then leaning to his other ear, she nipped him lightly. "I'm gonna leave you here to get yourself out of this." She lifted her eyes to look at him again. "And don't say I didn't warn you."

With that, she stood up, brushed off her knees, and walked to the door. Without turning around, she said, "or whenever I have the heart to come back and untie you. Whichever comes first."

Opening the door, she found Professor Snape leaning on the frame. Although he was scowling, she saw the amusement in his eyes. "I hope you had fun, Miss Granger. You've been keeping me waiting."

"Professor. Of course I've had fun." She replied with an innocent smile. She walked past him and headed for his office. He was about to follow her when he heard Draco call out. "Little help here."

Turning to the student, Snape said, "Mr Malfoy. You have just wasted time that could have been spent working." He reached for the doorknob. "And, you have just tasted what she could do when provoked. I will be working with her for the rest of the day. Do you honestly believe I wish to be the target of her wrath?" And he stalked off to his office, closing the door behind him. Draco stared back at the door, wide-eyed.



A/N:

Do not worry, this is not over. I have no idea when this will be done, but I've already planned out how it will end. This story is not for the easily offended. . .I guess I should have mentioned that at the beginning. Oh well. Better late than never, right?

Right?

Usakid: Sorry, I gots no aol/aim.

Next chapter will be up soon. . .I promise.