That morning the Great Hall was once again buzzing like a bee hive. Another student had been attacked, this time it was a Slytherin boy. The faces of the Slytherin table looked worried, last time a monster had been in the school it had practically been on their side. Now no one could feel safe.

Hermione went in through the heavy doors and searched the Gryffindor table for Harry and Ron. When she had spotted them she sat down between them.

"Good morning", she said with a smile and put some marmalade on a piece of toast.

The boys heads shot up from their breakfast, looking at her as if she was a priceless treasure.

"Oh thank Merlin, you're alive!", Ron said and almost hugged her.

"Where were you? Melissa told us you didn't come back to your room last night."

"I got locked out", Hermione answered. "I've been sleeping in the.. Headmasters office."

"You should've seen the looks on the girls faces when they told us, they were nearly scared stiff.", Ron said, still staring at Hermione as if making sure she was really there. "Did you see the monster?"

A small memory flashed before Hermione's eyes. The tall shadow she had seen pass... Could it have been the monster, so close to her? A cold shiver ran down her spine and she drank some milk to calm herself.

She threw a look at the Head Table. Snape wasn't in his seat, he hadn't come up from the dungeons yet.

When Hermione had left his rooms and closed the door quietly behind her not to wake him up she had felt confused. He had kissed her. It had been a dream, yes, but it had felt so real. What did this mean? What was this new feeling inside of her?

It didn't took her many steps up the stairs to understand, and the discovery almost made her gasp out loud.

She was falling in love with Snape.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

The day passed like another dream for Hermione, and she felt more and more like she was floating across the stone floor of Hogwarts. In Potions that day she couldn't take her eyes of Snape as he walked among the desks, pointing out the students mistakes. Why had she never seen it before? The way he walked, his silky voice, the look in his black winter night eyes, everything about him suddenly seemed so attractive.

Once he asked a question, and he tried to shoot a look at her, as if daring her to raise her hand. But when his eyes met hers the words failed him, and he stood there with his mouth open for a few seconds. He felt his knees shake as her deep, intelligent eyes captured his soul and tied him to her more and more. He had to fight himself to keep up his bitter appearance in front of the other students.

He thought about the night before. A Slytherin had been attacked, and she had been down there. She had been so close.... Never again, he would make sure of that.

"Longbottom! Is this what you call scarlet red?", he asked and pointed at the ink black mud in poor Nevilles cauldron. "Five points from Gryffindor for not paying attention in class."

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Halloween came to Hogwarts one week later, and with it it brought a dance. It had been professor Dumbledore's idea, to 'try and spread some joy through these times.'

The Great Hall had been nicely decorated. The four long tables were put aside to create a dance floor big enough for four teams to play football on, pumpkin lanterns with grinning faces spread their light, soaring twelve feet above the floor, black paper bats flew back and forth and every half hour the room was filled with a thick, spooky fog. The enchanted ceiling reflected only darkness, there were no moon nor stars on the sky that night.

The students came in through the doors like a tidal wave of chatting people. The girls wore dresses that shimmered in the light of hundreds of candles and their jewellery sparkled like stars. The boys were mostly dressed in black and white, only a few blue shirts and Muggle jeans could be seen.

Harry came arm in arm with Ginny who looked very pretty indeed. Hermione had asked Ron to go with her. She didn't want to dance with any other than Snape, but Ron was just a friend, so that wouldn't count.

She hoped Snape would be there. She knew a dance wasn't a place where you would most likely find the Hogwarts Potions master, but as a teacher he had to at least make an appearance.

Finally she spotted him.

He stood leaned against a wall with his arms crossed, dressed in his ordinary black robes, watching the dancing couples. Hermione almost forgot she was dancing with Ron and stepped on his toes seven times before the song ended.

"Sorry, Ron", she said.

"No worries", he said, but the pain reflected itself in his face. "I'm going out for some air, it's hot in here."

"Okay."

Ron left the dance floor and made his way through the crowd towards the doors. Hermione turned to look at Snape again. He hadn't moved a muscle.

She didn't hesitate for a second. She took a breath of courage and headed towards him.

Snape couldn't take his eyes off her. She was beautiful in her school clothes, but now she was much more. She had the grace of a queen in that dress she wore, and her hair fell softly on her naked shoulder from the high pony tail. She looked absolutely radiant.

She stopped right in front of him.

"Professor... May I have this dance?"

The music started to play. It was a slow song, and a woman's voice started singing. Snape looked at Hermione, hardly able to speak a word.

"I'd be honoured to, miss Granger."

She smiled and took his hand. As she lead him out on the dance floor she saw a few heads turn to stare at them, but neither she nor Snape cared. They found an empty spot.

She took his hand in hers. She had almost thought it would be cold since it was so pale, but the skin was smooth and warm against the palm of her own hand. He put his arm around her waist, she put hers around his neck, and they started to dance.

Hermione noticed at once he was not an excellent dancer, but he wasn't bad. It didn't bother her, she was no expert on it either. Still it was the most wonderful dance of her life, because it was with him. The love inside her heart filled her so completely that she was surprised he didn't seem to notice.

"I want to tell him so much", she thought and looked up at his face. He looked back at her.

"I'm sorry I'm not the best dancer here.", he said.

"Don't worry, professor. You haven't stepped on my toes yet."

"Step on her toes?", he thought. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea anyway, I wouldn't forgive myself if I did."

Not much more was said during the song. Snape listened to the words of it, the woman sang of true love that survives everything, and he wanted to repeat it all to Hermione. She was there, in his arms once again, mesmerising him with her glittering eyes. He never wanted it to end, still he wanted it to, for he was not sure he would be able to keep himself from bending down and kiss her, just like he had done in the dream. His heart yearned for it, its pounding voice shouted and whispered in his ears.

"I love her!"

The song ended and they slowly let go of each other. They both exhaled a little.

"Thank you for the dance, professor.", she said.

"And to you, miss Granger."

"Hermione, sir. Just for now."

"Hermione... Thank you."

He backed a few steps before he turned around and disappeared from her sight among the other people. Hermione looked at him for a few seconds, then she saw Ron who had come back inside and started walking towards him.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

The monster was hungry again. It had been a week since its last meal, it craved food!

"Give me blood", it whispered. "Do it!"

It felt a pair of eyes on its back and turned around. It was the Headmaster. The old man didn't say anything, he only looked at it with eyes that seemed to express many feelings. But the greatest of them all was compassion.

The monster turned away from the old man. Its hunger was shredding it to pieces, it had to do something! Lately it needed food more often, it seemed.

Suddenly the Great Hall was filled with the mysterious fog. It was hard to make anyone out in it, and the monster heard some students calling each others names.

"Nothing else matters", it thought. It stretched out its hand and grabbed an arm.

Then a horrible scream was heard. It pierced the warm air in the Great Hall like an icy dagger and it made everyone shiver. It was answered by more screams from frightened girls. What was happening? Who was that?

Slowly the fog died off and the girls ran to their boyfriends as soon as they could see them again. Ron, Ginny and Harry found each other and looked around.

"What the heck happened?", Ginny asked and held Harry's hand in a tight grip.

"That was scary", Ron said. "Wait here, I'll get Hermione."

He began his search for her among the frightened students. The music had stopped.

Harry and Ginny waited for a little while, when Ron suddenly returned. Alone, looking as pale as a sheet.

"Did you find her?", Harry asked.

Ron managed to gain a little control over his own voice.

"She's... gone."