A/N: Wow! This is a really long chapter! 1245 words! (not including the AN's!).

Anyway, George and I want to thank our reviewers! 29 so far! Kewl! I hoe to make a hundred…(*hint, hint*) Like a fat kid in dodge ball….I'm out!

Chapter Six:

Hermione cautiously left her room and found her way back to the Entrance Hall. She glanced around, two staircases, one on each side, each leading up to the next floor. She took the left, silently praying she wouldn't get lost. Many stairs later, Hermione found herself again facing two staircases. She took the left again, thinking if she kept up the same pattern, she had a better chance of finding her way back. Two more staircases! Sighing, and heading for the left, Hermione froze when she heard a voice behind her.

"Lost?" Snape sneered.

"Errrr…I was looking for your library." Hermione replied nervously.

"Take a right." Snape answered.

Figures.

"Thank you." Hermione muttered.

Snape merely nodded, and spun around, headed in the opposite direction. Hermione took the right staircase, and found herself in a long hallway. She counted four portraits and stopped. She was facing a tall, intimidating man, who was surveying her with displeasure.

"Carcineria" Hermione said calmly.

The portrait swung forward, and Hermione rushed inside, hearing it slam shut behind her. She froze. Hundreds of thousands of books surrounded her. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, as she set about examining the shelves. She quickly found a few books that sparked her interest, and sat down on a dark green velvet couch in the corner next to the fireplace.

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Snape sat in his armchair yet again, staring at the face of Albus Dumbledore in the fire. He was smiling benignly, and had an all-knowing air about him. It almost made Snape sick.

"Yes, Headmaster?"

"Do you happen to know where Miss Granger is? I tried to floo her rooms, but she wasn't in. I thought she might like a chat with her friend."

"Friend?" Snape sneered.

The thought of Harry Potter anywhere near his house, even if it was only his head in a fire, made him feel even sicker. He eyed the Headmaster suspiciously, receiving only the twinkling smile he was so famous for.

"Yes, Miss Weasley is here."

"She is most likely still in the library. She was heading there a few hours ago." Snape sighed with relief; he'd take the Weasley girl over Potter any day.

Snape heard a snort of laughter from behind Dumbledore, who turned his head in the fire to face the stone wall behind him. Muffled voices could be heard, and then he turned back to Snape, his smile even wider.

"Miss Weasley assures us that if Miss Granger has only been in your library a few hours, she is undoubtedly still there." he smiled. "I shall speak with her there then, I believe it has a fire?"

Snape nodded in response. "Very well, Goodbye Severus." Dumbledore said before disappearing from the fire.

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Hermione was well into A Thousand Dark Witches and Wizards, when Ginny's head appeared in the fire next to her. Hermione jumped and scooted away from it, thinking she'd gone insane. Ginny laughed.

"Hermione, scared of a petite redhead?" she grinned.

"Ginny! What are you doing here?" Hermione said, and hurried over to sit on the hearth.

"Talking to you, which the Headmaster was kind enough to allow when I tortured him for a mere hour." Ginny replied lightly.

"Oh. Good. I'm going insane here. So how is everything?"

"Harry and Ron you mean? Well, they are also insane, but that's nothing new…um, knew Potions professor…speaking of which, how's our dear bat out of hell doing?"

"Wouldn't know." Hermione shrugged, "I've only seen him twice, for a bout ten seconds…still batty and hellish I imagine."

"There was a time when you would have defended him, because he was your teacher." Ginny observed skeptically.

"Yes, but now I live with him." Hermione laughed.

"What?" Ginny said, turning her head in the fire. "Oh…. Hermione I have to go, but I might talk to you soon."

"Ok." Hermione sighed. "Write to me."

"I will. Bye!"

"Bye."

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Hermione unlocked the door to her room and entered. She had scarcely stepped inside when she was knocked over by a hurtling ball of gray fur. She sat back up and snatched vainly at the air, trying to capture the small owl. "Pig!" she groaned, "Pig, come down here!". She finally managed to snatch Pig out of the air, and pulled the letter of his leg.

Hermione,

Well, Dumbledore wont tell us where you are, says not to bother asking, because you can't tell us either. So we wont. Are you safe? Are you feeling ok? We hope so.

You're not the only one who's done a disappearing act on us lately. Snape is gone as well. Any idea what's going on?

Love,

Harry & Ron

Hermione sighed, and went to her desk to reply to her friends' letter. She was interrupted by a sharp knocking on her door. Her stomach started doing flips. She got up and tried to calm herself as she made her way to the door. She opened it and curiously regarded her visitor.

"Sir?"

"Miss Granger, You have a. …Guest…." Snape sneered.

"A Guest?" Hermione asked, all nervousness forgotten.

"Yes, Miss Weasley is currently waiting in the Entrance Hall."

"Oh, why is she waiting out there?" Hermione wondered aloud, and rushed past him.

Snape stood where she left him, quite shocked at being so openly ignored. He turned to follow Hermione down the stairs to the Entrance Hall. An ear-splitting screech greeted him upon his entry.

"Herms!" the redhead squeaked, launching herself at her best friend.

"Gin!" Hermione hugged her tight, and then led her out of the Hall, past Snape, and up the staircase to her rooms, without a second glance in his direction.

When they reached her sitting room, she pushed Ginny onto the couch and sat next to her. Demanding information on school. Ginny smiled at her friend's eagerness.

"Did you just walk past Snape, ignoring him in his own house?"

Realization seemed to dawn on Hermione's face. She turned very pale, and then she started to panic.

"Oh my God! I did! Oh, damn!"

"Hermione! You just…. Cursed! Wow! You've been spending to much time with him!"

"Oh, nonsense I haven't spent any time with him at all…. that's the problem…."Hermione muttered, now pacing back and forth.

"Problem?" Ginny asked dryly.

Hermione froze mid-pace. She slowly looked up and met her friends knowing eyes. Ginny jumped up and practically screamed, half delighted, half horrified. Pointing at Hermione, she stuttered:

"Y--y--You've got a th-thing for Snape!"

"I do not!" Hermione protested.

"Yes, you do! I'm glad you've finally gotten over that Krum jerk, but Snape?" Ginny asked in disbelief.

"I do not have a thing for Snape!"

Yes, you do.

Shut Up.

Ginny watched her friend's internal battle, which was reflected on her face. She reached up, and put both hands on Hermione's shoulders, shaking her fiercely.

"You do!" she demanded, "Admit it, and you'll feel better, plus it will be harder to hide if you ignore it."

"I----I guess maybe a little, small, almost nonexistent, microscopic…thing for Snape." Hermione said, almost in a whisper.

Ginny's face brightened, she took Hermione's hand, and led her to the couch. Shaking her head and grinning, she hugged her and stepped into the fireplace, throwing shimmering powder in before her.

"I have to get back. Good Luck, Hermione."

"Good luck? With what?" Hermione asked.

Ginny just shook her flaming head, and grinned knowingly. She disappeared, leaving Hermione to fight alone.

You admitted it.

Shut. Up.