Part 16 Caught
"How long do you think they'll be gone?" Charlie asked when the door closed behind Willow.
"Well, if Remus is alone I would don't think Faith'll be back tonight," Fred smiled, "At least that's her plan."
"And Willow?"
"How long does it take to get to Gryffindor Tower?"
"Not long," Charlie frowned.
"Well, if she runs into Snape then it could be a while." Fred found she was hoping that her friends would be gone for a while.
"I say we not waste any time then," Charlie pulled her across the couch to kiss her.
**********
Faith said good-bye to the other three girls as they approached the stairs leading to Remus Lupin's rooms. When she reached the portrait in front of his room she quickly gave the password and climbed through to his rooms.
She frowned when she entered the small sitting room and found it empty. It was still early; he couldn't be in bed already could he? Did he leave? She was sure it wasn't a full moon so he wouldn't have had to leave the castle.
His bedroom door was closed so she made her way quietly over to it. If he was asleep she would just leave. She didn't want to wake him. She pushed the door open slowly.
Remus had just walked out of his bathroom, towel around his waist when he heard someone enter his sitting room. Not that many people had the password. Just himself, Harry, Professor Mcgonagall, Snape, and Faith; which meant it had to be Harry or Faith. The others would have knocked first. Either way he needed to get dressed before he went out there to greet them. He pulled open his trunk and quickly pulled clothing. Not bothering with his robes.
"Hey," Faith said after watching him for several moments. No sense ruining the view before she had to.
"My god, make noise when you come in," Remus turned toward quickly to face her.
"Hi, sorry. Staying alive usually depends on me being quiet," Faith moved into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, "Don't get dressed on my account."
"Faith, I." He was still holding his pants in front of him.
"What don't want me?" Faith smiled, moving her eyes over him, "Cause I know that's a lie."
"I didn't say that. It's just." She had reached out and pulled him next to her on the bed and kissed him.
"It's just what?" She asked after pulling away.
"You don't believe in taking things slowly do you?"
"When you're told you'll be dead before you're twenty slow isn't much of a choice."
"That's another thing I'm old enough to be."
"Don't finish that thought, doesn't matter," She kissed him again, cutting off any other objections he may have had.
**********
Willow, Hermione and Ginny found it too awkward to all stay under the cloak and carry the clothes they had found for Hermione. So they had agreed since Willow had never seen or used the invisibility cloak before she would stay under it and follow then back to their dormitory. Just in case they ran into a teacher.
"Damn," Ginny muttered when she saw Peeves floating down the hallway randomly knocking statues off their pedestals. "He's going to attract every teacher in the castle.
"Not every one," Came the cold sneering voice from behind her, "Miss Weasley."
"Professor Snape we were just."
"Out after curfew," He smirked, "That'll be ten points from Gryffin.Miss Granger?" His eyes widen when he realized who Ginny's companion was.
Willow put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. She wasn't even sure what was funnier, the fact that Snape was so shocked by Hermione's appearance he forgot to be all snarl-y or that Hermione was quickly turning the color of her shirt.
Snape stared at the two girls. What had they been doing, and where had Hermione Granger found those clothes. He had seen the girl, many times over the last two summers at the Order's headquarters without her robes but never dressed like this.
"Yes Professor Snape?" Hermione couldn't believe he had found them. Off all the teachers that could have been patrolling the halls tonight.
"Yes, well I guess that would be twenty points from."
"Nope, sorry," Willow pulled the cloak off her head and draped it over her arm with the rest of the clothing.
"Excuse me?"
"You can't take points from them. They haven't done anything wrong."
"They are out after curfew, Professor Rosenberg." Snape snapped.
"With a teacher, that must be allowed."
"Well, Miss Granger looks," Snape began once again glaring at the two students before turning his attention fully toward Willow.
"Lovely doesn't she. The polite thing to do would be to tell her that," Willow smiled. She then looked over at the girls, ignoring the stuttering Potions Master, "See I told you it'll work. If you could get his attention then Ron should be no problem."
"Professor Rosenberg I don't think you should encourage the students to." Snape was now advancing on Willow, trying to back her against the wall.
"Change their look, that's silly." Willow smiled, "Everyone should change their look sometime. Maybe when the guys come to visit they could help with your look. Well, not Xander and Andrew but Angel's got good taste, if you don't mind black; which obviously you don't. Wes used be a bigger geek than me, but last time I saw him he, was all Marlboro man so he could probably. Oh, and Giles when he's not being all Watcher Tweedy guy had great taste."
Hermione and Ginny watched quietly, eye's darting back and fourth between the two professors. Both seemed very focused on each other and not paying them any attention. Even Peeves had stopped making noise and was watching the argument.
"We should go before Snape realizes he didn't take the points," Ginny whispered.
Hermione quickly agreed, no sense waiting to see if he would remember to take them. They quickly turned and headed continued toward Gryffindor Tower, followed by Peeves.
"Go away Peeves," Hermione whispered, "You almost got us caught once tonight."
"Snape isn't going to bother you anymore tonight. He'll be to preoccupied with the pretty new teacher."
"What?" Hermione and Ginny both stopped in front of the portrait to the tower and turned their attention to the poltergeist.
"Are you saying Snape likes Professor Rosenberg?" Ginny asked.
"She got him to go to Hogsmeade didn't she?" Peeves asked, "He hasn't gone into town since he was a student."
"But Professor Rosenberg couldn't.I mean. He's.Snape." Hermione was stuttering. The whole idea seemed wrong to her.
"I'm not going to wait all night for the password girls," The fat lady in the portrait said impatiently. "You should have been back an hour ago."
Hermione and Ginny pulled their attention away from the information Peeves had given them and quickly gave the password and made their way to the common room. They were still whispering to each other about the possible truth to what Peeves had said when they entered the common room, neither noticing Ron and Harry who both looked up from their game of Wizard's Chess.
"What happened to Hermione?" Ron whispered staring at the girl talking to his sister.
"She's obviously trying to get someone's attention," Harry murmured. He wondered if Ron would ever figure it out on his own. But apparently Hermione and Ginny had decided to give him a shove in the right direction.
"Whose?" Ron said so shocked he forgot to whisper.
"Well, not mine," Harry looked at his friend. Then at Dean Thomas who had been watching their game, "Any idea's Dean?"
"Well, I would say, someone in our year," Dean smiled; he had figured out their fourth year that Hermione liked Ron. "He's in this house, and it's not Neville or Seamus. And she knows I like Ginny."
"What are you guys saying?" Ron still hadn't taken his eyes off Hermione.
"Hi guys," Ginny waved and smiled when she realized they were all staring at Hermione.
"Hi," Harry and Dean both said quickly.
"Like the new look," Dean told Hermione.
"We all do," Harry prompted Ron, "Are you going to wear that to the Halloween Party. Mcgonagall said muggle clothes would be acceptable."
"I don't know," Hermione said quietly, "I'm not sure it's me."
"Ron what do you think?" Ginny asked nudging her brother, who was still staring dumbly.
"I.you look.Hermione your."
"I think he's trying to say he likes it." Harry said.
"Yeah, I."
"Why don't we go up to bed Hermione," Ginny said pulling Hermione toward the stairs. "Maybe by morning my brother will be able to form sentences."
After the two girls left, laughing. Harry and Dean turned their attention to Ron. How Ron could not realize that Hermione wanted him to ask her to the party was beyond them. She so obviously liked him, had for years.
"Are you going to ask her to the party Ron?" Dean asked.
"What? I..." Ron stuttered, "She doesn't want."
"Yes she does!" Both Dean and Harry shouted.
"Well, I.I'm going to bed." Ron said, stood and headed to the stairs.
"That went well." Dean muttered as he helped Harry clean up the forgotten board game.
**********
"What are talking about?" Snape snapped at Willow. He could not understand how anyone could find themselves off topic as often as she did.
"Hermione's make-over," Willow smiled, she had taken a few steps back since he didn't seem to plan on stopping his forward movement, and was now leaning against the wall, "She looks great doesn't she?"
"Miss Rosenberg." Snape turned to glance back at the now missing girls, "Where did they go?"
"They left. Back to the dormitory I would guess," Willow shrugged. She looked at the clothes still in her hand, "I have to take these to them. Then we can continue arguing if you'd like. Cause I can't go back to my room yet. Charlie's there and I'm guessing Fred would like me to not hurry back."
Snape followed quietly behind her. This girl could annoy him faster than anyone he'd ever known. Yet, he still found himself drawn to her. He was only up here tonight to find her. Voldemort wanted to see him. He wasn't calling all the Death Eaters that he could've avoided. Voldemort liked having a Death Eater at Hogwarts and was usually willing to excuse his absence so he wouldn't be detected. But this time it was a personal summons. He was to meet Voldemort tomorrow evening.
He stood outside the portrait while Willow went into Gryffindor Tower and delivered the clothing she was carrying to the students. He still didn't know why exactly she was giving it to them. He was sure that at some point in her babbling she would mention it.
"I'm hungry," Willow said climbing out of the portrait hole and waving to the fat lady who smiled and waved back. "Let's go get something to eat."
"I need to speak to you."
"Speak, I'm not stopping you," Willow was already heading down the stairs toward the kitchens. "I sent a letter to Giles yesterday about the magical imprint spell. And I invited everyone for the week before holidays. It'll be so much fun. If Dumbledore can enter my mind and show me stuff, maybe I can talk to him. I don't know how to the vision thing but I don't really need to. I can talk to him ask him where he is."
"I doubt that will work," Snape replied. Nothing else she had said seemed to require an answer, "He will be blocking his mind."
"Why?"
"The Dark Lord is a very accomplished Leglimens," Snape followed her into the kitchens; "Dumbledore will be concentrating on keeping others out of his mind. As it is he's taking a great risk in trying to show you and Potter anything at all."
"Makes sense," Willow shrugged, "Maybe Giles will have an idea soon."
Willow picked up the tray of food the house elves had immediately made for her and headed back out the door.
"Are we going to my rooms?" Snape asked when she turned toward the dungeons.
"Don't mind do you? If we go to mine we might uh, interrupt something."
"That's fine."
"Great cause you know, remember how I said I needed to think?" Willow waited for him to nod, "Well I've thought and.I loved Tara always will, Kennedy in a way too. But I loved Oz. So maybe I'm not as gay as I thought. It's not like it's unheard of right. I'm attracted to whom I'm attracted to. But I'm not ready to jump into."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Snape asked slowly. If he didn't cut her off now he'd completely lose track of what she was saying.
"Well, if you think I'm saying the kissing thing is good, and should continue. Then yes," Willow smiled and waited for him to open his door, "But I'm so not ready for moving in or happily ever after yet."
He pushed the door closed as she followed him in. It was really to bad that the summons couldn't be ignored.
"How long do you think they'll be gone?" Charlie asked when the door closed behind Willow.
"Well, if Remus is alone I would don't think Faith'll be back tonight," Fred smiled, "At least that's her plan."
"And Willow?"
"How long does it take to get to Gryffindor Tower?"
"Not long," Charlie frowned.
"Well, if she runs into Snape then it could be a while." Fred found she was hoping that her friends would be gone for a while.
"I say we not waste any time then," Charlie pulled her across the couch to kiss her.
**********
Faith said good-bye to the other three girls as they approached the stairs leading to Remus Lupin's rooms. When she reached the portrait in front of his room she quickly gave the password and climbed through to his rooms.
She frowned when she entered the small sitting room and found it empty. It was still early; he couldn't be in bed already could he? Did he leave? She was sure it wasn't a full moon so he wouldn't have had to leave the castle.
His bedroom door was closed so she made her way quietly over to it. If he was asleep she would just leave. She didn't want to wake him. She pushed the door open slowly.
Remus had just walked out of his bathroom, towel around his waist when he heard someone enter his sitting room. Not that many people had the password. Just himself, Harry, Professor Mcgonagall, Snape, and Faith; which meant it had to be Harry or Faith. The others would have knocked first. Either way he needed to get dressed before he went out there to greet them. He pulled open his trunk and quickly pulled clothing. Not bothering with his robes.
"Hey," Faith said after watching him for several moments. No sense ruining the view before she had to.
"My god, make noise when you come in," Remus turned toward quickly to face her.
"Hi, sorry. Staying alive usually depends on me being quiet," Faith moved into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, "Don't get dressed on my account."
"Faith, I." He was still holding his pants in front of him.
"What don't want me?" Faith smiled, moving her eyes over him, "Cause I know that's a lie."
"I didn't say that. It's just." She had reached out and pulled him next to her on the bed and kissed him.
"It's just what?" She asked after pulling away.
"You don't believe in taking things slowly do you?"
"When you're told you'll be dead before you're twenty slow isn't much of a choice."
"That's another thing I'm old enough to be."
"Don't finish that thought, doesn't matter," She kissed him again, cutting off any other objections he may have had.
**********
Willow, Hermione and Ginny found it too awkward to all stay under the cloak and carry the clothes they had found for Hermione. So they had agreed since Willow had never seen or used the invisibility cloak before she would stay under it and follow then back to their dormitory. Just in case they ran into a teacher.
"Damn," Ginny muttered when she saw Peeves floating down the hallway randomly knocking statues off their pedestals. "He's going to attract every teacher in the castle.
"Not every one," Came the cold sneering voice from behind her, "Miss Weasley."
"Professor Snape we were just."
"Out after curfew," He smirked, "That'll be ten points from Gryffin.Miss Granger?" His eyes widen when he realized who Ginny's companion was.
Willow put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. She wasn't even sure what was funnier, the fact that Snape was so shocked by Hermione's appearance he forgot to be all snarl-y or that Hermione was quickly turning the color of her shirt.
Snape stared at the two girls. What had they been doing, and where had Hermione Granger found those clothes. He had seen the girl, many times over the last two summers at the Order's headquarters without her robes but never dressed like this.
"Yes Professor Snape?" Hermione couldn't believe he had found them. Off all the teachers that could have been patrolling the halls tonight.
"Yes, well I guess that would be twenty points from."
"Nope, sorry," Willow pulled the cloak off her head and draped it over her arm with the rest of the clothing.
"Excuse me?"
"You can't take points from them. They haven't done anything wrong."
"They are out after curfew, Professor Rosenberg." Snape snapped.
"With a teacher, that must be allowed."
"Well, Miss Granger looks," Snape began once again glaring at the two students before turning his attention fully toward Willow.
"Lovely doesn't she. The polite thing to do would be to tell her that," Willow smiled. She then looked over at the girls, ignoring the stuttering Potions Master, "See I told you it'll work. If you could get his attention then Ron should be no problem."
"Professor Rosenberg I don't think you should encourage the students to." Snape was now advancing on Willow, trying to back her against the wall.
"Change their look, that's silly." Willow smiled, "Everyone should change their look sometime. Maybe when the guys come to visit they could help with your look. Well, not Xander and Andrew but Angel's got good taste, if you don't mind black; which obviously you don't. Wes used be a bigger geek than me, but last time I saw him he, was all Marlboro man so he could probably. Oh, and Giles when he's not being all Watcher Tweedy guy had great taste."
Hermione and Ginny watched quietly, eye's darting back and fourth between the two professors. Both seemed very focused on each other and not paying them any attention. Even Peeves had stopped making noise and was watching the argument.
"We should go before Snape realizes he didn't take the points," Ginny whispered.
Hermione quickly agreed, no sense waiting to see if he would remember to take them. They quickly turned and headed continued toward Gryffindor Tower, followed by Peeves.
"Go away Peeves," Hermione whispered, "You almost got us caught once tonight."
"Snape isn't going to bother you anymore tonight. He'll be to preoccupied with the pretty new teacher."
"What?" Hermione and Ginny both stopped in front of the portrait to the tower and turned their attention to the poltergeist.
"Are you saying Snape likes Professor Rosenberg?" Ginny asked.
"She got him to go to Hogsmeade didn't she?" Peeves asked, "He hasn't gone into town since he was a student."
"But Professor Rosenberg couldn't.I mean. He's.Snape." Hermione was stuttering. The whole idea seemed wrong to her.
"I'm not going to wait all night for the password girls," The fat lady in the portrait said impatiently. "You should have been back an hour ago."
Hermione and Ginny pulled their attention away from the information Peeves had given them and quickly gave the password and made their way to the common room. They were still whispering to each other about the possible truth to what Peeves had said when they entered the common room, neither noticing Ron and Harry who both looked up from their game of Wizard's Chess.
"What happened to Hermione?" Ron whispered staring at the girl talking to his sister.
"She's obviously trying to get someone's attention," Harry murmured. He wondered if Ron would ever figure it out on his own. But apparently Hermione and Ginny had decided to give him a shove in the right direction.
"Whose?" Ron said so shocked he forgot to whisper.
"Well, not mine," Harry looked at his friend. Then at Dean Thomas who had been watching their game, "Any idea's Dean?"
"Well, I would say, someone in our year," Dean smiled; he had figured out their fourth year that Hermione liked Ron. "He's in this house, and it's not Neville or Seamus. And she knows I like Ginny."
"What are you guys saying?" Ron still hadn't taken his eyes off Hermione.
"Hi guys," Ginny waved and smiled when she realized they were all staring at Hermione.
"Hi," Harry and Dean both said quickly.
"Like the new look," Dean told Hermione.
"We all do," Harry prompted Ron, "Are you going to wear that to the Halloween Party. Mcgonagall said muggle clothes would be acceptable."
"I don't know," Hermione said quietly, "I'm not sure it's me."
"Ron what do you think?" Ginny asked nudging her brother, who was still staring dumbly.
"I.you look.Hermione your."
"I think he's trying to say he likes it." Harry said.
"Yeah, I."
"Why don't we go up to bed Hermione," Ginny said pulling Hermione toward the stairs. "Maybe by morning my brother will be able to form sentences."
After the two girls left, laughing. Harry and Dean turned their attention to Ron. How Ron could not realize that Hermione wanted him to ask her to the party was beyond them. She so obviously liked him, had for years.
"Are you going to ask her to the party Ron?" Dean asked.
"What? I..." Ron stuttered, "She doesn't want."
"Yes she does!" Both Dean and Harry shouted.
"Well, I.I'm going to bed." Ron said, stood and headed to the stairs.
"That went well." Dean muttered as he helped Harry clean up the forgotten board game.
**********
"What are talking about?" Snape snapped at Willow. He could not understand how anyone could find themselves off topic as often as she did.
"Hermione's make-over," Willow smiled, she had taken a few steps back since he didn't seem to plan on stopping his forward movement, and was now leaning against the wall, "She looks great doesn't she?"
"Miss Rosenberg." Snape turned to glance back at the now missing girls, "Where did they go?"
"They left. Back to the dormitory I would guess," Willow shrugged. She looked at the clothes still in her hand, "I have to take these to them. Then we can continue arguing if you'd like. Cause I can't go back to my room yet. Charlie's there and I'm guessing Fred would like me to not hurry back."
Snape followed quietly behind her. This girl could annoy him faster than anyone he'd ever known. Yet, he still found himself drawn to her. He was only up here tonight to find her. Voldemort wanted to see him. He wasn't calling all the Death Eaters that he could've avoided. Voldemort liked having a Death Eater at Hogwarts and was usually willing to excuse his absence so he wouldn't be detected. But this time it was a personal summons. He was to meet Voldemort tomorrow evening.
He stood outside the portrait while Willow went into Gryffindor Tower and delivered the clothing she was carrying to the students. He still didn't know why exactly she was giving it to them. He was sure that at some point in her babbling she would mention it.
"I'm hungry," Willow said climbing out of the portrait hole and waving to the fat lady who smiled and waved back. "Let's go get something to eat."
"I need to speak to you."
"Speak, I'm not stopping you," Willow was already heading down the stairs toward the kitchens. "I sent a letter to Giles yesterday about the magical imprint spell. And I invited everyone for the week before holidays. It'll be so much fun. If Dumbledore can enter my mind and show me stuff, maybe I can talk to him. I don't know how to the vision thing but I don't really need to. I can talk to him ask him where he is."
"I doubt that will work," Snape replied. Nothing else she had said seemed to require an answer, "He will be blocking his mind."
"Why?"
"The Dark Lord is a very accomplished Leglimens," Snape followed her into the kitchens; "Dumbledore will be concentrating on keeping others out of his mind. As it is he's taking a great risk in trying to show you and Potter anything at all."
"Makes sense," Willow shrugged, "Maybe Giles will have an idea soon."
Willow picked up the tray of food the house elves had immediately made for her and headed back out the door.
"Are we going to my rooms?" Snape asked when she turned toward the dungeons.
"Don't mind do you? If we go to mine we might uh, interrupt something."
"That's fine."
"Great cause you know, remember how I said I needed to think?" Willow waited for him to nod, "Well I've thought and.I loved Tara always will, Kennedy in a way too. But I loved Oz. So maybe I'm not as gay as I thought. It's not like it's unheard of right. I'm attracted to whom I'm attracted to. But I'm not ready to jump into."
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Snape asked slowly. If he didn't cut her off now he'd completely lose track of what she was saying.
"Well, if you think I'm saying the kissing thing is good, and should continue. Then yes," Willow smiled and waited for him to open his door, "But I'm so not ready for moving in or happily ever after yet."
He pushed the door closed as she followed him in. It was really to bad that the summons couldn't be ignored.