A/N:

Mella deRanged - Being evil doesn't mean you don't care about anyone. I always thought she doted on Draco.

keebler-elmo - perhaps this latest chapter might be a clue to where he's headed.

Snidget n Co - Your wish is my command.

Tom Lovers, and Emma Leigh Warner, and tobykeithfan, and shdurrani, and piper17 - Thank You!

Sami Potter - Let the Snogging commence!

Isabella Grace - I never tire of you, Isabella!

Eric - Everything you wanted ... all in one chapter, Read on!

Starbeam13 - More surprises to come ... watch out!

Twisted Anjel - Hmmm ... we'll have to wait and see on that front.

American Mione - I see that a lot as well, so i wanted to use it a bit differently this time around. You'll see.

malpaltexas - finish? not for sometime, sorry.

Molly Morrison - There could be a 3rd and 4th option as well ... heh.

Sabrina - More Snogging!

Dreamsweeper - Malfoy's character is really very one-dimensional in the canon, I'm opening him up.

Oceanlight1 - The Ron/Luna Chapter will probably be 16 or 17 at the latest.

kris-tina - More Malfoy soon!

Chapter 15

"Oh Harry, we can't!" Hermione breathed heavily.

Harry tired to pull his hands away but found he couldn't or rather he really didn't want to. Hermione's mind and body were pulling at two different directions. She knew it was wrong, but her hand laid atop Harry's pushing them harder onto her body.

"You're right," Harry whispered in her right before he bit lightly on her tantalizing lobe underneath. "Dumbledore told me not to take advantage of having a private room, but I can't ... I can't get enough of you, Mione."

She held her breath and pushed him away, "Take off your robe."

He did so, tossing it on the chair as he watched her glazed eyes follow down his body.

"Okay," she said quietly, "But we go in your bedroom and close the door. I don't want anyone hearing."

He led the way and turned his head to see her place her own robe on top of his.

"I've never done this before, Harry."

"Um ... neither have I."

She approached him and ran her hands down either side of his chest ending at his belt. Slowly she pulled his shirttails out and began unfastening the buttons from the bottom. Harry could only meet her eyes and see the need and wonder that was pooling within.

His shirt billowed open and her soft hands returned to knead the firm developing muscles underneath.

It was Harry's turn now. He mirrored her every movement up until he reached the top button of her blouse, there he stopped, "Hermione, I love you, you know that?"

She nodded and smiled, "Mr. Potter you have a visitor."

"What?"

Her hand slid down to his belt pulling it loose, "I said you have a visitor."

Harry sat up and opened his eyes to darkness, "Bloody hell!"

He looked around for his glasses, still not used to sleeping in a bed different from his dormitory's, "Just a moment."

He found his glasses and his wand. "Torca Ignis!"

The room's torches ignited and he also found his night robe where he left it at the foot of his bed. Once he made his way to the study he had tied off the sash, "Come in."

Professor McGonagall opened the portrait and nodded, "Sorry to wake you, Potter, but we have a situation. Get dressed and come to the headmaster's office straight away."

He didn't try to pry an explanation from her. Harry knew from past experience that it was virtually impossible to get reasons from any of the teachers unless they wanted to part with it on their own. He dressed quickly in jeans and a dark pullover. He knew it was night and the halls would be overly cold so he threw one of Sirius' thick old winter cloak's around him.

He pushed the portrait open and made his way across the floor of the unusually quiet common room eyeing the entrance to the girl's dormitory while he snapped the clasps at the neck of the cloak.

"That's awful fetching on you."

Harry jumped at the sound of Hermione's voice and turned to see her standing at the portrait hole, "Hermione? What are you doing up? Did McGonagall come to get you too?"

She nodded her head, "Do you know what it's about?"

"No."

They made their way, hand in hand to the headmaster's office giving the gargoyle the password and watching as it hopped aside. When they reached the top of the rotating stairway they heard strong voice coming from the inner office.

"I tell you it's Potter's fault that all of this has happened, Headmaster. You, of all people, should know of the atrocities of the Dark Lord!"

A softer, more calming voice answered, "Indeed I should, Severus. And as being one who knows, I think it is in the best interests of this school and Mr. Potter that he continue his lesson plans as prescribed by Miss Granger."

A female voice that could only be Professor McGonagall spoke out next, "Really Severus, one would think you would have thicker skin with what you do for the Order."

His reply was immediate and scathing, "Possessing thick skin has nothing to do with showing the slightest bit of common sense, which apparently the two of you are entirely lacking. You do not stick your hand in the viper's den and route around for it's head. You wait for it to come out and then decapitate him before he has a chance to strike."

"An interesting metaphor you are using, Severus," said the headmaster. "However what are you to do if there is more than one exit to the viper's den. Wait for it to kill all of the prey in the area or perhaps encourage it with some sort of appetizing bait."

Hermione jumped at that and looked at Harry with frightened eyes. It wasn't until then that Harry realized that he was the bait to which Dumbledore was referring.

A moment passed where all was quiet and he took this as a good opportunity to knock on the door.

"Enter," came Dumbledore's low voice from within. "Ah, Harry, do come in and you as well, Hermione. Please have a seat."

They sat in the proffered armchairs and leaned forward at attention.

"Professor McGonagall said something happened, sir?"

"Indeed , Harry, indeed." He leaned forward interlacing his fingers, "It appears that Lord Voldemort has struck again and this time he has left a rather disturbing message behind. We were wondering if you would be adverse to lending a thought or two to the subject."

Harry blinked a few times, "Um ... okay."

"First," Dumbledore continued. "I would like to know if you have suffered any pains from your scar since last term."

Harry thought on it an was surprised to answer, "Erm, no."

"Nor any dreams that were out of the ordinary?" asked Dumbledore.

He thought of the very real dream that McGonagall had woken him up from only twenty minutes previous, "No ... no I haven't."

The headmaster seemed pleased and not. "We have need of information, and we think that you are the only one that might be able to help us in this regard." He paused in thought, "It is my belief that Voldemort's brief possession of you in the Ministry courtyard last term might have provided you a natural defense to his constant intrusions into your mind.

"As I said before, it was the power of your heart that drove him out and not so much your Occlumency training. That is why I would like Severus to seek a safe passage through your mind in order to find out what Lord Voldemort is doing tonight and possibly determine where his base of operations is held."

Harry stiffened and looked over at Snape. He watched as Snape's eyes drifted from the headmaster's to his own and narrowed with distaste.

Harry broke away and looked to his left at Hermione. She sat there and supported him, neither looking frightened or eager.

"Okay," he answered. "But why can't you do it instead."

"Harry, do you remember why I would not look you in the eyes last term and the feeling you experienced when I did?"

Harry nodded and understood. Before, when his mind was wide open and his eyes met Dumbledore's he would experience a dreadful feeling of being the large snake that had bitten Mr. Weasley, and thusly the need to strike out at the headmaster with hatred and vile.

"You may proceed, Severus."

Snape withdrew his wand and leaned forward.

Harry held his hand up to pause, "Professor, please sir, would you tell me what it was that happened."

Dumbledore looked over his half-moon spectacles, "In due time, Harry. In due time. Severus.

Snape leaned forward and Hermione took his left hand in hers to reassure him.

"Hypnos!"

Harry felt his eyes glazed over and a quiet calmness overcame his senses.

The next thing he new he was in a room that he had recognized from one time before.

"Did you deliver the message?"

The woman before him was kneeling with her head held low so the Harry couldn't see who she was.

"I did, Master. And I hid in the trees until he was found as were your instructions."

"Excellent. Who was it that recovered the body?"

Her head lifted slightly and Harry could see a patch of pale sickly looking skin from in between her hair.

"The half-breed, Hagrid, Master. He raised the alarm and the others came to witness."

"Well done, Bella."

Her head lift with a twisted smile and Harry recognized the face of Bellatrix Lestrange. Intense hated of the woman that killed his godfather, Sirius, flew in waves from him. He wanted nothing more than to destroy her and the person's mind he was watching from, for he knew at once it was Lord Voldemort.

His field of vision quirked and he watched as a hand came up. Laughter bubbled up from his chest as he turned to a mirror.

The red searing eyes of Voldemort returned his gaze, "Seen enough, Potter? He watched as Voldemort concentrated, "There's someone there with you I see, but who is it I wonder."

His hand closed into a fist, "Strong in Occlumency I see. No matter."

Harry watched the mirror as Lord Voldemort's hand disappeared into his robes and withdrew his wand. "Let this serve as a warning, Potter's friend. Crucio!"

Searing pain lashed through Harry's mind, his scar exploded with pain like none he had experienced before. His vision cleared somewhat and he saw Snape laying on the floor, spasm after spasm wracking his body, and screaming like he had never heard came from the potions master.

Harry's spoke involuntarily. "Do not tread into my thoughts again, amateur!"

"Harry, NO!"

"Expelliarmus!"

He felt the disarming spell hit his hand and the pain stopped, abruptly. The wild look left his eyes and he slumped down into the armchair breathing rapidly.

Professor McGonagall was kneeling at his feet, "Severus! Severus, are you hurt?"

He watched at the form of Severus Snape stopped convulsing, reduced to mad twitching. An odd feeling of satisfaction permeated Harry's mind for a moment and was swept instantly away with revulsion.