A/N: Thanks for the reviews and this is a big chapter! Happy new year! For everyone who wants to know... I went to vacation in Australia and spent Christmas on the beach. It's normal weather over there. I felt inspired so one day while my parents and brother were on the beach, I spent 14hours sitting on a different beach with a laptop I had borrowed and a floppy with my stories. I did my time, but unfortunately... I left the floppy there. My family in australia is visiting in about a months time so I will post everything then. I worked on this story seperately so I still have it up. Here it is.

Disclaimer: For the last freaking time! I do not own harry Potter!!

To: Walt Disney for his great movies...

Breathing in Lightening

Chapter 6: Just Give Me A Sign

Hermione felt that she should not leave with a sour note with everyone so she decided to do everything in her best power to make up with everyone. She spent time with Lily, she studied with Remus, she apologized to Sirius. She became friends with them. Sirius was still a little sore, but she was as nice as possible. Before she knew it, it was almost time for Christmas break. With her not being able to spend time with family this Christmas, and Severus still angry she just wasn't up for anything.

Hermione found out that there was a winter ball to be he held that Friday so the seventh years had that day off in preparations. Anyone who wasn't completely oblivious would realize that Hermione was still not in a good mood. She turned her sadness to anger and snapped at anyone who came close. Between James trying to seduce her and Severus breaking her heart she was pissed. Surprisingly, she still got some invitations. She was about to just not go at all when she heard two Slytherins talking.

"You heard about Severus Snape? I'd like to ask him, but I'm afraid that I'm out of his league." She fumed as the girls kept walking.

"He is out of both of our leagues. Besides, he's going with Jamie Kale." She was so angry she could stomp their eye balls out.

"How about Lucius Malfoy? All of those Slytherins are so hott. Besides James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin, their the hottest guys."

"Lucius Malfoy is going with Narcissa Black. Sirius Black, her cousin, is going with some wench from Hufflepuff. Remus Lupin is going with someone from our house. I've tried asking James Potter. Most people tried asking James Potter. He won't go with anyone........" Their voices got distant as they left.

Hermione was on her way to the library when she was pulled over to the side of the hallway by James Potter.

"What do you want James?" She asked not really in the mood to deal with him right now.

"You." He whispered seductively as he kissed her. Hermione was just about to push him away when she saw Severus walking with Jamie Kale, a pretty Slytherin with the perfect body but not a brain.

Hermione decided to get a little pleasure getting even. She pushed James from one side of the hall to the middle to block their way, and to the other side of the hall. She was snogging James like there was no tomorrow. He grasped her butt and made his way under her robes.

"That's a yes. I'd love to go to the ball with you." She saw the angry look on Severus's face as he walked away.

"I didn't even ask you yet."

"You were going to weren't you, James? Good." She walked to the library with a glare at James.

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After the Yule Ball with Viktor, Hermione knew how to get ready for a ball. She had picked up a dress from Madam Malkin's, washed her hair with that magical shampoo that gave her straight hair, and she managed to finish her homework so her weekend was free.

She looked at the clock that hung on her wall. Because it was nearly seven, she decided to head to the Great Hall. Hermione's outfit was a black dress robe that hugged her every curve. She didn't give a damn about how she looked as long as it expressed her mood, and today was a very black day.

She found her partner through the crowd and tried her best not to scream at him. She only went with him to make Severus angry, but she only made herself feel worse.

The doors opened to a wonderfully decorated Great Hall. James and herself found a table with Remus, his date, Sirius, his date, Lily, and her date. Sirius immediately stood up, but James made him sit right back down. Remus shot her a hungry look before frowning at his own date.

Menus appeared, and Hermione ordered herself a simple meal of lamb chops and mashed potatoes. The food appeared in front of her. She began taking a bite as she looked for Severus. She found him at a table with Lucius, Damien, and their dates.

She heard conversations around her about just about anything and before she knew it, the tables were being pulled off to the side of the hall.

"As there is no Yule Ball this year we would like our seventh years and their partners to take the floor. We will miss you once you leave in spring." Headmaster Dippet announced in his wand.

James offered her his hand. She took it with reluctance, and the first song, a slow song, came on. He pressed himself on her and held her tightly. She didn't feel uncomfortable in his arms, as their bodies molded together perfectly, so she just let herself be led by Harry's father.

After a short while she felt herself relax in his arms and the dance floor filled as the other three years filled the floor.

"May I cut in?" She turned to see Lucius Malfoy standing there. James glared at Lucius but ultimately decided to leave the decision up to her. She stepped away from James and let herself be led by Lucius deeper into the crowd.

"So you don't want him to win the bet?" Hermione asked as she fastened one hand over his and the other to his back.

"I'm not surprised that you know about that. I'm not surprised her took the bet either considering he has been eyeing you for quite a while now. Black on the other hand is furious with him. Me, I'm taking the opportunity to get to know the other Black in the family." Lucius said, smirking at her.

"I've decided to show up James a bit. Now wouldn't it be funny if I snogged someone else while at the ball with him? We might be friends, but he is taking this bet a little far." Hermione whispered as they danced around the floor.

"Spectacular idea. Now I am hoping that you will help me win the bet." Lucius was quite handsome when he smiled. He didn't look the least bit menacing.

"You know that I do not approve of this bet. For a Slytherin you showed yourself out to be very blunt and vile." She lectured as another song came on, "So go ahead and beat that Gryffindor." She broke away from him, leaving him flabbergasted.

James was approaching her for another dance so she decided to get away from him. She went to Severus and asked him to dance politely. He curtly nodded before leading her to the dance floor.

"May I cut in?" James asked Hermione in hopes of trying to seduce her most likely.

"No." Severus barked at him. He needed a chance to talk to Hermione. The week was spent without talking to her, and it killed him. He had lived without this angel for six years, and now he couldn't live without her.

"I was not aware that that is your decision, Severus." James said looking over at me.

"No." She replied in the same tone as Severus. He left them alone, defeated.

"Hermione. I've spent the week without you and it has ripped me apart. I do not know why, but I know that I need you." He confessed, taking his hand from hers and putting his arms tightly around her waist.

"I didn't realize that I had been the one to doubt your feelings just as you had mine." Hermione replied, taking her hands and swinging them around his neck to his neat hair and messing with it.

"I do apologize. I seem to think that you know about me more then you are letting on. If you do, then know that I do not trust people very easily. Seeing you rupture my outer layer... It made me withdraw. I do not know why I am admitting any of this to you-" Hermione's heart skipped a beat as another song came on. He did care for her.

"Do you love me?" She asked him. Before he had a chance to answer, she dragged him outside completely unnoticed.

"Where are we going?" He asked, the question asked prior, temporarily forgotten.

She kept quiet, searching for the right hallway. Once she found it, she took the Quaffle out of the picture and threw it through a fifty foot high hoop. The portrait swung open to reveal a bedroom clad in blue with a balcony.

"Beautiful. How did you know about it?" He asked taking a seat to see the moon shining brightly in the sky.

"You are correct. I do know more than I let on." She simply replied, taking a seat on the swing next to him.

"Hermione... I love you." He kissed her thoroughly on the lips.

Before she had to think about an answer, her heart spoke, "I love you, Severus." She said before kissing him right back.

Hermione felt a twinge in her heart that told her she was finally happy. She could be happy in this situation. She could be happy with Snape. She loved him just as she had loved Blaise.

Hermione and Severus returned to their common room an hour or so later not caring about the ball. James Potter could shag himself sideways with his bet.

"Lucius Malfoy." She said as they returned to the common room. Narcissa Black was who he ended up marrying, and it was all because of that bet.

"What is it, Love?" He asked her. She shook her head and began laughing as if it was the funniest thing in the world. A bet had caused them to get together in the first place. A stupid bet. She wondered if Lucius had ever told her about the bet in the first place. Looks like James would be loosing. She had to tell Harry about this when Dumbledore found a way to go back.

As Severus held her, she thought about what would happen if they went back. She would return to be a student of her love. He wouldn't know it was her. He would be angry.

She shivered at the thought of having to go back to a cold potions master. He noticed and wrapped his arm around her tighter.

"So what are we?" He asked really genuinely wanting to know, but he had never quite cared about a girl that much. She could tell.

"In love." She replied, giving him another kiss. She knew what he wanted to know, but she wanted to torment him a bit. She was inexperienced in this... Erm... area but she knew how to work him.

"I love you and you love me. We are in love with each other. That should at least qualify for dating. Don't you agree?" She asked him, deciding to make this a tad bit easier for him.

"I agree. You are a devil, aren't you?" He teased her.

She wanted to say, 'I got it from a certain Potions Master I know, but she settled for "I am, aren't I?" instead.

"I wonder what Potter will say once he realizes you've left without it. That was the last slow song so I suppose people will be leaving soon." As if on cue people started entering the common room.

"You called it." She teased him as Lucius came in with Narcissa and headed for his room.

"Have the room. I'll take care of Sev and Damien." She said as Lucius nodded to her. He probably thought right about now that he was winning the bet, but he was winning a lot more. Hermione and Severus didn't miss the look of happiness the two of them had playing around in their eyes.

Damien came in, and he left before she could mention anything to him. It looked like a green-blue potion with little stars fluttering in it.

"Contraception potion." Severus said as if reading her mind. She couldn't help but laugh. So the only person that was left in the common room with her was Severus. There were only three seventh year Slytherin boys so that was it.

"Why not just use the charm?" She asked Severus. There was a potion, but the charm was 100% sure to work, too.

"He prefers the potion. He doesn't want to worry about forgetting to say the spell while in the middle of intercourse." Severus replied calmly. She squirmed a little while talking about this subject, but she handled it better than most people.

She remembered when Blaise brought it up the morning after. She kept trying to avoid the subject as much as possible. He had even laughed at her, saying it was her one thing that she was squeamish about.

"Come on. It looks like the only place for you is my room." He followed her to the middle of the hall. She said some spells to unlock the door.

"How about some more fun?" He asked her as he smirked that famous Snape smirk she had learned to love so much.

She tackled him onto her four poster. He flipped over so he was in control as he kissed her lips hungrily. She moaned his name loudly as he took off her dress robe. He kissed his way around her collar bone and started making his way down toward her breast.

With an expert flick of his hand on her back, her bra strap was opened. He swung the useless garment somewhere in her room. He kissed his way down to her nipple then grazed at it gently. She couldn't help but moan his name again. He caressed her wet breast with his mouth then blew at it causing it to peak in excitement. He finished giving the other the same treatment and went on.

She thrust up and shivered as his mouth reached her dark curls. One of his fingers traced their way around her pink lips. He penetrated with one, then added another. She moaned his name again as his lips replaced his fingers.

"Severus please... No more teasing." She said in between breaths as she pulled him up to her. She took her wand from her bedside stand, and with a spell he was undressed. She looked down at him, and smiled. He was... Wow...

He smirked at her. With one swift movement he was in. He began thrusting in and out for several minutes slowly before thinking it was time to burst. He quickened his pace considerably as she met his each time. He kissed her each time they met whispering to her.

"I love you." He whispered as she shattered in him. She continued meeting with him until he came himself. She milked his juices as much as she could. He whispered the contraception charm and collapsed on her.

"I love you." She whispered to him as she fell asleep in his arms.

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Hermione woke up to feel someone wrapping their arms around her. She saw Severus's gaze looking at her softly.

"Morning." He managed to choke out. After that session of lovemaking, they were both tired.

"Mmm." She mumbled, closing her eyes slowly then opening them again. She got up after a few minutes, deciding that it was time to greet the world.

He grabbed his wand and summoned some clothes from his own dormitory. They appeared a second later, and in a few short minutes he walk walking down hand in hand with Hermione.

They walked to breakfast, rather hungry. She was just about to go tell James he had lost the bet, and yes she knew about it. She was going to torment him for all times. Instead the was greeted with Dumbledore.

"Miss Granger. Come with me now please." She heard urgency in her voice and that panicked her a bit. Maybe he had found a way out.

"Remember that I love you." She whispered to Severus, wanting him to be sure of her feelings before she might leave.

"What? Where are you going?" He asked her, sensing that something was wrong.

"Please remember that I don't want to hurt you. I love you." She said almost in tears.

"Miss Granger. Now please." Dumbledore said putting a hand on her shoulder and giving her a nod.

"Please..." She pleaded as she walked with Dumbledore.

A/N: I'm evil aren't I... I'm so psyced about this next chapter. My head is exploding with ideas... The more reviews I get the more psyced I get about writing faster. So... Reviews=more faster...

SOMEONE EXPLAIN IN DETAIL ABOUT A BETA!!!!

Good Charlotte

Say Anything

Here I am on

The phone again, and

Awkward silence is

On the other end

I used to know the sound

Of a smile in your voice

But right now (right now)

All I feel (All I feel)

Is the pain of the fighting

Starting up again

All the things we talk about

You know they stay on my mind

On my mind

All the things we laugh about

They'll bring us through it every time

After time after time

Don't say a word

I know you feel the same

Just give me a sign

Say anything, say anything

Please don't walk away

I know you wanna stay

Just give me a sign

Say anything, say anything

Some say that

Time changes

Best friends can

Become strangers

But I don't want that

No, not for you

If you just stay with me, we can make it through

So Here we are again

The same old argument

And now I'm wonderin'

If things'll ever change, yeah

When will you laugh again?

Laugh like you did back when

We'd make noise til 3 AM and the neighbors would complain

All the things we talk about

You know they stay on my mind

On my mind

All the things we laugh about

They'll bring us through it every time

After time after time

Don't say a word

I know you feel the same

Just give me a sign

Say anything, say anything

Please don't walk away

I know you wanna stay

Just give me a sign

Say anything, say anything

I'm fallin'

I'm fallin'

I'm fallin' down

I'm fallin'

I'm fallin'

I'm fallin' down

Down

Down

Down

Don't say a word

I know you feel the same

Just give me a sign

Say anything, say anything

Please don't walk away

I know you wanna stay

If you'll just give me a sign

Say anything, say anything

Don't say a word (Please don't leave)

I know you feel the same

Just give me a sign

Say anything, say anything

Please don't walk away (Please don't leave)

I know you wanna stay

Just give me a sign

Say anything, say anything