The next day Hermione could think of nothing else but Snape and what he had said. She couldn't believe he had even said it when she heard it. It had scared her, not to mention had warned her of the fact that he was needy. She had heard it in his voice, along with slight anger. Sighing, she got up from her desk. She had ignored him the whole class period. But now she had a feeling that they were going to clash again.

Opening the supply cabinet, she growled. Not again, she thought. Once again what she needed was gone from the cabinet. Why was this happening? It was like someone was planning all of the encounters and moments. As if they were messing with fate and time. And it was starting to try her nerves. Mumbling, she turned to look at Snape, who had his back turned. The key was lying on his desk. She knew that she would only get herself in trouble. But looking at him as he stood over Malfoy made him seem so powerful. Hermione shook the thought from her head.

"Professor." Snape almost sighed. He had hoped that she wouldn't look at him, let along speak to him. But it looked like his hopes were crushed since she obviously needed something. Turning around, he glared at her.

"What is it, Miss Granger?" Hermione noted that his response had been in a silky tone. Unlike his normal cold mocking one. It was similar to the one he had used the night he had found her in his office and the night he kissed her. Kissed, she thought. How she would love to kiss him again. Hermione gave herself a mental kick. Why was she even thinking of kissing him? Sure, it was nice, not to mention exciting, but she shouldn't be thinking about kissing him. He was, well... he was Snape, not to mention a teacher. But something told her that he was more. Pushing her thoughts aside, she glanced at the supply cabinet and then back to him.

"There seems to be more supplies missing, sir." Snape almost growled as he stalked past her into his office. He hadn't even looked at the cabinet to check. Once again, it seemed he would have to fish around for more supplies. Supplies going missing for the second time was not a good sign. Someone was stealing them and it was starting to piss him off. And it always seemed to be Hermione that found them.

"Come here, Miss Granger." He called from the office. Hermione walked into the office. Snape slammed the door shut behind her. Turning to face her, he growled. "Is this some half hearted attempt to get me alone again, Miss Granger? Or do you want to have another little talk? Or better yet another kiss?" Luckily, no one could hear through the door even if they wanted to. Snape had long ago put a spell on the door to keep prying students out of his business. And this business was something he didn't want them hearing. If they found out, rumors would be flying like bats around a cave before his next class started. And that was something he did not need right now.

Hermione couldn't believe him. He thought she wanted to be alone with him all along. What an ass. But she answered him either way. "No sir. I just needed more supplies and they weren't in the cabinet." Snape walked past her, throwing open his own cabinet. Pulling out several jars, he thrust them at her.

"Here. Now get back in there and get to work. If you need any more supplies today, get them from another student." Snape was pissed. No, he was more then pissed, she thought. He was furious. Hermione started for the door but Snape stopped her. He didn't know why he had done it. But something had compelled him to do so. Looking down into Hermione's eyes he noticed that she knew he was furious. Turning away he sat down, thinking. "It's time we end this charade, Miss Granger. I grow tired of finding my supplies missing. Now tell me. Is it you who is stealing them?"

Hermione stared at him from her place near the door. She was lost for words. He was accusing her of stealing his supplies. Not that she hadn't before. But recently she hadn't. She shook her head. "No, sir." Snape looked at her again. She looked rather tired standing there in the dim light. Only now could he see that she had dark circles under her eyes and that her skin was pale. It seemed that the dreams were taking their toll on her just as much as his were on him. Snape looked her up and down and then thought. He couldn't think of a single person who would do this to them.

"Miss Granger. Tell me. Have your dreams become more vivid?" In truth he knew it wasn't his business. None of it had been. But now that he knew she was dreaming about similar if not the same things he was, then he had to know. For his dreams were progressing further as each night passed. The more he dreamed, the more they unfolded and it worried him at times. Even more so since Hermione dreamed the same things. Looking at her face, he waited.

She nodded. "Yes. I was going to try a dreamless sleeping draft. But I don't have enough supplies for it. That's why I can't do it until I go to Hogsmeade and get more supplies."

Snape sighed and spoke softly. "Sadly, the draft doesn't work. I've tried it, along with many other things." Snape sat up straight just as soon as he had said it. Hermione stared at him, her mouth falling open at the shock of what he had said. Snape groaned, sliding back down into his chair. He had said the one thing he had wanted to keep from her. The fact that he had been dreaming of things similar to hers was not something she needed to know. But there was nothing to do now, except spill the beans. If he could.

Hermione shook her head. "Do you mean to tell me that you are having strange dreams as well?" In all the time after he had given her the book, she never thought that it could be true. She had wondered if it had been him controlling her dreams, but now she knew. It wasn't. It was someone else. But who? And now she knew that Snape was dreaming things as well. She wondered if his dreams were the same as hers. Being so lost in thought, she didn't even hear him speak. When he spoke the second time she jumped. "Wha..What?"

Snape growled. "I said yes." Hermione blinked and then nodded as if she had forgotten her question. Snape noticed that she seemed lost in thought again. This made him roll his eyes. Sure, he wasn't too happy about her knowing, but right now something else was troubling his mind. Her..the way she made him feel. It was driving him into a bigger mess then he wanted. Getting up, he walked over to his supply cabinet. Looking through it he realized that supplies had not only been taken from the classroom cabinet but from his own as well. "Someone has been sneaking around. Because it seems there are more missing supplies in here as well.."

His voice had pulled her from her thoughts again and she noticed that he seemed worried about something. What, she didn't know. Blinking, she walked over to where he stood. She looked in the cabinet. Some of the supplies that she had seen in it not long ago were gone, just as he said they were. Snape looked at her. His mind back on the potion, he spoke.

"Tell me. Have you read anymore about that potion?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. I learned some about what all can go wrong, what all it does, and what side effects there are if it is taken."

Snape thought for a moment. "Do you have the book with you now?"

Hermione shook her head again. "No. It's back in the library. I took it back a week ago since Madam Pince wouldn't quit owling me about it." Hermione rolled her eyes.

Snape growled. "Well, I have a feeling that someone in this school is making it. Because more supplies are missing now than ever before. Even when you took them to make the Polyjuice potion in your second year there weren't this many missing as now."

Hermione gasped. "You know about that?"

Snape laughed. "Yes, I do." He smirked. "How could I not? This is my office, is it not?" Hermione was surprised that he had laughed. A small blush spread across her checks. She wished that he would laugh again. It had been a deep, rich laugh. And it sounded as if he hadn't laughed in a long while. It sounded so right and so wonderful. What was she thinking? He was Snape. Snape never laughed. Ever. Well, expect for now. With a nod, she answered him.

"Yes," Snape noticed the slight blush that had spread across her checks. It reminded him of... He stopped the train of thought the moment it ran through his mind. The last thing he wanted now was to remember that damned dream, he thought. It was intoxicating. It was too perfect. Too...well, too sexual.

Snape shook his head slightly, returning to the potion. "Tell me. What all did you learn about the potion?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Well, it's know as the Double Draft of Dreams. It's used to control other people's dreams. But, well, it can only be used on two people at a time. It makes them dream..." She stopped talking, her cheeks burning crimson. Swallowing, she continued. "Well, it makes them dream about what or who they desire. And they both dream the same. Except each sees it from a different angle." Hermione was blushing more then ever now. "Um, Professor. If you are dreaming strange dreams as well does that mean that..."

Snape nodded before she could finish her sentence. "Yes. We are sharing the same dreams, Hermione." He hadn't meant to say her name. But something, he didn't know what, compelled him to do so. As if he wanted to continue to call her that. Instead of 'Miss Granger' like always. Her given name, Hermione thought. He had never called her that and as she recalled it, it sounded right coming from him. Snape cleared his throat. "Please continue."

Hermione nodded. "Well..umm." Hermione couldn't seem to remember anything else. The realization of them sharing the same dreams had her shocked beyond belief. Snape seemed to notice this. He knew it probably came as a huge shock to her knowing that a teacher, especially one like him, could desire something so human as passion and pleasure. But, in truth, he had always enjoyed such acts. Though he had not committed them in a while, he still remembered always enjoying them.

Snape sighed, pushing his past and needs aside. "Come with me. We are going to the Library. We need to know more about this potion. Because I don't think either of us can go on like this much longer." Hermione nodded, feeling the same. Snape walked to the door, throwing it open. Hermione stood behind him, waiting. He glared at the class. "Miss Granger and I will return in a few moments. Class is dismissed. If you leave and take something that is mine or break something on your way out there will be hell to pay." With this, Snape stalked out the door, followed by Hermione.

Snape walked fast down the corridor towards the stairs. Hermione had to almost jog to keep up with him.

"Pro..Professor. Why are you in such a rush?" She was breathing heavily as they climbed the stairs to the main floor. Snape didn't answer. He kept walking. One reason he was walking so fast was that he didn't like leaving his classroom unlocked and unwatched if students should show up for their next class. The other was because he wanted, no, needed to know more about the potion and its effects. Snape walked towards the stairs as Hermione caught up with him. "Please, Professor, slow down." Snape growled but slowed his pace slightly so that she didn't have to jog to keep up with him.

As they walked up the stairs, Snape's thoughts ran through his head. He didn't know what to think about. He wanted to think about too much at once. One, about the girl walking beside him. Two, about the potion and what he might find in the book. And three, about his dream. His mind finally settled on his dream and he couldn't help but ask.

"Miss Granger. Would you mind telling me how far your dream as progressed?" Hermione was blushing as he glanced at her. She kept her head slightly bowed and she wouldn't meet his eyes. But she did answer nonetheless.

"Well. Um. They've become more detailed and, well, sexual." Her dreams were one thing she didn't want to talk about. They had started getting closer to the thing that the man spoke of. The thing he coaxed her towards. And she even slightly wanted it. But she still fought him, there in her dreams. And she knew it was the only thing stopping her from dreaming of what she had wanted to do for so long.

Snape stopped just outside the library door. "I can see you don't want to talk about this. But either way, you may have to in the end."

Hermione looked up at him. "And will you tell me yours?"

Snape shook his head. "No. Even if we dream the same dreams. There are too many different things. Let us hope that we can stop this madness before it gets too out of hand." Snape pushed open the door, walking into the library. Hermione followed him and the door closed behind them.