A/N: Okay, interesting situation for Hermione and Severus. What will happen next? (Oh, and don't forget Malfoy's promise to Ron, i.e. Chapter 9) You all wonder where I get all these ideas???? I dunno, I personally thought this fic would rot for eternity after the first chapter…Well, now I'm happy all you ragamuffins decided to read my lovely story!

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Chapter 12: No More Secrets

"Ron, we have got to find out what the hell is going on," Harry said determinedly.

"Right behind you, there, ole pal," replied on with enthusiasm.

"Now, I have a funny feeling it has to do with Snape."

"With that greasy git? How can you be sure?"

"Well, she really only acts weird around him and in his class. I've watched her carefully ever since this summer at Grimmauld Place."

"You mean it started that early??"

"Honestly Ron, you are so unobservant and oblivious."

"Hey! I resent that!" They were now walking down the corridor to their next class, coincidently, Advanced Potions. As they took seats next to each other in the second row, Hermione took her now usual place in front of the classroom, a row in front of them. They continued to converse in hushed voices so Hermione would not hear.

"Okay. We need to think of a plan to unearth her secret. So how do you suggest we do it, Harry?"

"Trying to get her to admit whatever it is hasn't worked. So, we could follow her and see where she goes on her strange night strolls."

"Yeah, sometimes she uses your Invisibility Cloak. I've seen her sneak into the common room carrying it and put it on once she gets outside."

"Well, here's what we'll do. Tonight, I'll hide my Invisibility Cloak where she can't find, so she'll go without it. Then, we'll take the cloak and follow her until we figure out what's going on."

"Brilliant idea! So when should we-" Ron was cut off when Snape entered the classroom and slammed the door with a bang.

"You will be continuing your potion from the previous few days. Further directions are on the board. Begin. I want no unnecessary talking." And with that, the class quietly began taking their potions and putting them back in their cauldrons to continue the brewing. Harry and Ron decided it would be safe if they did not talk very much, to not give Snape an opportunity to take off points or give detention.

Hermione, of course, was working alone, her potion the proper blood red color. Harry and Ron were a couple steps behind her, so their potion was not as red as Hermione's, but they were doing everything correctly. Harry wanted to be an Auror, so he had to pass this class. Ron also thought that career path would be "awesome" so he was concentrating just as much as Harry. Harry noticed Snape staring in his direction, but then realized it wasn't him, but Hermione he was gazing at. She looked up at Snape as well, their eyes locked and Harry could have sworn Hermione winked and Snape actually smiled! He was now inwardly glad they were going to follow Hermione that night.

Ron was watching them as well, and noticed Snape walked past Hermione and drop something in her lap. Her hand closed around it as Snape walked around the classroom to inspect potions. She then carefully looked at the thing, a note, under the table. Then she crumpled it into a little ball and put it in her pocket. Ron instinctively took out his wand, and from under the desk pointed it at Hermione's pocket. Accio Note! And it zoomed quietly from her pocket to Harry's hand under the desk.

"Good thinking, Ron," Harry whispered. They opened the paper and read: Meet me in the usual place tonight at midnight. I will be waiting for you. Yours truly, Severus.

"Well, now we know where she's going tonight."

"Mr. Weasley, why aren't you concentrating on your potion?" Snape drawled, making Harry and Ron both jump. Ron crammed the note in his robes.

"He's calculating the amount of multiple turns needed, 12 times a minute, because I'm not very good at mental math." Harry to save the day.

"I always knew your intelligence was lower than most," Snape said and walked back to his desk, as he passed running a finger through Hermione's hair.

"We have got to find out what 's going on," Harry breathed.

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Later that night, at approximately a quarter till midnight, Hermione slipped out of the portrait hole, cursing herself for not finding the cloak, and stole away silently down the corridor, unaware of her two best friends creeping along at a distance behind her under the invisibility cloak. As she walked along, she almost ran into Peeves, but thankfully he went down a different corridor. Harry and Ron treaded carefully as they watched Hermione come up to a door and draw out something out of her robes. It was a key of some sort, for she put it the keyhole and with a soft click, it opened and she went inside. Harry dived to put a hand in front of the door to keep it from locking them out.

"Nice save," breathed Ron.

"Thanks." And they began to go down the spiral dark steps, Hermione not to far in front of them.

Hermione had had a funny feeling she was being followed or watched, but it left her as she entered Snape's private chambers to find Severus waiting, as always, in his favorite armchair, reading.

"I'm glad you could make it, Hermione," Severus greeted her, his voice husky. Harry and Ron looked at each other in surprise as they placed themselves behind a couch under the cloak to watch.

"Oh, Severus, I wouldn't miss it for the world," Hermione answered, giving Snape a hug that if Filch saw, he'd go crazy.

"What the hell?" Ron hissed.

"Shhh!" Harry elbowed Ron in the side. Snape had placed his hands around waist, and then he suddenly leaned forward and brought Hermione into a deep kiss, tongue and all. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and Snape's hands went further down…

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER!!" Harry had seen enough without puking. He and Ron threw off the cloak and rushed at Hermione and Snape. Harry grabbed Hermione around the waist and yanked her away while Ron tackled Snape, pinning him to the ground. Hermione's face was stark white, and then it turned bright red in fury.

"HARRY, RON, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" She yelled, trying to wrench herself from Harry's strong grip.

"Oh, nothing, Hermione. We'd like to why you're KISSING THIS HEARTLESS DISGUSTING PRAT!" Ron roared. "OR PERHAPS HE'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHY HE'S MOLESTING YOU!" Ron was very red in his ears, a signal that he was either very angry.

"Harry, please, try to understand. Get Ron off Severus!" Hermione hissed, not trying to hold her temper.

"Mione, why are you calling him Severus?" Harry asked warily, still holding Hermione.

"Because that's his proper first name!" Hermione answered, still struggling fretfully under Harry's strong arms.

"Ronald Weasley, get off of me or you will be expelled!" grunted Snape, and Ron got off of him, still furious.

"Since when have you been on first name terms, Severus?" Ron spat, not bothering to respect the meanest teacher at Hogwarts.

"For quite some time, Weasley, if you bothered to notice," replied.

"Severus, please, they need to hear it from me," Hermione cautioned Snape, who shrugged his shoulders and picked up his book again, still glaring with even more hatred (if that was possible) at Harry and Ron.

"Ron, Harry, can I trust you to calm down and listen rationally to what I have to say?" Hermione said quietly, looking at their reddened faces.

"I guess so," Harry said reluctantly.

"Ron?" Ron did not say anything; he only nodded his head solemnly. Harry let go of Hermione.

"Alright. Ron, Harry, for the past month or so Severus and I have been in a relationship." The silence that followed made it possible to hear a pin drop, and Harry and Ron stared openmouthed at their best friend and hated professor, mouths working, but no words coming out.

"We had feelings for each other possibly since summer at the Grimmauld Place, but did not really voice them until later when school started. We knew that it was dangerous, but we could not hide our true feelings for long once I had given her two weeks of detention for no reason except that I wanted to have an excuse to spend time with her. Yes, we have kissed, as any couple would, and we have gone to bed once, so our relationship is quite serious in nature," Snape explained, putting an arm around Hermione, another smile that Ron and Harry had never seen before playing over his lips.

"So," Ron said carefully, and all waited for a blow-up, " you mean to tell us that you've been kissing, sleeping together, and all this other shit for at least a month?" When he got no answer, he continued. "We did not know about this for ELEVEN GODDAMN CHAPTERS!?!?" He turned to the computer screen to peer at the cross-eyed fanfic reader on the other side. "DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS THE ENTIRE TIME? Stop, don't say a word. I don't even want to know."

"It's true, Ron. You have to accept it, please," Hermione said, looking earnestly at both of them. Harry shrugged; this was all too much.

"I'm happy for you, Hermione. And, um, for you too, Professor," he added hastily.

"Ron?" Ron had said nothing, only staring blankly ahead at both of them, clearly not believing or wanting to. He walked over, took the invisibility cloak, took Hermione's hand, and started dragging her toward the staircase.

"Harry, come on. Let's get out of here, help me with Hermione," and Harry reluctantly followed, and Ron through the cloak over all three of them and they began to lead Hermione away.

"Wait, you guys, let go of me! LET GO!" Hermione yelled.

"Hermione, shut up. Please," Harry said apologetically.

"Severus…" Hermione looked back at the professor that she had come to love, he blew her a kiss, and she could have sworn she saw a single tear grace his cheek as her friends dragged her up the stairs back to the Gryffindor Tower.

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A/N: The silence that followed was so tense and foreboding it could be cut with a knife…

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Professor Trelawney had found another note tucked under her crystal ball that night. Curious, she opened the silk red ribbon that was tied around it and unfolded the letter and read:

To my dear Professor Trelawney,

I have not seen you for but a day, but it seems like eternity. I wanted to further confess my undying love to you in the only way I know how, through this letter and this red rose (Sybil eyes traveled over the red rose resting next to the crystal ball) as a token of my affection. I must know what your true feelings are for me, but then that would betray who I am. I am watching you always, admiring your beautiful perfumed hair, your dreamy captivating eyes, and your graceful body as you sweep around the tower. It is enough to make me want you, so desperately, that it is an ache in my chest and body that cannot be satisfied unless you answer my letters. Please discover unanimously who I am and leave me a note telling where I should meet you, my dear, sweet love, Sybil.

My undying love to you always,

Your Secret Admirer

P.S. I am a sixth year. P.S.S. I am a sexy sixth year.

Trelawney's hands trembled as she closed the letter before clutching it to her breasts, sighing. Who was it? This was the third letter she had received in the past week. The first gave her a clue that he was a student. The second told her he was in Slytherin. And this third told he was a sixth year, a sexy one at that. That narrowed the possible secret admirers considerably. (Cough cough, just like Malfoy promised to Ron, the love notes are coming!) She just had to examine all the sixth year Slytherins in her next Divination class to find out who it was.