A/N: More than 100 reviews! falls over in her seat and looks at computer screen to see if there is some mistake Well, I better start improving. Thank you so much everyone! That's really made my day, no my week, or even my month! Well actually I think the Titan landing might have beaten that, but hey.
Anyway before I wattle on too much it's that time again, (I'm sorry guys but I'm limiting comments to people who write more than 'update soon' or whatever, sure thanks but I've run out of inspirational replies!)
Random person with no name: thanks, I have a funny feeling I know you. Name might be helpful!
Mysticalfairy-05: sorry I think this is going to annoy you!
Natsuyori: you better get your dogs out again!

One Step Closer

"Severus?" she whispered, and then again more urgently, "Severus?"

His face was gone. She looked worriedly at the opposite face; a small silver hand was pointing to a symbol that looked like a skull. She gasped and then shook herself, he couldn't be dead, that was a grave symbol she knew that. But a skull, this must mean something like danger.

She sighed, "Severus, thank you so much, I just put all my books away so you could tell me something and now you're in danger, thanks a lot."

She couldn't think of anything she could do, she didn't know where he was or what had happened to him. She picked up her bag and headed for Dumbledore's office. When she got there Hagrid was just about to enter, he smiled at her, "what yeh doin' up 'ere Hermione?"

"I need to speak to Professor Dumbledore, is he here?"

"Sure he is, I just goin' up meself, dunno if you can come though."

"He'll let me Hagrid, once I've told him." Hagrid smiled again and let her come in front of him,

"So what yeh goin' to see him about then?" Hagrid squeezed himself into the narrow stairway.

"Oh nothing really," Hermione looked away,

"I see," Hagrid started whistling to himself. Soon they reached the door at the top, Hermione stood back from the door whilst Hagrid knocked. He knocked once and the whole door shook.

"Hagrid! Come in." Dumbledore's voice called out hurriedly before Hagrid was able to break the door,

"Hello Professor Dumbledore, Sir. I've come to see yeh 'bout what we discussed earlier, yeh know?"

"Yes, of course, come in," Hermione sneezed loudly, echoing around the stairwell. "Good morning Miss Granger, that's two of you in one morning, I am getting popular. Would you like to wait outside?"

Hermione nodded and shut the door behind Hagrid; she slouched against the wall and looked at the watch again. Still the hand was fixed on the skull. Half-an-hour later Hagrid came out looking disgruntled, he said goodbye to Hermione and went back down the stairs. Hermione walked into Dumbledore's office, squeezing her stomach in to try and stop it from rumbling. But almost as if he had guessed there was a platter of sandwiches on his desk.

"All this talking has made me very hungry and I expect you haven't had lunch yet Miss Granger. Ham sandwich?" he held one out she accepted it trying to stop herself from giggling; she knew this wasn't the time. "So I don't think you've just come to see me because of my delicious sandwiches, what is it?"

She gulped and began, "Professor Dumbledore I think that Sev…Professor Snape is in danger."

"Why should you think this? You have not spoken to him since the day you left the house."

"Yes, well, you see, for Christmas I got us these watches, with two-way mirrors," she held hers out, it seemed to do all the explaining she needed, Dumbledore's eyes glazed over a little and his face looked dreamy for a second as if he was remembering some sweet pleasure he had had like this, but then it was gone.

"These have the faces on the inside that tell you about the other wearer, am I right?"

"Yes," she unlatched it; Dumbledore peered down at the face over his half-moon glasses.

"The skull; grave peril," he said as if reciting from a well-read book. He looked puzzled, "I was sure they were safe there,"

"There is one other thing, Professor, he was just saying to me that he knew something even you didn't know yet, he was about to tell me and then he disappeared." Hermione looked at Dumbledore, "what do you think has happened to him?"

"I can't understand how he could come into danger in the house, I am the Secret Keeper, and people can only come and go by my permission. The only thing I can think of is that he is not in the house." Hermione looked at her feet, "Miss Granger?"

"He was so fed up, he kept telling me, he said he wanted to get out, he felt like a wild animal in a zoo." Hermione said,

"But surely he knew it was for his own good?"

"Did he?"

"Hermione, do you have any idea where he might be?"

"No, but if he's in danger that must mean they've got him."

Dumbledore pressed the tips of his fingers together and stared blankly across the room, she could tell he was concentrating very hard. "Miss Granger, you are not to breathe a word of this to anyone, two people close to Harry gone, this is already too many. I must alert the Order, we must launch an investigation. We will do everything we can, but you must understand; this is Lord Voldemort returned, he is greater and more cunning this time. This is no playground bully. Please don't worry yourself or anyone else; if you are needed I will call for you. But for now, continue to work hard, school is the most important thing for you right now."

"That's what Severus said, but does no one understand how difficult it is to concentrate if all of this is going on?" she asked angrily,

"We can't simply ask Voldemort to take a break whilst you do your homework, and be grateful you have less to carry than many of us, Harry for example."

She stopped her planned retort, and looked at the ground, "sorry Professor, I'd better go."

She opened the door and descended the stairs, she went straight back to the library and did her homework quickly. Dumbledore's sandwich proved to be wholesome enough to fill her appetite until dinner time when she finally came out of the library. She put her bag back in her dormitory and met Harry and Ron in the common room.

"Hello, how was Quidditch?"

"Wet," muttered Ron, as he towelled his hair,

"I think swimming is a more appropriate word," said Harry gloomily, Hermione peered out one of the slit windows onto the grey world around them.

"Oh well, let's hope there's something nice for dinner."

A few minutes later they were in the Great Hall tucking into shepherd's pie, the sky above them darkening and every now and again emitting lightning that made some of the younger students squeal. They walked back to the common room in silence, hearing nothing but the roar of thunder outside from the ever worsening storm. They bade each other goodnight and Hermione went up the stairs to her dormitory. She changed into her nightgown and sat shivering on her bed with the curtains drawn; she crawled inside the covers and was just about to go to sleep when she heard a voice whispering her name softly. Immediately she looked at her watch, unlatching it she saw a luminous face in the dark staring at her. "Sorry I got a bit held up."

A/N: Possibly the most evil thing to happen yet has already started. But what? This is so evil that I'm actually wondering whether to do it or not. But believe me it'll make a great story line. Ouch! Anyway, hope you liked that, sorry you still don't know what he wanted to tell her and you've got another cliff hanger. But you know. Reviews always welcome!