Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue, yada yada yada.

A/N: I have truly no excuses left. I have three WIP, and I try uploading them once a week. That makes me updating this almost once a month. Gad! This chapter is longggg. Enjoy! *mutters* But don't think it is going to become a habit or something...
I have to apologize for putting that remark last time saying that this is the last chapter. It is not. I am sort of desperate to get people to read my other story "The Tangling Dilemma". But hey, that worked! Some of you did go and reviewed! *big kiss*

Real-fan05: How on Earth did you get stitches in your lip? Don't laugh too much, that may burst.

Bullwinkle435: Thanks for reviewing my other story, I appreciated that very, very much!

ShinHee Tae: He still looks like a bastard, but is he?? Heh heh. Read to find out!

Teri: Of course it's not the last, but I need to get your attention somehow. Sorry for the typos, I have no beta and my chapters usually got out in a rush...

The-Rouge-Thorn: Of course Wayne's not as good as Sevvie, and don't worry, Hermione is stuck with Sevvie. Ha ha. *cackles*

Tabii: Thanks, and sorry for the late update!

Queen-Ditz: Ahh, it is not the last chapter, don't worry. I am just trying to get people over to review my other story... *ashamed* Sorreeee...

Brokenwhisper: Sorry for the long breaks! I really am trying my best...

Ezmerelda: Yeah, we are kinda stupid this way, blurting out truths when we are half-awake. If you liked the ending of last chappie, this ending will make you fly. Tee hee hee.

Thunder-Goddess-905: Glad you like the story, keep reading!

Absinthe Faerie: Aww, ff.net is so stupid. It's always overloading. Please be patient and keep on reading, though!

Louise Luvgood: Wayne's not a pervert, it is merely Sevvie's jealousy in work. Hehe, that's just cute of him. Btw, thanks for reviewing my other stories!

br*tney: Have you already read this? You haven't reviewed! *pouts* Lol. Keep reading from now on!

HunnySnowBunny: Am sorry for the typos. I wrote the last chapter in midnight and in a rush. Glad you like the story!

sapphire: Again, I apologize for saying that this will be the last chapter. I'm just trying to attract people's attention so that they'd review my other story.

evilbon32: Lol, so true! I should make a record of my best reviews and yours would certainly take up a chapter or two. Keep them coming! That heartless bastard comment... I borrowed it in this chapter. I have more fluff in this chapter for you, and hope you find as much fun in here as in the last chapter. Ps. Your friend's idea is a fabulous one, I'd like my friends to do that to me during my wedding! *takes note*

Raclswt: Dances, yes... that would come soon. Be patient!

Mione Malfoy: Here's more, keep reading!

Tearoses: Hi, welcome back! I missed you, did you miss my story? Hee hee, keep on reading!

Procyon Marie: I will try to read more to improve, thanks! I will read your story once I have time, I promise!

Noriko M. Chijinu: Yeah, I came up with that idea when I was on a bus bored to death and staring at that handle, thinking, Hmm, what would happen if I pull that? Hehe. Your friend's (almost) as sane as I am.

Colleen: Sorry for the late updates, herez more!

Man, it feels great to have so many reviews. My target for this chapter is 200... are 26 reviews too much to ask? *eyelashes battering* Anyway, I hope by the end of this chapter you can all go, "Aww, finally!".

----------

"The problem is, I don't know what happened after that," Hermione said, her voice muffled as she pulled her sleeping gown over her head.

"You mean you can't remember anything after he picked you up?" Lavender asked incredulously, yanking several robes out of her trunk and spreading them on the bed.

"Yeah. I mean, I do remember vaguely telling him I liked him..."

"Good gracious, you did that?! Hey, should I wear the black robe with a rose embroidered on the collar, or should I wear the plain one?"

"The plain one. I think I told him. Or did I kiss him?" Worries notable in her voice, Hermione started fumbling for her robes.

"Kissed him? You kissed him?!" Lavender nearly choked on the question. "Where?"

"On the cheeks, of course," Hermione replied exasperatedly.

At that moment, Ginny banged into the room. "Kiss? Who kissed?" The other two girls squealed and dived behind their respective beds.

"Ginny! Can't you knock before you come in?" Lavender chided from behind her bed.

Hermione nodded though she knew the other girls could not see her. "Yeah, we're changing!"

Ginny pouted and said, "Why can't I come in if you two are changing together? Or is it something that you two don't want me to know?"

"Oh, honestly Ginny," Hermione stood up, fully dressed. "We're not facing each other when we change. Now help me find my badge."

As they began to search for Hermione's badge, Lavender too finished dressing. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she cooed, "Of course we aren't hiding something from you, Ginny-baby. We're just talking about last night when Hermy came back in the arms of Snape."

Hermione blushed furiously as her friends laughed. Ginny's face was red from awe and excitement. "How'd she do that?"

"She sprained her ankle," Lavender started to fill Ginny in with the details. "And can you believe it? She can't remember whether she kissed him or told him she liked him, because she fell asleep."

"Whoa!" Ginny could hardly suppress her giggles. "Maybe she did both!"

"Oh shut up, you two," Hermione said irritably. "And my ankle isn't hurting anymore Ginny, thanks for asking." With that she began to limp towards the door. Ginny and Lavender snatched up their bags and hurried along.

----------

"I am sorry," Ginny apologized and offered to take Hermione's schoolbag. The three Griffindors were walking down the corridor leading to the Great Hall.

"Did you really kiss him?" asked Lavender, who was acting as a walking stick, supporting Hermione as she limped forward, grimacing.

"I don't know. Maybe it was just a dream," Hermione frowned as her bad ankle touched the ground, and clutched Lavender's arm a little tighter. The other girl did not protest.

"What if you really did?" Ginny wanted to know.

"That'd be a nightmare," Hermione said, trying to hop on her good leg. "I mean, it is one thing that he knew, it is another that I admitted it personally. I have been evading him since last week already, and if I did tell him, things would be really awkward."

"Either way, we will know it soon enough," Lavender said conclusively, noticing the increasing students around them as they approached the Hall. "If you really did any of that, it would show on his face."

"If you did this, he will probably be staring at you. If you did that, he will be sneering at you," Ginny tried imitating Lavender's riddle-style of talking.

The other two girls laughed and entered through the ceiling-to-floor door of the Great Hall. Hermione gave Ginny a friendly shove despite her ankle, and said, "he won't be in the Great Hall anyway."

Lavender stopped dead in her tracks. Hermione bumped into her.

"Uh, Hermy, I do think you did both."

----------

Severus glared at the three laughing Griffindors entering the Great Hall. Brown stopped without warning and Granger collided with her. She then looked up straight into his eyes, surprise evident in her own.

Who would not be surprised? He was not known to be a sociable person, and avoided meals in the Hall generally. But this morning when he got up, there was this urge to see her. Or rather, the urge to be disillusioned. After a night of twisting-and-turnings in bed, he was almost assured that what happened last night was merely one of his imaginations ran lose.

However, the incident was so real, it played in his head as in front of his eyes right now:

"Goodnight," she said groggily, and placed her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. She kissed him on the cheek. "I still like you."

He had heard it so clearly, and the spot on his face where her lips touched was still burning- surely an imagination could not feel so substantial?

He glared ceaselessly at the girl and noticed that she had not tended her ankle probably and was thus still limping. This sent another surge of anger through his veins. He took his mug and started to sip some coffee- he had heard that caffeine's quite powerful when it come to calming one's mind, and he definitely needed something to restrain him from storming over to the girl and pick her up to the infirmary.

"Ouch!" He yelped- the coffee was too hot. He clanked the mug back onto its saucer and swore under his breath while fumbling for his handkerchief.

"Here," he took the piece of tissue from Minerva. Her lips were twitching. "My, you're enjoying the beverage a little too much, aren't you?"

"Bloody coffee," he hissed at the mug of steaming drink.

Minerva's smile widened. "Oh, don't blame it. After all, it is me who poured more of it into your mug when you're... lost in your stupor."

"I am not lost!" He started heatedly, turning to face Minerva. "I am just, er-"

"Meditating something really interesting, I am sure," the witch said, not in an unkindly manner, her eyes glittering, resembling Albus.

Severus realized he must have sounded like a boy caught stealing sweets. "Just weary, that's all." He turned away, focusing on the donut in his plate. He did not feel like eating anything. In fact, he did not feel like doing anything today. And it's all her fault, he thought gloomily, glancing at the girl sitting there with her friends at the Griffindor table. Her hair was frizzy again and was, oddly, more comfortable to his eyes than it did when it was straight. She was not looking at him- once he thought she almost did, but turned out she was looking at Hagrid and gave him a smile- that killed him. It really did.

"You care about that girl," a statement shook him out of his sour thoughts. He turned to face the very annoying expression on Minerva.

"What girl?" He asked, averting her gaze.

"Don't play dumb with me, Severus," chastised Minerva mildly, like to a student who did not know any better. "I am talking about Miss Granger, of course."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied, still not meeting her cat-like searching scrutiny, and sipped some coffee, carefully this time. "In any case, I do not believe myself to sink so low as to take an interest in a Griffindor."

"Don't play dumb with me, Severus," Minerva repeated, imperceptibly losing her patience. "Your eyes have betrayed you. Is it really so difficult to admit that you care about someone?"

"I don't care about no one," he answered stubbornly. My eyes betraying me? He snorted, and began to think Minerva knew more about Granger and this whole thing than he would wanted her to. Was she behind all this? As a joke? He immediately recalled a round, silver badge. To cheat the House Cup, his mind concluded. Typical sneaky, hypocritical Griffindors.

"I care about you," Minerva said, touching his arm. "It is this easy. Why can't you say it?"

"Have you actually seen me caring about somebody, Minerva?"

"Yes, I believe I have," she said, taking in his straighter back and the sad look that fleeted across his eyes.

"Minerva, I don't care. Can't you get it? I don't care," he whispered so that the other staff could not eavesdrop. "Now, if you would please excuse me." He brushed her hand off and swept out of the Hall in his usual cloak-billowing way, fully aware of her eyes on his back.

----------

Hermione sighed and exited the dungeon following her classmates. They were laughing and chatting away, nothing perturbing their blissful lives. She sighed again and began to climb the stairs.

It was one of those days that not even a Cheering charm could have made her happy. She smiled and even giggled at the right time, she passed her lessons, she answered her teachers' questions correctly- everything was so normal. But under all the normality, there was something heavy nagging at the back of her mind. What was that something, she could not tell.

Since this morning seeing Severus there in the Hall having breakfast, her 'something's wrong' alarm had gone off like mad. Their eyes met for a brief moment when she entered the Hall, and her friends were sniggering and telling her how he was not looking at anything else but her. She shot him a lot of furtive glances- once he almost caught her but she steered her gaze to Hagrid hastily and smiled at him- and blushed when she knew that he was indeed staring at her openly.

But she was under no illusion- he had not given her so much as a quick glance during double Potions. She must have offended him last night. Was it something she said? Or had she really confessed? How she wanted to have a pensive at hand now, though no matter what was the reason, it was an iron fact that he was ignoring her.

Now we're even. Yeah, let's evade each other. She mused and swallowed the lump in her throat difficultly. Oh, tonight's detention's going to be great fun...

"Back to earth, Hermy," Lavender was waving a drumstick in front of her. She blinked.

"You okay?" Harry asked across the table. Hermione smiled at him, she knew that he was not very well himself today- he just earned another week of detention with Umbridge.

"Of course I am okay," she rolled her eyes, and was relieved when her friends laughed, unaware of her inner turmoil. Only Lavender kept her eyes on her, with the sort of determination that Hermione was so familiar with.

She knew it would not be that easy with Lavender. She never managed to scrape through.

"I am good," she announced, leaving the table.

"You've not touched anything yet, Hermione," Neville protested. She gave him a small smile and left.

----------

"Brilliant Hufflepuffs," he complained and inscribed a huge black cross over the whole essay. Putting down his quill, he touched his upper lip instinctively. Though it was not angrily red, it hurt enough. Was coffee erosive? His lip sure felt like it was slowly eaten away by some acid.

"Damn that Minerva-" a knock on the door interrupted what would have been his third grumpy tirade of the night.

"Come in," he acknowledged coldly, but tensed up like a deer hearing a twig snapped. Who was he fooling? He had been dreading for this moment. Picking up his quill again, he decided to focus on the essay in front of him. The black ink stung his eye.

Soft footsteps entered the dungeon, followed by a dull 'thud' as the door closed. He heard her unloading whatever reference books onto a desk. Unable to stop himself, he chanced a glance at her.

She was right there, so different from the girl last night who had straight hair, pink dress, cuddling in his arms-

STOP! He screamed at himself before that train of thought could go any further. Fortunately, she did not seem to notice the unusual film of perspiration developing on his forehead. In fact, she seemed to be taking a great interest in the meagre stones that lined the dungeon floor- she had been staring at them so long. Just when he started to relax, she suddenly looked up- her two swimming, innocent eyes not blinking- and made him feel like a deer again, freezing in the headlights.

And it all began to flood in, an emotion he was so unused to, a feeling so pure, so true...

"What happened to your lips?" She asked, shaking them both out of the moment. In a second she was next to him, her hand reaching out.

"What are you doing?" He snarled and shot up suddenly, a hand covering his mouth. "There's nothing wrong with my lips, and you would address me properly, Miss Granger. Ten-" Crap, he forgot that he could not take any points from her. The silver badge pinned so proudly on her robes twinkled in the trembling light, jeering.

"I- I am sorry, sir. I have not been myself lately," she apologized lowly, her startled look still attached. She was so shocked when he stood up she had jumped two steps backwards. Now, a considerable amount of space stood between them- the way it should be.

Not been herself lately! How ironic that sounds, he noted to himself dryly. Anyhow, he was grateful for the interruption. His Legilimency was really going out of control. But it was confirmed now. What she said last night was true...

"Sir? Sir?" She was calling, her eyes big with worry. He looked away.

"Get to work, Miss Granger," he snapped, sitting back down and determined not to pay her anymore attention.

----------

30th October

It never fails. One thing or another tends to happen on Halloween here at Hogwarts. But I believe this year will be the worst, as something's happening already, and it's not even Halloween yet. Oh, what should I do? I think I really did tell him I liked him last night! That's terrible, I can't believe I did something so stupid! Must be the champagne.

But, oh, what am I going to do? He didn't look at me all night, let alone communicating. His lips looked slightly swollen and I only noticed just now. What if I did kiss him last night? On the lips? And I almost touched him in detention! By Merlin's name, my life is officially over...

"I see that you're writing in your diary again," a voice said behind her ear. Hermione closed her diary shut hastily, and whirled to face Lavender, so quickly that she almost sprained her neck.

"You startled me!" She reproached. The other girl shrugged and settled herself on the bed. Crookshanks jumped onto her lap and rolled over, asking for a scratch on the tummy.

Granting the cat his wish, she rubbed his fuzzy tummy with a hand and said, "What's the matter, Hermy?"

Hermione sighed, again wishing for a more gullible and less sensitive friend. "He knew," she answered simply, not wanting to explain.

"I know he knew," Lavender frowned, shooing Crookshanks off her lap. "And?"

"And he's ignoring me whole night!" Hermione blurted out in frustration, feeling the corners of her eyes warming dangerously. "And he's not looking at me at all, like I am some teeny bug- a flea, I don't know- worth not his slightest attention, not even a swat! And-" She was cut off when Lavender pulled her into a hug. Before she knew it, she was sobbing in her friend's shoulder with one or two occasional incoherent sentence.

"I understand," she heard Lavender saying.

She sobbed harder, and stopped only to gasp for air. "And I thought he might, however small be that 'might', have a little feeling for me, carrying me and all-"

"He's a heartless bastard," Lavender cooed softly.

"Yes, and I fell for a heartless bastard."

"Everything's going to be fine," couldn't think of anything else better to say, Lavender said sympathetically. "It's going to be okay."

"It's not," she wailed, unable to be her reasonable self. "I told him, he knew!"

"Oh for goodness sakes, stop that crying will ya?" Parvati cried from her bed. "Someone's trying to read here."

"Be nice!" Lavender scolded, still patting Hermione's back. "she's devastated, can't you see?"

Parvati sat up in her bed and threw them a glance. "I sure don't see what's all the fuss about."

"Parvati!"

"I mean, okay, I don't know who this great guy is," Parvati continued, ignoring Lavender's disapproving glare. "But sounds like you've told him you liked him, or at least have done something. And he's ignoring you now. Did he tell you in the face that he doesn't want you?"

Hermione shook her head, causing another tear to fall onto her friend's soaked robe.

"Did he tell you that he hated you?" -Hermione shook her head again- "Well, then this guy's in denial. I mean, if you confessed your undying love to him and he's not told you to sod off? He probably is in love with you, but he does not want to admit it now. Men are low creatures, Hermione, and they need to savour the moment when girls told them they actually liked them. You continue pressing him a bit, and he will die for you in no time at all." With that impressive speech, she slipped back under her covers.

The two girls sat there, words failed them for a moment.

"In an annoying, twisted sort of way, I think Parvati is right," Lavender said finally.

"What?" Hermione's head was still reeling with Parvati's theory.

"We're talking about Snape here. Not expelling you when you asked him to carry you, and kissed him afterwards? He must have some kind of feelings for you," Lavender reasoned, believing more of Parvati's talk by the minute.

Hermione could not help but allowed a small smile, thinking of that Slytherin witch she spent a detention with last time. What would Severus do if she kissed him? Not only ignoring her, this she was sure.

"Well, that settles," Lavender clapped happily. "You are continuing what you have been doing, Hermy."

"I am?" She raised an eyebrow.

"What's the point of acting if you would stop once he knew?" Lavender replied, then fidgeting a bit, she added, "I kept sending valentines to Professor Lupin after I told him."

----------

Severus regarded the tiny container on his desk. He knew who put it there: he was about to exit his office when he heard footsteps rustling in the adjoining classroom. With a handy spell he allowed light to penetrate through the wooden door- only on his side, of course- and saw Granger placing the container on his desk.

He opened it and sniffed at the transparent cream inside. It smelt like mint- a cooling balm, if he was not mistaken. Why had she bothered to come down to the dungeons in the wee hours just to leave me some cooling balm? He wondered as he applied some of the cream onto his lip, and relished in the immediate effect of it.

Putting down the balm, he started to pace around the classroom. Should he or should he not join his colleagues in the Great Hall this morning? He had not lessons with fifth year Griffindors today. Wait, what had that to do with anything?

Nothing, he decided. And I would not tolerate Minerva's... concern... just because I wanted to see... someone. Because I don't.

As this silly notion passed his mind, he thought he heard a voice laughed and fell off its mental chair at the back of his head.

Tap tap tap. He looked down and saw a gray owl sitting on the top of his pile of essays, impatiently tapping his desk. How long had it been there, and how had it got in, he had no idea. He reached down and untied the piece of note from the bird.

Remember to have breakfast before you start off your day! We're having scrambled egg, bacon, ham and tuna sandwich. Guess what's today's special? Raspberry scones. You'd love it.

P.S. Trust me. I checked with Dobby, the (self-appointed) chief house-elf of Hogwarts.

Severus stared at the note, not believing his eyes.

----------

"I should not have sent that note, Lav," Hermione nagged for the twentieth time. Her friend rolled her eyes.

"Just enjoy your sandwich, dear," she said, taking a sip from her goblet of apple juice- only to spit it out again on her plate, earning herself a few disgusted glances. "Look!"

Severus had entered the Hall in his usual intimidating manner as the doors behind him shut with a grand 'thump'. The tables fell silent, save for some nervous whispers. He walked straight to his seat beside Minerva, paying the exchanges no attention- except for the one pointed glare he sent in Hermione's direction. Once he sat down, the Hall buzzed back to life.

"It worked, Hermy, I think it worked!" Lavender squealed in delight, softly so only Ginny and Hermione could hear.

"What worked, Hermy? Are you two passing something behind my back again?" Ginny asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Lavender turned to face Ginny. "Tell me, Gin, where were you last night? Did we even get the chance to not talk behind you?"

Ginny and, incidentally, Neville, blushed profusely at that comment.

Hermione drifted away from the teasing and banters that were filling the conversation and looked at Severus. He was not looking at her- she let out a sigh of relief- but was inspecting a raspberry scone in his hand closely as if it held the wonders of creation.

She suppressed a giggle and took a bite of her own scone.

----------

"This is ridiculous," he murmured, staring at yet another anonymous note on his desk.

Needless to say, he knew who wrote them. Since the arrival of the first note, he had received a hundred and twenty six more in the past three weeks. He could not imagine someone as busy as her to spend so much time observing him and writing him memos. For instance, the note he just received read:

Professor: You know coffee is not good for your health! Stop drinking it excessively. If you want some hot beverage, try Dobby's rose or chrysanthemum tea. They are real good.

So what if he did drink coffee excessively? It was not like he was addicted to it or something. Frowning, he took another sip from his cup of coffee.

"Good evening, sir," Hermione chirped, poking her head from behind the door. He hastily put down the cup and nodded. She came in and closed the door behind her courteously.

"Good grief!" She exclaimed once she put down her bag. "It's freezing in here. You ought to at least put on a coat, sir."

This from a girl who has asthma and does not bother to wear a scarf in November, he thought, looking at her thin school robes critically. "I hate rose tea," he said suddenly, bewildering even himself. He had not meant to say that, but it was all he could think of to stop himself from voicing that dismal thought out loud.

"You do?" She looked astonished for a second, but started to titter.

"Don't be giddy," he ordered and returned to his grading. The dungeon fell silent as she moved towards the shelves, but a giggle or two still escaped her. He rolled his eyes.

The two worked diligently into the night, the atmosphere casual and both were unaware of the time tiptoeing by. It was not until Severus prepared to get another mug of coffee that he noticed it was past curfew. "Miss Granger, I think you need to get back to your dormitory."

"Let me at least finish labeling this shelf," she pleaded. Severus suppressed an amused smirk and retreated to his room. When he came back, a steaming mug of latte was in his hand. The dungeon was immediately filled by the intense fragrance of fresh coffee.

"Professor," She cried when she saw what he had brought in. "That is not good for you!"

"Miss Granger, I really think you should leave. It is almost twelve."

"But-"

"No 'but's," he interrupted icily. "My personal well-being is none of your business, Miss Granger. Ten points for being nosy."

"You can't take points off me," she whispered, her mouth too quick for her to stop. He looked ready to explode.

"You think you can adopt that attitude because of Professor McGonagall?" How dare she be smug in front of him? "I don't know about your part in her scheme, Miss, but I assure you that no matter what it is, your head of house can't stop me from taking points off a Griffindor."

"Scheme?"

"Cheating the House Cup, like she always does," he sneered. "Next thing I know, I may well not be able to take points off Potter and Weasley."

Griffindor, Slytherin. Is there anything else on this man's mind? This was the only thing on her mind when she ran out of the dungeon in tears.

Once she was gone, Severus slumped into his chair. There, he did it again.

----------

Minerva McGonagall banged on his door two days later.

"Whatsit, Min'va?" He grumbled blearily, opening the door. He did not enjoy being woke up at five in the morning.

She was not sympathetic. "You come here," she pulled him by his ear and flung him into a nearby armchair. "Sit." She sat in an opposite armchair, crossing her legs.

"Minerva, I am not your student anymore," he reminded her mildly. Without a doze of early coffee he could not hope to confront this woman. She seemed to be very angry. Angrier than he had seen her in years, to be precise.

"You mindless piece of scum," she spat.

"Contrary to common belief, Minerva, I do not appreciate being insulted first thing in the morning," he said, shaking his head and sitting up straighter.

"What had you said to Miss Granger?" She calmed down a wee bit, though her eyes were not removed from his sleepy face.

"What had I said to- wait, what happened? I hadn't said anything to her, she hadn't come to detention last night."

"Of course she hadn't, she was in my office!" The witch huffed. "The girl broke down and cried in my lesson! And you know what she said when I asked her into my office and enquired what happened? She gave me her badge and said that she wished to resign, that she does not want to be a prefect anymore. Hermione Granger, does not want to be a prefect anymore! Do you know what I am saying, Severus?" She stopped and panted.

He did not reply. His mind was slowly clearing and he remembered the nasty comments he said to her the night before yesterday.

"I don't know what did you do to her, Severus," Minerva continued tiredly, she seemed to be drained by the speech. "She has nothing but your good in her heart."

"Nothing but my good in her heart!" He echoed incredulously. "Minerva, she is a student. I don't need a student to baby-sit me. I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can," she replied sarcastically. "Listen, I don't know what makes you so repulsive to kindness-"

He raised a mocking brow.

She ignored him. "-but if you genuinely don't like her, please don't lead her on. I would not tolerate any further breaking of her heart, you hear me?" Without waiting for his answer, she stormed out of the room.

----------

"Hermione," Harry started worriedly.

She blinked and looked at him, then smiled. A very sad smile that was.

"Hermione," Harry called again, softer and picking her hand. "Hermione, this cannot continue."

"So it is you this time," she chuckled, her eyes on the carpet. The Common Room was deserted naturally, everyone was in the Great Hall. Somehow she did not feel like eating.

"Yes," he sighed. Lavender and Ginny had admitted defeat in the last hour and sent him up to talk some sense into her. "We are all worried about you."

"Sorry," she said serenely.

"Don't be," he glared at her bow-downed head, and felt a fierce urge to grab her shoulders and shake her. "There are two things you have to do. First, eat," -he held up a hand to stop her protest- "you can't don't want to eat, Hermy. Second, stop this whole thing."

She did not need to ask what 'this whole thing' was. "But I can't stop, Harry," she spoke gently, and looked up again. Harry almost had to look away- her eyes were clear and radiant, her lips tenderly curving, but somehow, it was the saddest face Harry had ever seen.

"You have to," or you will hurt yourself soon. Very badly. "Or we'll all be worried to death."

"I have to," she repeated after him in a whisper. Squeezing his hand, she said, "I will."

"You will? You promise?"

"Promise. But at least let me have it until Thanksgiving," she pleaded.

"Thanksgiving that is," he conceded reluctantly.

----------

"Adely," he called almost automatically. The elf appeared.

"Sir wants Adely?"

"Yes," again. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "My dinner?" He waved a flamboyant hand at the dish on his desk.

"But, sir! Doesn't sir want to try food?" Adely popped onto the desk beside the dish, rubbing her hands excitedly. Severus raised an eyebrow. She had not questioned him before, and he wished she would keep it that way.

"No, Adely. Bring me my food," he ordered.

"But, but this is good food. Adely knows it is good," the elf beamed at him in anticipation.

"Adely," he started in a warning voice. Denying a direct order? House-elves don't just go around denying orders, he thought. Walking to the desk, he looked down at the dish of unrecognizable, stuff, and some sticky toothpaste-like thing in a cup that was probably the dessert, then at Adely.

"It is really, really, really good food," Adely said solemnly. For a creature with such a limited vocabulary, she did look pretty serious.

"Adely," he tried again in a voice that could freeze the running blood in students, but the elf was determined. Knowing that she would probably have to punish herself later for this behavior, he grudgingly picked up a spoon and the cup of 'pudding'.

Putting the spoonful of goo into mouth, he had half-expected himself to fall dead. But he didn't, though the pudding was the most peculiar-tasting thing he had ever tasted. It was sweet when it first touched his tongue, but as it slowly melted down his throat, it became slightly tasteless, like water, with a distance saltiness. He blinked.

"Sir likes it? Sir likes food?" Adely was asking when he ate another spoonful. He nodded and waved a dismissive hand. The elf disappeared like a wisp of smoke.

The queer taste had touched a chord in his mind, something he felt he should be familiar with but could not quite place it, like the name of a long lost relative.

He finished the dessert.

----------

Hurrying down the stairs, she had not forgotten her promise. After Thanksgiving...

"Hermione," a croaky voice called in the shadows.

"Ron!" She jumped.

Surely it was Ron. He emerged from the darkness in which he was hiding, his expression unfathomable in the dim light. Hermione cringed and took a step back. He let out a bitter chortle.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, breaking the unnerving silence. The Potion's classroom was literally just round the corner, and she could not understand why was he lurking in the dungeons.

"I- need to talk to you," he said, walking closer.

"What is it that you have to say? And make it quick, I am kind of in a rush," she snapped, and immediately regretted. She remembered why was Ron angry with her, and felt a pang of guilt.

"You cried in Transfiguration," he pointed out unnecessarily.

She nodded, and once again silence prolonged itself between them.

"I figure that you have really gone through more than I thought," he said uneasily. "And I think, you know, maybe we can take a ride on the broom sometime, now that this whole thing is over-"

"Ron," how many times do I have to tell you that I hate flying? She wanted to ask but changed her mind, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Who told you that-"

She was cut off by Ron, for all of a sudden he was on her, crushing his lips against hers.

----------

That was what Severus saw when he came out looking for her- she was hardly ever late for detention- Weasley and her kissing in a public place in broad daylight. Okay, so maybe not in broad daylight, but it shot a nasty surge of fury up his head no less. He did not break the kiss off with a subtle cough- he flouted at the idea of subtlety in these occasions- and pried Weasley off her.

"For your extremely unentertaining performance, Mr. Weasley, a hundred points," he snarled and ignored the resulting malicious daggers he was receiving. "As for you, Miss Granger-" he let the comment hung and dragged her into the classroom.

It was sweltering inside. She could feel her cheeks burning red, and hoped against hope that he would not notice. Hands sweating, she put down her bag and coat and started to pick out ingredients she would need. A cauldron was already set up at the middle of the room.

Severus crossed his arms and watched as the girl busied herself with trivial tasks, averting his eyes. The kiss was replaying itself in his head.

Oh Merlin, she prayed silently as she dropped two piece of daisy roots into the boiling water. I will have nothing to do after adding in the leech juice. Please let time stop, please...

He wondered what was she thinking. Definitely not the potion, from the pneumatic look in her eyes. Shifting to another foot, he waited patiently. Yeah, let's see how long can she keep from looking at him. The potion would have to simmer for half an hour after the leech juice was added. Yes, come on, add that in...

"Bloody hell!" she swore softly, too hurt to say anything else.

He was at her side faster than a light particle. Unaware of himself, he took her hand in his and looked as the boil on her index finger throbbed. "Bloody hell's right." His pulse missed a beat or two as her fingers wiggled in his grip. " What did you do- what are these?"

She snatched her hand from him, flushing. "Nothing," she lied.

Not for the first time he noticed how bad a liar she was, but he was too furious at the meantime to brood on the thought. Furious at himself for letting instincts took over, for getting his guards down, for showing concern; furious at her carelessness, at the many little invisible scars on her hand- now, where did those come from?

She stirred the murky contents in the cauldron, once again evasive.

---------

He had not been down here for so long he forgot how to get in. He felt incredibly like an idiot when a kind fairy in a nearby painting told him, amused, that it was the pear that he should tickle after tickling the lemon for ten minutes. Scowling, he walked into the kitchen.

Hogwart's kitchen was an enormous place. Stuffed with thousands of pans and pots, various food and hundreds of overly excited house-elves, he found it very difficult to move.

"Please!" He shouted over the deafening squeals of the elves.

"Sir, sir!" Some of them just could not get the clue and kept thrusting food into him. He restrained with all his might from kicking them.

"Please, I did not come for food," he could not pull his voice any higher.

"Sir, what can Dobby help you then?" An elf wearing a yellow tie and a terrible woolen hat pushed through the crowd of elves and stood in front of him. Severus felt an immediate relief- something for his eyes to focus on, finally.

"You're Dobby? The Chief house-elf?"

"Sir knows Dobby! Dobby is flattered!" The elf replied delightedly, his voice hitting a record note.

"Well," Severus drawled, "I know that a student came down here everyday-"

"Student?" Dobby's ears straightened like those of an alarmed rabbit. "There's no student, sir."

"-and forced you to cook terrible meals for me."

"She cooked the food herself," Dobby replied, oblivious to the slip, and the other house-elves nodded indignantly. Some of them shook their heads and moved away from Severus.

"Oh, really," he smirked. So it was a 'she'. That was half of his assumption, as for the other half-

A loud, hysterical laugh was heard suddenly. Someone was tickling the pear and trying to get in. Severus quickly ducked behind some stacked crates. "Don't say that I am here," he hissed his order.

The elves happily resumed their work. Severus could hear Dobby's voice greeting the comer.

"Evening, Miss, how nice to meet you!"

"Evening, Dobby. Hi, Winky," a merry voice floated across the kitchen and hit his ears. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. So the other half was confirmed.

"It will be the last night that I bother you, Dobby. I am sorry for all the inconvenience that I have caused in the past months."

"It's okay, Miss! Dobby likes seeing Miss."

"Don't call me Miss, Dobby."

"Sorry, Miss!"

She let out a chortle, but Severus found little mirth in it. "So, let's get to work?"

"Oh, but Miss must not cook again! Let Dobby do it!"

"Dobby, we've been through this," she said patiently, and Severus heard water running. "Now boil this for me, would you? I can cut these-"

"Miss must not use knifes again!"

"Dobby," she sounded a little exasperated, and soon enough Severus heard the sound of knife hitting the wooden bench.

What should he do now? He had not thought of this when he decided to come and check who was making him meals everyday. Of course, he should have done this much earlier, but it was not until these two days when Adely kept insisting that he should try those food that he wanted to know who was behind all this. Jump out and shout at her? Somehow that sounded like a very bad idea. But he could not pretend that nothing happened, when something certainly did...

"Bloody hell," she swore the second time in three days. "Really, really bloody..."

Severus peeked from behind his hiding place. What he saw got him to her side in a millisecond.

"Professor," she was in too much pain to sound surprised. "What are you-"

"Shhh," he hushed, staring at the more pressing matter at hand. "Stupid girl, you cut yourself!"

"Don't worry, I am very experienced in this," she whispered, almost cheerfully. She took out her wand and said an incarnation. The wound did not stop bleeding.

Severus stared in horror at the deep cut on her middle finger. This explained her many little scars.

"Hmm, doesn't work this time," she smiled weakly at him, feeling a bit dizzy from the blood lost.

He snapped out of his trance and healed her finger quickly. Seeing the blood clogging, he felt a familiar irritation stirring in his bowels. "Incompetent Griffindor." He scolded, but that got out much feebler. Why could she cut perfectly in the lab but not in the kitchen?

"I just want to make you a Thanksgiving dinner," feeling courageous, she blurted out. Was her voice shaking? Maybe she was not so brave after all. Pure, undiluted impulse was very bad for your health, she had learnt.

"You just kissed Weasley three nights ago," he reminded her, turning away. He sounded so much like a jealous boyfriend, he noticed in dismay.

"I didn't. He kissed me," she started hotly, and her eyes went the same way. This would be her last time to do something like this... "I am just trying to cook. I am just trying to care..."

Was she sobbing? Why was she sobbing?

"I am just trying to see," her sobs grew louder, but so did her voice. "I am just trying to admire-"

He could not take this any longer. Really.

"I am just trying to understand-"

Please Merlin, grant me strength...

"I am just trying to give..."

Any almighty powers, help me, help me stay firm...

"I am just learning to like you."

With that her voice cracked, and he trembled.

How, how, how can I...

He swiveled to face her, and he inched towards her, until finally, they were centimeters apart. Pure impulse can be this harmful.

She clung onto his robes and buried herself into his chest. His heart somersaulted when her first tears reached it through the piece of wet fabric.

"I am just learning to like you..."

As if in slow motion, his hand reached up and circled her shoulder uncertainly, enveloping her in his embrace.

In the first time of history, the house-elves parted and left the couple in the kitchen by the crackling fire, quietly, without being given an order.

----------

A/N: Awwww, that's about time, I think...

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