Hey! This is cylobaby. I'm back from my long separation from the computer. Two weeks of torture. I nearly forgot what a keyboard looked like! Spiffster is a good friend from school and will answer my reviews under the name spiff and inside my other reviews (on the review page.) I just wanted to say that cara is probably the coolest reviewer I have! Man, I talk about my reviewers to everyone I see! Really, even our IHOP waiter knows. Oh, and you might want to know I am American, through and through. You can't get more Southern than me, ya'll. Lol, literally. Not telling which state I'm from though…

My friends have gotten a bit tired of my rantings about my wonderful reviewers. Lol. I finally have 50 reviews! YES! I am home from school with a fever and a headache. sigh I love school. my computer is SO messed up. If u read my bio, I want u to know that I did NOT write that. Spiff had to write it for me b/c my computer is messed up really bad. I can only read the first chapter of every story. Grr. Argh. Well, there are only like two more chapters in this story so… read and review.

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That night, Snape came in five minutes early to dinner. Hermione looked up from her mountainous pile of homework. "Evening, Severus."

Snape looked at her in surprise. At Hermione's questioning raised eyebrow, the Slytherin looked down and said, "I'm not exactly used to that name."

Hermione rose. "Well, get used to it. Here we only use first names. You call me Hermione, the Marauders Sirius, James and Remus and we call you Severus."

Snape nodded resignedly and muttered, "What's taking them so long?" As Hermione shrugged, a commotion sounded from the door.

"They're here," she said unnecessarily. The Marauder tornado rushed in.

"Where's the food?" asked Sirius automatically. Hermione correctly translated that into, "I want sugar, gimme!"

She rolled her eyes and changed the subject. "Hello boys. I would like to introduce you to someone you have never met or cursed before. His name is Severus, not Snape or Snivellus," ordered Hermione with a glare at the rebellious looking Marauders.

"Severus, this is Remus, Sirius and James. The number one rule in Camp Hermione is no murdering people. Understand?" she asked, with a glare that reminded the Marauders of the Hermione they had first met.

At Hermione's clap, a house-elf appeared at her shoulder. "What would you like to eat?" it asked politely. It glanced at Sirius and James and smiled, "Other than sugar."

The two sweet-obsessed Marauders sighed and Hermione filled in, "The usual for us all, but Severus will have to set his order."

Severus glanced at her in frustration, obviously uncomfortable with kindness from Gryffindors. With a sigh, he looked to the eager house-elf. "I'll have rice and steak, medium rare," at a nudge from Hermione he added, "please."

"Of course, it will be right out, sirs and madam," squeaked the bald house-elf and it disappeared to the kitchens in a wisp of smoke.

An awkward silence followed and Hermione, always the peacemaker, gave James a glare and a cough. "I-we would like to apologize for any bullying we have done to you. So… sorry," finished Prongs awkwardly.

Severus just stared at him, past pains clear in his black eyes. Hermione moaned. "This is when you say, 'I accept your apology.'" Hermione supplied.

"I ac-accept you apology." Severus mumbled, voice breaking a little. Hermione nodded to him, then smiled as the food came out. A mini mob of house-elves with platters of food appeared in front of them, each elf wearing a toga with the Hogwarts's crest stamped on it.

"Please sit," Hermione said to the boys, the 'please' not taking the bite out of the command.

The quartet of boys sat, the Marauders on one side, glaring at the greasy Slytherin on the other side. "Eat up Severus. We've got a long session ahead of us. Just because I have company doesn't mean I'm going soft," Hermione said, smiling cattishly.

Hermione sat next to Severus as they dug into their food. Hermione gazed thoughtfully at Severus. "How skilled are you in athletics?" asked Hermione suddenly.

Severus didn't even raise his eyes of his food. "Not that good…" he muttered half-heartedly.

Hermione just laughed and said, "Well, I'm going to get you in shape tonight, and no complaining or you're outta here."

Severus nodded and took another bite from his well cooked filet. James and Sirius were swallowing their food without chewing, reminding Hermione vividly of Ron. Hermione sighed and felt her throat constrict. How dare she be having fun when the only reason she was here was to save her best friends? How dare the friends she loved so dearly leave her like that?

Remus noticed her depressed look and said, "Hermione, can talk I to you privately?" Hermione nodded and rose out of her wooden chair, leaving Prongs and Padfoot to gorge themselves and Severus to watch in disgust.

Hermione led Remus to her couch by the bookshelves, far out of sight and hearing range. "Hermione, I know that you miss Harry and Ron, but you need to realize they would want you to have fun."

The witch looked down and gulped. She knew it was true; Harry and Ron would have wanted the best for her, just as she was trying to get for them. Remus lifted her chin so she gazed into his al eyes. "You should at least be happy in the past," he murmured.

"I don't know how. I just," Hermione was cut off by Remus's warm lips upon hers. Her honey eyes widened in surprise as her body melted.

After a minute, Remus pulled away and smiled softly at her. "See? There are ways for you to be happy," he said quietly. Hermione was still frozen. At her silence, Remus said, "I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"It's okay," Hermione said, before giving him a sweet kiss on the lips. She blushed and said, "Thank you, Remus."

She led him back to the dinner table and sat down across from him. By the looks of it, everyone was finished. "Are you all ready to go outside?" she asked, still slightly woozy from the most romantic moment of her life.

Nods of consent surrounded the small table and the boys rose, stretching their arms back and forth.

Hermione led them out to the Quidditch Stadium, jogging happily. Every once in a while she shot a glance at Remus, who looked as touched by their kiss as she was. As they got out, she gave them instructions for their warm-up. "Alright. You have to say the first spell you can think of every time I clap my hands, ready?" she said quickly.

The Marauders nodded though Severus looked slightly apprehensive. Hermione clapped and five spells were shot in the air. Hermione conjured her otter Patronus, Sirius made fireworks, James was now a hound dog, Remus had been transported to the top of the bleachers and Severus had accidentally changed the grass around him purple.

Ignoring Severus's feeble attempt, Hermione clapped her hands again, loud enough for Remus to hear so far away. clap Hermione had cat ears. clap Sirius had created a star. clap Severus had conjured fifty snakes to circle his feet. clap Remus had grown wings.

"Very good!" Hermione exclaimed. The boys looked ready for more, Severus growing confident. "Now we run ten laps! Go!" she ordered. The Marauders began tearing around the track without hesitation.

Severus looked over at her. "Run?" he asked in confusion. She nodded briskly and ran after the boys, easily catching up. Severus sighed and followed shortly after.

Once finished running, Hermione glanced over her shoulder. Severus was still on his last lap, panting for all he was worth. Severus was meant for potion brewing and stealthy spying, not work. When he finally finished, he plopped on the ground next to Hermione.

Seeing he was going to live, Hermione clapped her hands and said, "Transform into your Animagus forms!" Sirius, James and Hermione switched quickly, leaving Snape and Remus off to the side.

"Er…" said Snape. Then he morphed into a small bat. Hermione watched him flutter up to the rafters. 'So Ron was right about him…' thought Hermione in interest. (4th book).

By the end of the night's training, Snape looked dead on his feet. He was pale and still catching his breath. Hermione walked him back to the Slytherin Common Room under the Invisibility Cloak after taking the Gryffidors to their's. Snape looked gratefully at the invisible person beside him and swept into through the door and into the cold stone Slytherin Common Room.

Death Eater Meeting, Snape's POV

The Dark Lord stalked the cold basement, hissing menacingly. "I can't believe that fool Dumbledore foiled me again!" he growled. The Death Eater's hideout was located in the secluded basement of one of their latest victims; no one would be scooping around soon.

Severus stood in a corner, mentally repulsed by man's temperament. "Snape, Malfoy, Lestrange, get over here!" howled the snakelike wizard. Severus and the other Slytherins crawled forward. Voldemort began giving orders; then he turned to Severus.

"What is that I see?" he asked coldly. Severus felt a sharp probe reach into his mind. His Occlumency had not been shaped yet, so he had no resistance to put up. "Plotting against me with Gryffindors?" A wave of panic washed of Snape and he Apparated as quickly as he could outside the school gates. He raced inside, full of anger, frustration and fear. He knew without a doubt Voldemort would be there by sunrise.