Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, Severus Snape would not be out catching Mr. Harry Potter on midnight strolls. Kudos to Miss Rowling.

Curfew At Hogwarts

Sylvia Stone walked out of the bathroom sporting damp hair, a fruity scent, and a cherry-print pants and tank-top pajama set. She rolled her eyes at the sight of mass chaos in the common room – pre-quidditch hype. She wasn't the least bit surprised. Tomorrow was going to be the Gryffindor-Slytherin game. It was always the biggest game of the year. Although Sylvia was very supportive of their team, she felt like it was a bit early to be celebrating – she would join in the festivities once they had won, but not before. Right now, though, she wanted nothing more than to curl up and read a book. So she headed for her dormitory. Bad idea. The pre-quidditch hype was just as bad in the dorm as th common room, only the subtopics were different. Standing in the doorway of her dorm room, Sylvia could hear snatches of both conversations.

Downstairs, Ron Weasley was gesturing wildly, replaying some crazy move he had done in practice, "…and then I caught all three quaffles and threw them clear across the field and into the other hoops! And then Harry did the most wicked-cool dive to catch the snitch, I'm serious! He was absolutely at a ninety degree angle, mere centimeters from the ground when he pulled out of it!"

"Naw! Not ninety degrees…" Harry Potter cut in.

"Well, maybe not ninety, but definitely eighty-five!" Ron interrupted.

Meanwhile, inside the sixth year girls dorm room…

"…anyways, as I was saying," Parvati was giggling excitedly to Lavender, "…while I was watching the quidditch practice this evening, the snitch started hovering by my ear…"

"Your ear! Did Harry see?"

"Naturally! And of course, I didn't notice right away, I was too busy watching him!"

A gasp from Lavender. "Did he come toward you?"

"Yes!" more giggles. "He came rocketing toward me, it was only then that I noticed the snitch! And then…"

Sylvia rolled her eyes as she grabbed her book off of her bed and slipped out of the common room. Glancing at a clock on the wall, she saw that it was only 8:30. She still have two and a half hours until curfew. That was long enough to get a couple good chapters in.

She glanced around, looking for a suitable spot to plop down and read. So far, not so good, unless she wanted to sit on the floor outside the common room, but too many people were still going in and out.

"Happy reading dear, don't stay out too late!" the fat lady called from her portrait as Sylvia walked away.

She paused at the staircase to ponder where the quietest place in the castle might be. Then it hit her. The dungeons! No one went there unless they could help it. Except for the Slytherins, but she knew where the entrance to their common room was. She was planning on staying well away from it.

Pattering down the stairs barefoot, she pulled her cloak around her pajamas and clutched her book to her chest. Practically galloping down the stairs, she finally arrived in the dungeons. Cooler and darker than the rest of the castle, she cast a Lumos spell and wandered down the winding corridors. Finally, she found an alcove in the middle of a dark passageway. Sylvia paused and listened with baited breath for the sound of any living person who may come to distract her from her reading. But she was rewarded with peace and quiet. Letting out a sigh of relief, she climbed into the small alcove, sitting with her back against a wall and her knees drawn up to her chest. She wrapped her cloak around her, conjured a lantern to float next to her, and opened her book at long last. The time flew by as she devoured the book in her hands, When The Wind Blows, by James Patterson.

Her imagination soaring with the beautiful winged girl in the book, Sylvia didn't even hear the quiet footsteps approaching her.

"Miss Stone…" the sudden unexpectedness of the soft, silky voice caused Sylvia to nearly have a heart attack. One jump and a yelp later, found her staring up at the tall, greasy-haired, pale-skinned, hook-nosed potions master who was returning her stare with his arms crossed and a sneer plastered onto his face. "What do you think you are doing down hear at this hour?" he voiced slowly and dangerously.

"Just reading a book, Professor," Sylvia replied innocently. "I was not aware that was against the rules."

"Miss Stone, do you have any idea what time it is?" Professor Snape asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no, not really. I suppose I lost track of time…but I take it I need to head back to my dormitory?" she said, rather sheepishly.

"Unless you wish to scrub cauldron bottoms…?" he shrugged indifferently.

"Um, no, thank you, that's quite alright. Although, if you need help, I mean, I would be more than willing, to be of assistance that is, not in detention, though." She gulped.

"Okay, I'm going!" Sylvia jumped out of the alcove and bent to retrieve her book she had accidentally thrown across the corridor when the professor had snuck up on her.

After banishing the lantern she had conjured earlier, Sylvia once again wrapped the cloak around her and winced as her bare feet hit the cold dungeon floor. As she was climbing the stairs that more often than not led out of the dungeon, she became well aware that Professor Snape was following her. She stopped and turned toward the professor, looking up at him as he towered over her.

"A problem, Miss Stone?" he glared down his nose at her.

"I was just wondering where you were going, Professor. I would have thought you'd stay near the Slytherins' common room," she answered innocently.

"I would have thought it rather obvious. I am escorting you to your dormitory."
"Ohhh…." Sylvia continued walking up the flights of stairs with the professor following closely at her heels. Why hadn't he knocked points off of Gryffindor yet? Or assigned her detention? Surely he would have by now, if she was out past curfew. Then a though struck her.
"Professor Snape?" she slowed down and scooted over so she could walk next to him. He didn't verbally answer her, but his raised eyebrows prompted her to carry on with her question. "What time is it, exactly, Professor?"

"It is precisely 10:55" he said while looking straight ahead.

"Aha!" Sylvia's exclamation startled Professor Snape and he paused to look down at her questioningly.

Sylvia looked up at him with a satisfied and rather cocky face, nodding her head.

"You…" she pointed her finger accusingly at him, "…are escorting me, so you can knock some points off of Gryffindor the second it hits curfew if I'm not back in my room yet! Aren't you?"

The corner of the professor's mouth twitched as he glared back down at her. "For a Gryffindor girl who goes bumbling about the castle at night, barefoot and in pajamas, you're rather quick," he said sarcastically.

"I'm on to your little game, Professor! I'll be back in my room. You wait and see!" And with that, Sylvia took off down the corridors. She didn't quite run, because she knew he would take points off for that. But she power-walked like there was no tomorrow. When she was about twenty paces away from the portrait of the fat lady, she accidentally dropped her book.

Professor Snape stood and watched with one eyebrow raised and arms folded across his chest as Sylvia hesitated, glancing back at the book, debating at lightning speed whether or not she should chance running back to grab it. After one quick look at the clock nearby, however, she made her decision. Nearly jogging down the corridor, she called to the fat lady, "Bludger Blossoms!" The portrait swung open and she flew inside, snapping it shut just as the clock announced the hour – 11:00.

Sylvia leaned against the back of the portrait, panting, trying to catch her breath. She was muttering under her breath about having dropped the book when a soft knock from the other side of the portrait made her jump slightly.

Opening the portrait a crack and poking her head out, Sylvia saw Professor Snape looming in front of her, holding her book out toward her. Confused, but grateful, Sylvia snatched the book from his hands, gushing "Thank you so much, Professor Snape! I really appreciate it!"

With a short, "You're welcome," the professor turned, his cloak swishing impressively. Then he stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Oh, and Miss Stone…"

"Yes, Professor?"

"That will be two points from Gryffindor for opening your door after curfew."
Then with a swoosh, he was gone.

Sylvia's jaw dropped as she let out an indignant sound.

"YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!" she hollered after his retreating form.

If anyone had been watching Professor Snape at that moment, their image of him as "a greasy git," while it may not have changed, it might just have wavered slightly as he actually smiled and chuckled while he strode confidently through the castle, his black robes billowing out majestically behind him.