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Blue Pink Crystal: I'm sorry I confused you, but thanks for letting me know. I added a part in this chapter about what happened, so I hope that helps.

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Author's Note: If anyone gets confused by anything in the story, it's alright to point it out. I sometimes forget that it makes sense to me, but might not make sense to the reader. But anyway, here's the next chapter. Please review my story. Flames are accepted.

Chapter 16- Grading Papers with Snape

The Next Day

Hermione walked into the Great Hall, knowing that Lavender and Parvati had most likely told Harry, Ron, and Ginny what had happened that night. She had no idea if Neville did. She'd have to wait and see if heknew. Harry and Ron had seen her come in, so they waved her over to a spot that had been saved for her.

"Hermione, what happened last night?" whispered Parvati so no one could hear her.

"Well, I was having a nightmare that a death eater was looking for me."

"It was scary," added Lavender. "She kept crying in her sleep and she kept tossing and turning. Parvati and I couldn't get her to wake up, so Parvati went to get McGonagall."

Hermione looked around to make sure that the few people who were there weren't listening before she said anything.

"I'm not going to be staying in the Gryffindor Tower anymore. Dumbledore moved somewhere else for my own safety. "I'll tell you later where I'm staying, but promise me you won't tell anyone."

Her friends promised they wouldn't say anything- they just wanted Hermione to be safe.

"Hermione, could you please come up to the staff table for a moment?" asked Professor McGonagall politely.

"Of course Professor," Hermione replied. She hadn't noticed McGonagall until she had said something, but Hermione hoped McGonagall hadn't heard any part of the conversation Hermione had with her friends. She followed her teacher up to the staff table, where the rest of the staff were waiting.

"Hermione, with all the events that have been going on recently, I don't want you to go anywhere by yourself. A teacher will escort you to all your classes. If a teacher can't be with you at anytime, I want you to have a friend with you. It is important that someone is with you at all times. Do you understand that?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

When Hermione nodded, Dumbledore let her go back to the Gryffindor table. She told her friends (including Neville) what Dumbledore told her. Dumbledore reminded everyone to have constant vigilance, which most people listened to, but seemed to ignore it since they knew Voldemort was back. Everyone started eating, still talking about Hermione being the potions assistant.

In Charms

Hermione had convinced everyone to finish the conversation in charms during breakfast since Charms was generally noisy and no one would overhear their conversation.

"Where are you staying?" Harry said halfway through Charms.

"With Fred."

"Why with him?" wondered Ron.

"Dumbledore said so, that's why," Hermione replied. "I think being with Snape would be really obvious since I'm his assistant. And Dumbledore said that people might not find me if I'm with Fred. But if people know that I'm friends with you Ron, then that might be the first place they look. But hopefully it'll be safe for now."

"Good thing people don't know you two are dating," commented Neville.

Hermione nodded and then gasped. "Malfoy!"

"What about him?" asked Lavender, who had been listening rather quietly to this conversation, as was Parvati.

"I just realized, he might know something. I mean, his dad was a death eater. Well, his dad's in Azkaban now, but he does hang around with people who could be future death eaters. He's probably heard all sorts of thing from his friends."

"You're right Hermione," said Parvati.

"I'll talk to him after DADA," Hermione said excitedly. "Bell rang."

As they left Charms, Flitwick called out to Hermione, "Will you be alright Miss Granger?"

Hermione stopped, turned around, and said, "Yes Professor. My friends are with me."

Flitwick told them to hurry up and get to their next class.

Fred had taken Hermione to the dungeon's, carrying some of his essays.

"Hello Professor Snape," Hermione said.

"Hi Severus," grinned Fred.

"What are you doing here Weasley?" demanded Snape.

"Grading papers while I wait for Hermione," he answered.

Hermione listened to Snape explain his grading requirements. He wanted her to make corrections in the essays when necessary and to be fair and honest while grading them. He didn't want her to be too easy on the students.

"I understand Professor, really, I do," Hermione said as she started grading the stack of essays Snape had given her.

"Professor Snape, I have a question about Malfoy."

Fred's head snapped up from the essay he was grading, as did Snape's.

"What do you mean Miss Granger?"

"Well, do you think Malfoy has heard anything from the Slytherins about Death Eater attacks or Voldemort's plans? Since some of them most likely have parents that are Death Eaters, then their parent's might have mentioned something to them," Hermione explained.

"I never thought of that. I'll have to ask him about it. If I find out anything from him, I'll let you know."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," Snape grumbled.

The rest of the evening passed by uneventfully. Snape let Hermione leave after about 2 hours. He thanked Hermione for helping grade the essays and Fred for being quiet and not playing any practical jokes.

"I'll always be a practical joker. Just not while I'm teaching. But we could use some laughs around here," Fred commented dramatically as they walked into their common room.

"Just don't make it look like you did it. I don't want you fired," Hermione said.

"Who, me? Get fired? Right Hermione," he said as he went to bed. "Don't stay up too late doing homework."

"I won't. Night Fred."

"Good night, my dear."

Hermione rolled her eyes at that comment, grateful that everything seemed to be going back to normal.