Warning: All that stuff your mom warned you about? Yeah, it's here.
A/N: I don't own a damn thing..not one!
Summary: In an attempt at retribution, our golden-boy weaves his way into Draco's dream - only to find out it's a bit harder to control someone with as strong a will as Malfoy. No revenge in dreamland? Waking life will have to do.
Side note: A hearty thanks to all my reviewers!!! You guys are absolutely splendid! If I could take each and every one of you home with me for crumpets and tea, I would. Sincerely, I would. *big hugz* FRANNIE!!!! I love that girl - *big grin*
~*~
Tail between his legs, and his head hung as low as it would go, Draco made his way to Dumbledore's office - Professor Snape nipped at his heels, quickening his pace. Their footsteps echoed through the empty hallways of Hogwarts; a sound that was permanently etched into Draco's mind. The sound of his awaiting doom.
He glanced over his shoulder at Professor Snape, hoping for a smirk or at least a small sign of hope. There was none. Only a pair of cold, emotionless eyes glared back at him. He was going to be expelled.
"Is there a problem, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape's voice was curt. Not realizing he had been staring, Draco quickly turned his attentions back to the floor and muttered, "No, Professor." The last part of 'Professor' sounded more like 'rrrrrraaah', as Draco tripped on an upturned stone in the floor and landed flat on his face. His throbbing cheekbone was quickly forgotten as a sharp tug on his arm pulled Draco back on his feet.
"Apparently, along with your lack of judgment, your eyesight is also in dire need of improvement." Snape's glare was about as sarcastic as his tone. Draco's cheeks burned from embarrassment. "Lumos." Their path lit, the two continued down the corridor.
As they rounded the corner, drawing nearer to Dumbledore's office, Draco's heart felt as if it were going to explode. One thought circled over and over again in his mind - 'How did they find out?' Surely Crabbe and Goyle hadn't snitched. And Potter, well - he was supposed to be unconscious.
The sound of Snape's thoroughly irritated voice alerted Draco that they had arrived. "Peppermint Twist." The words came out in a hiss. Although he couldn't prove it, Draco was fairly sure that Dumbledore's choice of passwords, and not his own situation, was much the cause for the distaste in Snape's voice.
The hilarity of the moment was quickly lost as Snape brushed past him into the faintly lit staircase. Begrudgingly, Draco followed. With each step he took, his mind tried to find a way to escape. 'You could turn around, right now, and leave. Run out the door. Better yet, fall again! Fake an injury! Bust your head open! ANYTHING! Anything but this.' They had reached the top of the stairs. 'Last chance! Just one step backwards and- '
"Come in Severus. Young Mr. Malfoy." Snape hadn't even knocked before Headmaster Dumbledore welcomed them in. His voice was the same dreamy-calm it always was, but there was a force behind it Draco hadn't heard before. His heart jumped a beat. 'Here goes.'
Snape pushed the door open for him, and Draco quietly slipped past. The warmth of Dumbledore's office washed over him as he stepped in, but did little to thaw him out. His hands were still ice cold.
The kindly old wizard gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk. "Please, take a seat. You will be kind enough to join us, Severus?" Snape nodded and ushered Draco to his assigned seat. Stiffly, the two Slytherin sat - an uncomfortable silence passed between them.
"Snicker doodle?" Dumbledore offered up a plate of delicious looking cookies to the both of them. In congruence, they declined. Draco didn't feel much like eating. Not letting on to their sour mood, Dumbledore shrugged and helped himself to one before sitting down.
"Now then. Draco, I'm sure you're wondering why we've brought you here so late."
Trying not to show his guilt, Draco politely answered. "Yes, Headmaster."
Smiling, Dumbledore continued. "As you probably know, Harry Potter fell quite ill at dinner tonight and had to be rushed to the hospital wing." Draco took in a sharp breath. Taking that as a sign of concern, Dumbledore continued. "Yes, we were all quite worried for him." Snape scoffed at the remark before quickly covering it with a cough. On cue, Dumbledore conjured up a spot of tea for the obviously distraught professor. Snape accepted it without question.
"Luckily, Harry seems to be fine, and has awoken without further injury. And, unfortunately, without any knowledge of what had happened." Suddenly, the sparkle fell out of his gaze. "Since then, Madam Pomfrey has informed me that there may be a clue as to who's responsible for the attack." Dumbledore paused, briefly.
Snape took the opportunity to raise a question. "And just how did this information come to pass?"
The sparkle returned. "Harry had a dream, Severus. A dream, he's convinced, that showed him his attacker."
Draco gripped the arms of his chair - his palms leaving damp trails of sweat on the wood. The word, 'dream' echoed through his mind. Was it possible? Surely not. Unfeasible - people couldn't share dreams. But still - how else could Potter know?? He closed his eyes and tried to remember his dream. Had he given himself away? Draco could barely hear Snape speaking in fuming protest.
"Since when was Potter prophetic? Don't tell me Trelawney's finally rubbed off on him."
"Severus, we're not saying-"
Draco's mind was racing, trying to beat out the blackness that obscured his memory. What did he dream??
"Albus, we cannot accuse students of violence simply because someone simply dreamed that they were responsible! It's ludicrous!" Snape's words spat out at a rate he usually reserved for students.
Draco remembered Potter - on the floor - he was in pain - pain from - HIM! Of course, he punched him in the stomach - and then - then - what? He was on the floor, he looked so weak -
The dream suddenly flooded back to him. He had confessed. Just to see the fire burn in Harry's eyes, he had confessed. Draco's mouth went dry.
"The hatred Potter's felt for Draco should more than prove to you the absurdity of this accusation." He was halfway out of his chair before Dumbledore waved his hand.
"No one's accusing anyone of anything, Severus." His voice was calm. "Draco is in no immediate danger of disciplinary action. We're simply here to find out what happened." Dumbledore's gaze was redirected to Draco, who was looking much paler than usual.
"Draco?" The blonde's eyes slowly met Dumbledore's. "Is there anything you would like to tell us before we continue?" Draco opened his mouth, unable to speak. A short breath that had caught in his throat was all he could manage. Still unbelieving his situation, Draco lowered his eyes and shook his head.
Saddened, Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "Very well." He returned his attentions to Professor Snape, who had calmed down considerably. "May I have the wand, Severus?"
Almost too politely, Snape held out the weapon in question. Draco could feel his professor's gaze; it pierced a hole through him. The shame was too much. He was already furious with himself, but he knew the look on Snape's face would be more than he could stomach. The same face his father would soon be making, when the news of his expulsion reached him. Draco sat there, helpless as Dumbledore held his wand - knowing what was to come. The last spell he preformed would soon be shooting out of the wand. 'The last spell I'll ever perform.'
Albus Dumbledore took a deep breath, and exhaled the incantation.
"Priori Incantato"
~*~
Hermione tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The day's events had plagued her, infesting her mind with questions. Questions that needed answering. It had been over a year since there had been any attempts on Harry's life, which was a good thing. But why now? And at Hogwarts? It didn't make sense. If Voldemort was trying to kill Harry again, surely he would've used an unforgivable curse - one that Harry wouldn't have been able to block. But that would require Voldemort to actually be INSIDE school grounds! And that wasn't possible - not without Dumbledore knowing. So, it couldn't be Voldemort. Right? Arrrgh.
Hermione's head hurt. She had been replaying the scene over and over again in her mind. Harry was fine one minute, and on the ground the next. She rolled over onto her side, one arm under her head. 'Ron seems convinced that Malfoy's behind it. Harry said in the infirmary that he didn't know what had happened.' A prank, he called it.
"Some prank." She sighed and looked at her alarm clock. 3:28 "I really need to get to sleep." She closed her eyes and tried to stop the thoughts from bombarding around in her head - but to no avail. Thoughts of Ron kept creeping back into her mind. The look of concern on his face as he sat by Harry's side; the way his nose twitched with worry; how red his face got when he asked her for help -
Hermione's eyes popped open. She had almost forgotten about that. 'I wonder what he wanted?' She closed her eyes and tried to remember what it was he had said. He was nervous - but he's always nervous - his ears went red - and he said - something about a dream - just like Harry.
Hermione's eyes popped open again, a bit wider this time. Her pulse quickening slightly as she put two and two together. 'He was nervous, his ears went red, he needed my help about a dream. Then earlier, yesterday, Harry was nervous, his face went red, and he needed help about a dream. They've both been all fidgety - Harry was flirty in the Library - hell, he was in the Library period - Oh my God.' Suddenly, all the worry from Harry's attack flowed out of her and was replaced by feeling of giddiness. An astonished smile crept onto Hermione's face.
"They've been dreaming about me!" Her voice was barely audible, as it had gone soft from the sheer shock of it all. Lucky for her, considering she wasn't alone in the room.
"'Mione!"
"Aaaah!" Hermione jumped away from the unseen voice in front of her. "Who's there?!?"
A red-haired decapitated head emerged from its' invisibility and grinned at her. "Hallo."
She sighed in relief before reaching over and smacking him one.
"Oww!" Ron's face grimaced. "What was that for?"
Suddenly aware of herself, Hermione pulled the covers up around her - shielding her from whatever intentions Ron had for being in her room this late at night. Only later would she realize how silly it must've looked. "Never mind what it was for - what are you doing here?"
"Oh right." Ron reached inside the invisibility cloak he had snatched from Harry's trunk, but quickly stopped him self and looked around. "Not here."
A couple of Gryffindor's shifted in their sleep, alerting Hermione that they weren't the only ones in the room.
"Let's go to the Common Room." Snatching her robe, she followed Ron, or what she assumed was Ron, out of the Girl's dormitory. Once safely out of earshot, Hermione raised her voice. "Now, what on earth is so important that you had to roust me out of bed?" Instantly, her thoughts went back to her earlier epiphany, turning her ears pink.
Ron opened the Invisibility Cloak and motioned for her to join him. "In here."
Her heart racing, though she would later swear that it wasn't, Hermione tentatively joined him inside the cloak. 'Oh no. Okay - relax.'
Once inside the protection of the cloak, Hermione tried to loosen up. But it wasn't working. Her insides were knotted up, and something the size of a Quaffle was churning in the pit of her stomach. She had been this close to Ron millions of times, but never before was it this nerve-wracking. He smelled wonderful. Even his voice sent her hormones soaring.
"'Mione-" His eyes met hers.
"Yes, Ron?" Her heart was somehow creeping up into her throat.
"Look-"
This was it. He was going to confess! "Yes, Ron?"
"No, LOOK-" He held up a piece of parchment, waving it in her face.
"Wha? - oh." It was the Marauder's Map. Disheartened, and feeling like a complete idiot, Hermione gave it back to him. "What about it?"
Annoyed that she wasn't as excited as he was, Ron shook it and pointed. "LOOK! Look there!" He frantically pointed at the little dot that had gone stationary in Dumbledore's office. It was more than obvious that Ron was pleased with himself, and was completely oblivious to Hermione's disappointment.
"Oh. OH!" Hermione took the map back with a sudden flick of her wrist. "You were right."
"I know I was right!" He was beaming.
"It was Malfoy."
"Who else?"
Hermione shook her head. "Bet he's getting a reaming, eh?"
Ron's head nodded enthusiastically, sending Hermione into a fit of giggles.
"Bye Bye Malfoy."
~*~
Draco tried to close his eyes, tried to shield the final blow to his scholastic career, but he couldn't look away. Dumbledore had performed the incriminating incantation, and he was left there - red handed. All he could do was watch the silver smoke curl out of his wand and point the finger. A bright light suddenly filled Dumbledore's office, and then there was nothing.
Nothing but the complete and utter shock on Draco's face.
'Wait,' Draco tried to make sense of it all. 'That wasn't the curse, that was-'
"Lumos." Albus Dumbledore handed the 'seemingly innocent' wand back to Malfoy and sighed. "Apparently, not all dreams can be accurate. I'm sorry to have disturbed your sleep, Draco. It seems this all has been in vain."
Draco took the wand back, his hands shaking, his nerves shot. "Thank - than you, Headmaster."
"Come, Mr. Malfoy. Time for you to go back to bed." Snape had risen and was ushering Draco out the door.
Malfoy wasted no time in getting up; nodded to his professor, and slinked out of the office. Snape turned to follow, but was stopped short by a stern voice behind him.
"Be careful on those steps, Severus." Albus shot him a look, "The corridors can be awfully dark this time of night."
"I will be, Headmaster. Thank you." He replied, coolly. "Goodnight." And with that, Snape closed the door behind him and took the first deep breath he had taken all night.
~*~
Hey, sorry it's been taking me so long to update! I worked like EVERY day this week! GRRRRRR All work and no play make Moira a testy camper!!! Anyhoo - please read and review!!!! I love all criticisms. Even if they say I suck. Which, luckily, I haven't gotten any of yet. But who knows - there's always the first!
You guys are GREAT!
~Big Hugz~ Moira
A/N: I don't own a damn thing..not one!
Summary: In an attempt at retribution, our golden-boy weaves his way into Draco's dream - only to find out it's a bit harder to control someone with as strong a will as Malfoy. No revenge in dreamland? Waking life will have to do.
Side note: A hearty thanks to all my reviewers!!! You guys are absolutely splendid! If I could take each and every one of you home with me for crumpets and tea, I would. Sincerely, I would. *big hugz* FRANNIE!!!! I love that girl - *big grin*
~*~
Tail between his legs, and his head hung as low as it would go, Draco made his way to Dumbledore's office - Professor Snape nipped at his heels, quickening his pace. Their footsteps echoed through the empty hallways of Hogwarts; a sound that was permanently etched into Draco's mind. The sound of his awaiting doom.
He glanced over his shoulder at Professor Snape, hoping for a smirk or at least a small sign of hope. There was none. Only a pair of cold, emotionless eyes glared back at him. He was going to be expelled.
"Is there a problem, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape's voice was curt. Not realizing he had been staring, Draco quickly turned his attentions back to the floor and muttered, "No, Professor." The last part of 'Professor' sounded more like 'rrrrrraaah', as Draco tripped on an upturned stone in the floor and landed flat on his face. His throbbing cheekbone was quickly forgotten as a sharp tug on his arm pulled Draco back on his feet.
"Apparently, along with your lack of judgment, your eyesight is also in dire need of improvement." Snape's glare was about as sarcastic as his tone. Draco's cheeks burned from embarrassment. "Lumos." Their path lit, the two continued down the corridor.
As they rounded the corner, drawing nearer to Dumbledore's office, Draco's heart felt as if it were going to explode. One thought circled over and over again in his mind - 'How did they find out?' Surely Crabbe and Goyle hadn't snitched. And Potter, well - he was supposed to be unconscious.
The sound of Snape's thoroughly irritated voice alerted Draco that they had arrived. "Peppermint Twist." The words came out in a hiss. Although he couldn't prove it, Draco was fairly sure that Dumbledore's choice of passwords, and not his own situation, was much the cause for the distaste in Snape's voice.
The hilarity of the moment was quickly lost as Snape brushed past him into the faintly lit staircase. Begrudgingly, Draco followed. With each step he took, his mind tried to find a way to escape. 'You could turn around, right now, and leave. Run out the door. Better yet, fall again! Fake an injury! Bust your head open! ANYTHING! Anything but this.' They had reached the top of the stairs. 'Last chance! Just one step backwards and- '
"Come in Severus. Young Mr. Malfoy." Snape hadn't even knocked before Headmaster Dumbledore welcomed them in. His voice was the same dreamy-calm it always was, but there was a force behind it Draco hadn't heard before. His heart jumped a beat. 'Here goes.'
Snape pushed the door open for him, and Draco quietly slipped past. The warmth of Dumbledore's office washed over him as he stepped in, but did little to thaw him out. His hands were still ice cold.
The kindly old wizard gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk. "Please, take a seat. You will be kind enough to join us, Severus?" Snape nodded and ushered Draco to his assigned seat. Stiffly, the two Slytherin sat - an uncomfortable silence passed between them.
"Snicker doodle?" Dumbledore offered up a plate of delicious looking cookies to the both of them. In congruence, they declined. Draco didn't feel much like eating. Not letting on to their sour mood, Dumbledore shrugged and helped himself to one before sitting down.
"Now then. Draco, I'm sure you're wondering why we've brought you here so late."
Trying not to show his guilt, Draco politely answered. "Yes, Headmaster."
Smiling, Dumbledore continued. "As you probably know, Harry Potter fell quite ill at dinner tonight and had to be rushed to the hospital wing." Draco took in a sharp breath. Taking that as a sign of concern, Dumbledore continued. "Yes, we were all quite worried for him." Snape scoffed at the remark before quickly covering it with a cough. On cue, Dumbledore conjured up a spot of tea for the obviously distraught professor. Snape accepted it without question.
"Luckily, Harry seems to be fine, and has awoken without further injury. And, unfortunately, without any knowledge of what had happened." Suddenly, the sparkle fell out of his gaze. "Since then, Madam Pomfrey has informed me that there may be a clue as to who's responsible for the attack." Dumbledore paused, briefly.
Snape took the opportunity to raise a question. "And just how did this information come to pass?"
The sparkle returned. "Harry had a dream, Severus. A dream, he's convinced, that showed him his attacker."
Draco gripped the arms of his chair - his palms leaving damp trails of sweat on the wood. The word, 'dream' echoed through his mind. Was it possible? Surely not. Unfeasible - people couldn't share dreams. But still - how else could Potter know?? He closed his eyes and tried to remember his dream. Had he given himself away? Draco could barely hear Snape speaking in fuming protest.
"Since when was Potter prophetic? Don't tell me Trelawney's finally rubbed off on him."
"Severus, we're not saying-"
Draco's mind was racing, trying to beat out the blackness that obscured his memory. What did he dream??
"Albus, we cannot accuse students of violence simply because someone simply dreamed that they were responsible! It's ludicrous!" Snape's words spat out at a rate he usually reserved for students.
Draco remembered Potter - on the floor - he was in pain - pain from - HIM! Of course, he punched him in the stomach - and then - then - what? He was on the floor, he looked so weak -
The dream suddenly flooded back to him. He had confessed. Just to see the fire burn in Harry's eyes, he had confessed. Draco's mouth went dry.
"The hatred Potter's felt for Draco should more than prove to you the absurdity of this accusation." He was halfway out of his chair before Dumbledore waved his hand.
"No one's accusing anyone of anything, Severus." His voice was calm. "Draco is in no immediate danger of disciplinary action. We're simply here to find out what happened." Dumbledore's gaze was redirected to Draco, who was looking much paler than usual.
"Draco?" The blonde's eyes slowly met Dumbledore's. "Is there anything you would like to tell us before we continue?" Draco opened his mouth, unable to speak. A short breath that had caught in his throat was all he could manage. Still unbelieving his situation, Draco lowered his eyes and shook his head.
Saddened, Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "Very well." He returned his attentions to Professor Snape, who had calmed down considerably. "May I have the wand, Severus?"
Almost too politely, Snape held out the weapon in question. Draco could feel his professor's gaze; it pierced a hole through him. The shame was too much. He was already furious with himself, but he knew the look on Snape's face would be more than he could stomach. The same face his father would soon be making, when the news of his expulsion reached him. Draco sat there, helpless as Dumbledore held his wand - knowing what was to come. The last spell he preformed would soon be shooting out of the wand. 'The last spell I'll ever perform.'
Albus Dumbledore took a deep breath, and exhaled the incantation.
"Priori Incantato"
~*~
Hermione tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The day's events had plagued her, infesting her mind with questions. Questions that needed answering. It had been over a year since there had been any attempts on Harry's life, which was a good thing. But why now? And at Hogwarts? It didn't make sense. If Voldemort was trying to kill Harry again, surely he would've used an unforgivable curse - one that Harry wouldn't have been able to block. But that would require Voldemort to actually be INSIDE school grounds! And that wasn't possible - not without Dumbledore knowing. So, it couldn't be Voldemort. Right? Arrrgh.
Hermione's head hurt. She had been replaying the scene over and over again in her mind. Harry was fine one minute, and on the ground the next. She rolled over onto her side, one arm under her head. 'Ron seems convinced that Malfoy's behind it. Harry said in the infirmary that he didn't know what had happened.' A prank, he called it.
"Some prank." She sighed and looked at her alarm clock. 3:28 "I really need to get to sleep." She closed her eyes and tried to stop the thoughts from bombarding around in her head - but to no avail. Thoughts of Ron kept creeping back into her mind. The look of concern on his face as he sat by Harry's side; the way his nose twitched with worry; how red his face got when he asked her for help -
Hermione's eyes popped open. She had almost forgotten about that. 'I wonder what he wanted?' She closed her eyes and tried to remember what it was he had said. He was nervous - but he's always nervous - his ears went red - and he said - something about a dream - just like Harry.
Hermione's eyes popped open again, a bit wider this time. Her pulse quickening slightly as she put two and two together. 'He was nervous, his ears went red, he needed my help about a dream. Then earlier, yesterday, Harry was nervous, his face went red, and he needed help about a dream. They've both been all fidgety - Harry was flirty in the Library - hell, he was in the Library period - Oh my God.' Suddenly, all the worry from Harry's attack flowed out of her and was replaced by feeling of giddiness. An astonished smile crept onto Hermione's face.
"They've been dreaming about me!" Her voice was barely audible, as it had gone soft from the sheer shock of it all. Lucky for her, considering she wasn't alone in the room.
"'Mione!"
"Aaaah!" Hermione jumped away from the unseen voice in front of her. "Who's there?!?"
A red-haired decapitated head emerged from its' invisibility and grinned at her. "Hallo."
She sighed in relief before reaching over and smacking him one.
"Oww!" Ron's face grimaced. "What was that for?"
Suddenly aware of herself, Hermione pulled the covers up around her - shielding her from whatever intentions Ron had for being in her room this late at night. Only later would she realize how silly it must've looked. "Never mind what it was for - what are you doing here?"
"Oh right." Ron reached inside the invisibility cloak he had snatched from Harry's trunk, but quickly stopped him self and looked around. "Not here."
A couple of Gryffindor's shifted in their sleep, alerting Hermione that they weren't the only ones in the room.
"Let's go to the Common Room." Snatching her robe, she followed Ron, or what she assumed was Ron, out of the Girl's dormitory. Once safely out of earshot, Hermione raised her voice. "Now, what on earth is so important that you had to roust me out of bed?" Instantly, her thoughts went back to her earlier epiphany, turning her ears pink.
Ron opened the Invisibility Cloak and motioned for her to join him. "In here."
Her heart racing, though she would later swear that it wasn't, Hermione tentatively joined him inside the cloak. 'Oh no. Okay - relax.'
Once inside the protection of the cloak, Hermione tried to loosen up. But it wasn't working. Her insides were knotted up, and something the size of a Quaffle was churning in the pit of her stomach. She had been this close to Ron millions of times, but never before was it this nerve-wracking. He smelled wonderful. Even his voice sent her hormones soaring.
"'Mione-" His eyes met hers.
"Yes, Ron?" Her heart was somehow creeping up into her throat.
"Look-"
This was it. He was going to confess! "Yes, Ron?"
"No, LOOK-" He held up a piece of parchment, waving it in her face.
"Wha? - oh." It was the Marauder's Map. Disheartened, and feeling like a complete idiot, Hermione gave it back to him. "What about it?"
Annoyed that she wasn't as excited as he was, Ron shook it and pointed. "LOOK! Look there!" He frantically pointed at the little dot that had gone stationary in Dumbledore's office. It was more than obvious that Ron was pleased with himself, and was completely oblivious to Hermione's disappointment.
"Oh. OH!" Hermione took the map back with a sudden flick of her wrist. "You were right."
"I know I was right!" He was beaming.
"It was Malfoy."
"Who else?"
Hermione shook her head. "Bet he's getting a reaming, eh?"
Ron's head nodded enthusiastically, sending Hermione into a fit of giggles.
"Bye Bye Malfoy."
~*~
Draco tried to close his eyes, tried to shield the final blow to his scholastic career, but he couldn't look away. Dumbledore had performed the incriminating incantation, and he was left there - red handed. All he could do was watch the silver smoke curl out of his wand and point the finger. A bright light suddenly filled Dumbledore's office, and then there was nothing.
Nothing but the complete and utter shock on Draco's face.
'Wait,' Draco tried to make sense of it all. 'That wasn't the curse, that was-'
"Lumos." Albus Dumbledore handed the 'seemingly innocent' wand back to Malfoy and sighed. "Apparently, not all dreams can be accurate. I'm sorry to have disturbed your sleep, Draco. It seems this all has been in vain."
Draco took the wand back, his hands shaking, his nerves shot. "Thank - than you, Headmaster."
"Come, Mr. Malfoy. Time for you to go back to bed." Snape had risen and was ushering Draco out the door.
Malfoy wasted no time in getting up; nodded to his professor, and slinked out of the office. Snape turned to follow, but was stopped short by a stern voice behind him.
"Be careful on those steps, Severus." Albus shot him a look, "The corridors can be awfully dark this time of night."
"I will be, Headmaster. Thank you." He replied, coolly. "Goodnight." And with that, Snape closed the door behind him and took the first deep breath he had taken all night.
~*~
Hey, sorry it's been taking me so long to update! I worked like EVERY day this week! GRRRRRR All work and no play make Moira a testy camper!!! Anyhoo - please read and review!!!! I love all criticisms. Even if they say I suck. Which, luckily, I haven't gotten any of yet. But who knows - there's always the first!
You guys are GREAT!
~Big Hugz~ Moira