Severus Snape tentatively touched the face of the young Gryffindor currently lying in his bed. Hermione's face was flushed and she obviously had a fever. Snape quickly conjured a cold washcloth and pressed it against her face, hoping to lower her body temperature. He turned his head briefly to see Albus and Minerva enter the room. "How is she Severus?" Minerva asked curiously.

"Her condition worsened during the night," Severus replied with a scowl. "I woke up to check on her, only to find that she was running a fever and seemed to have trouble breathing. Whatever spell Mr. Malfoy used seemed to cause symptoms similar to a rather advanced case of pneumonia. Poppy came in an hour ago and confirmed that Miss Granger has fluid in her lungs."

"Oh dear," Albus said quietly. "Well, what shall we do now, Severus?"

"Well, obviously, I will be monitoring her and administering the necessary potions," Severus replied, sneering. "As long as there are no complications, she should be up and about by tomorrow morning. However, because her condition is so serious now, I will be unable to teach my classes today. I will be unable to leave her for more than a few moments."

"Say no more, dear boy," Albus said quickly. "I will inform everyone that your classes are cancelled for today. You just worry about getting our Head Girl back on her feet. Take good care of her," he added with a smile.

Severus rolled his eyes and refused to comment. Minerva and Albus exchanged grins and left the room. Severus uncorked a vial filled with an amber coloured liquid and moved closer to Hermione. He sat on the edge of the bed and watched as her eyes fluttered open. "Professor?" she said weakly.

"You need to drink this, Miss Granger," Severus said, trying his best not to look sympathetic to her current condition.

"What's wrong with me?" Hermione asked softly, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her breathing was laboured and she looked exhausted.

"It turns out that the curse that Mr. Malfoy used on you causes severe cases of pneumonia," the professor said, not looking her in the eye. "Your lungs have fluid in them and you are simply not getting enough oxygen. You are tired because your body is working so hard to keep you breathing." He fell silent as Hermione was overcome by a fit of rather violent coughing. When she had calmed once again, he said, "It would appear that the spell caused damage to your respiratory system. Therefore, you'll be staying here so I can watch over you and give you potions to repair the damage and get rid of the pneumonia."

Hermione nodded weakly. She allowed Snape to lift her head and pour the bitter liquid into her mouth. Hermione swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut at the pain in her chest. "Just give it a moment," Snape said quietly. "The potion will make you more comfortable. Just relax." He carefully lowered her head back to the pillow and began running his fingers through her hair to calm her. He smirked as the young Gryffindor relaxed, focusing only on the soothing manner that Snape was stroking her hair. After a few moments, Hermione opened her eyes and gave him a small grateful smile.

"Thanks," she said softly, feeling slightly disappointed when he pulled his hand away from her hair. "What happened with Malfoy?" she asked curiously.

Snape smirked at her question. "We decided to tell him that you recognised him as your attacker before you passed out," he said smoothly. "He has another month of detention and he is banned from that ridiculous ball that Headmaster Dumbledore is setting up."

Hermione smiled slightly. "I don't think it'll be that bad," she said gently.

Snape rolled his eyes. "It would not be so bad if the Headmaster was not so busy playing Cupid," he said. "It is as if he has nothing better to do with his time. I am surprised he has not found some way to get me to escort you to the ball." He flinched slightly when he realized what he had said. This was not a subject that he wished to examine. Hermione noted his discomfort and decided not to comment on his statement, much to his relief.

By the next morning, Hermione was feeling much better. Poppy came by Snape's room early that morning and checked Hermione over before declaring her well enough to go to class. Snape handed Hermione an opened vial containing a yellowish liquid. "Drink this," he said simply. Without hesitation, Hermione lifted the vial to her lips and swallowed the substance. "That should help you not to feel quite so tired," he said briskly. "Stay indoors today and if you start to feel poorly, sit down and have one of your friends find me. Your respiratory system is still healing and you do not want to over do it." With that said Snape turned on his heel and left the room to go to the Great Hall.

After showering and getting dressed, Hermione went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. When she sat down, Ron, Harry and Ginny greeted her enthusiastically. "Good morning," she said with a smile.

"Hermione we were so worried," Ginny said with a look of concern. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Ginny," Hermione assured her. "I'm feeling much better."

"Glad to hear it," Harry said smiling.

Breakfast went smoothly while the group discussed the ball that was so quickly approaching. As everyone stood to leave the table, Ron cleared his throat and looked at Hermione nervously. "Could I talk to you?" he asked.

"Of course," Hermione replied, wondering why he looked so uncomfortable. They stopped in the hallway while the others walked ahead. "What's on your mind Ron?" she asked.

"Well," Ron began apprehensively. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I was wondering if maybe you'd go to the ball with me," he said quickly looking at the floor.

"Sure," Hermione said casually, causing Ron to look up in surprise.

"Oh," he said blushing. "Well, ok then. That was easy enough." Hermione just smiled and continued walking to her next class.

Later that afternoon, Hermione was cornered by Ginny in the hallway just outside her room. "Why on earth would you go to the ball with Ron?" Ginny asked incredulously. She looked completely bewildered.

Hermione appeared surprised by the question. "Well, why not?" she said. "He asked right after breakfast and I didn't see any reason why I shouldn't go with him."

"Are you mental?" Ginny asked in disbelief. "What about Snape?"

Hermione gasped and quickly ushered Ginny into her room. "Not so loud where people can hear you," Hermione admonished the younger girl.

Ginny folded her arms impatiently. "Just answer the question," she said.

Hermione sighed. "He's never going to ask me to attend the ball with him," Hermione said calmly. "I didn't want to go alone."

Ginny was thoughtful for a few moments. "Well, the problem is that Ron fancies you," Ginny said slowly. "You're going to have to let him know that you're just going as friends." A smirk crept onto Ginny's face. "Snape will be so jealous," she said grinning. "Maybe this is a good thing. Seeing you with another guy may just be what he needs to motivate him to make a move."

"You're as bad as Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said dryly.

Ginny smiled sweetly and sat down on Hermione's bed. After a moment, Ginny mused, "Do you think Snape will be good in bed?"

Hermione sputtered with surprised laughter. "Ginny!" she exclaimed. "How on earth did you come up with a question like that?"

"I'm just curious," Ginny replied, attempting to sound innocent. "Don't even deny that you've thought about it."

Hermione blushed but managed to say, "He's my teacher. It would be inappropriate for me to entertain the thought of having sex with him. Besides, that's not important."

Ginny raised an eyebrow at her. "Of course it's important. Sex is like air."

"Like air?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "How is sex like air?"

Ginny smirked evilly and replied, "They're only really important if you're not getting any." Hermione giggled and collapsed on the bed next to her friend. "We won't bother to discuss how I came to that conclusion," Ginny added, causing Hermione to laugh harder.

Valentine's Day arrived swiftly and Ginny went to Hermione's room so that they could get ready together. Ginny dressed in dark blue dress robes that clung to her lean frame. Her hair was pulled back into a neat bun and she had carefully applied a bit of make-up to her face. Hermione was nervously checking her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing her new wine coloured dress robes. They hugged her rounded hips and waist beautifully. An elegant v-neck accentuated her full breasts. Her hair was piled on top of her head in soft curls with several loose tendrils framing her face. "Do I look ok?" Hermione asked turning to look at Ginny.

Ginny squealed in delight. "You look amazing!" Ginny said with a big smile. "Dear Professor Snape is in for a pleasant surprise." Hermione smiled and the two girls left the room to meet the boys in the common room.

Severus sat at the head table watching the students enter the Great Hall. He was aware of the fact that Albus kept looking in his direction, but chose to ignore it. He rolled his eyes when he saw Potter come in with Parvati Patil. Behind the pair was Ginny Weasley with Neville Longbottom. Snape smirked. Now, that was an unlikely couple. Quickly losing interest, his eyes strayed back to the door. His breath caught in his chest as Hermione walked into the room looking very much like an angel wrapped in red silk. His eyes narrowed when he saw that she was with Ron Weasley.

Albus moved to stand beside the potions master. "Miss Granger looks lovely," the Headmaster said slyly.

"Why would she come with that idiot?" Snape growled without thinking. He winced when Albus chuckled.

"Severus, Mr. Weasley is a close friend of hers," Albus said gently. "Perhaps the person she would rather be here with was too stubborn to ask her to accompany him." Albus smiled and his eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Don't start Albus," Severus said in a warning tone. "She's my student."

"Not for long," Albus said with a shrug. "And she's of age already, thanks to that time turner. I think she is good for you and my only request would be for you to be discreet so as not to cause discomfort amongst the students. You care about her more than you want to admit. Why don't you just stop fighting it and allow yourself this happiness?"

"She does not see me in such a way," Snape replied scathingly.

"Ah, but she does," Albus said with a smile. At Snape's look of shock, he said, "Miss Weasley has been… mentioning things to me."

Severus considered this information for a moment. "She does not know about the things that I have done," he said bitterly. "Would she still reach for me in spite of where I have been? Could she even bear to look at me if she knew what was in my past?" He glared at the sea of students dancing and talking in the Great Hall. This was the last place he wanted to be. The knowledge that Hermione was there with that dim-witted Weasley made him furious.

Hermione and Ron decided to take a break from dancing. They walked over to get some punch and rest a bit. Hermione took a sip from her glass and watched the other students with mild interest. She stiffened when she felt Ron snake his arm around her waist. She pulled away from him slightly and turned to face him. "Look Ron," Hermione said quietly. "I'm having a great time with you. However, I honestly can't see you as anything other than a friend. I've tried but I just can't." Ron looked surprised at her little speech. He gazed at her for a moment, his face flushed in embarrassment. He nodded and mumbled something she couldn't hear before walking away. Hermione watched him sadly, hoping that this wouldn't damage their friendship.

After a few moments, Hermione became aware of someone standing near her. She turned to find Professor Snape standing next to her. "Hello Professor," she said with a shy smile.

"Did Mr. Weasley leave you because he was afraid that your obsessive study habits would rub off on him?" Professor Snape asked with a smirk.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No," she said laughing. "I'm afraid I gave him the wrong impression by coming to the ball with him. I told him that I only wanted to be friends and then he just walked away."

"I see," Snape said, feeling triumphant, although his expression remained neutral.

After five minutes of silence, Hermione took a deep breath and turned to face him. "Professor, would you like to dance?" Severus looked at her as if suspected she might be joking. Then, he offered her his arm and led her toward the dancing couples. A slow, mournful tune began playing as Severus pulled her close to his body, enjoying the feel of the silky robes under his hands. Hermione smiled up at his face, allowing him to hold her close. Severus fought to keep his breathing steady as he marvelled at the feeling of the young woman in his arms. He was tempted to kiss her, but there were just too many people around for that. Perhaps he would find an opportunity later.

Ginny smiled brightly as she watched Hermione and Professor Snape dance. It looked as if things were working out wonderfully. Her eyes scanned the crowd and her stomach clenched painfully when she realized that Harry and Ron had just noticed with whom Hermione was dancing. They did not look pleased at all.