Yes, I know, it's been a while. I'll probably be only posting every second or third day from now on thanks to school and family – next week I doubt I'll be posting much at all! I hope you all like this chapter, it's kind of weird, lol, but that's meeeeee right now!

Thank you every one for your support, I wish I could reply to reviews, I'm just still a little nervous about doing that… just know that you're all wonderful!

----------------------------------------

Chapter Thirty-Three

Keeping an eye on the grounds around them, Snape lead Miss Granger down to the Quidditch Pitch, watching as her face changed from a look of apprehension, to excitement, to fear, and then somehow managed to combine all three. He felt secure in his knowledge that there was no Quidditch team practicing that afternoon, and that most students would be studying, for it was not the most pleasant afternoon, the clouds a dull grey and the air heavy with the promise of the coming Summer.

Striding to the broom shed, before he unlocked it, he turned to look at the witch who stood just behind him, to the right. "Perhaps you would be more comfortable if we used two brooms, Miss Granger," he commented.

The way she quickly shock her head as a sign of "no" amused him greatly. "No, thank you, sir. I couldn't. I'd just get…" Her voice trailed off.

"Scared?" he offered to fill in the gap she left, quirking an eyebrow at her, and smirking as he knew how she felt – shame, mixed with anger. He pushed a little harder. "I didn't realise Gryffindors knew the meaning of the word fear, let alone experienced it."

His eyes widened with shock when suddenly the temperamental witch turn on her heel and began to stalk towards the looming castle. "Miss Granger!" He called. "Stop! Wait!" He demanded, regretting his words. How was he supposed to know they'd get a reaction like that? Women! No… girls! Somehow, that didn't fit either… females!

With a few fluid steps, he was beside her. "Stop." He commanded.

"This lesson is an elective, is it not, Professor?" She snapped, not slowing. "Therefore, I can drop it at any stage and not be reprimanded."

Quickly, he stepped in front of her, cutting her off and seeing the fury in her brown eyes. "Yes, Miss Granger, it is." He said in a quiet voice. "However, it would not do well for my Slytherin Pride to allow myself to give up quite so easily. After all, what would that do to my perfect record?"

As he'd hoped, a smile – apparently involuntary - appeared on her face. "So that would be the reason why Neville is still in your class?"

"No, that is not. The fool is intent on becoming an Auror alongside Potter and Weasley. As he did not fail last year's class, I was forced to keep him for this. He has not made a big enough blunder for me to remove him fairly from my class." He paused for a moment. "Yet. I have hope."

Apparently forgetting her anger from a few moments before, Hermione looked up at him with curious eyes. "Was him blundering up the Living Death potion not enough?"

Snape pressed a finger to his lips. "I'll admit that I had forgotten about that incident, Miss Granger. I never reported it, it might have given me that chance."

"Why didn't you report it?"

Before he could stop himself, he let the words slip. "Because I had more important… matters… to take care of." He let his eyes meet hers, and was surprised by what he found there.

----------------------------------------------

She's really getting a bit much, Harry thought idly, watching as Hermione's ink dot made it's way down to the school Quidditch Pitch, accompanied by no other then Severus Snape. It was a Saturday afternoon, one they should be spending in the common room playing games and chatting, but instead, she was going to the one place she hated most in the entire school – the pitch – with the bastard.

Forgetting the real reason he had pulled out the map, Harry couldn't help as anger flooded his body. All the times he'd tried to convince his friend to come down to the Quidditch pitch with him, Ron and Ginny, and yet, here she was, going with Snape. What was wrong with this picture? Surely, she couldn't be allowing herself to go flying with the bat – he probably didn't need a broomstick to fly.

Throwing the map down onto his bed with disgust as Ginny entered the room, he remembered why he had sought out the map. However, his girlfriend did not question whether he had found a suitable space for them within the confines of the castle, seeing the glowering look on his face.

"She's with him, isn't she?"

Harry was in all honesty completely thrown off. Was he really that transparent to her? And why was he really stressing about Hermione that much? "Yes, and guess where they are." She his girlfriend shrug, he motioned to the open map on his bed.

"What the hell would they be doing down there?" She asked him, her red hair falling in front her face as she bent over the enchanted map. "Though we never did think of there…" she gave him a mischievous grin. He let out a groan as she sat on the bed, and pulled her close. "I know you're worried about her." Ginny whispered, entwining their hands.

"I just don't get it, that's all." He muttered. "I mean, she's free to do what she likes, but spend time with him? It doesn't make sense. What would they be doing down at the pitch?" When his girlfriend shot out of his arms with excitement, he began to worry. "Ginny?" He asked, quietly. "What you got in mind?"

------------------------------------------

Hermione felt Snape's arm tighten around her waist, and already knew what was coming for her. They'd been out on the Pitch for about an hour, and she was beginning to feel a little more comfortable on the broomstick. She was also beginning to understand when Snape would go into a sudden dive or rocket into the sky by the way he pulled her back into him a little more securely. She prayed it was only the flight that was causing her breath to be taken so sharply.

Fighting the urge to scream, she clenched her eyes shot as they shot upwards, racing to meet the low hanging clouds. They hadn't gone fair before Snape directed the old broom back down to the ground below them. She couldn't watch, knowing the ground was rushing towards them.

When they were back to flying in slow circles like they had the first time, she heard his deep voice. "I remember you telling me once that you trust me."

Keeping her eyes closed, she gave a nod. "I do, sir."

"Then why won't you open your eyes? You don't need to be afraid – despite popular belief, I'm sure, I won't let you fall." She couldn't help but notice the difference in his tone when he spoke of fear now, compared to his snide remarks earlier. "Open your eyes, Hermione."

She shivered, hoping it was from the fear.

Still, she took her time opening her eyes to see the pitch around them, the sky above them, the land below. It was no where near as beautiful as the sunset he had presented her with last time, but intoxicating all the same.

"Do you want to learn how to really fly?" a deep rumble asked her.

"Y-yes," she stuttered. Personally, she thought she was doing very well, as this was her third ever flight. Madam Hooch hadn't bothered to continue teaching her beyond the first lesson, for most obvious reasons.

Suddenly, Snape let go of the broom and retracted his arm from her waist, leaving her sitting unaided on the broomstick. It was with a scream that she realised what he'd done and before she could help herself, she started to topple off the broom sideways. In an attempt to stay upright, she scrabbled at the broom and snapped her legs back, capturing his between them, hoping for a little extra support. She felt him grab her again, but his attempts came tool ate and she fell the short distance to the ground below her. A flurry of black robs later, Snape fell after her, dragged down by her legs. They landed in a tangle on the soft grass, the broomstick still caught between their legs.

Horror washed over Hermione as she realised what had just happened. Not daring to move, her mind screamed at her for being so silly. She didn't want to think of how much trouble he'd be in for doing that. Once again, she clenched her eyes shut again, not wanting to see the angry expression of the man who lay tangled with her, only waited for his menacing voice to come.

He gave a groan and untangled his legs, moving away from her. Somehow, this noise caused anger to flow through her as she realised this was his fault. He should have warned her about what he was going to do, instead of just letting go like that. He knew she wasn't a good flier!

"Miss Granger?" he asked quietly. She heard the rustle of robes, but didn't dare open her eyes. "Miss Granger?" He asked again. Clearly he thought she might have been unconscious, because next moment, she felt a hand brush her cheek.

Her eyes flew open and she found the dark Professor on his knees next to her, looking down on her with an expression of concern written across his pale features. It was certainly different to the expression of anger she had been expecting, and it threw her quite off guard.

"Are you okay, Miss Granger?" he asked quietly, helping her to sit up and brush grass out of her bushy hair.

"I'm okay." Again, guilt washed over her as she saw his concern. "I'm s-sorry Professor." She stuttered, glancing down at her hands. "You just gave me a shock." Heat in her cheeks told her she was already blushing, probably already a brilliant red. Shaking her head, she stood. "Are you hurt, sir?"

He appeared to check, running his hands down his front in his usual manner. "It would appear so." He paused, leaning down to pick up the fallen broomstick.

Before she could stop herself, Hermione giggled. She watched his eyebrows rise silently. "Sorry, sir. I'm just wondering how wounded your Slytherin pride is," she explained, trying to hide her grin.

"Yes, well, perhaps I'll think a little more before I let go next time," he muttered, avoiding her gaze. Instantly, she knew that was the closest thing to an apology she'd ever get from him. "Would you be against making another attempt?"

To say she was only a little surprised would be lying – he'd be willing to try again? "I… I suppose so, sir," she looked up at him, before stepping towards him. She allowed herself to be gently guided back onto the broomstick by him. Once they were seated, she leaned back into his chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Are you cold, Miss Granger?" Snape asked quietly while their feet were still firmly on the ground. "You shivered."

"No, sir," she whispered, afraid to move. "Just a little nervous."

"Don't be," he murmured as he launched them gently into that air.

----------------------------------------------

The first thing Harry and Ginny noticed as they crept into the Quidditch stadium from under the stands, where the figures of two people in a rumpled heap on the ground. They watched silently as they stood, recognising them as Snape and Hermione. Snape appeared to be holding a broomstick.

Harry's blood ran cold as he watched Snape help Hermione onto the broomstick, pulling her tight against him. Ginny also went rigid beside him. "So much for being so opposed to flying," she whispered, a grim expression flitting across her freckled face.

"What is she playing at?" Harry asked quietly, watching as the cozy pair on the broomstick rose into the air and began to make slow circles of the pitch. "All this time she denied us… but she runs off to take an afternoon flight with Snape."

It was in silence that they watched the pair soaring lazily above the ground. Ginny almost let out a scream when all of a sudden Snape took the broom shooting into the sky. They heard Hermione let out a squeal, with to their disbelief turned to laughter. They watched as they dipped and dived all over the pitch, with Snape apparently holding tight to the witch seated in front of him.

Harry and Ginny both took a sharp breath, when at the end of one particular dive, the greasy Potions professor turned his raven hair and looked directly in her direction. Harry might have thought that they'd been spotted, if the man's gaze had lingered, which it didn't. After a while, the couple realised that the pair on the broomstick didn't have any intention on coming down for a while, so Harry reached for Ginny's hand.

"Come on, we've seen enough." He whispered as they slipped back into the dim light under the stands.

Walking back to the castle huddled together, they both expressed their concern. Snape's sudden friendliness to Hermione certainly was a worry decided. But they didn't know what they could do about it.

If they could do anything at all.

----------------------------------------------

How was that? Hope you liked it :-) I probably won't be able to update until Saturday, at the very earliest. Am hoping to do another chapter tonight, but I highly doubt it!

Enjoy your weekends everyone!