Disclaimer: It's not mine, I just enjoy messing with their lives.

A/N: Hello hello hello! Thanks bunches for the reviews, I love the support! Oh, one of two people commented on Percy not being quite in character. Yeah that probably true to some extent, but in case you hadn't noticed, he's got a crush on Mione, so that makes him want to have more fun and stuff. This chapter dedicated to Athena Marie Roa because her review kept me smiling all day! And now onto the story.

Playing Pretend

Chapter Two: The Eavesdropped-Upon Conversation, Cleaning Day, and a Surprise Engagement

"I don't want to get up," Hermione muttered as she fidgeted in bed, her stomach growling once again. The water fight had left her decidedly hungry, just as she had gotten perfectly comfortable in bed. She managed to get a couple hours of sleep, but awoke a little after midnight, her stomach rumbling once again. She tried to convince her stomach that it didn't want food, but it wouldn't be swayed. With a growl of annoyance, she swung her legs over the side, stuck her feet in her slippers, and made her way out into the hall and down the steps. As she neared the bottom of the stairs though, voices from the living room made her pause, and she couldn't help but listen to the conversation taking place.

"-fine, Albus," Snape said in annoyance.

"You're not fine Severus. You're deteriorating, and anyone can see it!" Albus' voice was full of concern and a hint of anger. "I'm sorry Severus, but I'm worried about you."

"Whatever for?" Severus spat harshly, and Hermione could almost hear Albus wince. "I was only needed for my knowledge of Voldemort's plans, and now that's not an option anymore. I'm not good for anything."

"True you're not needed for knowledge about Voldemort, but that's a blessing, and a relief to me that you're not endangering yourself anymore. And you're the greatest Potion's Master in the United Kingdom, not to mention a wonderful potion's professor."

"Not that it matters," Severus sneered. "The students all hate me. And you only hired me to keep me close by so I could spy for you."

"That's not true and you damn well know it!" Hermione fought a gasp; she had never heard the Headmaster sound so angry. "You are like the son I never had, and I want you to be happy. If you would only grasp life and try to live!"

"I don't have anything to live for anymore, if I ever did," Severus said after a moment, and Hermione could hear traces of anger, spite…and sadness? That surprised her, and made him all the more human in her eyes. He had always been viewed by the school majority as an unfeeling bastard who was incapable of emotion.

"Severus-" Albus began, but was cut off.

"NO! Don't start Albus, just leave me alone! And don't worry, you'll still have your precious potions master come start of term," he spat, and moments later, Hermione heard him storm out the kitchen door into the back yard. Hermione sat still for a few more minutes, thinking over what she had just heard. Just as she was about to go back upstairs, her hunger pains suddenly gone, the tired voice of the Headmaster stopped her.

"Oh Severus my boy, how I hope that you will find something, or someone, to live for," she heard him say sadly, followed by the sound on him flooing back to Hogwarts.

It was at that moment she knew that the Headmaster had been aware of her presence all along. She was sure his last comment was dictated towards her. He wanted Severus to have something or someone to live for. Hermione decided then and there that she was on a mission to befriend the snarky potions master, and maybe even teach him how to have fun, as difficult as that sounded. However, there was nothing like a good challenge to get her excited. She decided to start that very minute, and headed into the kitchen to make some tea and have a cup ready for when he came back in. Well, she'd have it there as long as he didn't take all night to come back in. She wasn't that determined to befriend him, and she didn't even know if she'd be able to.

"What are you doing?" The grumpy voice of Severus Snape startled Hermione out of her reverie. She had been so busy thinking she hadn't noticed him come in.

"I was hungry and couldn't sleep, so I came down to have some tea and toast," she replied, feeling awkward, like she didn't know how to act around him. "Would you like some Professor? There's more in the kettle."

"Humph," he grunted with his an even angrier sneer on his face than usual, but surprised Hermione when he went to the cabinet and took down a cup, poured himself a glass, added cream, and sat down across from her. For a while they just sat there drinking; Severus staring down at the cup he had his hands wrapped around, and Hermione staring at him. Since overhearing that conversation, she was curious as to a lot of things. Like why he had become a deatheater in the first place. Or why he agreed to teach since it appeared he hated it so much. And most importantly, why he felt he had nothing to live for.

"What?" His voice once again broke her out of her reverie, and she saw that he was staring at her curiously.

"I'm sorry Professor, I was thinking," Hermione averted her eyes quickly.

"And staring at me," an eyebrow rose. "So again, I ask what?"

"I was wondering why you became a deatheater," she said out loud without even realising it.

"What!" Severus hissed, eyes blazing with anger as he shoved away from the table so suddenly he knocked his chair over. Hermione jumped out of her seat, startled, and began walking backwards as he came towards her.

"I'm sorry sir," she whispered as her back hit the wall with a dull thud. She was frightened by the storm of rage filling his eyes and clouding his judgment.

"If you were sorry you wouldn't have done it," he said, his voice eerily calm, but his hands gripped her arms hard as he gave her a shake, and she knew she'd have bruises there later. "I never want to hear that from your lips ever again. Is that clear?"

She couldn't force her mouth to co-operate with her brain. He shook her again.

"Yes sir," she gasped quietly, a tear leaking out as she slammed her eyes shut, desperately wishing she had thought before she spoke.

He pulled back suddenly as if he had been burned. Hermione managed to open her eyes to see his chest heaving with the force of his breaths as he stared in shock at his hands, and then at her. With a curse, he swiftly turned and she heard him going deeper into the house somewhere. With a stifled sob, she slid down the wall to sit on the floor, gathering control of her emotions. His actions had been somewhat warranted, she had to admit to herself; however, he shouldn't have touched her. If she was a vengeful person, she would've owled the Headmaster and had him fired, but luckily for Snape she wasn't. She knew he regretted what he had done; she could tell that much from the look on his face once he realised what he had done.

Minutes later she froze when he came back into the kitchen carrying a small jar of what Hermione identified as bruise balm. Without saying a word or looking at her, he set it down on the table and turned to exit the kitchen.

"Thanks," Hermione said quietly, letting him know in her own way that she forgave him, and that what happened would stay between them.

He stopped and turned his head slightly to look at her, the expression on his face unreadable. Hermione gave him a small smile, and he nodded in return before leaving once again.

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"Damn it!" Severus cursed himself as he took refuge in his room after leaving the jar on the table.

He was angry; angry at Albus, angry at that girl, and angry at himself most of all. Albus just pushed all the wrong buttons tonight, and it didn't help that he had been in a bad mood because of having to greet Potter and Co. Then, when Miss Granger said she wondered why he had become a deatheater, he snapped, and it wasn't till she began to cry that he snapped out of it. He knew his actions were deplorable, and that she had every right to tell Molly and Albus and have him fired and kicked out of the house. That's why he was completely floored when she forgave him of all things, even after what he had done. How could she forgive him, when he couldn't even begin to forgive himself?

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"RISE AND SHINE MIONE!" Fred and George came barging into her room and jumped on her bed to wake her up.

"You have five seconds to get off me or you lose your ability to ever have children," Hermione gritted out as she grabbed her wand. "1…2…3…4-"

"Sorry Mione, we love you!" they kissed her cheek and ran out the door to awake some other unfortunate houseguest.

"Love you too, you crazy idiots," she couldn't help but grin as she slid out of bed and into her flip flops. She decided to forgo a robe as it was summer and hot both inside and out, especially since the air-conditioning didn't work. Stifling a yawn, she headed downstairs to get some of the breakfast that she could smell wafting up through the floorboards.

"Good morning boys," Hermione said as she kissed Ron and Harry on the cheek and took her seat next to Percy. She looked up, concerned, when Ron didn't respond to her greeting. "What's wrong?"

"Y-y-you-" Ron stammered pointing towards her.

"What my brother is trying to say is that he doesn't approve of your choice of pyjammas," Ginny explained as her other brothers laughed at Ron's red face. "Cute shorts by the way."

"Grow up Ron. You've seen girls in bathing suits, and that's less than what I have on," Hermione rolled her eyes at him. She had worn a pair ofrather short shortspaired with a camisole to bed.

"But you're like a sister to me! I don't want to see you practically undressed like that!" Ron shuddered.

"Ron, just eat your breakfast," Luna commented absent-mindedly. "Waffles help keep the rubbly-wingerleys from picking up your scent and stealing your hair."

Everyone just shook their heads, laughing silently. They were quite used to Luna's odd remarks by now, as she had become a rather fun member of their group over the past two years.

"All right everyone, listen up!" Molly came bustling into the kitchen, sheets of parchment in her hand. "Today we are all spring cleaning, and there's no way you can get out of it. I've put charms everywhere to keep you from flooing out, disapparating, or leaving the yard. Now, Charlie and Luna, you're working together on the attic and basement. Hermione and Percy, you're working on the bedrooms. Bill and Ginny, you're working on the bathrooms and the closets. Harry and Fred, you're working on the first floor, but don't touch Severus' room and lab! Ron and George, you're working on the grounds. Here are your lists with the specific tasks I want done. Some of it can be done with magic which is why each of you is partnered with someone who can use a wand, but some can't, so you'll just have to use good old-fashioned elbow grease, understood?"

"Yes!" They all chorused.

"Good, now get to it!" She waved her wand and enough cleaning supplies to serve an army appeared as she bustled out of the kitchen.

Everyone groaned, but it was all in good nature, as they grabbed the various supplies they would need. With a last look at their specific duties, everyone split into their cleaning teams and departed for their final destination.

"I'm sorry," Percy apologised as he and Hermione began to make the bed in the first bedroom they were tackling.

"What on earth are you sorry for?" Hermione was genuinely confused as to why he was apologising.

"For you getting stuck with me," he said. "My mum's trying to push us together."

"And would that be such a bad thing?" Hermione looked at him with a mischievous grin, before turning to clean the windows. "Am I such a horrid woman that entertaining the mere idea of dating me is disgusting to you?"

"NO!" Percy said with such force that Hermione turned to look back at him, an eyebrow raised and a hint of a smile on her lips. "No. Just, I thought you would've rather worked with one of your friends."

"Percy, you are one of my friends. One of my best friends even," she walked over to him where he was standing with his head down, unsure of what to say.

"Really? You're not just saying that?"

"Goodness, you're worse than Ron and Harry when it comes to seeking approval," Hermione teased, but placed a hand on his cheek to make him look at her as she grew serious. "I was serious. You've been there for me through a lot these past few months. That means a lot to me; you mean a lot to me."

"You mean a lot to me too, love," he smiled, and covered her hand with his own.

"Oh! I'm sorry I interrupted, I'll leave you two!" Molly suddenly burst in, and grinned happily as she took note of how they had been standing. With a knowing smile, she backed out of the room.

"Oh lord, I'm so embarrassed!" Hermione blushed.

"We're never going to hear the end of it from everyone," Percy turned to look at her and opened his mouth to add something.

"Don't even start apologising again Percival Ignatius Weasley! I was just as much at fault as you. I probably started it," Hermione retorted, then went silent as she got a thoughtful look on her face, followed by a maniacal grin. "I just got the best idea as to how we can shock the hell out of everyone!"

"What?" Percy was intrigued.

"Here's what we'll do…"

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"LUNCH!" Molly's voice rang through out the house and grounds, magically amplified.

There was thundering noise, and to an outsider, it would have sounded as if the house was falling down. However, to anyone who resided in the house, it was clear that it was only a group of hungry workers stampeding towards the table. Hermione and Percy were the last to arrive, and Molly gave a huge smile.

"I was wondering if you two would show up," she smiled, although no one else noticed as they were busy eating. "You were working so hard, I didn't know if you two would come up for air."

"Mum, are you implying something?" Percy pretended to be very nonchalant as he took Hermione's hand in his and pulled her close to him. She leaned her head against his chest as her arms went around his waist, as he too wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. To anyone they would look the epitome of two people in love with each other.

"I knew you two were snogging and not cleaning!" she screeched happily.

At her words, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, Harry, and Ginny looked up. As they took in the sight before them, their mouths dropped open and their eyes widened in shock. Hermione pretended to be bashful and turned her face into Percy's chest as he brought up a hand and stroked her hair.

"And Mum, we have something else to tell you," Percy deadpanned, looking completely serious.

"You're not pregnant are you!" Molly grew stern. "Because even though she's eighteen and I have no problems with you dating, you had better not be having-"

"Molly, I assure you, I'm not pregnant!" Hermione cut in before the sentence could be completed. "What Percy and I want to tell you, is that he proposed, and I accepted. We're getting married!"

"Really!" Molly exclaimed ecstatically.

"No," Percy said as he and Hermione pulled apart, laughing. He calmed down, and explained. "We're not snogging, we're not dating, and we're most definitely not getting married."

"Oh thank god, you had me scared there," Ron said, colour coming back into his pale cheeks.

"Mum, Hermione and I did that simply to teach you a lesson. We don't need you trying to set us up," Percy said.

"I'm sorry Molly, but we're just friends," Hermione added as she took her seat.

"Oh well," Molly frowned, disappointed. "I still think you two would make a lovely couple."

"MUM!" Everyone around the table chorused, and the table disrupted into laughter before they finished up their lunch and got back to cleaning.

A/N: Okay, that's it for chapter two. Lots of fun parts, and a rather serious one in the beginning, between Albus and Severus, and especially with Hermione and Severus. Anyways, as always, review if you like, it's cool if you don't!