Disclaimer: It's not mine, otherwise the books would never end!

A/N: Hey y'all, how's everyone doing? Were my "hints" last a/n cryptic enough? Lol. Some were confused about the contradiction between two of my statements; the fact there will be a perhaps permanent HG/PW separation, and some SS/HG possible romance. And yes, Hermione will not cheat on either one of them. Is that anymore clear for y'all? I hope not :-) But don't worry, all things will be revealed in time. And no, that's not the last of the Slytherins. Draco and crew will come into play this chapter a bit more. So without further ado, onto the chappie!

Playing Pretend

Chapter Nineteen: Fight Fire with Fire

"Severus?" Hermione said upon waking, assuming she was still in his quarters. She looked around sleepily, and soon realised that wasn't the case. "He must have brought me here. How sweet of him. And he says he doesn't know how to be a friend."

"That's because I don't. Not really anyways," he said, walking into the room after a quick knock. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she smiled cheerily at him. "How was detention last night? And who on earth managed to get a detention on the first night? Classes haven't even started yet."

"Utterly miserable, how else? And these are continuing detentions from last term."

"Oh. So what are you here for? Not that it bothers me, but you know how students talk."

"Slytherins watch out for their own. If you'll remember, it's usually the Hufflepuffs who talk. Loyal my arse. They're the worst. After Gryffindors of course."

"Of course," she rolled her eyes.

"And besides, I'm here because you wanted to talk. Or at least I'm assuming those are your reasons for being in my quarters last night."

"Ooh yes! You'll never believe what happened last night!" And she went on to explain what all had occurred.

"I told you not to worry," he said, perching on the edge of her bed so Itzal, who followed him everywhere, could pounce on his still-sleeping sister. "Though I highly doubt that's the end of it."

"What do you mean?"

"Slytherins do not just accept things so easily. They'll probably do something to test you yet. Just to make sure you truly are worthy of being a Slytherin."

"And then?"

"And then you'll have their respect, if grudgingly from some of them, as well as their protection. You'll never find any more loyal than us. If we make a promise or oath, than it will be kept."

"You know, I don't think I'll ever understand Slytherins," she shook her head, falling back onto her pillow. Severus swallowed hard as he took note of the way her breasts moved enticingly as she lay down.

"I'm sure it's just as well, seeing as we'll never understand you," he replied after taking a moment to gather his wits back about himself. "Now, if you would be so kind, classes start in an hour, and I believe you have a questioning public waiting for you in the great hall."

"Oh that's right," she groaned, throwing a hand carelessly over her eyes. "I have to come back to reality now don't I?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. That's one of the main reasons I dread the return of the school year. Having to fall back into the façade of being an evil git."

"Well I hate to break it to you Sev, but you are a git, even if you're not an evil one," she sat back up and leaned towards him as she patted his cheek in mock sympathy, trying to keep the situation light for him. She knew that he still was very comfortable with sharing personal feelings, but he was trying, and she wasn't about to make that harder for him.

"You're too kind," he drawled. "Now, get dressed and go get something to eat. And that's an order."

"And one I'll follow. But only because I know you care," she gave him an indulgent smile before leaning forward, her hand on his shoulder to brace herself, to kiss his cheek softly.

"Hermione," he couldn't help but whisper as his eyes closed with the onslaught of emotion, so affected was he by that simple gesture. A simple kiss, they'd shared them before, but this one just seemed so much more intimate to him.

She pulled back to look at him curiously, not quite sure how to interpret his tone. As his eyes slammed open to capture hers, she promptly forgot her curiosity as it was taken over by trying to ignore the fast beating of her heart. He surprised her by taking her hand in his and bringing it to his mouth, kissing her fingertips. She almost jumped at the bolt of electricity that raced through her at the feel of his lips upon her skin. She couldn't pull her eyes from his. Feeling as if there was some force drawing them closer together, she licked her lips slightly, moving closer. His lips had her undivided attention, and as they drew closer she noticed his eyes had closed, and she couldn't help but do the same. What felt like an eternity passed before she could feel his lips a hair away, his warm breath caressing her face.

"Percy," she whispered suddenly, just as their lips were about to meet.

"Shit," he pulled back abruptly, than promptly stood up. "My apologies Miss Granger; for my language and my behaviour. Both were …inexcusable. I will see you tomorrow evening to begin working on the alternative wolfsbane potion."

"Oh damn you Hermione," she cursed herself once he had left feeling close to tears.

She had almost cheated on Percy. And hardly a full day apart. What kind of girlfriend was she? Apparently not a very good one, considering how badly she wished she had kissed Severus. No matter the fact he was her teacher, her Potions Master, her friend. It would be frowned upon by so many people she could hardly begin to think of them all. And the reactions they'd get. Inconceivable! She didn't want to put him through that, though granted, it was his choice to be put through it or not.

"Oh stop it Hermione, you're not even with him, so stop reasoning as if you are," she slapped a hand to her head to clear her thoughts before climbing out of bed to face the day.

Pulling on one of her standard black school robes, she noticed with surprise that once again, Severus' crest of Mastery was on the robe. Walking over to her closet and rifling through it, she noticed it was on all of them. She figured it must have done that automatically once she had accepted the offer of apprenticeship. Hurriedly running a brush through her hair, she pulled it back into a loose bun before grabbing her school bag and leaving the solitude of the dungeons. Walking into the great hall, she could feel the stares of some of the students, but ignored them, and made her way to the middle of Gryffindor table where Harry, Ron, and Ginny were sitting.

"Morning guys," she offered as a greeting as she took a seat across from them.

"Morning Miss guardian ad litem," Ron stressed the three words, hurt in his voice. "Something you forgot to mention? You promised to tell us everything."

"Well he forgot to mention it to me, so if you want to direct your anger appropriately, direct it towards Severus," Hermione sighed, really hoping this wouldn't evolve into one of their famous fights. Luckily for her, or maybe it was unluckily, Lavender and Parvati came over at that moment.

"Oh my gosh Hermione you look fabulous! Slytherin green looks good on you, you should wear it more," Lavender exclaimed.

"Yeah, except it's school policy to wear black except for certain occasions," Hermione replied, fighting to keep her eyes from rolling as she took a sip from her mug of tea. Finding it to her liking, she sipped steadily on it as Lavender and Parvati continued talking about fashion and robes and school policy.

"- so not fair, don't you agree?" Parvati looked to Hermione, who hadn't been listening to what the two girls were saying.

"Quite, a horrible injustice and all that," Hermione nodded her head, shooting Harry, Ron, and Ginny a look as they failed at muffling their laughter.

"Oh Merlin, Hermione, what's wrong!" Lavender exclaimed as Hermione suddenly paled and started gasping, beads of sweat beginning to form on her brow.

"I…don't…know," she gasped out, her voice a whisper.

"We better get you to Madam Pomfrey," Harry said worriedly. He and Ron quickly ducked under the table and stood up next to her to help her stand.

"I…can't…move," Hermione struggled to get out, her skin paling even more, frighteningly so.

"What do we do!" Ron stood there, looking absolutely lost.

"PROFESSOR SNAPE!" Ginny yelled out, seeing the teachers were looking over at them where a small group was standing up around Hermione. "SOMETHING"S WRONG WITH HERMIONE!"

Severus was at Hermione's side in a second. Taking in her appearance, he yelled at everyone to get back, and carefully gathered her in his arms, the second time in 24 hours. Moving at what seemed to be a superhuman speed, he made his way to the hospital wing, and alerted Poppy.

"She's been given a paralysing potion. It's not only stopping her movements, but slowing her internal processes," Severus announced, setting her down on a bed before rushing over to the supply cabinet.

"Severus, there's no antidote on hand," she almost cried, so upset at seeing him upset. "It expired last month."

"And you didn't think to tell me!" He whirled about in a fury.

"You were gone," she apologised.

"Be…nice…Sev," Hermione breathed before her eyes closed. If he wasn't so worried he would have laughed; even being poisoned, she was reprimanding him.

"Damn it! Give her a muscle relaxant potion and a half-vial of invigoration draught," Severus ordered, than swiftly left the infirmary for his lab to begin brewing the antidote, which luckily would only take ten minutes. Then once he was assured of Hermione's recovery, he would focus on punishing whoever was behind her poisoning.

Less than fifteen minutes later, he was back in the hospital wing, potion in hand. His anger and worry had been an asset in chopping up the ingredients he needed in nearly half the time it usually took him. Rushing over to her, he was hardly aware of Harry, Ron, and Ginny standing nearby. Moving over to her, he lifted her gently and sat himself behind her to prop her up, her head on his leg. Tipping the potion in her mouth, he massaged her throat gently to cause the throat muscles to swallow. Once it was all down, his hand moved to her forehead, and he gave a sigh of relief as her temperature began to lower, and her colour started to come back.

"What happened?" Hermione's voice was quiet and a little scratchy sounding, but much better than before.

"You were given a paralysing potion," Severus replied, looking down at her face, looking very old to her.

"And I'm fine now," she reached a hand up to his cheek, her fingers tracing over some of the fine lines that seemed to have just appeared. "Worry really doesn't suit you."

"I was worried for you, I don't care if it suits me or not," he snapped, and Hermione was shocked to see his eyes bright.

"Harry, Ron, Ginny…I'll see you guys later," she waved at them, knowing Severus wouldn't want them to see him breakdown.

"All right, bye Mione, Professor," Ginny answered, dragging the boys out the door.

Once they were gone, Hermione pushed herself into a sitting position, rather slowly, as her muscles were regaining the mobility they had lost in that thankfully short time. Turning herself, she pulled him to her, embracing him tightly. She was almost scared to feel him shaking in her arms as he buried his face in her shoulder.

"You know, I have cried more in these past two months then I have in my entire life?" He kept his head down as he pulled back, reaching a hand up to wipe his face.

"Don't," she grabbed his hands before he could, and taking a tissue, lifted his head and began drying his face herself.

"Hermione, I don't think you fully understand what happened to you."

"I don't think you realise that I do. I was give a paralysing potion, which slowly paralyses the body; limbs, organ function, and body processes, eventually causing death," she looked him in the eye. "I knew you would help me."

"You really have such a high level of trust in me?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

His response was to pull her back into his embrace. Neither noticed a small, black, furry pygmy puff dart out of the infirmary wing. Blending in with the shadows, it scurried down the hallway, round a corner, and into an empty classroom before swiftly morphing into a young woman. The young woman made her way down to the dungeons, and into the Slytherin common room, barking an order at everyone to get out of her sight. After making sure everyone had done so, she cast a silencing spell, and went to join her friends around the fire.

"So what happened?" Draco was the first to speak.

"She wasn't lying, and the amount of trust I'd say is mutual," Pansy smiled slightly, and then putting her wand up to her temple, extracted the memory and placed it into the waiting pensieve.

"I wonder if something more isn't going on between them?" Blaise mused once they had finished watching the memory.

"No. Not yet at any rate," Millicent smirked. "Hermione's too loyal to do that to her boyfriend, but I think she's fighting what she's feeling."

"You think she's gonna break up with Weasley?" Goyle asked.

"If this is any indication, I'd say soon," Pansy nodded.

"Unless they really are just friends," Crabbe pointed out.

"Well that may be," Draco shrugged, relaxing back in his chair. "I don't doubt that they are friends, but there is a connection there. I mean, did you see the way they just seemed to draw strength from each other? We all know Severus, hell he's family to some of us, and he doesn't allow himself to be open around anyone, not even a little. But with Hermione, he let himself be held. And he cried! I've never seen him do that."

"He's falling for her. You can only allow someone so far in before you develop feelings for them. It's natural. The question is, does she realise what a gift she's being offered?" Blaise wondered. "Like you said Dray, he doesn't allow himself to be open. I hope she just doesn't hurt him."

"So do I Blaise," Draco agreed. "Though right now, I'm hoping he doesn't find out what we did."

"No one saw us," Crabbe interjected.

"Yeah, we've watched the house elves long enough to know that there's a two minute break when they are all back in the food room gathering dishes to bring them to the tables. The drinks were already on there, so we put the potion in them."

"And of course, I placed the charm so the potion was keyed to Hermione and would only activate once it hit her mouth," Millicent reminded him.

"Yes, yes, I know," Draco drawled, standing up and stretching. "Now that our anonymity is hopefully safe, let's get some sleep."

"Pansy!" Blaise called out as she made to leave.

"What?"

"I need that paralysing potion antidote back," Blaise reminded her. "Since Severus made the other in time, I need to return this to my stores."

"Oh, of course," she pulled out a small vial and handed it to him. "Good night."

"Good night."

OooOooOooO

A/N: Okie dokie. What do you think? Turning up the romance a bit. I know, some of you would love it to be a lot more, and a lot faster. But that's not really my style as it makes Snape really OOC in my opinion. I mean, he's already OOC in my story, but as I've said in my other story, I think it's very difficult to keep him in character and in love at the same time. But anyways, we've got trust, friendship, and a good basis for more established between the two. And the Slytherin's "prank" has helped him realise how much Hermione means to him, and what a big impact she has on his life. So I hope you liked it, and because I'm in such a good mood cause of the lovely little Slytherin bit, I'm giving you a hint from the next chappie- there will be a break up. So review, and maybe I'll be motivated to get the next chapter up in a week rather than two!