Disclaimer: Don't own it, not claiming to.

"You two really should start studying," I said to Harry and Ron, as they sat on the couch, Ginny and Lavender with them, snuggling up to them. It was sickening, really.

"Hermione, we've got two and a half more weeks until N.E.W.T.'s start!" Ron complained.

"Yes, and how long do you think it will take to shove everything you need to know through that thick skull of yours?" I shot back crossly.

"Lighten up," Harry said, obviously in one of his placid moods. "There's still plenty of time. Besides, if you don't relax you'll blow a fuse or something."

"Fuse?" Ron asked.

"Fine, but don't come whining to me when you both put off studying for too long and have to stay up all night to finish." I closed my book with a snap, shoved it in my bag, and stalked out of the common room.

§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§

I stewed in the library for a few hours until it closed, then began to make my way slowly back to Gryffindor tower. A strange thing happened, though. As I turned a corner, I was almost ploughed over by Snape and Dumbledore rushing down the corridor. All three of us stopped short. I looked from Dumbledore to Snape and back again, wondering what was going on. Both were pale and nervous looking, which was something I never imagined I would see. Snape, the unshakable bastard, and Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard in the world.

"Professors?" I said.

"Excuse us, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, and before I could even blink, they had skirted around me and were off, nearly running down the hall.

A bit worried now, I flew back to the common room, bent on telling Harry and Ron what I had just seen.

I burst through the portrait hole, scaring a couple of students nearby out of their wits, and rushed over to Harry and Ron. Unfortunately, they were a bit preoccupied with their mouths. That is, until I shot little non-bursting bubbles at the backs of their heads.

"What?" Harry exclaimed angrily. He and Ron were wearing similar looks of annoyance, Ginny and Lavender not appearing much kinder.

Rather than answering, I grabbed them both by the fronts of their robes and began to drag them to their dormitory. They followed, albeit very reluctantly, and stared at me expectantly as I closed and locked the door, then performed an Imperturbable charm on it.

"Hermione, what is it?" Harry demanded.

I took a deep breath and launched into an explanation, describing running into Snape and Dumbledore.

"I think something might be happening now. Something bad," I concluded breathlessly.

Ron frowned. "How do you know it's not something like a student got hurt down in the dungeons?"

"Because! I highly doubt Dumbledore would've looked so scared if some idiot hurt themselves!"

Ron still looked rather unconvinced, so I turned my attention to Harry. He was standing there with a stony expression, watching me.

"Well?" I asked him.

"Well what?" he asked slowly, as if trying to buy himself time to answer.

"Well, what do you think?"

"I don't know."

I growled in frustration, running my hands over my face. "Does your scar hurt at all?"

"No more than usual. It's been burning a bit for over a week now, but not like something is about to happen," he said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes."

I sighed and allowed myself to sink to the floor, leaning against the wall.

"Maybe it is something important, but not an attack," Ron said. "Maybe...I know this would be bad, but maybe someone died."

"Maybe," I said quietly. Then I shook my head and stood up. Without looking at them, I said, "Sorry to interrupt you," and left their room, heading back down to the common room. I picked up my bag and went into my own dorm then sat on my bed. Snape and Dumbledore's obvious nervousness bothered me, and for hours that night, it ate at my mind. Even the next morning as I sat at breakfast, I kept glancing up at the High Table. Snape and Dumbledore were both composed, but I thought I could still see a little apprehension.

"Stop worrying about it, Hermione," Ron said. "It's probably nothing we need to think about."

"Yeah, if it was really important, we'd probably get some kind of warning, right?" Harry said.

"Yes, I suppose..."

We didn't know how wrong we were.

A/N: Concrit is welcome!