Much to his annoyance, Severus Snape took over Potter's occlumency lessons in early March. With the headmaster's health continuing to decline, Dumbledore decided to focus on his own personal lessons with the boy. Unfortunately, that left the occlumency training to Snape.

The first two attempts were predicably disastrous. It seemed that neither had the mental or physical ability to be civil with one another on their own. Thankfully Hermione once again stepped in with a solution. Once a week after classes, the three would meet in his office. Hermione would work on homework as Harry practiced. Snape tested the boy's awareness of intrusion like he'd done with the girl.

She'd given him one of those handy little communicating galleons. Clever girl. He simply notified her when the boy had failed, and she would coach Potter. If by some miracle, the boy did detect him, Granger would inform him. No further communication was needed.

In exchange for her help, Snape had arranged with Minerva to exempt Granger from two of her prefect rounds a week. As expected, she did not appreciate his interference, and he really did not care. The girl was overextended as it was. She was a prefect, attending every class she could get in to, running the course every Saturday and Sunday, helping Potter with his occlumency, helping Draco with Merlin knew what and then lessons with him.

Severus knew he was being selfish, but he had absolutely no intension of ending the lessons before it was necessary. He truly enjoyed the girl's company and looked forward to their meetings, such as the one tonight.

Severus answered the door promptly after Hermione knocked. The girl stormed into the room, threw her book bag next to her chair and plopped down into it with a huff. The potions master remained standing in front of the open door, "Welcome, Miss Granger. I'm doing well, thank you for asking. Please do come in and take a seat." This drew another huff from the girl which made Snape laugh to himself. He turned and made his way back to his own chair. "Which of the imbeciles is it this time?" he asked.

"Your godson," she replied then sighed. "Well, it's more Harry's obsession with him. He's making meeting up next to impossible. "

Now it was Severus's turn to sigh. Fucking Potter, he thought. "And how is he doing that?"

"He's always trying to follow Malfoy, especially at night. He even recruited some of our house mates. They all thought it a lark and joined in. I think I'm going to pull my hair out," she concluded.

"Well, do try to refrain from doing that while still in my chambers, Miss Granger. I don't think Bilby would appreciate the mess," he drawled.

Hermione scowled over to him, but he just chuckled.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.

The little witch sighed again. "Nothing that I can think of short of giving my whole house detention for the next month," she groused.

"I could arrange that if you'd like," Snape offered gleefully.

"Oh, I'm sure you would," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, in that case, it's time to eat," he declared gesturing to the table.

"I'm not hungry," Hermione sulked.

"Yes, you are. You skipped lunch and will not be missing supper," he said firmly.

The witch scowled at him, but started to fill her plate. With that done, Snape started to fill his own. He managed to lighten the girl's mood by asking after her classes. That never failed to generate an enthusiastic response from her. They spent their remaining time chatting and grading exams. He convinced her that this was the best use of their time currently due to his increased workload and responsibilities. Besides her occlumency skills were stellar, and Potter's lessons allowed them plenty of time to practice as it was.

*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*

Severus looked over his class of first through third years, each with a little basket of ingredients in hand. He'd agreed to teach this class of younger students because Pomona and Poppy insisted on its value. Professor Sprout had led the students through her greenhouses earlier in the day. There they harvested the ingredients for the potion Severus was about to have them brew. Madame Pomphrey would be by after it was complete to lecture them on its medicinal uses. It was only a basic pepper up potion, but they were quite useful.

He didn't really mind teaching the class very much. He still was amazed by how making a class optional led to more enthusiastic students. Now he'd seen it somewhat with his NEWT classes but was surprised to see the same reactions from the younger students. The class diligently worked on their potions. A few students had asked some inciteful questions that he actually enjoyed answering. Even so, he was more than happy to turn the class over to Poppy as soon as she arrived.

Snape decided to retire to his quarters for a glass of fire whiskey and a good book. He found that simple pleasures were the easiest to enjoy. He'd barely had time to settle in his chair before he heard an urgent knocking on the door. He immediately jumped up and pulled out his wand as he carefully opened the door. He wasn't fooled when he saw nothing before him. He could tell someone was disillusioned just outside.

He was about to throw an incarcerous and a finite, when the figure rushed past him into the room. Snape whipped around and leveled his wand in attack, but only stopped when he felt a bush of hair brush by him. "For fucks sake, Granger," he all but roared. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

The girl cast a finite incantatem and came into view. "It's not just me," she said breathlessly as the door slammed shut behind them.

"Who?" he demanded and an equally breathless Draco appeared.

"Relax, Sev. It's just me," the blond spoke.

Snape eyed the two teenagers as they continued to breathe heavily.

"Sit. Both of you," the potions master commanded, pointing them to a small sofa he rarely used. "Bilby!" The little elf popped into view. "Tea, please." The elf left and returned almost immediately with the opt requested drink.

"I'd rather have some of that fire whiskey," Draco said, eyeing Severus's glass by his chair.

"I'm sure you would," the other man smirked. "But unfortunately, that option is not available to you."

He levitated the tea service to his coffee table, and the teens both prepared themselves a cup. "Now, why are you here, together, only half an hour before curfew?" he asked.

"It's bloody Potter!" Malfoy started. "He's been chasing us for a fucking hour!" he complained.

"Draco! Language," the young witch admonished as the boy rolled his eyes.

"Miss Granger, care to explain?" Severus asked.

"It's what I told you the other day," the girl started. "Harry's been following Draco and enlisted some other Gryffindors to help. We basically got herded into the dungeons. We couldn't think of anywhere else to go without being caught together," she explained.

"And you were herded from…." Snape asked.

"None of your bloody business, Sev," Draco interrupted.

The potions master sighed before striding to his writing desk and grabbing a hefty pile of paperwork. He divided it in half and gave a portion to each adolescent. "You have half an hour until curfew," he started. "We'll figure out how to get you back to your dorms undiscovered afterwards. In the meantime, make yourselves useful.

Hermione eagerly took her portion and got up to move to her usual chair. "Hey, that's my chair," the blond whined. When she totally ignored him, Draco turned to his godfather. "Sev, Hermione is in my chair," he tattled

"Draco, she uses it more that you. Sit on the couch," he snapped. Severus retook his own chair and returned to his book. Draco jumped from the couch in irritation. He studied the piece of furniture for a moment before bringing out his wand. Without looking up for his page, the potions master said, "Don't you dare transfigure my sofa."

The blond wizard huffed then dragged the loathsome thing closer to the fireplace. He didn't have the room to move it between the two chairs, so he pulled it up close behind. Apparently satisfied Draco finally took his seat and looked over the paperwork he'd been given. "What am I supposed to do with these?" he asked.

"Grade them," Hermione said.

"Why?" he shot back.

"Because Professor Snape asked us to. He's letting us stay here, so it's the least we can do," she chided.

Severus was again surprised how the company of the two teens wasn't bothersome, and was somewhat enjoyable. They graded his papers while chatting quietly. It was obvious that their strange friendship had grown as he heard them discuss their classes, their runs through the course and random trivial topics. He realized that he had yet another reason to be grateful to the girl. He had to imagine that despite their differences, this had to be the most uncomplicated, straight forward friendship Draco had ever had. The boy was relaxed around her, and Snape was glad the boy had found such support.

He mused that in another time, they may have made a fine match. Both were intelligent and strong. He wasn't one to meddle, but Draco would be preferable to the Weasley brat. The girl's heart was set though, or at least she thought it was. He honestly didn't understand what she saw in the boy, but the heart didn't always bend to logic. Oh well, it was a nice thought anyway.

He allowed them to say an hour past curfew. More for his own benefit, than theirs. Between the two of them, they'd managed to get through a lot of his grading for the week. After prowling the dungeons, himself to ensure there were no wayward Gryffindors about, he sent Draco to his dorms first. Afterwards he escorted Hermione back to her common room. He didn't want her found by Filch or anyone else who may hassle her.

*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*

The following weeks went rather smoothly. Potter was miraculously improving his occlumency skills, and Granger made the lessons bearable. The older student's combat skills were improving by the week. The weekend practice courses had to become increasingly difficult to keep up with them. Snape was pleased to see them start to work together as well. They had begun to vary the way they sent the students in to the course. Sometimes, they'd be sent alone, forced to fend for themselves. Other times, they were sent through in randomly selected groups. They learned quickly that cooperation was vital regardless of house. Slytherins were less likely to find themselves alone in a group fight. They'd had a few runs where groups were announced on Tuesday and given a rough map of the course. The groups then had the rest of the week to learn to work together and strategize for the weekend battle.

Every day, Severus saw more evidence that the Dark Lord's decision to require all Slytherins to attend the extra training, may well be his downfall. They were all learning to put their differences aside. They were desperately working to keep the school united, when the outside world only wanted to tear them a part. Even the stubborn Gryffindors as a whole were improving their outlook, which was something that Snape never thought possible.

Unfortunately, Snape's tentative optimism was shattered the day he heard a bloodcurdling scream slice through the castle. "MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!" With a heart full of fear and cold dread, he ran towards the screaming.