Disclaimer: Don't owe anything recognizable, just playing…

Hermione stepped from her portrait absent mindedly, her head spinning with thoughts of the Plan. She still wasn't quite sure what she had gotten herself into, but Ginny assured her that, as co-partner, she would have some say in how the Plan was conducted. A soft snort of amusement escaped her as she made her way through the Gryffindor common room and out the portrait of the Fat Lady, murmuring a polite greeting to the rotund picture beaming back at her. Lost in the logistics and technicalities of creating a object that would both reveal a girl's one desire as well as keep track of the points for the Plan, she paid no mind while heading towards her ultimate goal of the Great Hall. Until she ran heavily into a solid chest, strong arms steadying her as she toppled backwards.

"Miss Granger…" The velvety voice purred. "Why aren't I surprised?"

A sigh escaped her lips and she looked up into the dark ebony eyes of her Potions professor, wishing for him to look at her with an expression other than bored annoyance, if only once. "I'm sorry, Professor…" And she was. In front of the man she desperately wanted to make a good impression to, she was somehow transformed into a ridiculous version of a female Longbottom. She nibbled her lip, she wasn't that bad at least. Poor Neville… "I wasn't paying attention."

One black eyebrow raised high and if Hermione had have been looking at his face rather than the floor, she might have seen a flicker of, was it worry? But instead all she heard was the cold disregard in his voice and couldn't help the automatic welling of tears in her eyes. Cursing herself for such a mundane and immature reaction, she mumbled another quick apology to her professor before darting quickly away.

Her tall professor watched her leave, worry definitely showing in his dark eyes now that no one was around to see it. At least showing if you knew where to look. And Albus Dumbledore had known Severus Snape long enough to be able to distinguish every subtle, extremely subtle, nuisance in his friend's face. "Problem, Severus?"

The dark haired man turned, a practiced scowl on his face and his eyes iced over with nonchalance. "Not at all Headmaster…" He wondered once again how the old man had managed to sneak up on him after so many years of being a spy and sneaking around himself. I must be getting old…

"They do grow up fast…" Albus allowed the comment to hang in the air, his eyes twinkling merrily.

If possible Severus' scowl grew deeper, his voice even colder. "All the better for me Headmaster, if it gets them out of my classroom faster." He winced slightly at his unintentional rhyme. So bloody dramatic… I sound like a damn Gryffindor. With a final sneer and a swirl of his black robes, Severus stalked toward the Great Hall.

"So you say…" Albus murmured to himself as he watched the tall man walk away, his eyes glowing with amusement.

Walking to his seat at the head table, Severus was careful to keep his gaze from landing on the form of the young Granger girl, or on the insanely twinkling face of Albus who had some how managed to beat him to dinner. Nodding a fairly polite greeting to Minerva, Severus sat gracefully down into his chair, long fingers playing idly with his fork.

After a short speech from the Headmaster and a clap of his hands, dinner appeared in front of all. Severus ate silently while trying to think of a way to bring up the troubling Granger in a way devious enough for the Head of Slytherin. And of course in a way where he wouldn't sound concerned himself.

Noticing a lack of anger gracing her younger colleague's face, Minerva ventured cautiously into the treacherous grounds of small talk. "And how are you today, Severus?" She was secure in her belief that he would speak to her, considering Trelawney was his only other option.

Severus turned to eye her for a moment, choosing his next course of action. "Fine Minerva… except for being plummeted into by a certain Gryffindor know-it-all." He made sure his sneer was in place and his voice was cold with contempt, noticing Albus' sudden interest in their conversation.

"Severus, surely you could be nicer to the…"

Sensing the beginning of a tirade on the wonderful characteristics of her favorite student, Severus waved her concerns aside with an impatient flick of his wrist. "I am only saying Minerva…" His voice was the imperious drawl he'd picked up from Lucius but perfected to suit his own voice. "As Head of Gryffindor, perhaps you should take care extra care in watching out for your little cubs." He speared a piece of meat and eyed it with an air of superior boredom. "I'm tired of having to deal with the girl's carelessness both in and out of the classroom." It was a blatant lie of course, her carelessness in the classroom. But the girl had developed a strange habit of acting like someone suffering from a botched Obliviate every time she was required to speak to him. He bit into the meat, deciding he had down all he could for the girl. If Minerva was obtuse enough not to deign the meaning from his subtle hinting, then it wasn't his job to worry about the insufferable Granger. He was ready to push the thought from his mind, quite guilt free, when a spindly hand latched unto his arm with surprising strength.

"Her heart is obviously troubled…" Came the misty voice of Sybil Trelawney, her eyeglasses glinting owlishly in the candlelight. "I sense her aura is longing for its matching half… as yours is…"

This half brained statement had the somewhat unusual effect of causing Minerva to spit out a mouthful of pumpkin juice, coughing while her face turned an alarming shade of crimson.

Lovely indeed, Severus thought as he watched her colleague wipe her mouth daintily, elbowing the chortling Albus as she did so. His lips quirked in a half smirk, but when he turned back to the Divination teacher, his face was as impassive and cold as stone. Distastefully removing her hand from his arm, he snarled menacingly into her face. "I assure you Madame Trelawney, the only thing Miss Granger and I have in common is our opinion of Divination. Good day." With that he swept from the room, leaving behind a red-faced Trelawney and a Minerva gleefully laughing into her napkin.

Author's notes: Sorry it took so long, school and all that. Comments and suggestions would be very welcome. And thank you to those who have already commented in hopes to prod me into writing more. I promise, knowing that people do in fact read this does make me write more.