Disclaimer: I own nothing.

AN: I know it was literally like 6 months since the last time I posted anything and I apologize for that. Things were busy for me at school, and after I read book 6 I really lost my motivation to write. I didn't like the way it ended and I think I was mad at the characters and didn't want to write, but I wanted to finish this so I picked it up and mustered something…hopefully you'll enjoy it.

CHAPTER 5: Friends?

There was a gentle tap on Hermione's chamber doors. Hermione and Harry were deep in sleep and didn't rouse to the soft taps upon her doors. The person coming to call wasn't terribly keen on the visit he was making, but he thought he should make a thorough effort without being overly intrusive; it was after all, still early. He knocked once more softly then mumbled to himself as he turned sharply on his heals that she must still be asleep and that he'd attempt to contact her later.

Hours later

Hermione awoke to a gentle breathing on her face. She roused slowly, smiled and spoke in a gentle whisper. "Good morning"

Harry smiled in response and returned her greeting. "Morning. Sleep well?"

"Well enough" she teased gently.

Hermione made an effort to get up from the couch and off of Harry to begin her day. The sun gleamed into the window and a fresh coat of snow covered the grounds of Hogwarts. A smile spread across her face at the wintery sight that lay out the window. Hermione quickly got ready and Harry did the same. The pair of friends went down to breakfast together before heading out on the grounds to take a walk around the lake.

Hermione ran ahead of Harry to find a patch of untouched snow to make a snow angel. Once she found a satisfactory place she threw herself down and went to work making her snow angel. Once she was ready to get up she got her wand out and levitated herself out of the angel before righting herself and standing next to Harry, who laughed at the scene she presented him.

While the friends were laughing over Hermione's snow angel flakes began falling from the sky in a fresh round of snow to cover the grounds. With snow covering Hermione's backside and fresh flakes finding homes in her hair and eyelashes a shiver ran over her body. Harry wrapped her into his warm embrace before they continued on a walk about the lake. He kept an arm around her shoulders to keep her a little warmer.

Lurking about the dungeons can get depressing if you let it. The housing is more posh than you would expect, but when push comes to shove, you're still in a dungeon. The dungeon blues were kicking in full force for one potions master. Snape had been sulking for quite some time now. He had been brooding since before he broke up with Hermione, but the brooding has only gotten more intense since then, reaching an all time low, or high, depending on your view, when Hermione turned him down two nights ago. She didn't say no…"But she didn't say yes either." Well, it's a start isn't it? "Not a very good one."

Snape was arguing with himself. This wasn't the first time either. He thinks and tends to reason aloud when he isn't sure that his choice of action was the right one. Snape decided that a nice walk would help to clear his head. Grabbing his favorite cloak Severus headed towards the main castle gates. He wandered through the quidditch pitch before heading towards the lake and then walking the outskirts of the forbidden forest. Snape had settled into the shadows underneath a tree in a dry, snow free area near the edge of the forest. He had been thinking over the situation at hand, trying to figure out a way for Hermione to take him back. Quietly musing to himself, he didn't realize he wasn't alone until he heard foot steps scuffling through the snow. He was completely unprepared to see Harry and Hermione arm in arm. That scoundrel!

Harry noticed a slight movement in the shade of a distant tree. He squinted into the dark and fixed his gaze intently in the direction he saw a movement in while simultaneously bringing Hermione closer to him in a subconscious manner to protect her from whatever may be lurking in the forbidden forest. After a moment of study he realized that it was Severus Snape sitting at the base of a tree he almost immediately dropped his arm from around Hermione's shoulders.

"What's wrong?" Hermione questioned, her voice full of concern

"Nothing; just thought I saw something, it's nothing really." Harry lied. He didn't want to upset her.

Hermione's gaze was fixed in the same area Harry had been fixated on moments before, she studied the area and noticed that there was a man sitting at a tree.

"Is that who I think it is?" Hermione asked more to herself than to Harry.

Harry didn't respond. He couldn't respond. Hermione left Harry's side to go and speak with Severus.