Just as she was leaving Severus' classroom, Minerva knocked into someone heavily, sending them toppling to the floor. After she had regained her poise, she looked down to see who the person was. Of course: Neville Longbottom.

"Neville, what are you doing down there, for Heaven's sake?" she asked him, offering him a hand, which he took. She heaved him to his feet and he brushed himself off.

"Thank you, Minerva," he said.

"What are you doing down here, my boy?"

"Snape. He upset Hermione, didn't he? I asked her what was wrong, and she only managed to reply 'Sev' through her sobs, but I knew who it was. Who else could it be?"

"And so what are you planning to do?" she asked him apprehensively.

"I'm going to go in there and give him a piece of my mind, is what I'll do!" he cried, and tried to push his way past his former Transfigurations professor, but she held him back with surprising strength for a eighty-year-old woman.

"I think it would be best not to," she told him.

"Why? Because when I was in school, he terrified me? Mocked me, ridiculed me every single chance he got?"

"No. Because he is asleep."

"Asleep?" Neville repeated, as if he could not believe his ears.

"Yes, and so I would advise you to stay out of his chambers. For now, at least. You may speak with him calmly in the morning if you so wish, however."

"What are you, his keeper now?"

Minerva raised an eyebrow at the young man before her. Well, he certainly had developed quite a pompous attitude.

"I would watch your tongue, if I were you, Mr. Longbottom," she said slowly, each word deliberate.

"Yeah, and what are you possibly going to do, Minerva? Assign me detentions? Deduct House Points from Gryffindor? If I recall correctly, I am no longer your student. I am a professor here, and I demand a bit of respect."

Minerva stared at him. Could this possibly be Neville Longbottom, the sweet boy who had once been discovered sobbing in the bathroom after a particularly nasty Potions lesson?

"And if my memory serves me correctly, I believe that I also am a professor here, Mr. Longbottom, and you would do well to remember that. Much like you, I expect regard from everyone here, as well. Believe it or not, that includes you. Do not disturb Professor Snape tonight, Neville. Return to your chambers and you may speak with him in the morning."

"Has he done something to Hermione? Has he hurt her? If he hurt her, so help me, I'll-"

"Neville! Please return to your chambers this instant. I realize that I have no right to order you around anymore, but I fear that you will wake Severus, and I strongly suspect that he will have a rather intense headache once he awakes."

"Very well, Minerva. Good night."

"Good night, Neville."

He crossed his arms over his chest and stalked off, down the hall and up the stairs, with the Headmistress left staring up at him strangely, wondering what could possibly have happened to him in those two years that he had been away from Hogwarts to make him act this way. She dismissed the thought rather quickly, though, and headed up the stairs to make her way towards Professor Granger's chambers.

Hermione Granger was sitting on her bed, tears falling steadily from her red eyes and sliding smoothly down her blotchy skin. She had been crying thus since she left his classroom. Luckily, she had managed to control herself when she met her fellow professors in the halls on the way to her chambers, but after she had passed them, she began to weep once more. Now, her body was silently screaming for mercy. Telling her to please, just forget about Severus, just for now. Just stop crying.

Gods, she had been so stupid. She thought that he had cared for her. And yet, now, she was rubbing the places on her arm where there were multiple, dark bruises. From him. He had done this to her. How could he? He had kissed her, and touched her, and looked into her eyes so sincerely. How could he have possibly done this to her, and still live with himself?

Still, however infuriated Hermione grew to be, she could not forget about the way she had cared for Severus. The way she thought that he had cared for her in return. And somehow, she still held her affection for him. What was the matter with her?

There was a soft, slow knock on her door. Hermione wiped the tears away from her eyes hurriedly. Then she went into the bathroom, splashed cold water over her face, patted herself dry with the hand towel that lay adjacent to the sink, and went to open the door. Her heart leapt at the fleeting notion that it could be Severus, but her hopes were quickly drowned when she saw Minerva McGonagall in her doorway.

"Hello, Minerva," Hermione said, sniffling.

"Good evening, Hermione. May I come in?"

Nodding, Hermione opened the door wider. "Of course."

Minerva took a seat in the nearest armchair and gestured for Hermione to sit in the one opposite her. When she had done this, Minerva reached over and patted Hermione's knee. "I saw that you were quite upset earlier this evening. Would you like to tell me why?"

Hermione shook her head forcefully. "No, I wasn't upset. Not at all."

"I have been teaching at this school for nearly sixty years, Hermione. I believe I know a thing or two about detecting when students are lying to me, even if you are a professor now."

Hermione shook her head again. "I'm not upset, Minerva."

"Please, Hermione, of course you are. Your face is tearstained and your hair is a complete mess," she said, reaching over to smooth Hermione's hair down. Hermione smiled at her gratefully.

"He can be so… so…"

"Insufferable?" Minerva suggested.

"No. Not the right word. There is no right word to express this, what I am feeling towards him right now."

"Severus?"

"How did you know?"

"I just spoke to him, not ten minutes ago."

"What did he tell you?"

"Nothing. He simply said to ask you what happened."

Hermione stood abruptly and began making her way to the door. "I need to speak with him," she said.

"No, Hermione, you can't. He is asleep."

"Asleep?"

"Yes. He had a rather lengthy encounter with a bottle of brandy in my presence."

"So he's drunk, then?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you take the bottle away from him, Minerva?"

"I tried, but he-"

"You could have stopped him from getting himself completely wasted. Honestly, Minerva, what were you thinking?"

"I don't know, Miss Granger!" she snapped suddenly. "I only know that I wish for some answers, but damn it, nobody will give me any! I asked Severus, and now I am asking you. What happened to make you so upset?"

"Well, if you want answers, Minerva, then you will have to search elsewhere, because you won't find them here," Hermione snapped back with those same narrowed eyes and pursed lips, mimicking Professor McGonagall perfectly.

What is the matter with everyone as of late? Is everybody against me?, Minerva wondered.

"Fine, Miss Granger. Perhaps I will. Good night," she said, standing and storming out of Hermione's chambers.

Hermione nearly began to cry again- she felt as if she could- but she managed to hold them back for now. Instead, she considered McGonagall's brief visit. Minerva had obviously been concerned about Hermione, but she had not simply requested answers, but demanded them. The nerve of that woman! As if it had been any of her business anyhow!

Making a split-second decision, Hermione stood, jaw set and fiery determination burning in her eyes, and made her way out of her classroom door and up the stairs.

I'm so sorry this chapter took this long to get out, but on Friday, I was in school and then went shopping right after to buy a gorgeous dress for my Homecoming Dance! Then Saturday, and I am not kidding you- every single minute of Saturday, from the time I woke up to the time my date picked me up, was spent preparing for the dance. Hair, nails, etc. But I looked so pretty with my dress on and my hair fixed so nice. Then Saturday night, I attended the dance, had a blast, came home, and then collapsed into my bed. So, sorry. But I will try to get them up sooner in the future.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! It makes me feel so nice that you like my story!

kunigunda- Believe me, I have no problem with you being obsessed with my story. I find it flattering, actually. Hehe. Thank you!

olivialynlee- Yes, nothing actually happened to him to make him act the way he did, although at first, I tried to come up with something, but I thought it might possibly be better this way. :D Thank you!

zoe- Of course he didn't (but he came pretty damn close to it).

Eva21- Lol. Thanks!

TierraL- Thank you! I do agree with you on the longer/shorter thing, but usually, I get the chapters up everyday or every other day. Therefore, I think that it is sort of okay for me to have chapters that are on the shorter side. I don't know if that makes sense or not. And the other thing- you don't have to read it if you don't want to, but I am trying to make an effort to make them at least a hair shorter. Lol. (Except for this one, because I had to explain about my lovely Homecoming, but next time- I swear! Lol.)

Chapter 17 will be up very soon. Tomorrow or Wednesday, if I can help it.

Disclaimer- (See Chapter 14)

Remember: Review, Please! Even if you don't like my story, tell me what you dislike about it and I will try to work on it! Thanks!