Chapter 14: I'll be watching you

Her eyes had begun to feel groggy almost two hours before. The slow pace of the day had caused her body to believe it was much later than it really was. Taking another sip of her cold drink she flipped the page in her book. She had been reading a muggle book for the past three hours trying to pass the time before she was meeting Professor Snape in the dungeons. It was not yet 11:00 and her eyes were blurry with insomnia.

She thought the butterflies would have kept her from falling asleep, but she soon realized that there were no butterflies. She felt completely comfortable with the idea of meeting him again... late at night. She only wondered what they would discuss. Would he ask her to please stop coming to the dreamscape? that was silly... she couldn't just stop. They were forced there. Maybe they would discuss why. No, she knew it was because they were both so secluded from the rest of the world that loneliness had ultimately brought them to the dreamscape.

She felt the lids of her eyes slowly close heavily. The pain of trying to keep them open to the dry air was gradually passing. With the black canvas of her minds eye open she began to think about him. The darkness that surrounded her eyes reminded her of his hair... his eyes. It was covered in a silky sheen, which reminded her, ironically, of his voice. She laughed inwardly. Thinking about him tended to put Hermione in an odd mood. Strange, she thought, that in only one hour she would soon be privately in a room with him.

What would the old Hermione have thought had she been privy to the new situation? That was laughable. The old Hermione would have protested adamantly to the even idea of her and Severus Snape meeting secretly. But of course, that was then... and this was now.

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The common room had all but emptied by this late hour, but he couldn't sleep. He had tried forcing himself to read Hogwarts: a History, the most boring book he knew... but even that book made images of her honey brown eyes float into his line of vision. It was no use... everything reminded him of Hermione.

He heard the clock strike the hour of Midnight. Even still, his eyes didn't feel heavy. Ron's eyes glazed over as he gazed into the orange flames. Any minute the house elves would come in to clean... he began to rise and pick up his things when he heard a slight noise.

Knowing he was alone, Ron looked around obviously disturbed. He didn't see anything, not even a house elf. Settling back into his chair and blaming the noise on his over active imagination, he went back to his thoughts.

There it was again! Only now... he merely swiveled his head in the direction in the noise, His eyes settled upon the portrait hole. Slowly the passage way opened with a creak.

"Who is there!" Ron called out. His hart began to beat rapidly as the portrait hole slammed shut. He looked around, scared, for a weapon of some sort. He grabbed a black, metal fire poker and took off for the portrait hole.

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Hermione's heart was racing. It had been a close call with Ron back in the Common room, She thought. But she had to get out. She wasn't about to miss her appointment with Snape because Ron was dreaming away. She hadn't planned on the stillness of the Common room giving her away so easily. She leaned against the outer wall with the invisibility cloak resting over her lightly.

"I know you're out here..." The eerie whisper of Ron's voice came from the hallway. He had followed her! Hermione's mind began to devise ways to get out her out of this mess.

"Harry? Is that you?" Ron passed within inches of Hermione, but she held her breath. She thought of telling him it was her... but then she'd have to explain why she was out past midnight with Harry's invisibility cloak.

Ron began to head in the opposite direction. Hermione watched him breathlessly. As soon as he turned the dark corner, she began tiptoeing in the other route. Snape would be upset that she had been late. But, she though... he'd have to understand once she explained. He, of all people, wouldn't want it leaked that they were meeting secretly.

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"That is all together ludicrous." His voice rolled down her spine like ice. She didn't appreciate being reprimanded. "If there was any chance of being caught you should have turned around and went immediately back to your dormitory." Snape trued to make his shoulders relax, but the news that they had been nearly discovered made him cringe.

"What would people have thought!" Severus didn't intend to think about the consequences.

"I'm sorry professor..." Hermione had been looking at the floor in shame since she had arrived. She didn't know what else to say. "I was careless..."

"Yes." He shook his head as he conjured up a glass of water and two fingers of scotch. "But you were not caught. And you are here now." With that he handed her the water and threw his head back as he swallowed the liquor.

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