A/N: Wow, I'm seriously shocked by the amount of reviews I've already received for this story. I almost fell out of my chair when I opened my email today. Anyway, here's the third chapter of Dark Nights. Hope you enjoy it, cuz it's not mine…except for the plot. Results will be at the bottom again.

--

'Hermione, McGonagall wrote us and told us you were staying with Snape but she wouldn't tell us why. What's going on? Ron.' said one of the many letters that Ron, Harry, and Ginny sent me and they all had pretty much the same message.

I threw the stack of letters into the fire and sighed. There wasn't much I could tell them, much I wanted to tell them. Ron would freak if I told him that Professor Snape was my father, Harry wouldn't know what to make of it if I told him that I was a Halfling, and Ginny can't deal with anybodies tragedies except for her own.

"You're not going to write back?" Professor Snape startled me as he strolled into the room.

"Maybe." I pulled my knees up to my chest and rested my chin on them. "I wouldn't know what to tell them. No matter what at least one of them is going to hate me."

"Then they're not your real friends." He said in that adult manner.

"Even so, they're the only friends I have." I muttered, turning my head away while I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill onto my cheeks.

Professor Snape paused and turned back to me from the fire. "Surely that's not true. You must have other friends. What about the other Weasleys?"

"Bill and Charlie have lives of their own, Percy's been disowned, and the twins are nice enough, I guess. They're just a bit too eccentric." I rattled off. "Ron's thickskulled. Harry has trouble thinking for himself most of the time, and Ginny's the biggest drama queen I've ever seen."

"Are you saying that you don't have any imperfections?"

I laughed humorlessly. "Are you kidding me? I've got bushy hair, I study too much so I have NO social life, and my friends would turn their backs on me in an instant if I said the wrong thing. I'm not brave like Harry, funny like Ron, and I don't know anything about fixing up the way I look or talking to boys like Ginny."

Professor Snape sighed. "You don't need to be like other people are. You need to be your own person with your own personality." He sat down next to me but it was stiff and awkward. "I have to go talk to Albus but if you need to we can talk when I get back."

"No, I'm fine." I said and he visibly relaxed. "I'll see you later." He left and I went rummaging around my bedroom for a piece of parchment. When I found one I unearthed my favorite quill and started writing a letter to Harry, Ron, and Ginny.

'Dear Harry, Ron, and Ginny,' I started because I knew for a fact that Harry was spending the whole summer at the Burrow, 'How are the three of you doing? I can't tell you how envious I am that you all can spend your summer together. I can't tell you why I'm staying with Professor Snape but I probably won't be back at school next year. Try not to get into too many adventures without me, especially the dangerous ones that break all the rules!' I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. I couldn't care less what the boys did without me. Honestly, ever since my 'parents' died my life had really been put into perspective. I realized that if the boys didn't care about what I did then I couldn't find it in me to care about what they did. 'I'll try to get Professor Snape to let me come see you over the summer and yes this means that you'll be getting a new Potions professor along with Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hermione.'

I tied the letter to an owl's leg and sent it out my bedroom window. As I did so I noticed a small ledge just a ways off to the side. Carefully, I put my legs out the window and sat there for a while enjoying the cool breeze before reaching my foot over to rest it on the ledge. Pulling myself out of the window I put all my weight on the ledge and paused for a long moment.

From the ledge I pulled myself onto the roof and spread myself out. The clouds above me floated by lazily and I sighed happily, closing my eyes. Not ten minutes later the sound of an owl nearby pulled me out of my daydreams. I opened my eyes and was startled by an owl hovering above me with a note tied to its leg. As soon as I had the piece of parchment untied the owl took flight again and disappeared over the horizon.

'Who could this be from?" I wondered, studying my name scrawled across the front in an unfamiliar script. Before I could open the envelope I heard Professor Snape's voice floating through my open window. "Coming!" I yelled and quickly found my way back into my room again as I stuffed the envelope into one of my pockets. I threw open my bedroom door and Professor Snape was right there with his hand out as if he were reaching for the handle. "Do you need something?" I asked politely.

"I was just coming to inform you I told Albus of your situation and he's agreed to let me take this next year off to home school you. He also told me to tell you that he'd be sure to make sure that your friends knew why you were not coming back to school."

"No!" I exclaimed. "He can't do that! He can't just tell them. What if I don't want them to know?"

"Calm down and let me finish." He said calmly. "I told him that you would prefer he not mention anything about it and that you would tell your friends on your own."

"Do I have to?" I cringed at the whininess in my voice.

"I'm not going to force you to but just keep in mind that they'll find out eventually." He turned to leave and before I could close the door he asked. "Would it be too much to ask if you would join me for dinner?"

"But you don't-"

"But you do." He cut me off and I nodded at his simple logic, even though he couldn't see me. "Besides, I don't need food to eat."

The thought of Professor Snape drinking blood made me cringe mentally. As my mind ran away with the thought I couldn't help but wonder where exactly he got all the blood from. "Professor Snape?" I asked, lengthening my strides to catch up with the tall man but I hadn't expected him to stop suddenly and ended up almost running into him.

He turned to me and there was a tight smile on his pale face. "I would prefer if you didn't call me that anymore. I am no longer your professor." I gulped silently. "If it is too much to ask for you to call me 'Father' then Severus will do just fine. Go on with your question."

"Oh, I was just wondering where the blood you drink comes from." I said and my voice was noticeably meeker.

"From willing donors or large animals that can spare a few pints without being affected, such as dragons."

--

A/n: So this was about the same length as my last chapter with even less importance! So I'm especially excited lately because I'm going to a concert in 13 days with three of my best friends!! Anyway, here's what you're really looking for:

Bill: 4 (current leader)

Charlie: 3

Fred: 2

George: 2

Harry: 2 (yes you can take away votes)

Marcus: 3

Adrian: 1

Draco: 2

Twins: 1 (as in both of them)

If you're not satisfied with these results then change them by REVIEWING!!