A/N; Happy St Davids day everyone, i'm actually Welsh so it's party time tonight for meeee:D

Hope you all have a great day.

Here's your chap you bunch of ravenous dawgs!! ;P

Hermione couldn't sleep, it was pointless trying. After her short conversation with Snape she had ran back to her dormitory. Merlin be damned if she met up with Ron or Harry on the way, she was most definitely not in the mood for small talk.

Up in her room she had locked all the doors and warded them, even Crookshanks wasn't allowed to enter.

She just wanted to sleep, she needed to sleep. It had been one hell of a day and she was no closer to sorting the mess out in her mind as she had been the night before.

And with Snape in the mood that he was in, she couldn't decide whether she pitied him or despised him. No she defiantly did not pity him; she didn't tend to pity anyone. Whatever mess he was in could be rooted back to his dumb-ass decision to become a Death Eater in the first place. Even if he had repented, even if he was sorry and now a reformed spy for the Order. It was still his own causing. For that she did not pity him. But she couldn't despise him anymore. He truly was suffering, and as much as she didn't like him, she didn't like to see people suffering either.

She gave a heavy sigh, it was no use, she really could not sleep. It was nearing dawn anyway. She decided that the best thing to do would be to get something to eat, at least that way she would have some energy to take her through the day.

IIIII

Unlike she had expected the Great Hall was not completely empty. Up at the staff table sat the headmaster looking, if she dared to acknowledge it, rather solemn.

As she walked into the hall and her footsteps echoed off the cold marble floor, he looked up at her and smiled. A gesture she returned easily.

She found her seat at the Gryffindor table and decided upon some toast. She could understand Dumbledore's pain, he loved his students and he loved the castle, and although Snape would hate to hear it, he loved the potions professor also. To sacrifice either would be an unthinkable task. But there he was, contemplating it all, just as Hermione had done herself.

As she looked up at her headmaster she decided she had made up her mind. She had found a solution, that's what she did right? Find the answers? She highly doubted however that this would be the right one.

Right now though that didn't matter, summoning up all that Gryffindor courage she supposed that she harboured somewhere, she made her way up to the staff table.

"Miss Granger" the headmaster greeted.

"Professor Dumbledore Sir" she said firmly, "I need to speak with you".

The headmaster smiled, "yes, I do believe you do Miss Granger. I was hoping however it would have taken a little while longer, for I am not sure I have any answers to your questions".

"With all do respect sir," she said "its not answers I want, I need to tell you that I've figured it out, I have a solution."

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes at her and regarded her closely; she could sense a great deal of confusion from him, but she could also tell that he was a little bit intrigued by her statement. He seemed elated, like there might be hope after all.

IIIII

"Miss Granger I do appreciate what you are saying, but I cannot accept it as the only possible solution" Dumbledore sighed.

"But it has to be Sir" Hermione said looking at him across the large oak desk confused, "I don't see any other way, you can't just let professor Snape die" she protested.

"Miss Granger, I don not intend to let Professor Snape die, I feel bad that you think that of me" he said.

"Sir, I didn't mean-"

He waved her apology away, "I know what you mean Miss Granger, you are a caring person and you care what happens to Professor Snape, but I'm afraid that its not a good enough reason to go through with your plan".

"But It could work"

"Yes, but at what cost?" he smiled down at her.

They had been in his office for over an hour now debating over Hermione's idea, and although her heart was in the right place, Dumbledore could not let himself agree with her.

"I think you are making a mistake" Hermione bravely said.

The headmaster ignored the way in which she was speaking to him, he reasoned that she was adult enough and therefore held they're conversation as such.

"That I may be, but I am not changing my mind on this" he told her sternly.

Hermione sighed. She didn't want to admit defeat; she thought she had been so right.

"I do appreciate you thoughts on the matter Miss Granger, I just think that they are unsuitable at this time" he tried to console her. "You need you understand that what will be, will be. Things like this have a tendency to work themselves out in the end".

"Yes Sir" Hermione nodded.

It was no use he wasn't going to budge; she would have to try another way.

She excused herself and after being handed pockets full of lemon drops, she was allowed to leave.

She sat on the top of the spiral staircase as it carried her down to the corridor. What she needed now was to find Snape. How better to find him, She thought, than to pester Malfoy.

She found him on the third floor corridor, alone.

"What do you want Mudblood?" he sneered.

"Well if you musty know I'm looking for Snape" she said matter of fact, "I figure the easiest way to find him is through a confrontation with you."

"Oh really, why's that?"

"I don't know" she admitted, "ever time I seem to be getting threatened by you he snows up".

Draco raised a brow.

"So come on" she urged, "throw some hexes my way or something.

"Your asking for it Granger" he warned.

"Well, yes that's the point now isn't it" she smiled, "gee Malfoy not as sharp as you used to be huh?"

Draco narrowed his eyes and scowled at her in response. "You don't know what you're messing with" he said snarling, "Consider this a warning".

"Oh so that in the library was what? A friendly word of advice"

"Go pester Potter, I have better things to do" he said walking away from her.

Hermione raised her eyebrows and actually wondered if they could get any higher. Did Malfoy just walk away from her?

What was with everyone lately?

"Miss Granger" a voice drawled out from behind her.

"Ah-har" she smiled turning around. Upon seeing the loathing look on her Professors face she quickly lost her smile.

"What may I ask is so amusing?" he asked, his eyes studying her face.

"I just thought, well, if I could find Malfoy then I would find you" she said looking up at him.

"And why, Miss Granger would you want to find me?" he purred.

"Well" she took a deep breath and mustered up her courage, "I went to see professor Dumbledore and, well I think I have a plan that can help you"

She stood waiting for the inevitable shouting match to happen. It never came.

Severus took a deep breath, why did this damn girl have to be so insufferable. He rolled his eyes and took a step towards her. She took a step back. He could see the nervousness flash over her eyes.

She was scared of him, how could he forget. Fine if that was how she wanted to play it.

He forcefully grabbed hold of both her shoulders and slammed her into the wall. "Miss Granger" his voice was quiet but sharp, "do not think that you have the right to interfere in my business"

"But Sir I-"

"Silence" he whispered harshly.

He looked down at her, she was trembling. He was so close he could feel her heart pounding in her chest. He breaths were coming shot and fast.

"Sir take me" she blurted out. She needed to say something; the way Snape was looking at her was unnerving her.

He looked at her as if she had just turned into Harry Potter.

"What?" he asked, on the verge of popping a vein in his temple he was that mad.

"Take me" she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper, "I can fight, better than most, and I know ill be safe-"

"Safe? Miss Granger do you think that being with me would make you safe? I am a very, very dangerous man Miss Granger. How dare you presume that being there alongside me would make you safe, how dare you presume that I would grantee it so."

"I just…I" she sputtered nervously.

The little chit. Who did she think she was, making him act all foolish one minute and make him so extraordinarily full of rage the next? No one infuriated his as much. And offering to be his scapegoat, the very nerve of her. Her and her damn honourable Gryffindor courage.

Severus was livid

He looked down at her, quaking in his grasp. She was so tiny, he wanted tom hurt her, he wanted to crush her. He could feel the fear radiate off her.

She looked up at him with her terrified eyes, glistening with panic and alarm.

And then he kissed her.

A/N; Ohh how will Hermione react to that?... I know ha ha! if you want to know leave me a Review and i'll update sooner :D

Go on Review!