A/N; Thank you to everyone who reviewed!!

Severus marched down the stairs with Draco and Lucius. He couldn't believe that they had seen that. How he let it happen in the first place, he didn't know.

Lucius was smirking, Severus couldn't see him as he was walking in front, but he could feel it. Both Malfoy's eyes bearing into the back of his head.

He had never been so embarrassed and so angry at the same time in his life. It was all Hermione's fault. She was infuriating and yet intoxicating. How was he supposed to react around her? He tried ignoring her, Gods he tried forgetting how she made him feel. But she had some sort of dangerous effect on him that made him completely forget all propriety when around her.

As Severus led the Malfoy's into his drawing room he noticed Hermione at the top of the stairs. She was looking down on him, waiting for some sort of indication on what to do.

He sneered at her.

Well what did she expect, him to just open up his arms and welcome her into his life?

It would be ridiculous if she even thought such a thing. It was ridiculous that the thoughts were even running through his head.

Shaking such thoughts away, he took a seat in the drawing room. He didn't know why but he left the door open. From where he was sitting he could just see Hermione out the corner of his eye. Knowing where she was, and that she was safe, gave him some sort of sick comfort. He despised himself for it.

"So" Lucius smiled from the armchair opposite Severus. "Had fun last night?" he sneered.

Severus' eyes narrowed.

"I am truly sorry I interrupted you, if I had of known-"

"There is no need to discuss what you just saw Lucius" Severus warned "I trust that is not why you are here".

"No it is not" Lucius said matter-of-fact; "Draco and I are merely dropping by to see how you are coping with the Mudblood".

Severus flinched internally at the way Lucius spoke if Hermione, he was grateful, once again for his skill in masking his emotions.

"I see now that you are handling things just fine" the blonde man sneered.

Draco watching the two men staring daggers at one another could feel the tension in the room thicken. Deciding he was not needed he stepped up and walked off to fine Hermione.

He noticed her sitting at the top of the stairs, knees up to her chest and resting her arms on them. She looked up when she saw him, but didn't move. Slowly Draco climbed the stairs until he was standing before her.

"And there I was thinking you got all your good marks on merit alone. Little did I know you were participating in extra-curricular activities all the while." He sneered.

"Sod off Malfoy" Hermione said ignoring him and looking back down to where she could see Severus through the gap in the door.

Draco stood for a while, watching her. "I did warn you" he said. "I told you to get out".

"And you couldn't have been more specific?" she said sarcastically.

"What did you expect me to say? That my father was attacking the castle so you'd better run and hide"

Hermione gave him a sceptical look.

"If I did you would have told everyone you know, the castle would have been warded and my father would have failed. Then The Dark Lord would have killed him and my mother would have taken me out of school and we'd be on the run".

Hermione raised an eyebrow "so you didn't tell me because you wanted to stay in school?"

"It's a possibility"

"Get lost Malfoy, I know what you're like. You warned me because it made you feel the big man having information like that and only telling me enough to be interested, but it didn't work, I wasn't interested, I didn't pay you any attention."

"So it would seem" Draco gave a half smile, "and now look where you are".

Hermione frowned.

Draco took a seat next to her. She was still wearing her dress from the graduation party. He began unconsciously to play with one of the flowers that lay on her shoulder.

"The great hall looked good" he said making conversation.

"Yes, it did" she sighed, "I expect Harry and Ron and going berserk wondering where I am".

"It is possible" Draco agreed, "Ron was cursing Snape when I left the castle".

"Yes he told me, Ron hit him with a stunner"

"I bet he didn't like that"

Hermione just shrugged, her eyes watching Severus carefully as he talked with Lucius. Her mind only semi aware of Draco.

"I always thought I'd like you better if you didn't hand around with the likes of them" Draco told her.

Hermione finally gave him her full attention, "really, and the fact that I'm a 'Mudblood' doesn't concern you?" she said sarcastically.

"Not so much" he shrugged, "it's mostly a front, or a way to get a reaction from you."

"And you would have been my friends if I didn't hand around with Harry or Ron?" she again asked sarcastically.

"I never said I would be your friend. Jeeze Granger don't jump to conclusions, I just would have hated you less"

"Oh well thank you" she said mockingly. "And anyway you don't know Harry or Ron; you can't make judgements on them".

"Scar-boy and his sidekick, I don't want to get to know them" he said defensively, "I just thought you were better than them, that's all".

Hermione frowned at him and looked away. She was staring down at Severus again, but she couldn't help the blush that crept over her cheeks.

IIIII

Severus wasn't listening to Lucius; he was only going on about useless plans and hopeless ambitions he had for himself anyway. He had heard it all before.

What he was doing was watching Draco with extreme dislike. Why was the boy talking t Hermione? And what about?

Hermione didn't seem to be paying Draco any attention however, answering him out of politeness no doubt. She was looking at him.

Her chocolate eyes watched his every move, even in the shadows he could see them fixed on him. He wasn't sure whether or not Hermione was aware of him watching her, he hoped not. But the fear of know knowing what Draco was up to overrode his fear of getting caught.

Draco had hurt her before, and he was more than capable of doing it again. With Lucius in the house he would not be able to punish the boy if he did such a thing. He would have to stand and watch, completely useless. The thought terrified him more than he would like to admit.

He watched as Draco fiddled with a piece of Hermione's dress, it bothered him that it was near her shoulder. Why was Hermione just letting him, did she even realise what he was doing? Draco seemed to be aware of the fact however, he kept looking at Hermione; he was waiting for a reaction.

Severus scowled; he had never disliked the boy more. Draco was drawn to Hermione that much was obvious. That could be increasingly problematic.

What if Draco asked his father for Hermione, would the Dark Lord insist he keep her like some sort of pet? His fists clenched at the thought. He needed Draco to leave before he decided to kill the boy.

"Lucius, I must stop you there" Severus said focusing his eyes and attention back onto the man, "as much as I would like to continue this conversation, I have things I must do".

Lucius eyes Severus carefully, "I suppose I understand, things to do and all. Draco" Lucius called.

Severus was pleased to hear the sound of his feet coming down the stairs; such a simple thing gave him such a warm feeling of relief. Strange.

"Farewell Severus" Lucius said, "until out next meeting".

Severus nodded in response. He watched under his curtain of hair as the two Malfoy's left, as soon as they were gone, he warded the doors and set up an alarm system to warn him of future invasions.

As soon as he was finished his dark eyes travelled up the stairs to Hermione. She was standing there like an angel in her white dress, her hair all frazzled falling over her shoulder. She was looking at him her brown eyes twinkling. He wanted her he couldn't deny it, he wanted to take her away and have her be his forever. He wanted to hold her and he had to suppress the urge to reach out and touch her.

"Go to your room" he said looking away, "I don't want to see you again tonight".

He could tell she was hurt, she didn't move just stood there watching him. But what else could he do, he was in no way going to encourage a relationship, not with a student, not with Hermione Granger, not with anyone. She had a hold of his emotions and he wasn't going to let her know that, acknowledging that he felt something for her was as far as he would go. He would have to remove her from his home as soon as possible, get her back to Hogwarts or wherever her muggle home was. She had graduated now; he would never have to see her again.

He sighed as he slammed the kitchen door behind him, she was still standing at the top of the stairs, and although it was ever so quiet Severus heard her cry.

A/N; Next chapter has already been written so if you want it posted faster, then you know what to do...

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