Author's note: I do not own the Harry Potter world or the characters specifically designed to live in that world. They belong to the talented J.K. Rowling. Although I'd like to state that I would be more than happy to adopt a few of them as soon as she's done with them. Thank you.

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I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. I've visited everyone now. I don't see what the big deal is about Neville's grandmother, my grandmother is much scarier... not to mention smarter. Of course I didn't say that, I just took the woman's criticism with good humor and managed not to put poison in her tea. What? She's not my grandmother! My grandmother would hear me putting the poison in and ask me what the hell I was doing.

Damn straight.

I also managed to get some time alone with Neville to reassure him that he's wonderful and shouldn't change a thing about himself, no matter what the old bitty says. I also slipped him some candy on the way out.

Luna's father is... interesting. I felt like I was an explorer discovering a different world the whole day. Of course Mr. Lovegood was very nice and his craziness was amusing. Luna showed me her bedroom and gave me some pamphlets on various creatures and theories that I promised I would talk to her about when school started up again. Can you say procrastination?

But visiting Remus and Harry was the worst, as I knew it would be. Not because of them of course, but because Sirius obviously lost his damn mind in Azkaban.

"Why do you keep avoiding me?" He asked in a way that I suppose was supposed to be smooth during a moment we were alone together. "Is it because you can feel the chemistry between us?" He smirked, putting a hand on mine.

I scowled at him, "I don't know about chemistry, but if you don't take your damn hand off of mine I'm going to be teaching you the laws of physics!" I grabbed his hand and twisted it.

He jerked his hand from mine and frowned, "I don't understand you. You saved me from Azkaban, you help Harry and Remus regularly, yet you're always hateful towards me. I just don't get it."

I rolled my eyes, "I wasn't aiming to save you from Azkaban. I was trying to stop... Peter Pettigrew. And of course you don't understand me, to understand me you'd actually have to have some depth."

He glared at me, "I have plenty of depth!"

I glared back at him, "You have all the emotional and intellectual depth of a puddle. I'd find it amusing if it wasn't so pitiful."

He fists up his hands and scowls at me with barely controlled rage, "You know... I'm starting to see why you like Snivillus so much. You're both completely heartless!"

I raised an eyebrow, "How could I like anyone if I was completely heartless? No, I like Severus because unlike you he's not some generic bad boy hero wannabe. Unlike you I trust and have faith in Severus, I wouldn't trust you with a rock! The only reason I was glad that you got Harry is because anything short of a death eater would be better than the Dursleys!" Ok, I don't completely mean that. I really don't. But he's pissing me off and this is why you shouldn't piss me off. Piss me off and I tend to get hateful. Be nice to your philosophy teacher kids.

He looked injured, "You don't mean that."

Ok, here comes the guilt. "Well... no. But I meant some of it! I certainly meant what I said about trusting and having faith in Severus. You know what my real problem is with you? It's that you only see what you want to, that's why you get into so much trouble. Maybe if you looked inside the book and not just at it's cover you'd be a better judge of character."

He looks at me softly, "Can I start with you?"

I frown, "No, I'm not showing you anything about myself. You don't deserve it."

He frowned and was about to say something but Remus and Harry came in.

"What are you thinking about?" Severus asks me all of a sudden.

I jump. How the hell does he keep finding new ways to scare the shit out of me? I look at him, "I was just thinking about the visits I made. You've got me all to yourself for the rest of the summer."

He raised an eyebrow, "That's a good thing... right?"

I nod and snuggle close to him, "Of course."

He pulls me into his arms, smoothing my hair.

I suppose my biggest problem with Sirius and several others is... I just don't understand how anyone could ever be mean to Severus. It's not only something that's otherworldly to me; it's another world that's turned upside down and inside out. I could never be mean to Severus or believe he is completely bad, but then again I'm like that. I see things in people that others don't, and it's a character trait that has gotten me into as much trouble as it's helped me. Besides, I know where Severus is coming from... I've been there myself. Nobody comes out of being tormented unscathed.

"You seem sad." Severus whispers.

I sigh, "That's because I am."

He looks down at me, "Because of me?"

I shake my head and dredge up a small smile, "Never."

He lifts my chin up, looking into my eyes, "Then what?"

I look up at him, "I just wish that I'd met you sooner..."

He looked surprised, but then smirked and said, "I suppose I'm grateful to have met you at all."

I smile, "That is pretty amazing, isn't it?"

He smiles slightly, pulling me closer, "Now stop worrying over whatever is on your mind and get some sleep. It can wait for tomorrow."

I nod and rest against him as we both fall asleep.

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"Sometimes I really just don't understand you Katherine." Severus scowls down at me.

I look up at him and frown from my position of laying my head in his lap, "This coming from mister labyrinth personality."

He narrows his eyes at me, "I don't know why you insist upon befriending every outcast in the entire world! Let them get eaten alive for once, that's what they're for!"

I roll my eyes, this coming from the ultimate outcast of the world? Not to mention biting the hand that feeds him... or... well, shags him. "It's not my fault that nearly everyone that I think is fabulous, everybody else thinks is crazy. The best people in the world were considered completely insane, and where would we be without them?"

He sighs and rubs his temples, "One of these days you're going to get your heart broken caring about those kids."

"Been there, done that, got the emotional scars. Any other pressing issues you want to bring up?" I say snottily.

He glares at me, "Keep talking like that and I'll make you move."

I smirk, "Oh yes, that is definitely going to happen."

He scowls at me and then next thing I know I've got my back against the couch with him on top of me. He smiles evilly at me, "You were saying?"

I look up at him, feigning boredom, "Was I supposed to be frightened?"

He gives me a look and then smirks before kissing me lovingly.

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back with equal emotion.

He kisses my neck and I say, "This doesn't mean that you win."

He smirks against my skin, "It doesn't mean that I lost either."

I laugh, "You're a jerk!"

He kisses me softly on the lips and then looks down at me shyly, "But I'm your jerk… right?"

I smile at him adoringly before bringing him down to nuzzle my nose against his, "Of course."

He kisses me gently, and then smirks, "And you're my very own meddler."

I pretend to be insulted and slap his arm, "I'll have you know I'm a meddler with a cause!"

He rolls his eyes, "Oh yes, and that's so much better."

I shrugged, "Well, a woman's got to have her priorities."

He fought a smile while shaking his head, sighing, "How the hell did I get stuck with such a… Gryffindor?"

I laughed, "Hey, I'm not TECHNICALLY a Gryffindor. And you got stuck with me…" I gave him a peck on the lips, "Because you're slightly fond of me."

He shook his head, but I saw his lips twitching again, "You have a valid point."

I smiled and pulled him down, whispering just a breath away from his lips, "Good. Now shut up and have me, jerk."

He happily conceded to my request.