Sorry this chap took so long. Thanks to reviewers and especially to my beta, Badbugz.

Chapter twenty six- A Different Love Entirely

"Darian, you're late!" Hermione hissed as he took a seat beside her in Transfiguration.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Mr. Snape. Do try and be on time," McGonagall said, looking at him sternly.

"Yes, Professor," Darian murmured respectfully, taking out parchment and a quill to copy the notes she was writing on the chalkboard.

"What did Professor Snape want to talk to you about?" Hermione whispered, and McGonagall shot them an irritated look.

"Mr. Snape, Miss Granger, if you would be so kind as to pay attention! I expect better from the both of you!" the Transfiguration Professor snapped, her pale eyes flashing.

Darian shrugged, ignoring McGonagall's scolding when she turned back to the board.

"We just….talked," he admitted sheepishly, feeling that he shouldn't abuse the trust his father had placed in him by telling her of his dreams.

"And?" Hermione pressed, speaking to her parchment.

"And what?" Darian bit out, though he wasn't irritated. "It went okay."

Hermione glanced briefly at him, though Darian got full blast of her gaze. "See!" she whispered, her lips barely moving. "I told you it would work out. Some things just take time…."

"Ten points each from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw!" Professor McGonagall was suddenly in front of them. "Honestly, Mr. Snape! You are getting just about as bad as your father was with Miss Evans when he was your age! And I had such high hopes that he hadn't passed that trait on to you!"

Darian felt his heart thump at the information about his parents and he looked at McGonagall with renewed interest. He opened his mouth, wanting desperately to beg the woman for more information on his parents, on what they were like in their schooldays. But every student was watching the trio curiously, and Darian knew he'd blow his cover if he acted interested in what was assumed to be a brief encounter between his father and Lily Evans.

Beside him, Hermione blushed brightly and the implication of McGonagall's words hit Darian, making him flush as well. He was suddenly aware of how close he and Hermione had been sitting though he made no attempt to move away.

The students giggled loudly while Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnagan looked ill at the thought of anyone with the son of Snape.

Professor McGonagall bristled. "Enough of this! Is this a classroom or a gossip-hall?"

And the rest of the period was spent studiously working on an essay on the importance of Transfiguration while what they were supposed to do in class that day was assigned for homework.

Darian glanced over at Hermione, whose cheeks were still slightly pink. He swallowed heavily and focused on the words in front of them, suddenly unable to make sense of them.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"She said what?" Ron exclaimed as they walked the grounds a few hours later.

Darian nodded fervently. "Yeah, she was talking about my mom and dad." It felt strange to refer to Snape as his Dad instead of Father. "They obviously disrupted the class quite often."

"Like you and Hermione do?" Ron asked slyly, grinning.

Darian blushed. "You know it's not like that!"

"Oh, sure, mate. I know," Ron said absently, staring out at the lake before shaking his head. "I just had to skip out on the class where we don't do any work didn't I?"

Darian shrugged. "We had to do an essay the entire class, Ron." He closed his eyes briefly. "Not to mention how humiliating it was…"

"Oh come off it, Darian! Everyone knows about you and Hermione," Ron said in an exasperated voice. "I just don't see why you guys had to hide it from me as well. You know I would never-"

"Hold on!" Darian stopped, holding his hands up. "What are you talking about?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "I get it, Darian. I know you and Hermione didn't want to hurt me or anything but it really doesn't bother me. I got over her a while ago."

Darian stared at Ron in confusion. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Ron snorted and continued walking.

"No, really Ron, I don't," Darian said weakly, stepping in front of him and looking at his friend pleadingly. "Please tell me."

Ron stopped walking and stared at Darian incredulously. "What? You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?"

Ron shook his head. "I mean….you and Hermione…you guys aren't….?" he trailed off uncertainly.

Darian blinked, and blushed. "Wha-? No! Hermione and I aren't…aren't…involved! Why would you say that?"

The redhead shrugged. "Well, that's odd. Everyone in the school thinks you two are," he said, kicking a pebble.

"Why?"

Ron cocked his head to the side. "I dunno. I guess its because you two are always so wrapped up in each other."

Darian's eyes widened. "Wrapped up in each other?"

"You know, always spending time alone together. Going off in your own world talking about things that no one can really interrupt," Ron said. "Admit it, mate. You two have spent more time alone together then the three of us have."

"That…that's not…" But as Darian thought about it, he realized that Ron was right. He and Hermione had always gone off to talk about things that they felt Ron wouldn't understand as much as the other could. He hadn't even really told Ron about he being a werewolf. Sure he had feelings for Hermione that were more then just friendship, but….was he really that obvious?

"So you guys weren't dating? You haven't been sneaking out at nights to snog?"

"What? Is that what everyone has been saying?"

Ron smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, mate. You do have to admit that it looked obvious though."

Darian sighed. "Ron, you do remember my…er…condition don't you?"

"Yeah, but you guys went out more then just on the full moon."

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then you see where we're coming from."

"We?" Darian frowned. "Whose we?"

"Luna and me."

Darian's jaw dropped. "You've been hanging around with Luna?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, mate. What else did you think I was doing all those times you and Hermione went off somewhere? After the first few times I went with you that I was more or less ignored, I figured I'd leave the two of you alone." He shrugged. "She's not that bad, actually."

Darian could tell from Ron's expression that Luna was more then just 'not that bad' but wisely said nothing. Ron did, after all, have the upper hand with Hermione and him, and it was always smart to know when to back down.

&&&&&&

"Mr. Snape," Snape's voice called over the bell ringing. "Stay after."

Darian glanced at Hermione.

"I'll wait for you," she assured and he smiled appreciatively.

Snape took his time to straighten the pile of essays Darian's class had recently turned in. Darian sat heavily back down in his seat, exhausted, having not gotten much sleep the night before. He rubbed his eyes, trying to prevent a yawn.

"Tired?" Snape asked, looking hesitantly uncertain.

Darian shrugged. "Didn't sleep very well," he admitted.

"Do you have nightmares often?" Snape asked, his voice softer then usual.

"About two or three times a week," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"That can't be healthy," Severus returned, taking in Darian's pale face. "Do you require a Dreamless-Sleep Potion?"

Darian never would have admitted how much it meant to him for Snape -his father- to actually be concerned, to actually care at long last about him. It was as if he'd finally accomplished something that he'd desperately been working toward. He smiled but shook his head.

"No thanks, I've read about how addictive they can be and I don't want to get used to sleeping with an aid."

Severus frowned. "Alright," he said reluctantly. "But if you are unable to sleep, the offer still stands."

Darian nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly.

They fell into awkward silence for a moment.

Darian shifted uncomfortably. "You didn't ask me to stay just for that did you?" he asked cautiously.

"No," Severus said, moving to erase the blackboard. "This month is almost over as you know," he said without turning around.

Darian merely nodded, watching his father's movements.

"I'm sure Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley are going home for the holidays and Albus believes that you shouldn't be left alone…." Severus trailed off, his voice sounding a bit timid.

"Yeah, well, usually I go to Ron's," Darian told him.

Snape's body tensed. He was silent. The tension was palpable and Darian frowned as he sensed a bit of hurt radiating from the man in front of him.

Snape cleared his throat. "Well," he began, his voice vague. "Lunch will be over soon, you had better hurry."

"But…didn't you want to talk to me about something?" Darian asked in bemusement.

Snape smiled -or something that was the closest Darian had ever seen to a smile from him- grimly.

"Miss Granger is waiting for you."

Darian blinked and stood up, wondering what had been said. He slung the strap of his bag over a shoulder and headed to the door. He paused, however, replaying the conversation that had just occurred. Realization dawned on him as he understood what Snape was going to ask him.

A blush colored his cheeks and he mentally slapped himself, turning around.

Snape was seating himself, pulling out a quill to begin grading, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Professor?" Darian asked, striding back up to his father's desk. "Did…" he hesitated. "Did you want to ask me about Christmas Break?"

Snape looked up from Hermione's essay, which, Darian noted, was already littered with angry red ink.

"I did," Severus looked at him sternly. "Of course, you would probably rather go with your-"

"I'd love to go with you," Darian blurted out, then flushed. "I mean…if it's okay with you."

Snape stared at him in surprise before nodding curtly. "Your presence would not be unwelcome," he said evenly.

Darian nodded, unable to keep the slight smile from forming on his lips.

"Well, Hermione's waiting for me," he said after a moment. "I'd better go."

Darian started for the door again. He turned back.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. His father's eyebrows rose and Darian hurried out before he could embarrass himself farther.

Hermione was waiting for him by the door, deeply immersed in a conversation with the portrait of, to Darian's immense surprise, Salazar Slytherin.

"Hey," she greeted. "Took you long enough."

Darian observed the portrait. Slytherin looked, surprisingly, like himself. He had straight black hair that fell past his shoulders, bright green eyes, and pale skin. The man nodded to him, as if in a sort of unnamable respect, and Darian blinked before returning the nod.

Hermione bid farewell to the portrait and tugged Darian down the hall. "Come on, lunch is almost over."

"We've got plenty of time," Darian answered. "Charms doesn't start for another hour."

Hermione sighed, but didn't relinquish her hold on him.

They met Ron at lunch. The redhead was, surprisingly, sitting at the Ravenclaw table with Luna Lovegood, who seemed to be in the midst of explaining the dangers of a Japanese Thunder Mountain Troll.

"How big do they get again?" Ron was asking as Darian seated himself beside his friend, Hermione sliding into the seat next to him.

"Not that tall," Luna answered in her usual, dreamy voice. "They only get to be about six or seven feet. It's their fangs you have to watch out for."

"Fangs?" Ron questioned. "Trolls have fangs?"

"Only the ones from Japan," Luna clarified, avidly. "And only the Thunder Mountains' fangs are poisonous enough to kill even the most powerful wizard with less then three grams of their venom."

Ron paled. "But, they are native to Japan, right? They'd never come Great Britain?"

Luna leaned over the table (consequently placing her elbow into a stick of butter), her eyes wild. "That's just it! There have been recent sightings of them only a few miles from London!"

Hermione snorted loudly from beside Darian, and he tuned Luna out.

"How ridiculous," she muttered, taking a swallow of pumpkin juice, but said nothing more on the subject of Luna.

"Ron seems a bit preoccupied," Darian murmured, noticing how his friend had barely noticed Hermione and his arrival. "Let's go to the library."

Hermione didn't know why he wanted to go to the library, but she didn't argue as the library happened to be her favorite place to be and she felt elated to know that her best friend liked it almost as much as she did.

"So what did your father want to talk to you about?" Hermione asked as they walked through sunbathed corridors. Though it was freezing outside, the sun was out and not a cloud could be seen in the sky.

"I'm going to stay with him for Christmas."

"Oh Darian, that's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed, beaming at him. "Are you excited?"

Darian shrugged. In all honesty, he didn't know what he was. Excited wasn't quite the word, more like….wanted, comfortable with the fact that his father tolerated him enough to keep him around for the holidays. He was most certainly nervous because despite how much their relationship had improved, it was still very tense when he was around the man. He only hoped that it would go away with time. When asking Hermione about it, she assured him it would.

"What did I tell you, hmm? What did I tell you?" Hermione asked proudly.

Darian rolled his eyes. "Go ahead, bask in the glory of being right for once, Hermione Granger."

Hermione's broad smile disappeared in an instant. "For once? Excuse me, but what do you mean 'for once'? There are seldom times that I am wrong!"

Darian smirked. "And you, Hermione, are getting a big head."

Hermione blushed but scowled. "I suppose I get it from you, oh mighty Boy-Who-Lived. Who ever said Ron was the only one who was jealous of your limelight?"

"And here I thought you were too mature for such jealousy."

"I wasn't jealous of you, just the attention you got. Why else would I be jealous of you? Its not like you have any special talents or anything," Hermione said in a mocking tone, smirking back at him.

Darian stopped walking, causing her to turn around and stop as well.

"Wha-"

An instant later she was shoved solidly, yet gently up against a wall.

"You forget exactly what I am, Miss Granger," Darian said in a silky voice, bringing his lips to her ear. "I just do not wish to expose them as willingly as you do." He felt her shiver.

"Yes, well, you have an excuse. As you have enemies, it is normal for you to have special 'talents' while all of us other people have to actually work for our talents instead of relying solely on destiny," Hermione said, a grin on her face and her eyes glittering mischievously. "I, unlike you, do not have these enemies or destiny to hand me my talents on a platter."

"And let's hope it stays that way," Darian said quietly, looking her in the eye.

Their playful demeanor shattered instantly. Hermione looked at him in concern.

"Darian-"

But Darian cut her off by putting a finger to her lips. She quieted immediately and strained her ears for what he was listening for, only to realize that he wasn't listening for anything, and was, instead, gazing at her, his green eyes shattering her defenses, looking into her soul, consuming her very being….

Darian stared at her. The glow of the sunset made a halo over her hair. She was so lovely. She was staring back at him now, curious in that simple Hermione-ish way that she always was, as if just hearing of a new spell that she desperately wanted to try. He felt his heart speed up as he realized exactly how close they were standing together.

"Darian?" she whispered again, as if speaking any louder would disrupt the moment.

Darian reached out a hand and ghosted a touch over her cheek as he drew closer to her so he could see the tiny specks of green that were in her brown orbs. Closer so he could feel the heat of her body. Closer till he could feel her warm, moist breath against his face.

He paused, his lips mere centimeters away from hers, waiting, breathless. Hermione's eyes fluttered shut as her lips met his in a soft, tentative kiss.

Darian felt heat and something else spread through his entire body and all he could think about was his lips on hers, his hands on her waist, her hair tickling his neck.

Now he had done the thing he'd sworn he'd never do.

At that moment he placed Hermione in more danger then anyone else, besides him.

A fire inside of him blazed as he ran his fingers through her soft curls, plaguing him with sensations that he had never imagined he would have the chance of feeling. It was a vast depth of needing, of belonging, of completion and he never wanted it to end. His strongest urge was to shield, to protect the person who made him feel so complete, so…right that he currently held in his arms.

The kiss intensified, growing more heated, more needy, and Darian wrapped his arms around her, pulling her body against his in a desperate attempt to be impossibly closer to her.

"Mr. Snape! Miss Granger!" a familiar voice that demanded authority cut through the comfortable atmosphere.

Hermione and Darian broke apart instantly at the commanding voice, Darian recognizing the scent with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Oh God, no….

Darian felt blood rush to his face as his father glared at the two of them. Beside him, Hermione turned red as well.

Snape folded his arms imposingly. "Thirty points from each Gryffindor and Ravenclaw! What did you two think you were doing?"

Hermione glanced at Darian.

"Well?"

"Studying, sir," Darian blurted out before he could stop himself.

Snape arched one black eyebrow. "Studying?" he repeated sarcastically. "I really thought you could do better then that, Darian. Studying what, if I might ask so I could inform that professor of just how much time and effort you put into that subject?" he asked curtly, fuming at how easily teenagers were driven by hormones.

"Anatomy, sir," Hermione answered unflinchingly, without missing a beat.

Severus stared at her. He blinked, then narrowed his eyes at the two.

"We do not study that subject here, Miss Granger, surely you should know that, and independent study is highly frowned upon. Now, get to class!" he barked, surprising both teenagers.

Hermione and Darian glanced at each other before they quickly hurried to Charms.

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