Disclaimer: Eric and Charlotte mine! JK owns you the rest, I just like them a whole lot more than she does herself.

Concerned Reader: What do you mean? It seems that you stopped mid-sentence. Whatever it is I think you might have wanted to know about all of the misspellings and grammar problems in the first few chapters, but I have an excellent beta reader now, so don't worry.

Katsumi-Sanata: Oh please don't die on me! Here, here! Here's the chapter!

Gucia: Yeah I guess it was. I never really thought about it, but when I read it again, it does sound a lot like it.

SeverusSnape'sLove: Isn't it? Isn't it?

Portkeys Miss-Mione: Where would the fun be? Hehe! Don't worry; all of you will love me for this chapter! (gooseflesh: please love me too. It's partly my fault.)

DragonSpitfire22: hehe...you said "UPDATE SON"!

Makalani Astral: Wow! That's cool! I wish I was as cultured as you… I'm still a 14-year-old wanna-be writer.

Chainmailgrl: I dunno…Looks over at her co-writer gooseflesh Do you know? gooseflesh shrugs

Madelynn Rae: How'd you… oh, wait, you're wrong. Sorry.

Smile88: looks at the number of reviews Smile88 sent her I think I just found my new best friend.

Allison: Yeah, um... this is fanfiction… I think that's the whole point of fanfiction… you can do whatever you want. Please keep reading and reviewing, but please do not use such a rude tone. It's rather hard on the ears. I had this problem before and I asked that reviewer to never return again, hope we can get on a better level. Sorry if this story is not to your liking.

Hey everyone! I hadn't got off my butt to write a chapter in a while, sorry. But I guess I am sitting now writing this, so I really haven't got off my butt have I? Hehe! I know you're all going to love this chapter and me! Sorry I had to sound so rude in addressing one of my reviewers, but I thought it was reasonable.

I got into LOWELL! I'm so happy! I'm going to high school finally! Anyway that's why this is delayed. Sorry to say, but this is a bit OCC, but I don't think you guys are going to care.

Thanks to my beta reader and co-writer, gooseflesh!

A Teenaged Snape?

It was pitch black as Severus opened his eyes.

'Where am I?' he thought as he shifted to sit up. A surging pain shot up Severus's chest as soon as he moved. "I must've broken some ribs…" he talked to himself, fighting through the pain. However, a couple of broken ribs, a few bruises and cuts here and there was nothing compared to what the former Death Eater experienced at gatherings with the Dark Lord.

Severus, now being able to see a bit more clearly as his eyes got used to the darkness of the forest, dragged himself over to rest up against a nearby tree. Having trouble breathing properly, he began to fumble through his robes looking for his wand to cast a healing spell. Where was his wand? Severus desperately looked around for it. Nothing!

He would have to find his way back to Hogwarts. This was definitely not Severus's first time in the Forbidden Forest - he often went here to find specific potion ingredients that were best for use when picked freshly, but he had no clue where to start. He wasn't even sure where he had landed.

The broomstick! Wait, the jinxed broomstick. Even if he could find it, there was no chance in hell you would find his arse back on that stick anytime soon. It was probably destroyed anyway.

So what would he do now? He couldn't run back in his condition, that is if he could find his way. He knew he definitely couldn't wait till morning for someone from Hogwarts to find him. He would be eaten alive by then! Even though it would cause him great pain, Severus only real choice was to try to walk back to Hogwarts. It was going to be a son of a bitch, Severus thought, as he pushed against the tree to try to stand.

All of a sudden, he heard footsteps coming towards him. Not wanting to be caught in such a state by anybody, or maybe he should say "anything", Severus hobbled behind the tree he was holding onto so dearly. He tried his best to calm down his ragged breathing, as he attempted a peak to see who had come to after him.

All Severus could see was a hooded figure who had his back turned to him. He could see that the figure had a wand out ready to attack him. In this situation, Severus's choices were: kill or be killed. He would have to attack first before the person got a chance. The Head Boy saw his chance, when the figure bent down and examined something on the forest ground.

As silent and best he could, Severus slowly rounded the tree and was just about to tackle the figure, when he whirled around and socked Severus straight in the eye! A pain shot up Severus's front as he fell to the ground. He stopped himself from screaming out by biting down on his lip.

"SEVERUS?" exclaimed Hermione, the hooded figure. The girl quickly knelt down besides Severus, who was rubbing his eye profusely.

"Hermione!" he bellowed angrily, still lying on his back and rubbing his eye. Sev stopped as he felt Hermione's hand softly guide his hand away from his bruised eye. He stared at her with his good eye as she examined the new injury.

"I'm sorry, Severus," Hermione said, as she sat down besides him. Severus continued to lay on the ground as watched her. "You should really try not to sneak up on people like that. It really reminds me of your uncle."

"Well, you should really try not to go around the forest hooded," Severus snapped back, as he tried to sit up.

"What do you expect? The leaves and branches kept getting into my hair," Hermione retorted, as she took off the hood. She whipped out her wand and with a quick spell, Severus's bruised eye was gone, as well as the cuts on his face.

"Is that all of the injuries?" She asked gently. Severus nodded; he wasn't about to let her think he was weak by allowing her to treat his ribs. His body had changed, not his stubbornness. Managing his best, Severus got up, gritting his teeth in pain.

"Which way do we go now?" he asked, as Hermione finished adjusting her robes.

"Back the way I came from, northwest I'd say. Don't worry, I can just do a locator spell and we can find our way easily," Hermione said, as she began to make the journey back. Severus tried his best to step forward, but couldn't stop the gasp of pain.

"Severus, are you all right?" Hermione asked as she walked back over to him. Severus began to cough as he found it harder to breathe and ignore the pain.

"Severus?" Hermione never got her answer, as Severus dropped to the ground, hacking up blood as he struggled to breathe. Panicking, the Head Girl dropped down beside him and started pulling off his robes. The stubborn teenager tried to swat her hand away, but after a moment was no longer able to summon enough strength to do so. Pulling off Severus's school vest and shirt, Hermione rested Severus on his back. The teenager was beginning to shudder slightly.

"Rib Restituo," Hermione said, as the tip of her wand began to glow a heavenly white. Severus's trembling slowly faded, as his breathing began to return to normal. Severus closed his eyes, as he wiped the sweat that had formed on his brow.

"Thank you, Hermione," Severus whispered quietly, as he put his shirt back on and wiped the blood off his face with his sweater. Hermione, however, remained silent. He looked over to find her silently crying into her sleeve. Confused, Severus sat up.

"What's wrong?" he asked, staring at the crying girl. "I'm fine now, Hermione. You don't have to worry, you did an excellent job." She continued to use her sleeve to cover her crying face. "Hermione?" She still didn't respond. Severus had no idea what to do, except one thing. He hugged her. He could tell that she was surprised by the gesture, but she soon welcomed the comforting embrace, burying her face into his shoulder. Her silent cries no longer remained silent.

"Shhh," Severus whispered into her ear, trying to calm her down, "Everything is going to be okay." He began to stroke Hermione's soft curls, as her cries began to subside. She finally stopped crying, and looked at Severus.

"What were you crying about," he said, as he looked at the girl in his arms. She looked away from him.

"I t-thought I was g-going to lose you," Hermione said, she wiped the new tears that were forming from her eyes. Severus starred at her in surprise.

"Why would you think you were going to lose me?" Severus asked curiously.

"So many people have died already, and I know more will in this blasted war, but I don't want to lose you, especially on my birthday."

"I see. Hermione, you don't have to worry, you won't lose me. I'll always be right with you."

"P-promise?" Hermione asked timidly. Severus laughed, as he gave the girl on his lap a quick squeeze.

"Promise," Severus answered. "Wait, today's your birthday?" Hermione nodded, looking back up at him.

"How old is my little know-it-all turning?" Severus said playfully. "What? Is it her fifth or sixth birthday? No, she's too heavy to be that old. Let me guess: seven?" Hermione used her head to nudge at his chin jokingly. Severus let out a silky baritone laugh, then suddenly stopped. The sound of his own laugh was foreign to him.

Hermione hadn't noticed his moment of introspection, however. "I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm 18, an adult now! So start treating me like one," she protested. Severus raised a brow at her.

"I guess all grown up Hermione is too old for her present then," Severus said, tempting her. Hermione laughed, as he rested his chin on her head.

"I still want my present. What is it?" Hermione asked as she faced him, with her arms crossed.

"Well, I don't know yet. You just told me it was your birthday a minute ago." Severus said, looking at her with amused eyes. "Let's see." Severus looked around the forest. "You already have leaves, seeing how they're stuck in your hair." Hermione frowned, as she tried to brush the leaves out of her hair. "A stick just wouldn't do. Dirt is a possible option." The birthday girl frowned as she punched his arm playfully.

"This is harder then I thought. I guess I could give you this." He moved his face towards hers. Hermione was surprised, and her mind began to race, but she was pulled back to reality by the soft touch of Severus' lips. Instinctively, she kissed back as her arms wrapped themselves around his neck. Eric had kissed her before, but it had never been like this: sweet and sensuous, leaving her feeling warm and a bit dizzy. She wanted more.

"Is that the best gift you ever gotten?" Severus asked with an evil, devious grin on his face.

"I don't know, it's in competition with the My Little Pony I got when I was four," Hermione said, jokingly. Severus, a pureblood wizard, looked confused.

"Never mind, it was a joke," Hermione said, as she got up from his lap, and helped him up.

Severus suddenly remembered. "Don't go telling Charlotte or Eric I kissed you, alright? Charlotte would think I was cheating on her," he said as he dusted himself off.

"Fine with me," Hermione was too pleased with her gift to care right now. "But you're going to have to get me another gift."

"Spoiled, aren't we?" Severus said smiling, as he removed a leaf that was resting on Hermione's hair. "What else do you want?"

"I don't know, surprise me later," Hermione said with a sly grin. Severus smiled as she began to lead him back to Hogwarts.

After a while, Severus and Hermione finally made their way out of the forest with not even a single encounter with a harmful creature.

"Severus. Hermione." Albus nodded at the two students as they walked into his office. "Why are you two up so late?" The young wizard and witch sat themselves in front of the Headmaster's desk.

"I received a broom," Severus started, easily.

"It was jinxed!" Hermione. "I hardly expect you to take this lightly." Sev sighed, as he shifted in his chair.

"Yes, it was jinxed, but of course I had no idea. It was an A-1, how can you expect me not to be a bit excited?"

Albus frowned as he sat back in his chair to ponder the information just given to him.

"Severus, you know you should be more careful. I want you too, Hermione, to be careful and not just going out into the Forbidden Forest like that without telling a professor first." The Head Girl looked away from the Headmaster in shame.

"But even so," Albus said, smiling. Hermione and Severus looked at him in surprise, "I believe 20 points shall be awarded to Gryffindor."

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione said with a small smile.

"No need," Albus said, putting a hand up, "I have something to discuss with you both. Next month is Halloween and this year I wanted to give the students an opportunity for some fun. It's tradition for the Head students to organize the dances… would you two continue that tradition?"

"Sure. It sounds like fun." Hermione said, happily. Severus scowled at the Headmaster, whose eyes twinkled in their usual way.

"I'll leave you two up to the planning," Albus said, "just tell me if you need anything or some time off."

"So should we just make this fourth years and up?" Hermione said, as she scribbled down in a muggle notebook with a muggle pen.

"Do whatever you please," Severus said, looking absolutely bored as they sat down at their favorite spot where they first had lunch together. "Why are you using those muggle materials anyway?"

"It's a lot easier to use a pen and notebook, rather than that old quill and parchment sometimes," Hermione said. She scribbled down his answer for the dance.

The two had been planning the event for a month now, and there was only two weeks till the ball left. Neither of them in this entire time had ever mentioned that small little kiss that they had shared on the morning of Hermione's 18 birthday. Hermione hadn't forgotten it though, and she never would. After all, it was their first kiss. It meant much more, she was sure of that. She would keep that hope and just wait for him to come around. Oddly, Severus felt something too – but like any guy, he wasn't sure what exactly it was he was feeling.

"So, Severus," Hermione said, still scribbling in her notebook, "are you taking Charlotte to the Ball?" Severus nodded as he played with his new outgrown hair. Over the month, Severus had allowed his hair to grow. It wasn't too much longer, although it was beginning to rival Harry's mess of hair.

"I presume Eric has asked you already?" Severus asked as he loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves. Hermione looked up from her notebook.

"Actually no, not yet," Hermione said, "I haven't actually seen him lately. Have you seen Charlotte lately?"

"Just the time I asked her to the Ball, but that was about it," Severus answered, looking up at the warm sky. It was October already, but fall hadn't yet settled in.

"So what about music?" Hermione asked.

"I think the Weird Sisters are long gone? What's your suggestion?" Severus asked, as he loosened his itchy collar to reveal a black shirt underneath.

"Muggle music would be a good change," Hermione said, as she sat back down against the tree with him, "actually how about we make this entirely muggle themed?" Severus nodded.

"I think we need something more though," Hermione said, sighing, "maybe karaoke!"

"All right, but you figure out all things having to deal with that," Severus said, as he got up and offered her a hand to get up. Hermione happily accepted it and stood beside him.

"You're going to be performing in this right?" Hermione asked, as the two made their way back to the castle.

"No, I'm really not a performer."

"Oh come on Sev, you're probably an excellent singer." He just rolled his eyes.

"Let's not discuss this right now, we need to go tell the Headmaster that we need to get down to Hogsmeade to pick up the decorations and other materials." Hermione nodded as the two walked inside the castle. To their surprise and to Severus's disgust, they walked into Professor Daniels and Professor Lupin.

"Ah, Mr. Snape, Miss Granger, we're here to escort you down to Hogsmeade on orders of Professor Dumbledore," Sirius said with fake smile. Severus knew this was the last thing he wanted to do on a Saturday afternoon. He could use this to his advantage. Professor Lupin, however, just smiled as best he could in the situation.

"Alright, Professor," Hermione said, placing her materials back in her book bag, "But if it's alright, could Severus and I stop in muggle London to gather a few supplies?

"Sure, I have no problem with that, except do you two mind going on broomsticks to Hogsmeade?" Sirius said with a smile.

'How about it Snivellus?' Sirius, knowing perfectly well that Severus was reading his mind at the moment.

'You're on, Black!' Severus thought as he went to retrieve his Firebolt. The Head Boy and Girl nodded.

Ten minutes later, Severus returned with his broomstick. Since they were going to be in muggle London, Severus had dressed himself in one of the few muggle outfits that Hermione had helped him select, a pair of black jeans and a plain green T-shirt. Severus saw that Hermione had also changed into some muggle clothes; a pair of light blue jeans and a purple tank top.

"This is going to be a long trip," Severus said as he and Hermione mounted his old broom, and the other two mounted theirs.

Hey, I know it's been a long time, but I was caught up in a bunch of stuff. I know this chapters a bit OCC, but I thought it was cute. R&R please!