Howdy! Well...here is a short chapter I just finished. Hopefully I will have the next one up by the end of the day!

Just a note: This chapter takes place the Tuesday after Hermione's last detention, which was on Monday night, though it is only "referenced to"...just so there's no confusion.

Hope y'all enjoy it! And thanks agin to everyone who is continuing to read and review my little story. I really do appreciate it!

-smiles-

boots!

Frozen snow caked itself along the window sills of the castle and the arched windows loomed above, casting heavy smooth shadows down the lonely hallways. The ghosts bid each other good morning as they floated about and the sounds of students anxiously rushing to classes echoed throughout Hogwarts. Hermione had woken up rather late and was bouncing from the bathroom to her closet to her desk in a frantic hurry to get ready. Today was Tuesday, she thought as she grabbed her History of Magic homework along with her Potions textbook and shoved them into her bag. Her attempts to avoid Harry and Ron yesterday had proved successful as she had kept herself busy and socially disengaged. It was easy enough to avoid Ginny too, as they were in completely different grades and had opposing schedules. Today would be more difficult since the three of them were partners in Potions. Hermione sighed and pulled a green sweater over her head. She glanced at the postcard book sitting on her desk and thought about Monday evening and the rather odd detention she had spent with Professor Snape. True, detention with Snape was usually a bit odd and unpleasant, but last night could only be described as "peculiar". Usually her pensive potions master would have at least sneered or growled some sort of nasty observation at the spirited young witch; but last night he said nothing at all. After Sunday night's detention, when she had deliberately written the wrong lines, she was sure she would be in for all sorts of scolding; but that wasn't the case at all. It was as if her surly professor was lost in a mirage of memories and Hermione recounted how he had not even seemed to notice when she finally stood to leave. The strangest part of the whole incident was the inadequacy Hermione felt at his lack of interest in her.

She slipped into her shoes and slid her school robe over her clothes; her golden eyes catching her mother's necklace sitting atop the bureau. "Almost forgot" she smiled, clutching it in her hand and snapping the clasp around her neck. After one last look in the mirror, she grabbed her bag, kissed Crookshanks on the head and flew down the stairs to History of Magic.

Severus also took his time preparing for the day ahead. He sat in the Great Hall, leisurely drinking bitter tea and enjoying a light breakfast, never tearing his eyes away from a worn leather bound book which he rested against a water glass. Occasionally he would look up and scan the room – searching for a messy tidal wave of soft curls to wash over the banality of the morning chatter.

"So, Severus..." A pale, lanky man with sandy hair rested a hand onhis shoulder. "I understand the marathon of detentions with our little Miss Granger finally came to an end last night" Remus Lupin chuckled as he sipped his morning coffee.

"Hmm? Oh…yes…of course…" he mumbled and returned to his book.

"Don't fret though, I imagine Hermione Granger will be back in your detention rather soon"

This peaked Snape's interest.

"And why is that Mr. Lupin?" he lifted his gaze to meet the gaunt werewolf's pale eyes.

"Oh no reason in particular…it's just…I don't know"

"What?"

"She seems to have taken a dramatic turn this semester. And just yesterday she not only skipped my class, but was rather defiantly defensive when I questioned her about it. And you know what else? I could swear she's avoiding her friends…she doesn't seem to be herself lately, that's all" Remus shrugged and began buttering some toast.

Severus considered what Professor Lupin said and looked around the dining hall again for the witch in question. He steadied his watchful eyes on Harry and Ron but she wasn't there. What was making Hermione act out in such a way that she would even go as far as to ignore her friends of seven years? He thought about last night's detention. It seemed the fires in her eyes had cooled and she was left alone and icy, searching for warmth in her studies once again. She was quiet and complacent and had barely looked at him the entire night. Severus wondered if their argument had gone too far on Sunday but pushed the thought from his mind as his attention fell to his own house table.

Draco Malfoyand Thomas Crow appeared to be in deep conversation and Snape's eyes flared with curiosity as Thomas clutched his left arm as if it were in great pain. It had never occurred to him that the two would be friends. Draco, for all his Slytherin charm, was utterly naive and at times rather dull witted. Thomas on the other hand was eloquent, well mannered and entirely too confident in himself. Since Thomas had begun his education at Hogwarts, Snape had never liked or trusted him. After all, a boy from Raspin's Correctional for young wayward wizards was not exactly the type of student he wanted to teach how to "bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death".

He watched the two boys for a moment longer and then returned to his tattered book. Hermione had been more right than she could possibly know; Severus Snape was indeed lost in a mirage of memories. Memories that made him feel things he was sure he had forgotten how to feel long ago. The book he had been enveloped in for the past two days was in fact a book of letters; a correspondence, to be more precise, between himself and his best friend over the span of eight years. He turned another page and was lost again in the inky truth written there.

Severus,

You mustn't ever doubt yourself. You are one of the brightest young wizards I have met at Hogwarts…and that's saying a lot as you are only eleven years old! Don't ever worry about what others think…only worry about what is right and what is wrong. I know you are scared right now, but it will pass. One day, others will see how brilliant you are and you will have more friends and women than you will know what to do with! This is a very small part of what is sure to be an extraordinary life ahead…enjoy it! I hope you are having a happy Christmas and I will see you when we return to school! Oh…and the dunderhead that looks like me wishes you a happy Christmas too!

See you soon,

Katrina

Severus read the letter backwards and forwards a few times and smiled, remembering when he had received it by owl that Christmas Day in 1971. It had been a particularly lonely holiday for him that year at Spinner's End. His mother had been very ill and his father's icy exterior was hardly helping matters. Katrina had been the one bright light in Snape's otherwise dark and discouraging young life. A single bell rang out; it was nine o'clock. The students filed out of the dining hall and scattered throughout the castle like glass marbles being dropped from a clumsy child's hand. Severus finished his tea and retired to the dungeon of his own mind.