More and more thanks to Angelic Bladez, HappeeGoLuckee, OdangoAtama17, A werewolves beloved, An Anti-Sheep Cheese Muffin, Dizi 85, Pretty Lily Potter, Darkness-Lightness, rowenarave565, ProperT, Brandance, notwritten and harmswife.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, if I did I would rewrite book 7 and Sev would live.

Chapter 8: Setup and an Interruption

When Hermione entered the Three Broomsticks she began to search for the tell tale hair of Lucius but could not find it. She looked harder around the pub to see if she could at least see Severus and, much to her relief, found him in the back corner with a small frown across his face. Hermione walked over quickly wondering if her lateness was the reason for the frown now set firmly in place.

He looked up when she was about a meter away and glanced over to where Lucius would have sat, had he been there. As Hermione sat down a much younger looking Madam Rosmerta came over, a pen and paper in hand.

"What can I get you then dears?"

"Just a butterbeer for me please," Hermione said smiling.

"Same here."

Rosmerta made a quick note and left to the main bar to get the drinks leaving the two alone. Hermione looked to the empty seat to her left, something Severus was quick to notice.

"Wondering where Lucius went off to?"

Hermione frowned, "He was here before?"

"Not here. He came down then complained of sickness, he looked perfectly fine to me so I think this was planned," Severus answered looking annoyed.

"Planned? He planned to leave before I got here?" Hermione felt quite hurt; she thought that everything was going alright between her and Malfoy senior… well he would be soon anyway.

"Oh no, nothing like that," Severus quickly said before Hermione got the wrong idea. "No he set us up. He said he would before but I thought he was only joking…" he trailed off, looking up at Hermione to gauge her reaction.

Hermione had mixed feelings on the matter though; she was furious that Lucius thought that they needed to be setup but then she also felt a little bit grateful that he had. Neither Hermione nor Severus had done anything together after the ball, as both had been worried about what the other would say. At least they now had a chance to try, even though never of them asked it could be a good thing in the long run, Hermione mused.

'Now it's just finding out what Severus thinks about all this.'

"Well, what do you think about this, Sev?" She asked in a neutral voice.

"Erm, well," He stuttered, looking rather uncomfortable with being asked what he thought. "I think that it's despicable that he did what he did and if we were to… go out we wouldn't need to be set up for it to happen." He was obviously thinking about the ball when he had asked her to go.

"All of that aside, what do you think about it?" Hermione prodded.

His cheeks had begun to turn a light pink.

"I think that it may be a good thing."

"You do?"

Severus looked up surprised at what Hermione had admitted to him. Just like him, her face had gained more colour then normal and she was looking to the side, embarrassed. Still looking down, Hermione shook her head yes.

"Well then," Severus began, a small smile on his face. "Shall we make the best of Lucius' disgusting behaviour?"

Hermione's head shot up when he had finished his sentence. She began to smile which quickly turned into a grin, which escalated into full blown laughter. Not long after Severus began to laugh softly; he would never full out laugh as his frie– no date had but he would show his amusement at the situation.

"Maybe I should go back and thank Malfoy," Hermione joked.

'Both of them,' she added in her head. 'Wonder what Draco would think about that.'

The thought alone nearly made her collapse into laughter again but she stopped herself just in time.

Hermione reached for her butterbeer ('I wonder when that got here? Rosmerta must have come when we were laughing… or before that') and took a sip while Severus continued to talk about the potions that they had discussed last class. Severus disagreed completely with Professor Slughorn's teaching methods, saying he was too slack and easy on those who got it wrong. He said no one would mess up if he taught the class. This kept Hermione very entertained as she knew his teaching methods in the future and the knowledge that he knew how he would teach from the age of fifthteen amused her greatly.

As their talking continued they paid for their drinks and left the small bar and went to walk around the village. While they walked Hermione felt something bumping her hand, and looking down she saw that it was Severus' hand. She smiled lightly and carefully slipped her hand into his. He tensed slightly then relaxed, turning his head to smile lightly at her.

They stopped talking long enough to see where their feet had taken them, looking up they saw the rocking structure of the Shrieking Shack. Hermione let go of Severus' hand to lean against the small fence blocking off the road to the Shack, looking at the rickety old building thinking about what was yet to happen when Sirius lured Severus into the Shack to see the other form of Remus. She sighed and turned around and almost jumped as she saw that Severus had snuck up behind her.

She looked up into his eyes and realised just how close the two of them were. Severus seemed to have noticed too; a light colour had risen in his face as he looked down at her. He began to slowly move his head down and Hermione tilted her head up to meet him. They were only a few seconds away when…

"I didn't think you were that desperate Storm. Pity I was wrong."

Severus quickly moved away from Hermione looking up to see who had interrupted them. Two pairs of chocolate brown eyes met black and coffee and both were mixed with mirth and disgust. James Potter and Sirius Black came out from behind the tree they had concealed themselves behind and both wore horrible smirks on their faces.

"And just think Storm, I was going to give you a chance once I got you away from your bodyguards. They Confunded you didn't they? Theirs no other way you would hang around them," Sirius jeered, shaking his head in a mocking way.

"I'm not Confunded Sirius, I'm merrily smarter then what you are!" Hermione retorted angrily.

She glanced sidewards at Severus to see how he was going, knowing how much their insults can get to him. Severus was white faced and had both fists clenched by his sides, and if looks could kill both boys would be dead and buried ten times over by the intense glare they were receiving from the fuming Slytherin.

"It seems we have touched a nerve, dear Padfoot," James said smirking.

"Yes and it's a shame really, Prongs, but we must stop now before we have too much fun."

They both ran off laughing, glancing back at the pair who were still yet to move. Hermione watched their retreating backs then turned to face Severus. He looked down at her with a hard look and a frown firmly in place once again. He gave her a cold look and walked away with out a word. Hermione watched him go with one thought going through her mind.

'Bloody Slytherin pride.'

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Yay! Another chapter done and yet another bad ending, don't worry they will stop soon. Does anyone know when the OWL exams would start up? Please tell me when you press the button and review!

Lady of Elysion