Hello! Normally I hate the chapters that I turn out but this one has me rather excited! I can't wait to see what my readers think of it! Please leave me a review with your thoughts?

I've got a lot of new ideas for this fanfic now that I've reached this point and I can't wait to start turning them out. Remember to share with your friends and read my other stories!

Of course, I don't own Harry Potter.

She's seeking comfort, Severus thought to himself as he watched her with guarded eyes. Every bone in my body wants to tell her the truth, but that would only upset her more. It might just be easier to tell her what she wants to hear. So that's what he did. He stated that her male friend would come around in time. He couldn't resist adding his own touch to the end. That way, he didn't feel like he was betraying himself as much.

Her response to his words was tired. She was emotionally stressed and Severus marveled at how much this fight seemed to affect her. He decided then that he had made a good choice in choosing to live his life without many acquaintances. It looked like it was too much work and drama than it was worth.

She wasn't relaxing in his presence and he came to the conclusion that he would have to do a little more than just listen to her. He crooked a finger in her direction, bidding her to come to his side.

"No, no, no." She shook her head. "I'll be quite alright."

Why she denied him, she didn't know. Clearly she could use another hug but she didn't feel like moving now that she was seated in one place.

He sighed heavily at her refusal and stood up, transfiguring the couch into a love seat with her still on it. He sat beside her and opened up his arms, a free invitation for her to snuggle.

Hermione looked at him carefully, wondering when he became good at this type of thing. She briefly thought about how hard he was trying to keep his mouth shut against the two boys. It was common knowledge that he wasn't fond of them. She waited for him to speak out but she prompted discussion.

"Are you going to tell me what you really think?"

He frowned. She knows me well. "Perhaps. But not at the moment. I suspect that you've had enough to deal with in one day."

She mused over this for a moment, knowing what was really on his mind. She then settled on the idea that he was right; she didn't want to hear it right now and she was grateful for his aversion to the topic.

Feeling very much like a child, she leaned into him and he pulled his robed arms around her. Though she felt immature, she was surprised at how warm she suddenly was. Childish or no, she felt better than she had all day.

For a few minutes, she closed her eyes, very content in his embrace.

Severus stroked her hair, occasionally pressing his lips to the smooth curls. His mind was distracted, searching for the proper words to help her heal. He focused on nothing in particular, his eyes restless.

He seemed to care about nothing else than the woman he held. To illustrate this, his dark eyes came to rest on a beetle that was crawling across the back of the love seat. When he directed his attention to it, it froze, as though it was aware that a predator had spotted it.

Normally, he would have burned the bug but, today, it got a free pass to live. He flicked it and it flew across the room. Where it landed? It didn't matter.

XXXXXXXX

Draco Malfoy sat atop his bed in the Slytherin dormitory, having finished all of his classes for the day. Crabbe and Goyle, his near constant companions, were nowhere to be found. They hadn't put up a fight when he asked them to leave him alone for a few hours. Uncharacteristically, he was alone.

Hands folded in front of him, he stared down at his feet on the stone floor. He hadn't moved for quite some time. His thoughts were racing, wondering what knowledge he would find out soon. The sun was sinking through his window. Sundown, he thought, she promised at sundown.

Growing impatient, he stood from the bed and began to pace the floor, slowly at first, as though he was taking inventory of his room. His light eyes grazed gently against the four poster bed that hung silk drapery down the sides. His mother had insisted upon green and silver, the colors of his house, naturally. Draco hadn't protested.

Next, he looked over the mahogany desk. Like the bed, this wasn't a typical piece of furniture that one might find in any student's room. Rather, it looked like it belonged in the Headmaster's office. Then again, Draco Malfoy wasn't treated as any other student because of his father's position in the ministry.

He used to get annoyed about being considered higher than the other students but, as time went on, he got used to it and fully embraced it.

Draco went to sit on the window sill, mind still reeling from what he witnessed today. His thoughts ran a muck with what he could do with such devastating information. Snape was the Head of his House and he was like a mentor to the boy. However, the way that he had spoken to him today… in defense of his girlfriend… it made his blood boil just under the surface.

And, of course, he had never been on speaking terms with the Mudblood girl but she hung around with precious Potter. Any chance to knock him down a few pegs had to be taken. His father would be highly disappointed if he missed the opportunity.

As he watched the sun setting, a large green beetle smacked against the glass and he jerked his head back in surprise. He watched in confusion as the bug startled to crawl in a star-shaped pattern. For a few moments, he watched the critter crawl then, realizing what it was, opened up his window.

The beetle flew in and landed in the center of his area rug. He blinked and a woman dressed in all green stood there. She regarded Draco over the rim of her sparkly glasses with a smirk. "You were right, Draco. There's quite a story here."

He crossed his arms and looked Rita Skeeter up and down. "Did you doubt it?" Leaning coolly against the window, he waited to hear what she saw in the dungeons.