Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe. It was created by J K Rowling. Any characters/places you recognise are just being borrowed. No profit is being made from this.

Chapter 2 – Revelations

Hermione sat on the steps, tears in her eyes. Her feet were sore and she reached down to take off the heels she wore. She was not sure if her tears were because she was upset or frustrated, probably a combination of both. She began to rub her feet, as she heard the faint strains of music from the Great Hall come to an end.

Suddenly she was aware of a tall, dark presence above her and a handkerchief miraculously appeared in her lap. She looked up, a small smile on her face, expecting to see her date, Viktor Krum. Instead she met the dark, hard eyes of Professor Snape. His face was stern, and her smile faltered. She was sure that he was the source of the handkerchief, but his face most certainly suggested she should not make an issue of it.

Severus Snape looked around them, and seeing they were almost alone and no one within hearing distance he spoke quietly, "Miss Granger," he drawled, "do not ask questions, but I wish you to follow me...now." He wished he could offer her a hand to get up from the step, but it would arouse suspicions. He took a few steps up the stairs and could hear his student slipping on shoes and the sound of heels hitting the stairs as she followed.

He ignored her as he reached the top and started to make his way down the corridor, hearing her footsteps behind him. He took a quick turn into a side corridor after checking there was no one else around. As instructed, she followed. Part of him wondered at how easily she trusted him, but discarded the thought almost immediately "Not trust, Severus. Fear."

Almost as soon as she rounded the corner Remus Lupin lowered the hood of the invisibility cloak. He smiled broadly, "Hermione," he greeted her. He took her hand, bowed over and kissed it gently, "you look lovely tonight."

Hermione blushed slightly, as Professor Lupin gallantly kissed her hand and complimented her looks. She knew he was just being friendly, but the crush she had on him, the one she had tried to suppress moved to the forefront of her mind, followed swiftly by the one she had on the other man in front of her.

"Professor Lupin, what are you doing here?" she exclaimed, as Professor Snape growled, "Remus, we don't have time for this."

"I'm not your professor anymore, Hermione, call me Remus." He turned to the other man, "And Severus, there is always time to compliment a beautiful lady."

Hermione blushed even more and gently tried to pull her hand away from the light-haired man.

"Remus, you are embarrassing her," the other man said pointedly.

Remus let go of the hand, turning slightly to look at the dark-haired man, "Yes, of course, Severus, you are right as always." He turned back to to the young woman and gave a shallow bow, "My apologies Hermione," He paused for a moment. "Professor Snape and I require a favour from you."

Hermione scolded herself as her brain began to conjure all sorts of fantasies. "Don't be silly Hermione. Get your mind out of the gutter." "Of course," she said quickly, glad to hear that she did not sound nervous, "Anything."

"Anything, Miss Granger?" her current professor said, arching an eyebrow. "You agree without even knowing what it is we are requesting."

"I trust you," she said, turning so that she could see them both at the same time, "both of you."

Severus felt his eyebrow arch even higher, "Both of us?" he could hardly believe that was true.

"Both," she answered, her stance showing she would brook no argument.

Severus almost smiled, then tensed. "There is someone coming. Miss Granger, under the cloak with Remus now," he ordered briskly.

Remus obviously thought she was not responding quickly enough and swept her up into his arms as he pulled the cloak around them both. "Keep quiet," he said into her ear.

Professor Snape began walking back towards the main corridor, and Remus followed, Hermione in his arms. She was surprised that it seemed so easy for him to carry her. She knew she was not overweight, but still. She wondered if it was a werewolf 'thing'. Really clever-sounding, Hermione, she thought to herself.

"Diggory, Miss Chang, may I suggest that you find your rooms in the very near future," the ominous voice of Professor Snape said as they entered the main corridor. "Or Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw may find themselves short of a few points." The couple jumped apart hurriedly and moved back down towards the Great Hall.

Severus knew that Remus and Hermione would be following, and gathered them up with a glance. Remus shivered as the other man looked straight at him, despite them being invisible and then they made their way down towards the entrance of the secret tunnel that would take him out of Hogwarts.

Once they reached the tunnel entrance Remus gently put Hermione onto her feet and took off the cloak. She stumbled slightly and held onto his arms for a few moments. Hermione took a couple of deep breaths, taking in the scent of clean musk, that she knew would stay in her memories for a long time.

"I'm getting a bit old for for this now," Remus said, stretching his back as Hermione stepped away from him.

Severus snorted, "Carrying young ladies along the corridors, like a sack of potatoes? I should hope so. Men of our age should be a lot more dignified."

"You're not old," Hermione said automatically, then looked down at the floor blushing. She knew they had gone to school with Harry's parents, who had had him almost as soon as they had graduated. The two men in front of her could not even be thirty-six yet, maybe nineteen, twenty years older than her at the most. With wizards living well into their first century they were still young.

Severus and Remus shared a look. Remus reached out and tilted her chin up. "Perhaps in years, no, but Severus and I...we have not aged well." He smiled gently at her, "but thank you Hermione." He let go of her chin and stepped back. "Hermione, we must ask you not speak to anyone of this entrance. It is very important that you tell no one, not even Harry or Ron of what you will see and hear."

She nodded as Remus passed her the cloak "Return this to Harry for me, will you. He knew I borrowed it, but not what for. Tell him I passed it to you after he left."

"You mean after she sent him to bed," Severus said under his breath. He watched as Hermione whirled round looking affronted, only to end up in his arms as she stumbled on her heels.

Remus laughed as he moved towards them. "Goodnight, Hermione," he said as he pecked her cheek, as she moved away from her professor, blushing again. "Goodnight, Severus", he paused, looking deeply into the eyes of the other man. Then he leant forward, pulling him into a hug and kissed him briefly, but fully on his lips. He then moved over to a nearby wall, took out his wand and whispered a spell under his breath.

A door appeared and as be opened it and turned to wave, he saw a stain of red blush on his boyfriend's cheek and Hermione Granger, finally looking speechless. Her eyes flickering between the two of them so quickly it was if she was watching a tennis match. He smiled broadly and with a final wave to them both, turned and entered the passage, the door disappearing behind him.

Hermione, stood frozen as she saw the stars of her summer fantasies kiss. It was not anything x-rated, in fact if anything it was...cute. She found herself waving at a blank wall a minute or so later, still unsure of what to say. Then taking a deep breath she drew her wand and stepped towards her professor.