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 3 – Beginnings of Trust

Severus could not believe Remus had done that. Yes it was the goodbye he had wanted, but in front of someone else? They were just starting out with the relationship and with everything that had been happening it was suppose to be a secret.

He took a shuddering deep breath, the next was more even. When he turned towards his student he saw her stepping towards him, her wand out. She thinks I've done something to him, he thought sadly, I thought she trusted me.

Hermione watched as his face fell, she could not understand why. "Professor Snape," she said hesitatingly, "Are you ok?"

"As well as I can be with a student brandishing her wand at me," he snapped. His body language and face closing down as he folded his arms across his chest.

Hermione looked at him, uncomprehending as to the sudden change in him. Then it was if a light went on and she chuckled. "Professor, I said I trusted you. Don't you believe me?" She paused and moved the wand down to her side as she moved closer to him. "I just thought you would want a wand oath?" Her voice rose as she made her final statement into a question.

"Miss Granger." He coughed slightly. "Hermione. No. Remus obviously trusts you, no wand oath is necessary. However," he said blushing, "I would ask one more favour of you. I did not realise he meant to make you aware of our, err, relationship. It is very new and no one, not even Dumbledore is aware of it. Can I request that you keep this secret too?"

Smiling, Hermione moved forward, hesitating slightly, she then took his hand in hers. "Of course... Severus." She squeezed his hand then took a step back. Then taking the handkerchief he had given her, she offered it back to him.

"No, keep it I have plenty," he said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Why did you give it to me?" she asked, curious.

"Despite what people may think I am not heartless... and in some ways you remind me of me."

Hermione guessed there was a story there, but did not want to push, so early in their... truce, or maybe, she thought hopefully, friendship.

"You are a clever young woman," he continued sadly. "You know something is afoot. Dumbledore requested Remus to be here as extra security tonight. He would not have done so for no reason. If what I fear is true then I must play my role. I can not treat you differently, in fact I may even need to be crueller. Do you understand?" Please,he added to himself.

Hermione nodded and smiled sadly. "I should get to bed. Thank you, for trusting Remus. I hope one day you will trust me yourself, rather than just on his say so."

Severus smiled gently. "Thank you." And as she turned away he added, "Hermione, Remus was right, you do look lovely tonight."

She blushed. "Goodnight, Professor."

"Goodnight, Miss Granger."

Hermione made her way to the Gryffindor Common Room, pinching herself frequently, wondering if it was a dream. Remus Lupin and Severus Snape, a couple, and they trusted me with the knowledge.

After dropping the cloak off with Harry, and getting ready for bed, it still seemed a little surreal. Yet the knowledge did nothing to tame the crushes she had on the two men. She lay in the bed, curtains drawn, remembering the scent of Remus as he had carried her. She had not realised at the time, but now she could recall the scent of Severus, after she had tripped and fallen into his arms, clean, smelling of herbs. Then the kiss between the two men, short, but sweet.

Unconsciously one hand fell to her breast, circling the nipple, raising it to a peak. The other dropped below her nightdress, stroking, spreading the wetness that was already there. A particularly vicious tweak to her nipple brought her out of her thoughts. She looked down at her hands, aghast at what she was doing. She could not betray their trust like this. They had shared a secret, with her, only her and this is how she repaid them? She felt ashamed, their kiss was not fantasy material. She could not spoil it that way.

She got shakily to her feet and went to the bathroom, washing her hands and bathing her face in cold water. Looking at herself in the mirror, she remembered their compliments to her. "I will be worthy of their trust," she said to her reflection.