Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Harry Potter and its characters.

Severus woke up in an unusually good mood. Why, he had no idea, but as he readied himself for the day ahead, fragments of last night's dream fluttered back to him.

It was just after dinner. Severus had skipped the meal, as he often did, and was almost through with grading the three foot papers he had assigned his first years. A migraine was beginning to set in as wrote a grade of Poor on a paper. Why on earth would anyone confuse a bezoar with a troll's gall stone? Everyone knew that a gal stone from a troll would instantly put a person in a coma that no magic could break, save deep magic that few knew.

Sighing, Severus turned to the seventh year papers. The top paper was Granger's a full two feet past the three and a half feet assigned. Instead of reading it, he put Granger's paper on the bottom of the pile. As he began to grade a Hufflepuff's paper, the mark on his left forearm twitched. It hurt, but not as much as it should, if the Dark Lord was calling him. It felt more like a signal that a Dark presence was near.

Something was approaching he knew, but his body wouldn't do as he wanted. Instead of standing up to find out what was coming, Severus remained seated, grading papers. He tried to look up when someone burst through his door and slammed it shut again. The sound of relieved sobbing broke the silence.

"Ah, just in time for detention, Miss granger." Severus heard his voice say. He tried to raise his eyes to look at the girl, but they remained fixed on the paper before him. 'Granger? What is she doing here?' he heard her slight gasp as she turned toward the sound of his voice.

"Oh, Professor, Thank Merlin you're here! There's something out…detention?" He heard her move toward his desk and stop a few feet shy of it. "What did I…?"

"You know very well what you did!" His body rose angrily, but he was confused. 'What did she do? Why am I so angry? She's a know-it-all Gryffindor with an annoying habit of usually being right, but she's never actually angered me.' Eh thought as he moved to stand in front of Granger. Once more his voice spoke with no control. "Daring to come into my classroom and…"

Suddenly his arms grabbed and pulled Granger to him and he was, in that instant, back in control of his body. He looked into her eyes. She was frightened and confused, but Severus only knew that for this one moment she was not an insufferable know-it-all, but a young woman with slightly frizzy thick hair, even teeth and doe-like eyes. For this instant, she was not "Granger," she was "Hermione" in his thoughts.

Something snapped in his mind and he slowly bent his head and kissed her.

Severus paused and smiled a little as he put on his robe. He'd had this dream before, but had always woken before the girl's identity had been revealed. He then realized just what had occurred. He, Severus Snape, had had a dream about kissing a student. Not just any student. He had kissed Hermione granger. And it had been a pleasant dream!

He groaned and justified his pleasure as merely a more pleasant change from his usual nightmares of torture and pain. 'But why Granger? Why a student at all?' he wondered just as Albus walked in, his eyes glittering. 'Sweet Merlin, what now?'

"Good morning, Severus. Poppy has informed me that you did not see her last night for your Dreamless Sleep dose, so I came to check on you. Did you sleep well?" Albus motioned for Severus to walk with him as he spoke. Severus slid his wand into a pocket, sighing as he followed Albus toward the Great Hall.

"I simply forgot Albus. I was up late last night grading exams and yes, I slept well for once. Exhaustion does that." He had been extremely exhausted yesterday. Nightmares plagues his sleep and only Dreamless Sleep potion seemed to help, but lately it had only lessened the nightmares, made them less vivid, but he still woke in the middle of the night unable to go back to sleep.

Albus watched him for a moment. "Are you sure you are fine?"

"Yes, Albus! I am quite fine." Severus then fell silent and remained so as the two of them entered the Great Hall and sat down to breakfast.

Every few minutes Severus would look up at the Gryffindor table where Granger sat, picking at her food. Potter and Weasely watched her, taking care it seemed, to make her smile often. Severus noted that Granger looked rather sickly; something Albus seemed to have picked up on as well.

"Miss Granger still looks unwell, Minerva. I thought you sent her to Poppy yesterday." Minerva leaned forward from the other side of Albus, worry plain to see on her face.

"I did, Albus. The poor girl hasn't been sleeping well so I sent her to get some rest. Poppy gave her some Dreamless Sleep potion, but it wasn't strong enough. Poppy said that Miss Granger screamed for a full ten minutes before becoming calm enough to wake. Couldn't say a word, so Poppy gave her a Deep Sleep dose." Minerva leaned farther forward to address Severus. "Poppy also needs more Dreamless Sleep, Severus, if you don't mind."

"Severus inclined his head to her and looked at the Gryffindor table. Granger looked exhausted, but she smiled at something the Weasley girl said and Severus was reminded of his dream. Why her? Why Granger? It was a nice change, however, from his usual dreams, he admitted to himself as he continued to watch her.

After a few moments, she looked up and met his gaze. She looked so weary, but she gave him a small, nervous smile. Severus turned away, but couldn't stop the tingling warmth that ran through his body. 'Why her?' he wondered again. A few minutes later, Severus left the great Hall, passing the Gryffindor table without a glance.

Hermione watched him go before yawning widely. She opened her eyes to see Ron watching her with worried eyes. He reached across the table to touch her hand.

"You alright, 'Mione?" Ron and Harry had been asking that all morning, but she had yet to tell them what had happened last night, so she just smiled tiredly.

"I'm fine. The Dreamless Sleep potion didn't work, so Madame Pomphrey had to give me a dose of Deep Sleep to pretty much knock me out." Hermione had finally been able to sleep, but Madame Pomphrey had had to wake her up before the sedative wore off, so she was still exhausted.

Harry looked up from his sausage, still chewing. "What do you mean the potion didn't work? Didn't she give you the right dosage?"

"Yeah, but I still had horrible nightmares."

"What about?" Harry stopped eating and concentrated on his friend. Ginny had been listening as well and poke up, her eyes wide.

"Was it You-Know-Who?"

"No, it was terrifying though." Hermione told them everything except for the bit where Snape kissed her. Such things weren't for breakfast talk. She'd tell them later…maybe.

Harry thought for a minute. "The voices kept saying 'I dare you'? Like Truth or Dare?"

"Yeah, but it was more of a challenge. I didn't really have a choice. I had to run."

"What's Truth or Dare?" Ginny looked from Harry to Hermione, who laughed.

"Truth or Dare is a Muggle game. Several people get together, usually sitting in a circle. The first person picks another and has them choose either Truth or Dare. If that person picks Truth, then a question is asked that must be answered with the truth." Harry grinned and picked up the explanation.

"If a person chooses Dare, then that person would be dared to do something. It's usually harmless, like playing a prank on someone, but if it's too uncomfortable to do, then one alternative choice is given."

"So you have to do one or the other?" Ron asked.

"Right. If you decide to back out, you're seen as a coward by those who play. But you have to be careful what you use as dares. Nothing immoral unless you give a more acceptable alternative." Hermione yawned as she finished explaining.

Ginny looked at her watch and grinned excitedly.

"We still have fifteen minutes, let's play it! I'll start!" She looked around and chose Harry. He laughed and shrugged, choosing Truth. "Ok then…was Cho your first kiss?" She asked, knowing that the answer was yes, but Harry blushed.

"Er…no…" He didn't elaborate, but quickly continued the game. "Right then. 'Mione, your turn."

"Dare, then."

Harry raised his eyebrows and conferred with Ron and Ginny for a moment. Ginny giggled as they decided on a dare and Harry smiled as he gave it.

"Alright, I dare you to get less than an Acceptable on our Potions test today."

"What? You're kidding! How can I possibly fail a test on purpose?" Hermione stared at them. "Inconceivable. What's the alternative?"

Unsurprised, Harry conferred with the Weasleys once more. Ginny muttered something and Ron shook his head.

"No way! She wouldn't! She'd rather fail…oh…right."

Harry nodded, grinning madly as he turned back to Hermione. "You either have to fail the test or kiss the teacher. Which one is it?"

Hermione paled as the voices from her nightmares whispered in her head.

"I dare you!"

"Daring to come into my classroom and…"

Harry noticed her paleness. "Hermione, you really don't have to do either. Besides, we have three classes until Potions, so you can wrestle with your conscience about failing a test until then."

Hermione nodded, not saying a word. The bell rang and Ron helped her to her feet, noticing as he did so that she was shaking.

"Harry's right, 'Mione. You don't have to do either. It's just a stupid game and you're not a coward either way. You're not looking well anyway."

"No, it's fine. I'm alright Ron. Really." She added at his skeptical look. "I'm still tired, I guess. I'll be fine."

Ron shrugged. Ginny went to her Care of Magical Creatures class while Harry and Hermione followed Ron to Defense Against the Dark Arts. The whole time, Hermione was thinking.

'What in the name of Merlin am I going to do?"

Once again, I hope you all liked it!