Hello again! Missed me? Here is little something for those who did.

Big thanks to Cat again, because thanks to her I am able to update this story. You're the Knight in Shinning Armour saving this story! THANK YOU!

CHAPTER 30

"You think he is looking for you yet?"

Hermione closed her eyes for a few seconds and sighed.

"Pansy, can we talk about something else, Anything else? And yes he most likely IS looking for me. That's why I asked Winky to put the picture there after we had left. Just in case."

Hermione and Pansy were walking leisurely around Hogsmead. The weather was clear and fresh. A perfect autumn day, with thankfully not even a hint of rain. The village looked just as it always had old and lively, Witches and Wizards walking around with large smiles and friendly chatter. It almost seemed that everyone here was always in a good mood.

The Gryffindor felt better almost immediately upon entering the old village. She liked it. Something was in the air that made you feel perfectly at ease. All the little shops full of magical things. It intrigued her. She could spend all day just window shopping, and still feel like she had accomplished something wonderful.

"Where to next?"

"What time is it?"

Pansy pulled out a small pocket watch from her robe and whistled.

"Almost 4. Time flies!"

"How about something to eat? I don't know about you but breakfast seems a long time ago now."

"Sounds good."

Hermione smiled. Pansy was a good friend… As soon as she had stopped jumping at every noise and shadow that is. Both girls nerves were a little on edge today, but the difference was, that Hermione was more of less used to it, and could hide it behind a calm façade. They had spent most of the day walking around, just the two of them Millicent having left them shortly after arriving at the village as she had her own plans for the day.

By the time the two witches reached the Three Broomsticks it was already 4 and they were both famished.

"Mmmm… I really needed that!" Hermione moaned as she tucked into her fish pie with gusto.

"I don't understand how you can eat that thing."

"What? It's delicious!"

Pansy wrinkled her nose as she watched Hermione eat.

"You should try it one day."

"No thanks. Don't like fish! I'll stick to my meat or vegetables thanks."

"Suit yourself. Talking of vegetables. In that little shop... What was its name? With bright yellow curtains?"

"Oh, yes! I remember. It was Bambley… something. It was a weird name."

"I still don't get it. Was that a tomato or an apple?"

"Tomato... I think"

"Have you ever seen a tomato plant that big? I mean it was like, two stories high. It looked more like an apple tree..."

"It's called magic Hermione. Haven't you been paying attention in Herbology, there are some genuinely weird plants out there. I can't believe a larger tomato unnerves you."

"Yes, but still…"

Hermione was stalling, and she knew it. She was starting to get nervous. It was getting late, meaning she had to go back soon. A chill ran down her spine. As a student she wasn't permitted to stay in Hogsmead overnight. And Severus, he had to be looking for her now. And if she didn't come back for the night, Hermione was sure he would put everyone on alert to look for her. Making their personal… problems, a public matter wasn't anywhere on her To-Do list. Things were bad enough already.

Why did men have to be so daft? Severus was generally far from stupid, but still managed to come up with something like this. Maybe marrying Percy hadn't been such a bad idea? At least he had never been a Deatheater. He was only a complete and utter jerk… With a Napoleon complex… Licked Fudge's shoes for a living… Was a chauvinistic pig and impossibly short-sighted.

Of course, there was always Mr Malfoy. Well... She might have been desperate at the moment, but she wasn't suicidal.

Hermione stirred sugar into her black tea, attempting to pay attention to what Pansy was talking about and trying to force herself out of her own circling thoughts.

How ironic was it that even now, with all that was happening, Severus was still the best choice. He was her choice. And now, she was stuck with him.

'Wizarding marriage Sucks!'

Who marries for life anyway? Everyone makes mistakes. Love ends sometimes. Or you sober up and discover that you weren't in love to begin with.

Of course, that wasn't what had happened to her. Nooo... Her problem wasn't this marriage, or even Severus. It was Fudge! How could anyone be so stupid as to invent something like The Law? It was practically modern slavery.

Sometimes she wondered how many other witches were affected by The Law. She had thought about it only briefly as she was neck deep in her own problems.

"Hermione? Are you listening?"

The Gryffindors attention snapped back to Pansy and the Slytherin was now frowning at her.

"What? Yeah, I am."

"Right! I just said that you hair was on fire and you only nodded. Are you ok?" she asked concerned.

"Fine, I've just been…"

"Hermione!"

An angry voice beside them broke Pansy and Hermione's conversation. Ginevra Weasley stood by their table with her hands on her hips, glaring at them. It was creepy just how much like her mother she looked as she did that.

"What?"

Hermione couldn't understand what Ginny could possibly want from her.

"Can you keep him on a leash or something? That is your job now isn't it?"

Hermione just stared at Ginny not understanding what the girl wanted from her while Pansy was getting angry at the interruption.

"Go wash your head, Weaslette. Maybe then you'll start making sense. Now get lost!"

"How dare you! I'm not even speaking to you!"

"You are speaking to my friend in a manner that I don't appreciate."

"Mind your own business Parkinson!"

"I think that you are the one that should be kept on a leash. Like other rabid animals. Now if you don't mind, we were dinning. Or would you rather be kicked out?"

And with that, a very red faced Ginny left them.

"You're good."

"No, just angry."

"Thanks anyway. Any idea what she wanted? I didn't get it."

"Nor did I. Who knows? She didn't make any sense."

"Nothing new there. After a while you just get used to that. You can get used to anything if it hangs around long enough."

Pansy tried to smile even as she clearly understood the implications. Why did things like this always happen to good people? The Slytherin watched as her friend silently finished her meal. Even if the girl had refreshed herself and slept a little Pansy could still see dark circles around her eyes. Even the colour of her skin seemed to have an unhealthy sheen to it. If you just cared enough to look, you could see how worried she was, in the distant look in the deep amber eyes, and the way her hand shook ever so slightly as she lifted the cup.

Pansy felt like banging her own head of the table. She hated the way she felt. So helpless. Of course she tried to be supportive, to keep Hermione's spirits and mind occupied. Only now she understood how hard for Hermione it had to be, and that wasn't even including the fight last night. Since Pansy found out about the Gryffindor girls marriage to her Head of House, the bushy headed brunette had talked about her decision so strongly and with such confidence. 'The best choice.' She never showed regret. Never told just how much she tried to make it work. All those little things that she had forced herself to accept. The dungeons, Snape's rooms, the man himself.

Everyone wants their own little Happily Ever After, no matter who they are. It was clear that love had been out of the equation in their marriage. Amazing what you can build on respect and pure power of will. You could build a life. How hard it was to build, and how easy to destroy.

The question was: what was going to happen next?

Pansy pushed the remains of her dinner away.

"Not hungry anymore Pans?"

"Lost my appetite."

Pansy felt a little nauseous. What was Hermione going to do? She couldn't leave, she couldn't stay. How was she going to cope? Snape would be sorry about what he did; there was no doubt about that, but still. A reality check like this was a nasty business.

Hermione hadn't gone into details about what had happened. But Pansy wasn't stupid. It wasn't Potter that Hermione had "an argument" with, it was Snape. A man with a dark past. God only knew what he was capable of. He might not have forced himself on her, but from the bruises it was a close thing, and whatever had happened scarred the Gryffindor enough to run away, and the Gryffindors weren't people who ran away. Especially not Hermione.

'Well, at least it could have been worse'

That was how Millicent found the girls. Sitting at their small table, pushing food their plates, deep in thought.

"Who died?"

Both girls jumped slightly as Millicent sat down. The Three Broomsticks had been half empty, but people had started to gather without their noticing.

"Millicent, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that!"

"Cheer up Pans, it's a good evening."

Hermione and Pansy both looked at her blankly.

"Or... Not to bad. Whatever. The most important part is that we're all alive and that's a start."

"You are talking nonsense Mills, you know that right?"

Millicent glared at her roommate.

"At least I am trying to be optimistic. You look like somebody said you were going to die tomorrow."

"Weren't you supposed to be busy this evening Mills, what are you doing here?"

Hermione watched the two argue, it was something they did often, it was like a sport to them, and great fun to watch.

Millicent sighed and looked at Hermione. "I will be busy soon, it's just… I met a friend earlier… Snape was at our dormitory. Somebody saw us leaving. So... It wouldn't be wise to go back there if you still want to avoid him."

There was silence again.

"Great… Thanks, Millicent, for coming to tell me."

"Welcome. I just hope that everything is going to work out for you. Ok, I have to go. Take care you two."

As Millicent left, Pansy and Hermione both pushed their plates away. Neither was hungry anymore.

"He is looking for you..."

"He is"

"Maybe…"

"No."

"You don't know what I was going to say."

"It was pretty clear. I will not go to Dumbledore. It's my problem and I am not going to drag any more people into it than I already have. Besides, Dumbledore will tell McGonagall, who will give me one of her stupid speeches and I will go mad. Everyone is already talking about us enough. If any of them brought Percy up I swear..."

"You are right at that one. But…"

"No one can help me Pansy. I am grateful for all you did. But only me and... him can work it out. I hate my life you know."

"What are you going to do?"

"I have no idea."

It was getting late as Pansy and Hermione returned to the school and proceeded down into the dungeon.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I have no other choice right now. Well, I do. But I don't fancy the fallout when he searches the whole school looking for me."

"He wouldn't…"

"Oh, he would. Trust me."

"Well then. I will see you tomorrow morning?"

"I will be fine. You'll see"

Suddenly Pansy hugged her and hurried off in the direction of the Slytherin Dorms.

For a moment… For a very long moment, Hermione stood there. But it was a few minutes past curfew. Time to go home.

The rooms were dark and empty as Hermione opened the door. Her hands were cold and sweaty. She hated coming back. But there simply wasn't any other place she could stay.

"Lumos..."

The rooms looked cold, even as the fire in the sitting room was lit. At least he wasn't there... Yet.

Hermione felt sticky. She needed a shower. A shudder ran though her body but she wasn't going in the shower of their en suite. She was not going into their bedroom right now.

'I'll just use the shower in his study. It will have to do, better hurry before he comes back.'

Even though the confrontation was unavoidable. She dreaded it.

When she said to Lavender that she had married and entire Slytherin House she was joking. Too bad no one had told Slytherin House that.

Hermione was interrupted in the middle of her shower by an enchanted knocking. First she thought it was Severus, but soon dismissed that thought. The knocking was coming from a wall. More precisely from a hidden area of the passage to the Slytherin dormitory.

It was one of the younger students. A fight had broken out in the common room.

'Where the Hell is Severus when you need him?'

Hermione was forced to take care of the situation herself. She broke up the fight, sent everyone to their beds, and took the two amateur duellers up to Madame Pomfrey's tender mercies. All of this in a bathrobe, fuzzy slippers and wet hair, not her most dignified hour. She really didn't need to have children of her own; she had an entire house full of them. As Hermione finally came back from the infirmary all she wanted to do was sleep for a year straight.

As she turned to go to the bedroom her blood flushed cold in her veins, someone was sitting in the leather armchair by the fire.

Three guesses who?

Well? Review!... Please? )