AN: I'm sorry for the long hiatus. I have legitimate excuses and not-so-legitimate excuses, so please accept my humble apologies. I have very much appreciated the feedback. This chapter is not as long as they usually are, but I thought it was high time to get something added to the story, and maybe it will help the writer's block. Hope you enjoy!

Hermione woke up in the middle of the night to discover Severus was not there. They had fallen asleep earlier than normal that evening after he had massaged her into a puddle of limbs and they had pleasured each other into a lazy slumber. They hadn't thought to do anything particularly interesting that night, even though it was New Year's Eve.

Only a few hours into New Year's, she'd woken up to find him gone.

A patronus was out of the question, she knew as she paced the room nervously, a blanket wrapped around her. She didn't know for certain, but she feared that she was exactly right about where he was, and it was nowhere she should send a patronus.

It was nearly dawn when he arrived home. Hermione was sitting numbly in one of the armchairs by the fire, half-awake, and startled when he entered the room.

"Her- Hermione," he whispered, partway through removing his boots when he noticed she was by the fire and not in bed. He hopped as he tugged the other boot off sloppily before striding over to her and kneeling before her in the chair. "I'm sorry I didn't want to wake you-"

"You had me worried sick!" She had bitten teeth marks into her lip and there were bags under her eyes. "Where did you go?"

He was silent, not meeting her eyes.

"It's true then," she said stiffly, tightening the blanket around her. "You were called away for a meeting." Her tone was accusatory.

Severus brought his eyes back to hers and nodded once.

"Tell. Me." She glared at him.

"We've discussed this," he muttered. "I can't tell you everything."

"How did they call you away?" Hermione whispered down at him furiously, like a queen on her throne as her servant knelt before her. "An owl? The floo? Some other secret…" She trailed off. No, she had only just seen him naked. He had no mark yet.

"It was… prearranged."

Hermione jumped to her feet, pushing the chair back. "You knew ahead of time and got me to bed early!"

"Hermione-"

"You deceived me! You meant to hide from me that you were gone at all! You would have snuck in and had me none the wiser!"

"No! No- I- damn." He got to his feet, running a hand through his black locks in frustration. "No. I only meant to let you sleep and not to worry you. You would have gotten even less sleep than you clearly did. I just wished to save you some stress in wondering after me."

"You should have left a note!" Hermione bit her lip again, her light brown eyes beginning to water involuntarily. "Severus, I was! I was worried."

"I know," He walked over to her and folded her into his arms. She choked a muffled sob into his chest as he rested his chin on her head. "I know. I'm sorry."

After a few patient moments, he grunted.

"Please finish scolding me in bed. I'm bone tired."

She huffed and pushed him lightly, but moved to the bed, slowly undressing him until he was as naked as she under the blanket. Hermione lay silently, head pillowed between his chest and his shoulder, waiting for him to say something further.

He sighed. "I do want to sleep."

"And I want to not worry." She could tell he was getting exasperated with her, but she was still a bit petulant.

"I can't tell you much. Just… I've been reassigned."

"Go on," she said, stroking her hand against his chest hair.

"I was supposed to be in recruitment, but… it was a shit assignment. I succeeded in recruiting the one name I was given that I'd have had any chance at, only he's younger so it's still not seen as that much of a win."

"Who?"

He paused but didn't think he needed to hide it from her, apparently. "Black."

Hermione's hand paused its movement and he exhaled in frustration. "Gods, the younger Black, Hermione. I'm not a complete imbecile."

"Oh, right." She snuggled back into his embrace. "You aren't in trouble with him, are you?"

He understood her immediately. "Define… in trouble."

"Oh, Severus…" She didn't try to hide the worry in her voice.

"Not for now. The handler is in far more trouble-"

"Handler?" Hermione kept stroking his chest casually, but her mind was absorbing everything he told her and cataloguing it for later.

"The one who gives our assignments. My failure is seen as the handler's mistake for now and my assignment has been changed from recruitment to… something else. Regulus will probably recruit from now on, he's charming enough."

"What is the something it's been changed to?"

"I… I can't tell you." Hmmm, that's interesting, she thought. Was he scared about this assignment? Unsure?

"Is it dangerous?" She asked, turning her head up to him.

"Not necessarily." He swallowed, squeezing her tightly with the arm he had wrapped around her. "However, I do dread beginning work on it. It may keep me busy this semester and I will miss our time together."

"Our time?" Her brow furrowed in worry.

"I will need to use the changeable room on the 7th floor. We cannot meet there any longer. The library will have to do."

After sleeping New Year's Day away, it was time to return to Hogwarts in the mid-afternoon, as the first was a Sunday and classes began Monday morning. They apparated to the Hogsmeade station around the correct time so they could just be bustled through the gates with the students returning via train. Severus squeezed Hermione's hand quickly and gave her a searing look before slipping away to see the other Slytherins.

She hadn't spotted the other girls yet, but perhaps they were also apparating back. She shuffled silently into the castle, lost in the crowd. A few classmates gave a friendly wave, but she didn't know most of the students. Better that way.

Slughorn greeted her as Miss Parrott as she passed him in the entrance to the Great Hall. She grinned, seeking out Severus at that moment as she wanted to recount it to him. She spotted him whispering to Evan Rosier. His back was turned to the head table, so he didn't notice Karkaroff glaring daggers at him. Hermione narrowed her eyes and filed that information away for later.

The Hall was still adorned in Christmas decorations, despite being New Year's Day. Large fifteen-foot trees at the two corners behind the head table, dimmed fireplace style lighting and bright twinkling lights and candles floating high above the students' heads.

Finding her way to the Gryffindor table, she greeted Arabella, Marlene, and Marina with a wide grin and some quick questions about the holidays. There were a few comments about the late-hanging decorations and some giggles about which professor had gotten lazy at removing them. Lily and James slipped into their seats on the bench a few people away just as Dumbledore cleared his throat to make announcements before the meal.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts! I hope you all have had a fine time, either here at Hogwarts or away with family and friends."

"Now, it is time to announce the new events I mentioned would take place this school year. They begin in this new term, as we hope our new students have now acclimated to our regular schedules." Dumbledore inclined his head toward the Ravenclaw table where most of the transfer students were housed. Hermione spotted Ellie and Callie as she glanced in that direction.

"These special events will take place only in the next few months, one each in January, February, and March, as I am told from April on we may not disturb the studying for exams. That is, not more than the regular quidditch matches, vendor weekends, and easter holidays do already." He smiled brightly and there were a few titters around the hall.

"Our first event takes place later this week." The hall was instantly silent, the students shocked that they would get some exciting happening so soon into term. "As most, if not all, of our transfer students hail from countries in which Christmas is celebrated in January, we shall have a special Christmas celebration this Saturday, the 7th. As such… this Friday, being Christmas Eve, is a holiday. There shall be no classes held that day." Laughter, clapping, and cheers, as all immediately understood the implication. Friday off of classes to begin the term!

Dumbledore held up his hand to quiet the students. "In the same vein, these countries also have a different Easter date than we have. While we cannot give an additional Easter break, as the one you have is already two weeks, there will be a Friday and Monday free of classes at the end of April. I am told these may be used as study days for some of you, which would be a wise decision." Dumbledore peered over his glasses as he looked the students over sternly. "However, the Heads of House will hear requests for a weekend pass to go away if desired. Our second Easter Sunday there will be a traditional lamb feast, so you may want to stay the weekend here for the delicious food."

When Dumbledore paused, there were further whoops from the students, especially loud from the Ravenclaw table.

"Thank God for these Soviets," she heard James comment, grinning and clapping. She couldn't help but smile fondly at him, her heart hurting a little. He looked so much like Harry.

"Our next special event shall take place in February. To ease our winter doldrums, Hogwarts shall host a Saint Valentine's Day Ball." Shrieks of excitement echoed from the girls in the Hall and Dumbledore had to pause again. He did not seem too put out, however, smiling delightedly at being the cause of joy.

"And finally, in March we shall have a very special vendors' weekend. As the students have greatly enjoyed our Trivia questions for butterbeer exchange with the Three Broomsticks, we have reached an arrangement with the other purveyors to up the ante, should we say. There shall be a trivia contest held and the winner shall receive a credit of 100 galleons to the Hogsmeade shop of their choice."

Hermione raised her eyebrows as excited whispers rushed around her. That was around 500 pounds if she had her calculations right, which had to go a long way 20 years earlier.

There was some loud conversation coming from the other tables. This arrangement would certainly appear to favour the Ravenclaws, but it was anyone's game.

"And with those bits of information to titillate your conversation, let dinner be served!"

It did certainly add to the conversation. Hermione was glad to steer any talk away from what she did over the break, as she hadn't coordinated her story with Ellie yet. She settled for asking the other girls questions about themselves. Thankfully, they fell for the ruse, chattering on about their own holidays and quite forgetting to reciprocate.

"I took James to meet my sister and her fiancé," Lily told the girls with a sigh. "It was actually completely awful. Tuney told him about magic, but without too many details, so he's convinced we all do cheap card tricks for a living." Lily grimaced and drank a sip of sparkling pumpkin juice before continuing. "It was nice having James with my parents though," she said quietly. "They've relocated now, so I can't talk about specifics, but it was a nice time."

The other girls chimed in, happily contributing with their holiday happenings. Hermione tried the Ron trick of keeping her mouth full at all times so that even when Arabella glanced her way and opened her mouth, appearing to ask about her plans, Hermione could wave her off by frowning and pointing at her closed mouth.

Dinner ended much sooner than she anticipated, but thankfully, Ellie pulled her aside just outside the Great Hall.

"We need to coordinate our stories," she hissed at her. "Follow me."

Hermione obediently followed the taller blonde girl a few doors down to an empty part of the corridor where they could speak. Ellie told Hermione a little bit about her cousin Nadine and what they had done over the holidays so that she would have some tidbits to throw in to conversation.

"What about Snape?" Ellie said finally. Her blue eyes were narrowed almost suspiciously at Hermione, as if trying to read her expression for whatever she was holding back.

"We're… we're still close." Ellie folded her arms across her chest impatiently. "Well, I… I can't tell you much," Hermione frowned slightly as she spoke. "I do have some hints but they aren't confirmed yet. We can't do anything to act until we get more direct information."

It was getting really difficult for her to keep up with all the social dynamics. Back in her own time, this was easy. She could tell Harry and Ron everything. Okay… she could before… before Severus.

Hermione straightened, met her friend's eyes, and attempted to sound as confident as she could. "I can't tell you everything yet. You're just going to have to trust me."

Ellie twitched, as if she was about to scowl but was trying to hold it back. She closed her eyes and pinched her brows together. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yes, fine, I said. Okay. I trust you." She sounded like Ron did when there wasn't any pudding after supper.

"You don't sound very convincing," Hermione tried to laugh lightheartedly, but only managed a lopsided smile before biting her lip.

"I do! I don't have to like it, but I do." Ellie uncrossed her arms and passed Hermione, before Hermione turned around herself and tried to stop her.

"Wait! Ellie! Did- did you find anything out?"

"About what?" Ellie only half turned.

"Maybe… about Callie?"

That made the other girl sigh and turn back fully. "Look, she's a bit odd, acts cagey, but I understand the reasoning. I put you both on the same level. Trust you, just don't know what to do with you."

"I just still don't think she's above board-"

"Look," Ellie said firmly, "I know how it looks, but she's ironclad." Ellie held back a little scowl again. "I can't tell you everything yet. You're just going to have to trust me."