Hermione found herself enjoying the quiet rhythm of their stroll back to her quarters. Severus didn't require her to speak, and she was more exhausted than she could express. It almost felt like a walk home at the end of a date, if it weren't for her slightly drooping eyelids and the dozen or so portraits whispering above them.

One of the grandest and, in Hermione's opinion, gaudiest frames held a group of brightly dressed ladies giggling and drinking from ornate goblets. They whispered behind their fans and cast disapproving glances from behind their playing cards. Hermione thought they resembled chickens, complete with curls piled atop their heads that shook when they leaned over to communicate such insightful insights as "At this hour!" and "Slag."

"Enough out of you!" Severus shot up at the painting. The ladies' affronted gasps and whispers continued, undeterred by Severus' sour tone.

Hermione only smiled as they turned a corner and left the ladies to their gossiping. She dropped her voice to a low whisper to not wake any other portraits. "It's alright, really; they can't help it. When they were painted, this would have been a huge scandal - an unmarried man and woman walking late at night, unsupervised. They can't help but be shocked."

"They can keep their judgments to themselves." He replied coldly.

"I feel bad for them."

Severus scoffed. "Why?"

"Because they can't evolve as people. They can't get more clever, or interesting, or mature. They are completely incapable of growth. That feels like a punishment on its own."

Severus nodded thoughtfully but said nothing, although she was getting used to his long stretches of silence by now.

A coat of armor snapped to attention as they reached the end of the corridor. Their walk neared an end, but Hermione wasn't ready to leave him. She racked her brain for something to stall with, tired as she was. But before she could open her mouth, a soft tendril of Severus' thoughts drifted into her internal dialogue.

I should…No, just leave it alone. But - oh blast it.

It took Hermione a moment to steel her body against the shivers that threatened to give her away.

Severus was looking down at her hands, twisted anxiously in front of her. "When you were a student…I was not a good teacher at times, nor a proper guardian. Although it was no excuse, I was under extreme amounts of pressure. I regret many things from that time."

Hermione frowned, "You did protect us when Lupin had turned into a werewolf and forgot to take his potion."

"The bare minimum," Snape rubbed his brow, a wry look crossing his features.

"You're probably right. It's got to be the first thing you learn at Hogwarts' new teacher orientation. 'Rule number one: When possible, do not allow students to be eaten'." Hermione supplied, "I suppose I must rescind my gratitude."

He ignored her quip. "Every time I see you, I am reminded that I've hurt you by both word and wand."

Then she remembered his sneer after Malfoy had mutilated her teeth during her fourth year. She had been surrounded by laughing Slytherins and unable to ask for help and her painful front teeth reached almost a foot in length.

I see no difference.

Hermione felt the bodily sensation of his dismissal and the devastating rage that coursed through her. She steadied herself with a calming breath. "I always thought you hated me because was because I was muggle-born."

Severus shook his head sharply, his eyes darkening. "Cruelty was a mask I used to protect myself. It was never about blood status for me, I was just so weak and lonely that I threw myself into the only friend group that made me feel like one of them. When I finally realized what I had become a part of…it was too late. I was never the same. It wasn't until recently that I started to…truly come back to whoever I was before - before I let myself become a cold, poisonous-"

"Severus, stop." Hermione put her hand on his chest softly, to stop him from spiraling further. "It's ok. It's in the past."

"It's not."

"I forgive you. Your position was critical. We needed you to keep your cover. You have more than made up for all of that."

"Forgiveness is irrelevant." His voice came out tired.

She didn't miss a beat, crossing her arms. "That's too bad because you have my forgiveness and I won't take it back."

Severus relented a sad smile. "You are…insufferable."

"And yet, here you are, suffering me" she teased, doing her best to provoke a real smile from him.

Instead of smiling, the corners of his mouth dropped slightly. Severus' eyes flicked down to her lips for a brief moment, then back up to hers. "Indeed."

Hermione felt glued to the floor, a rush of adrenaline built somewhere in her body like a wave, gathering intensity as she held his eyes, deep as black holes, his slight inhale made her lips part and her tongue salivate. So beautiful. She thought. If I could just touch-

From behind her, Ginny's voice reverberated off the stone corridor. "Hermione!"

Hermione jumped as she was snapped out of her reverie. She suddenly felt very hot as she stifled the sheer horniness coursing through her veins. She stepped back from Severus' warm chest and toward her friend, who threw her freckled arms around her neck.

"Are you alright? Kingsley said you'd been attacked!" When Ginny pulled back, Hermione saw that her face was screwed up with anxiety. Hermione felt a pang of guilt for leaving her waiting.

"I'm ok." Behind Ginny stood the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. He wore long blue robes that set off his warm skin and gold trim that made him look every bit like a powerful leader.

Instead of greeting either Ginny or Kingsley, Severus hissed a sharp reproach to the air above their heads. "Peeves! Where were you when this happened?"

Hermione followed Severus' gaze upwards where the poltergeist looked put out as he floated in his brightly colored and mismatched clothing.

"I was standing right there!" Peeves gestured his arms toward her door. "You said to stay here and watch ickle miss' door, so I stayed here and watched her door!"

Hermione cut in, "Peeves right, it didn't happen here. It was in the main corridor leading to the staff tower."

Peeves stuck his tongue out at Severus and crossed his arms petulantly. Hermione turned to him, "Thank you for watching my door, Peeves. I feel much better knowing you are here."

At this, Peeves dropped his arms, looking startled. He shrank a few feet back from her and began muttering himself before his form faded entirely.

Although she longed to lay down in her bed, Hermione had guests, and if her mother's sharp lessons had taught her anything; it was the rules of hospitality. "Let's all go inside and have a cup of tea."

She opened her quarters to them, but before she could do anything further, Severus waved his own and summoned a pot of herbal tea for four with cream, sugar, and sandwiches.

Hermione stared in stunned appreciation for a moment, but in the interest of encouraging this sort of behavior, she smiled up at him and sat gladly. "Thank you, Severus."

Across the room, Ginny's foxlike grin spread, her brown eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.

I'll have to answer for that later. Hermione thought.

Severus addressed Kingsley finally. "Professor Granger was ambushed by at least two attackers, one likely a student."

"Cowards," Ginny muttered. "It's a cheap shot, ganging up on a witch like that."

Kingsley's brows pulled together. "Are you injured, Miss Granger?"

"Poppy treated me for a concussion." She drank her tea deeply. "Severus and Poppy did all kinds of diagnostics, there's nothing wrong with me, no injuries to speak of." She took a deep breath, explaining how she woke up in the forest and found Snape. "I don't remember anything in between the attack and waking up in the forest."

"Nothing else?" Kingsley's troubled eyes scanned her. "Why stun you just to erase your memory?"

"It sounds like Hermione may not have been the target." Ginny had begun pacing the small kitchen, arms crossed. "But then who was?"

"Perhaps not who, but what?" Severus proposed softly.

Hermione sat upright. "My bag. It's missing."

Severus reddened. "I noticed you didn't have it, I was so distracted, I didn't think-"

Kingsley's questioning eyes darted between the three of them. "What is in this bag?"

"Everything." Hermione said, "It holds all my possessions, my life savings, my entire book collection," Hermione winced, "and some borrowed from the library."

"All that and you're concerned about the library books?" Snape's drawl brought a smile to her face; she was sure a smirk lay somewhere behind his mask of indifference.

"Isn't that a risk, carrying all your valuables in one bag?" Kingsley asked her.

"I've charmed the hell out of that bag. They won't be able to get into it." Hermione yawned and put her feet up on Ginny's empty chair. It felt nice to rest her tired muscles. "Plus, I have a tracker on it." She sighed slightly as the blood rushed back to her feet.

Hermione pulled out her wand and muttered the spell she had created just for her bag. A golden thread appeared in front of her, looping around the kitchen and back out, through the closed door. "My bag is at the end of this tether."

Severus cleared his throat, eying the tightly woven threads. "I will return shortly." He disapparated with a pop.

Kingsley beheld at Hermione with interest. "Miss Granger, it seems you have made a friend." He sipped his tea, failing to hide a small grin. "Good for Severus, he could use a few more of those. Truthfully, Hermione, I was planning to visit you tonight before I learned of your ordeal. I apologize for the late hour, but I have a matter to discuss with you."

Hermione smiled at him, "It's alright. It can't be easy, keeping the government afloat after everything that's happened."

"Miss Granger, I know that you want nothing to do with wizarding politics, and I don't blame you for that. But there have been some developments that you need to be aware of."

"Shouldn't we wait for Severus to come back?" She asked, glancing towards where he had stood moments earlier.

"This is nothing he does not know," Kingsley continued, "Hermione, there is a faction of Death Eater sympathizers in the ministry who are convinced that positions of power should be reserved for members of the sacred twenty-eight. They believe that those with deeper magical roots-"

"Prats." Ginny quipped.

"Are more qualified to hold positions of power than the rest of the magical world." Kingsley finished.

Hermione shrugged. "What else is new? I don't care what some blood-purist arseholes think. It's not like you're going to let that happen."

Ginny shifted uncomfortably. "Hermione, when was the last time you read the prophet? Properly, cover to cover?"

"It's been months." Hermione felt a twinge of guilt. Ever since the war had ended, she'd kept to herself, content in her academic bubble, catching up on her studies and taking her N.E.W.T.S. She had just wanted to disappear from newspapers and dive back into her studies. She wanted to get back to her goals that she had started before those blood-purist assholes had upended her education.

Ginny finally sat, leveling with her. "Everyone is divided, nearly half the wizarding world says they aren't sure things are better for them after the war. Even some half-bloods have joined them, disavowing their muggle parents."

"The truth is, the group is making powerful strides. I will not be in charge forever." Kingsley looked sober. "Voldemort, even in death, continues to amass admirers. There will always be people who think he was onto something. In the last three years, several factions of Death Eaters have split off and formed a sort of lore around the Dark Lord, pamphlets and such, distributed by the Pure Blood Movement - that's what they're calling it."

"Inventive," Hermione said, dryly.

"And dangerous," Kingsley added. "Professor, these groups are targeting vulnerable people, killing muggles, destroying infrastructure. They are recruiting younger and younger, and they've gone international. It's only getting worse."

"The Aurors have been running interference with Muggle authorities, but there's only so much we can do. We've never been so close to exposing the wizarding world because of these reckless bands of wizards."

"One thing we do know is that some of them have to be students because incidents have dropped since school started a week ago."

"And now with the hate speech at Hogwarts, a muggle-born teacher attacked," Hermione said, the light dawning on her. "It does sound like the group is operating within Hogwarts. But how did these kids even get inducted?"

"Many are orphans who lost their parents either to the battle or Azkaban," Ginny said. "And guess who took them in? The wealthiest wizards, the pureblood families."

"They're building an army of children, just like the last time. Some of the more powerful Pureblood families who resent the presence of muggle-born witches and wizards are closing ranks and proving that they can ice us out of negotiations. We are devoting resources to rooting out the corruption in the court system, but it's slow going, half of the members refuse to vote out their fellow Purebloods no matter what evidence we present. It's maddening." Kingley's face twisted. "It gets worse. We think they are buying judges. I need to warn you, Hermione, Yaxley and the rest may be found innocent if we do not weed out the corrupted officials first."

"But how could they ever justify releasing him? I wrote a statement, I told them-" Hermione felt her pulse race. "Do they not believe me?"

"This is not about truth, Hermione. It is about politics, and they want to win. It more convenient for you to be a liar than to vilify a fellow pureblood." He sighed, "Those ties run deep."

"Even if he's a Death Eater?"

"Especially if he's a Death Eater. Their numbers were dwindling before any of this, and now with so many locked up-"

Another small pop resonated in the room and Hermione looked back to the entry where Severus was holding her small bag.

"This was under the bed of Felicity Macmillan, second-year Ravenclaw." He placed it in her hands and stepped back.

"Thank you. We can confront her in the morning." Hermione waved her wand over the purple velvet, confirming that no one had breached the charms protecting it. "It's odd though; Felicity is quite a good student. And I'd heard she'd been the subject of some bullying."

Severus turned towards Hermione, who sat in a tired sort of trance. "Please sleep in tomorrow and summon me when you are ready. I would like to accompany you for your safety."

A blush crept to Hermione's cheeks. "Of course."

Severus bid Ginny and Kingsley goodbye and swept out the door, having never touched his tea.

"I should leave you as well." Kingsley stood and walked towards her door. "Hermione, we have increased your security. You will have at least two Aurors watching the castle. Another two in Hogsmeade at all times, in various disguises. If any of them try to evacuate you to another location, do not go with them unless they give you the passcode, "Nymphadora".

Hermione gulped and nodded lamely, eyes tearing up at the memory of their friend. "You be careful too."

Kingsley walked out, leaving only Ginny.

The redhead threw her arms around Hermione again. "You must be exhausted. I'm drawing you a bath, then you're going to bed. We will talk over brunch tomorrow. I'm thinking 11. Mimosas sound ok?"

"Can I have Irish coffee? Champagne gives me a headache." Hermione said sleepily, padding over to the bathroom.

Ginny's sly grin returned. "You can have anything you like as long as you fill me on whatever the hell I just witnessed between you and Snape."

.

.

.

The morning sun streamed in as Ginny pulled her curtains back. Looking at her clock, she had slept for 10 hours. Incredible. She yawned and stretched and thanked Ginny for the coffee mug that was soon delivered to her hands.

"Breakfast is ready when you are. How are you feeling? Rested?"

Hermione nodded, putting on her robe. "Thanks for letting me sleep."

"Of course," Ginny said as she instructed a frying pan of thick bacon to fly over and serve itself onto their plates. "It's Saturday and I'm not a monster."

Hermione ate gratefully, piling her plate with potatoes and salted bacon. "Gin, you've outdone yourself."

"Ok, I've been waiting for hours. What the fuck was going on with Snape?" Ginny giggled. "I mean, Severus."

Hermione blushed, and a familiar flutter danced in her belly. "It's a new development."

"Has he made a move?"

Hermione laughed. "Not at all, he's always such a gentleman, it's a bit annoying, actually."

"I had the same problem with Harry," Ginny informed her.

"How did you fix it?"

Ginny chewed her food slowly, stalling, "I didn't."

Hermione tilted her head. "What?"

"I haven't told many people, but I ended things with Harry a few weeks ago. I kept feeling like I was too young for something so serious. I want to focus on my Quidditch career while I still can."

"Oh Ginny, I am so sorry. How did he react?"

Ginny's face was pained, "That's the worst part, he was so supportive. Sad, obviously, but he told me he never wanted me to have any regrets, and that it made him sick to think he would ever stand in my way of happiness."

"What a guy." Hermione felt so proud of Harry and made a note to go visit and check up on him. "I'm proud of you, that can't have been easy."

"Right? Anyway, I'd much rather talk about you and Snape."

Hermione nodded, sparing her friend the painful subject. "Well, he's opened up to me, and he's different than I expected. Our banter is nice, he's just so…I can't explain it."

"It sounds like you're in love."

She nodded. "He's the one I want."

"Then you should get him." Ginny declared. "You're the one who has to live your life, don't let other people stop you from being happy. So how are you going to do it?"

"Well, the truth is, I can kind of…hear his thoughts." Hermione took in Ginny's shock. "Only sometimes," she corrected, "and only when he's close by, but I can hear him."

"How did that happen?"

"No clue, but he thinks I'm beautiful," Hermione said, blushing. "I can tell the age difference bothers him, I can feel it."

Ginny considered this. "There's some merit to that, but it's not as though either of you are prone to flightiness. Who knows, you might make a good match. The question is, how would you feel if the world found out?"

"Personally, I don't care." Hermione thought of Ron. "Ron would be…well, don't know what he would be."

Ginny smiled, "I don't think you have to worry about Ron." At her confused expression, she continued. "I guess it makes sense you don't know, you don't read the gossip columns. Ron is surrounded by women who would like to be seen next to him in the tabloids. He is living every teenage boy's dream. Trust me when I tell you Ron will be fine."

Hermione was surprised but relieved that the statute of limitations on her guilt had expired. "Oh...well, that's wonderful! I was afraid he would keep giving me those long sad looks every time I stopped by the Burrow on a holiday."

"Ok, enough of my brother. New subject! How long has it been since… you know?" Ginny wiggled her eyebrows.

"Ginny!"

"Come on! All the quidditch girls are too busy to date, I have no gossip!" Ginny pleaded with her big brown eyes. "Please?"

Hermione smiled, relenting, "Ok, so the last time was about a year after Ron and I broke up…" Ginny nodded, putting pancakes into her mouth. "And, well, I had a few dates with Viktor-"

Ginny coughed, nearly choking. "Excuse me?"

"And I ended up staying with him for a few nights." Hermione giggled at Ginny's stunned expression.

"When were you going to tell me this?!"

"Sorry." She said sheepishly.

Ginny seemed to have completely forgotten her outrage. "How was it?"

Hermione blushed, "Well, we both had a good time."

"How good a time?" Her eyebrows wiggled.

"A great time." Hermione grinned, feeling her face turn red. "He was a complete gentleman...until I asked him not to be."

Ginny squealed. "Hermione, you slag!"

Hermione laughed and hid her reddening face behind her coffee mug. "It was fun and intense and completely amazing, but when it was over, I didn't feel anything different for him. Viktor is sweet, but chemistry is purely physical. I need more..."

"Intellectual stimulation?"

"Exactly."

"And Snape gives it to you?" Ginny asked earnestly.

Hermione smiled, "he does."

Ginny exhaled. "Well then, we better choose an outfit so you can meet your man."

Hermione yawned, "He's not my-"

"Let's go with casual yet breathtaking, why don't we?"

.

.

.

Hermione answered the door in a crimson day dress that sat nicely on her hips, accentuating her waist. Ginny, who had said her goodbye already and headed home, had insisted that she was not overdressed and that one did not need an occasion to wear something nice.

Severus greeted her with a nod and they began walking to Ravenclaw Tower. His step was quick, although he kept an eye on her so that she did not fall behind. His steps seemed lighter, his shoulders less tense.

"You're in a good mood."

Severus smirked. "We have a mission today, Professor Granger, and I do love a mission."

When they reached Ravenclaw Tower, he ignored the Eagle door knocker and walked right in, waving the door open with his hand. Hermione followed, marveling at the exquisite Ravenclaw common room. Every bit of the pastel blue room was bathed in natural light. Students were sprawled in comfortable reading positions, or hunched over desks writing furiously. The second thing Hermione noticed was that it was almost completely silent, with only a low murmur, like a library. Hermione nearly salivated.

Severus nodded his chin curtly toward a dark-haired girl sitting in the corner. As they stepped forward, students began to notice that the Head of Slytherin had just walked into their common room. A few of them looked alarmed, but many of them were so immersed in their books that they did not even look up.

Felicity was writing a very long essay in very tiny print.

Severus' low voice broke through her concentration. "Miss Macmillan, we would like a word with you."

Felicity's wide eyes were bewildered as she took in the looming Professor above her. Hermione could read her expression clearly: What did I do?

"Miss Macmillan," Severus said when they had escorted her to the nearest empty classroom to speak privately. "Can you explain why a bag that was stolen from Professor Granger was found amongst your belongings?" He gestured to the purple bag slung across Hermione's shoulder.

"What? In my stuff?" Felicity looked towards Hermione, eyes were wide and fearful. "Honestly, Professor, I have no idea."

Hermione studied the girl's body language. She sat rigidly in the chair, her expression horrified. She glanced towards Hermione a few times, as though pleading for help.

Snape used a soft voice. "Miss Macmillan, do you have any reason to believe another student may be targeting you? Trying to get you into trouble?"

Felicity's eyes dropped to her. "No." Her voice came out small.

"Have you been the subject of bullying?"

Felicity didn't answer.

"One moment, Miss Macmillan." Hermione stepped behind Severus' desk and cast a soundproof bubble around them so Felicity couldn't overhear. "It doesn't make sense." She said, frowning at the miserable girl. "The person who attacked me was smaller, but not that small. Perhaps someone is trying to get her expelled?"

"The only problem is that we're not stupid enough to believe you were bested by a lone second-year."

"Maybe the point wasn't to frame her, but maybe that was just a bonus." Hermione scratched her chin, "Maybe proving they could get to me was the goal."

Severus considered this. "You are often seen with that bag. Perhaps a high-stakes dare? It's just juvenile and risky enough to be possible."

Hermione lowered her sound barrier, and Felicity's sharp voice immediately cut in, her voice high with tension. "I have no idea how that bag got in my things. I swear, I just mind my studies." She pleaded with her eyes, "I was in the library until 7 pm last night, then bed! I didn't even eat dinner! Ask Madam Pince!"

"We believe you, Felicity," Hermione reassured her. "But you must tell us who has been harassing you. Whoever did this tried to get you expelled; this is very serious."

Felicity looked down. "I don't know. I swear I haven't made many enemies."

"That cannot be true, Felicity. You were targeted specifically."

She had no answer for them, and so Severus dismissed her with a sigh. "You will inform us of any suspicious behavior you encounter. Do you understand?"

Felicity nodded and scurried out of the office.

Snape studied Hermione "You beleive her?"

"Trust but verify."

"Would you like me to escort you to the library?"

"How did you know I was heading to the library?"

Severus rolled his eyes, a smirk crossing his face. "Trust but verify."

"Right. No, I'll go corroborate her story. But I do want you to know where I am at all times." She blushed, glancing away as she said words that felt more intimate than she'd intended. "May I perform a charm?"

"Does that not feel like an invasion of your privacy?"

She shook her head. "I'm not worried about that. Do you trust me?"

As an answer, Severus stood, towering over her, and held his right hand out. She took it in hers and pointed her wand at their connected hands, muttering an incantation. A golden circlet appeared on her wrist and then disappeared. "Now you will know if my vital signs indicate a threat, and be delivered to my exact location in case of an emergency."

He looked down at her wrist, his throat bobbing. "Should I not do the same?"

Hermione started. Did he want her to be able to find him? She did not expect that level of reciprocity, but if he insisted... Hermione cast her incantation again and an identical golden circlet etched into his wrist, then disappeared. She dropped his hand gently.

Severus walked her to the door when she turned to leave. "Enjoy your weekend. My door is open to you, Professor." His eyes stayed on hers until the door closed again.