A/N: Dang it, I so wanted to update before Thanksgiving. I hope all of my American readers had a fantastic Turkey-day, and I hope everyone else still had a lovely day and yummy food. Again, I didn't make it to where I wanted to be - thank you, Lupin and Harry - but I found a reasonable stopping point and will make it to the original spot next update. (I'm promising myself this time, so I should really follow through with it.)

I haven't gotten to Rumored, yet, but I will...soon...hopefully. My creativity is slightly blocked over there, but it is flowing quite nicely here.

Thank you all so much!

Bound to Him

Chapter 43

"I see you survived detention," Ginny smirked as she watched her roommate slowly sit down to breakfast the next morning. "Did he set you to scrubbing and hauling cauldrons?"

"Mmm," Hermione grunted non-committedly, stretching her muscles that had been strained by hauling Professor Snape across the Forbidden Forest. Technically, she had not physically carried him at any point – though she had carried the books – but the pressure of apparition had taken its toll on her body. He had warned her about it, of course, but she had continued on until she was sure that she could successfully apparate with both Snape and the bag of books in tow. Before she could reach the point of exhaustion, the professor had put his foot down and returned them back to the castle.

With a yawn, she gestured to where Dean's arm was slung about the redhead's shoulders. "I see you survived apologizing."

"So she did," Dean laughed, leaning into the conversation.

"And you took her back, I see," she added casually, reaching for a piece of toast.

The boy nodded and looked toward his girlfriend. "She was just so cute when begging for forgiveness that I couldn't say no."

Ginny rolled her eyes and poked him in the rib. "Don't be annoying."

"Guess I'll just have to cancel the string quartet I had planned to ask if you wanted to study together tonight, then," he teased.

"Oh, Merlin. He's never going to let me live this down," she muttered to Hermione, before glancing back to Dean and dropping her voice to a whisper. "If you're done eating, though, I could use some help studying before class."

Suddenly dropping his fork as though it had burned him, the boy jumped up from the table and held out his hand.

"See you later, 'Mione," the girl smiled as she stood. With an eager smirk, she grabbed hold of Dean's hand and led him from the hall.

A soft sigh pulled Hermione's attention to her side where Harry sat picking at his breakfast.

"You alright?" she asked quietly.

"I suppose so," he answered, setting down his fork. "You were right, by the way."

The witch cocked her head with a small smirk. "I'm right about a lot of things. To which of those are you referring?"

"Ginny and Dean," he said in a low voice so as not to attract Ron's attention. "They do care about each other."

"Mmm, yes," she nodded after taking a sip of juice. "They definitely do."

He stared into space for a while before leaning his elbows on the table. "Maybe it's better that way. I've turned enough people into targets already. She deserves a normal life, and Voldemort will never let me give her that. She's happy with him; that should be enough for me."

"Oh, Harry," she sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. "You deserve to be happy, too."

"Happy is for normal people, Hermione," he murmured, pulling away from her and standing up from the bench. "I'm never going to be normal, now am I?"

The girl groaned in frustration and dropped the remainder of her toast onto her plate before tossing her book bag over her shoulder. Ignoring the interested glances from some of the students at the table, she hurried after her morose friend.

"Harry, slow down!" she called out as she reached the staircase.

"What?" he hissed, spinning around to face her.

Hermione frowned as she pulled him into an alcove and cast a Muffliato. "Look, I understand that you're upset, but you're not the only one who wishes they could be normal."

"But I am the only one with the entire fate of the Wizarding World on my shoulders, aren't I?" he countered bitterly.

"No, you're not!" she shouted, smacking his chest forcefully. "Do you realize how many people are working to help you? Or how many are working to protect you? You may be the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry, but you are not the only one responsible for the future!"

"But I'm the one who has to face Voldemort!"

She shook her head angrily. "You're not the only one who has to face him."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He narrowed his eyes.

"It means that others have stood before him, and have to stand before him again," she answered sadly. "You have been there, yes, but so have I…so has Professor Dumbledore…so has Professor Snape. He's been there more times than you and I could possibly bear to think."

"I know," Harry sighed, "but –"

"And there are others," the girl added, thinking momentarily of Draco's situation. "There are others who are dealing with things that you can't even begin to imagine, so don't you dare think that you're the only one suffering, because you are not!

"And you are not alone in anything that you do! You have people who will fight for you, who will sacrifice themselves for you, who will die for you! Don't you dare belittle what they are giving up for you, or what they will give up for you!" She took in a few short breaths and forced herself to speak more calmly. "There are so many of us who love you, Harry, and we will do everything we possibly can to make your life as bloody normal as it can be."

The dark-haired boy stood absolutely still; his green eyes wide with concern. "Hermione, you're scaring me. What is going on?"

"Nothing," she stammered quickly, straightening to her full height. "I've just been a bit stressed lately."

"That wasn't nothing, and it wasn't just a bit of stress," he countered with a shake of his head. "Something is definitely going on."

Hermione shook her head and folded her arms nervously. "I can't talk about this. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm sorry."

"No, you've been acting differently all term," he pointed out, "and it's bothered all of us. If something is wrong, you can talk to me."

"Harry, I can't," she lamented. "There are so many things I wish I could tell you, but the truth is, I can't. At least not now."

"Why?"

The girl took in a large breath and glanced at the wall before locking eyes with her friend. "The same reason you're going to let Dean and Ginny be. I want you safe. I want you happy."

"Hermione…"

"No," she shook her head. "You have things that you can't tell me yet, and there are things that I can't tell you. When it is safe for you to know, I promise that you will know everything. Until then, please know that I am making the right choices, and that I am not alone in anything that I do. And neither are you."

"Please –"

"No," she repeated firmly. "You are not the only one who has to keep secrets. I haven't pressed you any more for yours, have I?"

Sighing, Harry shook his head. He then took two steps forward and pulled her into an embrace. "Just tell me that you're safe."

Nodding against his cheek, she blinked back the tears that were threatening to form. "As safe as anyone can be right now."

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he whispered, tightening his hold.

"I'm sorry, too."

"Does this have anything to do with why you're letting Lavender win?" he asked a moment later. When she nodded, he sighed and rubbed her shoulder. "Then I promise I won't mention Ron and Lavender to you anymore if you promise not to mention Ginny and Dean to me."

"Are we making an anti-Weasley pact?" Hermione snickered, pulling away from him.

"I guess we are," he smirked, holding out his hand. "Deal?"

Shaking his hand, she nodded. "Deal."

"Though, while we're on the topic, you are coming with us to the Burrow for the holiday, aren't you?"

The girl grimaced slightly and leaned the back of her head against the stone wall. "Ginny keeps asking me, but I think I'd rather spend some time alone."

He slowly nodded and scratched the back of his head. "I understand that completely."

"Thanks," she whispered, adjusting her bag.

Mirroring her action, he expelled a long breath and gave her a reassuring smile. "I won't ask you to share anything, I promise, but if ever you need anything…"

"Well, I could use an escort to Defense," she answered coyly.

"Done," Harry grinned, holding out his arm for her to take. With a matching smile, she slipped her arm through his, and the two stepped out from the alcove and began their trek up the stairs. Feeling as though she were being watched, Hermione furtively glanced over her shoulder and managed to catch sight of familiar black robes disappearing around a corner.

'You are alright?'

Tightening her grip on Harry's arm, she inhaled deeply at the sudden presence of Snape's voice. 'Yes, I believe so.'

'And Potter isn't about to run off and do anything rash?'

'No.' She smirked as she glanced at the boy beside her. 'He's behaving with perfect maturity, thank you.'

'That is something that remains to be seen.'

The witch shook her head slightly as they stepped off of the staircase and made their way down the hallway to the Defense classroom. 'About Thursday night…'

She bit her lip as there was a slight pause on his end of the conversation. She knew that he could hear her mental processing, and what she was currently thinking of was that it had already been two weeks since the last renewal of the binding, and that the next week would be entirely out of the question.

'We will take care of it Thursday, then. I will ascertain that Minerva will be in –'

'Or I could just come to your office, seeing as I have a viable detention explanation.'

'You already served detention once this week. You expect people to believe you earned another?'

'Earned another? No.' She grinned as she dropped into her seat beside Harry. 'I do, however, expect people to believe that you were considerate enough to assign me another when I was unable to complete the task in the allotted time.'

Hermione leaned back in her chair as he paused again for several seconds.

'Very well.'

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

When Thursday evening arrived, Hermione accompanied Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Katie Bell to the Entrance Hall before parting ways.

"Good luck, Hermione!" Ginny called out as she and Katie disappeared through the large outer doors.

"Don't let him push you around, 'Mione," Ron grinned, while Harry tossed her a sympathetic look.

"Erm, thanks," she muttered, turning away before her cheeks could don a furious blush. There was absolutely no way that they could know she was descending into the dungeons to have sex with their Potions professor, and she had to make sure that she did nothing to attract their suspicion.

It had helped greatly that her nerves were just as on edge regarding the evening as they would have been if she were actually facing a detention. She had been chewing on her lip and fidgeting with the edge of her sleeves the entire way down from Gryffindor Tower, and she continued to do so as she stepped off of the last flight of stairs in the dungeons.

With one last deep breath, she remembered to slip off her school robes before knocking on the dark wooden door. As she rocked backward on her heels, the door was yanked open and she found herself glancing into the questioning gaze of the Head of Slytherin House.

"Granger," he commented politely, stepping aside to allow her entrance into the office. When he shut the door firmly behind her, he raised one eyebrow. "I trust there were no questions regarding my assigning you a secondary detention?"

"None whatsoever," she smirked, depositing her robes on the seat of the wooden chair in front of his desk.

Severus grunted in response and strode past her to the rear wall of the room. When the door appeared, he pushed it open and gestured for her to take the lead. As he silently fell into step behind her, Hermione found herself strangely disappointed that he had not grabbed her hand or guided her by the elbow as she climbed the stairs. She thought briefly about Ron and Lavender holding hands everywhere they went, or about Dean and Ginny cuddled up in the Common Room before supper.

She blew out a deep breath, knowing that public displays of affection were an intimacy she was likely never to have. Even if she were to survive the war, her only chance of a normal life lay with Snape, and he loved someone else. For a while she had wondered about whether or not he still loved Harry's mum, but she knew that he must. If the love was real, he could not just forget it because Lily was no longer alive.

Or because some giggle-headed blonde showed up at a few Quidditch practices. She sighed upon thinking about Ron. Harry was quick to claim that their friend was in love with her, but she was not sure she could believe that anymore after seeing how hurriedly he had taken up with her former roommate. And as much as it relieved her, she could not help but feel disappointed by it.

As she reached the small landing, the door to Snape's bedroom appeared in the wall, and she instinctively reached for the doorknob.

The wizard cleared his throat from behind her. "That door will only open –"

Hermione turned the brass knob and pushed the door open to reveal his quarters.

"—for me," he trailed off, staring at the open doorway in disbelief. Not only could the girl break into his rooms by means of the portrait in Minerva's hallway, but she apparently could both call forth and open a door that was to be accessible solely by him.

Entering the room, he slowly closed the door, eyeing it with mistrust as though he thought it may suddenly open of its own accord. When he turned around, he noticed that the girl was standing in front of the window, staring out at the stars.

Without speaking, he slipped a flask of Vacuus Ortis from his night table and set it atop the bookshelf in front of her. As she picked it up, he set to removing his frock coat and his boots. When he was down to his trousers and white shirt, he unbuttoned his cuffs and stepped beside her.

Severus lifted one hand and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, causing her to turn slightly to glance up at him. He frowned upon seeing the moisture in her eyes and gently ran his knuckles along her jawline. "What is it?"

The witch blinked and shook her head. "Nothing."

"It obviously isn't nothing," he chastised, tilting up her chin.

Hermione shrugged and blew out a deep breath as she struggled to gather her emotions. Before answering, she thought briefly to her conversation with Harry earlier that week. "I just wish that I could be normal, and not be…well, who I am."

When he narrowed his eyes, she shook her head and looked away. "Forget it, I'm being stupid. It was a moment of weakness is all."

The man swallowed deeply and perched on the edge of the bookshelf. He slid his hand to cup her cheek and stared forcefully into her eyes. "Hermione, you are neither stupid nor weak. Is that understood?"

She nodded and pressed her face against his hand, feeling oddly calm in his presence.

"It is with deep regret that I cannot offer you normalcy," he continued, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "But if there is something that will make any of this easier, I will provide you with whatever I can."

Her eyes snapped to his as a warmth flooded through her system with his promise. For a brief second, she considered sharing her anxiety over the threat of never having a relationship built out of anything more than duty and guilt. When she opened her mouth, however, she could not find a manner of phrasing it that would not either sound accusatory or place excess demand on him.

Instead she addressed a more pressing issue. "Can I stay here? At Hogwarts, I mean."

"Stay here for what?" he asked, as he pulled her one step closer to him.

"For Christmas," she answered, sliding one hand along his chest. "Or do I have to go with Harry to the Burrow?"

He placed his hand atop hers and met her gaze. "You do not wish to spend the holiday with your friends?"

"If I have to, I will," she mumbled, moving her thumb along the edge of his hand, "but I'd rather stay in the castle. I really am not in the mood for the holiday spirit… and definitely not the Weasley spirit."

Snape let out a contemplative breath and eventually nodded a few moments later. "If you would prefer not to attend the Weasley gathering, you do not have to."

With a genuine smile on her face, the witch threw her arms around his neck in appreciation. "Thank you!"

Resting his hands at the waistband of her jeans, he placed his lips against her temple. When Hermione shifted in his arms a few seconds later, he cautiously sought out her mouth with his own. Leaving her arms wrapped about his neck, she pressed the rest of her body tightly against his as she opened her mouth to him.

While his tongue explored her mouth, his hands cautiously began moving beneath her blouse. As a throaty moan was pulled from the witch, all previous thoughts and concerns that were plaguing her conscience were completely forgotten.

She pulled away suddenly a minute later when his fingers brushed across a particularly sensitive swatch of skin. Panting noticeably, she grabbed the side of her head and blushed. "Sorry. I'm, erm, ticklish sometimes."

"Oh," he whispered; a concerned expression melting away from his face as he stood.

Hermione bit her lip as he moved towards her again. Her heart pounded in her ears as he bent down to capture her lips once more and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her tight against his form. She gave a small squeak of surprise a few minutes later when her feet left the ground and she felt herself being awkwardly carried to the bed.

Severus broke the liplock as he set her bottom upon the mattress and then stepped backwards to remove the rest of his clothing.

Upon observing his bare chest, the girl suddenly realized how overheated she really was. Squirming slightly, she pulled her blouse over her head and tossed it away from her. She leaned back, unbuttoning her jeans and attempting to push them down her thighs.

When warm fingers overtook hers, she swallowed nervously and propped herself up on her elbows. As the wizard finished pulling the denim over her ankles, he let them drop to the floor in a heap and then looked up to meet her gaze with darkened eyes.

Automatically, she scooted back farther onto the bed as he finished the removal of his own trousers. The mattress shifted suddenly as he placed one knee between her thighs and leaned above her to kiss her again. His hands roamed her naked torso, artfully avoiding the trigger spot he had accidently located earlier. As he cupped her breast through her bra, she arched upwards, causing her cotton-covered pelvis to rub against his thigh.

Hermione moaned as he left her mouth and nipped along the curve of her throat. Desperate to curb some of the pressure building between her thighs, she purposely pressed herself harder against his leg.

Catching the message after she did it a second time, Snape detached his mouth from her collarbone and looked into her flushed face. "You are ready?"

Emphatically, she nodded against the bedspread and slipped her arms around his neck again. She gave a surprised gasp when her knickers disappeared a second later and were quickly replaced by the throbbing warmth of the Potions Master.

They moved together – the young witch tentatively meeting his strokes – until finally they both fell over the precipice in quick succession. Upon finishing, they lay entwined atop the bedcovers for several minutes, catching their breath. Eventually, Severus moved away from the girl and lay staring at the ceiling of his bedroom.

Pulling herself into a seated position, the Gryffindor exhaled deeply and slid off the end of the bed. With a smirk, she unclasped her bra and tossed it to the floor with the rest of her clothes before slinking into the bathroom.

After switching on the water in the shower, she glanced in the mirror and winced briefly at the state of her hair. It was quickly forgotten, however, when she noted the rosiness of her cheeks and the glittering of her eyes.

It was no wonder why Professor McGonagall had threatened her with tutoring Lavender. It would have been no less effective in sharing her secret with the world than if she had physically written 'I Just Had Sex' on her forehead.

Sighing softly, she stepped into the hot spray and tried to think of anything other than what had put the ridiculous smile on her face. She thought about the essays she had already finished that weekend; she thought about Crookshanks and the mayhem that had ensued over the mouse he had left on Mathina's pillow; she even thought about Quidditch, for Merlin's sake.

As she turned off the water, however, what she found herself contemplating were the dimensions of Snape's bathroom. It was not as though it was exactly a small room – it was decently-sized – but it was nowhere near as glamorous as it could have been. It was approximately the same size as the one attached to her room, which was significantly smaller than the one in McGonagall's quarters.

Even if the large tub and expansive white marble were a reflection of her elevated status as Deputy Headmistress, it would be safe to assume that the Head of Slytherin would warrant a nicer lavatory than the students. With that thought in mind, Hermione quickly toweled dry and dressed in the freshly-laundered clothes undoubtedly set out by Dobby.

Severus glanced up from the couch when she appeared in the doorway leading to his bedroom.

"I think you've been seriously short-changed in the loo department," she muttered, rubbing her wet curls with a forest green towel.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked with a raise of his brow.

"Have you seen Professor McGonagall's bathroom?" she intoned with a smirk. "I would have thought that as Head of Slytherin yours would be comparable."

The wizard snorted and crossed his legs. "I would imagine the Slytherin Head's private lavatory would be just as magnanimous as Minerva's."

"What do you mean?" Her eyes narrowed as she lowered the towel. "Aren't these the Slytherin Head chambers?"

"They are not," he responded. "Unfortunately, neither you nor I would be allowed entrance into the actual quarters."

"Why?"

He sighed loudly. "Salazar Slytherin took his pureblood supremacy quite seriously. Only those with the proper blood status may ever enter his chambers."

"You don't have… You're not a Pureblood?" she stammered; her eyes wide with surprise.

"Your skills of deduction are as admirable as ever, Miss Granger."

"Excuse me, Professor," she sneered, "I suppose that I just always assumed that everyone in Slytherin were Purebloods."

"And Slytherin House prides itself on promoting that assumption," Snape remarked, straightening in his seat. "But there are a number of Halfbloods quietly existing amidst their superiors, and I happen to be one of them."

"But you're a –" Hermione immediately stopped talking as she realized what she was about to say. Dropping the towel to the ground, she covered her mouth with both hands and paled slightly as she averted her eyes.

"A Death Eater?" he supplied for her.

She shook her head as she dropped her arms to her side. "That isn't what I meant to say."

He raised one eyebrow as if to challenge her statement.

"It isn't," she protested emphatically. "I was just surprised that…that they would let in someone who wasn't Pureblood."

"Meaning what you're really asking," he paused, folding his arms, "is how someone who was half-Muggle could turn his back on his own heritage."

The girl shrugged sheepishly and looked to the floor. "I'm sorry. It isn't my place to pry."

"I suppose it's only fair turnabout," Severus sighed, "seeing as I have been privy to your entire life history."

"Really, I was out of line," she continued, stepping farther into the sitting room. "You don't have to tell me anything, sir. I –"

"Severus," he interrupted.

"What?"

"I do not require you to address me by any formal title when not in the classroom," he explained softly. "You may call me by my given name, and you have more than earned the right to demand explanation of me."

Not sure of how to respond, she simply closed her mouth and shifted her weight.

His face tensed noticeably as the wizard leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He struggled for a few moments as he attempted to find an adequate response. Eventually, he grimaced and flexed his fingers. "My father…was not an agreeable man."

Hermione blinked at the obvious pain in his voice and rested her hand on the back of the armchair. "He taught you to hate Muggles?"

"In a manner of speaking," he muttered, straightening slightly.

"But why would he marry a Muggle if he hated them so much?" she asked a moment later, when he did not offer further clarification.

Snape shook his head almost imperceptibly. "My mother was a Pureblood witch. My father was the Muggle."

"Oh," she mumbled in confusion. As recognition dawned upon her, her eyes widened and her voice darkened. "Oh."

The wizard exhaled loudly and rose to his full seated height. He kept his eyes trained on the flames in the hearth as he continued speaking. "He did not know that my mother was a witch until after I was born. My mother was exceptionally young and naïve to have placed herself in that situation to begin with, but she was intelligent enough to recognize that she needed to keep her magic a secret. When I accidently set the couch on fire a few months later over an unchanged nappy, however, she was forced to reveal the truth."

The girl watched him carefully as he closed his eyes and ducked his head. She wrapped her arms tightly around her waist, trying to suppress the urge to throw them about his shoulders. As much as she wanted to give him a hug, she knew he would not be terribly receptive to it. Even though what he was telling her made her want to cry, the fact that he was telling her anything at all made her feel increasingly important. This was especially true since the way he was speaking gave her the impression that she was one of a select few privileged enough to be given the information.

"I have no doubt that he was cruel to her prior to the revelation," he added quietly, pulling her from her thoughts, "but he unquestionably failed to curb any of his enthusiasm afterwards. He was bitter over having been saddled with a child and a wife he barely knew, and was even more rancorous at having been saddled with ones who possessed something that he believed was the reason for his destitution and personal ruination."

"He blamed you?" she whispered weakly.

"Of course," he sneered, chancing a glance in her direction. "Why would one blame the booze when he could just as easily blame the witchcraft?"

Hermione stumbled into the armchair and stared at him with moist eyes. "Profes – Severus, I'm so sorry."

He shook his head and folded his arms against his chest as his face regained its impassivity. "It is in the past. I do not mean to offer it as an excuse for my unfortunate affiliations, but merely as an explanation for why my early-formed view of Muggles was neither forgiving nor pleasant."

"Mine wouldn't have been, either," she stated gently, pulling her feet onto the seat of the chair. Several seconds of tense silence passed, punctuated only by the snapping of the fire and the ticking of the clock on the mantle. Finally the witch could take the somberness no longer, and she scratched her head as she attempted to somewhat lighten the mood. "Well, I guess your being half-Muggle explains why you were willing to go to the chemist's and purchase a Muggle pee-stick for me."

Snape looked at her in surprise and raised an eyebrow.

"You have no idea how much that threw me when you suggested it," she smirked, "but it makes more sense now knowing that you weren't raised in the Wizarding World."

The man shook his head and waited several seconds before answering, "I was raised in Cokeworth. In Lancashire."

"Oh," Hermione whispered softly, chewing on her bottom lip. "I think I've heard of it before."

His eyes widened slightly and he tilted his head. "No one's heard of it, Granger."

She frowned in concentration. "No, I'm quite certain I have. It sounds so familiar…I'm sure that I've…Yes! Harry mentioned it once a long time ago. Some story he was telling Ron about how his Hogwarts letter found him at a hotel there. I don't really know the particulars of the story, since that was before they actually wanted to speak to me."

"At a hotel there," Severus whispered slowly, his face twisted in disbelief. "Too-good Tuney willingly set foot in the Railview?"

"Too-good Tuney?"

He let out a nervous breath upon realizing that he had spoken more of his incredulity than he had intended. "Petunia Ev—erm, Dursley."

The girl's eyes brightened in surprise and she leaned forward in her seat. "You know Harry's aunt and uncle, too?"

With a grimace, he nodded slowly. "Vernon Dursley by sight only, but yes, I knew Petunia. She grew up not terribly far from my childhood home, in a more affluent neighborhood than mine. She never ventured anywhere near the river, which is why the thought of her staying at the Railvew is nothing short of incredible."

Hermione toyed with the edge of her sleeves as she tilted her head. "So that's how you knew Harry's mum? You were from the same town?"

A pained expression settled on his face as he stood from the sofa and crossed over to the fireplace. He remained silent for nearly a minute, closing his eyes as he waged an internal battle with himself. The girl had just opened her mouth to apologize, when he sighed.

"Lily was…really, she was my only friend as a child. When I was young I would watch her and her sister playing in the park, and then one day she did magic. She was the first person besides my mother that I saw perform magic. When I told her what she was…"

He paused briefly as a small smile played at his lips. "…she thought I was poking fun at her by calling her a witch. But when I showed her that I could do the same thing, she finally stopped yelling at me. From then on, we spent nearly every summer afternoon together. I told her everything I knew about magic and Hogwarts – everything my mother would secretly tell me when my father was out – and she would sneak me sweets from her mother's biscuit tin."

The young witch felt herself smiling as she watched the firelight reflecting in his eyes during his reminiscence. She pulled her feet into the chair and rested her chin on her knees, resolving herself to listen without interrupting his recollection.

"When she got her visit from McGonagall a few days after her eleventh birthday, she was so excited that she ran the entire way to the park and waited for nearly three hours in the snow for me to arrive. I had received my letter a few weeks earlier, but I had wanted to make sure that she got hers before I showed it to her. We were looking forward to attending school together and learning to produce powerful magic. After being placed in rival Houses, however, we slowly began drifting apart until I managed to sever the few remaining threads holding us together."

He pushed away from the fireplace and looked toward the girl curled up in his chair. "Until recently, it was my greatest regret."

Hermione swallowed nervously and ducked her head, knowing full well that his greatest regret now dealt with her.

"On that happy note," Snape muttered looking at the clock, "I imagine you would have undoubtedly run out of cauldrons to scrub by now."

Nodding slowly, the witch clambered out of the chair and followed him through the bedroom. Resolving herself not to look at the rumpled bedcovers, she glanced out the window until he opened the door to the back staircase.

"So if these aren't the Slytherin rooms, what are they?" she asked curiously as she stepped past him.

The wizard let out a puff of air and fixed her with a challenging look. "You will tell no one this."

"Well even if I wanted to, I can't now," she exclaimed, jutting out her chin, before beginning down the stairs. "But I wouldn't have wanted to anyway."

He donned an apologetic glance as he followed her. "When the Headmaster revealed that I would be unable to occupy the traditional Slytherin chambers as my predecessor had, Minerva found it in her furry little heart to offer me residence in her lover's suite."

Choking on her own saliva, the girl stopped and stared at him. "Pardon?"

Using his pointer finger, he indicated for her to turn back around and continue on to his office. "Contrary to popular belief, the Four Founders were not exactly celibate. Hufflepuff may have been, but the other three were not. While Rowena Ravenclaw shared her personal quarters with her paramour, Slytherin and Gryffindor opted to build separate chambers for their mistresses near their own.

"Since I was without personal quarters, and the rooms were simply standing empty, Minerva decided they were the perfect solution. This staircase appeared after she managed to railroad me into accepting the offer."

"That's why you referred to it as Professor McGonagall's corridor?" she asked as she pushed open the door into his office.

Severus nodded. "That whole wing was originally Godric Gryffindor's, which is why there are no additional staff quarters or classrooms located there. Slytherin's are here in the dungeons, closer to the dormitory since he wanted to keep close tabs on his Pureblood darlings."

The witch snickered as she picked up her school robes and slipped them over her shoulders. "So you live in Gryffindor's mistress's quarters?"

An irritated expression crossed his face. "Something which never ceases to amuse the old hag."

"That is positively brilliant," she giggled, fastening the collar of her robes.

"You need to redefine the word brilliant," he sneered, leaning against his desk.

"Perhaps," she smiled, stepping toward the office door. She had just touched the handle when she realized she could not contain herself any longer. Before he had time to object, she flew back to his desk and wrapped her arms around him. She could feel his chest depress with his long sigh, but she squeezed him even tighter.

"Granger," he grunted.

"Thirty more seconds," she pleaded without loosening her grasp.

Snape rolled his eyes, but allowed her the time extension.

"Thank you," she whispered into his shirt before pulling away. "Though I think someday you should tell Harry what you call his aunt. I have a feeling he would appreciate it."

Hermione laughed at the disgusted look on his face and turned back to the door.

"Good night…Severus."

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Ginny asked as they descended the staircase into the Entrance Hall on Saturday morning. Breakfast had ended nearly an hour prior, and nearly the entire student body was making their way to the carriages for the journey to the Hogsmeade train station.

"Quite sure," Hermione nodded, folding her arms across her chest.

The redhead gave her a sympathetic smile and squeezed her hand briefly. "I understand. If you get lonely, though, I'm sure you can change your mind later."

"I suppose I could."

The younger girl nodded before glancing briefly at the tall boy walking beside her. She eyed her brother, Harry, and Lavender a few paces ahead of them, and then leaned her head closer to her roommate to whisper in a low voice. "You haven't told anyone about New Year's, have you?"

When Hermione shook her head, the girl gave a relieved sigh. "Good. I want to explain it to Mum and Dad first, before Ron explodes over it. Seeing as I won't have you there to make him see reason."

"I'm sure you could get Lav-lav to explain it to him," she murmured.

Ginny looked up at her with a horrified expression on her face and hissed, "If she's anywhere near the Burrow, I swear to Merlin that I will shit bricks. Dean may not know wizarding customs, but Ron bloody hell does."

The brunette snickered lightly as they moved through the open gates. "I suppose that's why your Mum was always the one to invite me."

"Mmmm-hmmm," she nodded. "Though we wouldn't mind if Ron were to ever extend your invitation."

Hermione rolled her eyes and froze suddenly at the sight of the skeletal bodies standing in front of each of the carriages. A lump caught in her throat as her eyes raked over the reptilian winged horses. She had flown on a thestral, of course, when they had rushed off to the Ministry to save Sirius, but never before had she been able to see them.

"Hermione, you alright?" Ginny asked, looking back at her in concern.

"Erm, yeah," she responded, snapping her gaze away from the nearest carriage where one of the large creatures had turned to look at her with its milky white eyes. "Sorry, I was just …erm…trying to remember if I grabbed all of your presents or not."

"Ahhh," the girl winked. "Maybe if you tell me what they are, I could help you remember."

"Very subtle, Gin," she chided.

The redhead shrugged as they walked toward the carriage where Dean was loading the luggage. "I'm not in Slytherin, now am I?"

"Thank God for that," Dean smirked, stepping toward them.

"Well," the brunette sighed, holding out her hand, "Happy Christmas, Dean."

"And to you," the tall boy nodded, taking hold of her hand and pulling her into a loose embrace. "Thanks for translating for me."

"You're, erm, welcome," she stuttered in surprise when he released her.

"I've asked her to tell me whenever she thinks I'm eliciting some ridiculous Wizarding custom again."

Hermione laughed. "Good."

Ginny shook her head as she stepped forward and gave her roommate a hug. "The prat – he got down on one knee this morning to ask if I would like him to carry my trunk down."

"Oh dear," she giggled. "Well, have fun during New Year's."

"Thanks, and I hope you enjoy your holidays," the younger girl smiled before disappearing into the carriage behind her boyfriend.

Letting loose a small sigh, Hermione glanced around the crowd until she spotted Harry and Ron. Quickly, she made her way over to their carriage, and threw her arms around Harry. "Good luck with everything."

"Yeah," he muttered, pulling away slightly. "You know, part of me wants to stay here with you."

She shook her head and squeezed his hand. "You need family for Christmas, Harry."

"And what about you?" he asked quietly. "Don't you need family, too?"

The witch sighed. "Not this year. They need to stay safe, and I just don't really feel right about celebrating it without them."

He nodded slowly and let her give him another quick hug. "Enjoy the peace and quiet, then. It'll be gone before you know it."

"I know," she mumbled, holding out the canvas tote she had been carrying. "I trust you more with these than I do Ginny."

Harry peered into the bag and chuckled at the sight of the collection of wrapped gifts. "I promise to guard them with my life."

"You better," she smiled, turning slightly to attempt to say goodbye to Ron. When Lavender caught sight of her, however, the blonde immediately tugged her boyfriend up into the carriage.

"I'll tell him for you," Harry sighed upon watching the event unfold.

Hermione nodded and gave him a strained smile. "Thank you."

When the Boy-Who-Lived climbed into the coach, she gave a small little wave before turning around and slowly walking along the length of the crowd of students. Keeping her gaze purposely directed away from the strange beasts, she watched carefully for the appearance of students from Slytherin House. Within a few minutes, she finally spotted the familiar pale blonde hair that she was seeking.

The witch let out a nervous breath as she watched Draco pompously striding through the Hogwarts gates empty-handed while Crabbe hauled two sets of luggage beside him. As her stomach began twisting with anxiety, she momentarily considered returning to the castle and ignoring him.

You're in Gryffindor for Merlin's sake, she chided herself. Steeling her resolve, she briefly slipped her hand into the pocket of her coat, and then set out on a path toward the Malfoy heir. As she walked, she chewed on her lip and fingered the small package she held in her hand. When she was within a few paces, she ducked her head and purposely bumped into his shoulder.

"Watch it, mudblood," he spat, glaring at her.

"Sorry," she mumbled sheepishly as Crabbe and Goyle started snickering. "Erm, Happy Christmas though."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "Sod off, Granger."

As laughter erupted from the nearby Slytherins, Hermione felt her cheeks burning in shame and she quickly scampered away toward the gates. Once she had made it inside of the grounds and was out of sight of the carriages, she slowed her pace to a clam stroll.

A smirk slowly spread across her face as she flexed her now-empty hand.

XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxX

"I'm surprised she wanted to stay here," Remus stated quietly, rubbing his forehead. "I would have assumed she would want to spend time with her friends and get away from the stress of the term."

Snape rolled his eyes and set down his fork as he watched Hermione leave the table with one of his books in hand. When she was half the distance to the door, he folded his arms against his chest and fixed the werewolf with an exasperated stare. "Do you have nothing better to do than speculate upon the private life of a student?"

"I was simply stating an opinion," he responded with a frown. "It isn't horrendous of me to show concern for another human being."

"Show concern, no," the dark-haired wizard shrugged. "Obsess upon, yes."

"Obsess?" Lupin hissed, leaning forward. When he noticed a number of the staff and two students had turned their attention in his direction, he took in a measured breath and lowered his voice. "I am not obsessed with her."

"Oh, come now, Lupin," the other wizard smirked. "You're like a dog with a bone."

Remus's eyes narrowed considerably. "Well, you would know all about obsessions, wouldn't you?"

Momentarily shocked by the vitriol in the man's tone, Severus opened his mouth and raised his eyebrows. His eyes then hardened into a damning stare, and he snapped his jaw shut as he wordlessly pushed his chair back from the table. Without so much as an inclination of his head to any of the staff members, he rigidly strode away from the table, letting the edge of his robes flutter behind him.

As he stormed out of the hall, Lupin grimaced and tossed his napkin onto his plate and pushed out of his chair. He quickly made his way after the brooding Potions Master, but waited until they were both out of the Great Hall before calling out to him.

"Severus, wait!" he yelled as the man began descending the steps into the dungeon. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded!"

"The meaning was pretty damned clear to anyone with half a brain cell, Lupin," Snape sneered without turning around.

Remus sighed and slipped down the first half flight of stairs. "Damn it, Severus, stop!"

"Or what?" he hissed over his shoulder. "You're going to hex me in the back? By all means, wolf – get it over with, just for old times' sake."

The statement brought the disheveled wizard to an abrupt halt. Closing his eyes, he let out a shamed sigh and slowly began moving forward again. "Severus, I'm sorry. For all of it."

This time it was the Slytherin's turn to stop in his tracks.

"You're sorry?" he spat, violently whipping around in place and then moving dangerously towards the other man. "You think that that is what I want from you? You think that I've just been spending the years torturing myself, waiting for Remus Fucking Lupin to waltz in and feebly apologize for his contribution to the hell that is my life? I hate to disappoint you, wolf, but I haven't! I don't care if you're sorry. I don't care if you feel guilty. I…don't…care! Not about you, and certainly not a flying fuck about myself!"

With an angry snarl, he whirled around and rapidly descended the staircase. Lupin stared wide-eyed at his retreating form, remaining absolutely still until the black robes had disappeared around the bend in the staircase. Letting out a large sigh, he wiped his face with his hands and made to head back up to the main floor. He only made it a few steps, however, before his conscience got the better of him.

A pained expression settled onto his face as he once again settled into a slow pursuit of the Potions Master. Upon stepping onto the dungeon level corridor, he could hear the echo of a slammed door reverberating along the stone walls. Steeling his resolve, Remus curled both hands into fists and confidently strode to the man's office. He could hear things being knocked around through the door, and he took in a steadying breath before rapping his knuckles upon the center of the door.

The door was ripped open with such force that the man nearly jumped backwards.

"What part of 'I don't care' led you to believe that I wanted you to continue bothering me?" Snape spat.

"I don't care if it's what you want, Severus," the Defense instructor replied, pushing past him into the room. "I've got a feeble apology to make, and you're going to bloody listen to it."

The slightly taller man glared as he threw the door shut and marched over to his desk. "Then get to it, wolf, because I haven't all night. Some of us have things to do besides speculate upon students."

Remus sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know that it probably means nothing to you, but I am sorry. I am sorry that I never stood up to James and Sirius when they took their antics too far. It didn't set well with me even then, but I was afraid of losing the only friends I had. And I justified it with the fact that you tended to give it just as good as you got –"

"Did you think I would just lie down and take the abuse like a good, little boy?" Severus sneered, crossing his arms. "I did that enough as a child – I wasn't about to do it for four spoiled brats who got their jollies off tormenting the less fortunate."

The werewolf paled and dropped his eyes to the floor. "I'm sorry. I never imagined… I never… I never even knew why James and Sirius took issue with you."

"Why?" The dark-haired man slammed both hands down on the top of his desk. "Because I fucking existed! Wasn't that the grand reveal?"

Lupin winced and felt his face flush with shame. "I'm sorry. I thought they were just mouthing off. I always just assumed that you had traded insults or jinxes and it spiraled out of control from there."

"They took issue with me from the moment they laid eyes on me in the bloody train! I had never met them in my entire life, and suddenly I was the shit under their shoes."

The disheveled wizard shook his head despondently. "I don't know why. Maybe it was because you wanted to be in Slytherin… or because of your friendship with Lily –"

"Don't you mean my obsession with Lily?"

Remus swallowed painfully and glanced at the raw anger in his face. "I didn't mean that. I didn't react well to your insinuation about Hermione, and all of the memories of James's rants about you came rushing back to me."

"Of course," he hissed, "because Potter was the premiere authority on everything."

"Well it wasn't as if you provided any evidence to the contrary! You were always hanging around Lily, and then when you insulted her, you still couldn't leave her alone! Pacing in front of Gryffindor Tower, begging to see her, threatening to sleep out there – that isn't something one does in a normal friendship. Even when she told you she wanted nothing to do with you and the two of you weren't speaking, you were still staring after her in class and at mealtimes!" Lupin shook his head bitterly and folded his arms to his chest. "What were we to think? Based on the way you acted you were either obsessed with her or you were in love with her!"

Silence descended upon the room. As Snape began straightening to his full height, the other man's eyes gradually widened.

"Holy Merlin…" he breathed, dropping his arms to his sides. "You were in love with her, weren't you?"