Working On It...

Right.
I took a complete break from writing for ages whilst the site had it's issues. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to write anymore, or whether I wanted to be here. I wasn't getting many reviews and I was quite down about it all. But I've decided that this really is the best place for me to have my writing and that I do want to continue writing.

So, I'm sorry to everyone who's been waiting for me to continue my stories, but I am back now. I've got a lot of things to do, but I am fitting in writing!

Please review!


******************************************************


Snape paused outside the portrait of the wizard and the unicorn.
The unicorn was snoring gently, the wizard leaning against it. Both seemed quite asleep.

He raised his hand to knock, then lowered it again.
Miss Granger was more likely to be in the common room with the other Gryffindor students, but he didn't really fancy bursting in there to talk to her.

Now he was here he wasn't sure what he wanted to say to her anyway. It wasn't like she was going to want to talk to him.

There was an outburst of noise behind him as the main Gryffindor portrait swung open down the stairs. He quickly moved around a corner and waited in the shadows.

"I'm fine Harry, really!" Hermione's voice reached him, just as he was wondering why he was hiding from students.

"I know, Hermione, I'll just sit with you whilst the potion takes effect. I know it can be a bit odd at first, sometimes it makes me a bit dizzy and sick."

Snape rolled his eyes. Just what he needed, Boy Wonder acting like a hero to a damsel in distress.
He turned to watch as they climbed the stairs, oblivious of his presence at the top. Though if Hermione had told Harry, than having him around would probably help her.
He'd already decided, however, that she hadn't told Potter and Weasley. He wasn't entirely sure why he felt that, but there were a lot of little hints. The boys weren't concerned enough. They weren't angry enough.
They weren't beating down Dumbledore's door...

He sighed and coughed slightly to break the small talk of the pair before they stood on his feet.

"Ten points from Gryffindoor, Potter, for almost standing on my robe." He sneered as Harry stepped back with a gasp. "Perhaps next time you'll remember to open your eyes and look where you're going."

Snape raised an eyebrow in challenge as Harry opened his mouth to retort, but then quickly swept past the boy to Hermione who had gone white.
"Miss Granger, I believe you have some catching up to do." He looked at her carefully, making sure she wasn't going to pass out or start crying or something suitably silly like that.
"I thought I'd give you your homework in person," he said more gently. "I know how much you love to do it."

Hermione glanced at Harry and bit her lip, nodding. She didn't trust her voice enough to say anything yet. Seeing him outside her room had scared her. She knew she was going to be in trouble for missing potions, and she couldn't fight him off if he forced his way into her mind again.

Snape turned to Harry and frowned at him. "What are you still doing here, Potter? Go back to your common room. Maybe you could open a potions book, it might actually help, though I doubt it." He sneered as Harry said a quick goodnight to Hermione and fled back down the stairs.

Snape smirked and turned back to Hermione.
"Well Miss Granger, would you like to open your door?"

Hermione stood there for a while, immobile, staring steadfastedly at the door.
She didn't want to let him in, but she couldn't work out how to stop this.

"We could do this in the dungeons if you prefer, Miss Granger." Snape's voice was low and dangerous and spurred Hermione into action. She quickly passed him, not wanting to have to face him in the dark dungeons, and mumbled the password to her door, which immediately sprung open.

She then turned to face him, a frown on her face.
"I want you to know that this is completely against my wishes. I do not want you in my room. I do not want to talk to you right now. You could send my homework via Harry or Ron."

Snape raised an eyebrow and contemplated her for a while.
"Why are you telling me that?"

"I just wanted you to know."
She turned into the room and walked over to the desk, depositing her books next to the tray of potions.

Snape followed her, closing the door behind him. He took a glance at the tray and then seated himself in her comfy chair, moving it away from the bed a bit.
"Well it's good to see you will be sleeping properly for a while anyway."

Hermione nodded and sat on the edge of her bed, twisting the duvet between her fingers.
"The potions will help with that, certainly. I'm sorry I had to miss your lessons this morning to get them."
She stared at the floor, trying to ignore the feeling of his eyes burning their way into her.
"Madame Pomfrey thinks I'm coming down with a cold, or flu, which is why I was absent."

Snape snorted.
"We both know that's a lie, Miss Granger."
He stood and started pacing.
"What I can not understand, is why you are lying to me. What have you got to hide? Anyone would be embarrassed, that I could understand, but.." he trailed off and looked down at Hermione. "You don't have to hide it you know." he continued gently. "Whatever you may feel, it isn't your fault... surely there's someone you can talk to, even if you don't want to talk to me."

Hermione sat up straight and glared up at him. "I thought you were here to talk about homework, Professor. It was on that understanding that I allowed you entrance to my room." She stood, a frown on her face. "I think you ought to leave now."

Snape frowned.
"Fine, but you realise that this won't go away? It will only get worse." He stormed towards the door and then half turned. "Actually, I came to apologise for my behaviour last night. I was shocked by what I saw and perhaps overreacted. But I warn you; I will not let this go."

They stood contemplating each other for a while until there was a soft knock at the door making them both jump.

Snape looked at his watch.
"Students should be in bed by now." He said with a smirk. No doubt Harry had snuck back up to see if Hermione was ok.

"Don't answer that Professor, please" Hermione almost begged.

Snape frowned. She wouldn't want Harry in trouble, but there was something wrong here.
The knock came again and he turned quickly, opening the door.

Draco Malfoy stood there, fully dressed with a heavy cloak as though he was ready to go outside. His jaw dropped as he saw Snape standing there.

"Umm.... hi Professor Snape," he recovered quickly. "I just realised I'd forgotten to speak to Granger about the Prefects meeting we're arranging. She wasn't in Potions so I couldn't speak to her then."

Snape raised an eyebrow and looked over at Hermione who looked as though she was going to pass out this time.
He turned back to Draco. "It's after bed time, Draco. You should leave it until tomorrow."

Draco nodded vigourously and backed off, then turned and ran down the stairs.

Snape turned back to Hermione who was sitting on the bed again staring at the floor.
"Well well, since when has Draco Malfoy known the location of the know it all Gryffindoor's portrait?" Snape sneered and turned back to the door again. "I expect to see you in potions tomorrow, Miss Granger."