Making sure the boy who lives, actually does...

Hermione lay in the Gryffindor girl\'s dormitory that night, her brown eyes widened in fear, even though it was hours after their meeting with Dumbledore. They were stuck. Stuck twenty years ago.

Dumbledore had looked past worried when he\'d realized Hermione was serious about the time turner. He\'d gone slightly pale in the face, and thoughtful as he spoke. He\'d been so understanding, so gentle and kind as Hermione fell into despair.

\"I will try my best to find a way for your return home.\" Albus had said worriedly, looking to the three of them, it seemed only the young woman was upset. \"Meanwhile I shall find you accommodations here, you shall attend classes and such. We mustn\'t rouse suspicion.\"

The three of them had nodded, and followed him as he sorted them into dormitories, walking slowly and quietly along the hall. It had gone quite late since their talk with him, and they supposed close to curfew.

\"I\'m afraid we have limited space,\" he had started, looking to them in worry. \"One of you will have to room in Slytherin.\"

\"I will!\" Draco had exclaimed before Albus could even finish the sentence. He\'d looked surprised, and then nodding had shown Draco to his room first as Harry and Hermione waited in the hall.

\"I\'m sorry Hermione.\" Harry had said, not looking sorry at all. \"You just don\'t understand-\"

\"I don\'t want to hear it Harry.\" Hermione had said, her teeth clenched and her dark eyes narrowed in the distance. She was more furious with him than she\'d ever been, and that was saying something. \"I just don\'t.\"

\"Right then.\" Albus had said, closing the door behind him. \"Draco seems to be getting on quite well with his peers, they just took to him...\" he trailed off, looking rather worried.

\"What did you tell them?\"

\"Oh,\" Albus said with a twinkle in his eyes. \"I told them that you were transfer students from, \'Longbottom Academy\' was it? And that you were staying here for a short while, observing our school, attending classes etc...And that they should treat you with kindness.\"

\"Brilliant.\" Harry said as they rounded the Gryffindor common room. \"Thanks so much Professor.\"

\"It\'s the least I can do Mr...well, I can\'t very well say you\'re Mr. Potter can I?\"

\"Em...no,\" Harry said with a shrug. \"I suppose it would get confusing.\"

\"Well then, Harry.\" Albus said with a wry grin, \"What shall it be?\"

\"Harry...\" Harry paused. It couldn\'t be Weasley, they\'d graduated a few years ahead of his parents if he remembered correctly. Couldn\'t be McGonagall in case she was here, he refused to be a Filch... \"Lockheart.\" he said coolly, thinking of nothing else and shrugging. \"Harry Lockheart.\"

\"Oh Harry.\" Hermione said with a giggle, involuntary to say thest. st. \"Why not just Fgan?gan? After Seamus?\"

Harry let a small grin break out over his features as he nodded. \"Right. That sounds much better than Lockheart. Harry Finnegan. What do you think Headm- Professor?\"

\"Just fine.\" Albus said jovially, pushing the common room door open and looking to the students around the hearth, or playing Wizards chess, or just talking about Quidditch.

Harry and Hermione followed him in, feeling very much awkward. Almost as if they were six year olds on their first day of grade school. They looked to the common room uncomfortably, small smiles on their faces. Harry caught sight of James who gave him a quick smile, and Hermione who thought she was alone saw Lily giving her a small wave. She noticed James and Lily were on opposite ends of the room.

They looked over to the Professor with a look of admiration and respect, something Hermione knew would continue in the future, and took a deep breath as he spoke, almost worried that someone would pop in with, \"Wait a moment! There\'s no Longbottom Academy!\"

\"Gryffindor.\" Albus said in that roundabout, statuesque way, \"We have some new students....\"

Now hours later Hermione lay in her new bed, looking to the ceiling, hearing the patter of rain on the roof and counting down the minutes until everyone awoke. This was a horrid night, and one she wanted over with.

This is a nightmare. Imagine all the things I\'m going to be behind on when I get back to the future. I bet the Library doesn\'t even have a decent reference section now.

She was worried about many things. About work, about family, about school -did they even know they were gone yet?- and about Ron. Sweet Ron. Dear Ron. He\'d probably blown a gasket when he\'d returned to see thin air.

And Draco, imagine the nerve tonight at dinner, acting as if she were below him. She grinded her teeth, remembering all too well his inflicted rudeness, how Lucius had smirked at her and Snape...

Most pointedly she couldn\'t forget the look that Snape had shot her at dinner tonight. A look of infinite loathing, contempt and something else. Him and Lucius, two peas in a pod those two. How odd. She frowned, tossing on her bed and ignoring the snores from those around her.

Sirius was sweet, so very kind and gentlemanly. She could easily see why he was so popular. That devil may care attitude, and lovely looking hair. He was a sweet boy, not exactly Hermione\'s type -How could she ever fancy a boy with hair so much nicer than her own?- but a very nice lad in general.

But Snape. That look that had flickered across his face as Sirius carted her off. Why would Snape hate her all of a sudden? For being a Mudblood? For telling him off? He\'d asked for it!

She suddenly had a resolute notion that this was going to be a painful experience. She was going to see first hand just how cruel Severus Snape could be, now that he wasn\'t her Professor.

This thought only gave her chills.

***

\"Hermione!\" came a voice from her side as Hermione cracked open a tired eye. Brilliant green eyes awaited her and she yawned lightly, looking to Lily as she struggled to sit up. \"Sorry for waking you up.\"

\"Oh, I was awake.\" Hermione said in a chocked voice, her throat sore and her voice cracked from lack of use. She blinked a few moments, looking to the redhead in front of her and then around at the empty dormitory. \"What\'re you doing here? Shouldn\'t you be at breakfast?\"

\"I was going, but I brought you these.\" Lily said, pointing to the chair. On it lay several robes, \"They\'re my old robes and uniform and such. I figured you might need them.\"

\"Oh.\" Hermione stretched, nodding and throwing a smile in Lily\'s direction as she rubbed her sore temples. She hadn\'t gotten than much sleep. How kind it was of Lily to do all that for her. \"Thanks so much Lily.\"

\"No problem.\" Lily said with a smile, \"I\'ll see you at breakfast then?\"

Hermione nodded and watched as Lily rushed out the door, her lovely hair shining behind her like a mystic waterfall. Hermione touched the top of her own head and winced.

Standing shakily and walking over - clad in yesterday\'s clothes - she took a fresh set of robes, and conjuring up some knickers and socks she headed to the bathroom, not wanting to hurt the kind Lily\'s feelings.

As she came out of the shower, uttering a drying spell on her hair and changing into her fresh set of clothes, she felt a tremor or fear run through her.

Was all this fraternizing with old people going to upset the future? Was her mere conversation somehow going to alter those in the future? Was Snape going to be more vicious? Was Albus going to be more trusting than usual? This worried her, quite a bit...but it didn\'t seem there was anything she could do.

* * *

\"Thanks for lending me the clothes.\" Draco said with an air of thanks, but superiority. \"I suppose mine got lost in the transition.\"

\"No trouble at all Draco.\" Lucius said coolly, smiling at the blonde young man before him. \"If you\'re going to be around us for your stay, you might as well look it.\"

Draco nodded, sipping his pumpkin juice and noticing his father\'s eyes going to the door of the Great Hall. Silvery orbs narrowed in seething anger, and he clenched a pale fist at the sight before him.

\"Potter.\"

Draco looked around, worriedly expecting Harry to be behind him. Then realizing that Harry was under some new name now -Finnegan if he\'d heard correctly- relaxed and saw he was referring to James.

James, Remus, Sirius, Peter and now Harry beside James sauntered into the Great Hall, almost every one of them wearing the same looks of confident indifference. Peter lagged behind, looking jealously to Harry.

\"Hmmm.\" Lucius said with a guttural, \"Pettigrew looks absolutely furious. I wonder....\" he trailed off, looking quite interestedly at the rough faced young boy, his ruddy face glistening with sweat as beady eyes shot back and forth from face to face.

Severus suddenly marched into the hall, his hair falling on either side of his face as he approached the Slytherin table, his dark eyes falling on Malfoy and Draco a moment. Odd. Seeing them side-by-side, one would swear they were brothers. He noticed then that several girls at the end of the Slytherin table looked Lucius and Severus, giggling and muttering to themselves.

Probably saying how ugly I look. Snape thought miserably, taking his seat beside Lucius and giving them all a rough scowl before going back to his newly presented breakfast. He absently smoothed down his hair, subconsciously scanning the room.

He viewed Potter and his group, that new Harry boy sitting and joking around with them as if they\'d been friends forever. James erupted suddenly, clapping Harry on the back and exclaiming, \"That\'s exactly what I said!\"

\"Lord.\" Lucius said boredly, tossing his long, silvery blonde mane over his shoulder as he looked to the group. \"They\'re so boorish it\'s disgusting. They\'ll be eating with their hands next.\"

\"Time to break up the Dream Team, if you ask me.\" Snape sneered over his plate, looking to the group and not hiding his obvious loathing. Lucius nodded and was about to answer when the doors to the Great Hall opened.

\"There\'s that little Mudblood now.\" Lucius growled, looking to Hermione as she came into the Great Hall, looking anxiously for Lily before smiling and waving. \"Imagine, infiltrating that group.\"

Severus watched her, his dark eyes glancing at her from under thick eyelashes. She\'d been here not even a full day and already she had more friends than he could count.

He noted she was fairly plain, her dark hair reaching just below her shoulders in odd waves. She looked like the mousy type that loved to read, a girl that was quite naive to the ways of the world. He noted as she suddenly looked over to his table and dropped his eyes, sullenly looking to his plate.

\"Ohhhhh.\" Lucius breathed, nudging Snape absently with his elbow. \"Looks like the Mudblood likes our Severus here.\"

\"What?\" Draco said, almost spitting out his pumpkin juice. He whirled around, giving Hermione a bewildered look as she looked away, feeling her cheeks burn. She\'d merely looked over to see if Draco was at the table when she\'d caught Snape\'s eyes. Now they were all staring and gossiping as if she was staring at him. What immature little boys.

\"How do you stand her?\" Lucius asked Draco, looking to the young man in keen interest. Severus looked up, looking to Draco as he awaited the young man\'s nonchalant response.

\"I barely do.\" Draco said with a sneer, eating his eggs at a rapid rate. \"She\'s always being such a know-it-all. Always telling everyone what to do. That\'s all she\'s got is her ruddy books.\"

\"Really?\" Lucius said with a look that was positively cat-like, his eyes gleamed dangerously as he leaned forward, rousing Snape\'s interest.

\"Tell us more.\"

* * *

\"- And welcome to our new students in the class.\" said Professor Caulfield with a smile on her face as she looked to Hermione, Draco and Harry. She and the class offered a brief applause for the new students as they nodded briefly, looking embarrassed.

To make things simple, Dumbledore had given them all the same time table -\"I informed your Professor\'s you were quite advanced\"- Unfortunately for Harry that meant Hermione would know when they had homework.

Today it was Transfiguration, Herbology and History of Magic. Tomorrow it was Potions (shudder), Muggle History and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Caulfield taught Transfiguration, as it turns out according to Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall was coming to fill in for the Professor when she retired.

Harry sat with James and Sirius on one side of the room, talking about Quidditch and doodling in their notebooks when they should be writing. Draco sat with Snape near the front. Lucius was in another class at the time, otherwise he never would have come to this dull course. Hermione sat with Lily who kept ignoring the obvious looks of adoration shot from James a few feet away.

\"Why don\'t you just talk to him?\" Hermione suggested, looking imploringly to Lily as James shot her another look, whispering her name to get her attention. \"He really seems to fancy you.\"

\"You don\'t understand.\" Lily answered darkly, writing something on her paper as the class settled down, waiting for the Professor at the front of the class to go on. \"He\'s insufferable. Just when I think he can\'t get more egotistical or rude, he does.\"

\"I see.\" Hermione nodded, her eyes absently drawing to the back of Snape\'s dark head as she spoke. He was slouched over his paper, writing something hurriedly on it even though the class hadn\'t started. She blushed as she recalled the look he\'d given her that morning in the Great Hall.

\"God this is dull.\" Draco said leaning back in his chair in the front of the class as he sighed heavily. Why the hell did Snape want to sit this close anyway? \"That\'s it, I\'m leaving.\" He stood lazily, making his way out the door and out of the class as Professor Caulfield absently made notes in her book.

Severus didn\'t answer, and failed to see why Lucius found the little twerp to be of all that much assistance. Sure he\'d given off an odd tidbit to them about his classmates, but other than that he was proving to be a haughty, annoying little ferret and he was thankful he was gone.

He leaned back a bit, looking to the board in careless fancy. Suddenly hearing the sound of light giggles he craned his neck absently -as if he was trying to rub a muscle out- and looked to Hermione and Lily who sat side by side, giggling over something in the book.

\"He\'s looking at you again Lily.\" Hermione said giggling as she nudged the blushing Lily.

\"I don\'t care.\"

\"Oh don\'t even bother.\" Hermione said quietly with a grin. \"You know you fancy him. I can tell in your eyes. You try to act all mean and standoffish, but I can tell...you like him.\"

Lily was about to go on when she caught Snape \'surreptitious\' glances at Hermione. He looked completely interested in her and at the same time as if he couldn\'t stand her. Barely moving her lips she looked to Hermione.

\"Looks like someone may fancy you.\" Lily muttered lowly, only Hermione heard the words and looked around the classroom. No one seemed to be glancing at her...other than Severus. Ha. There was a laugh.

\"Who?\"

\"Severus!\" Lily muttered urgently behind the book as Hermione looked t the front where Snape sat, still half turned and looking at her. When she finally looked to his youthful face he sneered at her and went back to facing the front.

\"I doubt it.\" Hermione said with a giggle. \"And even if he did...\" she trailed off, not needing to say anymore as Lily giggled and gave her a look that clearly said, \'As if you don\'t find him handsome...\'

But Hermione knew what the real Snape was. The mere thought that Snape could every fancy anyone, let alone her, seemed beyond absurd. He was Professor Snape. He had no sex. He was a overbearing man who wore a lot of black and slept in a coffin. Well, all right Hermione knew better but still. The thought of Snape ever truly caring for someone seemed foreign.

Suddenly the Professor began at the front of the class, looking to the students and smiling broadly. \"Now, I assume all of you have read Chapter twelve?\" the Professor suddenly said, looking to the class and finding it surprising to see the new girl, Hermione nodding her head along with the class but ignored it.

\"Let\'s start with the basics, since we have some new students with us.\" she said trilling, looking from one face to the other. It was still early in the year, and there were several who wore looks of malcontent.

\"Who can tell me the proper spell for transforming a pig into a Muggle bicycle? Hmmm?\"

Oh, I know this one. Hermione thought excitedly, her hand whipping into the air as the words were spoken, her pulse quickening in anticipation at getting the answer right. There was something so self-satisfying about getting a right answer and feeling the approval from one\'s teachers.

\"After uttering \'Sonorous\' its one brisk swish up and down with the wand, one uttering of \'Porcus\' and then one stroke down before lowering the wand.\"

Hermione lowered her hand dejectedly at the words, looking to Snape who had rudely burst out with the answer that she herself knew beforehand. She was a bit miffed at the rudeness, especially when Professor Caulfield nodded emphatically going, \"Exactly right Mister Snape.\"

Mister Snape? Gods that sounds bizarre.

She couldn\'t see his face, but judging by his arms and casual way of seating she could only assume that he was smirking superciliously at those who looked to him in hidden awe.

\"And how does one do the counter curse for such an act? Hmmm?\"

\"Two swishes left, utter \'bimestris\' and then lower the wand.\"

\"Very good Mister Snape. Very good indeed.\"

Hermione lowered her hand for the third time in a row before she looked around the room, everyone either seemed to be in awe of Snape or just making it through the class without sleeping. How could one learn with Snape taking up all this education?

\"Oh Lord.\" she muttered under her breath, barely containing the glee in her voice. \"He\'s a know-it-all!\"

Snape went on answering questions left and right as if the Professor were asking him to recite his alphabet. He wasn\'t even moving from him comfortable, leaned position on his chair. Hermione couldn\'t help but find him smugly irritable.

\"Does he always blurt out answers like that?\" Hermione asked quietly, looking to Lily in curiosity. Lily nodded gently, a small grimace crossing her features.

\"He\'s very bright.\"

\"So?\" Hermione said whispering fiercely. \"Doesn\'t he ever give anyone else a chance?\"

\"Not really.\" Lily said darkly, \"He\'s always the first to answer whatever the Professor has to ask. His Transfiguration is brilliant too.\"

\"Really?\"

\"Really.\" Lily answered with a nod, \"But if you ask me, Potions is where he really excels.\"

Hermione bit back a laugh, the distance voices of the Professor calling out questions and Snape answering them growing dim. Suddenly Professor Caulfield took a look to the right side of the room where James and Harry talked animatedly.

\"Mister Potter.\" Professor Caulfield called out, looking miffed. \"Can you tell me how to Transform a common pencil into a snake? Hmmm?\"

\"Erm...\" James went pink as he and Harry looked sheepishly around the room. \"Sorry, I don\'t think I could.\"

\"Did you even read the chapter? Hmmm?\"

\"Erm...\" James trailed off, the answer all too apparent in his eyes. Harry was trying to conceal nervous snickering upon feeling the teacher\'s angry gaze upon them.

\"Tell me Potter.\" Severus said softly from his seat as James looked to him irritably and the class waited. \"Can you read?\"

\"That\'ll be quite enough Mister Snape.\" Professor Caulfield said angrily at him for undermining her authority as the class erupted into bored laughter. \"Ten points from Slytherin.\"

The irony is so thick I could choke. Hermione thought as she noticed the smug look James was giving Severus and sighed in response to their immaturity along with Lily.

\"And ten points from Gryffindor, Mister Potter.\" The Professor added. \"For such blatant rudeness in my class.\"

\"The proper way to perform such a task is to have two swishes right and one uttering of Penicillus Anguineus.\" Snape said haughtily, making sure that James knew just how stupid he was as Professor Caulfield looked on. \"Then its simply a matter of three swishes left and a lowering of the wand.\"

He gave James an oily sneer as James and Harry glared back, openly despising the snob. He was about to go on with another insult when a loud, bossy voice rang out at the back.

\"Actually, it\'s four swishes to the left.\"

Snape closed his open mouth, turning slightly although he already knew who had been stupid enough to have said it. That annoying little blabbermouth Granger.

James and Harry shot her looks of equal admiration, and even Lily had to suppress the smile that was threatening to break out all over her face. Severus Snape had been beat.

\"Correct Miss Granger.\" Professor Caulfield said impressed as Lily shot Hermione an impressed look then. \"Pleased to see you noticed.\"

Murmuring began in the class, the students looking to Hermione -the new girl- in moderate awe. No one wanted to outmatch Severus, even if they knew the answer. Harry flashed her a small grin that she responded back with happily. That\'d serve Snape right.

He was sitting almost at a loss, looking to Hermione with infinite loathing in his eyes, intermingled with something else. Was it fear? Perhaps. Right then, Snape knew he\'d met his intellectual match...for the time being.

\"Now,\" Professor Caulfield went on, trying to break the awkward moment within the class as she smiled. \"Could I have a volunteer to come and assist me in a little experiment? Hmmm?\"

\"I will!\" Hermione and Snape exclaimed simultaneously, standing at the same moment, both glaring at each other as they faced on another and the class went silent. Professor Caulfield looked confused to each of them, seeing the fire in their eyes and then shrugging, smiling weakly.

\"Erm, both of you come down. Two would be better I suppose.\"

Hermione rushed down from her seat, looking eagerly to the covered table that Professor Caulfield had rolled out into the center of the classroom. Snape stood regarding it, and then Hermione a moment.

\"Now, I know you\'re all quite used to simple spells and counter spells on small animals, books and so forth. But here I have a small challenge, one that I can tell you\'re both up for.\"

She whipped off the tablecloth, and underneath in a large terrarium sat a full-grown animal, coarse hairs upon it with a squished up face. Hermione bent down a bit, looking at the animal through the cage.

\"Mmmm.\" Hermione said interestedly, brushing past Snape to get closer to the table. He frowned at the contact and regrettably followed over to the table as the class watched on in interest.

\"A full grown blast ended skrewt.\" Hermione said proudly as the Professor nodded. \"My, it\'s a big one.\"

\"Not that big.\" Snape said breezily with a bitter shrug. \"I\'ve seen many quite larger.\"

Hermione didn\'t answer him, openly refusing to cater to his obvious lack in confidence if he had to lie about seeing bigger skrewts. What a bloody phony.

\"What I\'d like you to do,\" Professor Caulfield said with a clap of her hands that roused the skrewt and the class’s attention, \"Is to put the animal out safely for the class, and then proceed to turn it into a Muggle umbrella.\"

\"Shouldn\'t be too hard.\" Severus murmured with ease by Hermione\'s ear, noticing the way she flinched from him. He had to contain a smirk, for he knew at least one of her weaknesses.

Although Hermione could see no use to such an idea she nodded, and before Snape could even move had already started. He scowled at the back of her head and watched quietly.

\"Concubius-\" Hermione started as the animal shut its eyes, firmly falling into a dead sleep. Severus watched impressed whilst Draco sneered at her for showing off.

\"Your friend\'s very good.\" James murmured to Harry, \"Very smart and quite brave. It isn\'t anyone who\'d stand up to Snape like that.\"

\"She\'s always been bright.\" Harry boasted proudly, looking to Hermione with admiration.

\"She\'s very pretty as well.\"

Harry made a face, and shrugged pointedly. \"Erm I suppose.\"

He looked to his father and held in a small shiver of terror that ran through him. James was staring at Hermione, his light eyes almost entranced by her as she circled the beast, feeling Snape\'s eyes on her every movement.

\"Careful.\" Severus said softly, his voice a husky whisper almost felt against the back of her ear. She shivered as the wind whirled past her earlobe, emitting an oily smirk from the taller Snape who stood behind, watching her increasingly flustered actions.

When she was certain the skrewt was soundly asleep, Hermione reached her hand into the terrarium -as the animal should be sufficiently knocked out now - and was about to grasp it by its tail to drag it out when two simultaneous voices called out.

\"You stupid girl!\" Snape said jerkily, grasping her hand out of the tank as Professor Caulfield interjected with a loud \'Stop!\'.

Severus pulled her away from the tank by her shoulder\'s dropping her the minute she was back and looking to her as if she were daft. \"You\'ll get yourself stung.\"

\"I know what I\'m doing.\" Hermione said angrily, pushing him away from her. \"The female\'s have suction like things on their stomachs, their tails are harmless-\" she was about to go on when Snape grasped her wrist.

\"It\'s a male.\" he said softly to her, looking to the Professor and then back to Hermione as she blushed furiously and looked back into the tank. Seeing the large red mark at the side -that she hadn\'t noticed before thanks to Snape\'s heavy breathing behind her- She was humiliated for the entire world to see. Snape didn\'t hold back the smirk on his face.

\"Thank you Mister Snape.\" Professor Caulfield said worriedly as she came over to the pair. \"Miss Granger, this skrewt is indeed a male, their stingers are quite sharp and painful. I was under the impression that you were familiar.\"

\"I am.\" Hermione said defiantly. Snape just makes me nervous. She dragged her wrist away from his grasp and he eventually dropped it as if it were a hot potato, not before running his fingers lightly over her knuckles. Hermione pulled away, looking to him defiantly and then back to the Professor. \"I suppose I was just...flustered.\"

\"Let me show you the real way to perform such a task.\" came the waspish reply from Snape as he elbowed her out of his way. She watched as he muttered his spell, carefully avoiding eye contact with everyone. When he levitated the skrewt out of the terrarium there were a few gasps, but as it firmly sunk onto the table it lay in an almost catatonic state.

\"I thought you didn\'t care for foolish wand waving.\" Hermione muttered to angrily herself, not seeing the look of surprise that crossed Snape\'s features.

\"Disserenat - aetherius!\" Snape spoke quietly, the words still reverberating around the room as the students watched on impressed. Soon the skrewt turned into a large umbrella, strangely colored but an umbrella nonetheless.

Snape raised it over his head, letting the class see it and then handed it back to Professor Caulfield. There were some claps from the Slytherins, and the rest of the class couldn\'t help but looked impressed...save for Harry, Draco and James.

\"Well done Mister Snape!\" Professor Caulfield said with a clap of her hands, \"Ten points to Slytherin.\"

Hermione looked angrily to Snape, knowing that those points were rightfully hers. He\'d stolen them. The bell suddenly tolled, signaling the end of class and the students quickly stood, gathering their things and heading out the door.

\"Until next class!\" Professor Caulfield claimed excitedly, \"And Miss Granger, Mister Snape, well done today.\"

Hermione didn\'t answer and neither did Snape. Instead she opted to grab her book bag and get out of class as soon as she could. Lily waited for her on the other side of the room, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited.

\"Thank God that\'s over.\" Hermione muttered to herself as she stepped down the aisle to the door, not seeing as Snape glided over to her, pretending to be heading towards the door.

Hermione winced as he blocked her way to the door where Lily stood outside, wondering where Hermione was. Snape looked down on her, that familiar smugness taking him over.

\"I don\'t think Potter could have done any better, do you Granger?\" Snape asked in a low, sneering voice. Hermione knew he was referring to the afternoon\'s events but looked indifferent. Hermione looked to him slowly, seeing the callous smirk that seemed to perpetually rest on his face when she was around.

Before she could speak and tell him to bugger off, James and Harry had come rushing over with large grins on their faces, dragging her away from the furious Severus.

\"Well done Hermione! Giving Snapey what he deserved.\" James said broadly, coming over and giving her a large smile. She smiled back at him, timidly and looked to Harry with exasperation. She was suddenly beginning to see why Harry hated Snape so often and why Lily got so tired of James. They were both quite trying.

\"He\'s a very talented wizard.\" Hermione said softly to the both of them as she picked up her bag. James and Harry exchanged looks of surprise as they followed her out the door.

Severus watched the interplay from a few feet away as he gathered his books, looking to the new girl with interest. She certainly wasn\'t what he\'d expected. She was almost toler-

\"But he\'s also a ruddy snob!\" Hermione added loudly, allowing for the hallway and Snape to hear her remark. The tips of Snape\'s ears went red -not that anyone could tell- as he hurriedly packed his things up, clenching his teeth and brushing past them made his way out the door to the classroom.

Harry and James laughed loudly, clapping her on the back as she tried to smile back. But seeing Snape\'s fuming, lanky frame heading down the hallway, she couldn\'t help but feel she\'d made an enemy

* * *

\"Have you heard anything?\" Ron asked breathlessly as he ran into the Headmaster\'s office, seeing the aged wizard at his desk. It\'d been a few days since the occurrence, and keeping it under wraps was not an easy thing to do.

He\'d told everyone that Harry and Hermione were either vacationing, in the Infirmary, and was quickly losing track over which people he\'d told was which. As for the Slthyerins, no one really seemed to care where Draco was.

\"I\'m afraid not Mister Weasley.\" He said with a light frown, \"But since a sufficient amount of time has passed I\'ve taken it upon myself to find the assistance of one most capable in most troubling cases.\"

\"Who?\" Ron asked with a ragged breath, \"Snape?\" he added with a laugh.

\"Precisely.\" came the glowering voice from behind him. Ron blanched and turned, seeing the tall Professor in front of him. Snape looked down at the Weasley boy with distaste, his dark eyes boring into him.

\"Er...I have to be going.\" Ron gulped as he headed out the door.

\"Tsk tsk...What a shame.\" Snape drawled, moving past the redhead and over to the Headmaster. When the office door was closed Snape walked up and stood in front of the desk.

\"You called for me, sir?\"

\"Indeed I did Severus.\" Albus said with a nod, \"It seems that Harry, Hermione and Draco have been missing for quite a while.\"

\"I noticed Draco\'s disappearance.\" Snape said with a look of moderate confusion. \"I believe it was you who attributed this to his fragile nature since his father\'s death. It was you who told me three days ago i this very office that he was-\"

\"I know,\" Albus interjected worriedly as Snape stopped mid sentence. \"It was to save you the worry of having one of your charges missing.\"

\"Missing?\" Snape said dangerously quiet, his eyes narrowing in the process. \"How so?\"

Albus sighed, informing Snape of the night\'s events. The missing students, the map, everything as Snape nodded, taking in every detail and memorizing it for faults. What had they done?\"

\"Do you have any idea where they might be?\" Albus said with a worried look in his eyes, \"I\'m quite worried Severus, for once I am at a loss.\"

Severus nodded, looking to Dumbledore with great interest. He\'d come to him for help. He trusted him that much. He\'d surely undertake this endeavor, but he wouldn\'t be happy about it.

\"I\'ll see what I can do.\" Severus said with a glower and swishing of robes, and before exiting the Headmaster\'s office he added in his usual surly tone; \"But I don\'t promise anything.\"

* * *

A few days had passed since the Transfiguration debacle. Hermione avoided Severus at all costs in and outside of classes, and stayed mainly with Lily or in the Library. She\'d made a few friends, but not enough to want to stay in this past. It seemed the only thing worthwhile about the whole thing was seeing how much people changed when young.

Snape for example was much harsher, much more vocal in his hatred. Why, on her way to the Library she\'d viewed as he kicked a second year Hufflepuff to the ground, demanding galleons from him.

He\'d seen Hermione passing and sneered at her as she did so back, shaking her head emphatically with her books still in her arms, in the process rushed into the lithe frame of Lucius in front of her.

She bumped against him and leapt back when she realized who it was. She ducked her head, hoping, no, praying that he wouldn\'t realize. But he had. Lucius was the same. Still vici and and rude and hateful.

\"Watch where you\'re walking Mudblood.\" he rasped, looking down at her with hatred. Draco stood nearby along with several other Slytherin boys who glared openly at Hermione. \"Or you\'ll pay.\"

\"I\'m not afraid of you.\" Hermione said roughly, although the light in her eyes showed otherwise. Lucius grasped her wrist, drawing him near as he looked to her.

\"It\'s not us you should fear you filth. It\'s him.\"

Hermione had wrung her wrist away, glaring openly at Lucius and resisting an urge to slap he and Draco. Before she could stop herself she\'d started to speak, and couldn\'t seem to stop.

\"Why don\'t you just shut up you pathetic ferrets?\" She demanded angrily as a few students walked by looking to her in surprise. \"I don\'t fear Voldemort and I don\'t fear you! Why can\'t you just bugger off and leave me alone? I\'ve done nothing to offend y"
"

\"You were born.\" Draco rasped from the group as Lucius looked on impressed, he believed as a father would a son. \"That\'s offense enough to us.\"

\"You pathetic, loathsome little-\" Hermione had raised her hand and had been about to slap the smirk right off of Draco\'s pale face when something stopped her.

\"Miss Granger.\" a voice said behind her as she stopped and lowered her hand, her blood running cold at the authoritative sound. Dumbledore stood behind her, looking down to her severely as he looked to her unimpressed. \"A word, if you don\'t mind.\"

Hermione had looked to Dumbledore defeated and nodded, looking to him sorrowfully as Lucius and his gang snickered in her wake. Severus watched her from behind his curtain of inky black hair as he trudged over, looking to the group.

\"Can you believe her?\" Lucius said with a chuckle as he shook his head lightly. \"Trying to touch one of us? The nerve!\"

\"I know.\" Draco added with a crossing of his arms, as Lucius was doing. Lucius looked to Severus with a look of amusement, all too apparent in his light eyes.

\"I heard she humiliated you in front of the class a few days ago.\" Lucius said pointedly to Snape as the pale boy glowered and glared angrily at Draco who looked all too nonchalant. \"Is this true?\"

\"She merely answered a question before me on one occasion.\" Snape said with folded arms as he leaned against the wall of the school, looking to the schoolyard of those who feared him. \"But I showed her right again.\"

\"Good.\" Lucius said with a smirk, looking to the group. After a moment of silence, and Lucius tapping his lip listlessly he spoke. \"But she does present a problem.\"

\"How so?\"

\"Isn\'t it obvious?\" Lucius said heatedly as Snape raised an eyebrow. \"She\'s not even intimidated by us a little. This could be quite detrimental to the network we\'ve set up here. Imagine, being brought down by a Mudblood. Why it\'s absurd.\"

\"Well then.\" Snape said with a smirk crossing his face, one that his friends had seen all too many times before.

\"It would appear I have to do something about that.\"
_____________________________________

author\'s notes:

HELP ME!

I can\'t go anywhere without there being a rabbit. Or remnants of rabbits. Or a fluffball. Or a little note in rabbit writings that reads; \"If you write it...we won\'t KILL YOU in your sleep!\"

But soon they shall be gone forever, and how you may ask?

Well I\'ll tell you.

I took after our dearest Snapey. I was devious. I was cunning. I was evil. How does one instill intimidation? Hit them where it hurts.

Whilst cleaning my room of rabbit \'left behinds\' I happened across a small box of stuff I\'d aquired as a child. Baseball cards, pictures etc...until my eyes came to rest on a rather strange looked piece of fluff wedged in the corner.

Thatwhenwhen the magic began.

Pulling it out from the box I saw that the little piece of fur, was none other than my lucky rabbits foot from when I was a kid! My luck rabbit\'s foot! I still giggle to myself as I think about it.

Taking a demanding leap out of my room I faced the legions of the rabbits, sitting on my couch who looked to me lazily, munching on carrots and so forth. (They claim someone is supplying...and I think I know who.)

\"Hey toots.\" said the leader, (who I\'ve nicknamed floppy because of his ears), \"Make yourself useful and get me a cola.\"

\"No!\" I said happily, practically dancing about with my hands behind my back. They eyed me with their reddish, creepy looking eyes as I danced with glee. Their noses twitched in anxiety. They knew something was amiss.

Suddenly I presented them the large rabbits foot, almost shrieking with elated laughter as the rabbits shrunk back, their eyes widening as they gaped at it.

\"Brownie!\" one cried, throwing themself on the floor in front of me and squeaking up at me. \"HOW COULD YOU?!\"

\"This is what happened to the last rabbit who forced me to write too fast!\" I screamed manically, holding the rabbits foot as they recoiled in horror, their noses twitching madly as they clung to one another.

\"Now...\" I said silkily, making my rounds around the couch. \"I make the rules. I\'ll write when I want. What I want. And you little furballs can\'t stop me.\"

Finally. Life was good. I would have the monkey- er...rabbits off my back- or as it were: out of my house. I was elated. I was ecstatic.

It was all too good to be true.

Suddenly Floppy looked to me intensely, his eyes dropping to the rabbits foot as he narrowed his bunny eyes and I swallowed a lump in my throat.

\"Wait a minute!\" he squeaked, swiping the foot before I had a chance to respond. You wouldn\'t know it, but bunnies are really quite agile.

\"This says its made in Taiiwan!\" Floppy shouted, showing the foot to his followers. Suddenly hundreds of bunny eyes were upon me, narrowing in anger.

\"Uh oh.\" I uttered before twirling around, and with the bunnies from hell, I ran to my room, slamming the door just in time. I made it to my room with my life...barely.

So now I\'m in my room, typing at a mad pace and praying they won\'t eat through the doors, stick their heads in and cry out, \"Heeeeeeere\'s bunny!\"

I don\'t think I could survive.

cheers. holden.