A Very Horrible Idea?

A/N: Okay, another fic from me! Quick, eh?

Right, I read an interview where JKR said that Snape in love was “a very horrible idea” and that was the inspiration for this story.

It’s set in Hermione’s seventh year, but Voldemort’s dead and HBP never happened. I know this chapter’s short but the next one will be longer! Promise!

So read, review and (hopefully) enjoy!

x x x

“!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”!”

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Why had sneaking out of the castle ever seemed like a good idea? Now she was stuck under the invisibility cloak, Harry leading in front - almost making them sprint - and Ron rubbing up against her from behind.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief when they finally arrived at their destination and Harry knocked on the door. A sound like an explosion came from inside the hut, then the door opened and Hagrid peeked out, wiping his nose on his over sized handkerchief.

He motioned for them to go in and shut the door quickly behind them, "Thanks fer comin'..." There was another sound like an explosion as he sneezed into his handkerchief; Hermione winced.

"You sound like you've got the flu or something." Ron said, unnecessarily.

Harry tried to help Hagrid to his bed, where the half-giant curled up, sniffing and wiping his nose. Harry frowned, "You won't be able to teach tomorrow. Do you want me to tell Dumbledore so that he can get Grubby-Plank in?"

Hagrid shook his head, "He probably already knows... I... Oh, Ron, d'yeh think -"

Ron quickly passed Hagrid a large bucket, into which he was violently sick. Harry sighed, "Come up to the castle and see Madam Pomfrey."

"He can't walk in that state." Hermione pointed out, then said more quietly, "And we won't be able to support him all the way up to the Hospital Wing."

Harry sighed, slightly irritated, "Fine. Me and Ron will go up and get some potions from Pomfrey, and you can stay here and look after Hagrid."

"Hang on -" Hermione protested, but the boys were already under the cloak.

"It'll look less suspicious if it's us. I can say I feel ill and needed Ron to help me to the Hospital Wing." Said Harry's voice, "She won't suspect anything if it's me."

Hermione sighed, "All right, but hurry up and don't get caught."

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They got into the castle without too much trouble.

They were nearing the Hospital wing when they heard footsteps and Harry pressed himself against the wall of the corridor as Filch passed. He felt a sharp pain in his toe and winced.

"Ron! Get off my foot!"

Ron stepped back, but the invisibility cloak caught under his heel and slipped from their bodies. Filch whirled round and, when he noticed whom he had caught out of bed, smiled evilly.

""""""""""""""""""""

Hagrid had fallen asleep a few minutes after Harry and Ron had left. Hermione got up from the chair she was sitting on and peered out of the window, sighing when she realized that they would be under the cloak, so she wouldn't see them even if they were coming.

How long did it take to get a few potions?

It was just gone midnight and Hermione was tired. What if Snape or Filch had caught Harry and Ron? Or what if Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let them out of the Hospital Wing?

She couldn't stay in Hagrid's hut all night. Sighing, Hermione realized she would have to try and make it back to bed without the invisibility cloak. Yes, she was Head Girl and was allowed out longer than other students, but that wouldn't stop Filch or Snape from finding some - probably made up - rule that she was breaking.

Hermione checked on Hagrid to make sure he was still asleep, then pulled her coat tighter around her and stepped out into the freezing cold night. Quickly, she headed towards the castle. Filch still hadn't locked the front doors yet, so it was easy for Hermione to slip in.

She hurried up the stairs, almost running through the corridors, wondering where Harry and Ron were, when the flaming torches on the walls went out. Frantically, she thrust her hand in her pocket and pulled out her wand.

"Lumos..."

Light sparked from the end of her wand and Hermione gasped. A dark figure towered over her.

""""""""""""""""""""

All he had had to do was wait. And, sure enough, here she was - the third member of the golden trio, Hermione Granger. Severus had known as soon as he had seen Potter and Weasley with Filch that Granger would be around somewhere. But she wouldn't have an invisibility cloak.

So he had waited and, as the torches along the walls flared into life again, he sneered at her, "What are you doing out of bed at this time, Granger?"

She stared up at him, her eyes sparkling with defiance; "I haven't done anything wrong, Professor."

Of course she hadn't done anything wrong... She never did anything wrong! There wasn't any attitude in her voice, so he couldn't even give her detention for that! It was in her eyes. She knew that he couldn't justify taking points or giving her a detention by saying it was in her eyes! She should have been put in Slytherin, Severus thought savagely.

He glared at her, "I asked you a question. Kindly answer or I would have to find a punishment for disobeying a teacher."

She raised a hand, her fingers starting to play with one of her tiny earrings; a nervous gesture, "I had to take a book back to the library, sir."

He raised an eyebrow, "At this time?" She nodded, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "With your coat on?" She bit down on her bottom lip and Severus smirked, "I thought so. Leaving the castle in the dark, Granger? I'm sure there's nothing that says the Head Girl is allowed outside in the middle of the night." She started to open her mouth, but he continued quickly, "And even if there is..." He smirked again, "It's still very dangerous. We wouldn't want anything unfortunate to happen to our dear Head Girl now, would we?" She glared at him, knowing what was coming, "Detention, for leaving the castle after dark and, of course..." He paused, gloating, then continued sarcastically, "endangering yourself."