—————H—————

Dearest Hermione,

I'm sorry to hear that you won't be spending the holidays with us, but I'm glad it's for such a good reason. I always found it hard adjusting to home after being at school for some time, and it was always wonderful when a friend chose to stay with me. I've included a second bag of candy for your friend in hopes that this one will last until you come for Christmas Eve dinner.

She told me about the Yule Ball, and I'm sorry I didn't prepare you before you left. It slipped my mind until your letter.

I hope this dress will do. I had to go to Kiera, and since the matter was of some urgency, she didn't have time to find a more fitting piece.

I look forward to seeing you again, Hermione. Christmas Eve cannot come fast enough.

Yours,

Delia

Hermione pulled the black dress from the box. There were no frills to it, no embroidery. There were no sleeves, and the sweetheart neckline wasn't too revealing. It was lovely for such a last-minute find.

Lily had eagerly regaled to a barely-interested Hermione and Severus about how the Yule Ball was a tradition at Hogwarts. As if quoting Hogwarts: A History , Lily recited how it had once been part of the Triwizard Tournament, held on Christmas by whichever school was hosting. Once the tournament was cancelled, the ball was moved to December 23rd as a holiday send-off.

Hermione wondered what she would have done for the Yule Ball in 1994. Would she have desperately wanted to go with Ron? Would she have gone with Neville because he would be the one to ask, instead of Ron? Would she have bothered or spent the night in the library?

With a shake of her head, Hermione stood from her bed and gently laid the dress out.

"Oh, that's nice," Marlene said, eyeing the garment. Her hair was pinned in magically-heated rollers, and she and the other girls had been walking around in their dressing gowns since classes had finished. "If you start now, you can get your hair pinned up."

"Start what now?" Hermione asked.

Marlene rolled her eyes. "Getting ready?" she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Honestly, you have such potential, Hermione, but your hair .... Well, it needs the full two and a half hours to be tamed into anything appropriate enough for the ball."

Lily walked into the room then. Her hair was also up in curlers, and she had clearly finished doing her makeup before dashing over to her bed where she'd left a book open. She plucked up her wand and tapped it against her lips, furrowing her brow in concentration. "Should I charm my nails pink or silver?" she asked the room at large, and this started a debate between Alice and Marlene.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione stripped off her uniform and pulled on her borrowed dress. It fit nicely, since Keira McGonagall was of a similar build to Hermione, only slightly taller. Accio ing her wand from the bed, Hermione did a quick spell to make the dress a little shorter.

Her hair was atrocious, though it could have been worse if she had had Potions during the day. Wrangling the sides back, she tied them back away from her face while having the added bonus of looking somewhat nice. She had no jewelry to go with the dress, but if she were being honest with herself, she didn't really care. She was only going because Lily had begged and Severus had outright refused, and somehow Hermione got dragged into going in order to keep the peace. She imagined the peace was silence, as opposed to Lily's incessant nagging.

Plucking up the bigger of the two bags of candy, Hermione headed for the door. "I'll see you there," she called over her shoulder, though the heat of the great nail debate was still going strong. She doubted anyone heard her.

Hermione left Gryffindor Tower without a hassle. The girls weren't the only ones who had already gone to their dorms to prep.

She made her way through the corridors, offering a smile or a nod of acknowledgment to those she passed as she made her way to an abandoned classroom in the East Wing. If the Slytherin who had taken residence in there had tried to be discreet, he was failing miserably. She could smell vegetation and smoke in the air as she neared the closed door. She didn't bother knocking, just slipped in quickly.

Severus didn't even look up. "You aren't going to try to convince me to go, are you?" he asked as he stirred a potion.

"Why would I? I barely want to go. You realize I would much rather spend the evening like you will be. Well, maybe not exactly like you. Studying, perhaps. Maybe in the library."

"And what's stopping you?" he asked with a sneer. "Or are you afraid to let down your suitor?"

"What suitor?" she asked, crossing her arms. "I'm only going because Lily is concerned James will shadow her all evening."

"And what exactly would you do to deter the idiot?" Severus asked, withdrawing the stirring rod carefully and setting it aside. He did not pull his eyes away from the potion.

"I'm not sure. Honestly, I'm concerned that Sirius will shadow me all night. I'm almost certain they'll try to tag-team it."

"Hmph," was all Severus had to say as he leaned against the desk behind him and crossed his arms.

Hermione waited, making sure he didn't say anything else before she ventured closer. "What are you brewing, anyway?"

"I'm testing out a new brewing procedure for a basic pain relief. It would decrease brewing time while increasing potency. I only need to switch the fennel for Devil's Claw and stir eight times counterclockwise instead of four clockwise."

"And you thought it was okay to brew, then? On your own? Without supervision? And how can you be sure that the changes won't result in an explosion or poisoning yourself? You understand that there's a reason it's been published in a textbook the way it has for a reason."

"By the book, of course. Because if it's in a book it must be right. Honestly, Granger, have you never had an original thought in your life?" he asked, turning to look at her for the first time.

With his hair greasier and lankier with oil build-up and cauldron fumes, his posture somehow commanding for a fourteen-year-old, Hermione immediately remembered that this was Severus Snape , who would one day be Potions master Severus Snape. How would he become the youngest master in the last two centuries if he didn't experiment? She was starting to forget that her peers now had been adults not six months before. She knew at least something about their futures, but even that had slipped her mind.

Severus looked her over, his brow furrowed in confusion. "You look ...." He paused. "Your hair is still atrocious," he blurted out eventually, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"Because yours is so much better right now," she replied, moving her hands to her hips, the bag of candy hitting her thigh.

Severus' eyes zeroed in on it. "I don't intend to socialize."

Hermione's lips curled and puckered in her attempt to not smile. "Yes, well," she said when she got herself under control. "I hardly see the point in doing anything with my hair. Everyone knows what it looks like, and I don't care about the event."

Severus looked back at the cauldron, deep in thought. He opened his mouth to say something, then frowned as he thought better of it. He then pushed off the desk and peered into his potion.

"I brought these for you." Hermione broke the silence. "I doubt very much that you will eat them while you brew, but the whole thing is for you." She placed the bag on the desk as far from the cauldron as she could. "I may have mentioned to Delia, my ... guardian, that you liked them."

Severus nodded, but he seemed too deep in thought to say anything.

"I'll leave you to it, then," Hermione said, and she headed toward the door. Glancing back, she could see Severus staring at the wall as if it held the answers to everything he wanted to know, and she left the abandoned classroom without another word.

—————H—————

"Severus Snape, you bloody idiot!" Hermione screeched, barely holding in her tears as she wiped his uninjured arm with a towel.

She'd barely lasted an hour at the Yule Ball, having endured one dance with Remus before deciding she liked her toes and wanted to keep them. She ignored Sirius' attempts to lure her back onto the dancefloor, and Lily and the girls were too popular and too enthralled by it all to stay still. So after an hour, Hermione had decided to make her way back to the unused classroom.

Panic had filled her the second she'd stepped inside.

His cauldron was shattered, some pieces embedded in the walls and the desk. There was the iron smell of blood and a splatter on the floor big enough to let her know that he'd bled profusely.

She'd left immediately to run to the hospital wing, hoping beyond hope that the reason she hadn't seen a blood trail was because Madam Pomfrey had been close enough to discover him.

Severus frowned, yanking the towel from Hermione's hands and tossed it onto the table on the opposite side of the bed. "It's your fault."

"How could it have been my fault? You're the one experimenting with potion alterations."

"You brought me the thrice-damned candy! I got distracted because I wanted to keep eating the bloody little addictions." He tried his best to cross his arms, but his sling made it difficult. "I lost count stirring, which is the only reason it didn't work."

"And where was your self-control?" Hermione huffed, crossing her arms and glaring.

"Perfectly intact. Otherwise, I'd have abandoned the potion altogether with the temptation you brought."

"And here I thought you two got along," Madam Pomfrey tutted as she approached Severus' bed. She turned her attention to her patient. "Try not to move around too much, the fracture will heal overnight."

"Fracture?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Yes," Madam Pomfrey said, turning to look at her over her shoulder. "Severus' arm broke with the impact of the cauldron. He was lucky nothing more happened." She directed this last comment to her patient with a sternness that suggested it wasn't the first time they'd had that conversation.

"It exploded faster than I anticipated," he grumbled. He peeked at Hermione and added, "Too far gone to Vanish. I jumped behind the desk and tipped it to use as a shield. Didn't pull my arm away fast enough."

"Well, either learn to be faster or talk to Professor Slughorn about what you can use to keep yourself safe when experimenting," Madam Pomfrey suggested kindly, and Hermione and Severus both snorted and rolled their eyes.

Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "You've convinced her about the professor, I take it?"

"Didn't need to," Hermione retorted. "I noticed the man hardly touches a cauldron. He never demonstrates, and whatever he puts in the cauldrons for us to examine is clearly poured in. And I suspect he buys most of the more advanced potions."

"So you are capable of an original thought," Severus taunted.

Just as it appeared Madam Pomfrey was going to scold him, Hermione replied, "Are you sure I didn't overhear it from a sixth year?"

"I can't, except I know most of your house is incapable of thought."

"Should I inform Lily of your esteemed opinion?"

She expected him to blush or snap at her. Instead, he shrugged.

"Well, Miss Granger, while I do appreciate your concern for my patient, if you aren't going back to the Yule Ball, you should head back to your dormitory."

"Yes, ma'am," she agreed with a nod. Turning to Severus, she said, "I'll come see you tomorrow before I leave for the afternoon."

"Spare me," he sighed heavily, head falling back against the pillow.

Hermione stuck her tongue out as his eyes half-rolled toward her, and he then rolled them fully with a shake of his head.

But Hermione was quite certain she saw the subtle upturn of his lips before she rounded the corner.

—————A—————

Aurora kept looking over her shoulder to where her mother stood in the shadows of the Great Hall, Aunt Min whispering to her. She wasn't sure if it was a Glamour that made her mother look different, or if the straight blonde hair was enough to change her entire appearance. Either way, when Aurora looked at thirteen-year-old Hermione Granger swooning to her left, she knew without a doubt that no one would ever think they were the same person.

Well, except Luna, but she wasn't here.

So Aurora turned her attention to the dueling stage where Professor Lockhart stood, looking quite dreamy. And while she loved her father dearly, he was not 'pleasing to the eye.' The professors were complete opposites: white and black, blond to black, dashingly handsome to ... a charming personality around a very select crowd.

"He's just brilliant, isn't he?" Hermione Granger sighed, and Aurora felt nauseated as she watched Hermione's eyes follow Professor Lockhart.

She turned slowly over to give her mother an exasperated look. But her mother was biting her lip, her eyes locked on her husband. It was just as stomach churning.

Aurora looked away, focused on the two wizards bowing to one another and drawing their wands. They headed to opposite ends of the stage.

"On the count of three," Professor Lockhart commanded, looking at the crowd of students, "two, one!"

" Expelliarmus ," her dad said casually, flicking his wand lazily. Professor Lockhart was tossed across the stage as his wand flew to his opponent. There were shocked gasps all around the room, including from Hermione, who looked the most disappointed of all.

"Are you honestly that surprised?" Aurora asked her quietly. "After what he did to Harry after the Quidditch match?"

"But ... he's a best-selling writer!" Hermione exclaimed. "He's famous for so many amazing things. And Professor Snape—"

"Into pairs, all of you," Professor Lockhart called out to the room, gesturing with as much composure as he could.

"I have to go," Hermione said, moving around Aurora and immediately heading for Millicent Bulstrode.

"I'll pair with you," Ginny said as she came up beside Aurora.

"All right," she agreed, watching Ginny glance over at Harry and Draco, who were starting to duel before the signal was given. In fact, Aurora noticed one by one, everyone was starting to get into it. She and Ginny moved closer to one another as if they could somehow protect one another from the chaos around them.

"Enough!"

Aurora whipped her head toward the stage as her father's voice cut through the room, making everyone freeze.

"Yes, well." Professor Lockhart smiled nervously, eyes darting to the corner of the room where Aunt Min and her mum were standing. "Perhaps we should have another demonstration? This time between students? How about Aurora Snape and ... Ronald Weasley?"

"Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells," her father cut in. Much to Ron's disappointment, she was sure. "Don't believe for a moment I will allow Miss Snape to be on the receiving end. Might I suggest someone from my own house?"

"I'll do it, Professor."

Aurora stiffened as she heard Draco volunteer. They hadn't been on the best of terms since the incident over Colin, and she doubted it would suddenly get better.

"She's younger than you, and less experienced."

"It's fine, Professor Snape," Aurora said with a nod, heading toward the stage with Draco. She tried her best imitation of her mother's chin tilt and she caught Draco's amusement from the corner of her eye.

"Very well," her dad assented, rolling his eyes and waving it off. He moved to stand off to the side with an air of utter boredom, though she knew he would be watching every little move.

"On three, disarm only," Professor Lockhart said. "One, two, three!"

" Aculeus !" Draco shouted, and the bite lashed against Aurora's wand hand like a hundred bee stings.

She cried out in pain, collapsed on her knees and clutched her hand to her chest. She couldn't let go of her wand, the swelling keeping it locked in place.

"You were supposed to disarm her, Malfoy!" Harry shouted.

"What are you going to do about it, Potter?"

"Perhaps," Professor Snape interrupted coldly as he came toward her, "Mr. Potter wishes to defend his housemate's honor? We all know how much he enjoys being heroic."

The malice in her father's words was a direct contradiction to the gentleness of his actions. As he spoke, he knelt beside her, placing his hand softly over hers. Wordlessly and wandlessly, he healed her hand, his magic washing over her soothingly. Once healed, he helped her stand, then brought her over to the side.

"What do you say, Potter?" he asked Harry, who had remained glaring at her father from his place in the audience.

It was a challenge as much as it was a hidden request. Her dad's hands were still on her arms, she felt his muscles tensing as he looked at Draco's smug face. A smugness that momentarily faltered as he met his godfather's gaze.

Without a word, Harry took the stage.

"Remember, disarm only !" Professor Lockhart reminded them with emphasis, looking more and more nervous as the two young wizards stared at one another.

Draco barely flicked his hand as he whispered something, and a large snake shot from the end of his wand.

She would later blame the effects of pain and fear for not recalling what happened after that. Professor Lockhart, against her father's better judgment, attempted to Vanish the snake. Instead, it got larger. It turned toward her, and she shifted behind her father. A strange hissing sound made her peek out from behind him, and she saw Harry speaking to the snake as it found more interesting prey in a Hufflepuff.

It hadn't occurred to Aurora before that Slytherin's Heir could be in a different house. After all, the way Draco had been acting after the incident with Colin, the whispers she had heard from Harry, Ron, and Hermione when they didn't notice her in the common room, she'd begun to think Draco really was some kind of Slytherin Prince.

But Draco didn't talk to snakes, not like that. And he was terrified of Harry, much like everyone else at that moment.

Including, from what she could discern, her father.

—————A—————

"Just tell me, Hermione!" she heard her father's exasperated plea from down the hall, and the sound of it brought Aurora to the door of her bedroom in her father's chambers. She opened it softly so she could hear the conversation. The sitting room wasn't far away, and the conversation became clearer.

"Severus, you know I would if I could," her mother pleaded, desperate and upset. "I can only tell you that you don't have to worry about Harry."

"He spoke to the snake! The bloody snake! Merlin knows what he told it to do ..."

"I think ... it's been ages, but if memory serves me right, he told it to back away. To not hurt anyone. And honestly, if you should be upset with anyone, it should be Draco!"