Hermione had been called to the headmasters office, and she sat there patiently as McGonagall took a seat at her desk. "Is this about the job Minerva?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"No dear, this is about the summer break.. I assume you have heard the news?" The old witch inquired, "Yes... I must say i'm not looking forward to it much.. now that my parents are gone i mean..." Hermione sighed.

"I have a small proposition for you, Madame Pomfrey tells me that your visits to Professor Snape have been of great help. I hear he only stops complaining when you're there, and that he doesn't refuse to eat if you're there to encourage him." "That's true.. but not any longer. We have had words Minerva, and I shall not be visiting him again." Hermione said seriously.

"Now Hermione, you know as well as I do that with Severus, words will always be had. Do not let one small row end your friendship." McGonagall insisted, she knew only too well how difficult he was, but she also knew he rarely meant it when he shot his riffle.

"So you're saying i should resume my visits?" "No, I'm saying i wish for you to accompany Severus to Spinners End, or perhaps your family home and care for him throughout the summer. My dear, with your support he seems to thrive.. YOU could be the one to get him back to his old self again." The headmaster explained, Hermione could see that the sistuation of finding a career with enough guts to look after Snape was playing on her mind.

"I don't know Minerva... I..." Hermione replied awkwardly, "will you at least think about it?" The headmaster asked desperately. "Ok, I'll think about it but I make no promises!" Hermione insisted.

Hermione was consumed by the conflicting thoughts in her head as she took a walk down to the black lake. Yes, she wants to help him. Support him after all he has done, but it wasn't that easy.
Not now her feelings of respect and gratitude had turned into something.. so much deeper.

Before he pushed her away, they had become close. By his standards anyway..
Then there was that one time when she purposely held back the fact that the famous actor who she fancied so much actually reminded her of him. That evening it took every bit of inner strength to resist kissing him.. he couldn't fight back after all.

"This is getting out of hand.. I can't be in his presence all summer, I'll only fall deeper. I need this summer to forget these feelings before I end up getting hurt." She told herself sadly, "talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, you know." A familiar ethereal voice cooed.

"That's funny coming from you Luna!" Hermione laughed, she couldn't help it with the irony. "So, did I hear correctly? That you have feelings for Professor Snape?" Luna asked innocently, yet remaining indifferent on the subject. Hermione couldn't answer and looked at her desperately.

"Well.. he's an aquired taste I guess.." Luna smiled gently, before continuing.
"You know, my father always says if you feel something you have to be honest about it or Wizzles will eat away at your mind." "Wizzles?" Hermione asked rather perplexed, this was one magical creature she was not familiar with. However, with Luna, there was a high likelyhood of Wizzles not actually exsisting.

"Wizzles are cheeky little blighters, they're no bigger than a mosquito... but they're rainbow coloured. They don't feed on blood though, they feed on emotions." Luna explained excitedly.

"Right, so you just found out that I've fallen for the bat of the dungeons and you're honestly not even slightly disturbed by it?" "You can't be disturbed by love Hermione. Love is blind and hearts that love do so without judgment." Luna replied seriously.

"Do you love Neville?" Hermione giggled teasingly. "Yes, I think i always have but it's only recently that it's fallen into place." Luna beamed, her blue eyes sparkling with glee.