Hermione looked at Ron, confusion on her face. "Do you think Harry's alright?" she asked her boyfriend, as they slowly left the table and gathered the first years to show them to the common room.

When she had gone to Diagon Alley to pick up her school things, they had met and Ron had asked her out. Since she liked him, she accepted and they had been going steady ever since.

"Don't know? He was acting strange though." Ron replied. Stopping their rather short conversation, they filed out of the Great Hall, a bunch of tired and well-fed first years tagging along behind them.

Reaching the portrait of the fat lady they stopped. Hermione, acting just as Percy had done, piped up. "This is where the Common Room entrance is. The password to get in is frogspawn."

As the portrait swung open, Hermione waved the first years inside and gently shoved Ron in the direction of the boys' dormitory. Taking the hint, Ron made his way up to the 5th year boys' room. He quietly knocked before entering the room.

Harry was sitting up on his bed, the photo album Hagrid had given him in his first year lying open on his lap. Ron walked over to his best friend and glanced down at the photo Harry was staring at. It was one of the photos of Lily and James' wedding. It was a shot of the four Marauders, Lily and off to one side was Snape.

"You ok?" Ron asked quietly, not wanting to upset his friend. Harry shook his head, no.

"I don't know what's happening to me. Well, I do, but I don't know what to expect. Then I end up acting like a nutter in the Great Hall." Harry sighed. "Don't ask me what happened down there, 'cause I don't know how to answer that."

Ron just nodded, them smiled. "Guess what happened at Diagon Alley," he asked. When Harry shook his head Ron told him all about asking Hermione out. This news did its job well.

Harry started to grin, before breaking out into a full smile. "Good going Ron! I was wondering when you two would finally get together."

Ron smiled sheepishly down at his friend. "Yeah, well, we're happy." After a few minutes of quiet, he asked Harry what had been bothering for a while now. "Snape is truly a vampire?" When Harry nodded Ron smiled even wider. "Hah! Knew it. Gotta tell Fred and George. They were sure he wasn't."

"Yeah. Well, it's not as fun as you think it is. I've been talking to him you know. He was attacked shortly before coming to Hogwarts. Apparently it is not all that easy. I haven't changed that much. What scares me is the fact that I was born this way and I didn't even know it."

Ron flinched. "Tough break. I know you don't really want to be a vampire Harry, but you don't really have much of a choice. If it helps, I'll still be your friend. So will Hermione. She keeps on blabbing on constantly bout how hanging around us will make it easier."

Harry nodded. "Maybe I will. Severus said to start off with it will be hard to control, especially around people. That's why I have a whole room to myself. Just in case it gets too much for me to stay here."

"Severus?" Ron asked, grinning. "Oooh on a first name basis with our Potion's Professor. I would NOT go calling him that from now on."

Harry laughed. "I won't, don't you worry."

"So where is this room of yours. You promised to show Hermione and me remember."

Harry nodded, closed the album and got to his feet. Waving Ron to follow him, they went downstairs to the common room, only to see Hermione curled up on a couch, a book in one hand, with Crookshanks purring loudly on her lap.

After telling her that they were going to go to Harry's private room, she jumped up quickly, dislodging the cat from its resting place. The three of them quickly opened the portrait and took off. Halfway around a bend, they crashed into someone. Quickly looking up, they saw that it was Snape.

Harry quickly looked at the ground. This was the last person in the world he wanted to see right now.

"I suppose that you have told your friends about all the interesting news you have had Harry?" Severus said, glaring at the three teenagers, obviously off running into trouble somewhere.

"Yes sir. They're my friends. They would have killed me if I hadn't told them everything." After a few seconds, he added, "not literally."

Calming down a bit, Snape asked, "Where are you going to in such a rush? Watch what you are doing next time."

"Sorry Professor. Harry was taking us to his room. He wants us to know where it is." Hermione announced.

Severus nodded his head to the girl before turning his attention fully onto Harry. "Be careful. Change the password every now and then. If you feel like having company, then that is up to you but you will need at least a few days, maybe weeks to yourself. When you start to feel the hunger for blood, do not give your friends here the password. They might end up being snacks."

With that said, Snape moved on down the corridor, his robes catching the wind and billowing out, like always. Harry looked at him as he disappeared around the bend. He suddenly didn't feel well. His stomach was knotted and he knew his face was paler than normal.

"Come on Harry. You can show us your room now. When it comes to the time when we have to leave you alone, we'll leave you alone." Hermione said, trying to loosen Harry up a bit. Harry turned and looked at her, before nodding.

Giving a reluctant smile he replied, "Yeah, let's go. It's over here!" By the time they had reached his room, he was once again in a good mood, his conversation with his father lying forgotten at the back of his mind. He would enjoy his time with his friends now, while he had it.