She spared one last glance at the small creature in the box.

It was a pitiful and ugly little thing, and Hermione had always been a defender for pitiful and "not traditionally pretty" things, for she hated to call anything ugly.

Unless referring to a certain toad-like pink wearing former professor, then she might be persuaded to make an exception. However, even then she considered it below her moral standards and intelligence to cast disparaging remarks over something so banal like appearance.

But it was ugly. And she freely called it so because not only was it "not traditionally pretty", it also had a temperament to match.

An ugly temperament.

Yet still...she could not abandon it to a sad fate. It just wasn't in her. It wasn't it's fault even as she stifled a yelp of pain when the thing attempted to bite her through the little box when she attempted to soothe it.

Patience, don't take it personally Hermione.

Casting all the privacy charms she could, despite being under the cover of Harry's cloak, she carefully deposited the box and after a parting breath to steel herself, rapped on the door and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

Severus ripped opened the door of his chambers, a growl on his lips for whoever had dared to disturb him in his chambers only to find the corridor empty.

Before he could work himself up into an appropriate amount of range to go search for the miscreants who had dared prank him by knocking on his door and then dashing away, he noticed a box on the floor in front of him. Whipping out his wand he quickly ran diagnostics to find out just what kind of blatant booby-trap someone thought they could set for him. Only to have his curiosity peaked when all his scans came back clear. How unusual.

A noise issued from the box and it moved slightly, and Severus ran another set of diagnostics. Not a prank then, but some loathsome beast to harm or humiliate him...but again the tests came back clear. Looking quickly around the halls to see that whoever had left the box had indeed vacated, he gently nudged the box with his toe, only for it to make that strange noise again.

Stowing his wand back in the holster on his arm, he cautiously opened the box, and was greeted with a snarl and baring of sharp white teeth that had him reaching back with a muttered curse, though not before grasping the note that was attached to the side.

The beast nearly escaped from the box then as it tipped over and Severus quickly had to grasp it in one hand, note still clutched in the other, to prevent it from being unleashed on the unsuspecting populous of Hogwarts. It made that strange noise again and Severus realised it was what passed for a growl for this creature, high pitched and grating.

He sneered at the beast and it sneered right back at him, lip curling up unnaturlly and baring obscenely wicked looking teeth.

"What the devil are you?"

Flicking out the parchment he read it, while still holding the creature in his other hand.

There was no noticeable change in his demeanour, but he sniffed haughtily after reading the note, before turning back to the beast in his hand with a cruel sneer.

"You don't frighten me beast, so you may as well cease with the effort before I hex you"

Hermione watched from the end of the Hall, protected by the invisibility cloak as Snape opened his door and found the box. Waiting with bated breath she thought at fist he would hex the box and she almost shouted out to him, though sagged in relief when she realised he was just running diagnostics.

When he cautiously toed the box, it was such an un-snapelike gesture that she almost laughed. Though found herself holding her breath once more when he finally opened it. She winced as he retreated with an oath, knowing he'd likely been subjected to a flash of teeth but then the box tipped and he was quickly grabbing the small creature to prevent it escaping.

She watched him read the note, then froze for a moment. Something passed over his expression for a only a second, then it was gone. She held her breath once more when he turned to the creature with a sneer. "You don't frighten me beast, so you may as well cease with the effort before I hex you"

Typical she thought and almost snorted.

But his next words had her collapsing to the ground beneath her, hand over her mouth to prevent any sound escaping.

"You don't frighten me beast, so you may as well cease with the effort before I hex you"

To his surprise the lip receded as much as it could anyway, as he met the black beasts eyes unflinchingly. There were still very obvious and Dracula-esque fangs protruding from the lip, but Black eyes met black eyes, and a quiet moment passed. Then another.

"Well, you'd best come in then hadn't you...beast?"

He abandoned the note, to secure the creature in a better hold cradled against his chest and returned to his study, closing the door behind him.

Hermione smiled from her viewpoint as she watched the dour potions master tuck the small form against his chest and retreat into his chambers.

The abandoned note had fallen to the ground, as Severus vanished the now empty box and shortly after the discarded note.

But Hermione wasn't concerned. She knew what it said, for she'd been the one to write it.