Tainted Innocence:
Chapter One: The Darkness Starts:
One thing leads to another
Before you know it you're in too deep
Until you finally discover
You got no more secrets to keep
Coz little by little, step by step
You're gonna see how far you can get
Listen to the words of your mother
One thing leads to another
You're so obvious but you play it so cool
You must think I'm out of my mind
But i know just what you're up to
Coz the day i give up
Is the day that you drop
And its better you know that i leave and let you go
You'll be in it forever
Coz you've been trapped in the part
Who's callin' stop?
One thing leads to another
Before you know it you're in too deep
Until you finally discover
You've got no more secrets to keep
Coz little by little, step by step
You're gonna see how far you can get
Listen to the words of your mother
One thing leads to another
(One thing Leads To Another – Paulini)
Hermione sat in the library trying not to look too obvious staring at Dark Arts books. Ever since she'd received a book from Viktor, she was so curious and how was she supposed to defend against the "Dark" if she didn't know about it, she wouldn't know how to fight it. So that was why she was sitting in the back corner of the library Dark Arts books piled around her, growling at the book in front of her and threw it on the ground, ignoring the creasing of pages on the book on the ground. Picking up another and flicking through the pages she shrugged and put it to one side of the table and continued flicking through the books. She'd been doing that since she had gotten to Hogwarts, halt all her other homework and go to the library to read the Dark Arts books. Harry and Ron didn't know, they thought she was doing her homework and she was glad for that. "Miss Granger!" A voice pulled her out of her ravine and she jumped out of her seat. "yes sir?"
Looking up she saw Professor Snape and she inwardly and outwardly swore, "FUCK…"
"Excuse me Miss Granger?" The teacher asked her and she groaned, "Nothing sir… no offence just leave me alone, I'm sure you have better things to do then baby-sit a know-it-all Gryffindor…" Professor Snape cut her off, "As true as that may be you are out after curfew and these books… I hardly doubt this is ONLY to increase your knowledge. Follow me!" He lectured her and then commanded in which nobody sane or insane would argue with. So when she stayed seated and said, "NO!" Did he do what Hermione thought no teacher would ever do, he slapped her then pulled her up out of her seat. Dragged her down into the dungeons, forced her into a seat and when she opened her mouth to protest he poured a potion into her mouth.
"Why are you reading Dark Arts books?"
"I can't defend myself and my lover if I don't know what I'm defending against…" The girl twitched.
Severus grew angry, "Why do you hate Professor Snape?"
"I don't, I loathe him. His always calling me a know-it-all, I loathe him but I'm afraid of him…" The girl twitched again.
"Miss Granger; who is your lover?"
"The man I love…" The girl twitched even more than before.
"Who do you love?"
"I love Severus Snape…" The effects of potion were wearing off and she gasped, "OH GOD!" The girl moaned and fled the room bursting into tears.
Groaning Hermione Granger pulled herself out of bed and sighed. She couldn't believe that Snape hit her, and that she enjoyed it, she couldn't believe Snape now knew she loved him, but that she didn't want to go to classes was worst. But she had to go, Hermione Granger would go to class and she'd show nobody the weakness she felt because she would save her love. Because Hermione Granger would some how get Severus to love her, if it was the last thing she did before she died. Her studies of the Dark Arts hadn't stopped or slowed; as Severus had hoped once he'd talked to her, they only increased. She'd stopped going to the Great Hall, and was in the library every minute she could be. Dark rings had appeared under her eyes and it was obvious she wasn't sleeping, "Hermione will you please come have some breakfast with us? It'll do you the world of good…" Harry asked, more like pleaded.
"Come on Herms, I miss you…" Hermione growled at them and slapped them both in the face, HARD. Stormed off into the library and surrounding herself with a pile of books, when she calmed down she sighed, rubbed her eyes and yawned, she was tired but she couldn't stop, she had to find something, she had to save her Severus.
Hermione didn't notice, she didn't notice the other students singing in class, she didn't notice anything except her dark arts books, her studies and most of all, her Severus. Most people didn't notice but Harry and Ginny noticed, it was obvious that Ron hadn't noticed, he was too busy snogging Lavender and Hermione hadn't noticed Ron having an affair. Innocence wasn't something Hermione Granger had ever had, even as a small child, she had a certain air of maturity about her, she learnt things quicker than most, and she wasn't afraid to do anything in her strengths to get what she wanted. Now you may be thinking why she wasn't put in Slytherin, the sorting hat considered it, but decided the bravery of her housemates would help her in the future, and she had no idea of what it had meant, but now she understood. She was going to get Severus to take her to the Dark Lord and act as spy for the Dark Side, but she was going to get the mark, she was going to save Severus from the fate of dying because of being a spy.
"WATCH WHERE YOUR GOING?!" Called a voice from in front of her, as Hermione scrambled to pick up the books that had been folded under her crossed arms, she looked up and saw Draco Malfoy smirking down at her. "Why don't you watch where you're going ferret? If so, you wouldn't have walked into a mud-blood like me, true… So don't go giving me shit when you're the one who tripped me over, not like it matters anyway… You're lucky your father is in Azkaban 'cause he'd kill you for that stunt…" The girl's voice had dropped to a low whisper so only Malfoy could hear her and he flinched at the murderous glint in her eye, "Meow; be a good kitten Mia!" Is all he said before sauntering off into the great hall, the girl stood shell-shocked then she glared at the crowd forming around her. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?!" She snarled at them then stalked off into an empty classroom to practise the charms and hexes she'd learn from the Dark Arts books she'd found.
Professor Snape walked in and she dropped her wand to the ground in shock, "I don't believe that wand should be left on the floor… Expelliarmus!"
"I'm doing this for you can't you see that? How dare you stop me helping you!"
"You're a child you don't know how to help somebody as professional as me…" Hermione cut him off, "Then let me help you, I'd die for you… I'd get the Dark Mark for you! I'd betray everything I've ever known for you! Don't you understand, this isn't a petty school girl crush, it's love!"
"Don't talk about things you don't understand silly girl, foolish Gryffindor your coming with me, the headmaster won't be pleased with you at all…"
"You think I care about that, I'd get myself expelled from this damn school if it'd make you happy, I just want to please you Severus!"
"Sometimes the best way to please is to not do what you ARE doing…" He marched up to her and dragged her behind him. His robes billowing as he shouted to the gargoyle, "CHOCOLATE FRUIT PEARS!" Hermione had never seen Severus that angry, but then again, she didn't care, she wanted to make him happy, whatever the actions were for this 'meeting' she would go to the Dark Lord and she would get herself denoted as a Death Eater, then Severus would listen to her, she would whisk him away and they'd live happily ever after. There was a force on her shoulder and she was forced into a chair, she looked up at the Headmaster's face.
"Lemon Drop? Tea or Coffee?" She shook her head and the headmaster spoke, "Miss Granger, Professor Snape informed me that there is something you need to tell me. This information perplexed me since you're a good student but all my facility has noticed a drop in your work standard and homework has failed to be handed in." He paused for breath and a sip of his cup of tea.
"With any other student we'd let them prove that they will pick up their work efforts but what Professor Snape has informed me it seems you are doing independent research of the Dark Arts…" Hermione's attention waned and she felt her eyes grow heavy, and she felt herself fall out of the chair, but was too tired to do anything about it.