Prologue.

Hermione ran as quickly as she dared as she made her way to the dungeons. Severus was waiting and he had something for her. He had sent her an owl that morning to come just before curfew. It was nearing the end of the school year and Harry was leaving with professor Dumbledore in less than an hour.

Her tennis shoes made nearly no noise as she skidded to a halt at his chamber doors. She didn't bother to knock as she entered the room.

"Ah, Hermione, thank you dear." One of her more favorite headmistress portraits greeted her at the door.

"For?" Hermione asked confused as she moved more into the room taking off her cloak. It was much warmer in Severus' rooms than the rest of the dungeons but she knew better than to come down without it as when she made her way back up to Gryffindor tower.

"I have yet to talk to her Dilys. I told you this twenty minutes ago when you asked how she took it." Severus drawled as he walked into the front room. "hey." He said softly kissing the top of her head. It was as affectionate as he had ever gotten with her; frustrating her to the point of no return some days.

"hi." She said flushing deeply.

Severus let his guard drop for a moment as he smiled softly at her before leading her into another room. Hermione had only been in the front room and his bathroom before, but he gently led her to another room, although she noticed with deep disappointment it was not his bedroom.

It actually looked more like an office than anything, but it did have his artwork and personal potions lab.

"I have many things to give you tonight. Firstly, I need to give these to you. These are my personal notes from everything I have ever learnt from the dark lord. You cannot read them. Not yet. Secondly, this file is even more important. This is the entire background history of a relative on your mother's side. She is a pureblood witch that died very young. The details on why you need this information also are in here. This is something else that you can't read just yet. Next, this small bag is very old. It has undetectable charms on it. Making it essentially bottomless and weightless. It holds many small things for you to look at when the time is right. It also holds both of the keys to the Monett vaults; one each in France and the other here at Gringotts. There is also a generous amount of muggle Euros and Pound notes in here as well." He said handing the bag to her. It felt like a gentle swath of lace in her hand.

"What's going on Severus?" Hermione said softly almost afraid of the answer.

"Tonight is the start of the peak of our war. Tonight, Dumbledore will die." He said barely a whisper.

"What? How?" Hermione said frantically suddenly losing interest with the contents he had just handed to her.

"It matters not. The time to review all of this will be when I die. I know I will. I feel it. And there's nothing I can do to prevent it. This war had ruined too many people. This war had ruined me; I cannot be the man you need. Not truly. And that hurts me more than I can ever say. I am sorry, Hermione. I only wished it was enough. But you must return to your dormitory soon." He said leading her back to the front room. Dilys was gone now. Once they reached the doors to his rooms he handed her a neatly folded envelope. "This contains everything I cannot say to you; please wait until morning to read it. There is also a letter describing the details and reasons behind why I am giving these to you; read that after you have calmed. I only hope against hope that you will still follow through with this request, I'm going to apologize ahead of time for my sins." He added cryptically before placing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Severus?" Hermione asked scared, looking between both of his eyes trying to decipher the mystery.

"I love you, Hermione Granger. Please, I beg of you to remember that. I am not a monster but I have no choice. Please go back to the tower quickly." He said intensely before opening his door. Hermione took a shaky step to him, instead of walking out.

"I love you as well, Severus. This is not good-bye." Hermione replied softly looking at him as if for the first time. She could feel her eyes burning with unshed tears. Gently she raised her hand to rest on the side of his face before reaching up to kiss his lips softly for the first time.

"Go now woman." He rasped after a moment before she stepped away and looked back at him. "quickly." He said before shutting the door.

Hermione stood there and looked at the closed door for a moment before turning and running away to the tower, blinking back tears as she went.

She was gasping for breath as she reached the portrait of the fat lady; she barely managed to get the password out for it to open to the disaster within.

"DeathEaters are in the castle Hermione. We need to go." Ginny said frantically over the commotion as she passed a small amount of what looked to be Harry's Felix Felicius.

"Let me take this up and I'll be back down." Hermione said holding up the paperwork in her hands.

"Hurry. We've got to get to Luna." Ginny said handing her the vial. "This is the last of it. One teaspoon is good for six hours. This is exactly that."

Hermione downed the potion quickly before running up the stairs and placing the information Severus gave her with her Hogwarts, A History book at the bottom of her trunk.

By the time Hermione made her way back down she could feel the potion starting to work. She felt compelled to go to the headmasters' office.

If only she would have been able to predict the catastrophe awaiting her as she rushed past Ginny and Ron as they made their way through the school.