Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter One:

Albus Dumbledore sat at the head of the meeting table in Grimuald place looking solemn to the group sat around him.

"One of the students have not turned up for the beginning of the new semester, one of our more promising students, it is important we get them back to the school, for not only their own educational reasons, but also because they have a large responsibility in this war we are fighting, the battle against 'He who must not be named' is getting closer and we need them now more then ever." Dumbledore said making everyone in the room curious as to what person, other then Harry Potter would have so much pull on the war.

"Well Albus don't keep us in suspense, who is this person and what can they contribute to the war that no one here can compensate for?" Minerva McGonagall asked.

"Hermione Granger never got on or off the train to Hogwarts for the new school semester," Dumbledore replied.

Many in the room gasped, others where worried, but most were still wondering what this teenage girl had, that was so important to the cause, that they had to take some of Harry's guard and try to find this missing student.

"I can understand why we need to make sure she is ok, but I am wondering why she has such an impact on the war, all she is, is a muggle born student, what is so special about her?" One of the newer order members asked.

"Well for one, Hermione Granger is not your average student, she is the best student in her year, she is head girl, she is Harry Potter's best friend and will most likely end up to be Ronald Weasley's other half one day and she is a role model that states everything 'He who must not be named' and his merry band of Death Eaters do, is rubbish."

Most in the room was silent, others chatting quietly to themselves about the situation and how it contributed to other problems.

The Weasley's and most of the staff of Hogwarts past and present were the most worried about their Hermione's sudden disappearance from the world of magic, in fact, only one person in the room wondered why she didn't want to come back and didn't just assume something had happened to make it so she couldn't get back to them.

Severus Snape realised that not everything has a simple reason, not everything is an impossible situation, and not everything has to do with Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, sometimes people have a reason that others won't understand and he knew that he was the only person who was going to look objectively at this new mission, and might give her a chance to explain, before she is whisked off back to the wonderful world of magic.

He was sat wondering how he was going to get the mission for himself when Dumbledore rose to speak again, the room's noise quietened once again.

"I know you all want answers, but you also all have responsibilities you need to attend to," Dumbledore looked around the table giving the members whom tried to argue the point with him a look that told them they wouldn't win before continuing.

Dumbledore turned and looked directly at Severus, "Severus I would like you to do this, you are someone I think she would listen to and I also know you can get yourself out of any situation that comes up, I will discuss the details with you shortly," He said not leaving any room for dispute.

Severus knew when to speak up and when to be quiet and he knew the look, Albus Dumbledore, had in his eye's and knew that now was a time to be quiet, so he nodded his agreement and waited for the meeting to finish and for the details he would need for his new assignment.

The rest of the room obviously didn't know Albus Dumbledore as well, because their voices rose in uproar at his decision to send a Death Eater to find their pride and joy.

An hour later and the meeting was called to a close. Most of the members were still upset about Dumbledore's decisions, but figured he had a reason to do what he did and so they trusted him to do what was best for their Hermione and their cause.

Severus followed the Hogwarts Headmaster into a small room off the house foyer, and waited for him to begin, which didn't take long after he made sure that the room was secured with locks and silencing spells.

"I want you to do anything, and I mean anything to get Hermione Granger safe from those whom may wish to harm her."

Severus nodded to his instructions, was given her address and was told to report back to him and the order in a few days, hopefully with Miss Granger in hand.

"She is a silly teenager! I don't know what it is that could be important enough to just abandon Harry like this," Dumbledore mumbled, but it was loud enough for Severus to pick it up.

Severus bid the order and Dumbledore farewell and returned to his house for the night before setting off on his new mission the following morning. One thing kept going through his head, was that he had never seen Albus Dumbledore look down upon his students as silly teenagers before, and that was a worrying thought.

Severus poured himself a few fingers of fire whiskey and downed it, refilling it again before moving over to the high back chair placed in front of the lit open fire.

He ran over all the reasons he could think of, that someone such as Hermione Granger had not returned to the school, or even contacted them and then ran through a list of scenarios tomorrow might bring about. One thing was for sure, there was much more going on, at both ends of this mission, then anyone was saying and he just hoped it would all work out in the end.

Severus awoke the next morning and showered, he put on a pair of black pants, a black top, a black jacket and a pair, of dragon hide boots, wishing that Miss Granger lived in the wizarding world so he could wear his usual intimidating robes instead.

He wondered again, why the know-it-all bookworm never returned to the world she was always trying to prove she belonged to, but knew he would never find out until he got her to answer the questions herself.

Severus Snape appeared on what he was told, would be Hermione Grangers door step and knocked on the door and waited for the bookworm to answer.

Hermione was in the kitchen making herself a cup of coffee, her third for the morning, when she heard someone knock at her door.

When she opened the door, she was beyond shocked to see Professor Severus Snape standing there, one brow raised, as he took in the changes that had occurred to her body.

She had changed a little in the last two years, but had been using a glamour while she had attended Hogwarts to keep herself unnoticed. She now frizz free dark brown hair, only a slight curl was to be seen in the nearly straight locks. Her lips were fuller and her body had filled out a bit as well giving her a healthier look, rather then the look of someone who had missed one too many meals.

Hermione had just enough time to come to the conclusion that he looked very good in muggle clothes before he spoke, jolting her back into the reality, that someone from the wizarding world, the world she had left was standing at her door.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes sir," Hermione replied, raising an eye brow in mock irritation, something she had always wanted to do, but had never had the chance.

"May I come in, I wish to speak to your parents," Severus asked hoping to convince her parents that she needed to go back to Hogwarts and avoid any conversations with the teenage Granger herself.

"You may come in, but it is my unfortunate pleasure to inform you that my parents are not here," Hermione replied moving aside to allow him to pass her into the house.

"Well when will they be back, so I may call on them then?" Severus asked impatiently, not wanting to stay, if he couldn't complete his mission.

"Well sir, unless you believe in reincarnation or you have a return ticket to the doors of death, you will be waiting a long time."

"Well who are your legal guardians?"

"I am sir, why do you ask?" Hermione replied as she started to walk back into her kitchen, wanting to drink her coffee before it went cold.

"But your only a young girl, you can't possibly be able to look after yourself!" Severus stated following her.

"With all due respect sir, I am a twenty year old woman with responsibilities, and don't have time to listen to your insults all day, now either you tell me what it is you are doing in my house or you can leave. The choice is yours!"

Getting more frustrated by the minute, her comments finally threw him over the edge.

"Why you insufferable little chit…" He started, stopping when a cry was heard through the house.

Hermione raised her hand to her old potions master, "Hold that insult, I will be right back." And with that she left the room with out a single look back, leaving a dumb founded Severus Snape in her wake.

Severus stood and thought over the conversation they had just had and the information he was just given had only just sunk in. Hermione Granger was a twenty year old woman, he still hadn't figured out how that was possible, who's parents were dead, which meant the decision to leave Hogwarts and the wizarding world were all her own, but he still couldn't figure out why, and was also stunned at the difference in her a features and also her personality.

Hermione walked back into the kitchen and sat back in the same seat she was in before, took a sip of her coffee and took a cleansing breath.

"Now before you start insulting me again, what is it you were sent here to do?" She asked calmly.