Best Kept Secret

AN: AU - from end of OoTP. No Slughorn, camping, or random hallows thrown in for this story. Sorry Jo. Inspired by comfortablylaura's deviantart Best Kept Secret (please see my profile for the link) and of course, the brilliant JKR. Thank you

Chapter 1

Mid-October 1997 - Hogwarts

Hermione Granger paced back and forth in the empty classroom alternately wringing her hands or toying with a loose button at the collar of her shirt, her dragonhide boots thudding quietly on the stone floor, keeping steady double time with the clock on the wall. It was dusk and the sun's last light, shining from the few windows on one wall, cast the whole room, including her worried countenance, in deep shadows and a golden red glow. She'd been pacing for ten minutes, waiting for an hour, eyes fixed to the clock, unable to focus her mind on the books and notes at her work table or to force her body to sit still while her heart pounded wildly in her chest. He should be here by now. He should be here. The man was never late. Despite the precarious position he held in the war and all the obstacles that entailed, if he said he would be somewhere at a certain time, he always found a way to be there, punctual, if not early. The fact that he was now 25 minutes and 57 seconds late turned her world upside down.

She stopped pacing for a moment before one of the luminous windows, gripping the stone sill, closing her eyes to the ever mocking timepiece, and mentally shook herself. Merlin! One would almost think she were waiting for her lover and not her professor. At that thought, an ache, an emotion she couldn't- wouldn't, put a name to, rose to fill her chest, producing an unexplainable hitch in her breathing. Pushing herself away from the sill with a deep breath and resumed her pacing. It didn't matter. He was her teacher. Her friend. Of course she was worried. One always worried for one's friends when they are put into dangerous situations. Though thinking back, she could hardly remember being more frightened for anyone else, including her mum, dad, and Harry, in her entire life.

Her boots, dragonhide because he'd insisted on her safety even before they were friends, picked up their same agitated cadence where they'd left off. He should be here by now. He should be here. The words repeated in her head over and over, but her heart refused to follow logic's path and take her thoughts into further speculation as to why he wasn't. Instead her mind traced back to how, in the space of few short months, her world had begun to revolve around the well-being of Severus Snape.

Early July 1996 - More than 1 year prior

In the summer before Hermione's 6th year, after the Ministry had finally, finally, acknowledged You-Know-Who's return and fear was growing like weeds in the hearts and minds of witches and wizards everywhere, Professor Dumbledore's head appeared in the floo and summoned a startled Hermione from the Burrow to Hogwarts in the middle of breakfast one morning. In her denim shorts and t-shirt, hair still in a tangled plait from a restless night's sleep she stepped through the Headmaster's floo to the sight of a disgruntled Professor Snape. She heard heard his stomach growl and deduced that his breakfast had been interrupted as well. The man flushed faintly, knowing that she had heard and acted as though the chair she had just occupied next to him was empty, staring straight at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk with his fingers pressed together thoughtfully, and without mincing words, no perfunctory offering of sweets or polite inquiries on health, he thrust Hogwart's brightest student and most reviled professor together on a classified project to develop and produce a potion that could repel or neutralize jinxes, hexes, and Unforgivable curses. It was unheard of, and to Snape's mind, impossible. He vented his outrage at wasting his time and abilities in his most forceful, sneering manner to the Headmaster, still ignoring Hermione, as she sat, emotions whirling - pride at being considered skillful enough by such a great wizard, worry that she would fail at the endeavor, and irritation from a niggling memory of something she'd once read. She lost track of the conversation for a moment as she tried to remember what it was, biting her lip in concentration. She did however hear a few protestations against herself - only a child, not in the Order, insufferable. "I haveother projects that you have assigned to me, Headmaster," Professor Snape had hissed angrily to the calm Headmaster. "I cannot see how trying to develop a potion that all the Masters and researchers in the field have acknowledged to be unworkable is worth mine or Ms. Granger's time." She looked up at the same time he said her name, not really hearing him, a look of realization dawning on her face.

"Now, now, Severus. You-" Dumbledore was starting his polite you-don't-have-to-like-it-and-I'm-not-asking-I'm-ordering-you speech in his most placating tone when he was interrupted.

"Not all the researchers, sir!" Hermione's words had suddenly burst out of her as the niggling memory framed itself into a full recollection. "I remember reading an chapter of a book in the library about-" a scoff here from Snape, but she continued quickly, "a certain ingredient, a kind of ox blood. Something like Reen blood…"

"Re'em blood?" asked Snape disdainfully.

"Yes! - that had potential to do just such a thing if added to the right strengthening draught in a certain way."

"That theory was proven wrong before you were born, girl. The blood of that animal is only good for revitalizing potions, not protective potions."

She shook her head thoughtfully, speaking more to herself than to the teachers in the room. "The idea was shot down because of human error and the rarity of the ingredient, not because the potential wasn't there. The researchers had a good theory, but were incompetent in practice. However, we could recreate it and run more tests, possibly change a few steps. I'm sure I can find the book and…" her words trailed away as she caught the venomous glare of the Potion's Master.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Wonderful, Ms. Granger! I hope you understand what this could to our efforts against Voldemort." Hermione saw, out of the corner of her eye, Professor Snape tense at the name.

She turned her eyes back to the headmaster and said confidently, "I do, sir. Creating a comprehensive protection potion could possibly save hundreds of lives in the next few years if the violence escalates like I think it will. And-" she hesitated, "Harry is my friend, but he isn't ready for a confrontation with You-Know-Who or any Deatheaters without a little help, yet. We were lucky, at the Ministry, to get away with as few injuries as we did. Harry's always been best at defense against the dark arts, but he'd most likely be susceptible to the Unforgivables as they aren't something that he's comfortable doing himself." At this, she snuck another peek at Professor Snape, who was, as usual, scowling, though he hadn't completely hidden his surprise her lack of idealism. Snape believed her to perpetually follow Harry Potter, blindly imagining the boy was invincible. He said nothing, but then her attention was snatched back by Dumbledore's voice.

"Good, good!" he enthused. "I expect you, Ms. Granger to assist in research and brewing whenever you have spare time from your prefect duties and studies. September 2nd, perhaps. And I suggest," he addressed both the potions master and student, "that you wait until the start of the term to begin your research. Enjoy your summer at the Burrow. As you are still an underage student, there is no particular reason for you to frequent Hogwarts in the summer that wouldn't cause suspicion. In the even that you are successful, it will be safer that the potion is kept a secret, lest it fall into the wrong hands. You may, of course, inform Mr. Potter and, by extension, Mr. Weasley that you will be assisting Professor Snape in his brewing. However, I would prefer that you keep the specifics to a minimum. They will be undertaking confidential Order projects of their own." Hermione nodded. "In the mean time, I do believe Professor McGonnagall would be more than happy to receive a visit from her favorite Gryffindor. I'm sure she is in the Great Hall at this very moment."

She jumped up, knowing a dismissal when she heard one, and stuttered an, "Of course, sir." She nodded to each bidding them goodbye. As she walked to the spiral staircase leading out of Dumbledore's office she heard him continue speaking. "And you, Severus?" the Headmaster's voice had dropped into a serious tone, "You will do this one vital task for the Order. The potion that you develop with Ms. Granger may very well turn the tide for the Light." There was a pause, but no answer from a clearly fuming Snape. "And please be kind while she works with you. If you cannot work with the brilliant, Ms. Granger, I may have to give you Mr. Longbottom or Mr. Weasley as a replacement researcher and brew-

"Good God, NO!" Snape nearly shouted. Hermione stifled a giggle on the stairs as she made her way down.

The old man chuckled. "Only joking, Severus."

"Fine," he grumbled.

By the time Hermione arrived back at the Burrow, Harry and Ron were so worked up with curiosity and worry that they immediately pulled her into an empty room asking in low whispers what Dumbledore had talked to her about. She told them what she knew so far, that she would be working with Professor Snape of all people, but, told them that the Headmaster had requested she not tell them everything for safety's sake. They responded with their predictable outrage and pity, but she quieted their ire with reassurances that she was glad to have something to do to help. Later, when Molly asked, Hermione told the Weasleys that Dumbledore and McGonnagall only wanted to talk to her about career options as she was still undecided.

Then, within the week, Ron was summoned to Hogwarts and was summarily partnered with Flitwick to study various dueling and and battle strategies in preparation for any upcoming battles. He returned to the Burrow whitefaces, but excited and as determined as Hermione to help in whatever way he could. Molly was quite proud when Ron told her that he was going to have private dueling tutorials from the master dueler. A few days after that, Harry was summoned to Hogwarts as well. However, he returned grim faced and worried.

"Harry! What is it?" Hermione exclaimed once the three were alone together in Ron's tiny bedroom, concerned. She sat on the edge of Harry's bed.

"Professor Dumbledore's been injured," he replied darkly.

"What? Is that even that possible?"

"What happened?"

Harry shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure. He wouldn't tell me yet. His hand is all black. It's horrible. It looks… dead," he whispered. "He was very weak. And I think it must be extremely painful. I saw him wince more than once, but he plays it off like it's nothing."

Ron gaped, "If he's wounded, why didn't he see Madam Pomfrey? He'd be healed in a trice!"

Harry shrugged. "He hadn't wanted to talk to me about it yet."

"If Madam Pomfrey couldn't heal him…" Hermione, shocked, spoke softly, "it must have been very, very dark magic." The boys nodded in agreement. They sat together in the living room, contemplating silently what could have happened in the past week for the Headmaster to have sustained such an injury. It was a cold reminder that even a great wizard like Dumbledore could be brought low. "Do you have an assignment as well, Harry?" she finally asked to break the somber silence.

At this he perked up. "Yes! I'm going to be taking lessons from Dumbledore!" He disclosed what he knew so far to them. Hermione knew that they were, all three, excited at the prospect of finally being taken seriously and having a role in taking action against Voldemort in an official capacity. But, as they began to speculate on Harry's private lessons, Ron sprawled across his bed, Harry leaning against the dresser, Hermione wondered how their new roles and partnerships would come to shape their friendship in the future.

AN: I was going to wait until I'd completed the story to post it, but I figure if I post it and hear back from reviewers... *pointed look at potential reviewrs* then I'll be more likely to get off my butt and just finish it. I've got the 2nd and 3rd chapter mostly done, though I'm not sure where this story will go. I have no outline right now, but safe to say there will be romance, fluff, lemons, and probably a sprinkling of angst. I love angst. And romance. And those other things too ^_^ Enjoy and review!