Four weeks… it's been four weeks since the order was betrayed. Four weeks since Severus Snape killed Albus Dumbledore. Four weeks since the order had to move to a new headquarters, a large house in the middle of nowhere, hidden with the findelus charm. No one saw it coming… no one saw any of it coming.
They all trusted Snape because Dumbledore trusted him. They didn't know who to trust anymore. They were lost without their leader. What were they to do? Many were hurt by the treachery of Snape. But out of all of them Hermione Granger was hurt the most.
Well… not really hurt. She hurt yes but she was mostly confused. Sure they didn't ever get along but Hermione knew that Snape wasn't a bad man. She had known since the end of their fourth year that Snape was a deatheater and that he was a spy for the order.
'If he was a spy then why did he kill Dumbledore? Did he not want to spy anymore? Did Dumbledore do something that made Snape kill him?' So many questions ran through her head. She wished she had the answers to her questions. But she knew she could never know unless she went straight to the source.
Hermione was constantly having a battle with herself. Despite what Snape had done she knew more like she hoped that Snape was still on their side. I mean if he was truly spying on them they all would have been dead years ago. Also what about all the times that Snape saved their lives?
Hermione ran her hands over her face. She was confused so confused. She had to talk to Snape. If he was still on their side then could find out information from him and she could pass it to the order. And if she was wrong and he truly joined Voldemort then more than likely she would be kidnapped and killed. She knew she was taking a risk but she had to know. She already sent an owl to him the day before. The owl took a long time to find him but the owl returned later that night with a reply.
Snape agreed to meet with her as long as she came alone and no one knew where she was going. He told her to meet him in the Leaky Cauldron at 10pm. He would be sitting in the back wearing a black cloak and his face would be covered with a hood.
Earlier that day Hermione snuck out Harry's invisibility cloak. She also made a portkey back in case she was wrong and things went badly. Everyone was going to sleep early since there was an order meeting that day. They were all exhausted. She waited until everyone was asleep then she slipped out at 9:45. She left the headquarters and apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. She was grateful that she already received her Apparating license last year.
Hermione walked into the Leaky Cauldron and turned her gaze to the back. There enough was a hooded figure sitting in the back alone at a table. She slightly slipped her wand into her hand in case he attacked her. She slowly approached the table.
"Professor." She cautiously said.
The hooded figure lowered his head in acknowledgement. "Miss Granger."
Hermione sat down on the other chair at the table. "What did Albus Dumbledore make you do in my fourth year?"
"He made me let you help me in preparing potions for Madam Pomfrey when I feel behind in my work." He paused for a moment. "what did I say to you after the Yule Ball?"
Hermione frowned at this. She remembered all too well about what he said. She would never forget those words. They reminded her that he was looking out for them. "You deserve better than Victor Krum. Don't let the quidditch player dunderhead ruin your life. Look for someone that appreciates you for who you are and not for your looks." She replied and Snape stood up.
"Follow me Miss Granger let us speak somewhere more privately." Snape said as he stood up. She hesitated. He must have noticed because he of course made a remark. "I'm not going to harm you Miss Granger." He sneered at her.
Hermione hesitated another moment before getting out of her seat and following her former Professor up the stairs to the rooms and he opened one of the doors. She silently followed him. She walked into the room and he followed her in.
He quickly locked the door and placed wards around the room. He lowered his hood and unclasped his clock before draping it on one of the seats in the room.
"Why did you want to talk to me Miss Granger? Surly you know by now that I am a traitor. You made a foolish mistake by coming here."
At these words Hermione whipped her wand out and pointed it at Snape's chest. "I want to know what happened that night."
"Simple. I revealed my true colors. I'm a death eater so I killed Dumbledore." He said as he calmly sat down in one of the chairs. Not caring about the wand currently pointed at him.
"Don't give me that bull Severus Snape. I want to know the truth why did you do it? And don't lie." she hissed.
"I did it because I had orders to Miss Granger, simple as that. All I did Miss Granger was I followed orders. And now I am the dark lord's right hand man, as I was before his first downfall." He replied.
Hermione moved closer to Snape until she was directly in front of him. She pressed her wand into his neck. "I said don't lie to me Severus." Snape scowled fiercely as she called him his first name. "Don't give me that look Severus. You are no longer my professor and I am no longer your student so we might as well drop all these stupid formalities and call each other by our first names. Now tell me the truth because I don't believe you one bit. I know you are still one of us, you would never turn to the dark."
Hermione's eyes meet his. The black globes carried a hint of amusement. "Really Miss Granger, why wouldn't I? I am, after all, the snarky dungeon bat." He replied as he stood up from his seat.
"It's Hermione." She snapped. "Now tell me why."
Snape narrowed his eyes. This bloody Gryffindor wasn't going to give up until she got her answer. "Fine… Hermione, I cannot tell you why I did what I did that night but you are right I have never turned my back on the order."
"I knew it. I knew you weren't a traitor." she squealed and launched herself at him, enveloping him into a hug.
Snape stood there stiff as the young Gryffindor hugged him. It has been years since someone actually hugged him.
Hermione realized what she was doing and she quickly let go. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment. She quickly gathered herself. "I'm sorry Severus I… I don't know what overcame me."
"It's quite all right… Hermione just make sure it doesn't happen again." Snape sneered.
Hermione walked over to the couch and sits down. "So Severus you never betrayed us. Then why did you never come back. You could explain what you did… right?"
Snape sighed and slouched in his chair. "I can never go back Hermione. Not after what I did. I can explain my actions but no one will ever accept them. my role in this war is to provide information for the Order. I can still provide the information for them but I need someone to give the Order the information."
"Wait a second you want me to become a spy?" Hermione asked, shocked. "but I… I can't."
"I'm not asking you to become a spy Hermione." Snape rolled his eyes. "All I am asking you is that you give the information I provide to the Order. It will save many lives." He explained.
Hermione bit the bottom of her lip. He was right. With the information he would give her they could save several lives. "If I were to accept your proposition Severus what would I tell the order? Who do I say gave me the information?"
"You're the brightest witch of your age Hermione or so they say. I'm sure you can come up with something. Now I need your answer Hermione. Will you help me or not?"
"Fine I will help you."
Snape narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure? If you are found out by the dark lord then… then the worst and if the Order were to find out then they would probably do the same."
Hermione narrowed her eyes in response. Did Severus doubt her? She was willing to do whatever it took to keep people in the order safe and to end the war and to end Voldemort himself. "I've never more sure."
"Very well Hermione. Take this." Snape pulled out a bracelet from his pocket. It was a silver band embedded with rubies. "I'm sure you are familiar protean charm. I have a similar one except mine has emeralds."
Hermione cautiously took the bracelet from Snape. She slipped it onto her right arm. As she slipped it onto her arm the bracelet shrunk down to the size of her arm. Hermione looked at him confused.
"No can take the bracelet now, except for you." Snape walked over to her and grabbed the bracelet and tugged but it didn't budge. "See."
Hermione nods her head.
"You should go Hermione the Order will be worried if they don't find you in your bed." Snape reminds her. "Good luck and remember to keep quiet about this or we will both pay."
Hermione nods and quickly leaves, not looking back.