Disclaimer: Nothing but the plot is mine.

A/N: The wonderful April and Gyre Falcon beta-ed this. Thanks!

--------

"S-Severus!"

Severus Snape's head snapped up at the sound of someone banging into his office. But when he saw who it was, he replaced the alarm on his face with a frown.

"What are you doing here? The graduation ceremony starts in an hour."

Standing by the door was Hermione Granger in a long black robe, and a gold-trimmed pointed hat flopped on top of her frizzy hair. She was currently trying to catch her breath, a hand on her heaving chest, and taking in her surroundings. His office had never been messier: cardboard boxes were scattered all over the floor, filled with phials and parchments; the bookshelves on the wall were empty; and the large mahogany desk that used to sit proudly in the middle of the room was gone. Then she cast her eyes at him. He was in his usual black robe and cloak, but his chin-length hair was disheveled and sticking to his perspiring face. His image of absurdity was completed with the glass fish bowl in his hand.

Whatever mirth she had felt disappeared when she remembered the reason that brought her here. She swept the small smile off her lips. "What is this I heard about you getting fired?"

"Ah." He put the aquarium down carefully and rubbed his face. "So he went to you after I wouldn't give in."

"What are you talking about?" she questioned, moving toward him, gingerly avoiding the boxes in her way. "No one came to me. I overheard Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout chatting just now."

"So I am the gossip of my colleagues," he said irritably, picking up a pile of books near him. "Well?"

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" she demanded, now standing right next to him.

"Nothing is going on. Go back up and prepare for your speech, Head Girl," he replied without looking at her.

She snatched the books from his hand and threw them onto the nearest chair. Severus glared at her. She glared back, her gaze rivaling his in intensity.

"Severus, you will tell me what I want to know," she said indignantly, poking his chest with a finger. "Who did you think had come to me?"

"The Headmaster," he replied in a resigned tone, understanding that there would be no other way than to be honest. "I told him about us yesterday, and he was not exactly supportive. He recommended I end our relationship, and when I refused, he dismissed me."

"But why?" she asked, calming down.

"We aren't exactly the cutest couple out there, my dear," he said dryly, pulling her close. "This isn't wholly unexpected."

"I know." She sniffed at his shirt. Hmm, dusty. "Though, I don't understand. I mean, I thought the wizarding world is supposed to be more accepting about this age difference thing."

"It's not the age. It is our previous relationship. We have our own code of traditional propriety, be it archaic or not," he explained above her hat. "To the majority, I will always be your professor."

"But I am not your student anymore!"

"You were when we started."

"That's not fair." She glowered.

"Very few things are, I am afraid," he said, letting go of her. "Come to think of it, the Order's just worried about you."

"The Order? You mean the entire--"

"I wouldn't be surprised if Albus informed all of the members the second I left his office." His lips curled into a sneer. "They are all worried. What good can a gruesome ex-Death Eater dingbat do to their star Gryffindor?"

"Severus!" she cried at his self-derogatory comment.

"They never trusted me," he continued bitterly and resumed packing. "And they have every reason not to, mind you. I am still keeping both my options open."

"You mean you are still being disloyal to the Light and the Dark." She pursed her lips. "One day, something is going to happen because of your indecisiveness."

"Indecisiveness?" he echoed, his voice slightly muffled behind the boxes. He stood back up and folded his arms. "Hardly, my dear. Not everything has to be in black and white, and I am very determined to tread the graying grounds. This, of course, is beyond your Gryffindor comprehension."

"Spare me your Slytherin wisdom," she sighed. "Come, the ceremony is about to--"

"No." He shook his head. "The Headmaster has specifically instructed me to not be seen and leave quietly."

"But surely you can come to-- it's my graduation, Severus!"

"I don't like this anymore than you do."

"I--" She stopped short, then stated with resolve, "If you're not going, I am not going either."

It was his turn to goggle. "It's your graduation, Hermione."

"So I've said."

"And having the highest scores on the N.E.W.T.s in over a century..." He trailed off at the all-too-familiar gleam in her eyes. "You are not serious about not graduating, are you?"

"Indeed I am, my dear," she replied, doing a fine imitation of him.

"That is..." It was not common for the Potions Master to be caught off guard, but Severus suddenly found himself in the uncomfortable position of being speechless. "Hermione, you can't do that. Not for... it's not worth it."

"I will be the judge of that," she said, her voice heavy with reproach. She took out her wand and shrank a cauldron beside her. Turning to the stunned man, she spoke, "Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to help me?"

Severus stared at her hunched back in the middle of a sea of cardboard boxes, her graduation hat lying forgotten on the floor, and shook his head. This woman was created by some unknown power for the precise purpose of teaching him the meaning of the word 'unbelievable.'

--------

"Very clever move, Dumbledore," Alastor Moody growled, both his hand on the table. He was the only one standing in the room.

"Alastor," Albus Dumbledore sighed. It was no use. The other man would not see reason. "How do you suppose I should handle this, then?"

"Not by sending him out of Hogwarts!" Moody bellowed, making everyone around the table jump. His magical eye bobbled in its socket. "He's our bloody spy, Albus!"

"He's dating Hermione Granger," Dumbledore explained again with extraordinary patience. "A student, Alastor. Can't you see what this says about his morality?"

"Well, what do you expect from an ex-Death Eater?" Moody challenged. "He's been our spy for twenty-odd years. Don't you think it's a little late to worry about his moral principles?" He looked exasperatedly across the table at the old wizard. Why wouldn't he see reason?

"Yes, yes." Dumbledore took off his glasses and started to clean them with the hem of his robe. "But abusing his position to--"

"Does Snape look like the seductive type to you? I assure you, he--"

"Frankly, even I am still in shock."

"What is there to be shocked at? May I remind you that it is you who placed her in his training?"

"Well, by training I certainly did not imply that they should start an improper relationship!"

"The times have changed, Albus." Moody rubbed his deformed nose tiredly. "For the sake of the Light--"

"For the exact same reason I have--"

"Given up the love of your life; so we all know."

"Oh, so you think sacrificing the love of one's life is easy."

"If this is about you--"

"I am not getting personal, Alastor. This is about the Order."

"Just because--"

"Shut up! The both of you!"

The two old wizards snapped towards Harry Potter, who was on his feet. His hands were balled into shaking fists. Ron Weasley sat quietly next to him, his face a perfect shade of white that contrasted Harry's flushed one nicely.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Dumbledore said softly, breaking the awkward silence that had descended the room. The boy had every right to be shouting. His best friend just eloped with his most-hated professor, after all.

"I am so- so sick of this whole ordeal!" He slammed his fist on the table angrily. "Can't we just bring them back and- and- Obliviate them?"

"Harry!" Molly Weasley exclaimed in a horrified voice.

"We'll risk losing our best minds," Remus spoke up calmly, leaning back in his chair.

"We have to bring them back," Moody emphasized and leaned forward, looking around the table at each and every member of the Order, trying to get them to see his point. "We must not antagonize Snape and Hermione. 'The enemy of our enemies is our friend,' the Dark Lord knows that very well. Does anyone here wish to see two of our best go over to the Dark side? Think of what horribly valuable assets they would be to the Dark Lord!"

He glared around, his magical eye hoping to penetrate the thick skulls of his fellow members and see what they were thinking. Some lowered their heads, some wore a blank face, and still some looked back at him defiantly. He understood that many of them had been on the receiving end of Snape's vile temper and never believed that he was reformed. He also knew that many had suffered because of the Death Eaters. But was this hatred a reason adequate enough for them to be illogical?

"Come on, people, this is about nothing other than self-preservation," he stressed again, but his shoulders started to slump.

"I, I reckon he's right," a voice said timidly. Everyone turned to look at Ron, who was still extremely pallid. "We really can't afford to lose them to You-Know-Who. We have to bring them back... who knows? Hermione may come around to herself anytime."

The hopeful note beneath this was too much for the members of the Order to refute, and one by one they agreed reluctantly to seek the missing couple back and have a meeting with them. Moody sighed, in relief this time, and volunteered to be the messenger.

--------

Hermione turned in the bed. When she couldn't feel the familiar warmth beside her, her eyes snapped open.

Where is he?

She squinted in the dark. The candles had long since dwindled to useless tads of wax on the nightstand, and the room was extremely shadowy. She looked around and it was definite: her lover was not in the room. Feeling around the table, she grabbed her wand and whispered, "Lumos."

Immediately the tip of her wand glowed, forcing her to narrow her eyes further. Slowly adjusting to the light, she ran a hand across the silk bedspread. It was cold. Severus had left some time ago. Slipping off the bed and into her slippers, she made her way across the cramped room, carefully avoiding the packed boxes. She had yet the time to unload them all.

Just when she was about to go into the living room, she heard voices coming from the other side of the door and her hand paused on the brass knob. She pressed her ear closely to the thin wooden door.

"So how does he know about this so quickly again?"

"He has his ways, Severus." The voice was vaguely familiar to Hermione. She listened harder.

"Of course." She could imagine him running a hand in his hair when he said this. "Then I am sure he knows what she is, too?"

"Yes, and he respects your choice," the other replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "We understand that she is annoyingly sharp. She will prove to be very useful to the cause."

"Ah, so you have presumed that she knows about us and the cause."

"Doesn't she?"

"Yes," Severus replied in mock defeat.

"Excellent." The other clapped his hands twice, and said, "He wants to see her, Severus."

"I suppose." Severus' words were careful. "The next meeting, then?"

"In my humble abode."

"Very well. She'll be delighted to meet our Lord."

An uneasy chill ran down her spine. There was only one man in this entire universe that Severus would refer to as his 'Lord.' She slowly, discreetly pulled open the door--

Creak.

So much about being discreet, she thought dryly to herself as the two men in front of the fireplace looked up. She held up her wand and faked a yawn.

"Severus?" she called, her voice perfectly bleary.

"You're awake." Severus stood up and the other man followed as she walked over to them. She stopped next to her lover, and turned to the other man. The man she saw nearly took away her breath.

"Hermione, I'd like you to meet Lucius Malfoy." Severus gestured formally. "He's one of my closest friends. He's in the group."

"We've met before, Severus," Lucius replied, his silver eyes flickering in amusement. He took her hand and planted a small kiss on it. "Nice to meet you again, Miss Granger. Or should I say, Lady Snape."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Malfoy," she replied politely, wondering what a convicted Death Eater and Azkaban escapee would want with them in the middle of the night.

--------