A/N: Thank you to the people who have had the time to favorite/follow my story! I am going to build Hermione and Antonin's friendship. This is the main story I am working on right now, so I should be updating at a reasonable pace.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HARRY POTTER SAGA OR ANYTHING ELSE MENTIONED.

Dumbledore looked at Severus quizzically.

"Why do you imply such a thing? I have known Antonin's true intentions since I received word of him wanting a teaching position." Severus crooked his head. "I've known that he was sent to spy for information to give to Voldemort." Severus' eyes widened in horror.

"Are you mental? You've known this, and accepted him anyway? Do you know how this could effect, no; it will effect everyone's fate. He is one of the most feared Death Eaters known. He was a part of the first Wizarding World War. He has killed many innocent people without hesitation. How do you think anything could change his dreadful fate, Albus?" Dumbledore smiled. Severus scrunched his eyes.

"Severus, do you honestly think I would enter this adventure without a plan? I have constructed a plan that will work. I have tested many theories, and I have seemed to draw an excellent conclusion." Severus sat down in the chair across from Dumbledore.

"And what would the 'excellent conclusion' of yours be?" Dumbledore smiled wider.

"What is the only thing in the world that has no eternal fate, which would last a lifetime? Something you can't hide, or destroy, Severus?" Severus crooked an eyebrow, and then Dumbledore saw the confusion turn into an incredulous frown.

"Albus, in case you haven't noticed, no woman in their right mind would love such a cold hearted soul. Oh, Albus, what have you done?" Severus rubbed his fingers against his forehead. "Who is the woman apart of your incredulous plan?" Dumbledore sorted through his papers, and pulled out a single sheet of paper, and handed it to Severus. He took it, and read through the paper. It said:

Name: Granger, Hermione
Birth date: September 19, 1979
House: Gryffindor
Head House: McGonagall, Minerva
Academically Graded: Exemplary
Year: Third Year
Age: 15 (fifteen)

Severus' head snapped up, and glared at the Headmaster for a few seconds.

"Do you honestly think Miss Granger is attracted to Antonin? She has Weasley, and all of those other dunderhead friends of hers. It would be against school rules. Professor and Student relationships are forbidden. You are the Headmaster; surely you know that it is against the school's guidelines? What about the age difference? They are seventeen years apart, Albus! This plan is never going to work." Dumbledore looked at him questioningly. "Love knows no boundaries, Severus."

Antonin decided to go to the Astronomy Tower, and skip dinner. He remembered the Astronomy Tower from his time at Hogwarts. He was in Slytherin, and fell into the wrong crowd. He could escape from all of his troubles at the Astronomy Tower. He could look over the black lake, and see the view. Come to think of it, it was the only place he felt safe. The cool breeze comforted him, even in the darkest of times. His only true friend was the bird that was always perched on the edge. It's red and green wings flew beautifully. It had markings that could entertain Antonin forever. Its agility was one of his most favorite things about the little bird. It flew fast, yet so graceful. He smiled to himself sadly. He called the bird Whistlick. He witnessed one of his enemies perform the Imperius Curse on Whistlick, making it drown in a bird bath, during his fifth year. That was when he truly fell to the dark side. When he saw the person that person that killed his only friend, he tortured him, and drowned him after endless nights of torturing. He didn't feel an ounce of guilt while doing it. Like people say, 'An eye for an eye.' Antonin's father taught him that metaphor. Antonin grimaced at the thought of his father. He had beaten his mother until her death. After that, Antonin was beaten daily with a bat, or any heavy object his father could find during his drunken state. Antonin was beaten at the early age of six years old. He was a pureblood, but his father was much like Lucius. He was cruel towards muggles, muggle-borns, and anyone who got into his way. His father died from over dosing on medicine. Antonin was in Azkaban at the time.

When he made his way to the Astronomy Tower, he saw a bushy-haired girl looking out at the lake, while fiddling with her necklace that looked like a time turner. He hasn't seen a time turner in a very long time. He made a note of telling The Dark Lord that she had one, and the school was allowing it. When Hermione heard footsteps, she grabbed her wand out of her pocket, and turned. When she saw it was Antonin, she put her wand back in her pocket.

"I'm so sorry, Professor." Antonin was taken aback by that statement. She was a part of the Golden Trio, was she not? Didn't she know what he had done, or is trying to do?

"Aren't you supposed to be at The Great Hall?" She smiled.

"Aren't you supposed to be at The Great Hall?" She was brave, to say the least. Antonin nodded. Hermione turned back around to face the Black Lake.

"I like to come up here when I need to think. It is probably the only place I love more than the Library." Hermione smiled. Antonin walked up to the edge of the Astronomy Tower, and put his hands on the edge, and stood about five feet away from Hermione, looking out into the view. The sun was setting, and Antonin was admiring the clouds, and the small bird, making a nest in a nearby tree. He remembered Whistlick. How its wings could go where ever they would like; it was free, unlike him. He regretted murdering the person who killed Whistlick. After that, he thought that he would be taken to Azkaban, and killed. That's when he turned to the dark side, and became a Death Eater. That was where he turned himself into the most feared and dark Death Eater alive. He grimaced at all of the pain it had caused him and his family. All of his known enemies while working for the Dark Lord killed the remainder of his family; including his seven year old niece. He nearly died when he found out. He vowed to himself that he would find who did that to his innocent niece. He searched for them until he was on the brink of becoming mental. He risked his life daily, traveled to foreign places in hopes of finding more followers, nearly had been killed from being tortured, yet he couldn't have that little piece of closure? That's why he had been working so hard; fulfilling all the Dark Lords' deepest, and darkest missions.

Hermione thought about the time she went to get her first wand. Her aunt came with her to get it. She was the only witch/wizard in her family. Her mother left her with her father a week after she gave birth. He had been abusive when she was only four years old. She had too many scars any teenager should have. She hid the behind jackets, and long-sleeved shirts. She always wore jeans, or extra long robes to cover her scars on her legs. Her father never had faced the police for beating her; to everyone, except her, saw a single dad who's working for scraps of money at a time. He had received so much sympathy for being a single parent, but whenever he was alone with her, he would kick her, hit her, or find something to hit her with. She had to go to the hospital when he pushed her down the stairs. There was only one way shoe could relieve the pain; cutting. She would cut herself to relieve all of the grief and sadness her father had brought her. Whenever she had the chance, she would cut herself. It did hurt, don't get me wrong, but she enjoyed watching the blood trickle down her skin. She knew exactly where to cut, so she get as much adrenaline she could. She would heal her wound, with a few spells, and to hide them, she casted an invisible spell on it for precaution. She had scars of the razor all over her arms and legs. All of the times her father had been cruel to her came flooding back. She let out a small whimper and unwillingly let several tears fall. She was quick to wipe them away, in hopes of Antonin not noticing, sadly, she failed to do so.

Antonin heard the whimper, and looked to his right to see a crying Hermione. He saw her quickly wipe her eyes, and tried to hide her accidental slip of emotion. He had no idea of what to do. He had never been put in this kind of situation, nor did he want to. But he needed to prove himself, and this was exactly how he could.

"Are you okay?" He mentally slapped himself. Of course she is not okay, stupid! That's why you asked! Antonin thought. Hermione looked at him with a small smile, obviously forced.

"It's just a bad memory." Hermione snapped. He didn't want to pry, or dig himself so far down, just for the hole to collapse. She was friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley; surely there would be some danger. He needed to change the subject, to try to gain some trust.

"Don't you have homework to do for my class?" Hermione looked up into his eyes, and smiled.

"I finished it in the Library, and all of my other homework. I assure you, sir, I will not be late on any assignments given to me." She really was the brains of the Golden Trio.

"It's nice, you know; to come up here, and just clear your head. It's peaceful and satisfying. I always try to come up here during my free time." Hermione continued. They stayed there for thirty more minutes before a chuckle came from behind them. Hermione and Antonin both grabbed their wand out of their pockets, and turned around in fighting position. There stood, a chuckling Dumbledore with his hands up in the air pretending to surrender. Hermione and Antonin both looked at him as if he was a mad man; which he was. They both returned their wand into their pocket.

"I'm sorry, Headmaster," Hermione looked at her watch, "Its past curfew! I'm terribly sorry." She rushed past Dumbledore, and sprinted down the stairs.

Antonin could hear the light patter of her feet.

"I'm sorry Headmaster, this will never happen again." Dumbledore smiled.

"Antonin, please call me Dumbledore, or Albus. Whatever you do during your free time is none of my concern. You may come up here whenever you'd like." With that, Dumbledore left.

Antonin went back to his chamber. He warded his door with difficult and unpredictable wards, and he threw in some basic wards, to throw off the person, that would be trying to enter his chamber. He ran a shower, brushed his hair and teeth, and went into a deep sleep.

Hermione sat in the girls bathroom, where Moaning Myrtle was, alone, with a razor and her wand.

She could only cut during meal times, and when she wasn't cutting, she would be at the Astronomy Tower, or Library. She dug the razor into her skin, and took deep breaths. She cut herself again, and again, until she knew if she cut herself once more, she would lose consciousness. She quickly performed a healing spell. She could hear people coming, so she rinsed her razor, and put it into her blue jeans, and put her robes back on. She walked out of the bathroom, feeling a little dizzy. She went to her first class, DADA. When she entered, she quickly took a seat.

"Please get the essay you did for homework out, and put it on my desk. If you didn't do it, you have a detention with me on Saturday, 9:00a.m.-10:00a.m. Do you understand?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Begin." Hermione took out ten parchments of paper, front and back, and walked up to his desk. She stumbled, luckily Neville caught her.

"Thanks, Neville." Hermione concluded she let too much blood drain. She put the papers on the desk, and turned around to go back to her desk. She turned around too fast, and dizzily fell on the ground.

Antonin quickly bent over, and checked her pulse. He felt a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders. He pointed at Neville.

"You- where is the Hospital Wing?"

"The other side of the castle, sir." Antonin swore under his breath. Two days in the position, and he's already messing things up.

"It's too far for Madam Pompfrey to come here, and back..." Antonin stood back up, "You are all dismissed. Go to the Library and study, though. I don't know when I will be back." Antonin picked Hermione's unconscious body, and went as fast as he could to the Hospital Wing. When he arrived, Madam Pompfrey was tending to a patient, but quickly excused herself when she saw Hermione in Antonin's arms. She rushed over, and gestured to a hospital bed. Antonin gently put Hermione down. Madam Pompfrey felt her pulse, and felt her forehead. She then turned to Antonin.

"What happened?" She looked quizzically at him.

"She fell unconscious during class." Madam Pompfrey nodded. She respected Antonin for taking care of Hermione.

"I'll inform Albus." She went back to helping Hermione. Antonin left, and felt a burn on his arm. He quickly went to his chamber and created a fireplace, with the floo network. He accioed some floo powder, and said, "Malfoy Manor." When he landed, he entered, and went to find the Dark Lord. He found him, sitting, with Nagini.

"Ahh, Antonin, do tell me some news." Antonin stepped forth, and put his hands behind his back and bowed.

"My Lord, Hermione Granger fell unconscious during my class, and I brought her to the Hospital Wing. I, of course, would have rather watched her die a painful death, but I have gained Madam Pompfrey's trust. I believe I have also gained Dumbledore's trust." Antonin didn't want Hermione to die; even though she was a part of the Golden Trio, but she was still a minor.

"Well done, Antonin. I suggest you go back, and check on Miss. Granger. We need more people to trust you, until you've gained everyone's trust. You are dismissed." Antonin left the manor and flooed back to his chamber.

He left the room, and went to the Hospital Wing. Harry and Ron were there in chairs, with Dumbledore and Madam Pompfrey talking. When Ron saw Antonin, he stood up, and walked over to Antonin, with Harry following.

"What did you do to her, you sick, twisted-." Harry restrained him.

"Ron! Stop it! Madam Pompfrey said he brought her here. Don't be stupid." Ron casted Antonin a small glance at Antonin, and then sat back down. Dumbledore came over to Antonin.

"I'm glad you brought her here; she had lost a lot of blood. We don't know how. We are still trying figure out what caused it. We'll ask her when she wakes up." Antonin nodded, and turned his gaze back to Hermione. She was murmuring something.

"Stop it. Stop it, dad! Please, it hurts! DAD!" She woke up screaming, everyone rushed to her side. She was crying.

Dumbledore didn't want to, but knew he had to; occlumency. He searched for her dream, and saw Mr. Granger beating Hermione repeatedly. There were tears coming down her face, barely seeable from all of the blood. He stopped, and processed the new information piece by piece.

"Could everyone except for Antonin, leave? Now." Everyone left other than Dumbledore and Antonin. Dumbledore faced Hermione with a saddened expression.

"Why didn't you tell someone, Hermione? Perhaps, you could have told me? People could've helped you. Your father could be locked up in jail right now, Hermione." Hermione's lip quivered. She tried to hold back the tears but they flowed down her cheek.

"I don't kn-know what you mean, Headmaster." She croaked out the sentence, not wanting to give in. Antonin didn't know what was going on.

"How long, Hermione?" Hermione chocked back the sobs, and managed to say,

"Since I was four," Dumbledore's voice boomed.

"Eleven years, Hermione!?" Hermione let some tears fall, and looked at the floor. Dumbledore led Antonin over to a corner, and filled him in.

"I saw the nightmare she was having. Her father was beating the bloody hell out of her; it's been eleven years. I think I am going to give her sometime, and then confront her about it." Antonin was outraged! How could a grown man beat their child? Antonin couldn't show his anger, so he nodded, and followed Dumbledore back into the curtained room.

A/N: Thank you for reading! I was so tempted to end the chapter when Hermione faints, but wrote more any just because I felt I owed you a long chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading. Follow/Fav./Review!