AN: I was surprised, but pleased, at how quickly this chapter came to me. So, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Much to my chagrin, I still do not own Harry Potter. If I did, I would be incredibly rich and probably not posting my fanfiction online. Oh well.

Hermione wiped the last remnants of tears from her cheeks and faced Moody.

"Ok. I'm ready to go."

It had been a trying day, with a tearful goodbye to her parents, and the work of boxing up and shrinking all of the belongings in the house. They had to work as quickly as possible; no one doubted that the Death Eaters would be back soon to loot and destroy everything.

"Alright," he growled, "we'll be Side-Along Apparating to Headquarters. Make sure you have your wand out. Who knows what could be lurking in the shadows?"

"Right."

"You know what I always say. Constant vigilance."

Hermione ducked her head at his words. Constant vigilance had become a bit of a joke between the trio, and she quickly tried to school her features, not wanting to offend that mismatched man.

"Hold onto my arm, missy, and don't let go."

Hermione did as she was told, expecting to just pop right out at Headquarters.

Instead, she was twisted and squeezed. Pressure filled her head, her ears began to ring, and her stomach seemed to turn inside out. It was an altogether unique experience, somewhere between being squeezed out of a toothpaste tube and riding a massive roller coaster.

She didn't particularly enjoy it.

"Agh," Hermione groaned once they landed.

She swayed on her feet, seeing the concrete swim beneath her. There was an unpleasant rolling sensation in her stomach, and Hermione was glad that she hadn't gotten a chance to eat that day.

"Come on, girl. We need to get in."

Moody dragged her along, his magical eye rolling quickly. It reminded Hermione of people who were deep in sleep; their eyes twitched and moved, the only restless part of an otherwise resting body.

When they stopped, waiting for the building to expand and reveal the door, Moody shifted impatiently, glancing around surreptitiously. Hermione wondered, not for the first time, if body parts were all Moody had lost during his time as an Auror, or whether it was only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

The second they stepped into Grimmauld Place, Hermione was met with a cacophony of shouting.

"Mione!"

"Are you ok?"

"Oh, Alastor, thank you for bringing her, we really—"

"But what are we going to do with her now?"

"MUDBLOOD! FILTH! IN MY HOUSE, YOU OUGHT TO—"

"Yes, her parents are in—"

Two pairs of arms wrapped themselves tightly around her, and she closed her eyes, blocking out the sound.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Two Death Eaters came to my house, presumably to kill me and my parents."

"Who?" he demanded angrily.

"Lucius Malfoy, and someone else. I couldn't see his face. He never took his mask off."

Hermione was saved from answering anymore questions by Mrs. Weasley, who came over and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh, Hermione, dear, I'm so sorry about what happened. How terrible. And on the first day of summer, too!"

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione replied, hugging her back.

A small tear escaped Hermione's eye at the realization that this was the only motherly hug she was going to get in a while, and she smiled gratefully at Mrs. Weasley.

"Come on to the kitchen dear, I'll make you some tea. The Headmaster is coming, and he wishes to speak to you."

She led Hermione towards the kitchen, with Harry and Ron following.

"Not you two," Mrs. Weasley said sternly, "you're not Order members yet."

"Why not?" Ron whined, "she's our friend! We want to hear what happened to her!"

"Well, you'll just have to wait for her to fill you in later, won't you?"

Mrs. Weasley bustled off to the kitchen, leaving Ron and Harry glaring balefully at her back.

"Don't worry," Hermione said, "I'll tell you everything that happens later."

That seemed to placate Ron, though Harry continued sulking. Hermione wrote it off as lingering grief over Sirius's death, and followed Mrs. Weasley into the kitchen, giving Harry and Ron one last smile.

Mrs. Weasley handed Hermione a cup of tea, ushering her into a seat at the table. She heard the front door open, and Mrs. Black begin shrieking.

After struggling to quiet the painting, the Headmaster entered the kitchen, followed by a worried Professor McGonagall, and a glaring Professor Snape.

"Oh, Miss Granger, are you alright?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"I'm fine, Professor, thank you. Just a bit shaken, really."

"We're all glad you're alright, Miss Granger, but unfortunately I have limited time, so we must get down to business," Professor Dumbledore said, taking a seat at the head of the table.

Hermione nodded, taking a seat at the table also.

"Now, Miss Granger, please tell us what happened," Dumbledore said.

Hermione launched into her story, detailing her fight with the Death Eaters and their subsequent departure.

"Surely you don't think we're this stupid, Miss Granger," Professor Snape hissed.

"I don't understand what you mean, sir," Hermione replied, wide-eyed.

"You expect us to believe that you, a 16 year old girl, single-handedly took down Lucius Malfoy and another oh so conveniently unnamed Death Eater?"

"Severus!" Professor McGonagall interrupted, "Miss Granger is an upstanding student and always has been. There is no reason to believe she is telling us anything but the truth."

"It is rather curious, though," Dumbledore said, "Not that we're doubting you, Miss Granger," he added hastily. "Perhaps they weren't there to kill Miss Granger and her parents."

"I did think it was odd that he didn't just blow the house to bits," Hermione reflected.

"What do you think, Severus?" the Headmaster asked.

"Hmm," he hummed noncommittally, "I haven't been summoned recently, so I've not been privy to whatever he's planning. I imagine I will find out soon, however."

"Well, then," Dumbledore clapped his hands, "that just leaves us with the decision of what to do with Miss Granger for the remainder of the holiday."

"What do you mean, Headmaster? Can't I just stay at The Burrow with Harry and Ron like normal?"

"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. We don't know what Tom is planning, and The Burrow, while warded, isn't under the Fidelius charm."

"I understand, Headmaster."

"You have two options, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said, "You may remain here at Grimmauld Place with Moody and Kingsley, or you may come back to Hogwarts with Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and myself."

"Hogwarts? I thought Hogwarts was closed for the summer. In Hogwarts: A History, it clearly states that—"

"Miss Granger!" Snape snapped, "Please spare us the history lesson. We are aware that this situation is unusual. But war engenders unusual circumstances, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Now, Severus, don't be rude," Dumbledore chided, before turning to Hermione, "The reason we're staying at Hogwarts, my dear, is because after the…events of late, we decided it would be wise not to leave Hogwarts empty, and by extension, unprotected and vulnerable to attacks on the wards.

"We would love to have you with us," Dumbledore continued, "and you could surely help with some research, since I daresay you'll be spending much time in the library already. And to keep your mind busy, I think you should do an apprenticeship with Professor Snape. I'm sure he would most certainly love some help with his research."

At this, Snape started. "He most certainly would not! Albus, I am not coddling bored students during the summer. I get three months free of idiotic teenagers and I would like to keep it that way."

"Come now, Severus. Miss Granger is by no stretch of the imagination an 'idiotic teenager' and I'm sure both you and her could use the company. She'll learn much from you, and in return, you'll have someone who is excited to hear you teach for once." The Headmaster twinkled at Snape, who was getting angrier by the second. Hermione could see a vein pulsing in his temple. She certainly didn't envy the glare he was sending the Headmaster's way.

"Yes, Severus," McGonagall chimed in, "won't it be nice to teach someone who won't wet themselves when you glare at them and won't fall asleep when you drone on about the properties of fluxweed?"

"Minerva…" Snape growled warningly. McGonagall ignored him.

"What do you think, Miss Granger? Come spend the summer researching with us and forcing the great old bat to socialize or staying in this dank house listening to Moody yell about constant vigilance?" McGongall asked.

Hermione's surprise at Professor McGonagall's words and tone gave way to a grin.

"I would love to spend the summer at Hogwarts, and an apprenticeship would be wonderful. But…" she hesitated, "I don't want to be a burden."

"Nonsense!" The Headmaster said, "you won't be a burden. Tell her, Severus!"

"Miss Granger," Snape sighed, "it appears that the Headmaster and his housecat," McGonagall glared, "will have you at the school whether I like it or not. So, rather than facing their wrath, I would like to offer you an official apprenticeship." His sneer seemed to contradict his words, but sarcasm or not, he DID offer her a chance to learn.

"I'd like that very much, Professor, thank you." Hermione gave him a small smile, which he glared at.

"Then it's settled!" McGonagall said, "Pack your belongings tonight, and we will send someone for you tomorrow."

"Wonderful. Thank you again, Professors," Hermione said gratefully, exiting the kitchen.

Upon getting to the sitting room, she froze. What am I going to tell Harry and Ron?! She wondered. Not only am I spending the summer away from them at Hogwarts, but I'm spending it studying under Professor Snape!

Logically she knew they had nothing to be upset about, but emotions were rarely logical. Ron would be insulted that The Burrow wasn't safe enough for her to stay at, and Harry would be frustrated that Hermione was going to Hogwarts, his haven, while he was sent back to the Dursley's until the middle of July.

They both would simultaneously be upset that she was studying with Professor Snape, though not with her. According to them, he would somehow be forcing or coercing her to do his dirty work, and they would be quick to attack him. Luckily, he had already left.

Hermione walked up the stairs, and knocked on the boys' door.

"Come in!" Ron called, over the sounds of Exploding Snap.

"Hey, Mione," Harry greeted, "what happened?" he asked, apparently over his fit of pique.

Bravely, she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. "Well, since I can't go back to my house, I'm going to stay the rest of the summer at Hogwarts and do an apprenticeship with Professor Snape."

At the boys' shocked expressions (that were quickly morphing into equal parts anger and horror) she mentally kicked herself.

Subtlety, she thought to herself, I need to work on it.

AN: Well, what did you think? What did I do well? What did I do poorly? Do you have any requests, suggestions, ideas? Leave them in a review!

The last line in this chapter is a tribute to a fanfiction I read one time and absolutely LOVED. Anyone who can guess which one it was will get a one shot based off a prompt of their choice. :)

Hint: It isn't from this fandom. It's in a movie fandom.