She had been watching the Professor all day. During meals, walking through the corridors...she felt like what the muggles would call a had been leaving the library when she happened to see the faint whispering of Snapes' familiar billowing robes which caused her to pause.

What if he laughs? Looks at me like I have gone mad? Which I suppose is probably close to the truth. I mean am I really about to ask my irritable Potions professor, who is also a double spy for the most powerful wizard in the world and well Voldemort, to marry me and let me have his babies because I am rather fond of living? Really Hermione?

She let out a sigh and with a quick disillusionment charm and made her way after him.

She made her way quickly and quietly after him, quite surprised he hadn't hexed her by now. Either he did not realize she was there or just did not care at the moment. Most likely the latter. Suggesting that Severus Snape did not know something was like saying Dumbledore was straight. Just not true.

She followed after him and they made their way out of the castle and across the campus. They were far enough that they would break through the anti-apparition wards soon. Hermione could not help but stare at the Professor as she tried to keep up while remaining out of his sight. Finally, Snape came to a brisk halt just outside of the gates. Before she even had a chance to register what had happened, with a thunderous crack, Snape had apparated away from Hogwarts and away from her.

Hours passed. Although there was not a giant arrow pointing her to "Voldemort's creepy hideout" her gut was telling her that was exactly where he was. She did hope he was alright.

Alright? Seriously? Since when have I started caring for the greasy git?...maybe it is only natural considering that I have two choices for the father of my child and one of them wants to quite literally take over the world and kill me and everyone I love. Since when has my life turned into a cheesy muggle film?

She started to doze off in the branches of an overhanging tree in case Snape suddenly returned. A loud crack rang through the air startling her awake. She sat up glancing down from the branches, horrified.

The robes that he left in were ripped and tattered with blood stains soaking through multiple spots. He had multiple lacerations throughout his torso, indicating slicing hexes at the very least. The slight trembling that was evident in his hands and legs showed the signs of someone who had the cruciatus curse used on them too many times. But that isn't what horrified Hermione the most. It was the fragile little boy that she could see. He looked so wounded and hurt. When he looked up into the night sky, the reflection of the moon on his eyes showed a pain there so deep that no one would ever truly understand.

He stood for a moment rigidly, seemingly to consider something. He started to limp towards the castle as Hermione realized that if she didn't get in now, she would be locked out until the next time a professor ventured out the castle and could unlock the gate for her. She prepared to make her way down from the tree when her robes got caught on a branch on her descent.

Shit.

She turned towards Snape knowing full well that he finally noticed her presence. Her face froze as she watched his wand raise in almost slow motion and a blank stare transfixed his face. Gone was the fragile little boy that she saw before.

This, Severus Snape, was a killer.

She closed her eyes to avoid the inevitable pain she was sure would follow. Cruciatus, Sectumsempra...no telling what spell he will use...I am so high up I don't think I can clearly see who I am...at least...I won't have to deal with Voldemort if he chose the Killing Curse...

Hermione braced herself for the pain of the cruciatus when she felt a full body bind hit her, constricting her lungs and throat. She fell to the ground in a jumbled heap. The combination of the spell and how hard she hit the ground caused her to feel a bit lightheaded. She watched him wide eyed as he walked over to her.

"Miss Granger, what have we here?" Snape asked her with his typical sneer as the annoyance of being stuck with her seeped into his voice.

She just couldn't deal with it. His annoyance, Dumbledore's plan, Voldemort, the war, any of it! She didn't want to turn into a baby making machine! She wanted a future, a career, a life...not that being a mother wouldn't be extremely fulfilling but it should be on her own terms! She expected to face some discrimination as she set her career goals, the magical world still had a strong running idea of what a woman's proper "role" was, but not like this! To be given out like some common harlot from death eater to death eater for their sexual pleasure! She half expected for Draco Malfoy to walk up to her with his pompous arse claiming his "right" to her. In that moment, Hermione Jean Granger was not a know-it-all, but a normal teenage girl (well as normal as one can be in the wizarding world) dealing with situations that required the utmost care, precision, focus.

She felt the tears well up in her eyes. Snape waved his wand over her, releasing her from the bind.

What? Snape give up the opportunity to torture a student? He must be worse off than I believed...

She struggled to form coherent thoughts as she realized he was trying to say something.

Well here goes nothing...

"Well Miss Granger? I haven't got all day. Spit it out you insufferable girl." She couldn't help but realize that his usual snarl was gone and was replaced by an exasperated sigh. Here was the moment that she had been waiting for. She looked up at him...

"I...can't...I..." She choked out and began to sob loudly.

"SPIT IT OUT GRANGER!"

"Professor Snape I...I..." She looked down. "Can we go to your quarters? I'd much rather tell you in a much more...private setting." She had no idea what had made her say that. But she felt much more calm with that idea.

He looked at her for a moment. With a sigh and a slight nod of the head, Snape stunned Hermione.

"Come along girl."