Chapter Three

Notes- This time it is the the song if "1973" by James Blunt all rights to him and his producers. For this chapter I have tried to focus on the line of the song "wish I had known that what seemed so strong has been and gone." Just thought I would give some background because I don't know how popular that song was outside the U.K.

1973

"Wish I had known that

What seemed so strong

Has been and gone"

"What have you got?" Severus Snape asked in his cold voice as he sat at his desk parchment in front of him and ink and quill beside him.

"Pretty one this one," a gruff broad Yorkshire voice said. Snape didn't look up.

"I don't need a description I need a name." He replied in his usual flat tone.

"Granger," the voice sighed as though he was used to Snape's abrupt manner "Hermione Granger." Snape looked up.

"I may need to see this," he said slowly, thinking aloud. He walked down the cold stone steps to the dungeons when the door was opened the cold rushed up and if would be enough to freeze most men to the bone but Severus did not even flinch.

He looked at the man who had followed him to the cellar "I think I can mange. She is blindfolded and chained." He man simply nodded and walked up the steps. Severus entered the dungeon of the building it was not as large as Malfoy Manor but it was dark, cold and wet. He laid his eyes on Hermione, she had a Slytherin scarf tied across her eyes and her hands were chained to the wall so she could not move herself more than a foot away from the wall: she kept trying though. Her stubbornness made him smile in spite of himself. Not a cruel smirk but a real genuine smile. He was reminded of the only person in the world he had ever loved.

Hogwarts, 4th November 1973

"Say something Lily," the boy looked at her his face slashed in a deep frown.

"I have nothing to say to you Sev,"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean it.

"Yes you did that's what hurts you really meant it. Those people you hang around with are changing you this is the 1970's not the Middle ages."

"What about those Gryffindorks?"

"They wouldn't use that word."

"Oh I don't think they are all as innocent as you think."

"Sev I am tired of fighting just go away and don't talk to me again."

"Lily I did not mean-"

"Yes Sev," she said as she smiled a tear stained smile at him "yes you did. You're changing too much and I don't like this person you are becoming. Find that boy I knew and bring him back."

Present Day

He looked up and saw Hermione Granger in front of him her dark jeans were ripped around the knee, her bushy hair was messy and she had a small cut above her left eyebrow. Snape lent forward and pulled the scarf down so that it rested on Hermione's shoulders. She saw that the cut wasn't the only injury Hermione had sustained: her left eye was puffy and swollen as well.

She inhaled sharply "Professor," she cried. Snape tried to pull scarf away from her but she pulled away as though he was the worst form of demon.

"Miss. Granger stay still," he said as he got his wand out and pointed it at her. Hermione took a deep breath

"Well," she thought "if this was the furthest she was to go in life it had been good hadn't it? Fun. Exciting." She had not quite expected death to be like this "but then life has a habit of being unexpected," she thought "why would death be any different?" Instead of whispering the words she expected he whispered a healing spell and she felt her face heal.

She breathed heavily as her body relaxed.

"I am not going to hurt you Miss. Granger," he said cooly, she laughed.

"Really professor," she said sarcastically "you or your comrades have kidnapped and injured me and are holding me in a dungeon. Can you release me?"

"No Miss. Granger I cannot."

"Well then I think for all intents and purposes then you are my gaoler for I imagine no other reason than my blood."

"Miss. Granger you always were clever." Hermione looked a him. She felt like for a moment she was back at Hogwarts and he said the one thing she wanted all her Professors to say. He paused "someone will be along with some food shortly."

"Professor?" Hermione asked her voice full of hope and expectations hearing that note Snape turned around to look back towards her. Her face turned hope to rage in a minute. "Go to hell," she said cruelly, an ugly look on her face that Snape did not associate with Hermione Granger.

"Janes," Snape barked as he exited the dungeon "get her something to eat we don't want her fainting." The man rushed off. Snape put a hand through his hair it was more of mess than usual, lying longer than he liked.

After Dumbeldore's death serval years ago Snape had been on the run. He was committed to the side of the light but with no one to stand up for him he was left to an existence stuck between two places. He neither believed in Voldemort's world nor could he return to the side of light where people thought their friends and family had died because of him.

He chose the middle hiding out with Death Eater groups whilst sabotaging their activities. Most groups had disappeared after the Battle of Hogwarts but Snape had attached himself to this one over a year ago. They kidnapped muggle borns for sport and sometimes ransom. Most of the operations had been a failure due to anonymous tips to the Minister but some had been successful. A young man had died six months back when an operation had gone wrong Snape had worked hard to make sure nothing happened again. He was sure they were on to him. If he didn't get ransom or death from Hermione Granger he was going to be killed he was sure of it. He was also sure that there was no way Hermione Granger was not getting out of this alive even if it did kill him.