I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I am actually going back through the previous chapters. I noticed that I had missed several typos, so let me know if you find anything else! This chapter gets a little dark, so you have been warned!

The last week of classes passed excruciatingly slow knowing that soon she would have the castle almost entirely to herself and Severus. It would be far less suspicious for them to spend time together when she didn't have a steady schedule. On Friday she had a free period at the same time as Severus did, so when he caught her attention at breakfast time and nodded to the door, she was only too pleased to meet up with him.

The session went very much as their previous one, and she was headed down contentedly to Defense, meeting up with Harry and Draco with a grin that she hadn't had for a while. Harry gave her a strange look.

"What's got you so happy?" He asked smiling even with his confusion. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"I guess I'm just in the Christmas spirit today is all." She said knowing by the look Draco had given her that he had deduced what had her pleased, even if he didn't know who.

"I guess that's what you girls call it nowadays." He said mockingly raising a thin eyebrow at her.

"That's what they call what?" Harry asked looking back and forth between them, not catching on even when she ducked her head and blushed.

"Nothing." They said in unison not willing to ruin his innocent perception of the world.

The door opened at eleven on the dot and the class filed into Remus's class, the discussions tapering off.

Remus's eyes flashed in anger almost the moment she walked in. He could smell Severus's lingering scent on her, and judging by the intensity of his reaction, he was not pleased.

This would be the longest defense class of her life.
She kept her head down and tried to ignore the fact that she caught him growling at her several times. When the bell rang, she didn't even bother rushing to pack up her things.

"Hermione, a word if you don't mind." He said with an ice that had the class talking, and Harry looking worried. Draco ushered him out with a smirk having guessed what Remus wanted to talk with her about. Remus waited until the door shut and warded it, then sat on the edge of the desk in front of her.

"Yes?" She asked hesitantly. He glared at her with a dangerous look.

"I don't think I should even have to explain why I kept you behind, I am sure you have deduced it. You aren't the most brilliant witch of your age for nothing." He said folding his arms. She sighed.

"I don't suppose you would believe me if I said there was nothing untoward going on between us?" She asked hopefully. He raised an eyebrow, but his expression eased slightly.

"I want to ask if you are doing it for your grades, but I simply don't see him being so immoral despite his severe lack of immorality." He said waiting for an explanation. She fiddled with her quill nervously feeling as foolish as if her father had been the one lecturing her.

"I can't really tell you how things developed. It's too dangerous for both of our positions." She said carefully making sure there was disrespect in her voice. No need to anger the beast.

"He had not shown any interest with anyone since his school years." He said evenly. She looked up at this.

"You don't think he cares for me." She said trying to hide her hurt feelings at his lack of faith in the man.

"It's not that I don't think he cares, it's just that I'm not sure if you understand how complicated he is. He has spent his entire life living to protect others, and knowing he was not going to survive the war. Serving two masters, one of which is an insane man destroys a person's social skills. He has spent so long acting, I can't say he even knows who he is really anymore." He said. His eyes were serious and she felt her breath hitch knowing exactly what he meant. She had wondered what he had been like before the war, but she also knew he would never be the person he used to be, and may not even be the same person tomorrow.

"What was he like...like...when you knew him." She asked nervously. He rubbed his nose unsure of what to say without invading the man's privacy.

"He was brilliant in school, and he knew it so he was very cocky. He mellowed out after he joined the death eaters, and stopped talking unless directly spoken to. I was one of the few that knew of his spying, so most people viewed him as a traitor on our side and still do. They scorned him which only made him even colder. I saw him several times with the death eaters during the first war when the Dark Lord was trying to recruit me. He was a completely different person with them. He was the youngest of their group, but he commanded everyone around and was violent to an extreme. It's one of the reasons he rose to the top so fast, everyone feared him and stepped aside not even fighting him for the position." He said frowning at the memory. She could imagine him being cold and distant, but she couldn't really see him being violent. It didn't fit his controlled demeanor.

"Do you think he's really a violent person?" She asked. He shrugged unsure.

"I don't know honestly. I drink every once in a while with him and Lucius. He has never seemed violent when out of the circle, even when he's smashed. I'm not saying he wont get physical, but has never seriously injured anyone unless if there was a reason to." He said tentatively. She had to question this, but wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Without reason? That means he will lose it if provoked." She said not liking the way he glanced away.

"Most people are taught to tell someone your feelings when angry, he was taught to kill them." He said not sugar coating it for her. She happened to think some things in life could benefit from a sugar coating. She took a deep calming breath, and closed her eyes for a brief moment unable to find anything to say to such brutal honesty. She had known he was dark. She had felt the power he possessed that was opposite in every way from her light magic, but there was a difference in feeling the magic, and knowing how it became so tainted.

"Is he pushing you to...your of age, but still young." He asked awkwardly breaking the silence. He shifted, his stiffness vanishing at the uncomfortable question.

"Of course not. Not that I would try if he did." She said with a smile. He covered his eyes as if trying to force that image out of his mind. She heard him mumbled something incoherent that she was sure was curse words.

"Okay, well I'm here if you need me, okay? Let me know if he hurts you and I'll tear him apart." He said. She shook her head and gathered her things surprised he had given up that easily. He wasn't exactly the one to judge with his relation with Tonks, but it was still nice that he had decided not to try to make her decisions for her as if she was a foolish child. She gave him a hug that he tentivly returned.

"Thanks. Sometimes I forget I'm not alone." She admitted when she drew back, giving him a smile. He sighed, but smiled despite himself.

"Off to your next class before you get a detention. It seems that you've had the strangest obsession with getting them lately, but I get the feeling I'm not the one who you want to spend the time with." He said with amusement. She grinned and left him, glad she knew he would always have her back. No matter how insane she was being.

Severus grasped his arm in pain from the searing dark mark. He stood up and threw down the quill he had been using in anger. He couldn't even enjoy his holidays without being called on a daily basis. He hadn't even recovered from their last meeting, and yet he was already calling again. He snatched up his death eater robes and put them on while he rushed out the door. He was so exhausted, and his nerves were on fire from repeated crucio's so he wanted to be sure not to be late and possibly draw any unwanted attention to himself. He waited until he was outside of the gates to put on the bone death eater mask, and twisted away into the night appearing to the manor.

He was the first one to stride in the large stone room that they met in. He immediately kneeled at this masters feet and bowed in reverence.

"My lord." He murmured rising again to fall into his normal place at the right hand side of the Dark Lord. The other masked figures filed in quickly behind him, and soon the room was full of hooded figures. Lucius was the last one to come in, and stood to Severus's right. He surely hoped that Lucius wouldn't betray him in the way he was betraying the Dark Lord from his honored position on his right hand side.

"You are going to attack a muggle village tonight marking the first real offering of war from our side. This has to go perfectly. We need to make sure the idiots who have refused to bargain with us are regretting their decision and get a good taste of what's coming to them." The Dark Lord said smoothly, letting his red eyes travel over the group of powerful witches and wizards. His eyes fell on Severus last and he approached him slowly.

"Severus, my loyal serpent. You are to lead this mission. No survivors." He ordered coldly. Severus looked up into the Dark Lord's eyes and saw a challenge. The Dark Lord expected him to spare one of the muggles no doubt and he would be punished heavily when he failed.

"Yes my Lord, it is an honor." He said humbly, making sure he looked honestly please with this request. The Dark Lord eyed him for a long moment, but then nodded and dismissed everyone.

"The village is Dunhurst. It's small so it should be manageable for you." He said coldly returning to his throne.

The village wasn't small by any means. It had at least three thousand muggles in it including cops and law enforcement who had guns. Severus dodged a bullet by hiding behind a car to catch his breath, knowing the muggle would be around the car in just seconds. Lucius had been fighting with him all night and looked about as worn as he felt covered in sweat and dust from the destruction of the evening.

Severus took a deep breath and spun out around the car blowing the entire street to pieces killing what little remained of the towns resistance. The other death eaters were searching for survivors, but the last report he had been given had suggested that was almost complete also. He walked through the remains hearing Lucius walking behind him slowly, panting from exhaustion.

Hermione's magic was protesting the use of so many unforgivables tonight, and he was sure she had felt it despite his efforts of closing off their connection.

"Snape, this girl is a pureblood." Avery said, dragging a brown-eyed girl across some rubble. Severus stopped in his tracks at the sight of the girls black hair and brown eyes.

"So?" He asked coldly ignoring the pain that the girl's resemblance to his future child. Avery shifted uncertainty realizing Severus was not in a mood to be tested today.

"Shouldn't we spare her? Her parents were just here on vacation. I checked to make sure her blood was really pure. We can't kill one of our own." Avery argued. Lucius came and stood behind him realizing his reluctance despite his cold front. Lucius had been the one who had discovered that Teresa was pregnant and knew of his feelings on the subject. Severus couldn't take his eyes away from the tear streaked face that looked up at him pleadingly.

"Severus." Lucius hissed warning him not to lose sight of what mattered. It was this child, or never knowing his own child. He sneered in distaste at the child.

"As far as I'm concerned it's a traitor. Kill it." He said coldly, then stalked off to where his death eaters were congregating waiting for him to cast the dark mark so they could leave.

"But…" Avery started.

"Are you questioning your leader?" Lucius spat at the man who quickly shut up. Severus flicked his wand and sent a silent morsmordre into the dark sky, ignoring the Avada Kedavra and bright green flash of light.

"Back to headquarters before the aurors come." He stated, turning on the spot and appearing just as the aurors started arriving as predicted, having been alerted to the dark mark being sent into the sky.

The meeting that followed went as expected.

He was punished when Avery said he had killed one of their own, but he knew if he had shown mercy...he would have been tortured within an inch of his life for failing his master's instructions of leaving no survivors.

As soon as he was released, he apparated to the hole in the wall he had become attached to during the first war. Lucius was right behind him despite him not having told the blond where he was headed. He ordered them both scotch on the rocks, which was on the bar by the time Lucius sat down. He toasted the man mockingly.

"To being some of the most despicable men in existence." He said solemnly. His friend toasted him with a frown and tipped the fiery liquid back not knowing what to say for a long moment.

"You couldn't have saved her. You have ordered the death of more children than I can count not to mention the ones you killed with your own wand." The blond said finally without his normal formality. Severus's hand shook slightly while he finished the glass and slammed the glass down and pushing it forward for a refill.

"I realize that. You are being a terrible wing man tonight. I'd rather forget this night in a merciful alcohol induced blackout." He snapped taking the drink that was refilled immediately by the attractive bartender who was new.

"She looked like you. That's what's gotten you all shaken up." He said softly ignoring Severus's not very subtle hint to drop it. Severus glanced at the man and tipped the drink back feeling the first drink start to his system.

"How's Chelsea?" He asked changing the subject to Lucius and Narcissa newest addition. Narcissa had found out right after the Dark Lord's comeback that she was expecting. The Dark Lord had been pleased to have a new line of death eaters in waiting and had taken the news rather nicely.

"She is a quiet child. I can only imagine how having the Dark Lord in her living room on a daily basis will affect her." He said seriously twirling his drink, not nearly as concerned with getting all out smashed as Severus was.

"Draco turned out fine and he was attached to the Dark Lord at the hip as a child." He said. His godson had turned out pretty good considered the chaos he had grown up in. He couldn't say the same for Crabbe and Goyle, who had either emotional damage that made them idiots, or perhaps they simply had been dropped on their heads too much as babies.

"Have you been in contact with Teresa?"Lucius asked. Severus rolled his eyes at the man, and found himself relaxing on the bar stool now that he had lost count of the drinks he had drunk.

"Of course. She is still refusing to stay in place. She is due in just a few weeks, but she ignores all of my warnings."

"You know the Dark Lord will kill you both if he finds out that you knew and kept the knowledge from him." Lucius said carefully, not wanting to push him too far in his stressed out stage. Severus sighed and ran a hand through his hair wishing he hadn't drunk so much when this action made him think of Hermione and how she loved to thread her delicate fingers into his hair.

"What do you suggest I do? Just take her to the Dark Lord and say 'oh I thought you might want to know I got one of my victims knocked up and you shouldn't kill them'." He said mockingly. Lucius gave him a pointed look.

"Yes, that's exactly what you should do." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Severus shook his head taking his drink that the bartender had refilled giving him a wink that he sneered at. What was it with girls and their fascination with dark men.

"I think that would kind of defeat my attempts at keeping them safe." He said. Lucius shrugged and smiled at a beautiful women who was sitting on the other side of the bar and leaned forward to give him a good view of her assets. He wasn't as against flirting with the random female as he was.

"Tell her that if she tries to leave again you will take her to the Dark Lord. She is putting you and the baby in danger just because of her idiocy. If she leaves again it will be her own fault." He said dismissively. When he finally turned back to Severus, he sighed at the unbelieving look he was getting.

"I will not willingly take her to the Dark Lord and risk my child being killed. I would rather die." He said coldly. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"I realize that. GIve him a reason to spare the baby. Tell him she was part of the raid on the Tableaux mansion. If he thinks she's a pureblood, but just a traitor, he wouldn't want you to kill the child since she hasn't tainted it with her beliefs yet. It will be recepted with the same grace that Chelsea was accepted with. He believes himself immortal, so he wants to make sure when we all die that we have loyal servants to replace us that are properly brainwashed into being the perfect army of death eater children." He explained evenly. Severus sat up a bit straighter unable to believe he hadn't thought of it before. It was cruel to her, sure, but this was a cruel war they were involved in. It was the only way to protect his baby. He started to feel a hope that he had suppressed since he had found out about the baby realizing he might actually be able to keep the baby.

"You're a genius." Severus said pulling out some muggle bills from his teaching robes that were under the more formal death eater robes.

"I have to go." He said standing up to leave abruptly. The blond waved him off knowing there was nothing he could do to postpone his leaving when he was so determined.

"Go, I have something I have to see to." He said winking at the women on the other side of the table who giggled and whispered something to her friend. Severus rolled his eyes and made his way out in a flurry of robes that caught the attention of several of the sluttier woman's attentions. He didn't care, he had to see Teresa now. He didn't consider what he had to say to her as threatening her, but rather issuing her a promise. He didn't have to leave the child's life in her hands after all, and that thought gave him a powerful happiness that was enhanced by his intoxicated state. He turned appearing to her small flat that served as her safe house, being the only one who could get through the apparition wards including herself. He stumbled around in the darkness trying to find the door to the room she shared with her husband.

He could hold his baby one day. He had always wanted a family, but considered it too dangerous to consider. He imagined himself holding a small baby as he had with Draco and Chelsea, but one that had his dark hair. His intoxicated mind wondered what it would look like for Hermione to hold his child. It was a foolish thought for sure. She would never accept a child of his. She was only entertaining his affection for her because her life depended on it. He might be a lot of things, but he was not a fool. His foolish heart throbbed at the vision his mind created of her holding the baby with her brown curls falling forward around the baby's face. He knew she would coo at the silly thing, she was sentimental like that.

He fell into a table distracted, and unstable in his drunken state and cursed loudly. The lights flared on, and a sleepy Teresa came from the door he hadn't managed to get anywhere close too.

"Severus?" She mumbled confused, rubbing her eyes. He straightened himself focusing on the tirade he had planned for her.

"You left the wards again. I felt them go off. I specifically told you not to." He said coldly. She shrugged trying to focus on him in her sleepy state.

"Tristan had a function I couldn't miss." She said blandly with no apology. Severus stalked up to her surprised with his coordination he managed in his anger at the foolish women.

"I told you not to leave." He said with a force that made her cringe back.

"I'm sorry." She said sounding more frightened than apologetic. Severus shoved her against the wall, careful to not actually hurt her or the baby, but made sure as hell that she looked up at him with terrified eyes, her tiredness vanishing.

"Let me make myself clear. You will not leave here again, or I will take you straight to the Dark Lord and demand that he cut the child out of you, and dispose of you in whatever method he deems worthy." He said silkily, shaking with the anger that he normally restrained around her, but that the alcohol was letting seep through his filters.
She nodded her head shakily. He glared at her for an icy moment before releasing her forcefully.

"Good." He snapped. Her husband finally came to see what the issue was without even having his wand at hand, despite the fact that he very well could have been a real death eater.

"What's going on?" He asked looking between the two of them in confusion.

"Nothing to concern yourself with wonderful protector." Severus snapped knowing it had hit a nerve when the man's cheeks went red, and he folded his arms defensively.

"At least I'm not the rapist." Her husband taunted. Severus ignored him and gave Teresa a final warning glare, then turned on the spot and apparated to the outside of the gates content that his point had been made.

He found himself in a decent mood despite the terrible evening and he took his time going back to his quarters despite the fact that he would only get two or three hours of sleep. He sent off a patronus with the basic details of the raid so the Headmaster would know before the papers came out in the morning.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a figure outside of his office obviously having been waiting for his return.

Teaser "Sever...oh Hermione." The Headmaster said seeing her curled up with Severus. She swallowed unsure of what to say.

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