Note: a shorter chapter while life catches up with me

As it turned out, Snape was to proud to yield quickly... but after a very loud and rather shamefully drunk party next door, were he learned more about others than he was willing to, he had enough.

When Hermione walked by, a little over a week later, he sneered when she walked by.

'Well played Miss Granger… so.. you want to talk?'

Hermione had a hard time keeping the triumph off her face. She could not however supress a little smile. 'If you can spare the time Sir, I would love to'

'Save the sarcasm for the adults Miss, now get me of this bloody wall.' He scoffed.

After finding Draco, they moved back to the Headmistress office, portrait unceremoniously tucked under her arm. They could hear Snape huffing and could picture him hanging lopsided, still trying to cross his arms.

MacGonagall was slighty amused when the two of them knocked and let themselves in without hesitation. She never thought Snape would give in. She was rather impressed by the young girl. And was wondering if she was sorted right. She was cunning, but her temper probably had something to do with the sorting. Nevertheless, she was a force alright.

Sitting back in her chair she appraised the pair. 'Finally gave up Severus?' she asked, trying to keep a straight face, after Hermione had put him back on the wall.

Dumbledore was hiding a smile behind his hand and Phineas looked smug.

Snape chose to ignore their jibes. And was looking around like he was bored.

'So, now that you're settled, I think you must have agreed to talk, am I correct?'

'Obviously..' Snape replied.

'Get on with it then' Hermione cut in. 'We both have classes to attent to'.

Draco rolled his eyes, she catched that.. and narrowed her eyes at him.

'What? Like you'd get behind? You already read it all!' he said in his defence.

'Not the same Draco..' she sighed. 'Talk Snape, we have NOT got all day'.

They took their seats, MacGonagall offered them tea and some sandwiches while Snape was waiting looking rather glum.

'Before I start this, a short story I must admit, know that what I did was not to harm any of you.'

Hermione frowned and Draco looked hesitant.

'When you both started at Hogwarts I was experimenting with spells and potions. And was, because of the connection with Potter and his mother, interested in bonds. How they worked, what they were etc etc. As a kind of trial I tried to come up with spells to show me the bonds people had. Not to intervene, but as a kind of study. See if bonds intracted with someones life and how it altered their personality. I will spare you all the details. But I found out you shared a bond.. Yes, already then.. No Miss Granger, you will not interupt now, let me finish'.

Hermione swallowed her questions and closed her mouth.

'A soul bond, but by the looks of you, you had no idea. And that can happen, why you must want to know, yes yes, hold it in Granger. A lot of people can have a soulbond without knowing this. Some life around the world, never knowing. It is not like it will attract the person you share a bond with. Which must be good, you would have killed eachother. No no Draco, no questions.

As it turned out, I don't really know what kind of soulbond this is, by I assume it is a ancient one. Soul bond are their to complement eachother, to find their true soulmate, and rather irritationally, a partner for life. Don't look at me like that, I did not invent this. The sould bond can sense if people are by lacking a better word, compatible. Not only magically, but interlactually as well.

It turns out that people with a soulbond connect in a way most people don't. They can sense what other people think and feel on a surface. It does not necessarily mean people end up together. As you are aware, opposites can have a soulbond. Most people keep on hating eachother en turn away from the bond. In your case.. well.. I might have meddled in that.. '

Hermione was slightly red in the face from holding everything in. 'Go on..' she hissed between clenched teeth.

'It was in your school years that I overheard Professor Trelawney, unknowingly made a Prophacy. I did not know who it was about, as she talked in riddles. But after working out all the lines, I was sure it was about you.'

'What did it say?' Hermione could not keep quiet any longer. 'Why us?' Draco followed.

'A bright star with a fire within..' Snape started.

'Wait, we know that riddle!' Hermione, looking at Draco. Who in turn looked a little out of sorts.

'You, know? How?' Snape was looking a little puzzled.

'I assume it was your fault, starting this schoolyear, we uhm, had this weird connection..' Hermione said. 'Every time we locked eyes, there was a strange buzzing in our heads, we found out later that, with uh closeness.. we could hear the verse'.

'But only once, after that it was very quiet'. Draco summed up.

'Well yes, I would assume that my meddling helped, but I did not know this would occur.' Snape answered. Taking a deep breath, he continued.

'So, you know the riddle, but have not figured it out yet? I'd expected more I guess.'

'We were a little busy making an advanced potion Sir' Draco said with an irritated tone.

'Yes, I've heard about that, impressing, now I know for sure I made the right choice'. 'Now hush and let me finish'.

'You can solve the riddle in your own time, it will give you more answers for my actions. And leaves a little mistery. Because of the Prophecy and the soul bond, it was certain that the two of you hold great power. And with all the troubling things going on, I wanted to make sure there would still be power for the good, if by unfornate thing, I could not do the things that were asked of me. As you will all know now.'

'Power for the good? You know the side I had to take Snape, if this had turned out any other way..' Draco accused.

'Yes Draco, but I also knew that the Light was brighter in her, than the Darkness was in you' motioning to Hermione. 'And I made a blood bond, that when I would die, and the two of you survived and could look at eachother without hate, the Soulbond and Prophecy bond would interact to make itself known. To, you could say, protect the future. As it turned out rather good, except me being dead. It does not serve a real goal anymore.'

Working out what he said, 'You wanted us to fight Voldemort if Harry got killed?' Hermione stated looking wide eyed. 'You've got to be kidding me!'

'You what?!' both Draco and MacGonagall shot.

'You can't be serieus Severus, they hated eachother'. MacGonagall said.

'Yes, but I hoped that in the time they saw eachother, in battle and all, they saw the right thing. It was a gamble I was willing to take'.

After that disturbing talk, Draco felt a little sick. The thought that he could be set against the Dark Lord, even now, was unnerving. His mother would not have survived.

He would have turned his back to everyone and everything.

'Now what?' he asked Hermione, while walking back with her to the Gryffindor common room.

With their friends in class, it was quiet there. MacGonagall had dismissed them from classes before lunch.

'We have to solve the riddle I guess.. I'm not really sure I get why it had to be us..'

'Do you remember the whole thing? We've got to write it down.'

'Ofcourse I do..' Hermione said.

A bright star with a fire within, its name alike

When connected with fierce love of one earthly messenger

Only when the mind is aligned with the heart

Will true strong magic be unite

And with that,they started working…