"There she is."

Hermione heard the whispered exclamation but was a moment too slow to react, as she'd just been briefed on the theory behind unforgivable curses by a much happier looking Severus, and she was daydreaming about the various ways he'd ask her to be his again. A disarming spell whipped her wand out of her pocket into Ginny Weasleys hand, and a stun immobilised her. Ron stepped forward and levitated her into an empty classroom, and Hermione reflected that it was ironic that without her, Wingardium Leviosa would not have been a spell in his arsenal. Inside the classroom Harry unfroze her, but made sure he was between her and the door.

"So." He said.

"What do you want now Potter?" Asked Hermione.

"To ask a few questions."

Hermione was instantly on her guard. She didn't now if the Shadows were still keeping tabs on her, and a dose of Veritaserum would be extremely bad.

"Ask away." She said confidently. "Just don't expect me to answer them all."

"Are you sleeping with Snape?" Asked Ginny eagerly. Harry rolled his eyes and Ron looked disgusted.

"That is one of our questions, yes."

"No." Replied Hermione honestly. "I'm not."

"Oh come on." Said Ginny, getting into her stride. "I saw you with him last night. All that stuff about still wanting it, but if you can't have it being best friends instead. And you hugged him. And you called each other Severus and Hermione."

Hermione blanched, they'd been seen.

Ron zeroed in on her wince. "So its true?" He said incredulously. "You actually are sleeping with that git. Why?"

"For grades probably." Said Harry.

"Oh please." Said Hermione. "As if I need any help in that area. You on the other hand…"

"Excuse me?"

"Everyone thinks you left Hogwarts because you were failing Potter. The teachers couldn't bear the shame of having the boy wonder flunk all their classes so they chucked you out."

Harry was momentarily silenced. "That's, that's a lie."

"Haven't you been reading the papers whilst off on your secret missions? The prophet is being very supportive of you. Saying that you definitely did not get T's in all subjects apart from DADA; which of course just fuels the rumors that you did.

"Shut up." Growled Harry.

"Of course what the public doesn't know is that you're actually looking for horcruxes, a noble mission if I may say so."

Harry looked baffled. "Uh yeah, yeah it is."

"Shame really."

"What?"

"Well you haven't found any."

"We're close!"

"You're failing in real life, just like you would have done here without my help."

"That's enough." Harry pointed her own wand at her.

"What are you going to do Potty? Curse me? If you do, you won't get detention, you don't come here any more. You'll get a trial. More bad press for the chosen one…"

"Don't call me that!" He yelled.

"What are you going to do about it?"

Hermione was aware she was treading on thin ice. Without a wand she was next to helpless. She took a step closer so only Harry could hear her.

"You've only ever been something to rally behind Potter. It's other people who put the real work in. You wouldn't have got past the challenges in first year without me. Wouldn't have worked out what was in or where the chamber of secrets was, without me. Wouldn't have saved Sirius without my time turner, wouldn't have survived the goblet of fire without my help. And now I'm not on your side any more. How does that make you feel?"

She raised her voice so Ginny and Ron could hear. "If I was you, I wouldn't be threatening me with my own wand in an empty classroom. I'd be scared."

She snatched her wand out of a stunned Harry's grasp. "Now leave, before I call for my best friend." She looked at Ginny pointedly when she said it. "You know, that scary, dark arts knowing, Gryffindor hating professor."

Harry scowled and left, Ginny scampering after him. Ron paused to look at her.

"Hermione, we've been far too hot-headed. Can't you just swallow your pride and it can be like in the old days. You Harry and me remember? You don't have to fight with us, I know you don't want to, but you're still on our side right? I mean with the potion and everything. That was really clever of you and might win us the war."

Hermione sighed at his attempt to butter her up.

"Look Ron, It's true to say I want to get rid of Voldemort…" or whoever Dumbledore has playing him "…but I am not on your side. I am on my own side. Getting rid of Voldemort makes sense to me as I am a muggle-born. I hate the order, I hate Dumbledore and I think you are a spineless worm."

"Perhaps." Said Ron, now getting angry. "But you loved me for it once. You had everything Hermione, loyal friends and a boyfriend, and you've thrown it all away for what? To hang out with the Slytherins who made your life so miserable once. And spending so much time with Snape on that potion, have you forgotten the teeth incident?"

"No, but I fully understand his reasons for treating me the way he did. Face it Ron, things can never be the same between us. For a start, it's a snake not a lion on my uniform now."

"You could turn back."

"Not a chance. The old days are done and dusted, all I want to have to do with you now is enjoy wreaking my revenge on all of you for the way you've treated me. And believe me, I will have my revenge."

Ron looked frightened and high-tailed it out of the room after the others and Hermione just shook her in mirth. She'd been the one incapacitated by the loss of her wand, and out-numbered 3 to 1. And yet here she was, with her wand having effectively won their altercation. Chuckling, she headed up to her rooms.

Once she'd finished her homework she found herself staring out of the window in her bedroom out into the school grounds. It was a miserable February evening, and the rain was sweeping across the grass, crashing against the castle. Hermione looked up at her calendar and was surprised to see half term was just a week away. Hogwarts had half term earlier than muggle schools these days, to separate muggle children from wizarding ones even more in the dangerous wartime. She knew because her parents had complained Hermione was never around when they had family reunions. The second half of the second term was kick started by the Valentines Day ball on February 14th.

I wonder if I'll be back with Severus by then… She wondered. Such a lot has happened this year, It was only September that I was coming back to school a proud Gryffindor head girl, my mind full of helping the Order. Then by November I knew all about Voldemort and the real war of dark and light magic thanks to my project and Severus. By Christmas I was an outcast and working behind the Orders back for Tom Riddle on a potion that would benefit him and not them. And now I'm a member of the most secretive secret society ever, actively working to undermine Albus Dumbledore. What a year…

But thinking of Dumbledore just made her angry. He'd threatened her with her parent's well being, and she hadn't heard from them in months. She knew they hadn't been harmed because as far as Dumbledore knew she was helping them, but it still made her feel uneasy. Thinking about Dumbledore got her thinking about Harry… which started her off plotting her revenge.

She had just fished out a fresh piece of parchment when her fireplace crackled and Evan Rosier's head appeared in the embers. "Alright Hermione?"

She got down on her knees in front of the fireplace. "Yes thanks, what's up?"

"Just wondering if I could come through for a chat."

"Sure, I'm alone. But won't the visit be monitored by someone?"

"If I told you how I get around that, I'd have to kill you."

Hermione rolled her eyes and moved back so he could come through; glad she hadn't changed into her pyjamas yet. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a black tee shirt with 'I'm not cynical. I'm just experienced' on it in bright pink. Evan was in a baggy brown shirt and jeans, a black bandana keeping his hair out of his eyes.

"Nice tee."

"Thanks. So why are you really here Evan?"

"Didn't buy the 'just want a chat' cover then."

"Nope."

"Tom wanted me to drop by and see how you were after you first week."

"That's it?"

"Well yeah. You've been exposed to a lot of black magic this week Hermione, you'd be within your rights to be feeling a bit under the weather."

Hermione shrugged. "I'm fine. Had a bit of an argument with Draco earlier on, dredging up old incidents when we weren't the best of mates but that's about it. And my thirst for revenge is at an all time high."

"Revenge?" Evan crossed the room and sat on her bed. "Sounds like fun."

Hermione's eyes sparkled wickedly. "Oh it should be. After the way the Gryffindors treated me they cant expect to get away scot free."

"Definitely not. What have you got planned? And when will you do it?"

"I'm not sure yet. Its going to be after the main battle, because I don't want it to effect any plans the Shadows make. As for what…well it can't be a potion because that's too obvious given my uh, friendship with Severus. So I'll so a spell. It's just finding the right one."

Evan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well Severus is the one you want for revenge spells, but I've a few ideas, ones we can pass off as being done by a copycat Voldemort, one of his surviving minions. Dumbledore won't say 'no it wasn't because I haven't told anyone to do that' so we'll get away with it."

"But what is Voldemort's style? I don't want to use an unforgivable on them."

"Well Aberforth's always been one to…"

"Aberforth?" Hermione was instantly alert. "Voldemort is Aberforth? Dumbledore's brother?"

"Um…oops." Said Evan.

"That makes so much sense, Aberforth would have all the contacts he'd need working in the Hogs Head, and would be perfectly happy to take orders from his brother. But why oops? And why wasn't I told? Severus said I'd be told who Voldemort was when I joined the shadows, but what with everything going on I forgot to ask again. So why wasn't the information volunteered?"

"If it helps, it's the only thing we haven't told you."

"I'm glad, but why?"

"I shouldn't be the one to explain that, ask Severus."

"Fine, I will."

"Anyway." Evan perked up again. "Back to revenge."

A while later they'd brainstormed some pretty impressive spells. Evan left around midnight ad Hermione crawled into bed exhausted. Having half term around the corner would help her catch up on her sleep at any rate…

The next day, after her Monday offensive charms Hermione hung around after Draco left, hoping to talk to Severus alone.

"You got a minute?"

"For you, I have several." He said smiling.

"Nice to see you back to your old self." She said.

He shrugged. "Life's too short to push you away forever. We've agreed to be friends, something I'd missed when we were fighting, so why bother."

Hermione's heart leapt. This was definite progress.

"Right. Well I've got a few delicate questions…"

Severus understood right away, as she knew he would do. He opened the door into his secret study and Hermione followed him in.

"It's about Voldemort."

"Which one?"

"Smart arse. The not Tom one. I know its Aberforth, someone accidentally told me. But they wouldn't tell me why I wasn't told, only to ask you." Hermione voice faded as she saw his face cloud in anger. He saw her expression and his face cleared.

"No I'm not angry at you, just at Rosier."

"I didn't…"

"No you didn't say it was him, but it was, it's something he'd do. Accidentally on purpose of course. I'll explain now, but this time it's you who must promise not to get angry."

"I won't."

"There is a plot being formulated by the two Dumbledores to get to you. Albus isn't too pleased with how you have been conducting yourself, you don't fit into any neat little category. He'd rather you were on one side or the other, his or the death eaters, just so he knew how to deal with you, where your loyalties lie. You're a wild card, and he doesn't like it. Now he knows you're not fully on the orders side, so the next logical move is to see to what extent you are on 'Voldemort's' side. He wants Aberforth to try and recruit you into the death eaters."

"What!" Severus watched her face glower with indignation. She's rightly insulted, Hermione a death eater? Nonsense. With her abilities she doesn't need them to gain power.

"If you were stupid enough to join them, Albus would have the perfect excuse to get rid of you."

"But how would not knowing Aberforth is Voldemort help me?" Asked Hermione when he paused. "Surely forewarned is forearmed?"

"Not in this case. If you knew it was Aberforth, you'd act strangely around Albus. Though no fault of your own I assure you. The fact is you are not fully trained in subterfuge yet, that's partly my fault. My bad behaviour has lost us hours of work. And Albus is something of an expert in spotting when someone is hiding something, he's been Voldemort since before you were born remember."

Hermione nodded and he continued, glad she'd accepted that part so graciously.

"If Albus thought you were hiding something from him, he would have Aberforth put their plan into action immediately. That would be a catch 22 for you. Once taken by death eaters to see Voldemort you'd have two choices. Join him and be forced to take part in some atrocities, the third or forth of which Albus would conveniently arrest you at and have you executed, or tortured to death by Aberforth for not joining. Either way, you are no longer a problem to Albus."

Hermione was looking a bit pale, and Severus patted her knee consolingly.

"As it is, I've been delaying this plan for weeks, as a death eater. Albus thinks I'm delaying because I'm really an order member trying to protect you, he doesn't like it but he can hardly ask me to stop can he? And officially 'Voldemort' thinks I'm delaying because as a death eater I'm not 100 certain you're amenable to becoming one of them. But really I'm delaying it indefinitely as a shadow because I won't have you mixed up in all that, facing a messy death. You'd be subject to anything, forced to do things..." His voice shook and he held his hands over his face for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm himself. The night before last was still so fresh in his mind.

"I'm sorry if you're angry Hermione, but trust me when I say I felt it was for the best."

"You've been punished for delaying things." Said Hermione flatly.

"Yes." Admitted Severus, knowing he wouldn't be able to lie to her. "But I'm taking it willingly. I've suffered worse at the hands of the Dumbledore's; at least this is to protect you. Having Albus act all concerned afterwards when I crawl into his office to report is worse than the torture itself believe me. Don't worry."

"But of course I worry." Severus was alarmed to see her eyes starting to well with unshed tears. "I have no idea how long you've been getting yourself tortured to protect me, I feel useless and pathetic that I couldn't help you more. Instead I've been making you life harder by pushing you..." She stopped talking and took a shuddering breath.

She didn't let herself cry. Thought Severus. She's becoming more Slytherin every day.

"Promise me you won't take any stupid risks ok?"

"Of course not, I haven't done so for years."

"Oh of course, Severus the super-spy."

"Now you're mocking me." He said, feigning hurt, glad the conversation was steering clear of tears or shouting.

"Not a bit. Well maybe a little bit." Smiled Hermione.

"I thought as much, why do I put up with you?"

"Because you love me." Answered Hermione swiftly.

He opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it.

"As a friend, if you're going to argue the point again today. But look, I'm still not happy about this situation, I'll treat Dumbledore normally, but the sooner the final battle comes and I can serve him a few hexes the better."

"Well lets get you trained first shall we?" Smiled Severus. "I hope you weren't expecting your half term to be restful."

Hermione face fell slightly and he smirked. Guess she was then…