A/n: Here's another chapter… I'm done with my first summer class which is good… I have one more to go… then a 2 week break… then back to start my junior yr of college… yippee…. Ok so here's the next installment… ENJOY…

P.S. NEUROBIOLOGY RULES…. And so does Professor Uzwiak… and so does my plot… which I own…

Contemplation and Answers
Snape was standing in his usual position in the Death Eater circle. He didn't know why he was here but the room seemed to be tingling with excitement as each Death Eater kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robes.

"We will soon put the new plan into effect," Voldemort called out. "With the success of the last mission we once again have the wizarding community shaking with fear. Now is a time for celebration!"

The crowd of Death Eaters roared around him in excitement. Snape usually didn't get excited at the word "celebration". The word celebration always turned out to be a massive orgy, and he never participated in them. He used to on occasion took some of the entertainment to a private room, but that was a long time ago. It wasn't until she clouded his thoughts again that he stopped.

His mind was on other things, the Dark Lord wanted to see him about the new mission. He thought he would have more time to figure everything out before doing this mission, but he didn't.

"Fellow Brethren," A voice called out. "I bring you the entertainment."

Snape knew that voice, it was the pompous, hazel eyed wizard who was talking to Lucius at the last meeting. He could hear footsteps walking down the hall. Soon a whole train of women wearing nothing but a hood over their heads entered the room. One looked like she was sniffling under her hood. Another one was shaking convulsively.

"Have fun," Voldemort's cruel laugh ranged through the large room.

He walked passed Severus and gave him a look that said follow me. The Dark Lord wanted Snape in his company once more. Snape walked silently down the hall behind Voldemort. He wondered what this new mission would be. The hallway was empty, the smell that the house gave off was familiar to him. The dark damp house seemed to have noises of its own besides the moaning of the occupants that reached his ears once they turned into the study.

Voldemort now sitting at his desk threw Snape of look of utter pleasing. It shook the Potion master a bit seeing how ecstatically pleased he was.

"Sit Severus," He said to him softly and Snape obeyed. "This new plan is brilliant, it will finally bring Potter to me."

He paused, and Snape looked at him with interest.

"Do you know a Hermione Granger, she's a student at your school." His red eyes were then slits.

The last two weeks passed by with speed. Hermione was busy. On top of all of her Head Girl duties, she was tutoring as well as planning a killer Halloween dance. The dance was next week, and she already had a band set up, the food was done, and now all she had to do was come up with a theme and decorations. Professor Flitwick said he was going to help her with that. It was already Friday, the Halloween dance is supposed to be next week.

These two weeks have been filled with the delight of making the Halloween dance the best dance ever to hit Hogwarts, but they also been filled with the usual darkness that seem to have clouded around her. She had been doing everything in her power to avoid Malfoy, who was making usual demands of her. Her only request was not to have sex in her room. She wouldn't be able to stay in here knowing that they had been in there.

She sat at the usual meeting table waiting for the rest of the Prefects to show. Hermione knew that she couldn't avoid him any longer. She would try to occupy her free time away from her room and away from Malfoy. She decided to pick up extra rounds of patrol duty. During those nights she would think as she walked around the quiet but comforting castle. She would sneak out to the grounds and stay there until the wee hours in the morning, just gazing at the night sky trying to do everything in her power to stay away from him. Hermione would also spend a lot of time at Hagrid's, but soon she would have to stop using him to avoid her problems because he was getting suspicious. The most time she spent away from Malfoy was when she went to the library. She was reading the new books that Snape had recommended. Trying to find something that will counteract with the present spell she had placed over both of them.

The only true time they spent together was when she didn't have any diversion that would carry her off to the other side of the castle or when they had to plan out the Halloween dance which usually ended with them having sex. She was used to his weight being on top of her, used to the way her body reacted against her will as he planted kisses on her. The only place that she felt secure was at her new job. She was working at Vance's Discount Books, the book store in Hogsmeade and was loving every second of it. There was no threat here and everyone seemed to be extremely nice.

The weird thing about working in that particular store was the customers. The occasional Hogwarts student would come in and buy magazines or a book for a project, but then you had others. She had seen trolls, hags, goblins, and a house elf or two. Her most regular customer was of course, none other than, Severus Snape.

It was weird the conversations exchanged between the two. Usually it was arguing some point in a well read book, or sometimes it would be just having a conversation in general, it was all very weird, but she had fun chatting with someone that was on her level. But in class he was his normal self, bitter towards both Harry and Hermione but also indifferent towards Hermione. She thought it was weird, but what else could it be, he was her teacher, and that was all there was to it.

Soon the room filled with all the prefects. Hermione's attention was drawn to the table, the same table that her and Malfoy had sex on. She shuddered at the memory.

"Hi Hermione," Ginny called as she entered.

Hermione barely heard the young Gryffindor, but she said a soft hello when she sat in Malfoy's usual position.

"Hermione are you ok." She asked in a low voice.

"Yes," She lied. She couldn't look Ginny in the eye any longer for fear that her eyes would reveal he true feelings.

"Let's get this meeting started." Dumbledore called out.

Ginny threw a concerned look at her friend and made her way to her regular seat. Hermione looked down at the table, trying not to make any eye contact with anyone. She felt broken when she was inside these walls.

Draco Malfoy strolled in and took his usual seat next to Hermione while the prefect read the minutes from the last meeting.

"So what has been planned since we last met?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well everything is set, we had band auditions between the students and we picked the best one as the opening act. Plus, my father got some connections to see if he could get the Weird Sisters to come play again. We got the food and now all we need is a theme so we can decorate." Malfoy said. Hermione could feel his hand making that usual creep up her leg.

"Well does anyone have any ideas."

Hermione was barely paying attention. She was thinking about what she could do to stop all the chaos and pain. Her body tingled against her will once again. She wanted to talk to Dumbledore about everything but there was no use. She had an agreement, she doesn't break any promises.

"So a masquerade ball it is," Dumbledore said smiling widely. "What a good idea Miss Weasley. If there isn't any new business I would like to bring this meeting to a close."

There was the usual scraping of the chairs and Hermione was the first person to leave, she didn't want a repeat of what happened last time. She walked slowly to her room, taking the long route. She knew she had to talk to someone about this, and the only person who had seemed to be going through exactly what she was going through now was hot and cold with her.

Her dragging footsteps finally made it to her quarters. She whispered the password and made it up the stairs. She made her way to her room and sunk into the bed sheets. This is the only place that hasn't been touched by his presence. She sighed heavily as her head fell back onto the pillow.

'This has to end,' She thought to herself. But she couldn't find any other solution, besides just grinning and bearing it. 'I've been through worse.'

Ginny was once again worried about her friend. During the whole meeting Hermione looked drawn and completely out of it. She looked the same when she finally came and spent the rest of the holiday with them. The first couple of days she was either sleeping or not talking to anyone. It was weird and she finally wanted answers, she wanted to know what was going on, what had happened over break, but first she wanted to see if she could get the answers out of Hermione first.

She walked up to her room after changing from her school robes back in Gryffindor tower. She was walking in comfortable in jeans, a tee-shirt, and a light jacket. The castle was beginning to become colder with each passing day. She found the painting and whispered the password. She looked behind her, it felt as though someone was following her, but she shook it off.

She made her way up the stairs and walked straight to Hermione's door. She knocked on the door lightly. The lion that occupied Hermione's door asked who was calling. So Ginny replied, and he disappeared to tell Hermione that she had a visitor. The door opened a moment later.

Ginny stepped inside the darkened room. Hermione didn't even bother lighting candles. She was lying on her bed, still in her school clothes. Ginny walked over to her usual side of the bed and sat down.

"Hermione?"

"I don't want to talk about it Gin," She replied.

"I know something happened to you over break but you're not telling me everything. I know this whole thing isn't just about Malfoy. I know that your parents died, but it feels like your only telling me part of the story. I just want to understand."

She could feel Hermione tense up. "You have to give me more, you shouldn't be feeling like this. I mean how much information do you think Malfoy has? He can't rule over your life."

"Don't you see, he can, and I have to let him for the time being." Hermione turned to her. "I know it might sound confusing now, but I assure you, I know what I'm doing."

"Hermione that's the point," Ginny noticed how wet her face was and how puffy her eyes were. "It looks like you do not know what your doing. This is your last year of Hogwarts, you should be enjoying it. I know it's hard to enjoy when the two people you love the most isn't here to share it with you, how do you think Harry feels? Which is another reason for my suspicions. If your parents died I thought you would of told Harry first. You only told me because I caught you stark naked, and even then you were reluctant to tell. So what is really going on?"

"It's too complicated Gin," She replied sitting up. "I will tell you everything as soon as its over ok, just know that I am handling it fine."

"Alright," Ginny said reluctantly. She was going to get answers whether Hermione wanted to give them to her or not.

"So, the dance is next week, I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me to the costume shop in Hogsmeade so we can get our gowns. I know you've been busy, but it would be great if you could come."

Hermione gave her a weak smile. "I'll come during my break, just meet me at Vance's around one o'clock."

"Ok Hermione, I'll see you tomorrow."

Ginny left Hermione to her tears. She didn't like her friend feeling like this, not at all. All the pressure of school work, N.E.W.T.s. Head Girl duty, and tutoring was getting to her plus the burden she was carrying. So Ginny was going to the one person who knew everything about what happened, Dumbledore.

She had only been to Dumbledore's office once before. It was after Harry had saved her from the Chamber of Secrets her first year. She made her way to the phoenix who was guarding the entrance. She didn't know the password but she knew that Dumbledore was rather fond of sweets. So she started rattling off sweets until she got the right one.

The staircase began moving in its usual upward spiral. She reached the entrance to the office and knocked. The door opened immediately, and there was Dumbledore sitting at his desk. It seemed as though he was waiting for her, as if he knew that she was going to come to his office. It was pretty unnerving.

"Toffee?" He asked. She sat down and took one of the toffees out of the crystal bowl. She took a piece but didn't eat it.

"Headmaster, it's about Hermione." Ginny said without preamble.

"I was wondering when one of her friends would come speak to me." He said his eyes twinkling.

"Well she's been acting weird lately, she told me that her parents died."

"Did she now," He replied his face growing somber. "Did she tell you how they died."

"No, Headmaster." Ginny felt her relief overtake her. She was finally going to get answers.

"Did she reveal anything else to you?" His questioned gazed locked hers.

"No Headmaster, it took her awhile to tell me that much, and when she did she broke down into tears."

Silence filled the room. Dumbledore looked at the ceiling and was stroking his beard. Ginny put the piece of candy in her mouth. She thought it was very good. It wasn't until the candy melted in her mouth that Dumbledore caught her gaze once more.

"There is a reason why Miss Granger is acting this way Miss Weasley." He started. "She has been through a great deal over the holidays. She has had to grow up in only one summer. I just hope you understand this."

"Yes, Headmaster, I do." Ginny replied eagerly.

"What she hasn't told you is that she is now a member of The Order."

"But how has she become a member of the order?" Ginny Blurted out. "Sorry."

Dumbledore looked like he didn't want to share any more information then he already had.

"That is up to her to tell you." He replied his eyes twinkling. "Miss Granger is under a lot of strain because she indeed has a full plate. She is trying to live a normal life amongst her duties to me as well as The Order. This is one of the reasons why we do not allow any students in the Order."

"Oh ok," Ginny replied. "It's just that Hermione, she looks to the point of going to the edge. I'm just worried."

There was a loud banging on the door that made Ginny almost jump out of her seat. The door swung open loudly banging against the wall. It was Snape at the door and he looked as though he ran all the way up from the dungeons. He gave one look at Ginny and then one at the Headmaster.

"I am sorry Miss Weasley, but I do have other business to attend to." The Headmaster said getting up from his chair. "I hope you keep our little chat private, and please help yourself to more toffee, I see that you're rather fond of them."

Ginny couldn't refuse his offer of toffee. She took a handful and left the office. Snape gave her a sideway glance. She could tell that he was panting heavily and he looked wet. He must have been out in the rain. She walked slowly back to Gryffindor Tower, wondering what Hermione did to gain early entry into The Order.

A/n: So there it is… another chapter…So Hermione's is in The Order… but does that account for why she is feeling so low… and what is her mission exactly… and will Ginny tell the Boys about her conversation with Dumbledore? So many questions unanswered so much more of the story to get through… so there it is… I am actually going to write the next chapter now so expect it up by Thursday or Friday at the latest….

For all of you who are reading my dra/hrm fic Revenge Doesn't It Taste Sweet, I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while I already have ¾ of the chapter done, I was going to post that before I posted this story actually but I forgot to email the chapter to myself… I am home for the long weekend… so expect that to be up tomorrow night or Wednesday at the latest…

I hope you like the direction I am taking this story, so stay tuned for more… thanks for reviewing guys, you've been awesome….

As Always… Cherbi161