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He couldn't believe that so much had happened in the span of less than a year. They had started the year hating each other; and then he was put into the dungeons when he refused to join the Dark Lord, while she was captured and put into the same dungeon. They had been through so much that it was impossible for them not to have grown close.

'But with her changing, I lost my beacon. I only made it through all of this because of her. It is so hard to believe that she is the same person…' He thought as he exasperatedly laid face down into the couch pillow.

Chapter 14

"Step forward Draco" the Dark Lord himself requested, but it was more of a command.

Draco was almost trembling from what he knew was going to happen soon, and so, frozen to the spot.

"Come now Draco, be a good boy" His Aunt Bellatrix came up to him and traced a finger down his cheek. One would think it lovingly, if it wasn't coming from Bellatrix Lestrange, whose last name suited her perfectly. Draco was not too fond of his Aunt Bella, so it took all of his strength not to flinch away from her touch.

She nudged him forward, which was more of a small shove, bringing him closer to Voldemort.

"Now Draco, I believe that the time has come to finally welcome you to our ranks." Voldemort says, his bright red eyes seeming to gaze straight into Draco's soul. "I have a very special place for you my boy." He grinned, showing his snake like teeth.

This time Draco couldn't hold back the shudder of repulsion that flowed through him. His Aunt Bella was one thing, but Draco absolutely despised the Dark Lord. He had seen the change in his parents and his friends, and he didn't like it. He didn't want to be a part of the Death Eaters, because it was wrong. It was so very wrong. Draco had heard of the excursions that the members went on, and they always made him sick.

"Come closer Draco, and kneel before me" Voldemort beckoned with his bony hand.

Draco closed his eyes briefly, gaining courage. "No."

The room went dead silent.

The Dark Lord stood up and walked over until he was in front of Draco. "What did you say?"

Draco dared to look him straight in the eyes. "I said no."

The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife, it was so thick. Then all of a sudden a raspy laugh began to fill the room. Voldemort was laughing.

This made Draco even more nervous. The laugh was so hauntingly disturbing, and even Bellatrix had a strange look on her face from it.

"You are quite the joker aren't you my dear Draco. You had me going for a minute there you know." He grinned at Draco again in the same way. "Now, do I have to repeat myself?"

Draco took a deep breath. "No because my answer will be the same."

The Dark Lord's grin fell from his face.

"Draco, what are you doing boy?" Lucius whispered angrily.

"Doing what is right father. This is no life I want to live" Draco replied, looking his father right in the eyes. His father looked away ashamed. Whether at himself or at his son, Draco wasn't sure.

Thankfully Draco knew that his mother wasn't in the room, as she did not bear the dark mark, which therefore prevented her from being in most of the meetings. Draco was grateful that she had never been forced to bear one. 'She won't see me die, or be tortured. Or both' Draco thought.

"Pettigrew!" The Dark Lord bellowed.

Draco could hear some shuffling from behind him. Peter Pettigrew appeared at his side.

"Yes My Lord?" He asked.

"Take young Draco here to the dungeon. Perhaps some time alone will make him see the error of his ways." Voldemort said, and then turned to go back to his seat.

"Yes, My Lord, right away" Pettigrew said as he roughly grabbed the robes at the back Draco's neck, and pulled him along, with his wand pressed to his back.

Draco could feel his father's gaze on him as he was lead out of the room, but Draco didn't acknowledge him. He knew his father wouldn't stand up for him, wouldn't beg the Dark Lord to release Draco so that he could persuade him. His father was not stupid. Draco knew that his father realized it was a lost cause.

It didn't make it hurt any less though; to know that your own father had given up on you. Draco knew his mother would be worried sick about him, but that she would be proud. He just hoped that he survived to see her again.

Once they arrived in the dungeon, Draco was shoved inside and his wand taken from him.

"You're lucky that he didn't kill you boy" Pettigrew said crustily as he slammed the door and warded it. He then disappeared down the hallway, leaving Draco alone.

Draco then turned around to take in his surroundings. This was one part of the Malfoy Mansion that he had never been to, as his mother would not allow him and had, until Voldemort took over, always kept it under heavy wards.

There were no windows as they were underground, but at least the room was lit with an oil lamp. In one corner was a small cot, with a thin blanket. Other than that the room was bare.

He made his way over to the bed and sat down, backing into the corner hugging his knees to his chest. He wrapped the blanket around him to try and block out the chill of the dungeon.

'I made the right decision… right?' He asked himself. He could only hope.

Hermione once again found herself at the top of the astronomy tower.

"I can't believe that he would bring some tart back to our rooms!" she exclaimed angrily, as tears tracked down her cheeks.

She went up to one of the alcove's overlooking the Hogwarts grounds and leaned against the wall. Her mind was racing with all the new changes, and she really hadn't had a moment to let her mind absorb all the new information.

She distracted herself from Draco by thinking of her newly found father. This then brought her to her mother, Lily. Hermione remembers the young women who held her child closely and sang to her for the last time. 'Will he let me see them again? Maybe other memories with her in them?'

Hermione couldn't imagine what Lily had gone through. To leave the man she loved, with a daughter only a few months old too, because they thought it would protect them all.

"Yeah, right!" she scoffed.

And then to think that her Snape had to go through not only his love's death, but the kidnapping of his daughter. Not to mention watching Lily have a child with his enemy…

Which, lead her mind to Harry. Her best friend who hated her; her brother. Both Hermione and Harry had always longed for siblings, so they had clung together and declared each other brother and sister because for all intents and purposes they were.

"Yeah and now that we are actually siblings, what does he do? Avoid me like I've got the plague!" She spits out; though her anger is tinged with sadness.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder; sagging in relief when she saw it was her father.

"I am sure that he will come around shortly. Even though Potter and I don't share many interests, we both love you" Snape said softly.

Hermione smiled watery at him and fell into his arms, as sobs wracked her body.

She cried for Lily, who gave up her happy life to try and make the world safer for her. Cried, because Lily was never given a chance to. She cried for the little boy who lost his parents. She cried for her young father who had lost so much, but continued to protect his love's son for her.

She wept for her parents, who had raised her believing that she was their biological daughter.

And she cried for herself. For what she herself had lost and gained. Her parents, Lily, Snape, Harry, Draco, her friends…

"I'm sorry. I've ruined your robes" she said softly as she pulled back a bit, still wanting the comfort that only a parents arms can provide.

"Don't even think of it" he said. "I think one tear stained robe pales in comparison to baby stains" he smirked.

Hermione let out a giggle. Which turned into a full blown laugh when she imagined the Snape she knew when she was a first year holding a baby away from him in disgust, with vomit stains all along the front of his expensive robes. Snape let out a deep chuckle along with her as he imagined a very similar situation.

"How about we go to my quarters and have tea?" Snape asked when the laughter had died down. He was feeling full of life, as he hadn't laughed like that for many years. Well hadn't really laughed at all in years.

Hermione pulled back and wiped her eyes and tear stained cheeks. "Sure, I would love too." She graciously accepted the handkerchief the he offered as well.

Once her face was dry, Snape sent a wandless charm to make the blotchiness and puffy eyes disappear. She whispered a thank you and they began the trek to the dungeons.

When they arrived, Snape said the password to the potions classroom, which was password protected after class hours, due to dangerous ingredients. Well and to keep certain students from stealing ingredients too. Hermione blushed as she remembered brewing the polyjuice potion in her second year. They moved through the classroom to his office, which opened to his touch.

Inside, he moved over to a side bookcase. His office was just the same as it had been since her first year; dark and dingy. However, once the hidden doorway was opened, Hermione was pleasantly surprised to see that his private rooms were completely opposite.

The sitting room was exactly like it was in the memories. It made Hermione wonder what else hadn't changed from the past.

Snape closed the door behind him and called Winky, the house elf, to bring them tea and sandwiches.

While he was talking with Winky, Hermione was taking in the bookcases with wide eyes. She went up to one bookcase and scanned all of the book titles. Many of the books were first editions, which were extremely rare even for later editions, never mind the first editions.

Turning around, she saw her father looking at her from the couch with an amused expression on his face. She grinned back and followed his lead, sitting on the other end of the couch and turning to face him. While doing so, she noticed a picture on the mantel.

"What was she like?" Hermione asked while looking at the photo of her parents in the moving photo.

"Beautiful. Inside and out she was truly a beautiful witch. She was just like you; intelligent and kind." He looked at the photo lovingly, with a hint of sadness.

"How did you meet? I mean I have heard a bit of the story from Harry, but I would like to hear it from you." She looked at how he was watching the photo of his love.

"We met when we were nine years old at our neighbourhood park. She was there with her older sister. I saw Lily preform magic, so I approached her and told her what she was. It took a little convincing, but I immediately became her best friend, and instantly Petunia's worst enemy."

They talked late into the night. At some point Snape had gotten a photo album out and Hermione had moved closer.

When he had gotten to the back of the album he realized the Hermione had fallen asleep against him. So, not having the heart to wake her up to send her back to her dorm, he moved her gently enough to get up. Then he picked her up and took her to the room that was always supposed to be hers. He had put a twin bed in here, hoping that one day she would return to him. Flicking his hand at the bed, the covers moved to the end, so he could lay her down.

Pulling the covers up, Severus bent down and moved a strand of her auburn hair away from her face. He smiled slightly, his throat constricting slightly. His Wrenna was finally back where she belonged. Bending forward further, he kissed her head and then went to the door. He watched her for another minute before closing the door and going to his room.

In his room, Severus got ready for bed. Once he was in bed, he grabbed the photo of his beloved off his bedside table.

"I got her back, my love. Our Wrenna has turned into a beautiful, young woman. She is so much like you, it hurts sometimes. I wish you were here right now to see her. Goodnight, my love" Severus said as a single tear fell down his cheek, as he watched the picture of Lily smile and wave at him.

He put the photo back on his side table, and got settled into bed. He fell asleep watching the photo of his lost love.

TBC…

AN: Please, please review! I really enjoy reading them and they are very helpful! I don't know when I will be able to update next, as I am in school, but I will try! Thank you all for being such AMAZING followers! I love you guys!