He wasnt in his room for more than 20 minutes before Minerva came into his quarters with Hermione.
Secerus turned and narrowed his eyes moving them back and forth between the two women. Hermione looked apprehensive and McGonagall just looked flat out angry.
Hermione spoke first, "Professor McGonagall wants me to tell her your task."
Snape raised his eyebrow. No you don't, Minerva. You truly don't, "Does she now?"
McGonagall mirrored him and raised her eyebrow, "Yes, Severus. I very much do want to know."
"I'll admit that I had not expected this, though, when I think more on it, I probably should have," He touched his finger to his chin.
"I am tired of being kept in the dark. I am tired of agonizing over whatever it is you're going to have to do, and I'm tired of worrying about how whatever it is will destroy you. I have known you since you were a boy. You have done bad things, Severus Snape, but you have changed in ways I didn't think people could, and you deserve allies. In the plural," She nodded and pursed her lips.
His jaw flexed over and over. He was thinking deeply and so hard the women could practically hear the wheels and cogs in his head moving.
"Very well, Minerva. But rest assured, I sincerely think you will regret this. Ignorance is bliss, as they say," His voice was low and even.
"Hermione, you may tell her the task. Only things directly related to the task," He said without looking at Hermione. I'm sorry.
"What? Why do I have to tell her?!" Hermione crossed her arms, "It's hard enough to know, let alone say." I'm sorry.
"Try living it," He laughed darkly. I am honestly not sure which woman is closer to killing me. Perhaps this is more dangerous to me than Dumbledore and Voldemort.
Minerva turned to Hermione, "He wants you to tell me because you are his Secret Keeper. If you tell me a secret he has confided in you under your vow to each other, I can tell no one else," She looked from Snape back to Hermione, "As much as Severus may like me, he does not trust me fully. He doesn't trust anyone fully. Except you. You can make sure it can't go anywhere else."
"Who told you I liked you?" Snape smirked, "Whatever person told you that must have been clinically insane," He mused.
"Severus, stop. This isn't a joke. It doesn't help to be funny," Hermione bit her lip.
Severus spoke up, "You might want to sit down, Minerva."
"I am perfectly fine where I am!" She insisted.
Severus muttered, "How Gryffindor of you."
Hermione pointed to the couch, "No. Honestly, you will want to sit."
Minerva looked at her. Concern grew on her face and she moved toward the couch. Hermione sat on the end opposite of her, much like he had with her when he told her, and Severus leaned against the wall near the fireplace.
Hermione opened her mouth, but Severus cut her off, "Only the task. Only things directly related to that," When he caught her glare, he added, "Please, Hermione."
"Okay... Professor... Severus has been ordered to kill the same person by both Dumbledore and Voldemort," She looked at Severus nervously. He nodded in assurance.
"Which person?" Minerva looked at her carefully.
"He... he has to kill Dumbledore," Hermione winced and Severus held his breath. This is going to end quite badly.
"WHAT!?" She screamed, "THAT ARROGANT ANCIENT BASTARD HAS ORDERED YOU TO DO THAT?!"
"Well, yes, but he is already dying," Hermione answered for him.
"I don't care," Her voice was shrill.
"Voldemort ordered Draco to do it. Dumbledore knows this. He commanded Severus to do it, to save Draco's soul. Voldemort intends for Severus to do it in the end anyway, that is his command, because he doesn't think Draco can or will do it."
"What of Severus' soul?!"
Snape snorted and kicked at the carpet.
"Dumbledore will die anyway," Hermione looked at her lover.
"That does not matter! He asks too much!" She flew off the couch and headed toward the door.
Fuck, "Just where in the bloody hell are you going?" He growled.
"I need to have a chat with our blessed headmaster," She snapped.
Hermione and Severus chased after her. For her age, the woman could move fast.
"Minerva, please," Severus said quietly so as to not draw any attention despite the early hour. Shit. Shit.
"Professor..." Hermione tried.
McGonagall heard none of it. She stalked ahead of them so quickly that the trailing two had to leap into the steps as they turned to go up to the headmaster's office.
"Fucking Gryffindors," Severus growled and Hermione elbowed him.
"Albus Dumbledore!" She screeched at him. He looked up from his desk. What the devil is he doing up? Minerva slid her hands across his desk effectively throwing every single thing on it off onto the floor.
"Minerva?!"
"You are an arrogant, self-righteous old fool who would sacrifice your own flesh and blood to achieve your preferred end, wouldn't you? It's no real surprise you have Severus do all your dirty work for you! You'll have him killed in a second to get what you want!" She leaned over the desk until she was less than an inch from his face, "You are a coward. You are unworthy of the Gryffindor colors you wore so long ago."
"Technically, he did. Sacrifice his own flesh and blood," Snape added and Dumbledore looked at him with wide eyes, "Oh, yes, I knew. I have known for many years. I, unlike you, do not pride myself on flaunting people's sins in front of their faces to keep their loyalty."
"I am unsure how you found out about this," Dumbledore said as he looked back to McGonagall.
"Liar," Snape seethed, "You do know."
Dumbledore glared at Hermione, "I had so much hope for you, Miss Granger. This... relationship... will only lead to heartache and ruin for you."
Snape sneered, but Hermione grabbed his arm, "As long as it's far away from you, I don't give a fuck where it leads me." Snape sniggered and leaned back against the stone wall.
"You have disappointed me many times, Severus, but this... this is the worst. This is a monstrous betrayal."
"Oh, really, Albus?" Minerva's voice was scathing, "Says the person willing to sacrifice his soul. You're lucky the only thing he did was find a Secret Keeper. Had it been me, I would've skinned you," She peered down at him over her glasses.
"Minerva, listen," The old man started.
"No, I think I am done listening to you, Albus. I am very much done with you. Many years I have considered you family and have been honored to know you, but you ask too much."
"I am saving Draco Malfoy's soul."
"His is not worth more than Severus' soul," Minerva's voice was as cold as ice.
"To you, perhaps," Dumbledore said.
"What the fuck does that mean, Dumbledore?" Snape brushed Hermione as he stepped in front of her.
"This war was fated to be, but you... You were the catalyst," He said, "Even though it would have happened no matter what, you were the spark that lit this fire," Dumbledore said. He even had the gall to feign sympathy, "This is destiny."
Snape's wand was out and between Dumbledore's eyes in a flash. His chest heaved with breaths he tried to control. His magic crackled across his skin, his clothes, and his hair. Minerva stared smugly at Dumbledore while Severus' wand trembled in rage at the bridge of his nose. You son of a bitch.
Hermione stepped up and touched his ribs under his raised arm, "Severus, no." Hermione...
"Listen to her, Severus. Isn't that why you picked her? So you could have someone else to follow?" Dumbledore was a cruel man. He had always been so. Everyone was beneath him. Everyone was expendable. Every person was a pawn, a peon. He could talk anyone into anything, and he could manage to befriend even the least friendly of people to achieve his goal. He was ruthless. If someone lost their value to him, he disposed of them as quickly as possible. Fuck you. I'll do it now!
"No, Professor. That isn't why he picked me, but you'll never even understand why he did, so I won't bother trying to explain it to you. It would be a waste of my time. He isn't a killer, despite what you've commanded him to do. You are not worth his anger. You are not worth much to anyone anymore, at least not in this room, except yourself. The world doesn't know you, the real you, but they will. Mark my words. You may wound him, but his soul is mine now. I won't let you have it. We're together" She put her fingers into Severus' and looked up at him, "You'll not take him from me." Don't ever let go.
She pulled Severus away, back to the stairs, and McGonagall followed them. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, they stepped off and stood in silence and stared down the long corridor.
Minerva spoke, "I think I need a drink."
Severus looked at Hermione, and then the Gryffindor Head of House, "Yes."
A lot of drinks.