AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!

Hermione gazed into the mirror as she brushed her hair. For the first time in over a week, she felt like the woman staring back at her was herself. Still, there was a subtle difference between the person who had looked back at her when she'd first moved the mirror into her quarters and now. Her smile was wider, and her muscles more relaxed. Even her hair was tamer. The woman looking back at her was more confident, more at peace than the one who had moved in knowing there was one snarky potions professor who was opposed to her hiring.

She set her brush onto the nightstand. It was far from perfect. No matter what she did, it would be a mess in the morning. At the moment, it mattered little to her. For some reason, Severus enjoyed it. Nobody had ever admitted to finding her hair tolerable. As long as he enjoyed her hair, she could find joy in it.

Never in her wildest dreams could she imagine Severus making her feel better about anything. It was amazing what a few weeks worth of conversations could accomplish.

"Hermione?"

She groaned before shaking her head. Tonight she'd chosen to wear her long, black satin nightgown, so she was not presentable for guests. Even if she was, this was one particular guest she had no interest in conversing with so late in the evening.

"Hermione, are you there?"

"I'm coming," she took a deep breath. She should've known Ginny would want a progress report. It had been a few days, and she was interested in making sure Draco's money was being put to good use. After casting a muffliato, she went over to the fireplace and stuck in her head.

"Where have you been?" Ginny asked her eyebrows furrowed. "I've been trying to get a hold of you all day."

"Sorry, but I've been busy helping Severus discover a new antibacterial potion."

"Oh," her expression lightened. "How is that going?"

"Much better than expected. We have a few promising leads. There may be some experimental ingredients we may want to look into."

"And is he enjoying researching with you?"

"He seems to enjoy my company."

"How much?"

"He's having tea with me, and eating my biscuits. Considering that he doesn't do that for everyone I think it's a good sign."

"You have tea with him?"

"Yes."

"How often?"

"Almost every day."

"Yes." Hermione could hear Ginny clap her hands together. "Our plan is working great!"

"Yes." Hermione's stomach sank. "The plan."

Ginny's enthusiasm evaporated. "Don't tell me you're still having reservations about this."

"How can I not?" Hermione asked. "Severus has been nothing short of amazing to me lately, and I'm getting paid to be with him. He's with me because he wants to be, and while I want to be with him, that payment is a factor in our relationship."

"Wait, back up," Ginny held up her hand. "He's amazing?"

"Yes." Hermione's lip twitched upwards as she remembered his compliments on her hair and the half smiles he gave her when he didn't think she was looking. "He's been nothing short of amazing with me."

"I didn't think I'd ever hear someone refer to Severus as amazing."

"He is," Hermione snapped back into reality. "He deserves better than a woman who is with him because she's being paid to be."

"Hermione, we've been through this. It's going to be hard to admit what's happened, but you will think of a way to let him down easy."

"How am I supposed to admit what we have is based on a lie?" Hermione raised her voice. "How am I supposed to admit that the only reason I wanted to have a research project with him is because I was being paid to seduce him?"

"I'm sure there's a way you can break it to him gently…"

"How?"

"I don't know. From the beginning you knew you'd need to think of something."

"I didn't think any of this would be an issue when I agreed to this." Hermione's heart was racing. "When I agreed to this I thought I could do it because he was such a snarly bastard, and I'd be happy to be rid of him. I didn't know that there's so much more to him than his sour attitude. He isn't an unfeeling git, but a man with a heart. I never want to break his heart, or hurt him in any way."

"Wait," the red head drawled. "Are you telling me you care for him?"

"I've always cared."

"But not like this."

Hermione paused.

"Earlier, you understood it was a life of servitude or his heart. You seem to be losing sight of that."

"I don't know if my freedom is worth hurting him."

"It was worth it a couple of months ago."

"Things have changed," Hermione said. "I've changed."

"Oh Merlin you are developing feelings for him." Her voice was soft and her eyes wide.

"What?" Hermione's heart was arrhythmic. "No, no it isn't like that at all."

"Yes it is. It's written all over your face. You're falling in love with him."

"No, I'm not falling for him!"

"But you feel something for him."

"I'll admit to considering him a friend, and I never want to hurt a friend."

"You don't blush the way you have been if he's just a friend, nor do you have that dreamy look in your eye when discussing a friend."

"I can't be anything more than a friend to him. It's all going to fall apart when this all comes out. He's going to hate me when he realizes why I befriended him."

"And you don't want to give him a reason to despise you."

"Exactly."

"Oh Hermione." For the first time in months, there was a flicker of sympathy in Ginny's eyes. "You've fallen hard for him."

"No, I promise you I don't see him as anything more than a friend but," her voice cracked. "He is one of my closest friends now."

"Yes, you're hopeless when it comes to him," Ginny's voice was soft.

"No, but I don't know what to tell him when I get my money." A tear rolled down her eye. "Once the goblins set me free, I don't know what I'll say."

"In theory, you don't have to say anything."

"Excuse me?"

"Why say anything?" Ginny shrugged. "There's no reason he needs to know the goblins have paid you. You could take your money and be truly free to start a life with him."

"The truth may come out though."

"How would it come out?" Ginny asked. "Only Draco and I know about the deal. Neither of us is going to tell Severus anything."

"You won't?"

"No, I promise not to say anything."

"You can't make that promise for Draco though."

"If Draco knows how to make his uncle happy, he'll keep quiet too. If not, I know how to persuade him."

"What if Severus finds out on his own?" Hermione asked.

"Why would he be interested in your previous finances?"

"I don't know."

"I promise you, Draco and I won't say a word."

Hermione bit her lower lip.

"Nobody's going to find out anything. We can give you the money, and you can continue being happy with Severus once Lucius is satisfied Severus is in love. Everybody is going to get everything they want."

"I can't help thinking things won't be that simple."

"I will admit, the situation is complicated," Ginny said. "But some truths don't need to be told."

"It will always feel like it's between us though."

"It's only going to be between you two if you allow it to dominate your relationship with him."

She bit her lower lip.

"We all have our complicated secrets. If anyone can understand that, it would be Severus Snape," Ginny continued.

"True."

"It's going to be fine." Ginny gave her a small smile. "Everything is going to be just fine. Everyone will walk away from this happy and getting exactly what they want."

"I hope so anyway," Hermione said, trying her best to ignore the sense of foreboding welling in her chest.

How did Granger get involved in this?

Lucius glared into his fireplace. The gold hearth glistened in the flames, casting an ominous shadow onto the pristine white marble. He clutched his crystal glass, nursing his third shot of bourbon.

He scratched the armrest of his leather chair and hummed. Granger couldn't have been aware of his deal with Draco, yet here she was worming her way into Severus' heart. Oh Severus would deny it, but he had seen the way his eyes had gleamed every time Granger's name came up. There was a growing attraction between him and the bushy haired witch, an attraction Lucius needed to stop immediately.

What were Hermione's feelings on the matter though? It wouldn't do anyone any good if he overreacted and showed his hand too soon. The evidence for an attraction was there. If she was having tea with him she wasn't repulsed by him. Their attraction may be mutual.

What did it have to do with him and his plan?

This could all be a coincidence. Granger and Severus may have developed an attraction by virtue of them being coworkers. Lucius discarded the connection as being purely coincidental. Correlation may not equal causation, but there were very few coincidences in circumstances such as this. This needed to be treated like the threat to his perfect plan that it was.

The whole situation was puzzling. Draco and Granger were on friendly terms with each other, but not close enough to where she would seduce Severus as a favor to allow him to date Angelica. Why would he pick Granger to date Severus anyway? She was nineteen years younger than him. They were once professor and student for crying out loud! Severus was openly opposed to her being hired! What made Granger a good choice as a candidate to seduce Severus?

Perhaps Draco was giving Granger incentive to date Severus. Was he bribing her? If so, with what and how could Lucius exceed his price? Was there blackmail involved? If so, what was the dirt, and how could he get his hands on it?

He grabbed his cane and stood. Sitting here drinking bourbon was not going to get him any closer to the truth. It was time to do what he did best- use his connection to resolve his problems.

Lucius finished his last sip of bourbon before setting his glass onto a lamp stand and making his way to his office. He knew just the investigator to look into Granger. By the time the investigator was done, he would know everything about Granger from her favorite food to her deepest, darkest secret.

Once he knew which tactic to use against her, she'd be out of Severus' life once and for all.