Author's Note: Hey everyone, thanks for the reviews! Anyway, this is the second to last chapter of this story, I hope you enjoy it. Things are revealed that were hinted at before. Hope you can review, that would be great. Maybe I can get over 30 reviews...!! Enjoy!

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"Hey, is it just me, or does Snape look constipated?" Ron whispered to Hermione the next day in Potions.

Hermione fought back a giggle at Ron's humorous statement simply because it would undermine her entire reputation for being a serious student. Ever since her birthday, she hadn't tried as hard in school, realizing that there were far too many other things in life that could pass her by if she always had her nose in a book, but she still enjoyed putting on the show that she was an uptight student. But, indeed, the Potions professor did look quite pale.

Snape walked through the isles overseeing their potion making and when he stopped at Ron and Hermione's station, he stated, "Miss Granger, I want to have a word with you after class." He looked directly at her, but his skin turned a shade whiter, if that were even possible.

Harry turned around from his station with Neville in front of Ron and Hermione. He had been helping Neville ever since Hermione's birthday because Hermione really didn't want to have to save Neville's rear end ever again, and Neville had no idea how act towards her after she saved his life. Hermione gave Harry and Ron a quizzical shrug, not knowing why she was being held after class.

Class ended, and Ron packed up Hermione's stuff and then his, hoping that he could catch a snippet of the conversation Hermione and Snape were going to have, but Snape waited until all students were gone.

"Go to lunch, I'll meet you in the Great Hall," Hermione said to Ron and Harry. Ron looked reluctantly at Hermione but nodded and followed Harry out.

"Miss Granger, I must tell you something. I know you have been through a lot this year and I want to apologize for that," Snape said coldly. Hermione had no idea where this was coming from. It was completely out of character for Snape to apologize for something, let alone something that he had no involvement in.

"Well, that's very kind of you Professor, but it wasn't your fault."

Snape hesitated. Very unusual, Hermione thought.

"I have a confession to make, Miss Granger. It's been eating away at me ever for five weeks now. I was one of the Death Eaters present during your encounter with Voldemort." He couldn't look at her.

"What??" Hermione asked. She couldn't believe it, betrayal, lots of betrayal. "Why, why didn't you help me?!?" she cried out at him.

"Because it would have destroyed my cover. I have been trying to infiltrate the Death Eaters for some time now, and I couldn't risk losing all that hard work," he replied calmly.

"You monster! SO you just watched a student wreath in pain, at the mercy of Voldemort? You're worse than he is!"

"I understand that you are upset with this. I felt that it was necessary to tell you and to apologize. I made a mistake, I know I should have done everything in my power to help you, and I am sorry."

"I don't know how you can expect me to forgive you. How can I trust you? You're a teacher! Who can the students trust if they can't trust their own teachers?!?"

"I am sorry, Miss Granger."

"Not good enough," Hermione replied, walking out the door of the dungeon.

She didn't cry, she wouldn't let herself cry once again. It was just two nights ago that she cried her heart out to Ron and she was completely tired of crying. She couldn't trust Snape now, or ever. She would have to tell Ron and Harry eventually for their own safety, but not now. She walked into the Great Hall and sat down next to Harry, across from Ron.

"So, what happened?" Ron asked between bites of his sandwich.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Hermione replied, taking a bite of her own sandwich.

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"Can you believe it? A four foot essay due right before finals??? I can't believe that man!" Ron complained. They were just getting out of the Great Hall from a marvelous dinner, but Ron's attention quickly turned to Snape and the homework he assigned.

"Well, Ron, if you had studied the entire year, like you were supposed to, finals wouldn't be as difficult as you are making them out to be. And the essay won't be very hard, Snape lectures on the Veritaserum every year," Hermione replied unemotionally. She hadn't told Ron or Harry what Snape told her the day before.

"Yeah, it seems to be a personal favorite of his, miserable git."

"More like bastard," Hermione said angrily, she couldn't control her rage any longer

"Huh? Hermione?" Harry asked. He had been only listening to their discussion but now this was getting weird.

"Sorry, that was uncalled for," Hermione replied, ashamed.

"Oh no you don't. Speak up, Hermione," Ron encouraged.

"Remember when Snape asked me to stay after class yesterday?"

Harry recalled that, it didn't seem to bother Hermione at all after she left.

"Yeah," Ron replied.

"Well, Snape apparently has some form of a conscious. He was one of the Death Eaters there with Voldemort when I was there and confessed to me. He was ashamed but explained that he couldn't risk blowing his cover to help me. So, I think he's a bastard. Really selfish of me, but how can I look at his face again? How can I trust him?" Hermione grew angrier and Harry couldn't blame her. He was upset as well and Ron was about to march into Snape's office and give him a piece of his mind.

"Damn right! What a piece of shit! How can anyone trust him?!?" Ron yelled. A few students turned around at Ron's exclamation in the hall, but Ron paid no attention. "The nerve of that excuse of a human..."

"Ron, shut up. Really, I understand his reason for not helping me, but nonetheless, I am beyond disappointed with him. We've established the fact that he is a bastard and whatever other name you chose to call him. But I don't want to waste anymore breath on him. Let's change the subject," Hermione said quickly.

Harry admired Hermione. He was disgusted with Snape and surprised that Hermione handled it so maturely. But followed Hermione's request.

"So, have you two been planning what you are gonna do this summer?" Harry asked, smiling. Though he was jealous that Ron could go to Hermione's house and he couldn't, he still wanted to know what they were going to do.

"Oh! Well, I was thinking about taking Ron shopping at Muggle stores in malls, I think he would get a kick out of that," Hermione said.

"Yeah, but I hafta remember everything I see for my dad," Ron grumbled.

"I thought you had to take notes," Hermione commented.

"C'mon, look who you're talking to..." Ron replied.

The trio laughed.

"Hey, Granger, I need to talk to you," a voice said behind them. They immediately stopped laughing, knowing exactly who it was.

"What do you want now, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, spinning around to face him, a look of pure disgust on her face.

Draco Malfoy, for some reason or another, could not return her stare. Harry found this really odd.

"I want to talk to you," Malfoy repeated.

"So, talk," Hermione replied, crossing her arms over her chest and waiting impatiently.

"Alone," he replied.

"No way," Ron said warningly.

"Back off Weasley, I'm not going to steal your girlfriend," Draco sneered.

Ron grew bright red and Harry restrained him.

"Talk like that won't get you anywhere, Malfoy," Hermione replied.

Draco looked at her briefly and turned away, almost ashamed of what he said. Hermione caught this and turned around to Ron and Harry. "You guys, go ahead, I'll meet you in the common room."

"But Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.

"Go, I'll be there in a bit," she urged.

Harry and Ron grudgingly went upstairs to the Gryfindor Tower to wait for Hermione.

"Talk, Malfoy," she said.

"I wasn't part of it, okay?" Draco said, almost pleadingly.

"Part of what?"

"The attack on Hogsmeade. The attack on you. I didn't know about it."

"Why the hell should I believe you?"

"Because I'm telling the truth, Hermione," Draco replied. He called her 'Hermione,' not 'Mudblood,' not 'Granger.' This puzzled Hermione.

"Go on then," Hermione said, slightly softer than before. She was well aware that Draco Malfoy could be lying, he was in Slytherin after all, but something told her he was being honest.

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"What's taking her so long?" Ron asked impatiently in the common room.

"Relax, she's only been down there for a few minutes," Harry said, sitting in front of the fire. Harry took note that Ron was a lot more protective of Hermione the past few days, first with Snape and now with Malfoy.

"I just don't trust him," Ron said. "His father..." Ron couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

"I know, Ron," Harry said quietly.

"I can't take this! I'm going back down," Ron said, going through the portal before Harry could say anything to stop him.

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"I didn't know that my father was involved in your encounter with Voldemort. If I knew something about it, I would have..." Draco couldn't continue.

"Would have what?" Hermione asked.

"Would have done something to stop it."

Hermione laughed. The boy who had given her nothing but hate for the past five years just said that he would have stopped his maniac father from spreading hate. Laughing was the only reaction Hermione could think of.

"You know, what? Forget it," Draco turned to walk away.

Hermione realized that he was being serious. "Wait, Malfoy, you're serious?"

"No shit, I'm serious. Why the hell would I be saying this now?"

"You could be lying. I'm sure you can see why I don't trust what you're saying."

"Fine, whatever. Why the hell do I even bother?"

"Maybe cause you aren't as bad-ass as you'd like people to believe," Hermione suggested.

Draco didn't know what to say to that. Hermione had a point, though he didn't want to admit it.

"Look, I just wanted to get that off my chest, alright?" Draco asked impatiently.

"Yeah, okay, thank you for telling me. Anything else?" Hermione asked nicely. She felt sorry for the guy who had such a hideous father. Not that this changed the feelings she had for Malfoy before, feelings including loath and disgust. But at least she didn't feel the urge to charge him down and kick the shit out of him anymore.

"Um, one more thing," Draco answered cryptically.

"Okay, what?"

He leaned over and kissed her. Draco Malfoy, full-blooded Slytherin who always called her a dirty Mudblood was now kissing the object of his supposed hatred. After the initially shock, Hermione pulled away, completely disgusted.

"MALFOY! What the HELL was that for?" she yelled. Hermione interpreted the kiss as a punishment more than anything else. She felt nothing for this boy who had just pressed his lips against hers and if she still had that Time-Turner she would have turned time back an hour and undo this entire conversation, to hell with "not supposed to interfere in the past."

"Forget it," Draco sneered and walked away.

Hermione wiped her mouth on her robes, brushed her teeth in the prefect bathroom, gathered her wits, and went upstairs to the common room. She didn't want to think about Malfoy, ever.

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Author's Note: Please Review!!