"No. I cannot face Dumbledore. I am finished with that life." Hermione sounded quite final on the matter.

"I will have to chase them away, you know, and they claim the fate of the wizarding world is in your hands."

"Sod the wizarding world! They've been no great help to me!"

"Child," she said gently, "I know you are angry and hurt and believe me, we will protect you at all costs here. But, I also know Albus Dumbledore. He would not be here if it wasn't critically important. I think you should at least meet with him."

"I can't face him. I…just can't. You'll have to express my regrets. Maybe some other time."

"He's with a Professor Snape. What about him?" the Mother Superior asked doubtfully.

Hermione's cheeks flared pink with hot shame. If Snape was here, that means they all must know about what happened. It was the only explanation. "I don't know if you got a sense of him, Mother, but he's not exactly a warm and fuzzy Father Confessor if you catch my drift."

"I gathered that. So, you wish me to tell them to leave?"

Hermione refused to be defeated, but one last act of defiance against the magical world on her part wouldn't kill her. "I'll talk to Snape. Not Dumbledore."

Dumbledore would make her feel terrible about leaving and tug at her heart like a kindly grandfather, saying all the right things. But Snape hadn't a kind bone in his body. This would be very easy. She could lash out at Snape for the sins of his student, and tell them all to go away. She was incredibly hurt and angry, and Snape was a perfect target. She couldn't believe they'd come chasing all this way to try and drag her back, but she'd make sure they knew she was done with wizards and the war and the whole nonsense, so they'd leave her alone. Alone. Her life's destiny in one word. It sounded delicious after the events of the previous night.

*~*

"She'll see you, Professor Snape. Albus, I'm sorry, but she's not interested in talking to you."

A dark eyebrow shot up. "What on earth is wrong with that girl? Me? She despises me, as well she probably should."

"Oh, Severus," Albus said with a tiny smile of understanding and not a trace of surprise, "I think she knows I would convince her to return. She's certainly counting on you to remind her of why she won't."

Snape gave Dumbledore a dark look, but said nothing as he followed the Mother Superior's beckon.

Hermione's eyes were on fire as the door closed behind Snape in the deserted classroom next to the nursery. The Mother Superior wagged a long bony finger, "Ten minutes," as she departed. She'd seen the spiteful look on Sister Mary Rebecca's face, and she'd likely have to rescue the poor dolt soon enough.

"Explain yourself, Miss Granger." He really wasn't sure what to say to the girl. It was truly comical, looking at her dressed in a nun's habit, the evidence of a morning spent with a bunch of little brats all over her shoulders and front.

"I would think it's patently obvious. I'm finished with the magical world and the wizards within it. And don't tell me you have no idea why I left."

"I know exactly why you left, Miss Granger. But you are choosing the cowardly way out, rather than face down your adversary and make him pay for his crime."

Her anger was growing by the second. "Make him pay? You're saying that Lucius Malfoy would allow his son to pay for doing what Lucius himself probably does 3 times a week? I am the bloody victim of that Junior Death Eater, and I know perfectly well there is no recourse. And calling me cowardly? You have a lot of nerve, Professor Snape. I am hurt and scared and frankly, I don't have any wish to be a part of a world where women are so devalued that the Potions Master from Hogwarts tries to come and drag a former student back against her will. I am no longer a student, and you have no right to…"

"Are you quite finished?" he interrupted. "I want you to just shut up and listen to what I have to say, and then you can make your choice, you insolent, foolish girl. It is imperative that you return to Hogwarts at once and accuse Malfoy of the crime of which he is guilty, of which he has confessed to me. Even with his /confession, we cannot prosecute him under wizarding law without the consent and testimony of the person who was wronged. You must accuse him, and I assure you, even his father will not be able to keep him from going to trial and very likely a long sentence in Azkaban. This is utterly crucial to us because it keeps an extremely strong wizard out of Voldemort's circle indefinitely. Because the imbecile perpetrated the act before your actual graduation, he cannot escape punishment for the crime, unless you allow him to leave Hogwarts tomorrow into his father's care. At that point, I fear he will be lost, and I cannot stress this point more urgently, the battle to save the wizarding world will be lost as well."

"You're saying that I – a lowly Muggle-born, remember - hold the cards to keep Malfoy out of the Death Eaters. What's in this for me? Why should I care? I am finished with that life." She knew she was on thin ice, but in her rage, she didn't care.

"Innocent lives are at stake, Miss Granger. Your duty to humanity is far greater than you can possibly realize. In the pain of last evening, an opportunity to thwart Voldemort's plans was born. You see, it is rumored among…my associates…that Draco the keeper of a unique power that Voldemort needs to become strong enough to lead the charge against the Ministry and Hogwarts. He has been biding his time until the brat turns eighteen, when the power will be fully mature. It is a complicated story best told at another time, and even I don't have all the details. This opportunity cannot wait even another bloody hour. The fate of the entire world is in your hands, Miss Granger. It is time to stop crying about what you cannot change and do something truly great – something very Gryffindor - with the power you hold."

"I…I need to be protected, and the walls of this convent afford a type of protection that Dumbledore obviously isn't capable of. I don't expect you to understand how I feel. I went from confident woman ready to take on the world to shattered and defeated by the hands of the devil's spawn in the space of four hours. I cannot face him, and I cannot be that…exposed…again."

"I do comprehend the sacrifice, Miss Granger. But you are hurting everyone you claimed only hours ago to hold dear by the selfish act of staying here when there is work to be done."

"You don't know the first thing about what I've been through." She knew she was being petulant, but she couldn't seem to stop.

"Oh, don't I? Did you forget that I'm a turncoat Death Eater? That I've been tortured, maimed, and put through the most depraved acts for the amusement of an evil, sinister overlord? Would you like to see my scars?" He sneered at her, but inside, he could not help but be concerned and anxious for her. What a revolting development. "I assure you I know exactly how you are feeling, probably better than anyone you know right now, Miss Granger. But the fact remains; no matter how much I'd love to run away and shirk my terrible duty, I know that what I am doing is right and just and that we will prevail in the end, even if I have to give my life to the cause. Your bratty whining in this regard won't make a dent on my conscience, but a decision to stay here will cost you untold regret in the end."

Hermione slid down into a chair, and covered her eyes. He was undoubtedly right, of course. That didn't make the instinct to flee from his unbending gaze any less strong. Her thoughts turned to Harry and Ron, and all their friends. She would be letting them down if she didn't go through with this. And, Professor Snape had reminded her of that which she knew too well. The part he had played in the evil game between the forces of Light and Dark put him in constant danger. He was never in a safe place like this. Her world had been shattered the night before, but it was a new day with new opportunities, and she must carry on. Suddenly, she didn't feel quite as fragile.

"Professor Snape, may I ask you a question?"

"When have you ever asked permission before blathering some inane nonsense? Oh, go on." He knew he must have scored, watching the emotions flickering over her face. She had learned a hard lesson, but he felt a fierce protectiveness growing inside for the woman that stood before him in the ridiculous spit-stained outfit. He would make sure that she wasn't hurt again under his watch.

"If I go back and testify and Draco is put in Azkaban, what then? Can I come back here?"

"Miss Granger, if you wish to come back here, we'll find you a Secret Keeper and make sure you're never found. After all, it didn't take Albus but an hour or two to figure out where you had gone. It's not the best hiding place in the world, especially when you forget to return your library books. However, there is something you can do for us after you take care of Malfoy, should you wish to consider it." Taking a deep breath, he plunged into uncharted territory.

"You do acceptable work in Potions. In fact, the best work I've ever seen in my years of teaching, though I won't ever admit I said that if you repeat it. My night job is rather dangerous, as you know, and there's always a chance that I'll leave one day and not return. I've begun the research involved to create potions to help us protect against the effects of all the Unforgivables. I would like to ask you to become my apprentice, working towards the goal of becoming a Potions Mistress and assisting in this most important work, if you'll accept the challenge."

She stared at him, wide-eyed, in shock. Did he actually just, after 7 years of unremitting hostility, admit that she was good in Potions? Good enough to be taken as the first apprentice the most dreaded Potions Master in Europe had ever had? Not to mention the excitement of being part of the research that he was doing…dare she even contemplate this?

All fear and loathing for the wizarding world aside, this might just be worth coming back for. The academic part of her mind was extremely excited, and trying to overcome the frightened child that still had control.

"Furthermore, Miss Granger, as my apprentice you will be under my protection, not just Dumbledore's. I give you my word that anything that you would face, we would face together. I'm not in the habit of taking graduate students and I am not going to let it be said that I didn't protect my own." He wanted to slap himself as he said it. Where was this all coming from? For gods' sakes, he must be going mental in this ridiculous Muggle insane asylum. He would never, ever live this one down with McGonagall. Offering to take an apprentice, voluntarily, was about the most out of character act he could muster; everyone knew he preferred to work in isolation and hated his students, and that he stubbornly insisted that forming relationships with anyone for any reason was rubbish. Alone. That was the sum of his existence, and he had been more than satisfied with it.

"I would think," she said quite icily, "that becoming your apprentice would continue to put me in danger every day given your rank in the Death Eater organization. How could an offer like that possibly entice me? Oh, wait, maybe it's the part where I'm harassed eighteen hours a day about how much of a know-it-all brat I am and how horribly miserable I am at creating even the most simple potion? Or perhaps it's the part where you force me to teach your first years…tell me, which is it that is supposed to make me want to return to the wizarding world?"

He had a sudden burst of fury, mostly at himself, at her words. Of course, she was right…who in their right mind would subject themselves to him anyway? What on earth had he been thinking? "I can't force you to accept, or to leave here and do the right thing and put Malfoy where he belongs. You can now tell your friends how you finally defeated the Great Greasy Most-Hated Bat of Slytherin. Oh, wait. You aren't speaking to your friends, even though they love you and are terribly worried about you. Guess you aren't much of a Gryffindor, after all; I wonder why you weren't sorted into Hufflepuff." In frustration, he turned to leave, but was stilled by a small hand on his arm.

"I reserve the right to return here, with a Fidelius charm in place to assure I cannot ever be located again."

"Done."

"Time is wasting, then. Let's go." He wasn't sure what the magic words had been to make her reconsider, but he felt a flood of relief that she was returning with them. Perhaps he wasn't quite as frightening as he thought, right? Still had that old Snape charm? He groaned inwardly at the absurdity of that line of thought, and left the room with her.

Deep in each of their subconscious, unbeknownst to either of them, a new and powerful attachment was forming. Snape had promised to keep her safe. In her fragile state of mind, this meant more than any other words he had said. She knew from experience that no matter how acerbic and difficult he might be, he revered loyalty and duty, even when it meant he might die; he'd proven that time and again in Dumbledore's service. She was starting to feel protected again, even as she headed back to the world she'd only that morning intended to forsake forever.

*~*

"Mother Superior, I am truly sorry…the children were simply wonderful…"

"Go, my child, go. There will always be a place for you here, but I can tell you that I know that your destiny lies elsewhere."

"I don't think so. I will likely be back very soon…"

"Sister Mary Rebecca, I'm not in the business of crystal gazing and waving wands. But in 95 years on this earth I've learned a few things. There is something quite powerful at work here; and I feel that God intends greater things for you."

"Confession time. I don't believe in God."

"Oh, child, you don't have to. I know it sounds trite, but the Holy Spirit of God believes in you and lives in you. And you will learn to draw on the power of the Holy Spirit that you possess as a Sister in this order. It is something you will always carry with you, even though you were only here a few hours. You are changed forever, child, and it's not a change for the negative. Owls can find me here, should you ever wish to speak further." With that very final statement, the Mother Superior pushed the odd trio out the door with admonitions to Albus to stop by for a nice whisky of an afternoon before too long. After they had gone, she fingered the rosary she kept in her desk drawer, and watched it glow. "Yes, she believes strongly in you indeed, child."