Chapter Fifteen: A Change In Plans

Hermione's sobs lessened as she reached the portrait to the Gryffindor common room. Sadly her eyes were still watery and surely her face splotched as a tell tale sign to her distress. She breathed deeply, fanning her face desperately as she looked up to the Fat Lady.

"Do I look okay?"

The Fat Lady peered down at her, "Aside from the splotchy face and watery eyes you look lovely dear."

Hermione frowned darkly muttering, "Ice Mice." before swinging the portrait open and internally praying that no one would ask her what happened. Perhaps she could slink by few students still awake in the common room and ru-...

"HERMIONE!"

Hermione's foot stopped from landing on the step ahead of her as she sighed deeply, turning slightly to see where the call had come from. Ginny. Of course.

The younger girl rushed over, red hair flying as she looked up to Hermione in shock. Hermione always suspected that Ginny sort of admired her, for all she'd been through, and the two did get along especially well. But at times such as this Hermione felt that feeling she could only assume what Harry felt when dealing with Colin Creevy.

But now looking at the younger girl, Hermione was desperate for comfort and she couldn't see Ron or Harry anywhere. Most had gone to bed as it was quite late and Ginny was then concealing a yawn, having obviously been waiting up for Hermione.

"What's the matter Hermione?" Ginny asked again, peering into the girl's face. Hermione's face went neutral but with her lips trembling as she prepared to tell Ginny what had happened, if anything she desperately needed some comfort.

Suddenly Dumbledore's warning flashed into her mind, "There will be no word of this to anyone." and she shook her head, dragging her eyes to the stairs in front of her. "I'm sorry Ginny." she breathed raggedly, "I can't tell you."

With that she offered a small apologetic look to the girl and dragging herself up to her bed concealed the sobs that threatened to overtake her. She hated her life.

"Bloody ridiculous." Snape thought sourly, looking around at his flat as Hermione ran off bawling out his front door. What a ridiculous baby. Not only had he put in plain words that what he had said was mere deception, he'd also tried in his small way to be kind. And what had she done? Rushed off with tears streaming down his face.

Shaking off his robe and pulling on silken pajama bottoms he climbed into his inviting bed and stared up at the ceiling meditatively. He couldn't hold back the oily smirk that crossed his face as he recalled Granger's horrified look when she thought they might have had to sleep together.

I should have told her Dumbledore ordered us to... he thought wickedly, rolling over onto his side.
He was trying to imagine actually going through the whole marriage ideal with the insufferable dunderhead. He imaged she'd cry at the ceremony, moaning about how much she'd miss her lost gone childhood.

He imagined she'd ask to read his books again and wondered if he should oblige. Probably not. Little brat might take full reign of his home. He made the decision right then and there that she wouldn't clutter up his office. He'd hate to come home one night to mark papers just to have all her bloody essay's spread about the desk.

Well, she wasn't going to use his desk; that was for sure.

Wait, would she move her things in here? His heart pounded unnaturally fast. Surely she wouldn't? She was petrified of him, wasn't she? She wouldn't have the audacity to bring her horridly tacky things into his domain and expect him to go along with it.

It was then that Snape realized he was getting all worked up over something that may not even happen, and this thought brought him immense relief.

If I'm lucky, this whole thing'll blow over in no time.
Drifting off to sleep Severus couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Miss Granger wasn't the bookwork she always acted as. He'd seen her do well in school, and she'd been a dedicated friend to those two dunderheads.

But maybe, just maybe Hermione Granger was a randy little schoolgirl in need of a good spanking from a mysterious Professor? And another thought occurred to him, what if the little chit had planned all of this?

Get a hold of yourself Severus. his mind reeled, She did not plan to get captured by Voldemort. No one would voluntarily marry you Severus.

Snape had to agree with his rational thought. The girl was so naive about everything it was almost laughable. She probably wouldn't know what to do with a man if she had the chance. Book smarts could only take a person so far, and when it came to things of intimacy, Snape doubted she even knew what the male form looked like.

He didn't know why he was even giving off thoughts pertaining to Miss Granger's sexual knowledge as he knew deep down he couldn't stand her, and that her mere presence was a bother. He supposed this morbid curiosity stemmed from the fact that he might just have to marry her and was trying to come to terms with just who the little know-it-all was. Who was Hermione Granger?
This uncomfortable thought plagued the uneasy Professor into a dreamless sleep as a small frown crossed upon his lips.

That Friday was the first of the meetings, and Hermione was so nervous she felt that she might throw up. She had managed to slip under Snape's radar so far. She'd sat in the back of his classroom never helping Neville (even though he practically begged), had been sure to be in before curfew and never went anywhere near the dungeons. But now, it was inevitable. She would have to be in the same room as Snape, and have his piercing glare burn into her eyes. Her skin crawled at the thought.

This whole ordeal had proved to be a large strain on Hermione's relationships with Harry, Ron and Ginny. They didn't ignore her or do anything so childish, but Harry and Ron seemed a little more distant, surely worried they'd slip up and let her secret out. Ginny had been detached, and Hermione suspected she was still angry for not telling her what had happened that night.

Classes were tedious and long, and all Hermione could think of what would happen to her at the end of five months. Would they survive? Would she become Hermione Snape? The mere thought of that sent shivers down her spine and a sickness in the pit of her stomach.

She had tried to push the horrible memories out of her mind, but no matter what she did, they crept up slowly in the back of her mind, slowly eating away at her sanity. The mere thought of sharing a room with him? Perhaps he wasn't as respectable as Dumbledore believed? What if he was some love starved maniac just counting down the days until she'd become his property?

Don't be so stupid Hermione. she thought that day, walking to Dumbledore's office with her books still in her shaking clutch. He wouldn't do anything to land himself in Azkaban.

She had received a note by owl during breakfast, and of course Ginny had asked her whom it was from. Hermione, already feeling horrible for dodging all prior questions pertaining to 'the night', awkwardly shrugged in an apologetic way and said it was nothing important. Ginny had nodded and shifted her attention to Seamus as Harry and Ron were immersed in conversing about the new Firebolt prototype, leaving Hermione surrounded by people, yet utterly alone.
Worst of all, neither Ginny nor Ron had asked her to stay at the Burrow that summer, she had overheard Harry was going and she had felt the first prickles of resentment.

The note from Dumbledore was currently in-between the pages of her Arithmancy book, and she realized just how much homework she was going to have to complete over the upcoming weekend. Her distractions over the perhaps marriage had proven to be a slight interference on her work, and things had backed up. This wasn't like her at all. He was ruining her life.

"Hermione!"

Hermione sighed within, turning in the hall as Ginny rushed up to her, her hair sticking a bit to her neck with the oncoming summer's heat. She was panting, and looked to Hermione with large blue eyes that showed acceptance.

"I know I was rude this morning." She breathed, walking up to Hermione, "And I'm really sorry...it's just that, my feelings were hurt."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears as Ginny went on, shuffling her feet a little embarrassed. "...and if you can't tell me what's going on, I understand. Friend's shouldn't force friend's to talk about things they don't want to..."

"Thank you Ginny. I wish I could tell you, but I'm glad you understand that I can't." Hermione said as she gave Ginny of look of utter appreciation.

"And there's one more thing..." Ginny hinted. Hermione was getting nervous now. Did Harry and Ron tell her what happened? Why would they do that when they knew not to? Surely they wouldn't be that stupid....

"Yes?" Hermione said shakily.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to stay at the burrow this summer with all of us?" she said looking down at the floor.

Hermione nodded, wiping her eyes with her appearing handkerchief a bit as Ginny smiled, looking better. "Yes, thank you Ginny. I really do."

Ginny nodded, her eyes crinkling a bit as she did so nodding emphatically. "Really?"

"Really." And with that, the two girls were wrapping their arms around each other in a warm embrace. It felt comforting to Hermione to know that someone was there for her and wouldn't badger her about things. And knowing she would be at the burrow this summer instead of living at Snape's made the nervous feeling in her stomach vanish.

Ginny nodded, "I was really worried you'd say no. Or that you'd make up some lie about not wanting to come." Her eyes dropped ashamedly to the floor, "Honestly, I thought you were mad at me."

"No." Hermione rushed, feeling a weight lift from her chest as she said the words. Ginny wasn't mad at her! Perhaps life could go back to normal; perhaps everything would turn out all right in the end. "No Ginny. It's not you at all. It's me."
Ginny nodded, "Well I have to get going to my class, I'll see you in the common room later?"

Hermione nodded emphatically, giving her friend a quick hug before heading off quickly to the Headmaster's office. Perhaps things would work out for the best after all.

Hermione was the last to arrive, and felt a blush of shame come over her cheeks at this realization. The entire group of Professor's at Hogwarts were there, and she really wished they weren't. She was humiliated that they knew of her 'engagement' to Snape and they probably thought she was a spoiled brat, showing up late for a cause they were trying to save her from.

They were all seated as McGonagall had guided her in from the door and to a seat, which happened to be across from the man she currently detested, and whom she was sure hated her back.

She blushed despite her reservations to do just the opposite. She was still humiliated from her actions in his flat, and only wished she could take back what she had said about him scaring her. If anything, that was just more fuel to his sadistic fire.

He gave her a passing look of interest as she sat, fiddling with her hands as she looked around the table. It appeared that Albus had informed them of the task at hand as all of them had parchment, quills and sympathetic looks on their faces. Evidently they understood the perils of being engaged to Snape.

Snape had just noticed Hermione's embarrassed blush and wondered if she was flustered for her past actions. She should be. For some reason the question that had plagued him some night ago arose, and he found himself subconsciously watching her a moment before breaking from his reverie and looking over to a now standing Albus.

"The meeting shall begin." Albus started as bowls of sweets appeared on the table and Hermione found herself relaxing a bit. She was safe.

All the good natured professor's began eating the sweets and just when things were starting to be a little normal there was a sweeping voice from one end of the table, dragging away everyone's attention from Albus.

"One of you will meet your death." Trelawny said with a yawn, her bug eyes rolling around lazily in their sockets. "It will be-"

"Enough now Sybil." McGonagall said with disdain, rolling her eyes as Trelawny shot her a dark look through her strange magnifying spectacles.

For some strange reason, Hermione and Snape exchanged quizzical glances at that moment before looking back to Albus who looked not only embarrassed by this comment from a member of his staff, but also tired of the whole ordeal.

Hermione felt a pang of sympathy for him, he'd evidently gone to all the trouble of saving them and Snape for his part was acting like a selfish git.

"Were you able to slip away unnoticed?" Dumbledore asked Hermione, in reference to Harry and Ron, "I'm aware that a note sent in the middle of breakfast wasn't the most inconspicuous."

Hermione was about to tell Dumbledore that there hadn't been a problem when Snape from across from her spoke up, his arms folded confidently on his chest as Hermione marveled at the relaxation he exuded. She'd been on edge for the past week, and he looked like he was fully rested and above all, bored.

"Or did Miss Granger inform her 'friends' of the reason for her impromptu departure?" he demanded, a bored look in his dark eyes as Hermione met them. She shook her head lightly, trying to use the desk as a shield between them both as she felt his burning gaze sliding over her face and resting on her eyes.

She was sure he was trying to get her in trouble, although she didn't see what point it would serve. They were both in this together.

"No sir, I didn't."

"I only inquire," Snape went on dramatically, making it sure to everyone in the room that he detested the young woman across from him. "Because they may think you're...up to something."

Hermione glanced at him a moment before turning her attention back to Dumbledore and licking her lips nervously. "Well there were no problems." she said abruptly, "And I'm here to brainstorm some ideas to get us out of this mess."
At the word 'mess', Hermione glanced towards Snape and in turn he assumed was mostly in reference to him although he couldn't place why. If anything the little brat should be thanking him for her rescue. It was his life at stake as well.
Albus nodded, "And so we shall begin."

The meeting went on for a good hour, where many ideas were brought forth, but all fell short of the crucial prospect of getting Hermione and Snape un-engaged.
How would they do it? How could they fool Voldemort? How did you pull the wool over evil's eyes?
"Perhaps we claim that Hermione is already betrothed." Hooch had offered earnestly, tapping her quill on the smooth tabletop as she spoke, her light eyes illuminated from the many candles around them. "Maybe to Weasley. We can-"

Hermione had looked up from her messy parchment at this, the ink dried on her fingertips as she stopped writing. This sounded like a fine plan; why not say she was already betrothed? Perhaps Vol-
"That won't stop the Dark Lord." Snape muttered darkly, "Whatever he wants, he gets. Don't forget who you're dealing with."
Hermione scowled at the bitter old Professor darkly before returning to her parchment angrily. Here they all were offering suggestions whilst he sat near the end of the table shooting every idea down as he sulked. He wasn't doing anything to help the situation, more just being a pest.

She desperately wanted to yell at Snape and shout, "Well what brilliant idea do you have?" But one well-placed glare from him caused her insides to go to nervous jelly and fear overrode her normally extremely overactive bravery.

Everyone had been at it a while, and as Hermione looked around the long table she saw that most of the bleary eyed Professor's were holding back yawns and rubbing their eyes as they tried to formulate a plan. She felt eternally grateful, and she herself was being to feel a bit weary as she placed her quill on her parchment and bit back a yawn.

Dumbledore seeing this decided to abruptly end the meeting as he informed the people present that they would meet again next Friday at the same time. There were mumbled agreements as they all began to pack up their quills and parchments, looking faintly like a bored group of first years in one of Flitwick's class.

"Before you leave," Albus said standing as the others began to pack up their things and head out the door. "I thought you should realize that we have a new place for the Order this upcoming summer."

Hermione didn't really listen to this, knowing full well she would be attending the burrow with Ginny, Ron and Harry. Perhaps they would get on better this summer away from the confines of this blasted institution and her 'fiancée'.

"I'll send you some port keys next week," Albus was continuing, "Keep them safe until school's out."

Hermione hadn't been paying much attention to this, feeling quite exhausted herself and was only brought back to his words when McGonagall nudged her arm and whispered fiercely, "Did you hear all that Miss Granger?"

Hermione frowned slightly, looking to the older woman in confusion as she blinked back the fog of fatigue from her eyes. "Yes, but I don't see of how it's any issue to me. I'll be spending my time at the Burrow this summer."

Minerva frowned a bit, looking to Albus who had overheard the whispered conversation. The poor girl. Most of the Professor's had left and all that remained were she, Albus, McGonagall and...him. Albus looked uneasily to all of them before resting his eyes on one of his most promising Gryffindors.

"I'm afraid, that's out of the question Miss Granger."

Hermione who suddenly felt familiar feeling of anger and panic swelling within her and she swiveled in her chair to look defiantly to Dumbledore who had spoken, ignoring Snape's glare in her direction.

"Pardon me?"

"With this problem involving Voldemort we'll need you and Professor Snape close to us at all times. Having you in the Burrow will only prove to be an added stress upon those working to save you."

Hermione saw Snape begin to sit up even more in his seat, looking angrier than she'd ever seen him before. Albus didn't seem to be noticing this as he went on talking dramatically.

"What I'm trying to explain to you Miss Granger, is that this means you'll be spending your time at the Headquarters this summer, with Professor Snape."

"Miss Granger." Albus called out, but to no avail. Hermione had already pushed angrily from the table and rushed out the door. She had turned a deep shade of furious red and slammed the door behind her in the process.

Snape had watched the spectacle with hidden delight as the normally shy and reserved girl had rushed off in a passionate fit of fury. It was a welcome change to her normal boring persona.
Perhaps now Dumbledore would see why them both rooming together would be impossible. Perhaps this would prompt him to work just a little bit harder at getting rid of their engagement.
Instead Dumbledore stood and prepared to go after the frantic girl when Snape himself stood lazily, shooting Albus a contemplative look accompanied with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't bother Albus." he said with contempt, motioning with his eyes at the door. "She won't listen to reason."

Suddenly McGonagall got a very cross look on her face as she whirled up from her seat to look Snape square in the eye. If you could say one thing about Minerva was that she had spirit, she was a perfect choice for the head of Gryffindor.

Right now the Gryffindor head was looking to the Head of Slytherin as if she'd kill him and he knew exactly why she'd do such a thing. Hermione was one of her own.

"You listen here you little snob!" McGonagall nearly growled in a very unflattering way as she leaned over the table to get his attention. Wasn't her animagus form supposed to be a cat? Wait a moment. Snape stepped back from his side of the table with a look of shock on his face. Had she just called him a snob?
"Hermione Granger has suffered a lot in the past week. She was stuck in Voldemort's custody by someone she trusted deeply, she's lost her chance at one last carefree summer, found out she cant be elected as Head Girl and worst of all she's engaged to you! Now, stop being such a ignorant git and have some sympathy for the poor girl!"

It was then that Albus noticed the way Snape's nostril's were flaring, and the way his dark eyes had narrowed on his target; McGonagall. Red circled entered his cheekbones and Dumbledore actually winced for he knew what would happen next.

"SYMPATHY?" Snape roared, his hands curling into fists at his sides, but McGonagall ever the Gryffindor didn't even bat an eye at his overpowering glare.

"In case you've forgotten Minerva, I too am engaged. To the resident Know-it-all of Hogwarts no less! I too was at the hand of Voldemort for far too long, more than your precious student ever was."
At this Minerva's eyes softened, the baring of her teeth stopped and her breathing became regulated. But Snape was too far-gone, and still his angered tirade raged on as the elder members in the room looked to him with sympathy.

"I gave up my life and got nothing in return. Hermione Granger is nothing but an insufferable baby, and she should be eternally grateful to me for getting her out when I did. Sympathy you ask? Sympathy? Who really deserves it? Perhaps you can see why sympathy isn't quite a priority for a person in my position. No one ever had it for me, did they?"

There was silence a moment, more than to be qualified as a pregnant pause. The three parties stood staring at one another a long while as Snape rocked back and forth on his feet, almost exhausted at his angered speech.

McGonagall and Dumbledore shot each other meaningful looks before looking back to Snape with unreadable expressions on their face, and for the first time in a long time Snape felt like he was again a student. A pit dropped in his stomach as he realized just how far his speech had taken him; into a path of lies and self-pity.

Snape stopped what he was about to say, the air letting out of his cheeks slowly as he looked offended at the two opposite from him at the table. He was furious that was for certain, but now as he'd uttered those words beforehand he felt utterly humiliated.

How stupid of him to say that he had never recieved sympathy from anyone when it had been Albus and Minerva themselves who saved him from the Dark Army's clutches? Who was it that had saved him from his own spiritual and physical demise? It was they. How idiotic of him to throw all their good deeds and selfless acts in their face.

But Severus Snape was a proud man, and had been his entire life. He wasn't going to let a little thing like facts work against his favor. Instead he did what he always did when he was wrong.

He sneered, brushed past the both of them angrily and in mass of billowing black robes, he slammed the door after him.