A/N

Sorry it has taken so long. I just got back from England and Scotland! And as for those of you who have noticed that this story is a bit OOC. Well it is! I wrote it that way on purpose, because I wanted a little variation. I did not make it hugely OOC, but Snape has changed a bit. So, anyone of you who don't like it, DON'T READ IT!

*Well, here is the next chapter. *

Ch10: The Plan Unfolds

Hermione sat in Snape's office, her nerves running up and down and all over the place throughout her body. As she sat there, wondering, she silently hoped that her looks did not reflect what she was feeling.

Should I do this? Her mind wondered, but she already knew the answer. She had made her decision: she was going to take the potion.

Ever since she had told Snape of her plan, she had researched all the possible side effects that this potion could have on them both. She was a little discouraged to find out that if not taken with proper care, the potion could prove very harmful to both herself and the baby. My baby… she mused.

She thought of all the information that she had previously researched as Snape and Dumbledore walked into the classroom. She half-watched them prepare the potion, while she thought back to all the new information. She made a mental check list that she had followed all the recommended suggestions in every book she had read on this topic. Her thoughts were interrupted by Snape,

"Are you ready?" he asked, wishing that Hermione would not have to endure such pain. For, this potion was supposed to initiate growing pains in her stomach and in the child. His child…

"As ready as I will ever be." Hermione told him and Snape handed her the mug. As she brought it up to her lips, she got a sudden flashback to her second year. But this potion was far more important and dangerous than a polyjuice potion could ever be.

She gulped down the potion in one try, surprised that it tasted like strawberries.

"I added a little flavor Miss Granger," Dumbledore said with a wink, then turned to Snape,

"I trust you know what to do from here Severus. Make sure her things are packed and ready to go." And then he was gone.

Snape, who had made sure Hermione's items were pack and already on the Hogwart's train, turned to her.

"You have a half an hour, then you will leave. Your return will be in two days time."

"Are you coming with me?" she asked, not wanting to leave his side.

"McGonagal will be accompanying you. We are telling the students that you have been accepted to Salem College in London, and are going with Minerva to attend a meeting. At such time, you will ask to search around the grounds on your own, to get to know the campus. You will conveniently head off grounds, and into a forest, where Dumbledore and I will dress as Death Eaters and will bring you back to Hogwarts." Snape knew that she knew the story, as well as the rest, but he needed to make sure.

"And you will tell the students that I have died at the hand of Voldemort. And you will tell Voldemort that you killed me yourself." She confirmed, just a little less nervous than she had previously been.

"Yes." He told her, and he got up to leave.

"Wait!" she called out. Jumping off the desk that she was sitting on, she walked towards him.

"What, Miss Granger?" he asked, him body going stiff, as she put her arm on is should her.

"Why are you so cold? Can you really not care?" she asked. Snape just stared at her.

How was he supposed to tell her that every inch of pain she would feel, he would feel times 100? How was he supposed to say that every minute apart was like a knife that plunged into his heart?

"You need to go." Was all he said. He knew that he was hurting her, even as he was hurting himself, but he was never good at goodbyes.

Better have her pissed at me, than have her miss me to death… he told himself.

"Fine." Came her voice, from in front of him, as she walked out of the classroom.

Hermione rode on the train in silence.

How could he be so cold? That bastard!… Well two can play at that game! She mused as the train chugged on.

About half way into the trip, McGonagal , came into her compartment.

"Are you alright?" she asked, for she had noted Hermione's apparent mood.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Hermione responded curtly. Knowing a dismissal when she heard one, Minerva turned to leave, but before she did, she said,

"You know, you could talk to me about anything, I'm always here."

And that did it for Hermione, she let the threatening tears fall, and reached out for her professor. It was not long until she was confessing her love for Snape.

"I love him so much, and he is so distant!" she cried into McGonagal's shoulder.

"I know, he has always been that way. So cold and distant, so he does not have to deal with his feelings, but he will come around." Minerva said.

"I just wish I had the power to change him…" Hermione sighed

"Then you wouldn't love him." Minerva told her. This statement caused Hermione to look up.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, you fell in love with the man he is, not what you want him to be. If he changed, you may not love him…." She let her voice trail off, then said,

"But you do have power."

"What?" came Hermione's voice, just barely above a whisper.

"Well, as a muggle writer once wrote: 'When a man loves, he seeks no power, therefore he has power.' You have the power of love, and that is the greatest power of all."

"Oh," was all Hermione said, before she let herself fall asleep in McGonagal's arms.

Hermione found that the Salem College campus was huge. She had never been to a college, so naturally. She expected it to be big, but nothing like this! It was almost twice the size of Hogwarts, and with twice as many students!

As she wandered around, Hermione wondered whether she would like to go to this college. It sure had its highlights… she mused. And she thought back to what Dumbledore had told the administrator when her application had been accepted.

'This is only one college; she could easily get into hundreds of others…' And she knew that Dumbledore was right. But she had applied here, and had gotten in with ease, and not that she had visited for a day what the campus was like, she knew that she liked it all the more.

As she headed towards the forest, she felt a chilling presence approach her. She knew that Snape and Dumbledore would soon be there, so she dismissed it as nothing but the wind on a cold day. She did not note, however, that there seemed to be a change in the weather ever since she had first advanced into the forest. As the air seemed to grow colder and colder, all signs of life stood still. But Hermione took no notice of this, for she was convinced that anything in the forest that could harm her would be far enough away, or that Dumbeldore would be able to protect her.

Hermione decided to wander a bit around the forest, for it was some time before she had to meet Snape and Dumbledore at the place they had previously discussed. It only took her about two minutes before she saw a patch of purple and blue wildflowers that sprung up, seemingly out of nowhere.

As she bent down to pick one, hoping that it would look good on her hair, she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. When she turned around to face the stranger, she let out a shrilling scream. She started to run, but felt a cold hand knock her to the ground.

There, in the bed of wildflowers, she scrambled to get away, but felt a consuming power come over her. It was not long before her eyes became heavy and she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.