A/N: Yay, I got some reviews! I am excited! Yes, I loved that last chapter. I'm so sorry to all of you who hate cliffhangers…its just they leave me something to go off of for the next chapter. Which is best: a cliffie, or writer's block? I'd say the first, without question. God forbid I should have writer's block. Why would happen to all of you, vainly waiting for a new chapter? (You get what I am saying?) Some comments…

Ptirobo-I know the mysterious man cliffie is very trying…but unfortunately his true identity will not be revealed for quite a while! (Grins wickedly) So sit back and accept it for now, cause you're not going to know for quite a while! (I'm sorry, no other way around it).

Ninde Annare-You still driving those librarians crazy moving from computer to computer? (JKJK) I don't know how often you sneak on to one, but hopefully you can be able to see this update and the Title Undecided update in due time! Until the next review!

Natsuyori-Damn right it was brilliant! And not just brilliant, bloody brilliant, in the words of Ron!

Wacko the Sane-I would not be the one to tell you if snippety is a word…but Word thinks it is as least spelled right (LOL). Yes, you're right, there are very few people that call her Mione. Of course, besides the obvious two, try to think of some others that would know her as that. Hint: it is most likely someone who attended Hogwarts at the same as Hermione. HUGE HINT! Happy guessing. As for the 'I love you' thing, I must tell you that I detest extremely mushy scenes, if I can AVOID them. One reviewer for LDCFAP pointed out that they liked how the 'proposal' went. It wasn't this: 'I'll love you always and will you spend your life with me?' crap. Snape just shoved it on her finger, which I sincerely think he is capable of! I like that style, and by god its going to stay that way! (Of course, if you were Sev, it would be entirely different, wouldn't it? But you know, that would be just downright creepy.)

I love you all! (Maybe some others will get the hint and review too…) Nah.

Chapter 8:

"What have you found out?" came a raspy voice, thick with evil and cruel intentions. Wormtail cringed under his master's reptilian gaze.

"The Mudblood is being helped, Master," he squeaked.

"By whom?" Voldemort drawled, getting impatient with his fidgety little minion. Suddenly Lucius Malfoy burst in the room with a flourish.

"Malfoy!" the Dark Lord hissed annoyingly. Lucius Malfoy may be his second, (theoretically, the one who did his dirty work) but that did not mean Voldemort appreciated him interrupting.

"Master…" Lucius folded his robes neatly around him to fall at his master's feet. The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed as Lucius kissed his feet.
"Lucius, you failed to kill the Mudblood the first time, and to catch Snape. You hardly deserve the right to live," Voldemort snarled, kicking Lucius's head savagely and stepping over his groveling form to bear down on Wormtail.

"Who is helping the bitch? Tell me!" he demanded.

"I…don't really know, master." Wormtail quivered, but had enough wits to continue. "I only know that she has several contacts that even her own side don't know about. I know the address of the person who is her primary contact, but not who it is."

"And did you leave the note?" Voldemort asked incredulously. Really, were any of his Death Eaters capable of anything unless they were under the Imperious Curse or their hand was held every step of the way? Their stupidity was starting to disgust him, more so than ever.

"Yes! Yes, of course Master!" Wormtail stuttered, relieved that his master was not going to punish him…just yet.

"At least you did something right…for once," Voldemort muttered darkly, but it was enough to make Wormtail puff up with some pride.

"Master, please, allow me another chance at this! I will find out more than that stupid rat ever would!" Lucius stood, speaking to Voldemort's back, trying to look formidable, but failing because of the bruise emerging under his left ear along his jawbone.

"Lucius, I am not interested in your pathetic whining," the Dark Lord hissed, turning swiftly to clasp Lucius around the throat with one long-fingered bony hand and squeezing experimentally, waiting for the gurgle, which came. "You will find her other, contacts, and question them in a way you see fit. Do you understand?" A strangled noise was the only reply. "Get out of my sight!" he snarled, and threw Lucius from him, who retreated gasping and massaging his bruised throat. Wormtail began to scurry away, thinking the order was for him. Voldemort angrily reached out an arm and rasped out a spell, which froze Wormtail in his place. "Not you, idiot!" he snarled. "I need you to take some others with you and kill that contact of hers and burn the house to the ground. Is that clear?" Voldemort seized Wormtail by the throat and began shaking him. Wormtail nodded rapidly and Voldemort released him, after which Wormtail scurried out of the room. Sighing, Voldemort crossed the room to sit in his chair, twiddling absent-mindedly with his wand in his long, bony fingers, thinking.

The Mudblood must not be harmed, he realized suddenly. He had thought she was working on something that was part of a plot against him. Instead, her "work" she was doing was so secret, even her own side didn't know about it. He didn't know what it was, yet, but when he did, he would certainly show up once it was completed and use it for his own means. She was doing the dirty work for him, and that, he thought, smiling with his lipless mouth, was bliss in itself.

Severus had experienced the most pleasurable night with Hermione to date. No doubt about that. She seemed alive again, and it showed throughout their intimacy. He was extremely pleased with himself…so much so he probably looked like a puffed up rooster lying in bed next to her. But he didn't really care. No, there was no way Severus was going to give a damn about what anyone said or did anymore. Hermione loved him, and that was the only thing that mattered.

He rolled over to watch her sleep when he found her already awake, gazing at him in a way that made him want to pounce on her again. She smiled and sat up, the sheets falling away from her as she drew closer and began massaging his shoulders. Relief washed over Severus's entire body, the tension falling away like honey poured from a spoon. He leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Is this all enough prove for you?" she whispered.

"Mmm, yes…" Severus murmured as her hands kneaded his shoulders and neck.

"I love you." Severus snapped out of his dreaminess and looked at her. Never had she been so direct before.

"I love you too," he answered back after a moment's hesitation, the words still strange for him to say out loud.

"I don't want any strings attached to our relationship, Severus," Hermione said seriously, still massaging him. He stiffened.

"What do you mean?" he asked warily. He didn't want to hear where this was going; he had a pretty good idea what it was.

"I just want to know that if we have any personal secrets that we don't want to share, that they remain disclosed…that we respect one another's privacy. You understand, Sev?"

"I know what you're saying, but Hermione-" He shifted around to hold her in his arms. "You can tell me anything."

"I know."

"Then why won't you tell me whom you were talking to yesterday in the study?" he slipped out, and she coughed, but it sounded like 'shit'.

"You were spying on me!" she said angrily.

"Herm…I am a spy, and always will be. It's what I do," Severus replied as gently as he could, knowing he'd touched a nerve.

"But why do you have to spy on me?" she protested, still perturbed.

"I came home early, and was looking for you. Would you rather of had me storm right into the room?" he asked.

"No... But what stopped you?" she replied indignantly.

"I had the distinct feeling the man did not want to have his identity known," Severus pointed out.

"Indeed he would not!" she retorted. Seeing his face, she spluttered, "I have no intimate relationship with him. He is a friend; nothing more."

"Let's hope so," Severus said warningly, but with a smirk. Hermione threw a pillow at him. He held her in silence for a few moments.

"It's a project, that's all I can tell you," she said finally. "I made up the university thing for my parents and everybody else so people would not worry about what I was doing. I just don't want anyone to get hurt because they know even the tiniest little thing about it; the Dark Lord might try to get it out of them, with means that constitute extreme torture. He won't stop killing those I love until he finds out."

"Hermione, you can tell me. And I can give you help," Severus said quietly, clasping her shoulders gently.

"No." Severus dropped his hands. "I'm sorry. This is just too dangerous to let anyone else know. It would jeopardize the project." They lay beside each other in silence for several minutes. One would think they'd just had a huge fight and were sulking.

"Very well, Hermione. But I will warn you now, and keep this to heart, I will find out what you are doing, and I'm sorry; if it's not safe, I will stop you…even though you are my wife." He then abruptly rolled over and got out of bed to change. Hermione didn't try to argue with him anymore.

"I'm going to Headquarters. I would advise you not to wander around; not when the Dark Lord or his cronies might find you again. Of course, nothing I've said has stopped you from doing anything." Hermione winced. "But it is just a gentle request from someone you loves you. Good bye, Herm. I will see you later tonight, if not earlier." And with that he Apparated, which concerned Hermione because it was dangerous.

This whole argument they'd had made her think. She badly wanted to share this with Severus…after all, he was her husband, and he was insanely talented in Potions, probably one of the best in the world. But he would object and stop her once he knew what it was…it was much too dangerous if he knew anyway; the Dark Lord would surely try to use him as a weapon to manipulate her into giving the 'project' up to Voldemort, and that would be catastrophe. It really wasn't specifically supposed to defeat the Dark Lord. It was something she vowed to complete after Ron was killed. His death fueled her idea, however crazy it was, and she was determined to make it happen. She managed to find a few people to help her, and she was about halfway done, but not at all near her goal. She needed no interruptions or setbacks, or it could take years, and by then everyone would be dead anyway. She had to keep going, and just watch over her shoulder for the Dark Side, and for her own side. She hated keeping this from everyone, but it was for his own good, and that of the wizarding world.

"Hermione!" The door slammed open and a black robed man staggered in. Hermione hastily covered herself with the sheets; she still wasn't dressed as she was sitting in bed, naked, and gazed in horror at the bloody man before her.

"What are you doing here!" she cried, half in annoyance and half in concern.

"They…found…me…" her contact gasped out. "I-I had to fight them off…just barely escaped." He leaned heavily against the dresser.

"Escaped who?" Hermione asked, extremely disturbed and frightened.

"Death Eaters…burned, house…" he croaked.

"That note! They really did know where you lived," Hermione realized with horror.

"Yes…that's why I waited…for them…to come," he cracked softly.

"Why didn't you just leave before they found you?" she demanded. He was really being quite foolish. He always had been foolish.

"Hermione," he said slowly, still recovering breath, "I've been…running away from everything…my entire life…" he sat on the bed next to her. Hermione drew the sheet up closer; she was still only covered by it alone, but he didn't seem to notice in his condition. "I…wasn't about…to let these people get their way," he finished, his speech more sure and even now. "I had to knock a few of those bastards out when I could. I'm not weak anymore Hermione. I am not afraid anymore, not of death, or Voldemort and what might happen if he wins. I know that with this project, I won't be alone ever again." Hermione began to get teary-eyed. Her contact choked to conceal his emotion. "I'm, so lonely. And I will be for the rest of my life. There's nothing I can do to make my life any better, not without this project…" Hermione clasped his hands, not caring that they were smeared with blood.

"You can do something about it! I don't know why you are so dependant. I can help you, but first, you have to help yourself." He lifted his head.

"I guess," he said doubtfully, his eyes wandering, and suddenly they jumped back to focus on Hermione, the gaze intense and emotional. Hermione raised an eyebrow in surprise, and before she even knew what was happening, his lips were on hers, and his arm, with all its bloodiness, had pulled her forward and impulsively clenched around her neck and shoulders. Hermione, extremely shocked, sat there for several moments, stunned to the point she couldn't resist. He kissed her harder, pushing her backward, seeming so incredibly desperate; she wanted to slap him. But finally she snapped out of her initial shock and tried to gently push him away with her right hand, while her other hand was supporting her as she sat up. He immediately drew his face away as if she was on fire, but continued to keep a tight grip on her. She just stared at him in shock, and when he looked her in the eye, he suddenly realized that her chest and stomach where completely exposed, and he hastily stood and turned away, and she saw the red creeping on his face as he turned. She slipped out of the bed and dashed to the bathroom, and looking at her self, realized she was covered with blood. Hastily she threw on one of Severus's shirt that had been lying on the floor and dashed back out.

He turned back around when he heard her behind him, but blushed red again and spluttered, "You're still not dressed!"

"You've seen as much anyway already. I'm fine. You are not," and she took his arm and laid him on the bed, and rushed to gather some medical and healing supplies, trying to keep herself busy so he wouldn't talk. She could feel his eyes, not staring at her, per say, but just gazing at her, in nothing but Sev's shirt, one of his black cuffed ones.

"You know," he started as she was moving about the bedroom, "I am not that bad off, and now that I've been here awhile, I've calmed down." And with that he started to sit up, but cringed loudly in pain and she rushed to his side and gently pushed him back down.

"Sure you're alright," she muttered under her breath. "Take off your shirt," she said, bring out the special salve.

"What?"

"Take off your shirt."

"W-why?" was his stuttered reply.

"I need to look at your injuries, stupid," she laughed, and helped his tear off his mangled shirt, revealing a grossly bloody and cut chest, but it was a very muscular one, and his arms were also very toned and bulging. She was impressed. But she was more impressed with his wounds. They were numerous and all over. It seemed like many of them extended all over his body. She first cleaned all the cuts on his upper body and torso, and used her wand (which she found after much searching) to minimize his bruises and bring down the swellings.

"Take off you pants," she said when she was done.

"What!" he squeaked, so high it was almost inaudible.

"You are like one big battle wound all on your own, and your pants are in a horrible state anyway," she said exasperatedly, and tore the ripped material off of him. Once again, impressed. Thankfully, his boxers were not that damaged, so he still had some dignity. However, the bulge in his boxers obviously caused by their little kissing thing and seeing her naked and such, stripped him of any such dignity. Oh Gods!

"I'm sorry," he said sadly after a bit, and she froze in the process of bandaging his ankle, which was sprained slightly with a couple broken toes. "About, well, kissing you," he said sheepishly, the long cut across his cheek as he gritted his teeth in embarrassment. "I, I just don't know what came over me." She pretended not to be really listening, but he continued. "I've.." he took in a deep breath," worshipped the ground you walked on, the air you breathed, and the space you occupy on this Earth ever since I met you, way back when we were just eleven years old. Of course, I didn't know what I was feeling, I didn't know what love was," he said haltingly, as this was very personal for him. Hermione slowly was wrapping the bandage around his stomach, the closeness and personal confession making her conscience. "But of course you simple were just a friend, helping me out of every fix I got in to keep me out of trouble. You always helped me on homework; I wouldn't have graduated if it hadn't been for you. You've always been there for me…and I hope, that now, I can be there for you," he finished, gently touching her cheek. She stiffened, and he dropped it immediately. "I understand," he said, his voice hard.

"No! I didn't mean to react so violently. I'm sorry. But you've forgotten, I'm married to Severus now, and there's nothing-"

"Hermione!" he said suddenly, his face somewhat hopeful, but reserved. "Remember what I had said at our last meeting? The offer still stands." Hermione looked at him in horror.

"Don't you ever think that!" she said shrilly, her hands shaking, and he took her hands, but she snatched them away and got up and walked over to look out the window. "After you left, I was crying my eyes out, and I feel asleep. He came back, we talked, we kissed, and he carried me to this very room and we had sex in this very bed! I, AM, TAKEN!"

"Whatever. It still stands. I'll go." He got up, still in his boxers, and obviously not thinking clearly and she quickly moved in his way to the door, still in only Sev's shirt, also not thinking clearly.

"Are you insane? They'll kill you!" He shrugged.

"What does it matter?"

"You matter! To me! You are a close friend, like a brother. You're staying here," she said firmly.

"Sure…whatever," he said dejectedly, sitting on the bed.

"Go to sleep." He shook his head no, so she waved her wand and said a spell, and he dropped like a log, almost spread-eagled in sleep. She pulled him onto to the bed, evanesced the bloody sheets to be replaced with new sheets, a convenient spell Sev taught her. And with that, she dressed, sat on her window seat, and watched him sleep, wondering what in the hell she'd do with him.

A/N: So many hints about who he is, you should be able to guess. The ball's in the air, who's gonna catch it? I know it's long, but then I realized he was still bloody, so I had to work that out. I had to do this chap in bits and pieces, and now its done and ready for reviews! (I apologize for grammar and typo errors, have no time to check).