A/N: Thanks so much to my... ten reviewers! You really made me feel special! This is my first Hermione/Snape fic, and I assure you, it will be Hermione/Snape, even though it's looking pretty unlikely from here. Bear with me. Oh, and to my last reviewer (the one from France), I'll be sure to check it out. Thanks again to everyone! Oh, and if you've noticed, I made this chapter look more special... and it's a lot longer cuz I thought it all went together better that way...

Disclaimer: Oh crap, I forgot about these... I dun own them. Heheh, I wish I owned Snape tho...

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Reason Enough

by Chibi Animagus

Hermione could only hold her breath, frozen in fear, standing before the most evil wizard in the world. He was every bit as terrifying and intimidating as Harry had said... She had seen him before, a few times, but never before had Hermione stood this close to Lord Voldemort, nor was she ever hoping to.

"Well, well, well..." the Dark Lord looked around at his circle of followers, "My true family has grown in number since we last met."

Voldemort paused to let this sink in. Sure enough, there was hushed murmuring throughout the circle of hooded figures, some of disbelief, some of polite interest. Hermione frowned, and her heart's frantic beating slowed considerably. It seemed that Voldemort couldn't see her. Hermione was just about to wonder if she were invisible, when-

"Yes... a young wizard has joined us. A bit... inexperienced, perhaps, but that we can deal with, can we not, Severus?"

Hermione's stomach lurched. The murmuring turned to loud whispers. The voice of Lucius Malfoy could be heard telling a cloaked man that he knew Snape would join them some day. Then it hit her. She was inside one of Snape's memories.

"Yes, my Lord. You can deal with- with anything, Great Lord."

Snape's voice could be heard from under a black cloak, the nervousness evident in his hurried statement. Some of the Death Eaters around them laughed.

"See, my followers?" Voldemort said, looking smug and amused, "He is learning quickly... but I think young Severus needs another lesson before he recieves the Dark Mark... don't you, Lucius?"

The aforementioned Death Eater suddenly stood up straighter, and Hermione could see him visibly shaken at being spoken to directly by the Dark Lord. Hermione could tell that Lucius had not been long in Voldemort's service, and that whatever lesson Voldemort would teach Snape was definitely nothing good.

"Er, y-yes, My Lord," Malfoy stammered, "every Death Eater must learn what it is like... As you are the Great Lord, you must teach him that being a Death Eater comes with great price."

Voldemort's thin white lips quirked up in a cruel sneer as he regarded Malfoy with distaste.

"Are you suggesting that you know what I should do, Lucius?"

Malfoy was quick to right himself, realizing his mistake was grave indeed.

"Of course not, My Lord, only you know such things. I was only suggesting you-"

"Yes," Voldemort said, "It is better when you hold your tongue, Lucius. It is much too small in that oversized head of yours. I am letting you get away with it this once, and only because I am short on time."

Malfoy dropped to his knees at Voldemort's feet and murmured a humble thanks, while the figure Hermione was sure was Snape was shaking uncontrollably. Hermione couldn't help it- she felt bad for him.

"Severus, our new member... have you ever suffered the Crutacius Curse before?"

Voldemort asked this as one would inquire about the weather. Snape shook harder. Malfoy resumed his position on the circle.

"Yes, My Lord, I have."

Hermione didn't even try to suppress her sympathy now.

"Well then," Voldemort said as he raised his wand, "I'm sure a couple more times couldn't hurt... or could it? We shall see, shall we, Severus?"

Snape threw himself on the ground before Voldemort's feet, on the spot Malfoy had been a minute before, and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes. As he did so, his hood fell back to reveal curtains of greasy hair, a hooked nose, and cold black eyes. Hermione's stomach lurched again. Snape looked as if he had just turned eighteen.

"Please, My Lord, please," Snape said, a frantic edge in his voice instead of a sarcastic one, "I beg you for mercy. You know I will always be faithful, always be trustworthy, I will not-"

"Get up," Voldemort said, a cruel pleasure creeping into his snake-like features, "You will be taught a lesson, Severus. Crucio!"

Hermione gasped as Snape began writhing on the ground, sobbing. He rocked back and forth on the damp grass, his hair wet from the dew and his own sweat. Voldemort's eyes were intense- ablaze with hate and anger, focused on only one thing: causing Snape as much pain as possible.

"Stop! Stop it!" Hermione shrieked, though she knew they couldn't hear her.

She couldn't bear to see Snape so helpless. Perhaps it was because he was always so confident, so capable... Or maybe just because she knew, now, that Snape had reason enough to be horrible.

Snape's screaming subsided as Voldemort lifted his wand lazily. Snape twitched on the ground, panting and sobbing still.

"You didn't like that, did you, Severus?" Voldemort said softly.

"No, Great Lord, I beg you, I have learned! I have learned! Please-"

"Crucio!"

Snape's screams echoed through the night. It was a wonder they didn't wake someone- anyone. Hermione felt something wet drip down her neck, and was confused until she realized she was crying. They couldn't do this to him... Snape... the potions professor whom everyone hated- mostly because he hated them first. Never did Hermione stop to really understand how awful the Death Eater meetings must be for him... until now, of course.

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut as Snape screamed even louder still. She couldn't bear to see anymore... but the image of Voldemort's cruel sneer stayed, permanently fixed in her mind along with the huddled, sobbing bundle of robes that was her potions professor.

Suddenly, she felt herself shifting, spinning.

She opened her eyes. A different memory.

The Death Eaters were in a circle again, but this time it was not Snape in the middle. A little girl- no older than six years old- was crying softly in the center. Voldemort prowled around the circle, seemingly ignoring the child.

"You, Lucius?" Voldemort said, eyeing one man disdainfully.

"Please, My Lord, I brought her-"

"Silence!" Voldemort said, cutting him off, "You had your turn last time, Malfoy. Time to give Severus a turn, wouldn't you agree?"

There was nothing Malfoy could do but agree with him, bowing and murmuring- if rather reluctantly. What the Death Eaters were planning to do, Hermione had no idea, but she didn't want to find out. That much she knew.

"My Lord, I couldn't, I am not worthy-" Snape said.

"Or too cowardly, perhaps?" Voldemort said softly, his red eyes gleaming.

Snape did indeed sound too cowardly. Obviously he was not all evil.

"No, My Lord, never, I'd do anything to serve you, anything to please you-"

But a murmur had whipped through the circle, no doubt in agreeance with the Dark Lord. Snape had no choice. Hermione suddenly felt sick. She began whispering desperately under her breath, knowing no one could hear.

"Please don't, Snape, please don't..."

"Well then, Severus, carry on," Voldemort said, stepping back a bit to allow Snape room.

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut, willed herself to move again. A different memory... without Death Eaters... or Voldemort...

To her great relief, she felt herself shifting, spinning.

When she opened her eyes, another wave of relief crashed home. Instead of a dark graveyard, she was in the Great Hall, but instead of the usual house tables, there were many tables for one.

Thank goodness! This must be an ordinary memory at last.

Hermione caught sight of a teenage Snape among the others. She glanced at the paper under his greasy, hooked nose.

An O.W.L, by the looks of it...

A Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L...

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A/N: Omigosh, it's not Charms, its DADA! XD Stupid me. I reread that whole chapter yesterday and was like "aw crap". A reviewer pointed it out, too, so I had a feeling I'd better change that snappish. XX Sorries.