A/N: Own nothing! Sorry that its been awhile since the last up-date, I had to send it to a friend and have her submit it for me. And thank you all for the reviews! They make my day :-)

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Emptiness is loneliness, and loneliness is cleanliness.

And cleanliness is Godliness, and God is empty just like me.

Intoxicated with the madness, I'm in love with my sadness.

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Hermione took her Professors hand slowly, and he pulled her up, releasing her so quickly once she was on her feet, that she almost fell back down. He let out a very small sneer and Hermione felt pink creeping up her cheeks. He started walking a second later and she quickly followed him so he wouldn't yell at her for staying behind.

It was a moment before either one of them said anything. Then, just as quickly as he started walking, he stopped. Hermione stopped herself just in time from walking straight into him. He turned around sharply as if going to say something, but dismissed it. She looked at him, as if saying "Go on" but he just stood there, silent.

She cleared her throat, causing him to make eye contact. She felt very uncomfortable, standing in the middle of the corridor in silence, having a stare down with her Professor.

Finally, he spoke.

"Miss. Granger, I assume you would like to know why I changed my mind about informing your head of house about tonight's' events."

She slowly nodded.

He began walking, very slowly, saying in step to join him at his side. She carefully put herself a foot away from her Professor's arm.

" You are not ignorant Miss. Granger," he said quiet suddenly. She managed a small smile from the praise of a man who she thought hated her. He turned his head looking at her. "But that is not always a good thing." Her smile faded a bit, but he pressed on, " Some would say you know too much for your age. That it's unhealthy. Dangerous."

Hermione kept quiet. She didn't understand what he was getting at. What did this have anything to do with her and Ron?

They walked an entire hallway in silence, before he spoke again, while approaching the dungeon steps.

" You were aware of the Orders actions this summer?" he asked slowly, as if making sure he wasn't saying too much.

She nodded, but he didn't continue.

She pressed on, hating his patience. " I didn't tell Harry or Ron. I wasn't sure. I didn't want them to worry." She looked at him. " Er- Sir? What does this have anything to do with me or Ron and taking away my badge?" She really just wanted to find out why all of a sudden he had a conscience and then get to bed.

They arrived in front of his classroom door, and he opened it for her. She entered quickly and heard him closing the door behind himself. He made to his office doors, and she wasn't whether or not she should follow him.

" Go in and sit," he said eyeing her. " Don't touch anything. I'll be back in a moment."

She did, and he left the door open as he left her.

She had visited this room once before, but it had changed very much since then. It was back in her second year, she remembered fondly, when she came here to steal ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion. The cupboard, however, was nowhere in sight.

Perhaps he moved it, she thought suddenly, So whoever went in it last time wouldn't come back...

She continued taking in the room, but didn't dare touch anything, except with her eyes. Though she had to stop herself from going at his grade book, which lay only inches away from her hand.

Minutes went by, and still he hadn't returned. I could have already done it by now, she thought bitterly, He wouldn't even have known! She glanced at the open door and heard no signs of movement from the other side. A quick peek couldn't hurt...

Her hand had almost touched the black notebook when she heard an angry cough behind her. Cursing to herself, she withdrew her hand and turned around.

Snape was entering the room with raised eyes and what she realized immediately as a Pensieve. For one wild moment, she thought he was going to force her to empty what she remembered 5 months ago. Then her mind shot to what Harry had told her last year and she thought about Occlumency.

" Professor, I-"

" No need to explain Miss. Granger. Though you could have just asked me," she gave him a blank look, wondering what he meant. "Your average in my class is an E."

"Oh," Hermione said shocked. " Professor, what I was going to ask you, was why I have to take Occlumency?"

Snape gave her a hard stare and then he said asked, "Occlumency?"

" The magical defense of the mind-"

" I know what it is Miss Granger," Snape spat, looking suddenly angry. Hermione had the strange feeling that he didn't like to be treated unintelligently. " But that is not why I have brought you here. Your realization and memories over the summer about the Dark Lords plans to destroy the Weasley's are to be taken from you."

A strange feeling arose inside of Hermione. Her heart seemed to be beating faster than allowed. Were the Weasley's really in danger?

She began to shake violently and Severus spoke before she could.

"It is not that bad Miss Granger. I happen to be a very good memory modifier. Only what you have remembered will be forgotten. And, of course, you will remember me taking something away from you, but you won't remember what. Also- you must-... Miss Granger, are you listening to me?"

Hermione was looking around the room, wondering if she could run out it without Snape catching up to her. She had to tell Ron- he had a right to know-

But what she was thinking to do and what she did next were completely different. Instead of making a dramatic scene full of him chasing her around the castle, she looked at Snape and said with difficulty, " I-see-Professor-Dumbledore-first-"

"Miss. Granger, control yourself. This was the Headmasters decision. He thinks it's best if you don't remember thinking what you did. Now... Miss. granger listen to me ...you'll remember the Order talking, but you won't remember the situation. And you will remember worrying about Mr. Weasley and his family, but not what about harm would come to them. You will remember me performing the procedure of taking the memory, but won't remember which one I took. It's just like forgetting-"

" THEN JUST LET ME F-FORGET IT!" she burst out crying. "I DONT W-WANT YOU TAKING AWAY MY M-MEMORIES! THEY'RE MINE! I JUST W-WANT T-TO S-SEE PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE!"

" Miss. Granger control yourself at once! Professor Dumbledore is not here. He left an hour ago to visit headquarters. He left me instructions to take away your knowledge of the summer's events. Calm yourself girl! Dumbledore knows what he's doing! What you thought was dangerous! It could very well ruin everything."

" W-why ... where did this all come from?" she asked, bringing her face up from her hands, where she had them buried. " You- you were suppose t-to tell me why you were sparing me m-my Head badge..."

"Professor Dumbledore thought that giving up your memory was enough to be getting on with," Snape said, handing her a tissue from his desk. " Now.. it's best if we get this over quickly..yes.. well, first- anything you would prefer me not to witness while entering your memories, you'll have to extract from your mind and put into the Pensieve. Just think about the memory very clearly. Bring your wand up to your hea- that's good Miss. Granger, just like that," he said watching her as she followed his instructions. " Now, just drop it into the Pensieve. And," he added as an after thought, "Don't think about adding any summer ones to it. I will know."

When she had finished, he took his own wand and swirled it into the contents. Frowning he stopped, and looked up at her.

"Are you ready?"

" Y-yes..." she said, heart beating faster than it ever had. It wasn't fair.. it REALLY wasn't...

Two fat tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched Snape approach her with his wand raised.

"Stand up," he said locking eyes, " And stop crying. Try to empty yourself of all this unnecessary emotion..."

" I- I can't d-do this," she said, starting to cry even more. " Not- k-knowingly. Can't you just do it while I sl-sleep? And then you c-can take away what I'm thinking right now too I s-suppose.."

Snape thought for a second, smirking. Hermione was still shaking, but stopped and sighed as he slowly began nodding.

" ... Yes.. that is a rather good idea... However, I'm afraid you will have to sleep here. Gryffindor tower doesn't allow males in their dormitories..."

" It doesn't matter," said Hermione, starting to shake from the coldness of the air now. " I just don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep knowing that it's coming..."

" Then I shall give you a Sleeping Draught. I'm not going to wait any longer than I need too," he said bitterly. And with that, he waved his wand a conjured a twin sized bed with green and silver sheets in the back of the classroom.

Hermione tried to say thank you, but her throat was so tired, she couldn't make out any other words. She walked over to the Slytherin bed and noticed Snape wasn't following her.

"I'm going to the hospital wing to see if Madame Pomfrey can lend me a bottle. Now, I'm locking the door. If you're not here when I get back you can forget the sleeping deal and I'll do it as soon as I find you." He looked at her and she nodded. " Good. Try to fall asleep on your own. I'll be back."

Again, she nodded and she sat down on the bed, kicking off her shoes. He strode from his office to the classroom door and she heard him locking it a moment later. She sighed, knowing fate was on its way. He hardly dared herself to leave behind a clue. Dumbledore thought it was best, and she trusted Dumbledore with her life. She just hoped to death that he knew what he was doing.

And then her mind shot to Snape, wondering how badly he was going to mess with her mind. He certainly did seem out of character the last hour and a half. And she wondered vaguely, as she laid down, if her mind was ready for what laid ahead.

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Explanation: over the summer, Hermione hears the OoTP discussing Voldemorts plans to destroy the Weasley's. Hermione stayed quiet about it, unsure of what was happening, and to not to cause alarm and panic with Ron. You will see flashbacks of this in the next chapter.. Anyway… the Order realized what Granger had, and Dumbledore requested that Snape eliminate Hermione's memories ,so nothing goes wrong in future chapters. Sorry if this wasn't clear.

Again, I own nothing at ALL.