Chapter 1

There were only two things that Harry Potter really knew about Hermione Granger. The first was her name… the other that she was muggle born. He really had no idea where she went over her summer break; he'd never really thought to ask after spending six years at the same school with her… she'd always kept it secret. One day he would find out, though… one day he would know…

Hermione Granger was not the over-worked bookworm she appeared to be. Yes, her name was Hermione Granger and yes she was muggle born but she had no parents… they had been killed years ago in a freak electricity fire. When she turned eleven she received a letter from Hogwarts… this didn't surprise her, though, she knew she was different. How else did she escape that fire completely unharmed while her parents had burnt to death?

After the fire, Hermione had gone to live with her aunt Romania. Romania was a bitch and Hermione hated her but she had nowhere else to go. By the age of ten she was cutting herself.

On the same day that she received her Hogwarts letter a man, dressed in a heavy travelling cloak, appeared at her door. He killed Romania on the spot with a flash of green light. Surprisingly unfazed by this murder, Hermione stood in the front hall and waited for the man to approach her.

"I'm not going to kill you, Hermione," he said in a smooth, calm voice.

"I know" she replied, equally as calm. The man pulled back his hood to reveal a head of long golden hair and a pointed, pale face.

"Lucius Malfoy" he said, extending his hand. Hermione didn't take it… instead she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him.

"What do you want?"

Lucius smirked, obviously impressed by Hermione's I-don't-give-a-shit-what-you-do-to-me-just-do-it attitude.

"I need your help"

"With what?"

"You have to accept first…"

Deciding that she had nothing to lose, or anything to live for, Hermione nodded curtly.

Lucius wrapped her in his travelling cloak around her small body and together they vanished with a loud crack, leaving aunt Romania's lifeless body by the door.

Lucius took her to a massive black manor set in the countryside outside London. There, he told her about a raven-haired boy who had bought a dark-lord down. This boy, Harry Potter, needed to be spied upon until the return of the dark lord. She, Hermione, was to befriend the boy in order to gather the information required. After this quick briefing Lucius introduced Hermione to his son, Draco. Draco was also an important part in the plan to bring the dark-lord back… he was to also try to befriend Potter, or, if that failed, become his worst enemy…

Over the next few weeks Lucius took Hermione as his own and, along with Draco, trained them to remain emotionless towards other people and at the same time show affection to those who mattered most.

Hermione was extremely skilled at this because, for as long as she could remember, she had shut the world out, never letting anyone in… the scars on her wrists proved it…

Hermione swung her fist at his face. Draco skilfully blocked it then kicked out at her. Hermione flipped out of the way then swung her leg around to trip him over. He jumped.

At the same time a door at the end of the room opened and a blonde haired woman entered.

"Hermione, you have a letter"

The two seventeen-year-olds paused their intense training session so Hermione could tear open the envelope.

Hermione,

Mum said I could invite you here for the rest of the summer… Harry's coming to… he said he has really great news and is coming back to Hogwarts… wont say anymore in case someone reads this… hope you are well and send your reply soon…

Love, Ron.

"Your not really dating him, are you?" Draco asked, reading the letter over her shoulder.

"I have to, don't I? Harry and Ron are becoming suspicious of everyone and I need to stay as close as possible."

"Don't get to attached or you wont be able to finish it off"

"I haven't felt emotion for over fifteen years… why would I start now?"

Draco shrugged and wiped his sweaty brow with a white towel.

Hermione scribbled a reply to Ron on the back of the letter and handed it back to Narcissa.

"Oh and the dark lord is expecting you at HQ in ten minutes…"

Hermione and Draco glanced at each other then nodded. Dressing in plain black robes, they apparated out of the room.

Voldemort's headquarters where situated in a series of chambers beneath Diagon ally. The only way to get in was to go to an abandoned shop beside the leaky cauldron and go through a well-guarded trap door, down countless tunnels and into brightly lit stone chambers.

Voldemort must have only been expecting the two teens because there weren't many death eaters around.

Side-by-side, Hermione and Draco entered the centre chamber where Voldemort lived.

The thin, white man was standing, facing a mirror on the wall. When the two teens entered he turned to face them. They bowed simultaneously and he beckoned them forward.

"Hermione" he addressed her first. "Have you spoken to Potter yet?"

"No, my lord" she answered dutifully. "He's staying well hidden and will not answer any letters. But I am going to the Weasley's soon so I will see him there… he says he has big news"

"Do you know what this big news is?"

"No"

"He did say he was going back to Hogwarts, though" Draco reminded her.

"Curse that school!" Voldemort hissed, clenching his fist and turning away.

Draco glanced at Hermione then stepped forward.

"My lord… if I may speak… could this have anything to do with Dumbledore?"

"Yes, Draco, it could" Voldemort turned back to face them with a murderous look on his face. "If I am to judge correctly, Potter has found a way to communicate with Dumbledore in the after-life or has bought him back…" Voldemort stroked his own chin and looked back at the mirror.

"Hermione, hold back on killing the Weasley boy for a while…he could be useful to us… Draco, keep trying to get back in that school… we need you in there… you may go"

Hermione and Draco turned and left without another word.

A week later Hermione found herself standing outside the burrow with her trunk. She had already knocked and was waiting for someone to answer. In the mean time she had to collect herself. She was now bookworm Hermione, not top martial artist and future psychic who worked for the enemy.

"Whose there?" came Ron's voice from behind the door.

"It's Herm"

A few locks clicked from within and the door was flung open.

"Hermione!" Ron ran out and flung himself at her. She hugged him and grinned and he took her trunk.

"Is Harry here yet?"

"Tonks and Lupin are bringing him now"

Ron bought her into an empty kitchen and sat her down with a cool drink of butterbeer.

"So, Herm? How have you been? How are your parents?"

"They're fine" Hermione said. "They just bought a new dental office in downtown London"

The people Ron had thought where Hermione's parent, the people he had met in Diagon ally a few years ago were actually death eaters who were giving her an assignment. She had not expected to see Harry or the Weasley's there and had quickly explained that these people were her parents. Her friends, like good friends do, believed her and did not question the fact that there were two muggles standing in a street that only wizards and witches could see.

Before Ron could say anything else there was another knock at the door. Ron jumped up and pulled out his wand. Hermione didn't bother with wands anymore. If it were a death eater they would simply stun her, not kill her.

"Whose there?"

"Harry"

Ron opened the door again and Harry came in pulling his trunk with his left hand, his wand held steady in his right.

"Hey, Hermione" Harry said, dropping his trunk beside hers and sitting down.

"So what's this big news, Harry?" Ron asked, unable to contain himself.

So what has Mr Potter found? and how will Hermione find a way to tell Voldemort without the boys finding out? plz review...