Dumbledore Has Lost It

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

A/N: VOTES! Should Snape be a virgin or not? Review and tell me!

Chapter #3:

"Headmaster, it's as we feared," Severus stated with wary indifference. Or so anyone else would think, but Dumbledore could hear the urgency in his voice.

Fire burned in the wall sconces giving off a pleasant glow to the Headmaster's office. Across his desk in a plush red chair sat Severus. His long fingers were steepled in front of him, just below his chin. This was his official thinking pose as Dumbledore liked to think of it.

"How did this come about?" he asked calmly, running a hand through his long silvery beard. For a moment Snape could only furrow his brow in concentration.

"If you recall, I told you how he was working on trying to find a way to dig through people's memories, rather than just seeing what they were currently thinking. It appears that he has succeeded."

"But Severus, you are a master at occlumency! How could this happen?" Though Dumbledore didn't seem overly upset, Snape could see the lines of worry creasing his face.

"Yes well I've not quite mastered the art of occlumency while unconscious," he said wryly.

"Well what of it then?" This is where Snape let his uncertainty with the situation slip through. He nervously wrung his hands in his lap, avoiding the headmaster's eyes.

"He wants me to 'infect' Miss Granger as he so nicely put it. His reasoning was that after such a thing happened she would be compelled to the dark and bring more inside information to the dark side. He said that breaking Potter was merely a bonus." The Headmaster gave an unsettling grin.

"Well, you'd better get to it then!" was all Dumbledore said. Snape could only gawk at him.

"Excuse me Headmaster?"

"Ah my dear boy, Hermione is a strong girl, not to mention a worthy companion, and he never stated you force her to join the ranks of the Deatheaters. She will understand that this is to keep you safe. She is a bright girl; she will do it for the order."

"Headmaster really! She is only seventeen! How do you expect her to deal with this?"

"With you of course! Severus my dear boy, you are a recluse, and that is only suitable for widows, which I know for a fact you are not."

"I have no time to take care of a petulant Gryffindor. I'm afraid we will have to find another way." Snape crossed his arms over his chest in finality even though he knew his efforts were futile against this man.

"Not take care of her Severus, guide her, teach her. You are her professor after all; you do it on a daily basis anyway!" Snape could only give a sigh of defeat and ask the rhetorical question that seemed to end so many of their conversations.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Do you have to ask?" Dumbledore smiled after his ally as he huffed and stormed out of the room with one last demand.

"Fine, you set everything up and call me when you need me." With that he was gone. He was fuming as he stalked down the halls, making student's part for him to pass. Mainly it was because he lied to Albus and what he had to lie about. You see, Severus wasn't at all thrilled with the situation, but the time spent with Hermione wasn't the problem. It was the little spark that awoke in his chest at the idea of it. It was the little truth that he looked forward to the companionship...her companionship. It was unnerving and confusing. Something he really didn't want to dwell on. It was seconds before he realized he had stopped in front of the portrait guarding his chambers. At fist glance it seemed completely black, but in the shadows lurked capere, the panther. "Black Heart" he murmured, sounding as if he was talking to himself. The panther moved aside so Snape could step through the shadows of the portrait into his chambers. To his surprise, Dumbledore was standing in front of the stone hearth brushing off soot next to Miss Granger who stood nervously at his side. Glancing around with cautious interest at all the sculptures, tapestries and ornate shelves filled with rows upon rows of books. Snape subconsciously took pleasure in her approval. "You don't waste time do you Albus?" He sneered, trying to distract himself from his own rapidly beating heart. To the one not on the receiving end of this 'ritual' it was quite intimate. It was like you were giving a part of yourself. Albus just smiled at him knowingly. It was then that he noticed Hermione had moved from beside Dumbledore to where she presently stood right in front of him. Her dark doe eyes looked up at him in what looked like wonder. She was toying with his emotions without even knowing it and the worst part was he couldn't do a thing about it.

"I'll leave you to it then," Dumbledore said before hopping back into the fireplace and returning to his office.

"I assume Albus has explained this to you?" he asked warily.

"Yes sir." And with that she moved her hair to the side, exposing the soft skin on her neck to him. Leaning down, he grazed the flesh with his teeth and couldn't help the pleasure that flooded him at her soft intake of breath. It happened too quickly for him. Her latching on to him from the quick searing pain and him latching on to her for the sheer sake of the moment. It was bliss and all too soon he was pulling back and applying a glamour charm over the mark on her neck. She still held him tightly looking quite dazed. "It's over?" She seemed disappointed, or maybe it was just wishful thinking. Snape wasn't one to lie to himself.

"It's over."