Author's Notes:-

I would like to thank

Chibi Venusmoon (Thanks for the appreciation – and the cookie, of course –munches happily-)

draco-severus-mmm (Definitely continuing with this one – it might sound narcissistic, but I think I love this one)

Natsuyori (Thanks for reading – I've a detailed answer for you next paragraph)

Allison Elder (Thanks a lot!)

for reading and reviewing the story. Although I have 14 WIP, I will be concentrating on Night Must Fall until I finish it – meaning updates will be fast provided that the internet doesn't ditch me.

(In response to Natsuyori's request): This story is more Regulus-Hermione than Snape-Hermione. However, this is Snape-Hermione, too, so they will have their moments. I am not sure how this story should end, more so since it is a WIP. Guess I will just go with the flow. I like to surprise myself.

Also, under Character 1 and 2, I've put Severus S. and Hermione G. respectively. Originally, I intended to put Regulus B. and Hermione G. But then no one would have even come across it. So I am sorry about that. However, once this story ends or gets a lot of readers (whichever happens faster), it will go under Regulus B. and Hermione G. – just so you know.

However, you don't have to take it that it will end on that note – it may or may not. In all sincerity, I haven't made up my mind yet.

Thanks again for reading. Now on with the story!

Chapter Three

Confusion And Denial

Hermione was surprised to find that Regulus could Apparate. Since she couldn't (having "lost" her magical essence), he apparated them both to his house. Hermione almost blurted out that she knew where Black House was when Regulus commented that it was in London.

After they heard another familiar 'pop' sound, they continued down the street to where the house was.

No. 12, Grimmauld Place was nothing like Hermione had hitherto known. Although you could feel the Darkness surrounding the place from a mile away, yet when she entered it, there was no obscene screaming about "polluting" the house, no cobwebs, no dirt, no broken curios. It was well-kept – as good as it had been for a short while when she had been there last: the Christmas during her fifth-year at Hogwarts.

Regulus had a key of his own and easily admitted them. Once inside, Hermione almost wrenched her arm away from him, at which he rolled his eyes.

"My parents are most probably asleep," he said as he led them through the dark corridors. The torches lining their way came to life as they passed and extinguished once they had passed the area.

He stopped when they got to the third floor.

"This whole floor is empty – and belongs to me. Make yourself at home." Sarcasm dripped off his voice.

Before Snape could remove the Disillusionment Charms, Regulus had shut the door of his room with an exceptionally loud 'thud'.

"That is one unhappy guy," said Draco with a snort.

"And you are not as unhappy a guy as you are supposed to be right now," said Hermione, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't know why you are complaining, Granger," he said nastily – with enough innuendo in his voice.

"I think," said Snape, before Hermione could reply, "that we ought to rest while we can… And, Miss Granger? Please don't think of running away."

"Where could I go like… this?" she said acidly.

Snape's lips curled in a cruel smirk. "At least this one advantage comes of your 'condition'."

Hermione let out an angry huff and went inside the nearest door. Snape was getting on her nerves more than Draco bloody Malfoy.

The third floor in the Black House she had known earlier had only been occupied by Buckbeak and Sirius. Everyone else had been on the second floor.

However, the room she had gotten in looked very pristine – almost "harshly" proper and faultless. She didn't suppose anyone had stayed in this room.

She was still breathing hard. In less than three hours she had gone back in time – with Snape and Malfoy, no less – and was hidden in Black House. 'My luck!' she thought wryly.

'And all because they won't listen when I told them that Time-Turners shouldn't be used so carelessly! Percy Weasley is going to pay big time.'

And then it hit her – wistful homesickness.

Harry. Ron. Ginny. Her parents. The Weasleys. Remus and Tonks. Everyone… Her colleagues – even Marietta Edgecombe who she really disliked. She didn't even have Crookshanks…

She wasn't supposed to be here. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to go back. It might be a long, long time before she got back. What if she never got back? What if she was forever stuck here? What if she died here? What if Snape and Malfoy went back leaving her alone here? She couldn't trust them.

"Oh God!"

She let out a low wail and sat down on the floor where she'd been thinking going over pessimistic what-ifs. She had often read about 'lead dropped in stomach' and 'insides turning to lead' but it was only now that she understood what it all really meant. Dreadful thoughts whirled in her head, making her dizzy.

"I want to go back!"

Shivering, she put her hands about herself; she couldn't stop the tears from spilling down her face. 'Why me?'

She didn't know how long she sat there, crying.

Although Snape and Draco gone into different rooms, it was only a matter of few minutes before Draco came into Snape's rooms.

"I've just realized something," he declared as soon as he entered Snape's room.

Snape, who had been sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the fire he had conjured in the hearth, looked up disinterestedly.

"We are in DEEP SHIT!" he yelled out.

"Please, Draco…"

"And there's no fire in my room."

It was weird how he could go back to his cool, indifferent voice in less than a second.

Snape sighed. "I shall conjure up one in your room, too, then."

"No, I think I will remain here – you aren't going to sleep, are you?"

"No."

"What happened to 'Rest while we can'?"

Snape thought that Draco could really not imitate his voice. He said nothing, however.

As they sat – silence was conversation enough between them – there was a low-pitch moan from the next room.

"Granger," said Draco, sitting up a little straighter.

Snape had shot out of his seat. However, after a few moments, he sat down again.

"She needs to come on terms with this on her own," he said in reply to Draco's enquiring look.

"You would know."

Regulus Black wasn't asleep, either. And he, too, heard the cry.

Unlike Snape, however, he got up and went out.

Listening carefully, he slowly opened the door of the room from where he thought he had heard her cry – no doubt it was the girl who was crying… it was always the girls. Although why he had to go…

She lay in an ungainly heap on the floor, crying her heart out. Her hair was still the golden auburn he had charmed it to be. Her form was still willowy to the eye. From his vantage point, his eyes recognized her as Rachel Rookwood, but Rachel would never cry like that… no, it was the chocolate-eyed girl who had seemed wary of him yet stared at him with wonder… as if she had known him. Did she know him in future? He got a funny feeling at that thought.

He stood at the threshold but did not go inside. He won't know what to say to pacify her. Even though he barely knew her, he had realized that he had never met anyone quite like her before.

She quietened after a while, and he remained where he was.

All this was so weird. Just two hours ago, he'd been having the time of his life – he wasn't as unpopular as his brother in the pureblood social circle. In fact, quite the contrary. But then, Snape had come – from "future", at that. And Malfoy. And this girl.

He felt irrationally irritated as he looked at her. What was she crying about? It was his life which was going to be messed up now – Snape would see to that all right. If the Dark Lord found out that he had been personally going up to Dumbledore, then he'd be dead. At least this stupid girl wasn't dead – nor had any threat to her life. He didn't know what her relations were with the other two men, but they didn't seem to be a threat to her life from what he had observed – which was far from what he could say for himself.

Then it struck him.

He didn't need to do this.

No, no matter what Snape said, he didn't have to go through with this.

He could go and hide in Crouch or Lockhart's house – both of them would willingly take him in – no questions asked.

His expression hardened.

Quietly closing the door of his room, he slipped away.

'Let dad find them out and kill them,' he thought viciously.

The dancing flames in the grate cast eerie shadows in the room. Snape wasn't used to having a fire in his rooms. He preferred warming the room with spells – they were more effective. He would have done the same to this room, too. However, staring at the fire had a sort of hypnotic effect, which was a very welcome distraction in the present condition. It was still a bit hard to believe that he had been thrown back in time… and with his luck he had landed back in the year he would very willingly take the Dark Mark.

Although he would never admit it, he was almost glad that he wasn't here alone. Having Draco around kicked on his 'responsibility' mode and kept him from going bonkers in the face of such upsetting fate. Moreover, the fact that Draco was little beggar than a common Muggle, made him want to find a solution as fast as possible.

No, he won't admit it. It had nothing to do with Granger. It was just Draco – putting ideas into his head. He hated that little brat… only she was no little brat and he had learnt that long ago. Of course he had. He might have been a teacher, yes, but he was also a man.

So maybe he didn't 'hate' her. There really was no way you could heartlessly hate someone he had been trying to protect. Oh yes, he had tried his best to protect Potter and his friends. Only he hadn't been able to do so openly – he wanted Potter to vanquish the Dark Lord but he wasn't stupid.

Had Potter realized that the "secret informant" from the Dark Order's inner circle was him?

Knowing the boy's still persistent hatred towards him, he thought not.

Draco had fallen asleep in his armchair. Although he had had no intention of resting, his body spoke otherwise.

Sometimes, he wondered if Draco had seen through his double dealings.

Snape looked at him for a few moments, and then got up.

As noiselessly as possible, he went out.

The sobbing sounds from Miss Granger's rooms had long stopped. She was probably asleep. It won't do any harm to just… check on her. After all, he daren't trust her with things if she was little better than a Muggle. Moreover, Black House was known for its nasty "surprises" even during its best days.

She was slumped in the middle of the room. He suspected her to be asleep and went inside.

Her face was hidden by quantities of bushy brown hair. He had an uneasy sense of déjà vu.

He remembered that night distinctly. It was Dolohov who had 'suggested' it to the Dark Lord. Severus understood that Antonin was rather vexed that he could not finish off a teenaged girl – he wanted to finish the job at any cost.

The Dark Lord agreed, of course. Of course Potter would be badly thrown off by the most gruesome death of one of his best friends.

Antonin had been observing her movements for a week then. He knew exactly when she left Godric's Hollow and went to Hogwarts to help McGonagall and the rest of the staff to strengthen the fortress. She usually walked to the school after she had apparated to Hogsmeade. In the evening, she left the place long after the sun had set. Again, she walked alone to the apparition point. It was simply the perfect time to abduct her.

Severus wasn't included in the actual plan. He knew about it, though. He had owled Potter. But as soon as the owl had flown out of his window, he learnt that the plan had been brought forward a day. Antonin was going to carry it out tonight. In less than an hour.

He had gone about things in a deadly mechanical way… so much so that he didn't quite remember everything in detail.

There was no blood… Snape wasn't very fond of blood. He recalled Antonin's body lying face down. He remembered Miss Granger lying injured not a yard away… her bushy brown hair hiding her face from view.

She looked up as if sensing his presence. But she couldn't see him – he wore an Invisibility Cloak.

He had stayed there until she had staggered up and disapparated.

After that he had gone to Godric's Hollow… and he thanked Merlin that it was nothing like it had been in Lily's time. However, there was still a huge French window in front. He could see Potter and Weasley fussing over Granger. He was emotionless as ever… cold as he had always been. He believed himself incapable of any feeling.

But then, Granger had looked straight at him.

He told himself not to be stupid.

Whatever it was, he was very much sure that she had looked at him through the French windows.

It was for more than a few moments – almost a whole minute. And then her bushy brown hair had obscured her from his vision again.

She didn't get up now but lay immobile. For a horrible moment, he thought that she was dead.

He bent over her. No, she was breathing. Merlin's beard! Was he really that glad at finding that out?

"Regulus?"

Bartemius got up groggily.

"Yeah," came the sullen answer. Regulus sat down on the bed and took off his shoes.

"What are you doing here?" asked Bartemius, falling back on the bed.

Regulus didn't answer. He simply lay down on the other side of the bed and transfiguring his cloak in a blanket, pulled it over himself.

"You're invited, of course."

Ignoring the sarcastic remark, Regulus closed his eyes.

But even when the first rays of sun lit up the room, he found himself sleepless. He gave up trying to close his eyes closer and closer… he might as well poke them out.

He sat up, looking out of the casement.

It was all that stupid girl's fault! Stupid girl! Stupid chocolate eyes!

"Get out of my head!"

"Huh?" came a sleepy sound from his side.

"Nothing, go to sleep," he muttered, getting out of the bed. No use staying there any longer because it wasn't working at all.

Trinity. Yes, Trinity was just the girl he needed right now. He loved Trinity with all his heart and soul – this stupid girl was just a distraction because she had come from future – and she looked at him as if she knew him… in future. It was just that he found that idea very thrilling.

But he had barely turned down the street leading to Trinity's apartment, when he stopped.

There just was no way to get those eyes out of his head – unless he dug them out of her head or something. Eww.

Groaning, he leaned against a lamppost and rubbed his head. Had he finally gotten mad or something?

I hope you enjoyed reading. I will reveal more about Snape and why he is "feeling" for Hermione… it didn't happen overnight, folks!