A/n: I hoped you guys liked the last chapter…I know I did…hopefully this chapter will be up b4 HBP comes out so I can get more Reviews… the last chapter was directed towards Malfoy but this chapter is more directed towards Hermione… lol…ok so here's the next chapter…

Chapter 3 Surprises, Revelations, and the Temporary

I apparated into the kitchen at headquarters, Snape was sitting at the table drinking from a smoking goblet. He looked like he was in deep thought because he didn't seem to notice that I was there. I began to walk to the door, and he cleared his throat. I turned to look at him. His steely dark eyes were upon mine.

"Hello Professor." I said quietly. He beckoned me to take a seat. I couldn't believe it, he wanted my company, I wondered why. I took a seat on the bench across from him. I gazed at him and he gazed back, something in his eyes I have never seen before in all my years of Hogwarts.

"It's Severus, please call me Severus." He said after a long pause. "I am no longer your professor."

"Ok…Severus," I said letting his name roll off my tongue. "Are you ok?"

"I was about to ask the same question?" He replied.

I don't know what made me do it. I mean he was a professor that mocked me openly in class, that knocked me down as much as he could have and yet here I was spilling out all of my troubles to him. I must sound like a deranged schoolgirl only worried about myself in the midst of a war. I showed him the letter and everything. He chuckled slightly when I was finished.

"Are you done Miss Granger?" He asked with a smile on his face.

"Um…yes." I replied tentatively. This was truly surprising; I have never seen Snape like this (A/n: I know he's a bit OOC but it is post Hogwarts war can change ppl ;D). I have never seen him smile unless it was trying to get Harry expelled or truly in trouble.

"Look, your parents will forgive you in due time, so you won't have to worry about that. As for not knowing what career you'll be in maybe you should go to this summer program if not Dumbledore can always give you a job at Hogwarts especially with your marks. As for Potter and Weasley they will understand if you don't want to become an Auror, they are still your friends, and they will be just happy with you being on our side." He said smiling

I was in complete utter shock. What happened to the dreaded potions master, where is Professor Snape? 'This is not Professor Snape, this is Severus remember?' I thought.

"If you don't mind me asking, where is Professor Snape?" I said laughing.

"Miss Granger," He took a swig from the goblet, "I am no longer the teacher and you are no longer the student. You are not the insufferable know it all girl you're now a young lady. I am no longer the professor who takes a liking more to the Slytherins, as you are no longer a Gryffindor whose house I completely despise. We are now acquaintances, on the same side for the same cause."

I was in complete shock, not only was he giving me advice but he was actually calling our relationship, if we ever had a relationship, an acquaintance.

"The reason why I always kept face at Hogwarts is because I was a spy. Now that I don't have the double role I can be myself. But only to the people I find who are worth my time. Now since my reasoning is out of the way and since you are no longer a student I can finally have intellectual conversations with someone in this god forsaken house." He said fixing his eyes on mine.

His gaze was making me uncomfortable, and then I remember he practiced Occlumency and I looked away.

"Well I know you have to go unpack since you obviously just told me that you just left your parents house. We can finish this conversation later." He said dismissively.

I got up from the table, walked over to the door and left the room. Was he flirting with me? Everything was just odd and out of place. I shook off the feeling and made my way through the corridor to the foyer. There were just a few candles lighting the foyer, it was almost time for bed, and I know Mrs. Weasley had told everyone to be quiet for Ginny's sake but I knew Ginny well enough to know that she stayed up later than I did.

It was oddly silent as I made my way up the dark winding stairs. It was unsettling how clean it was, there was no dust anywhere. I got on to the second landing, where a scarlet and gold runner covered the wooden floor, keeping my feet silent as I made my way down the corridor. Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place had always been a most interesting place to stay. It was so full of surprises. The fact that it was so clean really unnerved me, I was used to seeing cobwebs and dust everywhere. Mrs. Weasley must have been extremely bored.

Despite the cleanliness of the house, the air was surprisingly clammy. I stared uneasily ahead of me, the end of the corridor was a little darker than I would have preferred. I passed several large wooden doors on my way to the room that Ginny was staying in, stopping at the second to last door on the right. I knocked softly, the door opened slightly and Ginny squealed with delight and pulled me inside.

Ginny was a sight to see, her long read hair fell in soft waves around her face, and her chocolate brown eyes were shining with excitement. She still had her petite frame, which was very proportioned. She had the Weasley charm but her mom's fiery temper, which made all the guys fall for her.

"Please tell me that this is not a visit!" She shrieked.

"Nope," I said smiling, "I'm here for good."

She shrieked again, and then started talking extremely fast about all the things she wanted to do. She wanted to do all of this girl stuff, she finally wanted to do something to my hair, and she wanted to change my wardrobe and everything. I just smiled and nodded.

"Where are Ron and Harry?" I asked after she finally finished.

"He's kinda busy with Luna." She smiled and winked. "And Harry is on the roof, he always is."

"Ok, I'm just going to put my stuff in the bedroom next to yours, go talk to Harry and then come back, ok?" I said, leaving her room.

I went to the spare room and took all of my things out of my pocket and returned them back to normal size. I finally got a good glimpse of the room. It was really very plain. The curtains were a pale yellow that matched the bed sheets of the plain, hard bed. The walls were the same pale yellow and the dark wooden floor shined beneath my sneakers. There was a small wooden desk in the corner with an empty bookshelf over it. I unpacked everything and decided that I would change the room later to make it more pleasant, with my trusty wand by my side.

I walked out to the landing once more and I made my way towards the stairs. I climbed the two flights that were left and pushed open the heavy door that led to the roof. The cool night air hit my face as soon as I opened the door. I loved nights like these. They always reminded me of the night on top of the north tower in 6th year. I shook my head of those thoughts and made my way towards the dark figure that was leaning on the ledge.

"I knew that was you." His voice called out to me. He stayed in his position, never turning around to acknowledge me.

"And how did you know that?" I asked smiling and looking at him fondly. His messy hair was blowing ever so gently in the breeze, and I couldn't help but imagining myself running my fingers through his hair like I had done so frequently back at Hogwarts.

"Because you're the only one who dares to come up here after me, I scared everyone else off." He chuckled.

"I heard that you've been spending a lot of time up here, more than usual." I said, looking at him curiously.

"Well you know why, and I don't have to explain it to you." He said still looking out into the night sky.

"Is it Sirius? I mean it's been two years. Or is it the prophecy?" He finally turned to me at the sound of Sirius's name. The stars were reflected in his beautiful emerald watery eyes.

"The hurt never goes away, I feel like it is my fault. I should have opened the Christmas present on the train and then if I knew what it would do I would have been able to refrain from going to the ministry that night and he wouldn't have come after me. He was the closest thing I had to a parent and because of my recklessness I lost him. I should have listened to you." The tears were spilling over.

I grabbed his hand and held it. His hand was so warm and the familiarity of it sent shivers down my spine. I remembered what those hands could do. I shivered slightly but he didn't see me do this because he turned back to the night sky. After standing for a good ten minutes, I decided to sit on the ledge (A/n: If you don't know the ledge is huge, so she won't fall off). He turned to me and grabbed my hand once more. 'Is it me or is this déjà vu?'

"Do you know the real reason why I come up here?" He asked. I knew the answer but I didn't want to feel bad or make him feel worse. He stood in front of me, "Because of what happened in 6th year." He said before I could answer him. His thumb was soon caressing my hand in small circles. This intimate gesture began to warm my body in that oh-so familiar way. I wiped his tears away with my free hand. His green eyes were gazing into my hazel ones. He caressed my face lightly and then put his hand under my chin. He tilted my head slightly and his lips came down on mine. His soft lips were lightly caressing mine, my arms automatically went around his neck. I let out a low moan as he deepened the kiss. Thoughts and memories came flooding back.

"And what is that?" His cold voice inquired.

"In order for this to work, I must not take on the dark mark. She knows where the dark mark is and all the spells to reveal it." I replied, masking my anxiousness.

He sat back in the chair thinking. His long fingers were placed under his chin.

"All right. I will allow you to not take on the mark but you must wear this at all times." He reached into one of the drawers of the large desk and pulled out a silver necklace. It had a small silver medallion on the end. The medallion was circular encrusted with a snake around the edge and the dark mark rested in the middle. The eyes of the snake that circled the outer edge were diamonds. The eyes of the skull were black stones. The eyes of the snake that completed the dark mark were emerald. It was nice, in very good taste. I put the necklace on and found out that I couldn't take it off.

"This necklace acts like the mark. It allows me to keep tabs on you as well as see if the plan is going as expected. The necklace will burn when I call upon you, so you will know when to come to me. If you try to take it off the cruciatus cruse will run into your body and I will know. If you manage to take it off you will die instantly. Only I can take it off, no one else." He smiled evilly.

"What if she gets suspicious and asks me where I got it from?" I asked, looking at the medallion once more.

"Tell her it was a gift from your father." He said dismissively. "Now we must get back, the initiation process is almost near completion. I will tell everyone that I gave you the dark mark already so no one will get suspicious." He got up and walked over to me lifted up the left sleeve of my robes, he pointed his wand at my arm. "Tempara Morsmordre." The dark mark appeared on my arm. It burned like hell but I didn't show it. "This is the temporary dark mark, it will appear instantly when another death eater wants to see it, but it doesn't hold the same concept as the real dark mark, if it did I would use this version instead of the one I use now."

He walked out the door and I quickly followed him, putting my hood back on my head. I didn't show my emotions, I was totally ecstatic I couldn't help it. I have avoided the mark. I almost let out a long whistle when I realized that I was still in his presence and I had to keep up appearances. As soon as he entered the room the room became silenced once more. I took my place once again back in the center of the circle.

"Now my young friend here has come up with a brilliant plan, and we will be putting it into effect in one week. His plan has already shown how worthy he is to me and he has already received the dark mark. As for the rest of you the final stage of this initiation you know what has to be done. You are to go to a muggle dwelling and kill as many as muggles as you can, rape and torture as many people as you can and bring back some for some kind of entertainment later on." And with that we all disapparated.

I never saw a more amusing yet sad display. I was entertained as I tortured the muggles. I had to keep up appearances and kill as many people as I could. I got rush from doing all of this, and I finally knew why my father loved to do this. A sudden thought struck me that maybe I was turning into a nutter like him. Although that thought worried me slightly, I pushed it aside.

The witch that was trying to get initiated along side me was working harder than everyone else, like she had to prove something. I saw her perform an impressive display of the Cruciatus Curse, holding it for a very long time, seeming to revel in the screams it was wrenching from the helpless muggle woman on the ground at her feet.

I felt fists punching at my back and turned with a smirk to see a young boy of about eleven years glaring at me with tears in his eyes. He continued to punch at my stomach although I felt no pain, having an extremely well developed chest and torso. I pointed my wand at him and hissed, "Imperio,". A blank expression immediately settled on the boy's face and I grinned to myself, thinking of what interesting things I could make the child do.

Within moments the child, under the Imperius curse, had positioned himself on top of the now unconscious woman that the female initiate had been cursing, and had begun to violate her. The female initiate glanced at me through her hood and I saw her nod in approval at me as she walked away to find another victim.

It wasn't long before the dwelling had been reduced to ruins. We all apparated back to the Riddle House. A report was given to Voldemort in how we did. He was very pleased. Soon the new recruits received the dark mark. We all then had to lift our sleeves to show that we had the dark mark. Then we were allowed to go. A lot of the males decided to stay and have fun with the new entertainment. I went outside to get some air. The robes were stifling. I walked around the grounds and I stopped at the noise of someone getting sick.

I pulled out of the kiss gently, and just gazed at him. "Harry…" I said my voice trailing off.

"I want you back Hermione." He said quietly.

"You know why we can't be together." I replied. I wanted him so badly and he knew it but he held off for his own sake and mine. He pulled out of my embrace and just gazed at me. He began walking pacing the floor like he was thinking. He then clutched his forehead and screwed up his face in pain.

"Harry! Harry are you ok?" I jumped off the ledge and ran over to him.

"I'm fine." He replied waving me off.

"Well if you really are ok, I need to head back downstairs I promised Ginny I would spend some time with her before she went to bed." I said.

"That's fine," he replied. He kissed me softly once more; it was filled with more passion than the last. He left me breathless. "Just think about what I said ok." He pushed a strand of my bushy hair behind my ear. I nodded and headed for the door.

I went over to where the sounds were coming from. It was the witch; she was hunched over throwing up all over the place. I just stood there and watched. I noticed her hood was on the ground and I picked it up before the pool of sickness rolled onto it. When she was finished she cleaned herself up and cleaned up the grounds. She then sat on the ground clutching her knees. I sat down next to her. Her long shiny black hair was almost touching the ground. I gave her hood back to her. She turned around to thank me and the color drained from her face, as did mine.

"Cho Chang?" I said in utter shock.

A/n: and there it is chapter three… I know I left you on a cliffie I hope you guys liked it and I won't post again until after I finish the book which will probably be on Sunday…lol…I hope you guys like the story…. Pls R&R … as always cherbi161

XoKaSsIeox: Draco is really not helping out Voldemort he is just using him as a means. Draco doesn't want the dark mark b.c. he thinks they are all nutters running around in masks and he strongly doesn't want to be one of them. Draco isn't really helping him out, he is just trying to avoid the Dark Mark, and the only way he can do that is if he makes a deal with voldemort, he will deliver Potter only if he doesn't get the mark impaled on his skin and since Hermione is a friend of Harry's (as you may well know), he can kill two birds with one stone. I hoped that helped…thanx for your review.

GangstaSuess: Thanx for your review I totally appreciate it. It's ok if you can't give me any ideas…lol….I'll just beat them out of my beta…lol… no I seriously love my beta…she's so kewl…and trust me if I haven't finished this fic before September 1st ( the day in which my classes start) you get to pick the weapon and the place…(just like the game of clue)…lol I hope u keep reading

Dracos-sexy-bitch (my wonderful beta): thanks so much for your review, I totally love you…lol…and your story…pls go check it out it's called "Hungry Eyes" (if you already haven't)… can't wait for your next chapter…

A/n: I have finished reading HBP I'm just out getting this late I wanted to make sure that it was perfect for you guys… if you read HBP you will see many inaccuracies, however I'm not changing my fan fic, because I came up with this idea before HBP came out so pls don't mind the inaccuracies also I don't want to spoil anything so I hope you keep reading…as always Cherbi161