Alright, here goes! This is Diva 1 (no I/we are do not have multiple personalities, this is more than one person!) Diva 1 1/2 and I both wrote this, and anytime we get together we work on this. Mostly for our own amusment, so if you hate it- oh,well! There's plenty of good stories out there, right? Anyways, onward!

Disclaimer FOR ALL CHAPTERS: We do not own Harry Potter in any way, shape or form. Harry Potter is propety of the wonderful Authoress J.K Rowling. Sometimes, it's fun to pretend that we own it, but even then it's still not ours. M'kay?

"blah"-talking

'blah!'- thoughts

Eyes Wide Shut

Chapter 1:

Not Dead.. Yet.

She looked up at ascending rows of straight-backed chairs and the leering faces of the wizards above her. She tried to count them, loosing her place as faces that she recognized jumped out of the crowd- Lucious Malfoy, Macnair, Bellatrix Lestrange. All of them prepared to condemn her already for breathing their 'pureblood' air. Things were definitely not looking good for Hermione Granger.

"Miss Granger," one of the unknown ones sneered. "Would you care to explain yourself ?"

'Not particularly...bastard.'

She remained silent.

"Is that a no?"

She still didn't speak. In response, he withdrew his wand from his robe menacingly.

She cleared her throat. "When you put it that way-"

"-While we'd love to hear your reasoning, Mudblood." Lucious interrupted snidely. "Unfortunately, this council has more important matters to attend to than to listen to your pathetic excuses." They leaned forward towards her expectantly, just daring her pathetic mudblood self to argue.

'But it's a very good excuse!' she thought. Damn them for not wanting to listen to her well thought out excuses!

"What do you suggest, Lucious, since you seem so keen on speaking unnecessarily," Snape remarked cooly.

Lucious glared over at the greasy man. "As a matter of fact, Severus, I do have a suggestion."

"The council is listening, Lucious."

He cleared his throat. "I believe, that we should execute Miss Granger on the terms of her past associations with the Order, continued disregard for the law, and her connections to one Harry Potter!"

A murmur raced throughout the room. Slight nods of agreement accompanied the hushed whispering. The apparent leader stood. "Does anyone object to this proposition?"

'Uh, let me think, I DO!'

"I object." A man stood, his face cloaked, unlike the others, who had discarded their mysterious masks so long ago when the Dark Lord's reign began. "I have a better idea."

Lucious looked ready to strangle him, while the leader looked more intrigued than anything. A single quirked eyebrow indicated his interest. "Do tell."

"If you consider her past academic record, as well as her previous knowledge of the workings of the rebel forces, I believe we can put her to better use. If put under my control, I believe she could become a very valuable asset to my department and to our forces as a whole." Shocked silence greeted his speech.

"Any objections? Because, as Lucious said, we do have more important things to attend to." Snape drawled. Arguments broke out amongst the assembled deatheaters.

"Think about it!" the man called. "Working under our control will be the brightest mind Hogwarts has produced in years! As well a member of the Order, and one of the best friends of the late Harry Potter!"

Luscious objected loudly. Hermione glared at him venomously, willing him to spontaneously combust into flames. Just the thought of it brought a grim smile to her face.

'Burn baby, burn.'

"How is this acceptable? Have we any way of knowing that she's not secretly sabotaging our plans? After all of our hard work, you're going to let her waltz in here and become one of us! This is an outrage!"

"Yes, we can tell," Hermione's savior spoke calmly above the uproar. "Just think, what a fitting end for the right hand girl of Harry Potter. Forced to work for the people she has fought against – in vain, I might add – and against those she has fought for." He paused ominously, for effect. "A virtual prisoner."

Lucious opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off.

"If that doesn't work," he added, laughing, "We can always kill her later."

"All in favor?" Numerous hands rose throughout the room. "It is decided. Hermione Granger shall join the Department of Mysteries under your command." He stood, nodding to the cloaked man. "Adjourned."

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't dead... at least, not yet...