Disclaimer: I do not take credit for anything associated with Harry Potter. No financial profit is being made.

A/N: For the reviewer who wanted to know how Tonks's nickname relates to her real name, the name Fahdee comes from the letters phad in her name. I changed the ph to f cause I think it looks better on paper that way. Hopefully this answers any questions people may have had about this. :-)

Unlikely Partners

Chapter 3

Hermione lounged on the beige leather sofa in her house's sitting room with a glass bowl of jelly beans

in front of her. She had just opened another bag from her secret stash, and as this was her parents' first day back to work since going on vacation in America, it was Hermione's first opportunity to enjoy the sugary sweets she kept hidden from her mother and father. Being dentists, they would have frowned upon her eating them for breakfast. At least her father would. Her mother would undoubtedly be more understanding, especially since she knew how strong a woman's cravings for something sweet during certain days of the month could be.

Hermione's attention was fixed on the television screen. Having missed her favorite program last night due to the fact that she had had to pick her cousin up from dance practice, she was now watching the episode of Murder in Suburbia her mother had recorded for her.

She was just about to fast forward through the first commercial when the doorbell rang. Hermione looked quickly to the front door. It was only a quarter to eleven, and she could not think of who would be calling this early. Perplexed, Hermione got up and hurried over to the door, peaking out of the narrow window next to it before reaching for the doorknob.

Nymphadora Tonks stood on her front porch, giving a quick glance to her watch before folding her hands behind her back and waiting for the door to open.

Hermione opened the door and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Tonks gave her an easy smile.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" she asked, noticing that Hermione was still in her orange and pink pajamas.

"No, . . . No, you didn't. I was watching television,"

"May I come in?" Tonks asked politely.

"Of course," Hermione told her quickly, suddenly feeling incredibly dumb for staring mutely at Tonks as if she was an utter simpleton. "Forgive me for being so surprised," Hermione said as the older woman stepped over the threshold. "Your visit's caught me a bit off guard. Is everything all right?"

Tonks took off her pair of plimsolls and looked at Hermione.

"Well, . . . perhaps we can sit down?"

Hermione lead Tonks into the sitting room and promptly switched off the television.

Tonks sat in the cream easy chair across from the sofa. Hermione sat on the sofa, facing her.

"First," Tonks began. "Have you talked to Harry recently?"

"It's been about two weeks. I returned here from vacation in the U.S. just a few days ago."

"Have you two spoken much about what's happened?"

Hermione didn't have to ask Tonks to clarify what exactly she was referring to. She knew the auror could only be referring to one event.

Hermione swallowed and stared straight into Tonks's eyes.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Hermione, . . . There are several things The Order is aware of regarding recent events . . . things The Order purposefully kept from Harry, you, and Ron." Tonks told her delicately.

Hermione blinked, narrowing her eyes in consideration of the auror's words.

"Before I tell you what that information is, you must promise me that you won't breathe a word of it to anyone." said Tonks seriously.

Hermione gave Tonks a sharp look.

"I'm sorry, but it's very hard for me to give you my word that I'll keep this secret when I have no idea what this information has to do with, or what it involves."

Tonks looked down and busied herself with straightening the cuff of her black blouse, while she decided how she would respond.

After a period of seconds, Tonks raised her gaze to Hermione.

"I've come here to tell you the truth about Severus Snape," the auror told her simply. "But . . . before I say anything more, I'd really like to have your word that what I say stays between you and me."

Hermione felt a fleeting somersaulting sensation in her stomach at Tonks's words. Could the dreams she had been constantly plagued with actually be based in truth?

"Why are you only telling me this? Why aren't you telling Harry and Ron as well?"

Tonks let out a forceful exhalation.

"It's a very complicated situation. If I told Harry what I'm about to tell you, his involuntary mental connection to Voldemort could alert Voldemort to the truth and then he would have such an advantage that we'd all pretty much be screwed," Tonks said bluntly, shocking Hermione at her choice of words. "What I'm trying to say, is that it is imperative that Harry does not find out what the Order knows about Severus Snape."

"If that's the way it has to be then I won't tell him anything about our conversation,"

"Good. Now, do you remember seeing anything different in Dumbledore's appearance at the beginning of the year?"

"His hand was partially blackened,"

"From destroying one of Voldemort's horcruxes. Harry has told you what they are, I expect?"

Hermione nodded.

"Albus hid it well, but his hand wasn't the only part of him damaged from his work at destroying the ring that contained part of Voldemort's soul."

"But Harry saw him several times during the year and never said anything about him being any more injured beyond the obvious damage to his hand,"

"You wouldn't have noticed anything was wrong by looking at him. The damage that was affecting him the most was internal, not external."

"What do you mean?"

"Surely you've heard of hemorrhagic fever?"

Hermione nodded.

"It liquifies the organs and death is caused from massive internal bleeding." she told Tonks.

"Albus was afflicted with a sort of illness like it, but the time it took to run its course was much slower than the Muggle diseases you are familiar with." the auror explained to her. "But though this illness took longer to weaken him, death was the inevitable outcome."

Hermione's eyes grew large at the auror's statement. Tonks thought Hermione looked ready to say something and held up her hand to prevent her from speaking.

"Albus Dumbledore's own personal magic was the one single thing that was preventing Voldemort from taking over the school. Now, as the illness progressed the strength of his spells on the castle was proportionate to the strength of his body. The sicker he became, the less effective his enchantments on the school would become. Albus kept his illness very well hidden, and I can only imagine how hard it must have been for him to endure it in silence. Voldemort has no idea Albus was stricken with a fatal illness. If he knew, or even suspected, he would have concentrated on taking the school with everything he had. And had he done that . . . while Albus was weakened in the late stages of the disease and powerless to stop him, a lot of people would be dead and Voldemort would be ruling Britain's magical community.

"Albus feared that Voldemort would sense his weakness once his protection on the school began to fade. So, he devised a complex plan to ensure that Voldemort would never find out about his illness and Severus Snape would secure a position amongst the Death Eaters where he would never again be the subject of suspicion. You see, if Dumbledore died before the illness ended his life, his spells on the school would last for a few days longer than the day he died, because his essence was healthy enough to maintain them temporarily until the school could be evacuated. If he had been killed when he had little or no strength left his spells would have ceased to exist the moment he died. Dumbledore held a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix and told Severus he had to make it look like he murdered him. And he had to do this before Albus entered into the last stages of the disease. Albus had this meeting with the Order before Severus made the Unbreakable Vow. Severus was going to do the deed, Unbreakable Vow or no. It was a . . . coincidence . . . that Narcissa asked Severus to make the vow, and it only helped his credibility."

"Good God," Hermione breathed. "Professor Snape didn't murder Dumbledore. But if he's innocent, as you say, why is the Ministry looking for him to arrest him for murder?"

Tonks gave Hermione a droll stare.

"Think Hermione. Voldemort has other spies who could be working at the Ministry. We could take no chances that the truth would be revealed to Voldemort somehow, so we had to make the Ministry think Severus murdered Albus. Severus is now living without magic because the Ministry has ways of tracing any magic he performs."

"Severus must feel so awful," Hermione whispered, as she absorbed everything Tonks had said.

Tonks didn't immediately reply.

"Actually, . . . Severus, because he bears the Dark Mark, doesn't feel emotions the way we do. He cannot experience sorrow the way you or I can. The Dark mark prevents him from feeling emotions Voldemort deems unnecessary. He cannot feel sadness, sorrow, regret, or grief. He cannot feel joy, or happiness. Lust is the closest thing he will ever come to love . . ." Tonks told her in a barely audible voice. "But unlike other Death Eaters, his heart's not made of stone,"

Hermione stilled at what Tonks was telling her. She had finally learned one of the reasons why her former potions professor had seemed like such a terrible person. And to think she thought it was because he chose to behave that way . . . and everyone ridiculed him to no end for it. The realization made her slightly sick. And there was something more, something akin to pity but more respectful flowed through her, compassion perhaps? Any man who could stoically lead such a life had to possess more fortitude and strength than anyone who dared to laugh at him.

Hermione quickly turned her attention back to Tonks before she let her mind drift to far.

"Another thing you need to know is that Fenrir Greyback was given new powers by Voldemort, powers that allow him to control any person he turned into a werewolf. Remus was bitten by Fenrir when he was a child, and had it not been for Severus, who came up with an altered form of the wolfsbane potion to prevent Remus from being manipulated by Fenrir, Remus would be forced into quarantine right now."

There was a stretch of silence.

"Tonks?"

"Hmmm?"

"I appreciate you letting me in on what's going on, I really do, but I have to wonder why you've decided to so suddenly come here and talk to me,"

Tonks looked away and let out a short laugh.

"I was wondering if you'd ask that,"

"Can you please tell me why you did, now?"

"You're really not going to like it,"

"I can only assume it has something to do with lying to Harry and Ron,"

Tonks gave her a wry smile.

"It does, only you won't be the one lying to them,"

Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Voldemort wants reassurance that Harry won't try to find his horcruxes,"

"But"– Hermione began.

"Please!" Tonks told her, holding up both hands to silence her. "I don't know how he suspects this, I guess it's from the involuntary connection he and Harry share, but Voldemort wants to take something of Harry's to make sure Harry won't go off on some kind of journey to look for the horcruxes."

"Harry told me he wants to do exactly that,"

Tonks let out another single laugh and shook her head.

"That doesn't surprise me," she told Hermione before suddenly sobering. "But unfortunately, this time at least, Voldemort has to get what he wants,"

"What? Why?" Hermione asked shocked.

Tonks leveled her gaze on Hermione's eyes.

"Because he's personally asked Severus to deliver the thing he wants to him. If Severus fails, he will be severely punished, even if he's now Voldemort's most trusted man. If Severus gets tortured for angering Voldemort, he won't be able to make Remus's potion. Even if someone else could brew the potion, Severus is the only person I would trust to make the potion. And Remus needs that potion. So to make sure Severus is able to brew it, he must not fail in the task Voldemort has given him."

"What is the task?"

Tonks took a deep breath before answering.

"Voldemort wants you as a hostage," she stated firmly.

Hermione's eyes grew huge, but she didn't say a word.

"Look, it's just a ruse. Severus has promised he'll keep you safe."

"For how long?" Hermione choked out.

"I don't know,"

"How can you not know?" Hermione nearly snapped.

"No one knows how long this could last."

"What, am I supposed to let Voldemort lock me up in some dark cell?"

"No! No, nothing like that! You'll have to share a room with Severus."

"Excuse me?"

Tonks closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Voldemort said Severus could have you," she said to Hermione. She winced, expecting the worst when Hermione replied. The seconds stretched into a minute.

"Please Hermione, say yes. Do it for Remus. Severus must remain above suspicion in Voldemort's eyes so that he can continue to brew Remus's potion. Also, bear in mind that if Severus fails at bringing you back to Voldemort, Voldemort has several other men he can send after you. And if they succeed in capturing you . . ."

"This is too much for me to process at once. I need time to think about it."

"I'm sorry Hermione, but you can't have time to think about it. Voldemort gave Severus less than a week to bring you back to him."

"Bill and Fleur's wedding is next Friday! How will Harry and Ron react if they think Severus kidnapped me? The wedding will be spoiled."

Tonks froze. Apparently that fact had totally slipped her mind. She let out a soft, yet vehement curse, Hermione would have been shocked to hear had she been in a different situation.

"We'll all just have to lie and say you're sick. Everyone besides Harry and Ron knows the truth about Severus."

"But!"--

"We don't have the luxury of time for this!"

Hermione was about to reply, but thought better of it at the last second and shut her mouth.

"What do you expect my parents to say?"

Tonks shrugged.

"You're legally an adult. They're going to have to understand that you need to do this. Though if I were you, I'd omit certain details about what you're doing."

Hermione snorted indignantly.

"Just tell me one thing and I will say yes," she said at length.

"What is it you want to know?"

"What did Severus do to ensure Dumbledore's trust in him?"

Tonks didn't answer.

"Do you know?" Hermione prompted her, when Tonks made no move to reply.

"I'm not going to lie to you. I know you don't want to hear this, but I can't tell you,"

"But you do know?"

"Yes, I do know."

"I don't understand. After everything you've told me, why can't you tell me something as simple as this?"

"Because it's not simple, Hermione."

"I can't agree to do what you're asking me unless you tell me what happened."

"Hermione, no! Don't do this!"

"Look, if you want me to play prisoner, you're going to have to give me a better answer than 'I can't tell you,'" Hermione told her in a defiant tone.

"But it's not up to me to decide who can be told that information," Tonks told her.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I think if you want that question answered, the best person to talk to is Severus Snape," Tonks said quietly. "I can take you to meet him right now, but I can't guarantee that he'll come right out and tell you. Be patient and I'm sure you'll soon find out the truth, like every other member of the Order. But before I take you talk to the man, I need you to agree play along and make Voldemort think your Severus's hostage."

Hermione breathed deeply and stared past Tonks to the yard outside the window. It was beginning to gently drizzle and Hermione watched the tiny raindrops slide down the windowpane as if in silent protest to gravity's control over them.

After a minute or two Hermione fixed her gaze back on the auror in front of her, who was patiently waiting for her to speak.

"I've made my decision."

"And?"

"For Remus's sake. And for Remus's sake only, I will do as you ask,"

Tonks immediately gave her a relieved smile.

"Thank you. I appreciate this more than you know."

"You really love him don't you?" Hermione asked her.

"Yes, I really do," Tonks told her truthfully. "If anything happened to him, . . ."

"You don't have to think about that. I'm going to make sure Severus is able to continue to make Remus's potion."

"I owe you one," Tonks told her seriously.

"No you don't. I want to do this to help Remus."

"Yeah, I owe you one. When this is over, I'll find a way to repay you,"

"Please don't think you have to."

Tonks laughed lightly.

"I'd say this conversation went rather well. Alternatively, you could have said no, and then I would have had to tell you that if Remus missed a potion because Voldemort was torturing Severus, Death Eaters at your door would have been the least of your concerns. You would have me to answer to when I was angry, and that wouldn't have been a pretty picture."

"How could I have said no? Remus shouldn't have to suffer for someone else's actions."

"I'm glad you see it that way, Hermione." Tonks told her appreciatively.

"What are we going to do now?" Hermione asked her.

"Well if you can dash upstairs and put on some clothes to go out in, I thought we'd Apparate over to Remus's place and I'll call Severus to have him come talk to you so that the two of you can work out the details of how this is going to play out."

"Give me five minutes," Hermione told her before she left the room.

Hermione quickly changed into khaki pants and a yellow polo shirt. She brushed her teeth and ran a brush through her hair. As she brushed out a small knot, she thought of what had just transpired.

Severus wasn't a murderer.

She didn't have to wonder if she would have agreed to this so soon if she hadn't had the dreams she'd been having about Severus. She knew that if she never had the dreams, she would have been much more reluctant to say yes. Perhaps now, after so many weeks, the dreams would finally be done.

It was quite a coincidence that she had been having the dreams about Severus being innocent of murdering Dumbledore before Tonks had shown up and dropped this on her. Could it be that somehow they were something more than that?

She didn't see how they could be. But still, they had occurred every night for over a month.

Perhaps if she felt comfortable about talking to him about them, Hermione would tell Severus about the dreams sometime. Perhaps he could tell her why she had been having so many of them. Then again, perhaps not.

Hermione ran the brush through hair a few times more and applied some straightening mousse to her long brown locks.

She looked at herself in the mirror, and satisfied with her appearance, she left the bathroom to return to Tonks, ready to meet the man who was her former potions master and was about to become her captor.

A/N: The next chapter won't be coming so quickly. I really wanted to get this one up, so I made time to get it written. Reviews are appreciated. Again, many thanks to everyone who has me on their favorites list.