Title – Different Life
Author – Brittany McLean
Rated – PG -13
Disclaimer – I don't own the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling does.
Her screaming and kicking was horrible. Severus threw the irritated brunette on the bed of his home and walked away irritated about the bruise forming on his back, and the scratches on his arms.
Hermione's screaming stopped, but her cries were apparent. Severus was about to snap at her, but when he saw her face he felt truly sorry for the girl. Her legs were curled underneath her. Her hair was a mess, all over the place; her cheeks were red from crying and screaming. Her hand was wiping tears off her face as they came. He sighed and sat down next to her.
"All of your annoying crying won't get you anywhere." He said curtly.
"You don't even know what I've been through or who I am, why should I listen to you?" She sniffled. The cloak she was wearing helped keep her warm in Severus' home. Which was cold. He sighed and lit a fire in his fire place.
Severus was preparing for the worst but she had to know. He took off the mask he was wearing and set it down. He did not look at her but knew her eyes would fall on him. And they did.
"YOU!" She backed away hitting the head board away from him.
Severus turned around and looked at her, he raised his hand to ask her to stop moving away but it was no use, words were profusely blurting out.
"MURDER! TRAITER! HOW COULD YOU! HOW DARE YOU! I HATE YOU!"
"SILENCE!" Snape screamed shutting her up.
Hermione sat on the spot she was in and shook silently.
"Would you let me explain?"
"Why should I? You'd probably kill me if your Master didn't tell you to take care of me." She hissed.
Severus sighed feeling defeated he knew the girl had to know.
"You've got it all wrong. The cleverest witch of her time couldn't figure this out?"
"Hmph!"
"I killed Dumbledore under his command. I know Hagrid told you about our argument we had that night. About me not wanting to do it anymore. Don't you get it Hermione? I wanted out! I don't want to do this anymore. I've been a spy for Dumbledore for years and I don't want to do it anymore. I knew Voldemort was planning on killing Dumbledore. I knew they were sending Draco to kill Dumbledore. I told him of this. He told me I must do it. Somehow Albus knew Draco would never go through with it."
Hermione was speechless. Her crying had ceased. "But… why did YOU have to kill him?"
"You see I had to prove my loyalty to the Dark Lord somehow… Albus said he was getting old and his time was coming to an end soon, which I think wouldn't be until years and years later but… I refused. Albus told me I had too. I am the only one besides Dumbledore who can protect Harry and guide him. As much as I didn't want to loose my friend and help an enemy I had to do it."
"This…. This makes sense…. I mean, you didn't do it on purpose then? You know I thought about this…. But nobody believed me."
"I'd rather kill myself then kill the greatest wizard that ever lived. You? Stick up for me? After how I treated you?" He said surprised.
"Harry vowed to kill you…. How are you going to help someone who wants to kill you?"
"Potter also wants to kill Pettigrew also. I don't blame him for wanting to kill me…." He trailed off.
"You know, for as good and well Harry is, he sure does want to kill a lot of people…." She joked lightly.
"Well…. All because of one person Harry lost the most important thing in his life, his family. And because of that same person's servant he lost his Godfather. And …. Because of me… he's lost his mentor. I don't know if I could handle the stress he's going through."
"So you do have a heart." Hermione teased.
"When I killed Dumbledore I tried to tell myself I didn't have one. But I know I have one now more then ever. I sit here everyday missing picking on students and causing their day in my class miserable."
Hermione smiled but did not reply, she was too busy staring at her fingernails. Her cheeks were red and she had a grimace on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"Everything. Because of that same person I've lost my family too! Both of them apparently! How come I was never told of this?" she now had tears in her eyes.
Severus sighed and stood up walking away from her.
"WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME I WAS ADOPTED!"
When Snape did not answer her she jumped off the bed and ran to him swirling him around. He sneered at her for touching him so violently. But she obviously did not notice. Her cheeks were red, tears were streaming down her face and her chest was heaving.
"Answer me." She said vehemently.
"I didn't know." He stated simply.
"Of course you knew!"
"I knew your real father. But I didn't know that you were his daughter…"
"What?"
"We were friends during school. Sad thing was, we both turned to the dark side. Heh." He turned away from her staring out the window once more, "I should have seen it. You are just like him. The only thing you have from your mother is your looks. I don't know why Dumbledore never told me this. Probably because he had to keep this WELL hidden. But somehow Voldemort found out."
"My father a Death Eater?" She sat down looking defeated.
"He was a good man, believe that."
"Believe that he was a filthy scum full blood bastard walking around with a dark mark on his right arm and kills people! You think that is a good man! My birth father is no father of mine!" She shrieked.
"We made mistakes! Everybody does!" He rounded on her and lifted his sleeves once again, "I do not want this MARK on me! He redeemed himself and I'm trying to work up to that goal." He growled shoving his wrist in her face.
Hermione turned her head away looking shocked and tears were starting to form out of her eyes.
"Look," He said sitting next to her, "I'm sorry; I'm just frustrated, I don't know what to do with you. The Dark Lord wants something with you and I'm to make sure your safe. Dumbledore made sure that I protected Harry, and apparently now you. And let's not forget about Mr. Malfoy if anything should happen to him…."
"You will die…"
He looked at her strangely, "Yes. And I can't very well help Potter if I'm dead."
Hermione sighed and stood up. She walked over to the window looking out at the people walking by casually. Their wizard robes were wrapped tightly around themselves keeping them warm. Some would stop and greet each other some would avoid others and some had children running around. Hermione smiled as more tears fell down her cheeks. She wished she could have known her real parents. But she has loving parents right now who are dead. It couldn't get any worse. She now knew how Harry felt like all these years. She would often feel guilty about sometimes thinking Harry was being a bit dramatic about his parents. He never knew them… why should he miss them? It was exactly how she was feeling right now. She wanted to know her parents even though they were dead. And she missed her current parents very much.
She looked at the people once more and wondered out loud, "What are people doing out this late?"
"This is Diagon Alley Hermione, witches and wizards never really cease from shopping. They are either out at the three broomsticks or just causing trouble."
"So we're in Diagon Alley."
"The back part of it. The home part to say the least. This is my apartment for when I'm not in school. For the most part I'm always at school. But now… I'm stuck here." He looked far away, not really noticing Hermione was here for a second.
"I want to leave right now." She walked to the door.
Severus rounded on her and pushed her aside a bit roughly.
She glared at him. "Let me through." Her voice was cold.
"No."
She glared at him once more and tried to walk past him but he pushed her aside once more.
"Why? Why must you do this? Let me through Professor or I shall have to kill you."
"How? You don't have your wand, I took it."
"Give me my wand."
"No,"
Hermione turned around and ran to his book shelf throwing books off of it and some even towards him. Snape dodged most of the flying books but unfortunately getting hit twice in the face. He growled and grabbed her wrists once he reached her.
Her face was red and defiance was burning in her eyes. But there was still pain rimming in the core of her eyes.
"Stop it Miss Granger." He hissed.
"No," she mocked.
"I can't let you go. If I let you go they will hunt you down in an instant! They will not let you live the next time I guarantee you."
"Voldemort needs me, so I hear, he won't kill me."
"Oh he will. Believe me, he'll do worse then just kill you." He said darkly.
Hermione pulled away from his grasps and fell on his bed feeling tired and defeated.
"What is he going to do with me"
"I can only tell you that what ever the dark lord wants something special from someone, it's not good."
Small tears began to fall from her eyes.
Harry and Ron were playing chess when the doorbell rang. Pigwidgeon began flying in circular motions causing Hedwig to give a reproachful glare.
Ron looked up at Harry questioningly as if Harry knew who it was and sat up.
"Well come no then. Lets go see who it is."
"Right."
They both treaded down the stairs only to see Molly Weasley down stairs with a tired and weary looking Remus. Tonks was no where to be seen.
"Everything alright?" Ron asked his mother.
Molly looked up looking flustered and shook her head.
"Come on then, sit, both of you. Remus has something to tell you."
Remus looked at Molly for a moment as if to argue but knew it wise not to argue with her. He sighed heavily and looked at them both.
"There was a dark mark found at a muggle house last night."
"What?" They said in unison.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"This Muggle house was…. Hermione's house." He paused letting the boys gasp and ask random questions.
"Is she hurt?"
"Where is she?"
"She's not dead is she?"
"This can't be happening…."
"Her parents… are dead." He held up a hand to silence them, "But Hermione is nowhere to be found. We're still searching for her, but to no avail."
"Their trying their best dears.." Molly said softly placing her hands on both of them.
Harry and Ron were lying in their beds talking quietly. Remus had left some time ago, he had to return to his search.
"You think she's ran away to hide herself?" Ron asked.
"Knowing Hermione she would have gone straight here. To the Order."
"I'm so worried."
"I feel sick about it." Harry said into his pillow.
"She can't be dead, if she were then they'd have found her body right?" He sounded hopeful.
"I honestly don't know what to think Ron……"
