Severus found he couldn't sleep. He was restless. Multiple memories rushing to him all at once. Vanessa had been Rebecca. Dumbledore hadn't removed his memories to protect him. He'd done it because Voldermort had his claws well and truly into him. He untangled himself carefully from the sleeping Hermione. The sun had set hours ago. With a wave of his wand he relight the candles and turned out the electrical light that suspended from the ceiling.

The flickering candle light darkened Hermione's hair. He turned away as he thought of how much she looked like Vanessa. Or how Vanessa had looked like her. Vanessa had turned up at Hogwarts two weeks after the end of term. He was in the gardens, thinking about Hermione. He still had feelings for her. He just had no idea they were reciprocated. To him Hermione had acted like a spoilt brat he always hoped she was. If she was a detestable brat, he would stop thinking about her constantly. How she was the only one to ever challenge him as a teacher, how she didn't shrivel at his intense glares. How she coped with dumb and dumber. She had thankfully grown apart from the two. She may have been a child, as he reminded himself everyday, but she had a maturity that rivalled his own.........

"Professor Snape?!" Came the soft sultry voice on that mid day Vanessa came into his life. She cocked her head slightly. Smiling broadly. She smelled of roses and mint. Like Hermione.

"Miss Granger?" He questioningly replied a little too much hope in his voice. The sun stopped him from seeing her properly. "How are you." He hadn't seen her since she found out her father had been killed. The woman took a step closer. It wasn't Hermione. She looked so much like her through. She giggled. She was dressed in a plain summer dress of a faded pink.

"I'm Countess Vanessa Kovoft." She extended her slender hand. Her accent was Russian. "I've been sent to seek you out." Severus now knew who by; Voldermort. Rebecca Lovelace, The Contractor. He'd heard of the Contractor. She was as famous as Potter. However he had never known her true identity until recently. "My cousin Rebecca Lovelace has sent me with a wand of your students."

"Miss Granger's, thank you. You could have just owled it to the school." Severus explained politely. She may have looked like Hermione, she may have had Hermione's wand. But she wasn't her. He wasn't about to delude himself into thinking that the woman before him was her. What ever would Hermione see in him. A bitter man who at every opportunity put her down. No. If he couldn't have Hermione. He wouldn't settle for a second rate look a like.

"I had heard so much from my cousin. I had to see if her talk of you was true." She stroked his arm. "I'm glad to inform she greatly did you injustice."

"That's because the woman wants me. She was an obsessive freak who I was glad to see the back of." Severus know thought it was suck a bad mood to have said that. Had he have known she was in fact Rebecca herself, he would have shown more tact. The woman in front of him showed pain in his remark. He'd simply seen it as her being insulted at his attack on her cousin. Not on her.

As it turned out. She was just as obsessive as Rebecca. Mainly, it now appeared, because she was Rebecca. He should have seen it early. It was too much of a coincidence. Now he thought about it, if Vanessa's appearance was true. Rebecca would have commented Hermione when they first met. Within a week, he shamefully admitted to himself, Vanessa had succeeded in bedding him. To the approval of Dumbledore who was arranging for them to spend every waking hour together.

Of course Dumbledore had known of Severus' feelings of Hermione. He had never hidden his feelings of her to Dumbledore. How could he? He'd confided in Dumbledore to protect her. To use the bond of confidence protected those feelings from Voldermort. What Severus hadn't known was Dumbledore was consumed by the dark and betrayed him. Although, and Severus would never understand this, Dumbledore had remained chaste about Severus' role as a spy for him. Part selfish, part mad genius.

It was the day Hermione had returned that he truly gave in to Vanessa. Hermione had walked in on him and Vanessa. His heart panged at the thought now. The weeks Vanessa had been there, his lust had grown. It wasn't Vanessa he wanted, it was Hermione. And on that day, he'd lost all chance. Hermione had looked like a deer caught in headlights. Once she had left, his anger flared.....

Vanessa kissed him as the door closed with a snap. She sighed hungrily. He pushed her away. She hissed.

"She doesn't want you." Vanessa fixed herself. "She despises you. Did you see the way she was looking at you?" He continued with his work, sitting at his desk unrolling a piece of parchment. "You can't ever have her Severus. She wouldn't want you. She's a pretty witch. She could get anyone she wants... Believe me it won't be you. Look at you! You're lucky I want you." Something inside him was telling him that it wasn't true. Hermione had wanted him. Something she had said that he couldn't remember. Vanessa had returned to his knee. "What has she got that I haven't?" `Everything` Severus was now mentally shouting. How easily she had brainwashed him. Made him believe the only reason he'd ever wanted Hermione was for sex. How much he'd degraded Hermione by that thought. She was so much more than that. "Just love me, obey me and I'll be your slave!" With that he was hooked. Unless Hermione fought for him, he would settle for second best. How the little witch could have broken his heart without knowing, without trying. He couldn't let his little witch do that to him. He kissed Vanessa ravenously. "Oh." Vanessa pulled away. "Stop calling me by that little bitches name whenever you climax. It's not flattering at the least." Vanessa left without another word.

How quickly he had turned from spy to fully fledge death eater. Of course Vanessa wasn't announced as the Contractor, but simply the first female death eater in England. How quickly had turned bitter, and it reflected in his treatment of Hermione. Now he could see that she was so consumed with revenge that she wasn't about to fight for him. What he didn't know was Vanessa had Threatened Hermione with his life.

Somewhere his thoughts drifted to today's events. The function room had been where the wedding was to take place, his precious lovers chair was the centre piece. He was looking at the fading mark on his arm. His chair had bitten him. Who was the other? Standing in his room that had led off from the function room he wondered what Hermione was doing. Vanessa had invited her out of spite. Would she come? No, she had better things to do- Who had his chair bitten? He began pacing. He hated his suit. It was white. It made him look paler than he was. He hated Hermione, why hadn't she saved him. Redeemed him. A small, polite cough disturbed him.

It was Minerva. She looked at him as if he was a little boy. She knew as soon as they were married she'd loose him. If he couldn't beat them, he'd join them. He couldn't beat them without Hermione. He hugged her dwarfed figure.

"I have a wedding present for you." She whispered. "Just you. And it must be opened now!" Handing him a bottle. He recognised the contents. "I'm sorry my boy."

"Memories? My memories?!" He questioned. She nodded. "What of?"

"Drink and find out my boy. Quickly. I don't want you to make a mistake." He looked at the woman he respected. "You'll understand. Forgive me boy." He never tired of her calling him boy. She left him alone. He pulled out the stopper, prepared to down the bottle. When Draco bustled into the room.

"Where's Ginny Weasley?" He questioned.

"What do you want with the mudblood's shadow?!" Severus snapped harshly. Secretly wondering where Hermione was. She was his white knight of redemption. He'd just called her a mudblood. He didn't deserve her.

"No reason." He lied. "Just thought of a really good put down." Draco winced. He looked at his uncle. "Are you sure about this?" Draco had worked out that it was Vanessa's, or rather Hermione's, looks his uncle was marrying her for. "Never too late to wrong your rights." Truth was Severus was Draco's redemption. If Severus went ahead with the wedding and rejoined the death eaters Draco was a lost cause. He would join them.

"Go away you fool!" Severus ushered him away. He was alone once again. He took a deep breath and down the silver liquid. A rush of memories came to him. New York, Brooklyn Bridge. She loved him. There was more to Vanessa than meet the eye. He thought sitting to ease the rush of old memories.

Once he had processed the new information. He stared at the closed door. Waiting for Vanessa. His anger growing with each passing minute. He'd been blinded. Played for a fool. The worst of it. He'd acted like one. After what seemed like and eternity she walked into the small room. All smiles. She was about to return the most famous traitor back to his master. Or so she thought.

"Bitch!" He growled simply. His eyes cold stared her down. He remained still. "Fucking whore."

"What's gotten into you?" She asked. Kneeing before him in a green satin dress. He showed her the bottle.

"I remember." He whispered into her ear. "Hermione loves me and you knew that didn't you?"

"Yes!" She whispered back. "Too late now sweetie. You can't betray Voldermort again."

"I'm not going out there." He answered smugly. She pulled him to the floor and pinned him between her legs, undoing his trousers. Muttering the incantation of marriage.

"You can't perform your own wedding you crazy bitch." He tried to wriggle free she was surprisingly strong. "It's not legal."

"Get it up!" She demanded.

"It's a dick! It doesn't have an on off switch! And seeing as you're trying to rape me I'd leave it in the off position anyway."

She bent down to kiss him. The feather of her necklace brushed his cheek. Something was telling him to rip it from her neck. He did. She transformed with a shriek. She now resembled the beautiful woman from New York. The woman of his nightmares.

"Rebecca?!" He kicked her off, pulling his trousers back on. "You obsessive son of a bitch."

"You go to her. I'll kill her." She stopped him from leaving. "You can't protect her. You stay with us, she'll be safe."

"I join you. You'll make me kill her. You don't know Voldermort. I do!" Severus pushed her to the floor harshly, knocking her out, and opened the door. Albus blocked his path. Death Eaters were tearing up the place. Severus glimpsed Ginny and her mother cowering in a corner, being protected by Draco. Foolish boy. His father would surly kill him. "Move!"

"I can't do that my boy," Severus peeked around him Minerva was no where in sight. "You can not go back to her, there is the prophesy to consider. You're not a good man. You're a death eater."

"Ram the prophecies up your arse Albus. Your a weak fool." He roared. "Only a weak man can be broken. You've fucked up royally. Get out of my way, or kill me where I stand." Dumbledore didn't move. Severus still didn't know what is was that made him punch the headmaster in the stomach and knee him in the groin. Whatever it was, adrenalin maybe, it moved him out the way affectively. Within a few seconds he was beside Draco, Molly and Ginny.

"Where is she?" He asked a frightened Ginny. She didn't reply. He shook her arm. Her wand shot off into the crowd. "Ginny where's Hermione? Did she come with you?" Ginny shook her head.

"She's at home." She finally answered.

"Glad you decided to join the conversation," He smiled weakly at the girl. "Draco, take Molly and Ginny back to the Burrow. It's not safe for you to go home." Draco simply nodded.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked as Severus made to leave to hall.

"To right my wrongs!" He left without another word. There was hope for Draco after all.

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A/N... I hope I've cleared up more questions in this chapter than raised.

MetaJunkie (cpt 15): Awww shucks... explanation in either chapter 18 or 19 (cpt 16) Anti-climax huh? Is this the chapter where Sev shines? He will do more in the next. I think. There will be duelling. Sev will be at her side all the way.

Kiddycat:All your questions have either been answered or will be answered.

SiruisBlacksgirl4eva: I didn't intend him to come off so nice. lol. I think I will go back to it. Hope you did ok with the maths home work

poetrychik: Hope you can point out the extremely vauge reference to Robin Hood in here. The very short sequence will be extended when I find the bloody RH script. Choco frogs if you can tell me which bit.

punkrock pixie: Me neither. lol. This isn't a confusing chapter is it?

kitkat87: Flattery will get you everywhere lol. *blushes*

bunnyrabbit228: More answers or more questions?

JasperPress77: Do you still have questions? I'm hopefully going to clear them all up. Glad you are enjoying it. :-)

strega-in-progress: I'm finding it very complicated. At the moment. When I answer a question I seem to raise about five more new ones. Although I am pretty confident that I haven't got many, if any holes in the story. Which is very good for me considering this is being written a chapter at a time with the expected ending to be a chapter ago.

Crimson Regret177: So glad you like the reunion. I think everyone hated him for that. And I bet he's more pissed that Alan was forgiven for ditching the German accent in Die Hard. But at least he had a go. lol "Ladies and Gentleman!" That's as far as he got. But hey, it was his first ever film.

ivre: What did you think? I won't know if he follows through with his marriage until 17th July. I think he will though. Although I am telling him how I feel before I leave school. (he's a *cough, splutter splutter*) I wrote a few poems. *blushes* sad I know.

QueenBonnie: That would have been a nice idea having as the world falls down in it. I love that song. I'll try and fit it in. Did you catch the reference in this chapter though?

indianoutlawlady: or maybe even a triple wedding?! mwahahahahahaha