Hermione

Snape found me the next morning splayed on the couch, legs dangling off the edge and drool hanging from my mouth. "Hermione?" He said softly, trying to rouse me from my deep slumber. When I didn't answer he shook me lightly and I shrieked and jumped up, pointing my wand at him. "Relax, it's just me." He drawled in a bored tone.

I stared at him with wide eyes for a moment before I remembered where I was. "Stupid dream," I muttered. I gave Snape a smile. "Morning, sleep well?"

He rose a brow. "Bad dream?"

"Not at all." I defended, walking past him to the kitchen. I started making coffee the Muggle way, hoping he didn't see my hands shaking.

"You got quite a lot done last night." He observed, his tone still bland. "I'm pretty sure I told you specifically not to stay up late."

I shrugged. "I couldn't sleep, not a big deal."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

I turned towards him sharply, his voice held a note of something I couldn't quite place. "Like I said, it was not a big deal." The coffee pot beeped, signaling it was done. I poured it into two cups, giving one to Snape, then I sat down on the stool. "What time are we being summoned to your boss?"

Snape glared at me. "I don't know," He touched his forearm lightly before looking back up at me. "But I will be informed."

"Wanna check out that room while we have the time?" I asked, excited.

"You mean you didn't check it out last night?" He inquired curiously.

"No, I thought I should wait for you. It is your house, after all."

He snorted sarcastically. "And yet you changed my whole house."

"Your house was depressing Snape, it needed to be changed." I retorted.

"I don't see why it matters. I don't plan on coming back-" He stopped abruptly, clearing his throat. "Let's go check out the room."

I wanted to ask what he was going to say, but curiosity out weighed the concern.. for now. My excitement immediately dimmed after we actually stepped inside the secret room. Piles upon piles of cardboard boxes lined the walls of the spacious room, a light flickered on in the middle of the room and I turned to the direction, frowning as Snape stood in the middle of the room. I sighed as I realized it wasn't all that exciting, so how come it was hidden? Someone went to a lot of trouble to hide this room.

"I don't know about you, Miss. Potter," Snape drawled in his usual bored tone. "But I don't find myself all that interested in looking at boxes."

I nodded glumly. "We can start the upstairs if you want."

Snape wrinkled his large hooked nose in disgust. "Do we have to?"

"No, we don't have to." I conceded. "But I think we should."

"No one goes up there but me and you," Snape argued. "Why should we make it all pretty?"

I rolled my eyes. "I promise you will like it. I already have some colors for your room you might actually like."

"You're assuming this, of course. You don't actually know me."

"Well, it's not for lack of trying," I muttered grumpily. "How about you go do the bedrooms?" I suggested. "All the colors are already picked out, you already picked the furniture so it shouldn't take more than an hour or so."

"And what are you planning on doing?" He asked sourly.

"I was thinking I can go through these boxes, and maybe if you approve we can turn this room into a potions lab."

"I already have one."

"If you haven't noticed Snape, but this room was hidden for a reason, and I think it would be a perfect place for a potions lab," I argued stubbornly.

"You just want your own lab." He replied venomously. "Don't like working in my lab?"

"Your lab is made specifically for one person Snape, it's not exactly comfortable for the both of us." I pointed out irritably. "At least up here, there will be more room for both of us to work together."

Snape was silent for a full minute before he finally spoke. "Do as you wish Miss. Potter." He stomped out of the room, making his way up the stairs.

For the rest of the day, I spent my time in the room. Most of the boxes contained old clothes if I had to guess they were from his mother's side- I doubt his Muggle father wore green robes. After half the room had been cleaned out, his mother stashed a lot of clothes, I finally made my way through the other boxes. Most of these contained various items found in the wizarding world- moving portraits, various assortment of magical books and old clippings of The Daily Prophet.

Finally, I was down to the last two boxes, sighing in relief, I opened the first box curiously. This box was filled with leather bound books. I picked one up and opened it, gasping when I realized it was a journal. I wonder if Snape would want these? Putting the journal back in the box, I closed it back up and wrote journals on the side of the box in black marker and pushed it aside for the next box. One box was filled with stuff everything Snape- clothes, books, achievements, awards.

The last box was filled with jewelry. Gaudy and expensive earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. I noticed a small blue box mixed in and I picked it up. Not being able to help myself, I opened the little box and gasped. It was a beautiful simple, but elegant ring. A bland silver band holding up a patch of diamonds, each a different size, but the diamonds seemed to fit the ring, it wasn't tacky and huge.

"Find anything interesting, Miss. Potter?" Snape asked arms crossed, standing in the doorway.

I turned around, "Clothes mostly, some other items that are not all that important. I did find your mum's journals. I'm not sure if you want them or not." I answered, before turning back to the ring, almost memorized. "This last box is all jewelry, either your mothers or its heirlooms."

Snape walked up to me, his eyes resting on the ring I was staring at. "You can have it all."

"Wait.. what?" I looked up at the man, who was sneering disdainfully at the box.

"I have no need for it, you can have it."

"You don't even want this ring?" I asked surprised. "Don't you want to give it to that special person?"

Snape snapped his neck towards me, making me flinch at the cold fury in his eyes. "I have no one, Miss. Potter and you will do well to stay out of my personal life."

"I'm sorry, sir." I bowed my head, sadly. "If you will excuse me," I muttered before running out of the room, the ring long forgotten, clattering to the floor.

Severus Snape

Snape stared at the ring long after Hermione fled the room. The only person he would ever consider giving that ring to was long dead. Sighing irritably, he picked up the ring and put it back in the box, slipping it into his robe. It would make a perfect Christmas gift to a certain young woman. He never got the chance to give it to the girl though, the Dark Lord decided to call them and he grabbed Hermione quickly before entering the floo, arriving in Malfoy Manor moments later.

"Couldn't I have had a shower first?" Hermione grumbled angrily at him. "I can not present myself to him looking like this." Snape involuntarily looked her up and down, his mouth becoming dry at the sight of her. Salazar… she was beautiful, he thought.

"I am sure he will allow you to shower before he agrees to meet you." Snape drawled, eager to get away from her. "Off you go then." He shoved her towards the door. Hermione turned and glowered at the man, before sniffing airily and stomping out of the room. "That woman is going to be the death of me." He muttered gloomily.

"You should watch what you say, Severus." Snape whirled towards the voice, glaring as he spotted Narcissa Malfoy sitting a chair with a very smug smirk plastered on her perfect features.

"Narcissa." Snape growled. "How long have you been there?" Snape cursed himself mentally for not paying more attention to his surroundings.

She shrugged delicately, "I don't care if you like that woman, Severus." She rose from the chair, walking towards the door. Her hand was on the handle before she stopped and looked over her shoulder at the sour man. "I hear Draco has a little crush on her." She replied, smirking in amusement as she noticed Snape stiffen. "He's quite smitten." She left the room.

"Damn woman." He growled. "She knows nothing."

"Where is your young ward Severus?" Snape threw his shields up instantly at the voice.

"My Lord." Snape bowed slightly. "She begged for a shower so she could present herself to you without looking disheveled."

Voldemort laughed coldly, "Women, always so worried about looks."

"Indeed." Snape agreed.

"I have learned something quite interesting Severus." Voldemort sneered and Snape felt his throat constrict in fear.

"What would that be, my Lord?"

"I was told Miss. Hermione is a long lost Potter."

Snape stiffened, then instantly relaxed, making sure his shields stayed up. "It is true my Lord. She is his distant cousin." Snape sneered. "She was sorted into Slytherin."

"Does she know?" Snape shook his head quickly. "Good. She could be of some use to me."

"My Lord?" Snape asked curiously.

Voldemort grinned cruelly. "Yes, quite useful I believe." He looked up at Snape, an evil glint in his eye. "I would like to see her in five minutes."

Snape bowed. "Yes, my Lord." Voldemort slithered out of the room. Snape sighed, suddenly exhausted and made his way to Hermione's room. He knocked and at her quiet enter, he opened the door. "He's ready for you."

She turned toward him, pulling her hair up into an elegant bun, a few stray curls falling back in place. "Of course. I'm ready."

"Do you need the ring again?" Snape asked quietly.

Hermione pulled her bottom lip into her mouth suddenly. "I probably should. Better safe than sorry."

Snape had grabbed the ring off the mantel before coming up here and he shoved it onto her finger. "Try not to show too much fear, but do not be defiant Hermione. He will not take that kindly." Snape warned.

"Yes, sir." she muttered. Snape offered his arm and she accepted it after a moment's hesitation. He led her to the drawing room that Voldemort seemed to favorite.

"I will see you shortly." Snape whispered quietly and Hermione nodded, and watched the sour professor walking away.

Hermione

I stood outside the drawing room, wringing my hands nervously. I couldn't bring myself to knock on the door, every nerve in my body seemed to have frozen in place, making it impossible for me to move. I wouldn't be surprised if Voldemort could smell my fear through the door. How did anyone expect me to do this? I was only fifteen years old for crying out loud, I was not ready to be thrust into a world on the brink of war.

"You may enter Miss. Hermione, or do you prefer to wait out there all day?" Voldemort's cold voice drifted through the door and I shivered.

Swallowing the lump of fear in my throat, I opened the door and gave a timid bow. "Forgive me My Lord."

He gestured to a chair across from him. "Sit, we have many things to talk about."

I made my way to the chair and sat down, crossing my ankles and putting my shaking hands on my lap. "What is it you wish to speak to me about, my Lord?"

"Well it has come to my attention that you are indeed a Potter." I cringed and stiffened in fear. "I believe you would be quite useful to me Miss. Hermione."

"How so?" I squeaked out.

"Potter would never suspect his own blood to betray him." Voldemort gave a cruel smile. "I can sense your hesitation from here, girl."

"I am not really sure what you want from me my Lord." I stated, "I can not kill anyone."

He gave a loud humorless laugh, "I would never ask you to Hermione." Somehow his words didn't reassure me. "If you accept, of course, I believe we will have to find a different place for your mark."

"My mark?" I squeaked again.

He nodded. "All my followers have the dark mark branded onto their forearms. It is an honor for them to receive such a thing."

"I understand. You still have not explained what you want from me."

"Only your loyalty Hermione." He smiled cruelly. "To complete every task you are given without fail." He gazed at me with his red eyes. "Do you agree with my terms?"

"If I fail?" I asked. "If I say no?"

Voldemort gave a one shoulder shrug. "That is up to you Hermione. If you fail, you will be punished- as is everyone who fails. You are allowed to say no, but I will not hesitate to kill you."

"That is not really a choice." I muttered. "Either join you or die?"

"I believe it is quite reasonable. If you refuse to join me then you are siding with Dumbledore and will die eventually."

"I would never side with that arrogant git." I snarled angrily.

"Then, it seems, your choice has already been made." He smirked. "I will allow Snape to remain your mentor. He will also be aiding Draco Malfoy."

I nodded. "As you wish." I stood up. "Just remember, I refuse to kill for you my Lord. I will serve you, I will do as you ask, but I will not kill for you."

Voldemort stood as well. "That is acceptable, for now." He held his hand out and I clasped it in mine, fighting off the shivers that crept through my body.

"Thank you." I nodded my head. "Am I excused?"

"You are. We will have the ceremony before you go back to school."

"Thank you my Lord." I walked briskly to the door, and stepped outside. Once the door was closed I let out my breath in relief. I survived another encounter with the Big Bad. I just hope I could keep it up.

"How did it go?" Snape asked walking up to me.

I gave him a weak smile. "I am to be initiated before I return to school. Can we go home now?"

He gave me a curt nod. "Of course."

I wrapped my hand around his arm and let him lead us back to the room we arrived in. Once again, he slipped the ring off my finger and we proceeded through the floo. Once back at Spinner's End I made my way upstairs to my room, stripped off all my clothes and staggered to the bathroom. I was in need of a very hot bath.

Harry Potter

"Professor Snape!" Harry exclaimed surprised as Snape walked out of the fireplace. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to see Dumbledore." Snape snarled. "Not that it is any of your business."

"Is it to do with Hermione?" Harry asked and Snape nodded briskly. "Can I come?"

Snape let out an agitated sigh. "If you must."

Harry beamed happily as he followed the brooding man into the kitchen where Sirius and Dumbledore were having an afternoon cup of tea. Harry wasn't all that fond of tea and I didn't understand why most people were obsessed with the stuff. He'd rather drink a good cup of java. Sirius and Dumbledore both looked up, whatever conversation was halted, as Snape and Harry entered the kitchen.

"Did you finally decide to indulge yourself in tea, Harry?" Sirius smirked at him.

Harry wrinkled his nose. "Don't be ridiculous, Sirius. You know I hate the stuff."

Snape ignored the two as he sat down beside Dumbledore. "She has been accepted."

"That was quick," Dumbledore stated.

"He found out she was a Potter." Snape replied. "He thinks she will be quite useful to him." Snape darted his eyes to Harry before returning back to Dumbledore.

"I see." Dumbledore muttered, his eyes twinkling. "This is working out better than I thought it would."

"Do you think she will be alright?" Harry asked nervously.

"Not to worry Harry." Dumbledore assured him, smiling. "I have had the goblins create something quite extraordinary for Miss. Potter." He glanced at Snape with a devilish grin.

"What is it?" Harry asked curiously.

"You'll see." Dumbledore answered cryptically, his eyes never ceasing it's twinkle.

"I will see you later." Snape announced abruptly. "I should return before Her- Miss. Potter discovers my absence." Before anyone could reply, he was gone.

Harry stared at the chair Snape just vacated, confused and anxious. Was Hermione going to be okay? What was she going to do when Voldemort gave her the impossible task of betraying Harry? The only family she has left, the brother she was just reunited with. Harry sighed, saying good night to the two wizards before making his way up to his room. He was worried for his sister, but he was more concerned with the way Snape reacted to her name. He had never heard the surly potions professor sound so…. Affectionate. Did Severus Snape like Hermione, and if he did, what would that mean for her?

Was she fated from the time she was born to live such a miserable and unhappy life? Was it his fault? He vowed he would protect her, but what exactly was he protecting her from?

A/N: Here is chapter 15. I have decided to skip the rest of the year and just do flashbacks when necessary. All the action is going to happen in the summer and the beginning of Seventh year. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, sorry if it seemed kind of slow but it had to be written. Don't forget to review, I love to hear from you guys. By the way, if you haven't checked out The Muddy Princess by Colubrina or Presque Toujours Pur by ShayLonnie, I recommend you check them out. They are fantastic stories. Until next time…

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