A/N; Thank you to my wonderful reviewers, without you I don't think I would have continued this story.

This Chap was originally 2 so it's a tad longer than usual. I think it flows better this way. :D

Hermione opened her eyes, squinted in the sunlight and closed then back tight again.

"Where am I?" she mumbled to herself.

"Grimmauld Place" a familiar voice answered.

Hermione snapped her eyes open not caring about the pain she caused them as they adjusted to the light coming through the window.

"I'm where?" she said biting her lip and looking into the concerned eyes of Professor McGonagall.

"Grimmauld Place" the old witch repeated, "how are you feeling dear?"

"What am I doing here?" Hermione asked he chest now thumping in panic, "where's Severus?"

McGonagall's old eyes narrowed at the casual use of her ex-colleagues name, but let it pass, now was not the time.

"Harry and Ron brought you here last night, there is no need to panic" she told her, "everything will be sorted out momentarily. Are you hungry?" she asked.

Hermione frowned and shook her head.

"Molly left you some sandwiches before she went to bed, but I fear they will have gone stale by now" McGonagall informed her.

Hermione looked disapprovingly over at the side table and tray of sandwiches. What was she doing here? What had Harry and Ron done to her? And where was Severus?

"I'm just going down to fetch the Headmaster, I won't be long. He wants a wee chat with you"

Hermione nodded numbly. She didn't really know what was going on. She knew she wasn't dreaming, she had pinched her arm raw just confirming that. She felt a pang in her chest that she didn't recognise, her heart felt like it was tearing in two. Was she having a heart attack?

"Miss Granger" cam a warm voice from the door.

Hermione looked over clutching her chest into the blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. Before she could stop them, hot tears began to burn their way down her cheeks. Her breath hitched in her throat and questions that lingered on the tip of her tongue began to choke her.

Slowly the headmaster made his way over. "Take this" he said calmly handing her a small vile of cream coloured liquid. "A claming draught" he told her, "and it should help with the pain".

"What's going on?" Hermione sobbed, ignoring the bottle of liquid in Dumbledore's outstretched hand. "What am I doing here?"

"Harry and Ron brought you here last night" he told her calmly as he studied her features.

"Why, why did they do that? They're going to get him killed. You have to send me back. You have to let me go"

Dumbledore's aged face frowned in confusion, "you wish to go back into Severus' care?" he asked, "voluntarily?"

"Of course" Hermione cried, "they will kill him if I don't"

"And why is that Miss Granger?"

Hermione closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. If anyone was going to understand it would be Dumbledore. He had always trusted Severus.

"Because of this" she said, and slowly lifted the arm of the night shirt Ginny had put her in to reveal the Dark Mark.

If Severus was good and hiding his emotions it was nothing compared to Dumbledore's talents. He didn't look shocked he didn't look disappointed; he just looked at her arm like he expected the mark to be there.

"Why Miss Granger" he said matter-of-fact, "you have become a Death Eater"

it wasn't a question as much as it was a statement, yet Hermione felt the need to give him an answer and explanation, "no, no sir I haven't" she hurried to tell him, "I had to do it, they would have killed him. You know, he told you what would happen if he didn't take a student".

"I know what he told me Miss Granger" Dumbledore said softly, "what he forgot to mention was that student was to become one of Voldemort's army".

"He didn't know; trust me it was a surprise. He tried to stop me, but it would have gotten him killed. I made him let me do it, I didn't want him to die" she confessed.

"I believer you Miss Granger" he said eyeing up her sandwiches, "though I doubt you will have as much luck convincing Harry and Ron. As we speak they are trying to form a squad to hunt down our dear Professor"

"What?!" Hermione said sitting bold upright, "you can't let them, you have to stop them. They are wrong, they can't possibly-"

"Calm down Hermione please" he said taking one of the corned beef sandwiches and having a sniff, "no one will be going anywhere" he assured her, "what I wish to know is what you plan to do when that mark begins to burn?"

Hermione looked at him confused, the answer was obvious, "I'll go" she said not even contemplating doing otherwise.

"You think Harry and Ron will let you?" he asked watching her closely through the corner of his eye.

"They won't have a say in the matter" Hermione said growing increasingly annoyed with where this conversation was going.

Dumbledore merely nodded his head and took a bit out of the sandwich, "I see" he said, "I feel it best if you talk with them now, explain to them what you wish to do. They won't like it, but I daresay you do not plan on changing you mind?"

"No, I don't" Hermione frowned.

He nodded his head again, "if I must press one matter Miss Granger" he said his features changing to reveal a more stern face, "you will not return to Severus' home-"

"What I-"

"I will contact Severus, inform him that we have you safe and well. I see no need to have you travel back to his Manor"

Hermione was speechless, she had to go back, she needed to. If not for Severus' sake then for her own.

The pain in her chest was coming back and she felt tears swell underneath her lids, threatening to spill.

"I-" she began, but was cut off by the raising of Dumbledore's hand. All she could do was watch as he placed the remainder of the sandwich down on its plate and made his way silently out the door. Their discussion over.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Hermione felt unable do hold the pain she was feeling in any longer. With one deep breath the tears spilt over her eyes and down her already red and sodden cheeks. With her teeth clenched together to stop any sound escaping Hermione cried until she had no more salt left to spill.

IIIII

Dumbledore exited the room and found Minerva McGonagall waiting for him outside the door.

"I could have guessed" he chuckled slightly, "you have a mothers love for the girl".

"Don't be so sentimental Albus" the stern witch chided him, "what is to be done? You can clearly see that she has formed an attachment to Severus."

"The heart cannot pick its prey" Dumbledore said sadly, "I would wager that it was more than a simple attachment"

"Be that as it may" McGonagall said dismissively, "it's unhealthy. Nothing good can ever come of harbouring such feelings for such a cold man"

"Severus is not cold Minerva, merely isolated" Dumbledore said.

"And who's fault id that Albus?" McGonagall scolded, "He would be no good for her and you know it."

The headmaster took a deep breath and nodded solemnly, "I know Minerva. I have promised her I will inform Severus of her new living situation and I will endeavour to do as such. I do think she will try and go back to him given the chance, I am certain she does not even know the depth in which she feels for him yet. The next few months will be hard, have molly keep an eye on her.

Miss Granger will more than likely try to attend the Death Eater meetings in an attempt to do what she thinks is saving Severus. I want you to ward the house against apparation. Inform Molly and the others, Miss Granger is not to know of course".

"Albus, she will be heartbroken" McGonagall said sadly.

"I do not doubt it" the headmaster replied, "but it is best this way. She is still young, she will grow and I know Miss Granger is bright, I am sure she will see this of one of life's great lessons"

McGonagall sighed as she watched him step into the fireplace and floo back to Hogwarts. She trusted Dumbledore to make the right decisions; he had time and time again, even if she hadn't seen it at the time. Maybe this was one of those times, for she couldn't help but disagree with him at this point in time.

IIIII

Hermione cried herself to sleep that night. She didn't want to think about what would become of Severus when the Dark Lord found out what had happened, and he would find out. Draco had been witness, and although he had become sort of an acquaintance in her time as captor at the Manor, she had no doubt that under the torture of the cruciatus curse he would crack. Revealing that not only had Severus treated her more than a measly servant, that he has openly allowed Harry Potter in to see her, thus leading to her supposed escape.

Her stomach twisted at the thought of Harry. She loved him, Ron as well, but what they had done she could not soon forgive. Anger boiled inside her and a hot sweat crept over her face.

Taking a deep breath Hermione counted to ten in an attempt to calm herself. In was in vain, as soon as she opened her eyes she grabbed the tray of sandwiched that still lay on her bedside table and flung them across the room.

Seconds later came a knock at the door. Hermione ignored it.

"Hermione?" Ginny's small voice crept in, "are you alright?"

Ginny didn't wait for an invite; she slowly opened the door and stepped inside. "You look terrible" she said as she approached the bed.

Hermione turned her head away from the young Weasley and frowned into the darkness of the room.

"You have to eat something" Ginny said picking up the smashed plate from the floor, "it won't do you any good throwing your food across the room now. You know my Mum would just tell you not to play with your food", she smiled.

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at Ginny sarcastically.

"Now that's better" Ginny beamed, "we'll get a smile out of you yet".

"Don't bother" Hermione said bitterly, "unless you have a way of getting me out here then I doubt anything you say can cheer me up".

"You want to leave?" Ginny asked confused, "why?"

Hermione gritted her teeth and took a slow, deep breath, "they are going to kill him" she said slowly.

"Who Snape? So what, he kidnapped you". Ginny remarked.

"No he didn't" Hermione cried, growing frustrated with the realisation that she would have to explain the whole story all over again. "I chose to go, I chose to help him, they were going to kill him Gin, I couldn't let that happen, I won't let that happen".

Ginny looked thoughtfully at Hermione for a moment, "you like him?" she accused.

Hermione didn't answer. She didn't like Severus, she detested a good many things about him, but she did care for him. She did…,

she didn't want to think about exactly what it was she 'did' feel for him, doing so would only end in heartbreak, and Hermione didn't think she had anymore tears left at the moment.

"Do you feel like coming downstairs?" Ginny asked changing the subject. Though she couldn't understand it, she could see Hermione felt something toward their old Professor. And as juicy as such gossip would be, Ginny knew now was not the time.

"No" Hermione sighed, "I want to be alone".

IIIII

Hermione continued to be alone for the next couple of weeks. Molly would bring her food; sometimes Hermione would even eat it. But she never came out her room.

She refused point blank to speak to either Harry or Ron. On one occasion Ron entered her room with flowers. It was possible that he was even looking for thanks from Hermione, some from of gratitude for his brave rescue. Hermione didn't think so however, as soon as Ron had brought the vase of flowers to her bedside table Hermione, with reactions faster than Ron, snapped her head around, picked up the vase and threw it directly in his face.

Ron didn't enter her room again after that. He had suffered 3 deep lashed to his face, and only due to Madam Pomfrey's healing capabilities he managed to get away without any scars.

Hermione wasn't just heartbroken, she was empty. She had nothing left in her. She couldn't care anymore; she couldn't seem to feel anything. Many nights she spent sitting on her windowsill and wishing that things could go back to how they were before the attack on Hogwarts. She wished she could be just a normal teenage girl, she wished she could have her childhood back, but it was no use. No time turner could solver her problems now.

She was like this until one night; not unexpectedly she got a knock at her door.

Ignoring it she presumed that it was only Molly with her Dinner. She wasn't hungry, she knew after a few moments of knocking and no answer that Molly would enter anyway, leave her food and go.

"Miss Granger?" came a voice, it was Dumbledore.

Hermione frowning sceptically got up to answer the door.

"May I come in?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and sat in one of the armchairs that were in the far corner of her room.

"I have some news" Dumbledore said taking a seat, "I have spoken with Professor Snape"

Hermione's eyes widened, "is he ok, what's wrong?"

"Apart from his usual unpleasantness, I wouldn't say anything was out of the ordinary."

Nothing out of the ordinary? He had forgotten her then. That was it. Hermione thought bitterly to herself. She had pined away for weeks and he had simply gone back to his usual self, forgetting about her. Was she such a burden? Perhaps he was glad to be rid of her. He obviously wasn't upset she was gone, and she had almost sworn that he had cared for her too, almost.

"He's, he is ok then?" she asked, feeling her eyes start to prickle.

"As one would expect yes" Dumbledore said absentmindedly unsticking two sweets that he found in his pocket. "Young Mister Malfoy has not confessed what happened that night you were rescued-"

Hermione gave a snort at the term he used for her abduction.

"It seems Voldemort accepts that you escaped Severus grasp. It is not known whether he still considerers you a loyal Death Eater or not". He continued.

Hermione had stopped listening. She was still stuck on the fact that Severus had just gotten over her so easily. Not that they really had anything to begin with. Soon all sorrow for him started slowly ebbing away and was swiftly replaced with anger.

She didn't have much of a chance to dwell on such feelings however, no sooner it seemed as Dumbledore mentioned it Hermione felt a burning hot pain in her fore arm.

She quickly grasped her arm and hissed out in pain.

If it hurt getting the mark, it was noting compared to this.

"Miss Granger?" Dumbledore said getting to his feet and reaching for her, "Hermione?"

She was curled up on the armchair now, the pain in her arm like a thousand hot daggers tearing their way through her flesh.

"The mark" Dumbledore said as if only realising. He reached out and held Hermione at shoulders length. "Breath, just breath. It will be over momentarily".

Struggling Hermione tried to shrug him off, "I have to go" she gasped, "I have to apparate". As she made attempt after attempt in vain to respond to her calling Hermione soon began to realise that it was no use.

"You've warded to room" she accused looking into Dumbledore's sad eyes.

"I don't want you running off into more danger" he told her, "I already have one spy. The Order does not need another".

Hermione looked at the old man like he had grown an extra head, "I don't want to be a spy" she cried out, "if I don't go then Severus, then they'll-"

She couldn't finish, as if on cue the tears came back. She couldn't help caring for Severus Snape. She knew it was hopeless trying to forget just like he had done. But now those tears were ones tinged with anger and guilt.

She didn't want Severus to be harmed, yet she still felt angry at how little she had meant to him, and how stupid she had been in thinking there was more there. For that, some part of her wished he hurt as much as she did.

"Severus is a capable spy Hermione" Dumbledore said soothingly, "He has been in much worse a situation before now and managed to escape without a scratch. Its times like these that we must put our trust in the light, we must stand united and-"

Hermione zoned out. She had heard enough inspirational speeches to last her a lifetime.

Wiping away a few stray tears and feeling slightly better now that the anger and hurt inside her was forgotten as the pain in her arm burned on, she decided that she was hungry.

With her nails digging in her arm where the mark continued to call for her, she stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Dumbledore staring after her.

A/N; I really wanted Hermione to show some of the stages of grief here; Sadness and abandonment, then anger and rage.

Hope you liked it.

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