AN: OK, here's the next installment. Much longer.

Just to classify a few things...

Disclaimer: I own only the OCs, my plot (and it's bunny, or should that be the bunny's plot?) and any settings you don't recognise.

Pairing: SSGH Eventually. It is Hermione Centric for the first few chaps, and explores...well, I'm not going to tell you that. evil grin

Warnings (for now): Strong language and Srcastic Independant Hermione.

This will be a Hermione Spy story, and all the characters will stay very much themselves, though our will be rather more...well, she'll be madder, badder and more dangerous to know than book Hermione.

This chapter contains strong language...

Then, quite suddenly, a wave of Gryffindor bravery, recklessness and what-have-you came upon her, and she grabbed her old backpack from the hook on her door. Holding her wand over it, she cried: 'Pack!'

Twenty minutes, a carefully spun lie and many tearful goodbyes later Hermione was in the Knight Bus on her way to Hogwarts.

Apart from the fact that she had no idea what had possessed her - what still possessed – she could see that it was the logical thing to do. After all, the Order wasn't going to work to clean up the hole the Wizarding World was becoming, so she was!

Not that she wouldn't have helped if they were going to defeat old Moldy-shorts, but recently all her thoughts orbited around one thing: continuing what the Order refused to: she was going to work for the greater good if they weren't. She had to do this, she justified, because no one else would. And you told Harry off for playing the Hero, Hermione!

Hogwarts was the only possible first step in her self-appointed quest. Dumbledore must have left something, anything, to provide in the event of his death!

But maybe he didn't think he was going to die, Hermione reasoned, maybe he was completely unprepared for such an event.

No, she was being silly. It was war. People died in war. Dumbledore would have prepared for the possibility of his death. He had to have been.

'Hogsmead and Hogwarts, next stop.' The conductor boomed.

Seconds later, the bus jerked to a halt outside Hogsmead train station and Hermione stepped out into the hot summer's day.

Trekking up to Hogwarts she realised that maybe shorts and sandals would have been a better idea because here in Scotland where it should have been cooler it was hotter. A wet, humid hotter that left her soaked in sweat and panting as she clambered over the incline and up the steps to the Entrance Hall.

The doors were unlocked. She used a spell to push the doors open and then entered.

Walking along her determined footsteps echoed ominously off the stone walls as she made for Dumbledore's Office.

Each step she took, her sense of unease increased. Something revolutionary would be in that office.

She stopped in front of the Gargoyle, and began to run through all the candies she knew. '…Lemon Drops…Licorice Wands…Chocolate Frogs…Acid Pops…OH DAMNATION!'

The Gargoyle opened. Hermione could have jumped for joy, in spite of the strange password. She was up the stairs in a flash, trailing, she was sure, yards of BO and bushy hair.

The Office was exactly as she remembered it, save the fact that there was a portrait of Dumbledore on the wall with the others, and there were no papers on his desk, no Fawks on his perch. In was rather sad.

But never one to be deterred, she marched over to the desk and tried to open the top drawer. It was locked. 'Alohomora!' The drawer remained shut, and very firmly so.

Maybe something stronger maybe. 'Effringo! -' nothing! '-Cogo Patefacio!' Once again, nothing. Grrrrrrr!

'Maybe a password would help,' said an old voice from the wall. Hermione looked up at Dumbledore's Portrait. His eyes were . 'Lemon Drop, Miss Granger?'

'Thanks, sir,' Hermione turned back to the desk, not knowing why she hadn't tried a password before. 'Lemon Drop.' Soooo obvious! The drawer sprung open. Hermione rummaged.

'Miss Granger? Hermione?' said the Portrait. She looked up. 'If you want to find something in particular, you could look through all of my many drawers in your search, or you could simplify it by asking me.'

Hermione looked up again, 'Do you have any information on the Horcruxes that Harry doesn't already have? Or anything at all that could help? The Order…'

'Yes, my dear, I am aware of the Order's despair and consequent disbandment.' Dumbledore gazed at her sadly, gone. 'Harry can take care of the Horcruxes. In fact, he has already been and retrieved any information I had about them, but I have another, more delicate and secret job for you. Remove the big red book from the shelf across from me, if you please.' This is more like it!

Obediently, Hermione walked across the room, and removed the book: a section of shelf slid back, revealing a small room. 'OH!' She looked up at Dumbledore who was once again . 'Shall I go in, sir?'

'Yes, please do. I shall relocate to the picture frame within,' Sure enough, he was there when she entered. 'What is this place?'

'My equipment room,' Dumbledore answered, 'though it is also a safe of sorts. Please say "Secretum" and the cupboard in front of you will open.'

'Secretum!' The cupboard directly in front of Hermione opened. It contained the Pensieve.

'Remove the Pensieve, please.' She took it down from the high shelf. It was heavy. Solid. Felt strangely giving in her hands. Weird!

She set it against the table, not knowing that her entire understanding of the events leading up to that moment was about to be changed. 'Say "Ice Mice" and open the drawer in front of you.'

'Ice Mice!' Hermione wandered what she was going to be shown. The drawer shot out; it contained a small chest. 'To open this, Miss Granger, requires a drop of my blood. It can be found in my private chambers, behind my office, in the bathroom cabinet disguised as a headache potion.'

Hermione stood up and walked out. The suspense was killing her! And why did all this have to be so complicated, anyway? Security's a bitch!

Still, this was really annoying.

She located the door to Dumbledore's private quarters, which were, surprise, surprise, purple and starry. The bathroom was off to the left, and the single vial of headache potion was in plain view among the other standard Potions once she opened the cabinet doors.

She grabbed it, and bolted back into the 'equipment room'.

Dumbledore smiled benignly as she tipped one drop into the little hole on the lid and waited. The box glowed blue for a split second, and then the lid sprang open. Inside were row upon row of tiny vials, each containing a silver strand of memory. She gaped. Dumbledore's Memory Collection. All numbered and titled, even colour coded. Hermione very much approved of the orderly way in which they were stored.

'I think you will find, Hermione, that numbers six and ten are relevant to the current issue. Take out the unmarked sapphire vial and tip the contents into the Pensieve, then add memory number six, if you please.'

Hermione hurried to comply, tipping the blue-white liquid from the sapphire vial into the Pensieve, following it with memory six.

The contents began to swirl, glimpses of the memory flashing in and out.

'Take a peep, my dear,' said Dumbledore's portrait. 'There is a conversation relevant to the outcome of this war within, and know that the subject of the memories carried out his instructions to the letter, whether he liked it or not.'

'I'll keep that in mind, sir.' Hermione wondered briefly what entering a memory felt like. Hopefully not painful!!!

She bent over the Pensieve and looked at the swirling strands. The single strand she had added to the potion seemed to have split and/or multiplied, creating several hair thin strings.

Taking a deep breath she touched a finger to the surface: it felt like she had done a mid-air summersault into icy, black water.

When she emerged from - whatever the black stuff was – and found herself in the Dungeons. In Snape's private lab, to be precise. How did she know this? Because he was standing there! She nearly lunged at him, ready to choke the life out of him. Then her brain kicked in; this was a memory, she couldn't change future events here.

So she just leant against the wall she had landed by and watched. After all, this seemingly useless memory of Snape stirring potions was relevant to the outcome of the war, right?

As she watched, Snape glided between the two cauldrons, one of which seemed to contain Wolfsbane and the other which contained Felix Felicis. He spun back to the Wolfsbane and chopped in some nasty looking acid green root, then back to the Felix with Red Rose petals and a drop of silvery goo.

A voice came from the door behind him, but he didn't stop, continuing to add ingredients.

'Severus? Is this a good time?' Dumbledore's voice echoed from the room (presumably Snape's quarters) which was on the other side of the door.

'I'll be with you a in a minute, Albus. Come through and make yourself comfortable.' Snape added some Belladona to the Wolfsbane, then some crushed Camamile to the Felix.

Dumbledore had come through the Floo and was watching Snape from the door.

'They're simmering now, Albus. I shan't have to do anything more 'till tomorrow morning,' Snape turned and removed the apron he had been wearing over his white shirt and black trousers. Her walked to the door and disapeared with Dumbledore. 'Shall I call for tea?'

Hermione dashed to the door determined not to miss anything, and into a medium sised sitting room; it was rather pleasant, with a blue carpeted floor, mahogany furniture with green uphulstry and white walls. There was some stone showing just above waist hight around the walls, and it was a rather nice light grey. There were some pictures of rolling countryside on the walls. Other than that it was simple. Nice!

Hermione grinned; Harry and Ron would have killed to see this place, but it would have rather shattered their idea that Snape's caurters were all black and dreary. Nice, calming quiet colours like this would have been way outa character in their opinion!

Anyway, back to the present…er, past!

Snape sat down in one of the comfortable armchairs, and Dumbledore sat on the couch. They sat in silence until tea arrived, and then they had to drink a whole cup plus eat a chocolate biscuit each before any talking was done. Said talking was done over the second cup of tea.

'So Albus, any particular reason for this visit?' Snape took a sip of tea.

'Why should there be, my boy?' Dumbledore asked, 'Is it not surficient that I enjoy your company, and wish to have tea with you?'

'Spill it Albus,' Snape sounded bored.

'I can't fool you, my boy.' Dumbledore drained his tea and set the cup down on its saucer. 'Something is bothering you, Severus. Will you not tell me what it is?'

'Nothing's 'bothering' me, Albus,' Snape spat, his demeanor changing rapidly. 'I don't know what makes you think something's wrong. I'm fine!'

'I don't fool you, Severus, and you most certainly don't fool me,' Dumbledore's eyes had lost their . 'Now, tell me what is wrong.'

Snape's shoulders seemed to sag hopelessly, and he dropped his head into his hands, 'Do you remember the meeting with Narcissa Malfoy that I told you about?'

'Certainly.'

'I didn't tell you everything.'

'Didn't you? Your narrative sounded very complete to me.'

'I didn't tell you that Cissy brought Bellatrix with her.'

'No, you didn't. Did Bellatrix say or do something that has hurt you? Given you cause to worry?'

'No.'

'In that case, what exactly didn't you tell me that is so important? It's not like you to leave information out.'

'You're not going to like this Albus. I was very stupid.'

'How so, my boy?'

'I agreed to do something, something I should have explored fully before taking up.'

'If this is about agreeing to help Draco, then I don't see why you are troubling yourself. We don't know what he has been ordred to do and it is almost certainly something mudane that Tom has been trying to do for years. Infiltrating Hogwarts, for example.'

'Oh, it's something that 'Tom's' been trying to do for years.'

'You know what it is, then.'

'I found out of Saturday.'

'Why din't you tell me after the Order meeting?'

'Because there was no point in telling you – is no point in telling you. Your knowledge of his task won't affect the fact that I swore an Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa Malfoy with Bellatrix Lestrange as our bonder. I was under the impression that Narcissa merely wanted me to guide and protect Draco. When I thought it was just about finished, a final claus was slipped in; if Draco failed or was incapable of completing the task, I was to complete it for him.'

Dumbledore looked quite calm, but there was no in his eyes, 'What is Draco's task?'

Snape's skin had lost any colour that it might have had, 'To kill you. I await your order to break the vow.'

Calm, resigned. Must be something to do with being a spy, Hermione though numbly. He had to be very brave, very steady to face his apparant death like that, in her opinion.

Dumbledore gazed at Snape for a few moments, lost in thought and stoking his beard, then nodded, 'Yes, that will do very well.'

Hermione noticed that he was talking to himself. Snape didn't.

'If I am to break the vow, would you rather it be sooner or later?' Snape ran his fingers back through his hair, pulling it off his face.

Dumbledore started, 'What? Whyever would you do that, Severus? No, that would never do.'

Snape looked vaguely anoyed, 'If I am not to break it, Headmaster, what do you propose I do? Go through with it? I hardly see a third option in this mess.'

'Severus, surely you know how long it will take the Order to train another spy, if one can be found?'

Snape sprang to his feet and started to pace, 'Headmaster, while I know I made an extremely foolish decision, I hardly think that bringing my failure even further into the light will do us any good. I am perfectly aware of how…inconveniant…my death will be to you all. I assure you that could I go back to that day, I would not take the vow, whatever the consequences with the Dark Lord might be.'

'I was not attempting to "bring your failure further into the light", Severus. You misunderstand my meaning; I fully intend for you to go through with the Vow's terms, and kill me. After all, losing you would be very inconvenient.'

Snape blanched, and clung onto the back of the armchair as though he could barely stand up, 'Headmaster, please tell me that this is a rather warped joke.'

'I am quite serious, Severus.' Dumbledore stood and walked over to Snape. He put a hand on the younder man's shoulder. 'I am old Severus, and no matter how hard you try to save me, no matter the Potions you make to nulify the poison in my hand and the countercurses you create to stop the damage from spreading, we both know that it won't be long before I'm off on the next great adventure.'

'You, on the other hand are young and strong, a good fighter and a born leader -' Snape made a little disbelieving sound '- with a century or more of life before you, should you survive the war. You are respected -' Another little snort. 'Yes, Severus, you are very well respected within the Order and the school. Not to mention in the public sphere. You are ideally placed to succeed me as the leader of the Order.'

Snape was silent for a few minutes after Dumbledore finished, 'Might I remind you Albus, that if I am condemned for your murder my public influence will have very little to do with the matter at hand.'

'I am well aware of that. However, the Order will know that you killed me on my orders, and so will hopefully welcome you back into the fold. Also, most of my staff here are in the Order, so that isn't a problem.'

'And there I was thinking that you couldn't get any crazier, Albus!' Snape cried, jerking away from Dumbledore's grasp and dropping onto the sofa. 'If you tell the order outright, I'll be dead long before I can complete the vow. Moody and Potter will believe that I've brainewashed you, and lead everyone else with them. Heck, they already think I have!'

Snape pulled his legs up onto the couch beside him and leant on its arm.

'Albus, I refuse to let you play the Hero,' Snape sighed, and dropped his gaze from Dumbledore to his knee, which he suddenly seemed to fine very interesting. 'You are their leader, you old coot! I am your spy, and all that bullshit about me being a born leader – well, we both know that I can't even keep my Slytherins in check! How do you think I'd cope with five hundred adults, most of whom are vastly older and more experienced than me? Add to that the fact that they'll hate me because I'm alive and you're not! Oh, and there's the fact that the Boy Who Lived hates my guts, and I hate his in return. How are you going to deal with that little complication, pray tell?'

Dumbledore sighed and sat down, 'A few well placed hints from me, some memories in a blood-locked case, a letter maybe, will sort out the hitch in telling the Order outright. As for Harry, he is a pack animal.'

There was a long, pregnant pause.

'Do you want to know what I think, Albus?'

'Yes my boy, I've always valued your opinion very highly.'

'I think that you're taking a great big gamble with all this, and I think your intire plan is going to go to pot.'

'Articulate in Anglosaxon as usual, Severus.'

'Thank you.'

'You're welcome.'

'Want some more tea?'

'Please.'

'Sugar?'

'Please.'

'Cream?'

'Please.'

'Biscuits?'

'Please.'

'You know Albus, I think that this is the longest single word conversation we've had so far.'

The memory ended and a very shocked Hermione summersaulted back trough the icy darkness and intp Dumbledore's "Equipment room".

She looked up at the portrait frame, but the canvas was empty. Sighing, she removed the first memory with her wand and added the second.

After tipping it in, she waited for a few seconds to collect herself.

Dumbledore had ordered Snape to kill him. Snape had been perfectly willing to brake the vow. So far that was all she knew, but there was more.

Touching the surface of the memory, she summersaulted back in.

This time she was on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest, looking on as Dumbledore and Snape walked towards her. They were obviously having a heated argument.

'…Albus, I can't do this…' Snape sounded weak, exhausted. And angry. 'I can't do it anymore!'

'Severus, I have full faith that when the time comes you will be able to.' Dumbledore patted him on the shoulder. 'You are strong enough for this, I trust.'

Snape groaned and walked ahead. Hermione noticed that he was limping. 'Alright, we've established that I can kill you. What about what I want? Maybe I don't want to kill you, maybe I don't want to do it anymore!'

'Severus…' Dumbledore looked slightly sad, and hurried to catch up with Snape. 'Severus, you owe me a life debt. I'm calling upon it now.'

Snape spun around and towered over Dumbledore. 'You bastard! You bloody bastard! How dare you? How can you call that into play, Dumbledore?'

'I need to know that you will go through with my orders, Severus.'

'I'd rather die, thank you very much,' Snape spat out. Dumbledore sighed.

'Severus, I don't want to evoke the magic of our Vow, but I will if you refuse to do this of your own free will.'

'You bastard.'

'Severus, I hardly think that calling me names will help,' Dumbledore looked up at him. 'I won't evoke this magic if you give me your wand oath now. But if you don't…' He left the threat hanging, and Hermione looked at Snape. He was shaking and pale.

'Go to hell.' Spinning around, Snape ran back the way they had come. Towards Hogwarts, and people.

Dumbledore raised his wand spoke to Snape's retreating back, 'Severus Snape, I call upon your debt and consequent vow. I order you to kill me if Draco Malfoy looks to succeed in his task and/or upon my personal order. Should you attempt to resist, the vow will force you to comply.' There was a blast of magic, and Snape colapsed to his knees, a black shape against the red sunset.

Dumbledore walked back down the small hill to him, 'I am sorry, Severus.'

Snape looked up at him hatefully, and stood, 'Sorry? Oh, you're sorry, are you? You know I'll never do it! I'll kill myself before I do.'

'Severus…'

'Don't 'Severus' me, you piece of . If you've incorporated some anti-suicide ward, then I'll go to the Dark Lord. I'm sure he'll help. One little floor in my Occlumency Shields next time I go, and he'll know I'm a traitor. He'll grant me a quick death if I give him a little bit of information, though. Failing that, I'll get Potter to do it. Practice and fun in one.'

'You may try anything you like Severus, but I think you'll find yourself temporarily imortal. Until the vow is complete, that is. You may try to kill yourself, get yourself killed or otherwise, but it won't work. You'll just end up spending most of your time in the Hospital Wing. And of course, blowing your cover.'

Snape smiled bitterly and said dryly: 'You really did think of everything, didn't you?'

'I? No, that was ancient magic I evoked. It was there to be called upon long before even I was born.'

Snape nodded, and Hermione noticed for the first time that there were tears streaming down his face. Dumbledore sat down next to him in the fading sunset.

'I meant what I said, Severus. I am more sorry than you could ever imagine that it has come to this. When all is said and done, my boy, know that I will be watching you, and loving you.'

'Loving me? Why the hell would you love me, Albus?'

'Severus, you know very well that you're like a son to me.'

Hermione felt herself sucked back out, and this time she landed on her arse. She looked up. Dumbledore was back, and Hermione felt sickened as she looked at him: She didn't care for Snape, he was mean and unfair and nasty, but what Dumbledore had done – caring, loving, Gryffindor Dumbledore - had been a work of the greatest cruelty.

'How could you do that to him?' Hermione felt herself standing and walking until she was nose to nose with the portrait. 'How could you, you cruel bastard?'

Hermione ignored the little voice and continued, 'He must have had the most remarkable self control, because if I was him I would have smashed your face to bits for even treatening to call on Blood Magic!' Hermione suddenly realised that she was crying and turned away.

'Don't you think that I regretted it every waking (and sleeping) moment, every time I saw him look away from me? And then finally when he readied himself on the tower, and looked at me with such hate and disgust? He was, as I said in the memory, like a son to me and I loved him as such. It broke what was left of my heart to force him to do such a thing. I saw much in my life Miss Granger: I saw death; sickness; unbelievable suffering. I killed, I tortured and was tortured, but no pain was so great as forcing his hand.'

'You…you really killed people? And tortured them?' Hermione realised as soon as it was out of her mouth how stupid she sounded.

'Of cousre, Hermione,' said Dumbledore. 'I was, after all, a soldier in a war. Pray tell, how did you think I defeated Grindelwald, if not by killing him?'

'I – I don't know, sir, but you always seemed too…nice to have killed.'

'Many perfectly lovely people have done nasty things, Hermione, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are evil. Looks can be deceiving, and dangerously so. Why, Tom Riddle was a nice boy to look upon, and to know if you didn't look too closely. He was an exemplary student with brilliant grades, a great leader when he was at school, but we both know what he has become.'

'But I assure you that my decision to force Severus into my murder was censured and despised my many.'

'Some people know, then? Who?'

'Bearing in mind that they weren't supposed to know – Minerva - whom I told, but whose reaction was much the one you said you'd have had - I still have the scars to prove it…Professor Flitwick beat it out of me after Minerva hinted. Tonks guessed and told Remus.'

'I should have realised; they're the only ones aside from Mad Eye and Kingsley who haven't bolted.'

'Of course,' Dumbledore smiled slightly. 'But what good are they without a leader?'

'So - so you want me to lead them? Headmaster…I, I don't know…' Hermione was stammering; this was the greatest honour ever, the chance she had been waiting for to prove herself! The great statement saying that she wasn't a little girl anymore! She was going to lead the Order to victory! Uh huh, oh yeah, uh huh, oh yeah, uh huh, oh yeah…

'Miss Granger…Hermione,' Hermione was pulled from her joyous musings, and found herself smiling insanely in the Headmaster's Office.

'Yeah?!?!'

'Hermione, I don't mean for you to lead them,' Shattered. Broken! Hermione felt like crying, screaming. She should have known it was too good to be true! Dumbledore continued: 'I meant that your mission - if you'll have it – is to find Severus, and be his contact between the Death Eaters and the Order, or what's left of it.'

Hermione felt furious! She had been all set up to gallantly, if reluctantly, accept the leadership of the remaining Order members, and all she really got was to be Snape's contact. Some of her ire must have showed on her face, because Dumbledore hastened to pacify her. 'In time, Hermione my dear, you would make an excellent leader, but while you have knowledge and power, you lack the experience a good leader must have. I'm sure you see, my dear, that Severus, who has sixteen years of experience under his belt, is far better suited to that post. My dear, as you saw in the memories, even he had misgivings!'

'If you say so, sir.'

'Thank you for understanding, my dear. Now, if you go back out into my office, I'll give you his address.'

TBC

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Niki