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The next day, Draco was called into the "interrogation" room. Once again he sat in the uncomfortable little chair in the center of the room, as Granger, Potter and Weasley, along with the werewolf and the one-eyed Auror stood around him.
"What's going on?" Draco asked firmly, not wanting to show his wariness. He glanced at Hermione.
She stared back, her arms crossed, no sign of her contriteness from yesterday. Cold hard Granger from two weeks ago was back.
Remus cleared his throat. "You made a deal with Miss Granger, I believe. In exchange for the chance to avenge your mother and stay out of Azkaban, you agreed to provide information regarding The Dark Lord and the whereabouts of Severus Snape."
Understanding spread across his features. Draco looked down.
"You realize he could have moved since I last saw him."
"Of course we do," replied Harry. "But you know where he'd most likely go."
Hermione stepped forward. "Our inside source has informed us that he is no longer in favour with Voldemort, but somehow they are getting increasingly accurate information on our movement. They have no idea where the intel is coming from only that Voldemort trusts it."
Draco frowned. "Who—"
"Never you mind that," Ron spoke up. "We're ready to move as soon as you tell us where. That is, if you aren't full of bull as usual."
"Ron." Hermione frowned at him.
"Starting with the most likely," Mad-Eye spoke. "Where does he normally reside when not running like a coward?"
Looking mutinous from the hostile reception, Draco glared at them.
"Spinner's End."
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A thorough search of Spinner's End, Knockturn Alley, and a previous Head quarter of Voldemort's turned up no Snape.
Disappointed, the trio sat in the common room. Ron was sprawled out on the couch, while Hermione and Harry sat on the floor leaning back against it.
"We searched all the obvious places." Said Ron.
"Well, maybe we should consider the non-obvious." replied Hermione.
"Like where?" asked Ron.
"Like…" Hermione thought. "Like someplace he would hate. Snape is nothing if not clever and practical."
Ron rolled his eyes while Harry clenched his jaw. He knew Hermione was right but any positive word about Snape still made his pulse pound.
"So where would Snape hate to be?" Ron asked.
Harry felt eyes on him, and glanced at Hermione. She was staring at him as if willing the answer into his head. To the observer, it would appear they'd caught gazes and found something more than platonic between them.
And that's how Draco found the trio. It felt like something struck him hard in the chest only from the inside. This confused him immensely, as he didn't know why the thought of Potter and Granger together would effect him at all. Hermione did say she and Weasel weren't together. Was Potter the reason? Why did he care again? He did give her jewelry and even in the Pureblooded world, one would expect some sort of reward or understanding.
Why did he give her that ring? He told Hermione the truth, he'd had a dream that propelled him to have it made, he simply didn't remember what the dream was. Being with Hermione the past few weeks, having her teach him despite his snarkiness and her at times haughty attitude, was enjoyable. He even forgot the horrible-ness of the past two years at times. He even repressed his deep-held prejudice against her heritage, making excuses to himself. She did mix their blood before they started, making their blood the same, and he'd lived mainly in the Muggle world for close to a year. He had no one to impress, no one to share his prejudice. Hell, he was in his predicament because of his own kind, not Muggle-borns. It eventually became unimportant to him. Unlike Granger. Shuttering his gaze, he stepped into the room.
"The Shrieking Shack."
The trio looked at him. Draco strode over to an armchair and leaned on the arm.
Ron frowned at him. "How do you know—"
"Snape's pensive." Draco interrupted. "Before I ran off, he left me in his study, and I took a peek." He looked at them, pausing briefly on Hermione, before continuing. "I'd heard rumours about what happened in third year, but after seeing him and what I assumed was your father, Potter and how they almost killed him at the Whomping Willow, followed by what happened in the Shrieking Shack, I figured that wasn't his favourite place to be."
Pleased by his deduction, Draco gave Harry a smirk. "You actually attacked Snape, Potter? Too bad for you it wasn't more permanent, or I probably wouldn't be here." Draco sneered.
Harry met his gaze. "And Dumbledore would." His gaze was intense, to which Draco did not back down.
That is until Hermione laid her hand on Harry's arm. Draco dropped his gaze to it briefly, before looking back up at Harry, who took note with interest.
"Draco's right."
The three boys looked at her.
"We should check the Shrieking Shack."
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Harry helped her to her feet. Harry placed his hand on the small of her back as they left the room. Hermione straightened his cloak adjusting the clasp. They held hands as they Disapparated away. Well, she held Draco's hand as well, but still.
Every little thing he noticed. In just a short period it was starting to drive Draco barmy. That he could fixate on something he'd only realized an hour earlier was proof that he was spending far too much time amongst these people. Cabin fever and the fact that, except for occasional glimpses of the She-Weasel, Granger was his only female company in a year and he was getting desperate for it.
Maybe if she flat out rejected him, then he could simply go back to hating her and everything she was. Of course, he'd be humiliated, but she still seemed too softhearted to spread the tale around.
Or better yet, he proposes a pre-battle-one-time-only-because-we-might-die-and-it-won't-make-a-difference-anyway shag. That'll get his lack of female company problem, and any cosy feelings he has towards Granger taken care of.
But why would she agree to that when she has Potter for her pre-battle shag. These were the thoughts running through Draco's head as the Auror members put up anti-apparition wards around the old shack from afar. If Snape was in there they didn't need to go chasing him all over, their morale wouldn't be able to handle that. Not so close to the end.
Finally everything was set. The Shrieking Shack was surrounded. Draco was set to stay on the perimeter, but Granger had different ideas. She thought maybe Draco could go first, possibly under the pretense he was looking for refuge. It didn't help to point out to her that Snape thought he was deathly afraid of this shack, as all people who didn't know the truth about Lupin were.
So as Draco trudged towards the shack, his arms wrapped around himself as if haggard from being on the run, in case Snape was watching, the trio followed behind under their Invisibility cloaks, courtesy of the Weasley twins.
Stopping at the front door, he paused letting Granger check for wards. All he saw was her wand. When it disappeared, he turned the knob and sagged against the front door, scanning the floor quickly from beneath his hood. It was empty.
Draco headed for the stairs. Grabbing the shaky banister, he heard a gasp, and spun. Hermione was in view, with a filthy man with greasy black hair holding her hostage, his arm across her front, his wand pointed at her neck.
Immediately, Harry appeared pointing his wand at Snape. Draco's shot out of his sleeve where he'd been gripping it.
Where was Weasel?
"It's over, Snape." Harry spoke.
Snape sneered at him. "I go, your insufferable know-it-all does too."
"You don't know what she can do," Harry responded with a nod at Hermione.
"And you don't know what I know," Snape retorted. His gaze turned to Draco. "What are you doing here? You should be in hiding."
Draco frowned. "I have been. What are you doing here? Voldemort didn't like that you lost Malfoy junior? Killing off one of the few people that could've helped me had I accepted it wasn't enough?"
Harry's gaze flicked towards Draco in surprise briefly, but kept his gaze trained on Snape.
Hermione simply stared at Draco, uncomprehending. Where was the smarmy little pointy-featured snot she went to school with?
"I offered to help you!" snarled Snape. "You ungrateful little buggers! Always think you know better than your elders—"
"Oh, and killing the one man to believe in you all these years was what was best?!" Harry bit out.
"Don't speak of what you know nothing about, Potter." Snape glared at him.
"Don't condescend to me." Harry returned evenly. "You are not my professor. You're a murderer."
Snape met Harry's malevolent gaze with one of utter loathing.
"I'm also still the Dark Lord's right hand man." Snape showed his filthy teeth. "I know how to destroy the horcruxes."
Snape's wand suddenly flew from his hand, as Ron materialized and caught it deftly. Amidst Snape's confusion, Hermione used her un-human strength to pull Snape's arm from her and quickly wrench it behind his back.
"Good." Hermione said, stoically. "Then you can tell us at Headquarters."
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Snape's new home was the magical interrogation room. They put a cot and toilet with a sink in there, and even a shower stall at Ron's pleading, but that was it. If they were going to constantly interrogate him, he didn't want to have to smell him.
Kingsley and Tonks kept it quiet at the ministry that Snape was being held there, as his connection with Voldemort was still useful to them.
Snape told them of a potion he concocted that would destroy the horcruxes and while helping Hermione with it, he would pester her about her newfound strength and the amount of magical energy radiating off of her.
Hermione soon found she wished for Malfoy's company and his snarkiness. Unlike Draco, Snape was not someone she was ready to forgive. Maybe it was the timing or their differences in ages, or the fact that Snape had already had his second chance, but it always seemed easier to forgive offences made to oneself, rather ones to those you love.
So Hermione avoided his rude attempts at inquisition, and when she couldn't she would silence him with a wave of her wand-less hand.
Harry interrogated Snape by himself at one point. Hermione didn't know what was said, but Harry did come out, his face more fierce and determined than before.
Draco spoke to him alone as well. Snape was aloof while he asked how Draco had been doing. He commented to being surprised that he was still alive.
Draco answered saying he'd been living everywhere and anywhere for the past year, escaping the Death Eaters, and explaining the deal he made with the Order. He also commented on how Snape looked like shit.
Snape smirked mirthlessly, before becoming stoic. He gave Draco his apologies for his mother. Draco didn't say anything. Then Snape asked if he was serious about working for the Order.
Draco held his gaze. "I should have accepted Dumbledore's help. I should have gone to him. Maybe I should have accepted yours. But I didn't. I failed. Now my mother is dead, my father a non-entity and all I have to show for my life is what I carry with me.
I will avenge my mother, I will accept whatever consequences the ministry hands out once the Dark Bastard is gone, and I will know that I'm a better wizard than I was raised to be." Draco held Snape's gaze. He felt the familiar effects of legilimens being performed on him. "Yes, I looked in your pensieve before I left. That was probably the best thing you've ever provided me. You let the Gryffindors ruin your life. You were given a second chance and you blew it once again. You did everything wrong and your pride and prejudice was to blame." Draco went on ruthlessly. "I won't make the same mistakes. I will fight alongside the Order if it means reaching my goals."
Draco left Snape looking pensive. A slow rueful smile spread across the outcast professor's face.
The boy had turned into a man.
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A/N: Alright, that is Snape's part in this story. Won't focus on him anymore, so sorry if you're a Snape fan.