AN: I'm sorry that it has taken me sooo long to get the next chapter out, but I have had a couple of complaints about my paragraph structure so I decided to work on it a little bit more time. I hope you like this chapter, as you are reading this I am working on the next chapter. I'm sorry it took sooo long to get this chapter out but I moved to a new house and I didn't have time to post before they disconnected the internet and packed the computer up, but here it is and I hope it's great.

Beauty is Only Skin Deep

Melinda made here way though the Hufflepuff common rooms to the girl's dormitory.

"Why are you still up" a male voice called from the shadows, "don't you have start classes tomorrow?"

Melinda held her guinea pig closer to her chest, "I was just reading, I didn't realize the time, and you are?"

"I'm Alex Greene, a sixth year prefect" Alex replied stepping forward into the light coming from the fireplace. Melinda looked at him, he had chocolate skin, with dark eyes, and he was tall for his age. Melinda smiled; Alex Greene did not look mean or evil.

Alex shook his head, "you first years always are pains in the ass." He pointed to the stairs, "Go to bed now before I give you a detention."

Melinda nodded and headed up the stairs. She put Snickers into his cage and went into the adjacent laboratory. After a quick shower, she brushed her teeth and climbed into bed. She smiled to her self; this was what she waited all of her life for her dream was coming true and the first day was tomorrow.

Alex chucked to himself, he remembered what it was like to be a first year. How every thing seemed scary, he thought carefully about her name. Snape. There was no way she as related to that horrible potions master who taught at the school. Shaking his head, he decided that he too should head to bed, classes were going to begin the next day, and he wanted to be in great shape when it came to Transfigurations first thing in the morning. Checking the common room one last time he climbed the stairs to the boy's dormitory and readied him self for bed.

in the infirmary

Hermione buried her head into her hands, tears streamed down her face. Now the truth was out, now some one knew what happened, she would never forget now. "Will you stop that horrible noise?" Snape snarled as his hands went to cover his ears.

"I'm sorry Professor," Hermione whimpered, "No one was supposed to find out." Tears continued their journey down her redden cheeks and fell softly on the blanket.

"And why Ms. Granger do you believe that I know what happened" Professor Snape snapped. He thought carefully about how he had gone in and looked around. He frowned did he leave a trail behind that she noticed. "How do you know that I did anything?" He asked.

"It's not that hard Professor, Harry did the same thing when I had problems before" Hermione said, "He is going to kill me now because of you, why did you have to go and do something like that."

"I did it because the headmaster wanted me too, you locked your self up, and I did what was asked of me. I do not care about your feelings." Snape replied. "What do you mean he is going to kill you?"

Hermione shifted in the bed, she was sore from what she had went though, in more places then she thought could ever hurt. "While he was raping me he whispered quietly in my year that if I told anyone or anyone found out about what happened he would kill me, and now you know and he will find me and kill me." Hermione's eyes glazed over with fear.

"Do you have any idea of who this person was that raped you?" Snape asked studying the clock in the corner, the headmaster should have been back by now.

"No Professor he wore a mask the whole time," Hermione answered a little too quickly.

"There is more then one way to know who it was," Snape bellowed, "Did you see any part of him?"

Hermione grew annoyed "He kept most of his clothes on, professor all he did was drop his pants and rape me I didn't see anything but his white legs." She screamed at him, "Now I am going to die and it's your entire fault."

Snape sighed, "You'll have to be extremely careful now, it seems more, then one person wants you dead." He rubbed his left forearm unconsciously.

"So Voldemort wants me dead now also. Why not the whole bloody population. All I want to do is finish school, go to the university and do an apprenticeship for someone until I can be come a mistress in what ever subject I enjoy." Hermione screamed.

Snape waved his hand and placed a silencing charm over the bed and the chair. "I have an idea that will save your life, it's a bit risky and does involve dark magic if I get the headmasters permission will you listen to the plan before you reject it?" Snape asked getting out of his chair.

Hermione thought about it for a moment finally nodding her approval. "And Ms. Granger when I leave the room I would stay here if I was you, because Mr. Malfoy is also out to get you." Snape unwarded the room and walked to the door. "And I mean it" Snape quickly walked out of the room closing the doors behind him.

"Bloody hell could this day get any worse" Hermione asked herself. She sighed deeply, thinking about all the events that had happened. Why is Professor Snape so interested to help me, I am sure he hates me. In addition, why is Malfoy after me? He has never liked me in the first place, but trying to kill me that is a new low. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes, as the thought of the day turned into dreams she was asleep.

"Wake up Ms. Granger we have a lot to talk about" the Headmaster's cheery voice woke Hermione from her sleep. "We will be talking about things you will not like, but I believe it is very important that we do for your safety."

Hermione opened her eyes and looked up at the person who was talking. "I have a question for before we start to talk. Before Professor Snape left he said that Malfoy was also after me, I want to know why." Hermione asked looking from Dumbledore to Professor Snape.

"I have the answer to that" Snape responded, "Malfoy wants to become a death eater just like his father was. The dark lord has given him the dark mark and told him he could only keep it if he completed his task." Snape breathed in heavily. "And his task is to kill you Ms. Granger."

Hermione's breathe caught, "He is at a better advantage to actually killing me. I will meet with him each week in private." Hermione thought to herself how lucky she was that it was only the first day back and that he was not there when she got off the train.

"Now listen closely Hermione, Professor Snape has a plan, I don't really like it but I do agree with it one hundred percent." Dumbledore replied as he sat down on Hermione's bed and grasped her hand. "I want you to listen to Professor Snape's plan before you make up your mind."

Again Hermione nodded, "Will I really hate this plan so much that you both need me to promise to listen to your idea?" She asked looking at the headmaster.

"I am going to kill you Ms. Granger," Snape said putting his hand into his left pocket of his robes. "This potion will make other believe that you are dead even though your brain will continue to work and you will be able to hear everyone around you." Snape stopped and waited for Hermione to reject the plan and he would have to come up with an alternative.

"How is that going to help me?" Hermione asked determined to listen to the whole plan before saying no.

"When we announce your death to the school Mr. Malfoy along with your rapist will hear about your death. We will then take you out of the castle in a sealed coffin. That's when I will switch the coffins and transport you to the safe house." Snape continued. "From there I will bring you back from the so called dead and you will live under the protection of a secret keeper."

"I know that this is a horrible way to escape your problems, but this is the only way I believe that will work." Dumbledore smiled as he tried to reassure her.

"I understand headmaster, I know its dark magic, but if you both believe that this is for the best then I will do it," Hermione said weakly. "Who will be my secret keeper headmaster?"

Dumbledore grew quiet; she had been extremely corruptive up until this point. Telling her least favorite professor was going to stay with her was not going to be easy. "Professor Snape" Dumbledore breathed out with a weak smile.

Hermione's head dropped, "Why does it have to be him?" she asked looking back at them.

"Because, I am the only one that has the skills to protect you," Snape replied. "Do you want to end up like the Potter's because their secret keeper was weak and couldn't protect them?"

Hearing the reference to Harry's parents she stiffened, it was true that their secret keeper did a horrible job and sold them out to Voldemort. "Will you continue to teach me potions professor, it's a very interesting subject and I would really enjoy it if I could have something to do while I'm hiding." Hermione finally let out a weak smile.

"If that is what you want then fine we can do that" Snape replied. "There is no more time to talk it is early in the morning and the potion needs a few good hours to set before it will make people believe you are dead." Snape stepped closer to Hermione and handed her the deep red potion.

Hermione took the potion carefully, pulling out the stopper she drank it down. "Tastes really sweet almost like butter beer," Hermione squealed in surprise.

"I brewed it for Dumbledore, he is always complaining that my potions taste so nasty, but if you consider what the ingredients are you would understand why it is so nasty." Snape looked down at Hermione who was fast asleep not listening to the professor. Dumbledore and Snape took their leave carefully taking the wards off as they left.

"I can only wonder what is going to happen when young Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley wake up and find out that Hermione isn't in the common rooms." Dumbledore questioned, "By the way Severus classes are cancelled tomorrow for I predict a death will acquire."

AN: Again I am soo sorry this took soo long to be posted. Let me know what you think and I will up date as soon as I can.