Thank you all for the great views. Sorry for the slight delay with this chapter. Sometimes my brain just dies on me. I'll try to get the next one out a bit faster. I know how annoying it is to wait for a chapter to a story you want to read. .
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter.
Hermione arrived at Grimmauld Place with her face buried in the middle of Snape's chest. He had his right arm wrapped around the top of her back over her shoulder blades, pulling her tight against him. Taking a deep breath, a musky masculine scent filled her senses, making her aware of Snape's solid form she was pressed against.
Snape abruptly took a step back. He could still feel her soft curves against him. They needed to get inside.
Hermione looked over and Ron was slumped over on the ground. Her breath caught as she ran over to him. "Ronald, are you alright. Please speak to me." She said urgently as she began to shake him.
"Bloody hell, Hermione. I'm fine." Ron grumbled.
"What are you doing on the ground. You scared me!" she launched herself at him, hugging him tight to her.
"Mr. Malfoy wasn't too gentle about the apparating." Ron mumbled embarrassed as he hugged her.
"Inside, now." Snape ground out. Taking Hermione's hand he drug her along behind him. He didn't trust her to follow. For all he knew, they'd apparate on the spot and do something foolish again. This time he wouldn't be able to step in.
"Professor, I can make it to the house by myself." Hermione said irritably.
Ignoring her futile attempts to get away, he kept silent and marched up to the front door. Snape shoved Hermione into the front entrance and swung around to glare at Ron and Harry. "You three, in the drawing room."
"Sir, can't this wait for the morning?" Harry asked.
"NOW!" Snape yelled.
Grudgingly the three climbed the stairs to the drawing room. Lucius was leaning back against the front door looking thoroughly amused. Remus was standing to the side, curiously watching Snape. Shaking his head and smiling a little, Remus made his way up behind the three.
"Why, Severus," Lucius's amused tone came across the entry way, "I haven't seen you this mad in years."
"Now is not the time, Lucius." Snape said quietly.
"Do what, dear friend? All I was saying is you haven't let your temper slip like that in a long time. Gave you quite a scare over the Gryffindor girl, didn't it?" Lucius smirked. His grey eyes danced with a glint of mischief.
Snape clenched his jaw as Lucius made his way up the stairs. Waiting until he was sure everyone was in the drawing room, he went up himself.
"Harry, the fact of the matter is you can't just run out when the mood suits you. These are hard times, war is not a game." Remus
"You don't think we know that?!" Harry yelled. "We're supposed to find these horcruxes and destroy them, but we can't go out in the middle of the war? I'm supposed to destroy Voldemort, but this war is just too dangerous for me to do that?!"
"Harry…" Remus started soothingly before Lucius cut him off.
"You put yourself and your friends in danger, Mr. Potter. You should have told someone."
"What? Tell you?" Harry turned furiously on Lucius.
"Harry, perhaps you should calm down some." Hermione suggested.
"Calm down? We did nothing wrong Hermione. We're only doing what we're supposed to be, and we get into trouble and treated like children." he railed on.
"You could have gotten your friends and self killed. Was that your intention, Potter?" Snape asked quietly.
"We had everything under control. Nothing was going to happen to us. We were just about to leave. Tell me, Professor, how did you know where we were? Were you a Death Eater sent to kill us?" Harry taunted.
"You stupid boy! Everything under control?! Greyback had Miss Granger, and you call that under control. What would you have done if he'd bit her? You yourself were in a room with Bellatrix LeStrange! You're just as head strong and ignorant as your father ever was." Snape fumed.
Harry grayed considerably to Greyback's name, but to the mention of his father, he took a step towards Snape before Ron cut him off.
"Let it go, mate." Ron whispered.
"I'm waiting, Potter. Greyback had her, Weasley here can't figure out which end of his wand to use, what would you have done?"
The mention of Greyback made Hermione dizzy. The last thing she ever wanted was to be touched by him again. "Can we not discuss this right now?" Hermione asked quietly.
Remus cleared his throat, getting all of the focus on him again. "I think it would be best if you informed someone on where you're planning on going next time. We can't take the chances, Harry."
"Fine." Harry bit out.
"Good. So that's settled." Remus confirmed.
"Did you find anything on the little jaunt of Gryffindor bravery?" Lucius asked.
"No, sir. We only searched the ground floor before the Death Eaters came in." Ron answered.
"Seeing as nothing else is going to happen tonight, I think the best thing all of us can do right now is sleep. Off to bed with the three of you." Remus chided.
Hermione, Harry, and Ron said their good nights and made their way to their rooms.
Snape walked over to the window and looked out into the shadows that surrounded the plaza. Tonight was a close call. He still felt the rising anxiety every time he thought about Greyback holding Hermione.
Closing his eyes, he felt the burning of the mark. Wincing slightly he looked over his shoulder at Lucius. He nodded his head slightly. The Dark Lord was calling.
...
They stood in a half circle around Voldemort. All of his most faithful followers. He did not look pleased. His red eyes seemed to be burning into everyone. Slowly he paced around the half circle, trying to read everyone's minds.
"Tonight, I sent four of my most loyal followers to catch Potter and his friends. Tonight, I sent four failures!" Voldemort swung around to face everyone. "Bellatrix!" he bellowed. "Step forward, NOW!"
Bellatrix took a step out of the circle and knelt down before Voldemort to pay her respects. "My Lord." she murmured.
"Stand." Voldemort ordered. Bellatrix stood up in front of him. "I sent you tonight to get Potter and his friends. Where are they?"
"They got away, my lord." she answered.
Snape sensed the tension building. With each word Bellatrix said, Voldemort was livid. Looking across the circle from him, his eyes clashed with grey ones. Lucius knew what was coming.
Voldemort lifted his wand towards Bellatrix and yelled, "CRUCIO!"
Bellatrix fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Her scream wrung out into the night air. Voldemort let up on the spell and looked down at her. She was panting and bent over.
"Stand." he told her.
Slowly Bellatrix stood in front of him again, his eyes blazing and dancing with fire. "Explain to me, how did they get away?"
"They had help, my lord."
"Help? Did you see who?"
"We did not." she hurried on to explain before he could cut her off. "A cloaked figure petrified Rodolphus. He ended up in the room with me and Potter. Rabastan was searching the upstairs. Greybackhad the mudblood, but two more cloaked figures were outside and stopped him. He said that the two voices sounded familiar."
Snape and Lucius tensed slightly. Both clearing their minds of any kind of worry or panic. They had gotten this far, they didn't need to give themselves away now.
"Very interesting. Get back into the circle Bellatrix." As she was stepping back into her place Voldemort called Lucius forward.
Lucius knelt down in front of Voldemort. "My Lord."
"Stand up, Lucius. These three figures helping Potter and his friends could be traitors from our own side. What do you think?"
"That maybe they are from the Order, my lord. Where ever Potter is, they are sure to be sniffing around."
Voldemort seemed to contemplate this for a moment before saying, "Perhaps. Don't let me down on my task, Lucius. Your life and your family's is in the palm of my hand." With that, Voldemort vanished.
...
The next few days in the Black house was strained. Everyone seemed to be in a flurry to get their last minute homework done, packing, and soon shopping. Hermione was in the library doing research for an advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts essay when Snape stalked into the room.
Unaware of anyone being in the room, he went to a bookshelf in the middle of the room. Hermione sat in the corner of the room at a desk, watching him blatantly. His robes billowed out behind him when he walked. His greasy black hair hung down around his face while his hooked nose was shoved into the book that he was searching through.
Hermione was fascinated with his movements. He started to pace back and forth in front of the bookshelf, mumbling to himself over ingredients to a potion. Realizing that she was just watching Snape, she stood up as quietly as possible and started to make her way to the door.
Growling out of frustration, Snape slammed the book shut. Turning around, he met the hazel eyes of Hermione Granger. His mind raced to how long she'd been in the room. Her eyes grew, while his narrowed. Today she was dressed like a muggle in blue jeans and a short sleeved shirt the color of moss. They stood there and stared openly at each other what seemed like five minutes.
Finally Snape tore his gaze away. "Just how long were you spying on me, Miss Granger?"
He heard a small gasp come from her. "I was not spying on you, Professor! I was in here doing my Defense Against the Dark Arts when you walked in." She replied indignantly.
"Then why were you in such a rush to get out uncaught." he asked, taking a step forward. She was starting to get irritated with him, he could tell by the look in her eyes, her stance had also stiffened. He was intrigued with her.
Hermione couldn't believe her misfortune to be stuck in a room alone with Severus Snape arguing whether or not she was spying on him. Taking a step towards him, her temper bristled. "It looked to me like you needed to be alone. I was just going to accommodate you."
"How very sweet of you." He sneered. Taking another step towards her. He could see her chest rise and fall quicker than what it was. She was glaring daggers at him. He was becoming entranced, and he couldn't seem to pull himself away.
"What do you know about sweet?" she taunted, stepping them closer. He was one step away from her, but she just couldn't seem to turn and run like her instincts were telling her. She was annoyed beyond any point. How dare he accuse her falsely, then get sarcastic!
"This." was all he said before he took the last step. Pulling her up against his chest he bent his mouth down onto hers. Crushing his lips firmly to hers, he felt her jump as she took in a sharp breath. After a moment, Hermione softened against Snape's chest.
Feeling her muscles relax was all it took. He slid his hands down her sides to her hips, pulling her tighter against him. Slowly he ran the tip of his tongue against her bottom lip. She gasped in surprise, but slowly and tentatively ran her hands up his chest. Shyly she parted her lips slightly against his. Taking advantage of her opened lips, he slide his tongue between them. Lightly he flicked the tip of his tongue against hers, swirling his teasingly along hers. Slowly he explored her sweet mouth. She started to mimic his movements, driving him crazy with her inexperience.
Hermione wrapped her arms lightly around Snape's neck and pulled him closer. He ran his hands over the small of her back, caressing her skin through her shirt. He deepened the kiss and moved his hips against hers. A small moan escaped between her lips.
Her moaned startled Snape back to reality. Pulling her arms away, he quickly stepped back. Both of them were desperately trying to catch their breath. Her eyes were misty from the remnants of passion.
"Snogging your old professor now, Miss Granger? Really, it wouldn't make me give you better grades."
Hermione gave an outraged gasp. "You are the last person I would want to snog, Severus Snape!" Turning on her heel she fled the room.
Sighing, Snape went to an armchair in front of the fireplace and slumped down into it. He had no idea why he had just done it. But what worried him most, was why he wanted to do it again.
...
Later that night after dinner, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny sat in the drawing room. Harry and Ron were entertaining themselves by playing Wizard's Chess while Ginny sat across the room doing a potion's essay. Hermione sat on the couch reading.
Draco sauntered into the room. Harry and Ron both looked up and glared at him. Taking a seat next to Hermione on the couch, he pulled her book away. Snapping it shut, he threw it onto an end table. The look on Hermione's face was quite comical to him. Reclining back, he smirked.
"Now that I have your attention, I would like to offer my assistance to you." he stated.
Four sets of eyes stared at Draco with disbelief and suspicion.
"What's the catch?" Harry asked.
"No catch." Draco said.
"I don't believe you." Ron said furiously.
"You don't have to believe me, Weasel." Draco sneered.
Hermione stood up and interrupted the fight that was starting to brew. Looking down at Draco she shook her head slightly. "I don't get it. You fight with us for years, hint at the Dark Lord and his great powers, then when the time comes, you want to be one of the good guys. Why help us now, why join for the good cause?"
"She's right, Draco. What could you really get out of this? You being a Death Eater does not help your chances." Ginny spoke up.
"Do you really want to know?" he asked. "Fine," he spat, "You're not the only ones with families at stake, my family is just as involved. Especially now, when loyalties are being questioned."
Draco stood up and tried to make a hasty retreat. Someone grabbed onto his wrist right as he got to the door. Looking back, Hermione was shaking her head and tugging him back into the room.
"He's right, you know." Turning to Ron and Harry Hermione smiled slightly. "His family is in this as much as anybody else's. With Lucius being a spy, the least we could do, well, is maybe give Draco a chance." Both boys looked like she'd gone crazy. "After all, we haven't had much good luck with the horcruxes. Maybe we need another head in this."
Draco was taken aback. He never thought for once, that Hermione Granger would help his cause. From the looks of it, neither did the rest of them. Harry looked betrayed, Ron looked furious, and Ginny was surprised.
"I don't know." Harry muttered.
"What?" Draco sneered, "Afraid I might come up with something else that you didn't think of and take away from your stardom?"
Harry stood up so fast that his chair fell back. Pulling his wand out, he held it up pointing at Draco's chest.
"Going to blow me to pieces because of a question? Honestly, Potter, don't be foolish." he taunted.
Hermione walked over to Harry and put her hand on his wrist. Slowly she lowered his wand. This just wasn't working out the way she thought it would. When Draco offered his assistance, she imagined that the fighting and hostility might cease. Silly foolish thoughts.
"Harry, the least you can do is try to act civil. While I'm on that subject, I expect you to try Ron, and the same for you Draco. We can't try to work together if we can't be civil." Hermione chided.
Glaring at Hermione, Harry pocketed his wand and stormed out of the room. Ron clenched his jaw, shaking his head at Hermione like she was crazy, he followed suit.
"Well, that worked out." Ginny said sarcastically. "Perhaps I should go talk to the boys. After all, a little hexing might make them see things my way." Grinning she left the room.
Leaving Hermione and Draco in the room together, he stared openly at her. His grey eyes were so much like his father's. The white blonde hair didn't contrast against his pale cheeks. His looks were so different from Snape's.
"Thank you." he said quietly.
Hermione blinked, unable to think of anything to say. She never expected pleasantries from Draco Malfoy. No one did. Before she could so much as blink again, he ran a fingertip lightly over her cheek. Realizing what he was doing, he pulled back and headed out the door.
This time Hermione didn't try to stop him. She was still shocked. She watched as his robes followed behind him out of the door.
...
The last three weeks went by without any kind of controversy. Snape, Lucius, Narcissa, Remus, and Mr. Weasley were in and out a great deal. Mr. Weasley stayed at the Ministry most of the time. Order members were constantly in and out reporting on the war. Order meetings were off an on, but the younger ones weren't allowed in.
There was one more day before everyone had to return to Hogwarts. Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, and Narcissa went to Diagon Alley for everyone's supplies. The returning students were running around the house in a flurry of motion.
Snape sat in the drawing room and listened to the running and yelling through the house. It was a race to find what was missing and pack. He couldn't get a moment of peace. Once one person ran in and left, another came right in. He was getting irritated. Getting up he exited the drawing room.
His room was probably the best place he could read and take notes on the text. Keeping his nose in the book was his first mistake. He was about to turn to go up the stairs when someone turned right sharply and collided with him. His second mistake was to grab the person. With a thump, he was lying in a tangled heap on the floor.
'Bloody hell', he thought to himself. Hermione laid, pinning him to the ground, with her hands on his upper arms, a knee between his legs, and the other on one side of his thighs so that she was straddling it.
The movement in the house stopped. Four sets of eyes were staring aghast to what they saw. Draco started to smirk, Harry looked appalled, Ginny was trying not to laugh, and Ron looked like he wanted to kill someone. Growling, Snape pushed her off of him.
"Throwing yourself back into my arms again I see, Miss Granger."
Hermione rolled onto her side. Disgruntled she got onto her knees and brushed herself off. Her hair was a disheveled mess.
"I did not throw myself into your arms, nor did I do it the first time. If you would ever watch where you are going, we wouldn't be having these problems. The last thing I want is your arms around me!" Hermione cried out.
Standing up he towered over her, leaning down to help her up he whispered lightly into her ear, "Are you sure? Because that's not quite how I remember it."
Blushing a deep red, she stepped back. Snape gave a satisfied smirk and made his way up the stairs. He didn't know what possessed him to say that to her, but he knew he wanted to see her blush again.
Downstairs everyone was still staring. Clearing her throat she threw her hair back and brushed her knees off. "Well?" she asked.
"Throwing yourself into his arms, Hermione?!" Ron asked irritably.
"I did not throw myself in his arms, nor will I ever. Don't be stupid, Ronald." she shot back.
She huffed and straightened her clothes and started down the hall. Ron's voice stopped her cold.
"I don't know what's happening with you Hermione. One minute you're on our side. Next you're accepting anyone who pretends to be good."
Swirling around she marched over at to Ron and slapped him across the face. "Don't you dare ever question my loyalties again!" She screamed. "Don't you ever imply to me that I might be with the bad side. And above all, don't you ever talk to me like that again!" She blinked back the tears and headed down to the kitchen.
Snape appeared at the top of the stairs and watched the whole scene. Leave it to the Weasley boy to make things worse.
...
The next morning everyone woke up early. Dressed in Hogwarts' uniforms, they all drifted down to breakfast one by one. Hermione was the first in the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was running back and forth preparing breakfast while making sure everything was all set to go to Platform 9 ¾.
"Is there anything I could do for you, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked from the table.
"Oh, no, dear. You just sit there and wait for breakfast to get done." Mrs. Weasley smiled brightly at her.
Draco was the next one to drift on into the kitchen. He was wearing his Slytherin uniform with the Head Boy pin, that matched Hermione's Head Girl. She smiled at him, he nodded. Apparently no one was used to an early morning.
By the time breakfast was on the table, Harry and Ron were trying not to fall asleep in their food. Ginny and Hermione sat across from them and giggled. Ron had dropped eggs in his hair. Thirty minutes later Snape and Lucius stood up. Murmuring their thanks to Mrs. Weasley the exited.
"Time to leave!" Mr. Weasley said standing up. Smiling around the table he left to go get his coat.
"Right you are, dear." Mrs. Weasley followed behind her husband.
Narcissa and Draco stood up to head out.
When Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were left alone, Harry spoke up.
"I can't wait for Hogwarts, even if it's just to get away from Lucius and Snape."
"Tell me about it, mate." Ron replied.
"They weren't all that bad, I thought." Ginny said, twirling a straw around in her orange juice.
Before anyone could reply to that, Mrs. Weasley came bustling into the kitchen. She began to shoo them all out into the entrance way to get their cloaks. Outside of Grimmauld Place, they apparated to the train station.
One by one everyone ran through to Platform 9 ¾. Scanning the crowd she spotted Draco and Narcissa, not too far away were the rest of his Slytherin friends. Neville and Luna were standing a few feet away handing luggage up.
Ron led them to put their luggage in. Saying their goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the boarded the train. Harry found them an empty compartment. After three hours on the train ride, Draco opened the compartment door and poked his head in.
"The Head Boy and Girl are needed with the Prefects." then he was gone.
"Where are your Prefect badges?" Hermione asked Harry, Ron, and Ginny.
Harry grinned. "Relax, we've got them."
"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked as she stood up, leading them up to the front of the train to the Head cabin.
Hours later they were stepping off of the train into the night. Hagrid was to the side calling out for first years. Waving to Hagrid, they kept moving forward. They rode up to the school and discussed who they thought the new Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration teachers might be.
Getting to the front hall and sorting out the students didn't take too much time. There were less students this year. Whether their parents didn't want to send them, or they didn't want to come was unknown. Headmistress McGonagall stood up.
"Welcome back, students, and welcome to those who are new. I would like to go over a few simple rules with you. Number one, no one is allowed off of Hogwarts property without an escort. Number two, do not go into the Forbidden Forest. Then, number three, if you think there is any odd behavior around the school, do not hesitate to tell a professor or myself." she gave a rare smile. "Now, I would like to present the three new teachers this year."
The hall started to buzz with excitement. Three new teachers. Everyone only expected two.
"Calm down!" McGonagall called out. "First, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher taught here a few years ago, please welcome back, Professor Remus Lupin." Remus came out from a side door and everyone clapped and cheered. "Second, to fill my position, our new Transfiguration teacher, welcome back, Professor Lucius Malfoy." The hall started to buzz again with the Slytherin table going crazy with cheers. "And our last position to fill, is for our Potion's Master. Professor Slughorn left us at the last moment. Please welcome back, Professor Severus Snape."
Everyone stared aghast as Snape's tall lithe form came out of the same door that Lucius and Remus used. Again, the Slytherin table roared with applause. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were unsure how to react, with the Gryffindor table furious.
"For my last announcement, since I am now Headmistress, Gryffindor needs a new Head of House." Pausing for a moment, she looked over to the Gryffindor table. "I would like to name, Lucius Malfoy, Head of Gryffindor!"
The hallway fell into a shocked silence. Then half of the students at the Gryffindor table stood up in protest. Lucius Malfoy looked disgusted.
"Headmistress, if I may suggest, a…more suited person, like Remus, to be Head of House?" Lucius said desperately.
"Gryffindors, sit down!" McGonagall demanded. Turning to Lucius she said, "I can't think of anyone more capable than yourself. Remus turned down the position. He can't be around all the time."
"I must agree, Headmistress. Lucius does make…the perfect Gryffindor." Snape smirked.
"What of Severus? He could be Gryffindor Head of House, he after all, was Slytherin Head of House." Lucius made a futile attempt to get out of the position.
Reclining back in his seat, Snape laughed. "I am Head of Slytherin again this year, my dear friend."
The look of horror that crossed Lucius's face was comical. "Gryffindor." he muttered in disgust.
The feast was great for anyone that wasn't a Gryffindor. Everyone at the table was fuming, except maybe the first years who didn't quite understand yet.
"Is McGonagall mental this year or what?" Ron asked.
"She is sentencing all Gryffindors to a year of hell with two Slytherins as professors. Then one as Head of the House no less!" Harry grumbled.
"Maybe things won't be that bad…" Hermione trailed off as any Gryffindor that heard her remark was now glaring at her. "It was just a thought."
"A bloody stupid one!" Ron exclaimed.
At the end of dinner the Prefects led the first years to the common rooms. Tomorrow would be the first day of classes.
So! Lucius Malfoy Head of Gryffindor. Some people might not agree to that. But me and my friend happen to think that it would be quite amusing. Especially as a tyrant. Enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think.