Author's Note: Wow, it's been entirely too long since the last update, please forgive me ^.^; There has been sooo much going on: college, boyfriends, breakups, depression, friends who've hurt themselves on purpose, sick family members. Gah! Anyway, I've decided to put up two chapters this time and I've got the next chapters in the works.
Disclaimer: I WISH I owned HP, but sadly, I don't. It's probably better that way.
~*~Chapter 5~*~
"Yes, Miss Granger, this means that Voldemort will indeed have an unexpected connection to Harry through whatever contact you and Severus have. However, I do not believe there is any imminent danger; Severus is a highly skilled Occlumens."
Snape, who had been silent since finding out that he and Hermione had shared a dream, now looked up at Dumbledore, surprised. "Albus, you are speaking as if Granger and I were Brombleby and Grant. We are not in a relationship, nor do I intend on beginning a relationship with her."
Hermione looked over at Snape. She definitely agreed with him and said so. "Besides, V-Voldemort can't have a connection to Harry if Professor Snape and I don't have anything to do with each other, right? So why can't we just let it be?"
During the silence, Snape stood up and began pacing in front of Fawke's perch. The phoenix crooned softly and immediately the tension cleared a bit and Hermione breathed a little easier. Snape paused in front of Fawkes and stared thoughtfully at the bird a moment before he broke the silence.
"Because, Miss Granger, like it or no, to the rest of the school, we are in a relationship," He turned and, leaning on the mantle of the fireplace, drew on the warm of the fire in order to continue speaking. "Teachers and students will have heard of your stunt by now and will be drawing their own conclusions and I am sure there are several in my house that have already sent word to their Death Eater parents that one of Harry Potter's best friends kissed an agent of the Dark Lord."
"But that's easy to fix Severus," McGonagall did not seem to be comfortable with the thought of her prize student in this situation, "Miss Granger will tell everyone the truth about why she…er…did what she did."
"That will not stop the rumours, Minerva." Dumbledore said, "I am sure Voldemort already knows and is thinking of a way to use this against us right now."
Silence fell for a moment and Hermione was terrified. What would Voldemort do and what could the Order do about it?
"What will the Order do, Albus?" Snape was still facing the fire, but Hermione could see that he had been paying close attention. She looked closer and could see that he looked absolutely weary as though living two lives was finally taking its toll. She knew that whatever the Order did would put him in jeopardy of being discovered as a spy for them.
"The Order will do nothing, Severus." Dumbledore held up a hand as everyone tried to speak their disbelief. "What happens next is up to you and Miss Granger. The two of you need to talk it over, so may I suggest that Miss Granger's detention start immediately following this meeting? Oh, and I do not think Harry should know about anything we have discussed concerning him. At least, let us formulate a plan first." Dumbledore looked around at Hermione and her two professors, his eyes twinkling as he looked between Hermione and Snape.
McGonagall sighed and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder a moment before walking past Snape into the fire to her office.
"Your detention will begin in ten minutes, Granger, in the Potions classroom," Snape said just before he too tossed a handful of Floo Powder into the fire and walked into it, leaving Hermione with the Headmaster.
"What should I do, Professor?"
"You and Severus need to talk it over and do what you two believe is in the best interests of everyone involved. I trust that you will come up with a plan that the Order can use. This is not all bad, Miss Granger. If Voldemort has a connection to Harry, so too do we have a connection to Voldemort."
Hermione sighed and left. What am I going to do? What can I do to keep Voldemort from getting to Harry? What am I going to do about Snape?
"Hermione!" Ginny and Harry had been waiting next to the gargoyle for her and she had walked right by them, deep in thought. She stopped and waited for them to catch up, but didn't say anything. They walked in silence until they reached the dungeon corridor and Hermione finally spoke.
"I have detention in three minutes." She said, looking at her friends. "Please, don't say a word to anyone about why I kissed Snape. I'll deal with it later, ok?"
"What about Ron," Ginny asked. Hermione paused and took a breath.
"I'll deal with it later." She repeated.
Harry and Ginny looked at each other and shrugged. Hermione headed down the corridor tot the Potions classroom. When she got to the room, Snape wasn't there, so she sat down at a table to wait for him, figuring that he was in his office. While she waited, Hermione thought. What could they do to keep Voldemort away from Harry or get information from him?
Several scenarios ran through her head, none of them pleasant. They could go along with rumour and pretend to be in a relationship, and then feed false information to Voldemort. Or they could say that Hermione had been under the Imperius Curse, but who would want to control her like that?
They could just tell the truth, but rumours would still fly and any Hogwarts student would be more apt to believe the rumour over the truth.
Hermione groaned and lay her head down on her arms. 'What are we going to do?'
"That will not help the situation." Snape closed his office door behind him and sat down at his desk. "And you are correct, even if we told the truth, we would likely not be believed."
Hermione raised her head and stared at him. How had he…?
"Were you not aware that you were speaking aloud, Granger? That would certainly explain why you always speak out in class." Snape sneered at her.
"No, I was not aware of that, Professor, but since you brought it up, what are we going to do?" Needing something to do, Hermione stood and went to the supply shelf, meaning to put it back into order after a day's worth of students' mess.
"I think it would be best to wait until we know for certain that the Dark Lord has heard of your stunt. And sit down! The supply shelf will wait."
Snape was silent for a moment, but when Hermione turned to repeat the question, he held his hand up for her to be silent. He had lifted his left sleeve and his Dark Mark was burning red.
"Professor…?
"Stay here, Granger, do not leave, do you understand me?" She nodded and looked up at him. She wasn't surprised by the weariness, but was by the fear. But then of course he would be afraid to meet with his master. He didn't know what would come of it. Hermione nodded again as he moved toward his office door and the fireplace.
"Be careful…"
~*~Snape~*~
The Dark Lord knew. How he had gotten the information so quickly, Severus had no idea, but he knew that what was coming would not be pleasant. As he Flooed to the safe point and Apparated to Malfoy's mansion, he wracked his brain for an explanation that would satisfy the Dark Lord. Nothing.
"Ah, S-sseverusss. There you are. I have heard an interessting rumour conccerning you and one of Potter'sss friends. Care to explain?" The Dark Lord sat in front of Malfoy's fireplace, Nagini at his feet. He never turned to face Severus, but the Potions Master could feel the curious anger coming from the overstuffed armchair. A thin, pale arm motioned for Severus to come closer, so he did.
"Well, S-sseveruss?"
"My lord, forgive me, but may I ask what you have heard?" That's it, try to stall, think of something, Severus thought, all the while trying to keep these thoughts buried so that the Dark Lord would not see. A hiss sounded from the chair next to him and Nagini untwisted herself to slither around so that her eyes were on a level with Severus' and he refrained from taking a step back.
"I have heard, from reliable sssourcess, that Potter's Mudblood friend, Granger, iss it? That sshe kisssed you. Isss thisss true?"
"Yes, my lord. That is true…"
"Excellent!"
"My lord?" Severus knew what Dark Lord would say next, but even as the words formed, he couldn't make his denial take sound.
"Yess, thiss iss usseful. Use thiss, S-severuss, use this to get insside information from the girl. Sshe will know what Potter intendss to do."
"Sire, how do I…"
Finally the creature in the chair turned toward him and Severus couldn't help a flinch. None of the Death Eaters could handle seeing what their Master had become. Red eyes glared at him and the snake in front of Severus hissed her anger.
"I do not care if you have to make the Mudblood think you love her, just DO IT!" With a wave of his Master's hand, Severus found himself outside of the mansion, staring at the gates. Damn, he thought, but at least I know what to do now. He Apparated to Hogsmeade, and then Flooed from the Hog's Head to his office. He steeled himself for the reaction he was sure to get from Granger and stepped into the classroom.