A/N: Sorry about the long time from the last post. Moving, new job, illness, all that jazz takes a toll on a soul. Anyways; enjoy! :)

Hermione landed shaky on her feet in front of what appeared to be the Malfoy manor. A walkway lined with tall topiary bushes led to a dark and ominous looking 3 story home that extended far in either direction. Her hand still in Jason's, she followed him inside. The hallways despite being dark and grey were spectacular, but Hermione was distracted by the fact that Jason was walking with confidence through this halls as if he had many times before.

Who was he? Everything Hermione was sure she knew was falling apart at the seams. Her last five years were a lie. All of the pain and guilt she has had to live with for all this time was now for nothing. Her fate was sealed. This was it for her.

She followed Jason through a set of large oak doors into an even larger open room. The ceilings were very high, extending the height of the house itself, windows lined each wall though covered in a red velvet that darkened the room. In the centre sat an extravagant throne, and atop that throne sat Hermione's worst nightmare.

The pale, snake like man, watched the couple approach him through his red slit eyes. Hermione could hear Severus and Lucius' whispered voices as they entered behind her and she felt comforted to know he was in the room for what she was about to face, but her attention was drawn quickly back to the terrible man in front of her as he began to speak. "Jason, you've finally returned."

Jason squeezed her hand before letting go and stepping forward. "No, I have not returned. As you very well know, I was brought here."

A sly smirk formed on Voldemort's face. "Yes, you have. We've been looking for you for a very long time Jason. I see you've been busy." He eyed Hermione with almost curiosity, and Jason grabbed her hand again and pulled her forward.

"This is my wife, Jane. Father, what do you want?" Hermione looked at Jason, her focus shifting between him and his... father. How could this man, her enemy, be the father of the love of her life? She really didn't know how to handle the situation. A few hours ago they were happy muggles. She didn't even know he was a wizard! A panic attack was rising inside of her. She fought this hard to not be found but here she was, in the middle of this mess. Only they didn't know who she was, or that she wasn't even...

"A muggle woman? My own son." Voldemort shook his head in disappointment, but the cruel look in his eyes sent a terrifying chill through Hermione's body. "Everybody out," Voldemort commanded. "Severus, show the muggle to her room while I speak to my boy."

"Yes, my lord." She heard his deep voice behind her and could feel his presence as he approached.

Jason turned to her and pulled her into his arms, "It's going to be okay Jane. I'm going to keep you safe." And as he gave her a lingering reassuring kiss, she swore she could feel daggers boring into the back of her head. With a last look at the boy, who hours before was the man of her dreams, she turned to follow the man of her past out of the room.

They walked through the halls silently. Both of them seemingly lost in thought, but Hermione was determined not to be the first to speak. What in the world was she going to say? Hey, how have you been the last few years? Have you thought of me? Because I haven't gone a day without thinking of you... On top of that, she was just lost beyond comparison. In the span of a few hours, who whole world was turned upside down. She had done everything to avoid her past life, but it seemed as though her past life came to her. She followed him silently into a large bedroom, and sat on the bed quietly looking around while he warded the room. The room was very large on the inside, deceiving it's size appearance from the hall. There were large bookshelves lining three walls, filled to their capacity with text. A king size bed against the back wall, made of only glass looking out over the mansion grounds. An en-suite bathroom was to the right of the bed, and there were two lounge chairs in the corner, made for reading. But her focus was mainly on the man in front of her. It wasn't until he was finished the simple incantations, silencing the room from any eavesdroppers, that he finally spoke, turning towards her and looking very angry.

"What are you doing here?" He spat, and she would have been more offended had she not detected the fear in his eyes.

Hermione had no idea how to reply. She didn't understand the situation, or how it all happened. "I don't know. I didn't plan for this."

The answer clearly wasn't good enough as he advanced on her. "How could you be so stupid? I told you to not come back."

"I didn't plan for this Severus! I didn't even know he was a wizard. Jason thinks I'm a muggle," he words hurt her, and tears threatened to appear. She stood up to approach him. In the last few years she had grew. Her height, her chest, and the changes she made to her appearance were more elegant, making her look older, but he still towered over her. His appearance had aged,. Stress and the never-ending war was taking it's toll on him. But he was still handsome, and Hermione's feelings of guilt and need were slowly resurfacing. She grabbed his hand, and though he didn't pull away, he still fixed his steely gaze upon her eyes.

"How did this happen?"

Hermione shook her head, "I have no idea. I met Jason five years ago, and we've been living as muggles in Manhattan ever since. I didn't know he was..." She trailed off, unsure how to finish.

They stared at each other for some time. Both holding back things they mutually wanted to say. "I never stopped thinking about you," she finally broke the silence, and he pulled her into his arms. She clung to him tight, trying to make up for their years apart in one embrace. "Jason is dangerous, Hermione. This situation is much bigger than you or I." He let her go and sat in the armchair in the corner. "They've been looking for you, and the others of the order. You're in a lot of danger here. It's only a matter of time before they realize who you are."

She thought for a moment. There was no going back. She was here now, with Severus, in the middle of this mess, but she wasn't about to leave him again. As long as they thought she was a muggle, she was safe. As long as they didn't know who she was, she had a chance at stopping Voldemort once and for all. Harry didn't have to have died in vain. "Then I guess we need to stop him before he does."

"No, you have to go back."

"I can't leave you again."

"You don't have a choice."

"Severus, I love you."

Just then, a low alarm went off, as the wards were being broken and the door was opened. Jason walked into the room looking frustrated and suspicious. "Severus, why all of the security?"

Severus stood, dominant and formal, "The other death eaters are not like you or I, Jason. I was just helping Jane try to make some sense of the situation. It is obviously a shock for her."

"Well thank you, I believe I have it from here," Jason nodded, clearly dismissing Severus. With a last glance at Hermione, he nodded curtly and exited the room.

As Jason approached her, Hermione stood and he led her by the hand to the bed where she sat. She wished Snape hadn't left. After realizing she really didn't know Jason at all, she felt her safer option would be to be with the one man she did. Only, at this point her mind was doubting how much she really knew anybody in her life. If she could be fooled for so long into thinking that Jason was a simple muggle, how much in her life had she been quick to assume.

"Jane, I am so sorry."