kA/N- I'm still having problems with reviews. I've been able to reply to some of you, but for those that haven't gotten a response from me in regards to your review, I apologize. Again. For the third chapter in a row. Ugh. I really do appreciate your feedback, y'all. Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing, they make me so happy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize. I haven't made any money off this story or any others. My bank account tells no lies.

Chapter 20

December 2, 1995

Hermione sighed as she twirled her quill in her fingers. She was trying her hardest to stay focused on the Herbology lesson at hand, but it was bloody difficult. Not only was it her least favorite subject aside from Divination, they were reviewing. She hated review classes.

Harry and Draco both seemed zoned out next to her, neither one of them enjoyed the subject either. In fact, now that she thought about it, the whole class seemed to be somewhere else rather than paying attention to their lesson. Neville seemed to be the only exception and she was certain that it was because it was a review lesson.

She and her two mates had been cleared by her father in the art of occlumency. She had been cleared in legilimency as well. While she was proud of all of them for this incredible feat, it was still tinged with a splash of bitterness after what had happened just the night before last.

Hermione knew better than anybody about wanting to keep things private, about wanting to keep things to herself. She had yet to share her last moments with her mother with anyone, and truthfully, she had no intentions of ever doing doing so. She understood completely just why her father had been so upset with her the last night of their lessons.

Honestly, she had tried to find a way out of his memories the second she realized that she had broken through his shields. She had only entered through a tiny pin hole and it was much more difficult to exit. Hermione had seen far more of her father's memories than she had ever wanted to, than he had ever wanted her to.

This being said, she couldn't take it back. She would if she could, but it just wasn't possible since the last thing she wanted was for someone to obliviate her. Honestly, nothing she saw in his memories was anything she hadn't already expected aside from the sexual encounters with Harry's mum. Draco had told her awhile back that her father had been abused as a child, much the same as Draco had. While she burned with questions about his relationship with Lily, she would respect his privacy and say nothing about what she had seen.

*Flashback*

Hermione felt terrible. She knew her father was angry with her, he hadn't met her eyes all day. She wanted to go beat on his door and tell him that she couldn't help what she had seen, she had simply done as he had bid her, but she didn't. If her father wanted space, that's what she would give him.

The Gryffindor picked at her dinner while the boys conversed with the twins and Neville. She wasn't entirely sure what they were discussing since she was obviously distracted, but she was happy that they were getting along with a couple lions. As if both boys knew that her thoughts had turned to them, they turned her way and rubbed her legs under the table. She gave them both a reassuring smile, urging them to continue their conversation with the twins.

Harry and Draco both had questioned her about what had happened the night before, but she had simply told them that she broke through his shields and saw things that she was sure their professor would never want anyone to see. Both looked curious, but had remained silent on the matter from then on. She was pulled from her thoughts by her father's silky tone.

"I need to speak with you alone, Miss Granger. There is a problem with your last essay." She nodded her head meekly, wanting to put on a show for the Gryffindor table. While she knew that the Slytherins and Umbridge wouldn't question her being pulled aside by Severus, it would look suspicious to the rest of the students and staff if she looked thrilled to be pulled away by the dreaded Professor Snape.

"Yes, sir." She gave a nod to both boys watching her with serious eyes. She could see that they were worried about just what her father was going to say to her. Hermione quickly gathered her things and turned so she could follow her father.

Hermione had assumed that he would lead her into an abandoned classroom like he had the last time, but instead he started leading them towards the dungeons. She followed silently and two steps behind him, just in case anyone important was watching.

Severus led her to his quarters and she was just a little surprised. Hermione hadn't expected him to want her anywhere near anything personal for quite awhile. He gestured for her to take a seat on the couch before the fire and he settled next to her. She remained silent while she allowed him to gather his thoughts. After several minutes, she couldn't take the silence anymore.

"I'm so sorry, Dad, I tried to get out, but I squeezed in through a pinhole, it was so hard to find it again to leave. Please forgive me."

Her father didn't say anything, but rather opened his arms. She understood instantly and launched herself into his chest. His arms wrapped around her and she buried her face in his frock coat. They stayed like that for several minutes before Severus pulled her away from his chest to cup her face in his hands.

"I am not angry with you, I'm so bloody proud of how far you've come I want to shout it to the world. I'm more embarrassed that you saw things that I never wanted anyone to view. Nobody has broken into my mind since you were born. To suddenly realize that my mind isn't impenetrable is very unnerving." Hermione blinked owlishly for a moment before she realized what he was saying.

"Dad, I would never invade your mind, I swear." He chuckled softly before leaning forward to kiss her forehead.

"I know, sweet. You're very noble." He sobered and lowered his hands from her face.

"Do you have any questions about what you saw?" Hermione wanted to know about Lily, but she didn't want her father to feel like he had to talk. The memory was locked away for a reason. Instead of asking, she shook her head. He narrowed his eyes at her.

"You may be amazing at mind magic, but you're a still a shite liar. Just ask." Hermione snorted. She wanted to point out that if she could fool her grandfather, she obviously wasn't shite at lying, but decided to keep that comment to herself. She asked tentatively about Lily.

"Did you and Lily date?" He sighed and leaned back into the couch cushions. She watched as he raked his hand through his hair, a nervous habit that she noticed he was displaying in front of her more often. She hoped that it was because he was growing more comfortable with her.

"We dated in our fifth year at Hogwarts. We lost our virginity to each other and it was one of the happiest times of my life. I ruined the friendship and the relationship when her merry band of Marauders humiliated me in front of the whole school. She tried to defend me, but the last thing I wanted was for a woman to have to fight my battles. She wouldn't have stopped though, so I did one of the things I regret most in life. I called her a mudblood." Severus paused and Hermione waited patiently this time for him to continue. When he did, he sounded defeated and Hermione didn't like it.

"I apologized more times than I could count. I wouldn't leave the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, I slept in the corridors trying to get her just to listen to me. She never did. She moved on to several other boys before she started dating Potter in our seventh year. The rest is history." Hermione couldn't believe how cold and callous Harry's mum had been. Her tone was probably a little disrespectful, but she didn't care.

"She never forgave you? She never spoke to you again?" He narrowed his eyes slightly, but shook his head.

"No, she didn't speak to me until she discovered that I was spying for the Order. Shd had married Potter by then and she still didn't forgive me. I ruined the best thing in my life because of pride." Hermione tried not to take offense that he called Lily the best thing in his life. She should probably keep her mouth shut, but it just wasn't in her nature.

"How could she be so selfish? Not even speaking to you is something an eight year old would do, let alone not forgiving you for something you deeply regretted." Her father's eyes flashed and his voice lost the warmth it usually had when he spoke to her.

"You have no right to speak of her like that, you don't know the betrayal she felt by me calling her a racial slur. She had every right to not forgive me." His voice steadily got louder as he continued.

"You have no idea what it's like to ruin the best thing to ever happen to you because you were stupid. You've never had to find it in your heart to forgive someone that's supposed to love you because they called you the most terrible name imaginable." Hermione couldn't stay there any longer and listen to him. She stood and started for the door, but was stopped when a hand gripped her wrist.

"Don't you walk away from me, young lady. Just because you don't like what I'm saying doesn't mean you get to just walk out." Hermione flung his hand back at him, no longer interested in trying to leave the argument.

"You say I don't understand? I don't know how fucking hard it is to forgive? Maybe you should pull your head out of your arse and think about that statement. Draco called me a mudblood for years, wished me to die in the Chamber of Secrets, and when he apologized a single time, I accepted it and forgave him. You made me fucking cry my eyes out last year when Draco hexed me, you didn't even apologize and I forgave you. Harry turned on me third year over that stupid fucking broom, made comments about me being a teacher's pet and trying to mess up his life. He apologized and I forgave him. You let Albus fucking Dumbledore steal me from my mother and stick me with a random family and I fucking forgave you." By now she was yelling, and she couldn't help it. She was so angry.

"If that bitch couldn't forgive you, it's because she was selfish. I'm glad she moved on because you deserve better." His hand snaked out and caught her chin. While he wasn't squeezing her hard, she knew it was going to bruise. She had always bruised easily.

"Lily Evans was the best thing that happened to me in my whole miserable life. She wasn't selfish, she was a wonderful person." Hermione jerked her face out of his hands.

"You're entitled to your opinion of Lily Potter just as I am. However, you've said several times that she was the best thing in your life. Spend time with your dead saint then, I'm done." She could see the blind panic in his eyes as she headed for the door. When he said her name, it was soft and so full of emotion, Hermione instantly felt guilty.

"Hermione, please. Please don't leave it like this." She sighed and leaned her forehead on the door while she took a deep breath.

"I didn't want this to happen, that's why I tried to leave earlier. I was on the verge of being a complete bitch." She felt his hands on her shoulders and when she didn't shrug them off, he slid his arms around the front of her and hugged her from behind.

"I'm sorry, sweet, I lost my temper and I shouldn't have said any of those things to you. Please forgive me." She turned in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Only if you forgive me. I shouldn't have said most of those things." He laid his cheek on the top of her head.

"You're entitled to your opinion and you probably have the right more than anyone to say those things." He sighed deeply.

"She wasn't a terrible person, you're just a better one. She was a friend to me when I had nobody. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't let my mouth run away from me." Hermione had her own thoughts on the matter, but she remained quiet. His hand carded through her curls as he pulled her away from him so he could meet her gaze.

"You're my greatest achievement, Hermione. Not bedding Lily Evans, not being the son of the darkest wizard in history, but you. I would have given anything to keep you instead of let Albus take you." Hermione couldn't help the tears that pricked her eyes. She ruthlessly tamped them back, refusing to let them fall. The Gryffindor gave him a nod.

"I love you, Dad." He kissed her forehead again.

"I love you too, sweet."

*End of Flashback*

Harry nudged her and she was pleased to see that class was over. While she was thrilled with that aspect, this was one of the only times that she had ever spaced out during class to the degree that she missed it completely.

Both of her boys looked relieved to be done with Herbology. She gathered her things and let them lead her back into the castle so they could attend Charms. The air was cold and Hermione was reminded again that it was December. She wondered what she would be doing for the holidays.

Her thoughts were pulled away from the holidays by the warmth of the castle welcoming her inside. Both boys had an arm around her, Draco around her waist and Harry around her shoulders. The path to Charms was uneventful and Hermione hoped that they would learn something iinteresting enough to keep her attention.

They took their seats and waited patiently for Professor Flitwick. He wasn't usually late, which Hermione appreciated, and he didn't let them down that day. The half-goblin informed them that they would be learning how to intricately decorate their own tea cups, which sounded challenging to Hermione.

Professor Flitwick lectured for a half an hour before turning them loose to work on their tea cups. While Hermione found the work to be interesting, it didn't challenge her as she had originally thought that it would. Both Harry and Draco completed their tea cup as well, the three of them leaving with no homework.

They made their way to lunch, everyone chattering quietly in the corridors about the D.A. meeting that evening. Hermione was so proud of all the students that were learning with them. Many of the students had taken the first three classes to master the disarming spell, but since then they had moved steadily forward. Tonight they would be beginning stunning spells.

Lunch was a quiet affair and Hermione re-read her Ancient Runes chapter for the next day. She had wanted to discuss the note she had gotten that morning from her father with the boys in more detail, but that just wasn't possible to do in the Great Hall or in class. She had simply passedl the note asking the three of them to meet in the Headmaster's office at nine that evening down to the boys and let them read it before stuffing it in her bag to destroy later.

Hermione sighed when the bell rang. Defense Against the Dark Arts lie before them and she could admit that she was extremely unexcited. She hated the class and hated the teacher even more. Draco smirked her way and held out his hand for her, urging her to hurry with his eyes. Harry laid a hand on her lower back and let his hand slide under her jumper so he could stroke the skin of her back.

Hermione heaved one last sigh before she gritted her teeth and began to make her way to Defense class. She told herself that it wouldn't matter since the real defense class was later that evening. Screwing a smile in place, she let the boys lead her down the corridor to where the evil toad awaited.

-O-

Severus watched in disinterest as the third year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw class filed out of his classroom. If there was such a thing as calling in sick in this line of work, he would have done so today. While he felt completely fine, he wasn't focused on his tasks and that could prove to be fatal in his line of work.

The last class was now complete and he settled behind his desk. He really wanted a glass of firewhiskey, but didn't want to make drinking a habit. He had already gotten steaming drunk two nights before and he really didn't like to do that while at school.

Right now, it wasn't the fact that he had gotten wasted at school that was praying on his mind. It was the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about the argument he had had with his daughter. He had been so upset at her words that he didn't seem to realize his daughter had been shutting down before him.

When she had told him that she was done, that he could spend time with a dead woman rather than her, he had almost panicked. The Slytherin had just gotten her back and in no world could he dream of losing her again. He wanted to walk her down the aisle, he wanted to give the two idiots she was going to marry the "talk", he wanted to bounce his grandchildren on his knee.

Lily was dead, she was cold comfort to him now. He had realized many years ago that she would never choose him and that she had married his worst enemy. That didn't make his daughter's words any easier to take.

Hermione had told him that she was glad Lily had married James Potter because he deserved better. She had seen the things he had done, he knew he didn't deserve better. He deserved everything that had happened to him throughout his life if only because he ran off his one true friend.

Just when he had decided that Hermione had been wrong, he couldn't help but wonder what if? What if she was right and Lily was just being as selfish as Hermione insisted she was being? Should she have forgiven him? Merlin knew that he had apologized countless times, had cried himself to sleep more than once over the loss of her in his life. He had shown true remorse for his actions regarding Lily and she hadn't even seen fit to listen to his apologies.

Hermione did know what it felt like to be in Lily's shoes. Draco had called her a mudblood for years, he had very vocally tormented her for four years before he had pulled his head out of his arse and apologized. She had forgiven him after a single apology, just one. He wasn't sure how she could forgive and forget so easily, but it seemed to be a talent of hers.

Severus realized that he owed her an apology for the incident in the corridor the year before. He had known at the time that she was crying her eyes out when she left, but at the time he hadn't given a single fuck. Now that she brought it back to his attention, he felt terrible. He would apologize and vow never to hurt her like that again. Not that that vow would get him very far if he kept up in this fashion, but he would definitely vow to be better.

To be honest, his daughter confounded him. When he had asked her if she had any questions about his memories, he had been sure that she would bring up the rape, torture, and murder that he had committed and locked away in his mind. He had assumed she would ask after his childhood beatings, but no. Lily Potter had been the part of his life she hadn't understood. He didn't know how to feel about this.

Severus rubbed a hand down his face and stood so he could make his way to dinner in the Great Hall. He had decided to hide in the Room of Requirement during their meeting tonight so he could see their lessons in action. He wasn't sure why but their meetings fascinated him. While he wasn't a particularly huge fan of Harry Potter, Severus could admit that the boy was extremely gifted in defense. He couldn't wait to see how everyone did learning from a fifteen year old boy.

The Slytherin made his way down to the Great Hall and slid into his chair next to Minerva. He hoped against hope that someone would take the seat next to him, anyone but Umbridge. She simply would not desist in her seduction attempts on his person and it was growing increasingly difficult for him to not vomit in her lap every time she took the seat.

Thankfully, Pomona took the seat next to him and Severus would have kissed her in gratitude if he didn't think that she would assume there were feelings there. He ate his lunch happily, even though he was just a little nervous about what the meeting with Albus later that night held.

As soon as he had finished, Severus slipped away so he could be waiting outside the Room of Requirement when his daughter and her beau arrived to ready the room. He cast the disillusionment spell as soon as he left the Great Hall so nobody would see him anywhere close to the seventh floor. Not only did it mean the students wouldn't realize he was there, it would serve as plausible deniability if Umbridge should ask.

He didn't have to wait long. Hermione (he still wanted to call her Isabella so badly) and her boyfriends appeared merely ten minutes later and Draco paced the wall in front of the tapestry. When the door appeared, Severus stayed as close to the trio as possible so he could sneak in undetected.

Hermione instantly went to the bookcase at the end of room while the boys concentrated on moving the dummies around the room to wherever they had planned on putting them. Once everything was laid out how the boys wanted, they headed over to where Hermione was immersed in the book she had chosen from the shelf.

He watched in horror as Harry pulled her to her feet forcefully and took control of her mouth with his. She was clutching onto his robes, whimpering into his mouth when Draco stepped behind her. His godson's hands slid round the front of her, one cupping her breast and one cupping her mons. He was disgusted as he watched his daughter's hips thrust into his hand of their own accord. He should have known to expect something like this.

Before Severus closed his eyes, he watched his godson's hand disappear in his daughter's knickers while Potter lowered his head to her breast. Severus kept his eyes squeezed tightly shut for the duration of the moans, the cries to not stop, and the whimpers of pleasure.

When he opened his eyes, it was to see Harry and Draco both sucking on their fingers. Hermione was leaning back against Draco and appeared quite sleepy. Both boys had a look in their eyes that he didn't like, but he need not have worried. Hermione narrowed her eyes at them.

"Don't even think about taking this farther. I'm not ready and we have a class beginning in ten minutes. If neither one of you can handle waiting, you know I'll still be your friend if we break up." Both boys had horrified looks on their faces. Draco spoke first.

"Princess, I'll wait til you're thirty if that's what you want, just suck my cock as good as you usually do, and you won't hear a word from me." Harry nodded before capturing her lips with his.

"What he said. Merlin, you are good with your mouth." Severus wanted to puke on the floor in front of him, but he supposed that performing fellatio didn't result in the loss of her virginity or Merlin forbid, a pregnancy. It was a fair trade, especially if Hermione was amenable.

However, Hermione didn't get the chance to voice whether she was in agreement or not because the door swung open and a few Ravenclaws entered. Hermione instantly went forward to socialize with them while Draco and Harry stayed towards the front of the room. It fascinated him just how far Potter and his godson had come. They seemed to be genuine friends now. Severus decided to creep closer to them so he could listen in on their conversation. It surprised him that Harry was speaking.

"You don't think Dumbledore would hurt her, would he? I mean, I know she broke through Professor Snape's shields, but what will happen if she breaks through the Headmaster's? I know he's going to test us, he doesn't trust Professor Snape like he says he does. 'Mi doesn't see it because she doesn't want to and Professor thinks that the Headmaster is his best friend. I don't like the snarky bastard, but you know if he hurts, she'll hurt." Draco threw an arm around Harry's shoulders.

"Try not to think on it. Severus can take care of himself. If Dumbledore tests us, we'll be ready, Severus taught us well. Lets both vow to not let Hermione leave our side tonight unless it's with Severus. I don't trust Dumbledore anymore than you do, but I know Severus loves her and he would die before anything happened to her." Harry threw an arm around Draco and nodded.

"You're right. I hope I'm just being paranoid. But with Voldemort breathing down Hermione's throat and vowing to kill me if I don't follow Hermione and the Headmaster urging me that this is what needs done, I can't help but be a little skeptical." Both boys nodded and the conversation ended when they realized that almost everyone had arrived. Severus was thrilled to see that Theo was in attendance and he had an arm planted firmly around his sister's waist. Even though Theo wasn't his son, this made him immensely happy. He hadn't realized that she had built this level of relationship with her brother.

Harry didn't wait for everyone to quit talking. In fact, everyone looked pretty comfortable with each other, even with Draco and Theo. Severus was immensely surprised when Neville Longbottom seemed particularly friendly with both Slytherins.

Harry called their class to order and split them into pairs for the night. He had anticipated disastrous groupings, but he found that he was very wrong. Sure, Hermione paired the meek Hufflepuff Hannah Abbott, but by the end of the class, she had mastered stunning. Draco had paired Neville and had been on the mat by the end of the learning period. Instead of becoming angry, the Slytherin had complimented and encouraged his Gryffindor counterpart. Theo had been paired with one of the older Gryffindors, Katie Bell, if he remembered correctly, and he had been quick to help relieve her of her terrible stance.

Everyone was paired in such a way and they seemed to advance rather quickly. Severus watched as Harry adjusted the pairs once he could see who accomplished the spell and who hadn't. While he hated some of the pairs that existed, he couldn't hate the reason they were there.

By the end of the lesson, Severus was impressed with the level of success of the class. He could no longer tell himself that the class was a waste of time and effort because it was obvious that it wasn't. Everyone was learning, and at a much quicker rate than they ever had in class. It made him wish that the rest of his Slytherins could be trusted enough to join.

Students began to slip out of the Room of Requirement, everyone eager to make it back to their common rooms before they were caught doing magic that their Defense teacher didn't want them doing. While Severus didn't think that the other professors would kick up a fuss if they found out, it was wise to keep it a secret for as long as possible.

Severus was able to slip put of the Room with the last group of students before curfew. Curfew was at nine and that's when their meeting began, so he wanted to be well out of the way before he was closed into the Room by himself. Besides, it looked better for him if he was waiting in Albus' office for them when they arrived.

As he made his way through the corridors to Albus' office, Severus couldn't help but chuckle at what was to come. Albus had been warned, but he wasn't sure that he had heeded his warning. This should be interesting.

-O-

Hermione was happy. The D.A. class had been a success and Draco had stroked her to completion beforehand. She had been sure that they were pressuring her for more, but when they had spoke, it didn't seem like that was the case. Both boys seemed more than willing to wait until she was ready and she couldn't have been more pleased.

She, Harry, and Draco were strolling the corridors just a little before nine so they could make their way to the Headmaster's office. Both boys seemed positive that they would meet a proficiency test at the end of their journey, but she wasn't sure. Surely Dumbledore trusted her father enough to say when they were ready and when they weren't?

They made it to the statue of the griffin just before curfew. It didn't say much for when they would be leaving, but hopefully the evil toad wouldn't be patrolling by the time they left. Hermione hoped to learn Dumbledore's secret plan during this meeting.

The trio traversed the staircase up to the Headmaster's office, none of them announcing their arrival. She assumed that that was what the griffin served for, to alert the Headmaster of visitors and intruders alike.

They entered the room to find that Dumbledore and her father were already seated in front of the fire, both the arm chairs taken. That left the long couch that the trio was happy to use to their comfort. Professor Dumbledore gave them a smile as he began.

"Severus has informed me that the three of you have passed his classes in occlumency and in Hermione's case, legilimency. I find that the secret is big enough that I must test you myself before I can impart my knowledge to you." Hermione couldn't help but snort.

"So you don't trust my father. Even though he's been loyal for almost two decades, that doesn't matter when it comes to a big secret." Severus remained impassive, but both of her boys seemed incensed at her words. Dumbledore tried to passify her.

"It has nothing to do with whether I trust Severus or not. It has to do with protecting this secret to the grave. It has to do with making sure that we don't make a mistake and trust the wrong people." Hermione snorted in disbelief, but she kept her mouth shut. If he really wanted to keep the secret, all he had to do was swear everyone to secrecy by means of an Unbreakable Vow. Her father smirked at the Headmaster and swept his arm out in front of him.

"By all means, Albus, if you don't believe me, feel free to test them. They'll pass, I guarantee it." Hermione was surprised when Harry stood and shifted himself closer to the Headmaster.

"Test me." Even though Hermione hated to watch Dumbledore try to break his way into Harry's mind, she knew it had to be done.

She and Draco watched as Professor Dumbledore made eye contact with the third part of their trio and did his best to delve into his mind. Hermione could see just how much effort Harry was exerting to keep the Headmaster out; it was obvious that he was more powerful than Severus. Draco squeezed her hand when she began to worry how the rest of them would fare. The silence was broken ten minutes later by their aging Headmaster.

"Show me a false memory." Hermione could see that Harry was working as hard as he could to not only keep the Headmaster out of his mind, but to produce a completely believable lie at the same time. She could see the sweat beading on his forehead and for a moment Hermione was terrified that he would fail. What would Albus Dumbledore do to the Chosen One if he didn't pass his test? Hermione smirked to herself. Absolutely nothing was the answer.

Another ten minutes passed before Professor Dumbledore leaned back and broke contact with Hary's mind. Harry wasn't panting, but it was close. He returned to his seat next to Hermione and she raked her hand through his sweaty hair and gave him a look that asked if he was alright. The Headmaster broke the silence.

"Harry has passed. I implore you to keep working on your shields because they wouldn't withstand torture, but you shouldn't have to endure that if we do everything right. Just a suggestion." Hermione leaned over and gave him a sideways hug before Draco stood so he could shift closer to the Headmaster.

Professor Dumbledore didn't appear to like Draco, and it was evidenced in the way that he attempted to infiltrate his mind. She saw Draco's features tighten and she assumed that the Headmaster wasn't being gentle in the ravaging of his mind.

The pair faced off for over ten minutes before Dumbledore demanded that the Slytherin provide a false memory. It didn't appear to make things better between the pair since Draco seemed to be in pain the whole time. Hermione knew that if the person searching your mind wasn't gentle in their search, it could leave the person being ransacked in quite a bit of pain. When the pair finally broke eye contact, Draco rubbed his temples. Hermione was livid.

"I hope you're planning to apologize to my father and Draco. You didn't need to cause him pain, it's obvious he kept you out even with it." She could feel her magic bubbling just beneath the surface after seeing Draco in pain. Dumbledore held his hands out as if it would keep her anger in check.

"It's necessary, my dear. His background has taught him more details of the art then Harry has in his arsenal." Hermione flew to her feet and she could feel her magic swirling around her. Dumbledore appeared to be struggling to move under her onslaught of magic, but everyone else remained unaffected.

"Do I need to remind you what happened to Thorfinne Rowle and Thoros Nott?" Dumbledore blanched slightly as Hermione continued.

"Let me warn you now that if you cause my mates pain, you will be subjected to the same treatment as my grandfather's Death Eaters. If you think you can stop me, by all means, try me." Dumbledore raised his hands again.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, I won't ever use legilimency on Mr. Malfoy again. You have my word." She sat back down next to her two mates and they both began to rub her, Harry her thigh and Draco her shoulder. She gave the Headmaster a grin.

"They serve as my witnesses. If you perform unwanted legilimency on either of my mates again, I will kill you." Her father was smirking behind his hand and she found that she was struggling not to laugh at the Headmaster's reaction. He smoothed his robes and changed the subject.

"Shall we test yourself, Miss Granger? See if you deserve all the praise your father has given you?" Her anger instantly flared again, but she kept it under wraps. He wasn't threatening her mates and she refused to be a monster. She pulled away from Draco and Harry until she was seated directly across from the Headmaster. She smirked his way.

"If you're man enough to try, lets do this."

Hermione didn't even have to try to keep him out. She could feel him battering around in her brain, giving her the worst headache of her life. She had expected no less after she had taunted him. However, he found nothing but an endless barrage of facts. After what she assumed was ten minutes, she took pity on him and quit assaulting him with texts from first year, Shakespeare sonnets, and mathematical formulas. She let him see memories, but nothing that pertained to her time at Hogwarts.

The Headmaster swam around in her memories for almost an hour, trying to find a weaknees. She probably shouldn't have taunted him, as now this was a matter of pride for him, but it was a matter she pwould win. He finally broke the silence of the room.

"Show me a false memory." She decided to royally fuck with him just because he had doubted her father's judgement.

Her mind spun out the tiniest details of Dumbledore taking her aside at Grimmauld Place and shoving her into the bed, threatening her that if she didn't comply with his wishes that he would expell her from Hogwarts and keep her from her mates. He forced himself on her, his old wrinkly body pummeling away into her young, nubile one. He didn't last as long as she had hoped he would. He pulled out of her mind with a hiss. She smirked his way.

"What do you think? Do you think the Wizengamot would believe it?" The Headmaster paled, but was truthful in the nodding of his head.

"That was very convincing. Severus, I find I owe you an apology. She's quite talented when it comes to occlumency." Severus snorted.

"You haven't tested her legilimency yet. You said you were going to. May I implore you to shore up your best barrier a hundred times over?" Dumbledore sighed and readied himself as Hermione fought to laugh. She shouldn't get such pleasure from these events, but he had hurt Draco on purpose. Nobody got away with that. The aging wizard gave her a hard look and a resolute nod before she plunged into his mind.

While Severus' mind had been a fortress, Dumbledore's was an island. More shields and barriers were in place than she had ever seen. This, however, just served as a challenge. She set to work on the first set of shields she came across, then the next. The process was slow, but she wasn't really hurrying. Sure, she could have broken through his barriers with sheer force, but it could have damaged his mind.

Therefore, she took her time as she ransacked his mind. One by one, the shields fell to the wayside. She couldn't judge just how much time had passed, but it had been a fair amount. Hermione had barely broken a sweat, however. When she finally broke through the last barrier keeping her from his most private memories, images flooded her mind, completely horrifying her.

Hermione watched as the love affair between Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald played out, their trysts graphic and numerous. The epic argument between the two lovers and what appeared to be Dumbledore's brother, leading to the death of the Dumbledore brother's little sister. The numerous bribes that he had instigated to get his position as Headmaster.

Hermione boiled inside at the memory of how he had secured Severus' loyalty, the use of the Imperious Curse and the Unbreakable Vow. Severus could never have betrayed Dumbledore even if he wanted to. She watched Sirius be thrown into Azkaban even though Dumbledore knew that the secret keeper had been changed. Dumbledore stopping in at the Dursleys and seeing how they treated Harry, but leaving him there anyways.

The memories flew past her consciousness, and she could feel the panic he felt at her viewing his most private memories. When she felt that she had viewed them all, she ejected herself from his mind. She was panting from her efforts, and he had a stricken look on his face. Without a second thought, her hand snaked out and slapped the older man in the face. His face recoiled and her tiny handprint stood out on his cheek.

"Release him now." The Headmaster was trying to catch his breath.

"I can't. I need a spy for the Order." Her hand reached out and slapped him again.

"Release him this very moment or I will go to the Wizengamot first thing in the morning with that fake memory." The other three people in the room looked on in confusion. Dumbledore turned to Severus and produced his wand. With a quick wave, the Vow was dissolved. Severus breathed in deeply, able to draw a deep breath in for who knew how many years. Hermione turned back to their Headmaster.

"I'll keep everything I saw to myself if you agree to a few conditions. You contact the Wizengamot and tell the truth about Sirius. I don't care what you have to tell them, but you get his name cleared. Harry never returns to his relative's house. When this war is over, you step down as Headmaster. If you refuse to comply with any of these terms, I will take my memory of these events and have you locked away for the rest of your miserable life."

Dumbledore met her gaze and seemed to be judging just how serious she was. Their stare down lasted several minutes before Dumbledore nodded his head and sighed.

"As you wish, Miss Granger. I know my apologies mean nothing now, but I do regret the choices I've made." She snorted in obvious disbelief.

"Save it. I don't give a fuck what you have to say for yourself. Do what I told you and the public won't know your dark and dirty secrets." Severus held his hand up.

"I want to know what the fuck is going on." Hermione turned and met the gazes of the other three people in the room.

"He used the Imperious Curse on you, Dad. That's why you agreed to an Unbreakable Vow. He knew that Peter Pettigrew was the secret keeper instead of Sirius and he let him go to prison anyways. He came to visit you, Harry, he knew that your relatives abused you. There's more, but I'll keep that to myself unless he doesn't follow through on his end of the bargain." All three men turned disbelieving eyes towards the Headmaster. When Severus spoke, his voice was hard and cold as ice.

"You will have nothing to do with any of these children. You will not speak to Hermione or Draco unless it directly affects their mission with the Dark Lord. You will relinquish custody of Hermione to myself and custody of Potter to Black. I'm sure he'll agree with the same rules when he discovers why he spent twelve years in Azkaban. Now, I suggest you begin your tale about the Dark Lord or we're going to leave and formulate our own plan." The wizened wizard sighed and folded his hand beneath his chin.

"Lord Voldemort was once known as Tom Riddle. He had been born in an orphanage and his mother died in childbirth. Before she passed, she named him Tom Marvolo Riddle." Hermione and the three men in the room listened quietly to the Headmaster's tale, enumerating how the small boy knew from a very young age that there was something special about him.

The Headmaster told them of Tom Riddle's life, at least until the end of Hogwarts. While she wasn't sure how it was important, she simply knew that it was. These were the details of his life that he didn't want the others that followed him to know.

"There are anchors that you can leave, tying you to this world. They're made by ripping your soul in two and housing it in an object that you can access later. They're called horcruxes." Dumbledore paused for effect. Hermione decided to speak.

"My grandfather made a horcrux?" Dumbledore nodded, then dropped the bomb.

"He split his soul into seven pieces." Severus had his eyes on the Headmaster's face.

"Six horcruxes. Merlin help us." Dumbledore nodded.

"One of them has already been destroyed." He turned to look in Harry's direction.

"The diary you destroyed in the Chamber of Secrets held a piece of Voldemort's soul." Harry raked a hand through his hair.

"That thing put up quite the fight. Can we expect that from all of them?" Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes. I don't have the location of all of them at this time, but I think I know where one of them is. Tom was obsessed with the founders while he was here and I think he started collecting items the founder's had. I would like all of us to go find the possible horcrux over Christmas holidays." Hermione was quick to nod her agrelement.

"That should be fine. I'm not sure what any of us are doing for the holidays, but we can figure it all out before we leave." Harry and Draco were both nodding, but Severus seemed leery.

"Can't you and I handle this, Albus? They are children and shouldn't be forced into such activities." While Hermione knew that his heart was in the right place, that he was just looking out for all their welfare, she couldn't allow that to happen.

"Dad, I know you want to keep us safe, but we have to do this. Grandfather marked Harry as his equal and if we don't get rid of him forever, we'll be forced to live this charade for the rest of our lives." The Headmaster gave a grave nod.

"She's correct, Severus. You should listen to your daughter." Hermione turned cold eyes towards one of her former heroes.

"Stay out of this. It's a family matter." Hermione turned back to her father who met her gaze for several seconds before nodding.

"Alright, but there will be firm rules in place and the three of you will adhere to them." Hermione was quick to nod her agreement as were both boys.

The planning phase seemed to take a mind of it's own between the trio and Severus. Albus was left out of the discussion, which Hermione preferred, but couldn't do anything about. As much as she loathed him and his methods, she knew that they couldn't complete this mission without working together. Therefore, Hermione vowed to bite her tongue and do what needed to be done, but once this war was over, that wouldn't hold. If Dumbledore didn't abide by every demand she set forth, she would enjoy exposing him to the world at large.

Suddenly, Hermione understood why the sorting hat had wanted to place her in Slytherin.

It was nearly midnight when they boys pulled her to her feet in the Headmaster's office and made excuses for them. She was exhausted and she was sure that they knew it. She felt like a zombie as they wove their way through the corridors, making mental plans as they traveled.

They reached the Room of Requirement and it had been quick to grant Harry's wish for a bedroom. Hermione wasted no time in stripping her clothing, suddenly thankful that they had gotten their "fun" put of their way beforehand.

Hermione relaxed into the pillow behind her and waited patiently while her two mates joined her beneath the covers. While the both flashed her impish grins, she did her best to keep a smile of her own face lest it encourage them.

Draco pulled her into his chest and Harry snuggled into her back, arm thrown over her waist possessively. Both boys pressed a kiss to head, and it seemed like no time had passed before Hermione felt her eyes drift closed and sleep haul her under.

A/N- Boom, another chapter down. I felt decidedly evil making Severus listen to their "special time" together, but I thought he deserved a little payback for sneaking around. I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Leave me your thoughts, I love them so!

Next chapter, last day of classes before the holidays and solidying the plans for hunting the horcrux.

Love,

Alicia