Severus forced his eyes open, ignoring the flashes of pain and overwhelming dizziness that came as a result. He blinked rapidly, clearing his vision, then took a deep breath as the room around him finally stilled.

Planting his elbows into the mattress beneath him, he slowly pushed himself up, adjusting so that he could rest his shoulders against the headboard. A weight on the blankets brought his attention to his side and the sleeping form of Hermione. She was tucked into him, her head burrowed into the hollow of his hip, and Severus noticed with a slight smile that her hand gripping his tightly even in her slumber.

He grimaced and brought his free hand over his abdomen to rest it on her head, twirling a strand of hair around one long finger. He trailed his hand down the side of her cheek and he cleared his throat.

"Hermione."

She stirred. Severus felt her cheeks move as she yawned. She turned herself slightly and glanced up at him.

Hermione's eyes suddenly widened and she jumped up, the chair she'd been half sitting in skidding backwards and into the privacy curtain that was pulled around the bed.

"Severus?!"

"Shh, Hermione. I'm alright."

"Oh my god," Her face tightened, brows drawing together as she fought her emotional response, and Severus sighed.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, squeezing her hand. "I'm so, genuinely sorry."

Tears started welling in Hermione's eyes despite her struggle to keep herself stoic, and Severus pulled her into him. She resisted.

"You're... You're hurt." She looked down at him, clothed in a white hospital gown, pale and beaten.

"Just... come to me, Hermione."

He enveloped her, bringing her to lie on top of his chest. He held her just far enough away that he could look into her eyes, taking in every inch of her face, and he met her lips every so slightly, just a brush of a kiss.

"I thought you were dead." He felt her words more than he heard them, the movement of her lips against his, and he grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her roughly into him. He buried his nose into her neck, and she wrapped her arms around his, gripping him so tightly he struggled momentarily to find his breath.

"I'm right here, Hermione."

"What happened?" She cried, the tears flowing freely as she sobbed into his shoulder, her body shaking beneath his broad hands.

He didn't respond, couldn't find the words to explain it to her. Oh, god. He had sentenced her to the worst sort of suffering and pain. He'd made her a servant of the Dark Lord, a double agent, just as he was. Merlin fuck.

He pushed her away abruptly, gripping her shoulders and holding her back. Her mouth dropped slightly in a mix of confusion and horror. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Madam -!"

"No..." Severus cut her off, turning his head away. He couldn't look at her. "Hermione. You need to leave. I must speak to Albus."

"What?" She froze, searching his face in a desperate attempt to understand. "Look at me Severus." Her voice broke, and Severus closed his eyes.

"I've done something, Hermione."

"Just, just tell me!" She spoke in a desperate rush, breathing rapidly. "Don't keep me in the dark... We've been through this!"

"Hermione."

"No. I won't leave. I won't do it Severus!" Hermione practically screamed. Severus fumbled for his wand which was lying on the stand beside his bed, casting a quick "Muffliato!"

"Hush! You'll wake the whole ward! This isn't up for debate. It's imperative that I speak to Albus."

"You almost died! You were tortured for who knows how long, hours, at least! You didn't come back! So I waited for you by the gates, and then, and then someone just came and I thought you were dead, Severus! Do you understand what that was like? You were bloodied and cursed to oblivion and twitching and hardly breathing and I... I don't know what I'd do without you, Severus..." She went from angry, practically spitting her words, to sagging into him, crying and broken.

"I know." Images of Hermione flashed through his mind; her bleeding on the floor after Harry's curse, Minerva and Filius standing back in defeat, watching her die after he'd attacked her... He had been so afraid for her then, so painfully aware of how much he'd come to need her. And now, Severus had put her in the same position. Would he ever stop hurting her?

There was a moment of silence as Hermione gathered herself, wiped the tears from her face furiously, and said, "So you better start talking, because I deserve to know exactly what happened."

"Of course." Sighing, Severus began speaking, voice quiet and resigned. "I fucked up, Hermione. The Dark Lord knows you've been with me. He knows that I reversed the curse." Severus strained to say the words, could hardly even think them in his mind.

Hermione could hear the self-blame in Severus's voice, and her heart tightened painfully in her chest. "Oh, Severus. That's not your fault."

"I'm not finished. The Dark Lord required an explanation."

Hermione watched as Severus paused, eyes locked with hers, and from where her fingers were pressed into his wrist she could feel his pulse quicken.

"Severus?"

With a flat drone drained of all emotion, Severus spoke. "I assured the Dark Lord that you were changing allegiance." He didn't seem to be breathing.

"You mean?" Her mind stilled, arriving at the single conclusion of Severus's words.

"Yes."

"Oh God."

"Hermione -" She could see it in his face. His determination to set it right, to free her from this obligation, to take all the blame while pushing her away to keep her safe. Seeing his face, she didn't have a second thought.

"I'll do it." She spoke without doubt or hesitation, and she lowered herself back down on top of Severus, feeling his heat and the rise and fall of his chest beneath her, the steady, rhythmic warmth of his breath on her neck. "Just don't think about it now, please. You need to rest."

He stiffened. "We'll find another way. I cannot permit you to pursue this. It's suicide. It's... I could never submit you to the life I have, Hermione. It's Hell of the worst sort. You're already doing enough, being there for Potter."

"I need to do this."

"No. You do not."

"We're in a war! I'll do whatever is required, Severus."

"Hermione." He growled, sliding out from beneath Hermione to rise from the bed. He turned towards her, planting his hands onto the mattress so that he could lean down, mouth inches from hers. "Do you know what this means?" Was that pain in his voice? "You'll have to lie to your friends, you'll have to protect secrets with your life. You'll torture and kill in cold blood, and have to pretend, convincingly, that you enjoy it. You'll be cursed and abused, and of course, manipulated by both sides. You'll have to sacrifice everything! Your family will be put in danger. It will be impossible to protect them. People will have their suspicions, both the Death Eaters and your closest friends, about your loyalties." He had shifted into his harshest voice, deep and intimidating. Goosebumps rose on Hermione's arms. She could still hear the fear, could even see it despite his Occluded eyes.

"I can do it."

"No, Hermione! You can't!" Severus straightened, a furious mix between agitated and exasperated, and turned away from her, bringing a hand up to run it through his hair.

"Yes, she can. And she will."

Albus parted the privacy curtain with a flick of his wrist. Hermione jumped up with a start, and Severus whipped around, snarling.

"How long have you been listening?"

"Long enough. You didn't notice I'd canceled your Muffliato? I'm disappointed, Severus."

"All due respect, but he was a bit pre-occupied, Professor." Hermione huffed, immediately irritated.

"Hum, yes." Dumbledore waved his hand absently. "We've had quite the night, Severus?"

"You bastard."

"Now, now. Watch your language."

"This is your fault just as well as mine, if not more so. She's been condemned, Albus!"

"Hardly. This is an opportunity."

"Of course -" Severus grimaced, balling one hand into a fist while rolling his wand dangerously in the other, "- you would see it that way."

"Well, it is. So let's figure it out, shall we?"

"There's nothing to figure out. She won't do it. I won't let her."

"Well lucky for us, it's not up to you, Severus. You don't have to let her."

"You -"

"Stop! Alright? I'm right here! I'm going to do it, and not because you want me to, Professor. Because it's necessary. And I'm sorry Severus, I... I really am...But I'm at no more risk than I was before. I'm a target already, I'm Harry's best friend! At least now, I'm a tool for Vol- the Dark Lord... Maybe that will be better."

"She can't be the key, Albus. There's got to be another way."

"I'm sorry Severus, but she is. She is the key." Dumbledore's voice softened just enough that Severus paused, taken aback by the show of emotion. It did not change the heat in his face, however, nor the venom in his tone as he spat his response,

"So what is your plan, then, Albus? What is your glorious, erudite, impeccable plan? Do enlighten me."

"That is always my goal, Severus." Before Severus could come back with a debilitating remark, Dumbledore continued, turning his attention to Hermione. "Thank you for offering your cooperation, Miss Granger. It is greatly appreciated."

"There wasn't much of a choice, Professor." Hermione replied coldly, meeting her Headmaster's gaze squarely. He raised an eyebrow in amusement as he briefly glanced at Severus, who looked ready to murder, then clasped his hands in front of him and looked back at Hermione.

"Regardless." He smiled slightly. "Now, Severus has told you all the possible dangers, of course, and the cost of carrying this out."

"Hardly. There is no way to orally capture the extent of the detriment and anguish this will -"

"What you've told her will suffice, Severus." Albus said loudly. "Now, Hermione. How are your Occlumency skills?"