A/N: I know, I know… I should be working on everything else that is stalled, paused or halted due to what I assumed was writer's block but I've managed this so maybe it's something else. I'm not exactly bored with my other stories but slightly indecisive as to how to move forward and there is nothing more scary than a blank screen.

Now, this little plot viper (my vipers eat bunnies for breakfast – I'm a Slytherin) was once again originally intended as a one shot but my desperate obsession with chapters, back story and details has taken over again and so while I intend to keep this relatively short (hopefully), I do need to write the journal of correspondence for throughout Deathly Hallows and then write my big dramatic ending and maybe an epilogue (we'll see).

Well without further ado…. Get reading and leave me a lovely review.

30th June 1997

In her third year, the year of too many classes, a time turner and the one time she missed a lesson due to sheer exhaustion, Hermione had been gifted a room by the Headmaster in order to travel back and forth. It sat, nestled behind an invisible door in the restricted section of the library and housed only the essential furniture: a study desk with a padded chair, an armchair, a coffee table and a single bed. Oh and the bookcase of course, with magical replicas of her books, including the notes in the margins and on the insides of each cover. It was perfect, exactly what she needed. Dumbledore really was amazing in the liberties allowed her.

She had used it then for the extra study and sleep she had to keep hidden but once she stopped using the time turner, she used it as an escape. Days when she needed to get away from being pestered to help with homework, days when she needed to cry over some nasty comment from Draco Malfoy or Severus Snape. She'd spent almost every moment in her private little sanctuary when Ron made it his business to be all over Lavender, all the time.

And now she sat in her little sanctuary, fear creeping, knotting her stomach and speeding up her heart. She knew something was about to happen, she just knew it, felt it in her bones; a sense of impending doom, deeper than the slow dull ache of impending doom that had settled in since Voldemort's return. Now, as news of Voldemort's movements trickled into the ranks of the Order, news of them gearing up to something, Hermione felt the need to retreat more and more. If anyone noticed her absences, it was never commented on and as Harry and Ron had never found her, she assumed Dumbledore had made it unplottable. Handy, very handy.

She summoned her teapot and made fresh, black tea with the aquamenti charm, concentrating of hot water rather than the cold stuff that the charm naturally delivered. She knew Harry was off horcrux hunting with Dumbledore tonight; Ron was covering Quidditch training in his stead and she was presumed to be studying in the library – as usual. No one knew she was taking deep breaths and trying to calm her nerves over the package she had found on the desk when she walked in.

It had to be from Dumbledore, no one else had access to the room. It was a smallish parcel, wrapped in purple sparkly parchment, which reminded Hermione of the Headmaster's robes, the first time she'd seen him. Whatever was inside these wrappings felt as though it was going to make her world shift somehow; he'd never sent her anything before, besides the rom itself; it had to be important.

"Courage, Hermione. You're a Gryffindor, you can do this. Dumbledore wouldn't send me anything dangerous, would he?" she attempted to persuade herself, despite the growing trepidation.

"This is ridiculous. It's probably a book."

With one last deep breath, she closed her eyes and tore off the purple parchment.

"Well, that was the easy part. Now I just have to open my eyes and look at what it is."

As she opened her eyes, she realised it was in fact a book; just not a text book as she had presumed. A black leather bound journal sat upon the desk in front of her. Her friends didn't have very much luck with journals, she reminded herself, thinking back to her second year and the diary of one Tom Marvolo Riddle.

'Well I doubt he made two' she thought to herself as she tentatively picked it up and turned it over and around in her hands.

It seemed to warm under her touch as she stared at the back cover and saw, engraved in gold letter H.J.G, her initials. It was remarkably similar to Tom Riddle's diary. She just hoped the aesthetic was wear the similarity ended.

She turned it back over so she could see the front cover and held it vertically in front of her and stared at it. She pressed her fingers deeper into the leather, unsure whether to open up the pages and leaf through them or not. The impending war had made her very cautious and extremely paranoid about anything she didn't have a full instruction manual for.

"What are you for?" she asked the book.

It seemed to buzz in her fingertips, then glow before releasing an envelope.

Her eyes fluttered from the book to the envelope… more purple and decided maybe this was the instruction manual, recognising her name in the Headmaster's familiar handwriting.

She put the book down and picked up the envelope; her magic pulsed in her fingertips as she wandlessly unsealed the missive and unfolded the parchment.

Dear Miss Granger,

I hope this letter finds you well and its accompanying items are useful to you for whatever the future holds in store. I have found myself in a quandary of late; you have no doubt noticed the withering, blackened appearance of my hand at the staff table. It seems I suffered a small bout of foolishness and allowed my old habits of Gryffindor recklessness a modicum of freedom. The curse that has tainted my body will soon lead to the end of my life and with war approaching, I am afraid that in a weakened state, I shall do more harm than good.

Inside the journal that you have received is vial of memory, one of my own. Thanks to our illustrious potions master and the role he plays for both myself and Tom, I have managed to orchestrate a more dignified end than the curse would allow and this vial of memory will prove Severus's innocence when the time comes that he performs the deed I have requested of him. I have bound him with an Unbreakable Vow to kill me, knowing full well that Tom has requested this task of young Draco Malfoy. I will not allow Tom's darkness to tear anymore souls apart than he already has. The Death Eaters have already tainted the boy and I will protect every student in these walls until my last breath.

You are perhaps wondering why I am burdening you with this information and that is a very good question for you to ask. Miss Granger, you have supported our young Mr Potter for six long and difficult years, you have helped him to train and learn all he needs to know in order to survive; you are the voice of reason to his recklessness and your level head has kept him and Mr Weasley out of more trouble and scrapes than I am sure even I am aware of. With that in mind, you seem to be the sensible choice for me to bestow this knowledge upon.

I know you are a very straight forward person and so I will be as forthright as possible; I am also aware that you find comfort it lists; I am the same way and so here are the things you must know:

Within the next month I shall die by the wand of Severus Snape. He is not responsible for this act, I am. He has kept the curse which is killing me at bay for many long months so I may get my affairs in order. I know he is a difficult man to like, but please do not hate him. He does and endures more for the light than any other. No other could do what he does.

Draco Malfoy has been ordered to kill me by Tom Riddle. He has not been successful, nor shall I allow him to be successful. When this is all over, even if he gets closer please find a way to forgive him and make your peace with the Slytherins who have wronged you, as I have done.

If you would like to see the memory in the vial to prove the above words, there is a small pensieve placed under the bed in your private room. You know the charms to extract it back from the bowl.

Another thing that has been arranged between Severus and I is that when I am gone, with a little nudge from Tom's infiltrated Ministry; he shall be my successor as Headmaster of Hogwarts. He has assured me that Tom suggested this idea and we have agreed that it is the only way he will have enough pull within the school to protect without suspicions being raised.

I implore you to trust him. It will be difficult and you will have doubts. As I have said he is not the easiest man to like or trust and I know you have struggled with that in the past. However, I believe you have always respected his intellect and high standards and so I ask you to allow your trust to build from there. I will not taint your imaginings of him further with the things he has had to do to gain both my trust and Tom's but we both hold him in the highest esteem. Luckily for us, my trust is well placed. Trust him, Miss Granger. Trust him and do not allow Harry's anger when I am killed to bring about circumstances that will put Severus's life further in jeopardy. He walks a knife edge every day and Harry's wrath could slice Severus in two.

The journal then… I fear the time is nigh that you shall need it desperately. At present it is a way to communicate with myself, I have its twin. It is under the fidelius charm to which I am the secret keeper and the only people I have told of its existence are you and Severus and it must stay that way. Upon the occasion of my death, the role of secret keeper shall fall to both you and Severus and no one else must be aware of Severus's true role or the how you are obtaining information from each other. Anything you write shall appear it my copy and vice versa. It has been keyed to your magical signature so only you can see something other than blank pages but I have added a password to it also – Dolly Mixtures – a favourite of mine from the muggle sweet shops.

Well, there we have the end of your list, my dear. Hopefully you find it informative. I must leave you now as I am preparing to depart the castle with your young Mr Potter. I expect the contents of this letter to remain a secret and I am sure you understand the ramifications if they are not. I shall see you at breakfast in the Great Hall tomorrow… have the scrambled eggs if you have received this by then.

Yours sincerely

Albus Dumbledore.

Hermione cast a concealing charm on the letter and placed it in the desk drawer, triple warding it – the worst of which makes the fingers burn with blisters if anyone touches that drawer. Highly unlikely as no one else knows of the room but still… constant vigilance.

She picked up the diary again and closed her eyes.

"Dolly Mi-"

She stopped as the DA galleon magically stuck to the inside of her left wrist warmed and she felt her skin tingle – a sign that there was an emergency. Sliding up the sleeve of her school robe she stared at the enchanted disk as if it were a watch as the lettering formed around the outside – DEATH EATERS IN CASTLE, UNDER ATTACK, HEAD FOR ASTRONOMY TOWER.

"Shit!" she hissed into the empty room as she threw the journal into her bag, grabbed her wand and headed out into the library; checking her pocket for Harry's felix felicis, she ran towards the Death Eaters, knowing both Dumbledore and Harry were out of the castle and far, far away.

A/N: Now, my lovely friend Dash (a.k.a Tempest E Dashon, author of the amazing 'I Want a Storm' and the highly addictive 'Your Secret to Collect') has informed me, after proof-reading, that she requires more and the first entry in the journal to or from our lovely new Headmaster. Oh and to get to work 'Missy'. Can you believe she called me Missy… that's what my last cat was called. I suppose she can be forgiven considering she'll probably be my first reviewer.

Well hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to review. Granted I write these things to get them out of my head but the reviews are a lovely bonus.