Authors Note: I am sorry that this has been a while in coming out. But, until May, school is taking first priority for me.

Again, anything that is recognizable (names, places, items, etc.) belong to J. K. Rowling. I am not making any money off of this, simply using the characters, changing them slightly, and having fun. Don't like, don't read. Also, if you are going to leave a review like this - "this is a stupid idea", "this story sucks", or call me names that I can't even put right here, don't bother with reviewing. Constructive writing help, asking clarification, or just saying you can't wait for more, review on!

Last point, I promise. I'm looking for a beta reader. Right now, all mistakes are my own, so any and all that would like to help me out, shoot me a PM.

And now, on to the story:

Chapter 2

Calmer year…why did I even think that? Hermione thought to herself, as she continued walking down the corridor.

It had started with Weasley and Harry making a bold entrance, by arriving in a flying car! To say her Master was furious would be an understatement. For the week following, she only interacted with him when needed, otherwise, she was helping Professor McGonagall.

Add in the new DADA Professor…Does he even deserve that title?…and her Master was almost as bad as a dragon. Dealing with him required a lot of foreknowledge. That and knowing what to arrive with so as not to lose your head. I think I am the only one who knows of his addiction…

Slytherin students within her own year mostly ignored her, the first years as well. Which suited her just fine. Being ignored was a common thing, and she would rather that then someone notice her, and do something—from knocking down her books, to making her bag rip, and even shoving her into walls—she had experienced it all, and then some. And with her 'protection' at least two years above her…then again, they were never around when things happened. Just like last year.

I know they try at least.

A sound up ahead jerked Hermione out of her thoughts. No one should be in this corridor. The Halloween feast was going on, and everyone was there. The only reason she was in the corridor was because she needed to use the restroom!

Drawing her wand, she quietly stepped forward, the words of her Master streaming through her mind. He would want her to turn around and go get him. But her Gryffindor mentality was still present, at least a little bit.

At the corner, she carefully lowered herself, before peering around it. Water was flowing from the bathroom, creating a puddle that was slowly expanding. Harry stood staring up at something above him, which looked like…Is that Mrs. Norris?! Red writing was on the wall, but what, she couldn't tell.

Mr. Filch entered into sight from another corridor and began raging. The sound of everyone else wandering down the corridors covered up the words coming from his mouth. Making a quick decision, Hermione stepped back, nearly running into her Master. Following behind him, she entered into the corridor, and finally read the words on the wall.

Severus let out a sigh, as he sank deep into the leather chair on the right. Fire crackled rhythmically to his right, the glow from it the only true light source at the time within the living area of his quarters. Hermione had finally gone to sleep after waiting up for him to return. He knew Potter had done nothing to Mr. Filch's cat, but by merlin, did the boy have to be at the scene at that time?! Filch had basically called for Potter's head, and as much as he would like to be rid of Potter…no, he wouldn't wish that on anyone. Especially since Potter had been nice to Hermione once she had returned from Saint Mungo's.

That was something that shouldn't have happened. He had asked her to brew a calming draught, to help replenish the infirmary stock. He assigned reading for the first day for her class, just so she could work! But no, as soon as he was gone, they all began to act like idiots. It had been the only time she could work on it that day, and he needed it done. He still didn't know who had sent the parchment into her cauldron, but the results…

He could feel his mask slipping again. She was about the only person it would fall for. Somehow, since he asked her to be his apprentice, she had wormed her way passed his many walls, and straight into his heart.

A door creaked open, adding to the fire cracking. Brown bushy hair appeared in the doorway, red rimmed brown eyes staring at him from across the room. Ara bounced down from her spot on the other chair, and rubbed up against her legs.

"Master?" Hermione whispered.

"Yes, Hermione," he answered, sitting up straight in his chair.

"I can't sleep," she moaned, hanging her head, her curls covering her face.

Severus was up and walking towards her before he thought about it. The clock above the fire place chimed one, telling of the lateness of the hour. His arm wrapped around her, drawing her to his side once he reached her. A small chocking sob worked its way from her mouth, even as she wrapped her arms around him.

This, Severus thought. This right here is why I am becoming so attached. He gathered her in his arms, and moved them both to the couch, sitting down, before drawing her to his side. Her head buried itself into his chest. Ara jumped up, walking her way into her lap. Her purring added to the sounds of the fire, even as the glow from it began to slowly dim.

How long they stayed there, Severus couldn't say. Hermione had fallen asleep after crying herself there. The clock reached three, before Severus' eyes started to fall on their own. One final stray thought ran through his mind, before sleep took him. Perhaps she would be safer…if she was my daughter.

A knock sounded on the Potions classroom door. The first years students were reading from their books, with a list of questions set up on the board for them to answer once done. The chapter was at least ten pages long, and with how most all of them didn't bother reading in the first place…well, this should hold their attention for the class period.

His apprentice was set up, happily following the directions for brewing a Calming Draught, which needed to be turned into Madam Pomfrey later that day. The students had exhausted the supply within the Hospital Wing before the break, and he hadn't had time to make more since then. A certain Headmaster had seen to that.

The door opened to revile one of his upperclassman. "Sir, a moment, please," he asked. Standing from his desk, he walked down the aisle in the room. Once he reached the door, he turned to his class. "I expect all of you to be reading when I return."

Turns out, a fight had broken out in the common room, needing his attention, since it involved Patrick Parkinson and Therresa Nott. By the time the situation was resolved, with both of them to serve detention later that night, it had been at most fifteen minutes.

Walking swiftly back to the Potions classroom, he could hear the noise from inside as soon as he turned into the corridor. Growling under his breath, he speed up, opening the door with a bang. Students gasped as they took him in. No one was even working on…wait, Longbottom was currently writing on a piece of parchment, answering the questions.

His eyes took in another piece of parchment that was shaped into a triangle. Hermione was continuing on her task, ignoring everything around her, including…

"Get down!" he roared to the students, whipping out his wand as he cast a shield spell over the cauldron in front of his apprentice.

The parchment sailed into her cauldron, causing a furry of bubbles, before…BANG!

A screaming cry pierced through the noise, even as smoke filled the room. Severus moved quickly to where Hermione had been. Stumbling over her chair, he found her lying on the floor of the dungeon, unconscious. Running his wand over her, he took note of all of her injuries. The smoke cleared from the rooms as one of his wards kicked in.

The other students took in their Potions master kneeling on the floor, holding the girl who none of them cared about. The one who he had taken as an apprentice. He was muttering under his breath, vials and jars of things coming towards him from his office. For the few Slytherin students who were still close to where he was, they heard him whispering.

"Hermione…stay with me…you are going to be alright…"

Running footsteps sounded from the corridor, and many of the other teachers were suddenly filling the space. Headmaster Dumbledore quickly started to get students to leave, even as Madam Pomfrey rushed passed everyone towards where Severus was with Hermione.

For those few Slytherin students, that moment changed their lives. No longer was Hermione Granger just a Gryffindor no-body who happened to be their Head of House's Apprentice. She was someone who was to be protected. They were going to find out who had sent the parchment into her cauldron, even if it took them until their seventh year to do so.

"Psst, Hermione," a voice called quietly.

Looking up from where she was sitting at a table within the library, Hermione saw Harry standing beside one of the book shelves. Her eyes flashed, even as she looked back down to finish what she was writing.

"Hermione, look…I need to ask a favor," Harry muttered, walking closer to her, glancing over his shoulder to where a few Slytherin upper classman sat.

Finishing the conclusion of her Charms essay, Hermione finally looked up again. Closing the book she had been using, she flicked her wand, sending it back to the shelves where it belonged. She cast a drying charm over her essay, rolled it up, and pulled out a cord to tie around it. Once her belongs were efficiently packed back into her bag, she turned to look at her house mate. "What favor do you need, Harry?"

"Um…well," he looked around, eyes fleeting over all of the older students who were around them. "Can you come with me for a few minutes? I don't really want to talk about it here."

Gurgling of a cauldron mixed with the sounds of water dripping within the bathroom of Moaning Myrtle. Surprisingly, she was perfectly alright with Hermione invading her area to brew this potion. Getting the final ingredients was the hardest part for Hermione, even with Harry and Weasley causing a distraction. Having to lie to her Master, tell him she didn't know what had happened… 'Will he ever forgive me?' A tear slipped from her eyes, which she reached a shaky hand up to wipe away.

For the past month she had done as they asked, brewing this potion that she shouldn't be except under her Master's watch. Only, he had no idea that she was. She had been sneaking away to do this, even from being around Oliver and Cedric. Even from the twins. Or any of the upper classman Slytherins. None of them knew she was doing this. And not by her choice.

Coming to a stop outside of an unused classroom, Harry opened the door. Once she stepped inside, she was quickly disarmed by Weasley.

"Ron," Harry called.

"What?" Weasley answered, still holding his wand towards her.

They proceeded to tell her their theory about the week before. And how in their wise and knowing ideas, they wanted to her brew them a potion so they could question Malfoy. She didn't want to agree, it was stupid to think Malfoy was behind the attack. But Weasley waited till Harry left, and then turned to her. And suddenly, it was like last year all over again. She agreed, if only to make him stop. Not just the physical attacks, but also the mental and emotional hurt.

Another tear dripped down her face, landing in her lap before she could stop it. Thankfully, she only had a few more hours until the potion would be done. Then she could go tell her Master what she had been doing.

"Thanks Hermione, we owe you," Harry nodded his head towards her.

"Yeah," Weasley muttered, "thanks."

They had both taken the potion, changing into Crabbe and Goyle. Standing by one of the stalls, she just nodded her head. Harry quickly walked out, leaving Weasley in there with her.

"Um…Hermione," Weasley shuffled his feet. "Look, I know I have been mean, but…"

"Just go," she whispered, having already packed up the stuff she had used for the past month.

"Will you at least join us?" he asked, holding up another vial, the color changed from a dormant state to an in use one.

His breath smelled, she didn't know if that was because of him being someone else, or if that was just how he was. He was standing to close…her hand reached up, taking the vial just to get him to move. As she opened her mouth to speak, he suddenly brought her hand up with the vial, tipping it into her mouth. Holding his other hand over her mouth and nose, he waited for her to swallow. Tears leaked from her wide eyes, franticly searching for anything to help her get him off. But his body held hers where she stood against a stall wall. Thirty agonizing seconds later, she couldn't hold back anymore, the need to breathe too much. She swallowed the portion of polyjuice that he had forced into her mouth. As she doubled over, falling to the floor, his laughter rang out into the bathroom. "Have fun, mudblood!"

"Severus, I need for you to come to the Hospital Wing," came Poppy's voice from a fading falcon. A tired sigh left the potions Master, as ten sets of eyes watched him from their locations around the room.

"Sir?" Pucey's voice called.

"Weasley's, keep an eye on your brothers and sister. Wood, keep an eye on Potter. Digory, keep looking for someone who might be acting odd. The rest of you, keep looking for the item we talked about," Severus ordered, before leaving to his quarters to floo to the Hospital Wing. He had a bad feeling he wasn't going to like what he found.

A month. That is how long it took for Severus to fix everything that Weasley had added to the potion he forced down his apprentices' throat. And in that time, she had barely left his rooms, only in the past week going into the study hall to see the twins, Oliver, Cedric, and a few others. Namely, Pucey, Adrian, the older Parkinson and Nott, and even Montague. All of them had been asking about her, wanting to know if she was any better. Even Minerva had come calling, asking about her. Thankfully, Christmas had fallen during this time, and most students had left to go home. But with the new year starting, and school about to be back in section, he wondered what exactly he could do for the girl he considered a daughter.

"Hello Ara," Hermione whispered, looking up briefly from the parchment she was working on. Master McGonagall had her working on advanced transfiguration, specifically animagus studies. Both her and Master wanted her to have another way to avoid anyone who might still bully her.

The attacks within the castle had grown since the New Year started. Master almost wouldn't let her attend classes, let alone spend any time in the library. Granted, since Weasley had attacked her, she wasn't complaining about spending more time in her Master's quarters. Only a very select few could enter without him, and only a few others would dare to even ask to see her. Just a few hours earlier, her Master had cured the final part of the potion from her body. To say he had been furious with Weasley would be an understatement. Ronald had been extremely lucky that Christmas break came before her Master could get ahold of him.

Finally, for the first time since the beginning of December, she was scale, tentacle, fur, claw, and tail free. Master hadn't been angry with her, oh no. The potion had been perfectly brewed. Weasley had just been an idiot by adding animal fur, scale, and claw into the potion he had forced down her throat. 'Then again, he had probably done it on purpose…'

Ara rubbed up against her, bringing Hermione out of her thoughts. Not many were currently located in the library, the attacks scaring most of the student body from being out of their common rooms.

Lockheart's "Dueling Club" had been an absolute joke this week. Then again, the whole thing was a joke. How it was still continuing Hermione had no idea. Most had stopped attending once Harry had been outed as a parstletounge. Well, everyone except the females. But, since her Master was looped into helping, she went every week with him. Honestly, she was so glad that her Master had worked it out so she no longer had to attend either History of Magic, or Defense. She wasn't learning anything by being in either class, so…self-study it was.

"So," Hermione asked, petting Ara. "Is it time for me to stop studying, and return to the dungeons?"

Yes…you know how Severus gets. There is also the Quidditch match.

"Alright. I just need to finish writing my notes about this…" Hermione paused, re-reading what she had just read again.

Over the last few weeks, she had overheard Weasley and Harry talking. Something about spiders fleeing the castle…and if that was true…then this specific magical creature…

"Ara…I need for you to take this to Master," Hermione whispered, tearing out a page from the book that was before her, writing a small note on the corner of it, and rolling it up for her.

Ara grabbed the roll, jumped down, and quickly left the library once more. Today was a Quidditch day, which meant most everyone would be out of the castle at least…and helped explain why only a few…wait, only one other was still in the library.

Grabbing a mirror out of her bag, Hermione walked over to the older Ravenclaw female. Word needed to be spread.

Severus' mind churned, even as the sun faded down over the horizon. The windows within the Hospital Wing showed the clear sky up above them. One of the only days in which the normal Scottish highlands wasn't cloudy. And his apprentice, his daughter, was lying on a bed, petrified. Was there no justice in the world?

She had been found with Miss Clearwater, a Ravenclaw sixth year. Right outside of the library. He had sent Ara to get her to return to the study hall, or even just to come outside where the Quidditch match was. Minerva had been the one to find them this time.

He had read the new rules to all of his Slytherin's. To say they were upset…especially the group that had come to truly care for his apprentice. Since the New Year had started, Pucey and Adrian had been by her side constantly when she appeared within the study hall that he had created when he became Head of House. The elder Parkinson and Nott had taken to teaching her anything she asked, showing Hermione the intricate runes they were studying, even letting her read from the books they had used in their third and fourth years. Montague was showing her many different uses for normal potions, spells, and charms that were found within a magical household. All had been teaching her anything they could think to teach about pureblood customs.

And now, she had been petrified along with another pureblood. Someone who was a prefect, a Ravenclaw who helped younger students, never hurt anyone. And yet…

Meowing sounded from the door to the Hospital Wing. Severus turned to see his familiar sitting there, a small scroll in her mouth. Taking one last look at Hermione, Severus stood, closed the curtains around her, and walked towards the door.

Potions Master Severus Snape Kills Creature Terrorizing Hogwarts!

Students Petrified Returned to Normal

Boy-Who-Lived Makes Statement About What is Going on at Hogwarts.

Governors of Hogwarts Stand Against Headmaster Dumbledore

Apprentice Hermione Granger Mobbed in Diagon Alley. Board of Masters Furious!

"This is the last time I'm letting you out of my sight," Severus muttered under his breath, holding Hermione next to him.

Minerva watched from where she sat, Ara curled up in her lap. Trying to take Hermione anywhere within the Wizarding world was like trying to pull teeth. While most simply ignored the girl, others who knew exactly what her robes meant seemed to take insult to the fact that she was wearing them. Add in what had happened last summer when she had gone home...to Minerva, it was no wonder that Severus and Hermione had such a strong bond.

Gripping her trunk handle, Hermione walked forward through the barrier at Kings Cross. Hopefully, her parents had received her letter, telling what time to come pick her up. Other muggle-borns walked towards their own families, while wizarding parents had meet their children on the other side. Looking around, she could not spot her parents. A cold chill went up her back, even as she continued to look around. Had they forgotten her, again?

Two hours later, the sun beginning to set, tears were rimming her eyes, even as she sat on a bench. She had no way of contacting anyone, no money for a cab or train ticket, and her left arm was beginning to hurt again.

Ebony eyes looked up from the bubbling cauldron in front of them. The black robes swirled in a non-existent wind, even as Severus suddenly stormed through the private lab, and towards the front doors of Hogwarts. A repeated tug had his attention, it thrumming within his chest. His apprentice was upset, had been for some time, and now... Heaven help the one who was hurting her, because Hell was about to be unleased.

Darkness had fallen hours again, the train station itself slowed to a complete crawl. Very few people, if any, saw the young girl curled up on a bench, a trunk sitting beside it. Unfortunately, the few who did see were not the type of people you would want around a young girl. A sinister smirk found its was onto a certain mans face. Pale skin, shifting eyes, matted red hair, and yellowed teeth showed as the 'man' walked forward.

Hermione's eyes shot open at the light touch on her shoulder. The first thing she registered was the ungodly smell of something rotten. Harsh breathing sounded in her eyes, and a crawling feeling appeared on her skin. The man in front of her sneered her way, his eyes alight with glee.

"Lost, little one?" a cracking voice mocked. The man's eyes shimmered even more, registering the terror on the girls face. Holding her arm, he pulled her up, shuffling her towards a restroom door.

A sudden CRACK sounded from behind the man, and as he turned, the final thing he registered was a stick pointing at him.

Minerva remembered well the story Severus told her after she had seen him returning with Miss Granger in his arms that night. To think, her parents were that heartless as to not be there for her return...and then the story of Severus taking her to her home, and her parents slamming the door in their faces. Their harsh words of abandonment...

No, Minerva thought. She is now where she belongs. A smile formed on her face, as she looked over at the sleeping two. She is with her true father.

Well, that's it for now. Please review (especially if you see a spelling/error in the chapter). Updates will be sporadic for now, so please be patient!