As the war approaches, Hermione meets someone while doing research in the muggle world. Meanwhile, Severus Snape finds out an interesting connection to his know-it-all student. HG? M/F

Chapter 1: Secrets and Discovery

It was a warm day all over England as the summer approached autumn as many young students got ready to face yet another year of school. For some, school was not in a traditional setting. Those who attended Hogwarts did not have regular math, literature and science courses. Instead they enrolled in courses such as potions and transfigurations.

But now it was still summer, and most of the Hogwarts students were taking time off…having fun like most other students enrolled in the traditional school calendar.

But a few were working…the war with Voldemort and his cult of deatheaters was quickly approaching and Hermione Granger was one trying to bring a quick end to the war. To bring the side of Light to victory. Little did she know how else her life would change…

The library at Cambridge was generally well lit, except for the rooms that held the type of books Hermione was looking for. She was reading as much ancient history and ancient medicine in an attempt to find something from the muggle world to help Dumbledore and the Order. Something from the past when the worlds lived more as one. She was nearly alone in the room, save for a handful of graduate students on the other side of the room and an old man passed out two tables on her left.

It hadn't taken Hermione long to bring an overload of books to her table, and quickly she began pouring over them in her search. She didn't really mind having her summer disturbed doing research like this, for she had always spent at least half her summer vacations studying for the upcoming year. And with all the extra courses she had taken she already had enough credits to graduate. Dumbledore, along with Professors McGonagall and Snape, had signed her off to take her NEWTS at the end of her sixth year.

Her seventh and final year, as Head Girl, would be spent as an apprentice and research assistant to the two sponsoring faculty (Snape and McGonagall, of course), work that would be directed toward the Order. Which is why she was spending her last two weeks of vacation at Cambridge, her parents having rented her a small apartment in the open student dorms. Like other members of the Order, she assumed a false identity: Madeleine Hendricks.

She was busy buried in about the sixth book of nearly twenty that lay sprawled on her table when a young man entered the same section of the library. His eyes were immediately drawn to her, his breath took a deep intake. In his opinion she was a goddess, and it took him a moment to compose himself before going to the stacks of books to look for the list he had just printed out from the computer.

Her golden curls were lightly accented by the sun peering through a small window, and she wore a baby-doll t-shirt and jeans along with low heeled sandals. He smiled to himself, casually collecting his own large pile of books and took the table next to hers, opposite the side were the old man still slept. He glanced at her casually and smiled when she turned to acknowledge him. She gave a shy smile back and continued to read her book.

The young man decided to peek at her book titles, noting that three of them were on his own list. No wonder he couldn't find them when the library computer system claimed they were shelved. must be an anthropology or ancient history student he thought to himself.

He began pouring into his own books and didn't look up again until the light from the small window was gone. He looked around. She was still there, but everyone else was gone. A voice on an intercom gently announced that the library was closing shortly, and to please check out any books at the front.

The young man watched as the young woman packed her notes in a bag and stretched before standing up. He wondered how much longer she had spent in the library than he had. He decided to find out.

"Hi." He said walking over to her.

At the same time, in Hogwarts, Professor Severus Snape said the password to Dumbledore's private office. "Sweet Tarts" he mumbled as the stone gargoyle moved aside. He rolled his eyes in annoyance of the old man's love of muggle sweets.

"Ah, Severus my boy! You're just in time."

"You explicitly told me you wanted to see me tonight, Albus. Now what is the deal?"

"First, how did your day go?"

"Fine." He lied. He HAD seen something, but not something the Order would find too interesting…yet.

A twinkle sparkled in the headmaster's eyes. "Yes, yes…well, I actually asked you here for another reason. One you have forgotten about."

Severus raised a brow. "Sir?"

"Have a seat. Lemon drop before we begin?"

Severus sighed. "No, sir. I just had a tic-tac. It will ruin the effect." He answered sarcastically.

Albus laughed. "Severus, many years ago you asked me to store a memory for you until the time came to give you the memory back. Do you remember the event that finally made you come to me and you turned your back on the Dark Lord?"

"Yes. It was the night Lily and James were killed. Lily…she had been a friend during my school days here. I cared for her."

"Yes, and that is the very night you came to me. But something else happened before that, something that already had you desperately thinking about changing sides. Something that made you hate the Dark Lord and your…pardon the expression…fellow deatheaters.

"What are you talking about, Albus? I remember no such time…what do you mean you had my memory taken away?" Severus was now becoming very curious. Not worried, just curious. What was the blasted man up to?

"Severus, it is time I gave you back that memory. I tell you, it is an awful one. But the time has come for you to see…"

The headmaster took out a pensieve and mumbled a spell. Soon Severus Snape was brought into the past…

The room was dimly lit. He was in his deatheaters robes and mask along with several others. He heard screams in the distance, realizing they were in the middle of an attack. A woman lay beneath him, struggling but not screaming. He forced her hands down as the others cheered on.

Suddenly he felt sick. He knew he couldn't do this…he couldn't...The woman was quite brave, and looked at him almost as if she could sense his wavering. It was then he decided to use his power to speak directly into her mind. He found it surprisingly easy, for he was still quite new to using the skill.

I don't want to hurt you, but they will make me go through this. Keep struggling, and I will do my best to keep you alive.

As if answering him, she struggled more but not with force.

They expect me to rape, torture and kill you. Don't look like I'm telling you anything…Keep doing what you're doing… He said into her mind as he suddenly ripped off her blouse, revealing her white lace bra underneath. They won't leave unless I do one of the three. I don't want to hurt you.

He nearly shook when she answered him. Then rape me. Tears began to pour out of her eyes as he continued ripping her clothes off with one hand, the other holding both her wrists above her head. It was working, two of the deatheaters already became bored with Severus's slow movements and went to find another victim. That left three who had found a bottle of tequila and were drinking from it, encouraging him to hurt her.

Severus began to get more aggressive. I can make it so it won't hurt as much.

If you have any powers at all, make me pregnant. My husband is barren and a baby is all I wish for…make me pregnant!

Severus was shocked, but continued with the rape. She screamed as he entered her, her body writhing about. He wasn't sure if she was acting or truly trying to escape – or perhaps both. But he had muttered a fertility charm that increased the chances of pregnancy by quite a bit.

When he was done he spoke with her mind once more. I am going to make it look like I've killed you. Lay still long after we've gone. Tomorrow you'd best pack your bags and leave this house. If they find out I let you live, they'll torture and kill us both. And any loved ones that else reside here. Move far, far away…

Suddenly Severus Snape felt himself pulled back in the present, tears fresh in his eyes.

"Gods…" He muttered.

"Yes, Severus. I know that was painful but you can probably guess why I had to show you."

"The child…was there a child? Am I a father?"

"Yes, Severus…you have a child. And that child is here, at Hogwarts." Albus slowly stood, knowing that Severus needed to be alone.

As he opened an invisible door leading to his private chambers he heard the question he knew would come next, although surprisingly soon. He hadn't figured Severus would be too anxious to know who his offspring was.

"Albus…who is my child?"

"Hermione Granger."

Severus was stunned. Years of loathing that had sprung from envy, and the blasted girl had most recently topped his record high NEWT score (not that she knew, yet), washed quickly away as feelings of pride and concern came flooding in. My daughter…my blood…my daughter… He repeated over and over to himself as tears continued to flood from his eyes.