Chapter One: The History of it All or At Least Some of It

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, everything belongs to J.K. Rowling, and Warner Bros. And anyone else who happens to have the rights
 

Hermione stood on the cobblestone-landing pad that sat at the entrance to the Malfoy Estates. She was staring at the ominous mansion that stood before her taking in every detail. The sun was setting behind the house, and it gave her the eerie feeling of hopelessness, and being lost. The windows of the grand ballroom were shrouded in darkness, and the bricks of the house that were normally gray looked black in the late afternoon. Hermione thought back to the initial proposal of this…plan.

"We really need you to do this," Dumbledore had said. She was sitting in his office with the rest of the Resistance leaders. Harry and Ron were there too, although they didn't look happy with what Dumbledore had just suggested. Hermione, herself, had doubts.

"You certainly have the mind for it, Miss Granger," Snape said, causing Ron to glare at him. "I don't know how much of it Lucius would believe, but I think the idea of you working with him would be…appealing." The word appealing caused Harry to glare at Snape as well.

"I don't entirely understand why you need me for this?" Hermione said, looking down at the ground, "I mean wouldn't I be better serving the Resistance doing something like research?"

"You will continue to work for the Ministry during the five years it will take us to set you up," Lupin replied he also looked down at the floor. Hermione looked up at Dumbledore, noticing the twinkle was gone from his eyes, 'Well that's a little comforting,' she thought, 'at least he doesn't like doing this.'

"Sir," Hermione continued to look in Dumbledore's eyes, "As much as I appreciate the confidence, I'm not exactly…how do I put this…the seductress you're looking for." Hermione blushed slightly, "And I am Muggle born, I don't think Lucius would want me in his bed." As she said the last sentence Ron let out a little choking noise.

"We have five years to teach you what you will need," Snape replied looking away from Hermione, "And as I said before, Lucius, and Voldemort will be, and are, fascinated by you."

"So we'll just kill Narcissa?" Although Hermione didn't like the woman, she didn't want her to die.

"Yes," Black said simply, "Although it is hard to believe, Lucius truly loves his wife, and he will not take another woman while she is alive. Well…he'll take them and kill them, but he will not confide in them, or take them seriously."

"Well that's comforting," Hermione replied dryly, her tone rivalling Snape's.

"Isn't it thought," Snape smirked.

"No not really, I don't want to do this. I cannot believe that you are even asking me to play this…this game. I'm not a Slytherin. I don't know all the ins and outs of that life, and I don't want to. I don't want to be Lucius' whore, and I don't want to play his game." Hermione's voice rose steadily as she spoke to the point she was now yelling.

"'Mione," Harry said gently

"Don't ''Mione' me Harry," she cried, "I am not a little girl any more-"

"That's right Miss Granger," Snape interrupted, effectively cutting her off, although his voice was no much more then a whisper. "You are not a little girl any more, you are a grow woman with responsibilities. We don't like asking you this, but we have no choice, and we really need your help. As much as I hate to admit it, you are probably the best person for the job. People have to make sacrifices for the cause –"

"That's rich, coming from you," She cut, although her anger from before had disappeared. "I am 20 years old, I see the four of you –" meaning Dumbledore, Black, Lupin, and Snape "–looking at me expecting that I can, and will, do this. I want to help you, but what your proposing is going to take the next what, five…ten years of my life. You are asking me to sacrifice my closest friends, you are asking me to sacrifice my reputation…Am I right to assume no one out side this room will be able to know about this?" Dumbledore nodded.

"All I wanted to do was sit in a lab, or a library, or hell a dungeon, all day and work, and think, and research. I never want to actively fight in this war. On the sidelines sure, but not actively." Hermione looked down at the floor, and the room was quite. The four older men exchanged glance, and Harry and Ron looked at their friend sympathetically, knowing that she was trying to make up her mind, both fairly confident that they knew what she would choose. "I'll do it," Hermione said, as the clock on the wall struck midnight, "I'll do it."

And here she was, five years later, standing on the driveway of Malfoy Manor, about to put the most crucial part of the plan into action. She began to claim the 50 or so stone steps that lead to the door of the manner. Absently thinking that she should have just Apparated to the top. Reaching the top, she paused for a moment, and stared at the large oak door. She shivered slightly at as she looked over the engravings, a multitude of snakes curling, and curving around one another. Mentally shaking her self, she stepped up to the door, which she had to admit, was beautiful, and took hold of the gold knocker. She knocked softly, and waited, praying no one was home. Unfortunately before she had time to finish her prayer the door swung open. Hermione was surprised to see no one standing there.

Unsure of what to do, she put a hesitant foot inside the door. Hermione gasped as she looked around. On either side of her were two long hallways, leading to their respective wings. Each had different antiques lining the walls between the windows. Directly in front of her were two separate staircases, both leading up to the same landing. They twisted up around two arched doors, which were paneled, and a rich green shade. As she watched the doors, the left one began to move backwards, slowly separated from the right one. Getting the game, she crossed the white marble floor, and approached the door. Cautiously looking inside, Hermione caught her breath again, 'Wow!', was all she could think. Lining the walls, on wooden shelves, were thousands, and thousands of books.

Hermione stepped tentatively on to the delicate carpet, and surveyed the room, a sort of ecstasy claiming her. She was both stunned and pleased to note that there was a roaring fire in the surprising simple fireplace, and a seat of comfy looking chairs sitting before the fire. She desperately wanted to explore this magnificent looking library, home of Lucius Malfoy or not. 'Well if all goes according to plan Granger…' she thought. As she looked around, Hermione heard a low creaking noise coming from the left. Turing her head she saw another door open along the wall. Hermione walked towards it beginning to tire of this game. Nearing the door, she cast one longing look over her shoulder. Then, again taking a deep breath, she stepped into the dark office.

Looking around, Hermione gave a cynical laugh; it was exactly as she would expect it to be. There was a small bookshelf in one corner, stretching out halfway on the two walls. The walls themselves were paneled like the doors to the library had been. Only these were larger, and a dark cherry wood, which matched that of the large desk that occupied most of the space in the room. The fireplace was on the opposite wall to the bookshelf, and was, in Hermione's opinion, overly elaborate. The pale marble that bordered it was out lined with a curved metal frame that rapped around into a mantle, with an over hang to match. Atop the mantle was a crystal vase shaped liquor bottle, holding a brown liquid, with two tumblers beside it. There were no windows in the room, and the fire, which was very low, provided little light. Hermione sat down in one of the dark green leather winged back chairs, and noted how uncomfortable they were. She absently looked over the books, and chuckled as she realized most of them were not reputable. 'Well he must trust me a bit,' Hermione thought, 'He wouldn't show me these if he didn't. Or he could want to kill you,' a voice, which had a striking resemblance to Severus, echoed in the back of her head.

"I'll do it," She had said again, looking over as the moons and plants moved around the clock. "Now, explain to me, detail for detail, exactly what you want me to do."

Lupin smiled at her, "There's the courageous Gryffindor spirit." Hermione's laugh was shrill, and did not hold much mirth, although she didn't say anything, and so Lupin continued. "Okay, as I've said, you will continue to work at the Ministry, doing your research. Now, as I'm sure you're aware, there is some special training that you will need to receive. Professor Snape will be responsible for the more…colourful parts of that training." Lupin blushed slightly.

"I will say this now Miss Granger, and it is imperative that you completely understand it," Snape said icily. "Once we have started, there will be no turning back. For one thing, this training is very extensive, and if not completed would likely leave you in ruins. And secondly, I will not waste my time teaching some one who isn't serious."

"I get that," Hermione replied just as icily, "I am not in the habit of starting things I do not finish. I am not going to start now."

"Yes, well," Dumbledore intervened, "We all know that you are very stubborn when you put you mind to something Miss Granger, that's part of the reason we chose you. Any way Remus, please continue."

"Right," Lupin started, "You will train with Severus as well as Sirius and myself. We, Sirius and I, will work on you defence skills, specifically against the dark arts, as well as your physical strength."

"You'll be able to defend yourself without a wand, Hermione," Black said, giving her a wide grin.

Lupin chose to ignore this, and continued, "Depending on how well your training goes, you should be ready in two years. However, after that, we have to establish your "discontent" with our side. Now, while working at the Ministry, you are going to have to begin dropping hints that you are no long happy being seconded to Harry Potter. We think that will work best. You can complain about all the fame that he gets, when he couldn't do any of it with out his friends, that sort of thing. What where hoping is that you tell some one under You-Know-Who's influence, and they report back to him. To help make this whole thing believable, you will have to withdraw farther, and farther from Ron and Harry. You're also going to have to spend less time with you parents. We want it to look like you no longer can stand the Muggle world. You should also talk about that.

"Dumbledore is going to work to arrange some sort of public thing were you'll be able to clearly demonstrate your disdain for Harry and Ron. We haven't worked out all the details of that yet, but our hope is that the public display will further convince You-Know-Who, and subsequently Lucius, that you have switch sides – so to speak."

Hermione nodded slowly, "And you think it's going to take at least five years to convince them I'm serious?" The four men nodded. "Will I ever be able to see anybody, or am I just suppose to be alone?"

"Publicly you will almost always be alone." Snape said, "However you will be involved in any meetings that revolve around this plan, and even once I have finished you're training, you and I will have to meet to discuss what's happening in the Death Eater circles and the like. But yes Miss Granger, the next five years will be very lonely."

"What exactly are you teaching me?" Hermione asked.

"You mentioned you weren't a seductress, I'm going to make you one." Hermione's eyes widened slightly.

"What?" Ron cried, his head snapping up to glare at Snape. "How do you plan to –"

"Think Weasley!" Snape smirked, "What do you think I'll be doing?"

Choosing to ignore that thought, Ron turned to Hermione, "And you're okay with this?"

She shrugged, "I kind of assumed that's what they meant. I also assume that he will be teaching the Unforgivables, as well as other dark hexes."

"Correct," Snape said simply.

"Okay, so we establish that I no longer want to be part of the "good" side, yada yada yada," Hermione recapped, "Then what?"

"We find some way to kill Narcissa, give Lucius some time to grieve, and then send you in." Lupin finished. "It's that simple." Hermione raised her eyebrows at the last statement, but again said nothing.

"Well," Dumblerdore said, smiling kindly at the room, "I think it's time we all retire. You three," he pointed to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "Can spend the night in the Gryffindor tower, the is no one there, summer and all. It'll be like old times for you. Tomorrow we will set up times for your first lessons Hermione. But I think we've talk quite enough for one night." Everyone nodded in agreement. "I'll see you all in the morning." The group stood up to leave the room, "Hermione, if I could speak with you a moment longer?" Harry cast a sympathetic look her way, as she stifled a yawn, and then filed out with everyone else.

"Yes Headmaster?" She said once the room was empty.

"I just wanted to say how grateful I am for your participation in this. I am so, so very sorry that we had to bring you into this, in this capacity at least. And I just want you to know that you have my deepest respect, and gratitude; whatever that's worth."

Hermione smiled warmly at the old man, for right know he did look old, "That means a great deal to me, sir. And although I am not entirely convince that I'm the right person for the job, your confidence in me is appreciated."

"Good-night Hermione," He said prompting her to stand up.

"Sleep well Headmaster." She whispered softly, leaving the room.

Last updated November 18th, 2002