… This is it. I'm going to kill a man with a mirror. If I don't he'll hurt me. Do it, Hermione! She steeled herself again, and with a fierce battle cry and eyes closed she sprung out of the bathroom, ready to strike.

"HERMIONE, NO!"

She opened her eyes slowly, staring at the arm holding her arm. She had failed. Perhaps it had been her battle cry that had alarmed him.

She gasped as her eyes connected with her victim. Bottomless dark eyes stared back at her.

Worried, Harry asked, "Hermione, are you all right?" Harry moved towards her just as her legs gave away. "Don't worry, you're safe now," he whispered. A moment later a pair of strong arms lifted her from the ground and Hermione turned to look at Snape.

Perhaps it was the shock that inspired her, but Hermine said, quietly, "You have very dark brown eyes," Realising for, perhaps the first time, that the black bottomless eyes were actually a deep brown colour which seemingly no end. For a moment her heart skipped as a tender moment passed between them.

"And you're babbling like a 1st year," Snape suddenly said and put on a stern face. "Mr. Potter, the living room?" Snape looked at Harry, who nodded and took the lead, leading them to the room Hermione recognised at the room with the light shining beneath the door.

It was not a magnificent room, far from it. It was simple and unpersonal. Snape put her down on the couch and when Hermione tried to catch his eyes he looked away.

Harry asked, once everyone had settled down, "Did they hurt you?"

Hermione shook her head and said, "no, not at all. I just lived in a dungeon… I got meals, but I didn't eat," it suddenly reminded her of how hungry she were and her stomach grumbled noisily in return.

"I'll go check the kitchen for food," Harry stood up, but Snape beat him to it.

"I'll do it," Snape said quickly and disappeared through the door in search for the kitchen.

Harry hung his head and said, "Sorry"

"Why?" Hermione asked, curiously, and Harry looked up at her. For a moment it seemed like he was going to say something, but then he changed his mind.

"I'll be right back, make yourself comfortable. We took out the Death Eaters," at Hermione's protest he said, "don't worry, we'll talk in a minute"

Harry entered the kitchen and found Snape looked through the kitchen cabinets. For a few moments he watched the professor look around till Snape finally said,

"Shouldn't you be with Miss Granger?" He threw Harry a quick glance before starting to cook with wand.

"Miss Granger," Harry said, not questioningly, merely stating. Snape did not reply, "I just want you to know that…" Snape turned towards Harry as if his glare would silence Harry. In normal circumstances it would, but Harry would not back away, "I though we had come to an agreement earlier," he said and sighed loudly, "figure out what you want. She is not a toy. Find out before we go back to Hogwarts and let her know, if you don't I will harm you," Harry met Snape's gaze levelly and Snape nodded, apparently knowing that he had to act properly.

Once returning to Hermione the mood was slightly suppressed.

"Were you really planning on killing the muggle?" Harry suddenly broke the silence and Hermione looked up at him

"What else would you have me do, Harry? I though it was either them or me…" For a moment she paused and then she said, "What do you mean by muggle?"

"Mr. Preston is a muggle who was caught by Crabbe and forced to observe you," Snape informed before sipping his tea.

"Crabbe? Is Crabbe here?" Hermione frowned and Harry nodded and let out a small laugh.

"Crabbe and Goyle caught you and wanted to set up a trap…" Harry smiled at Hermione's shocked expression.

"It would probably have worked had they been more competent. As it were there were only 4 wizards in the 'group' and one muggle, 2 were Crabbe and Goyle and 2 were from the Outer Circle of the Dark Lords group," Hermione gasped in rage.

"I was in the bathroom, trying to be sneaky," Hermione explained, shocked that she had been lured by too of the most famous people of incompetence. "And the special key to my cell?" Harry and Snape knitted their brows in confusion.

"There was nothing special about the cell, Hermione," Snape informed and then Harry grinned as Hermione sunk further into her seat.

"You were abducted by lower rank Death Eaters, led by Crabbe and Goyle," Harry told her softly, although mirth was dancing in his eyes.

By the time they had gotten back from Hogwarts everyone were ready to move out to find Hermione. They were, of course, slightly shocked and angered that Harry and Snape had taken things into their own hands, but complained no further. After Mrs. Weasley had let go of Hermione she excused herself, needing to get away from the overprotective matriarch and found her familiar route to the Hogwarts Library.

For a little while she walked among the shelves, enjoying the familiar smell of tomes. A noise behind her made her whirl around, wand in hands.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, blushing somewhat and hid her wand again. Snape took a step closer to her slowly, letting her retreat. For a few moments the pair just looked at each other.

"I am very sorry," Snape then said and Hermione's eyes widened somewhat. He broke their eye contact and began walking along the shelves slowly. "I have behaved badly towards you," he turned to looked at her, she seemed well composed considering. "Things started out very… strangely," Hermione let out a quiet snort, but loud enough for Snape to catch and to reply with a soft smile. "Yes," he whispered quietly to himself, "you're very young," Hermione opened her mouth to protest, "but at the same time I'm not offering marriage and I suppose I could be as good as anyone you choose in this world to create your experience," Hermione nodded slowly.

"So I suppose, in the end, the question is: are you still interested? I can't promise anything, but knowing your foresight I imagine you're already are aware that I might not be your future husband and that I would be a bad choice. Were you looking for that?" The last bit ended with somewhat questioningly, as if unsure of her motives.

"I never kissed you because I thought you'd make a good husband. I think many see me as the type of girl who marries her first boyfriend, including myself, but you 'destroyed' that idea about me. I don't see myself as a future Mrs. Snape, I just find you intelligent and different, someone I am attracted to," she paused and looked at him; Snape nodded and silence descended upon them.

Uncertain Snape asked, "Will you accompany to nice restaurant tomorrow… perhaps?" Hermione smiled lightly while two pink spots appeared on her cheeks.

"I'd like that," she agreed, looked down at her feet slightly embarrassed.

2 years later they married.