Part Two

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.

Many thanks to Alliean for the alpha read and to sirsevchick for beta-ing this for me.

--

Part Two

The windows of the Great Hall clicked open, and the sounds of owls fluttering and swooping in while making soft hooting noises alerted the occupants to the arrival of the morning post. Hermione looked up just in time to see the owl drop a package onto her lap at the table.

Severus saw this from the staff table and couldn't miss the Ministry seal on the massive envelope. This was it. His last day of freedom before the Headmaster pawned off his favorite Head Girl onto him as an apprentice. He groaned as she pulled her N.E.W.T. results out of the envelope, going a little pale. He was officially stuck with her for the next eighteen months now.

Dumbledore, from right next to him, beckoned the girl to the table with a crooked old finger. She approached shyly, obviously, to Snape, not feeling too comfortable with all of the attention she was receiving.

'Miss Granger, would you mind if I read these results aloud?' Albus asked warmly.

Hermione shook her head and handed them over to him. The old man stood and cleared his throat. 'The N.E.W.T. results of one Hermione Jane Granger are as follows; Transfiguration 100; Herbology 98; Astronomy 99; Arithmancy 100; Ancient Runes 100; Muggle Studies 100; Charms 100; Defense against the Dark Arts 100; Potions 110,' he said in an appraising voice.

Hermione smiled shyly at the student body, her peers, as they loudly applauded her achievements. Outwardly, she was as cool and calm as ever, but Severus saw right through that façade and automatically knew that she was really having fits on the inside. And then he stopped thinking about her because the obnoxious Gryffindor table was getting a little out-of-control with their wild cheering.

'Well done, Miss Granger,' Severus remarked dryly, giving her a bored look.

'Yes, but I suppose, Severus my boy, we should be calling her Madame Apprentice now,' Albus chuckled.

'I suppose so,' Snape said, as Hermione blushed as she looked down at her apprenticeship approval.

The cheering did eventually die down, and Hermione managed to escape the Great Hall, despite the large number of newfound admirers. She somehow reached the Head common room and pushed the portrait shut behind her. She turned around, only to find Harry, Ginny and Ron already there, waiting for her with their arms folded across their chests and expectant faces.

'Mione, why didn't you tell us you were taking your N.E.W.T.s early?' Harry asked quietly.

'It's a long story, and not a very interesting one,' she replied.

'We have enough time before WE have to go to class,' Ron accused irritably. 'And while you explain that, you might want to tell us what part Snape has in this?'

'Right,' Hermione sighed, sitting down on one of her couches. It was promising to be a long morning. 'I didn't tell you anything because I didn't want to bother you lot about it.'

'And Snape?' Harry prompted.

'I am going to be staying at Hogwarts as an apprentice. Professor Snape is my master and mentor,' she quipped, putting an emphasis on Snape's title.

'Why Potions, Mione?' Ginny piped, speaking for the first time that morning.

'Because I love Potions; it is one of my favorite subjects. Not to mention it was my best N.E.W.T. result. Besides, the apprentice idea was Professor Dumbledore's,' she added flippantly. 'This brings me to the next point. I will have to spend vacations with Professor Snape as part of my course.'

'What?' all three of them exclaimed loudly.

'Calm down. The apprenticeship only lasts for 18 months before I become a mistress myself, provided I pass my final examinations,' she said, and before they could open their mouths to reply, she spoke again. 'I'm sure that I'll have weekends off and we can all spend time together then.'

'Wow!' Ginny said with a smile.

'But, as of now, I am practically your teacher,' she added, wondering if Ron would get that hint.

'You're mental if you're going to be Snape's apprentice. But if you want to, I suppose I can't argue,' Ron said, trying to claim a hug, and possibly even more.

Hermione put an arm out and stopped him from coming any closer. Apparently, he was as dense as ever. 'Stop it, Ron. I'm part of the Hogwarts faculty now, and we can't see each other like that,' she said calmly, trying to reason with one of her errant best friends.

Ron stepped back rather angrily and looked at her with disgust. 'I can't believe it! You're seriously going to chose Snape over me?' he said incredulously.

'Believe that if you want, but I like to see it as choosing what I want in the hopes that my friends will support me! But if you're going to be such a self-absorbed prat, then yes, I am choosing Professor Snape over you!' Hermione spat acidly. She had already had enough of Ron, and now it was just getting ridiculous. It would have never worked out.

'She's right, Ron. You are being a great prat. It's what she wants, and I think that its great that one of our best friends is smart enough to do something like this,' Harry reasoned thoughtfully.

'Harry's right, Ron,' Ginny said, not to be left out.

Ron looked positively livid.

'I can't believe you two!' he yelled at Ginny and Harry. 'This is mutiny! You're supposed to hate Snape as much as I do! Is this apprenticeship really more important than our friendship?' he asked all three of them. 'If this is the way you three treat a friend, then I'm out!' he roared, before slamming his way through the portrait.

Hermione made to follow him, but Ginny caught her sleeve and stopped her before she could catch up.

'Bad idea, 'Mione. He'll just get upset and do something stupid. He'll come around by himself one day,' Ginny said, knowing her brother all too well.

'True,' Harry added, just as the Head common room portrait swung open once more to admit the Head Boy, with his blonde hair, sharp features and gunmetal gray eyes.

'Draco!' Ginny exclaimed, rushing into the protective safety of her boyfriend's arms.

'What is it, Gin?' he asked tenderly. Hermione laughed inwardly at the sight. She only ever really saw that loving side of him whenever the bright little redhead was around. 'I just passed Ron outside. He seemed really...oh I don't know - murderous, would you say?' he remarked sarcastically.

'I had to let him go,' Hermione answered coolly.

'Bet he loved that,' the Head Boy replied, setting Ginny back on her feet.

'I can't see him now that I'm an apprentice, can I? Besides, it was never going to work out. There just wasn't anything there,' she retorted defensively.

'Exactly, so call him a prat, let him have his tantrum like he always does, and he'll come around eventually when he's done being a moron,' Draco suggested, earning himself a playful swat over the shoulder from Ginny. 'Owww!'

'That's my brother you're talking about,' Ginny intoned.

Hermione sighed, and slumped into the chair. Harry came up from behind her and smiled reassuringly. 'He'll come around, 'Mione,' he said softly.

'Thanks, Harry,' she said, accepting the hug from him.

It was going to be not only a long day, but also a very long year.

--

From his seat in the Headmaster's circular office, Severus could see Hermione shifting about in her chair nervously. In just over two hours, Albus would be announcing her apprenticeship to the rest of the school, and she would be taking her place at the Head table beside him.

It looked to him as though she had already had a tough day, and she hadn't even started teaching classes yet. She is probably just tired from having to run from her adoring fan club, Snape thought with a mental snort. And that's when she began to bob her foot up and down.

'Miss Granger, must you insist on doing that?' he asked, irritation evident in his tone.

'Doing what, sir?' she asked innocently.

'That - with your foot; stop it,' he said, immediately pinning her with his most annoyed glare.

She stopped, if only that action, and began drumming her fingers on the armrest of the chair. Her patience wasn't holding up, and in truth, neither was his. He groaned and made a sour face. Was it ever going to end? This was all such excruciating torture for him.

And then, Dumbledore finally returned to the office. They both let out a sigh of relief, exhaling the breaths that they hadn't even realized they'd held.

'Your new chambers have been arranged for you, Madame Granger, and have been set to accept the password of your choosing when you first arrive,' he said with a charming smile.

'Where are they located?' she asked with mild curiosity.

'Why, they're in the dungeons, right next to Severus's chambers. You will probably find it much easier to be accessible to Severus that way,' he replied with a twinkle.

Hermione nodded.

'All of your belongings have been moved there already. You will find that the rooms have been fully furnished, and that your book collection has been shelved in your private office, your study, and sitting room. I have also taken the liberty of having the rest of your belongings unpacked for you, and your clothes stored. You will find your new apprentice robes among them,' the Headmaster droned on cheerfully.

And sickeningly so, thought Severus, as he watched the old man excite himself into a stupor. Why all of the niceties? He was, after all, just using and manipulating the girl like he did everyone else who showed promise. What need was there to be nice?

'May I go to see my chambers before we have dinner?' she asked softly.

'Severus, would you be so kind?' Albus asked while looking at him with those damned twinkling blue eyes. If they twinkled anymore, he was sure that the Headmaster's head would turn into one of those Muggle disco-ball contraptions.

Severus found that he could only nod, if not because the Headmaster had manipulated him again, then because he just wanted to get away from his twinkling gaze. He stood and began to walk out of the office, assuming Hermione was following him, remembering to curse the Headmaster and his infernal ideas as he walked out.

'Follow me and keep up,' he said curtly, taking long strides and not bothering to slow down for the girl.

Hermione, once more, had been left to practically run after a fast-moving Snape, to keep up with his stride. By the time they reached the portrait of the Gypsy Witch, she was completely out of breath.

'Did you have to walk so fast?' she demanded, feeling positively exhausted. The look he gave her made her feel like cringing, but for her own sake, and to avoid his look of triumph if he knew he had gotten to her, she remained impassive.

'You will have to choose a password,' he said simply.

He watched as her brow furrowed in concentration as she delved into her mind for the right password. He saw the smile that curved her lips, and felt a strange tug around his chest that made him most uncomfortable. He ignored it.

'Belladonna,' she said with an impish grin.

'So be it,' he said, setting her wards and password, trying to fight the sudden urge he had to smile back at her. He managed to keep his mask of neutrality in place.

'Thank you, Professor,' she said before speaking the password and watching the portrait swing forwards. 'I'll see you at dinner.'

He nodded crisply. 'Ensure that you are either early, or at the very least on time. Enter through the staff door henceforth, and you will find your seat at the staff table,' he said quietly, before turning on his heel and striding away purposefully.

Hermione went into her chambers and sighed. She looked around her new, tidy-looking sitting room. It was decorated and furnished with cream and wine colored furniture covers. There was a large, roaring fireplace and bookshelves, as promised, with her books and some new ones apparently for her apprenticeship. She poked her head through a doorway to find a small kitchen, then passed by a study filled with books and a desk, and also saw a sparkling white bathroom with a comfortable looking large tub, before she finally reached the bedroom.

The bed had a cream, wine and silver duvet with white, Egyptian cotton bed sheets beneath it. She admired the beautifully carved four-poster, and thought that the white draperies surrounding it looked rather fetching.

She opened her wardrobe, and it was indeed filled with her clothes. She pulled out the black apprentice robes, which had blue and green stripes of fabric shot across the bottom of one of the sleeves, and shrugged out of her school robes, banishing them to the laundry basket in her bathroom.

Laying her new robe on the bed, she also set out a pleated, grey school skirt and white blouse with it, and found a simple black tie to complete the outfit. She wouldn't be wearing her Gryffindor tie any more.

She went to the bathroom, took a hot shower, and charmed her hair into somewhat of a loose braid before slipping into her skirt and blouse, doing up the tie, and sliding on a pair of elegant but simple, flat black shoes. She donned the robe and fastened it properly at the front, and once she was completely dressed and ready, there were still ten minutes until she would have to be at dinner. She attempted to read in the sitting room for a while but couldn't concentrate, so she decided to head up early.

She went to the staff door and opened it carefully, looking inside to find that all of the staff had already arrived and were chatting amiably. Well, everyone except for Snape, of course. Minerva smiled and beckoned her inside.

'Sit here, Hermione dear,' she said sweetly, indicating the seat just down from her.

Hermione sat so that there was one seat in between her and McGonagall. And, as if on cue, Snape swept into the hall dramatically with his robes billowing behind him. He sat just as the students began to file in.

Dumbledore stood as soon as everyone was seated and silence fell over the hall. 'Before dinner tonight, there is an announcement I would like to make. I would like for you to welcome, Hermione Granger to our staff as the Potions apprentice. You may refer to her as either Madame Granger or Madame Apprentice,' he said, before seating himself again. 'Tuck in,' he said, and dinner appeared at the tables.

Hermione looked to the Gryffindor table to see Harry and Ginny smiling up at her, and just a little further down the table, Ron scowling childishly. She looked next to her, to find that Snape a look of absolute displeasure on his face as he examined his meal. She knew it had nothing to do with the food, and this made her feel awful.

Somehow, she was going to prove to Snape that she was worthy of being his apprentice.

--

Pain came in many different forms, some dull and throbbing, while others were sharp and stinging. But the pain that Severus felt start in his forearm and travel upwards as he sat at breakfast in the Great Hall the morning after Hermione had been introduced as his apprentice was a terrible, burning pain.

He clenched his teeth together and hissed under his breath in shock, grabbing his forearm under the table with his right hand.

'Professor?' Hermione asked from next to him.

'Miss Granger, are you prepared to taking my morning classes?' he asked quietly, so that only she could hear him.

She nodded. 'Where are the class plans?' she asked urgently, looking at him with worried eyes.

'They're in my office on the left corner of my desk. Tell Albus that I will return as soon as I am able,' he gasped, getting up from his chair as normally as possible and rushing through the staff door.

He had to practically run to his room, throw on his Death Eater robes, and run for the exit. Damn that evil git and his poor timing to hell! Voldemort would surely know what time breakfast was in the Great Hall. Grabbing his mask as he went, Severus rushed through the dungeon halls to the hidden side door. He thundered through the door and rushed down to the Forbidden Forest before pulling on his mask and touching his wand to his dark mark to Apparate.

He threw himself onto his knees before the man -- no -- monster in front of him and bowed down low. 'You summoned me, Master?' he asked reverently.

At this point, he brought up his Occlumency shield and emptied all thoughts from his mind except for the ones that seemed to openly praise the Dark Lord.

'Yes, Lucius brought me some very -- interesting news last night,' Voldemort started with a sick smile.

'My Lord?' Severus asked in mock confusion. He knew exactly what Voldemort was talking about.

'He reported that he had been at Hogwarts yesterday evening, to introduce some of the new Ministry recruits to the castle, and managed to catch the old man's speech just before dinner,' he continued, his voice taking up a hint of annoyance. 'Can you guess what he heard there?'

'Yes, my Lord,' Severus said, bowing and keeping his head down this time.

'And what might that be, Severus?' said the cruel voice softly.

Snape closed his eyes and relaxed his body, preparing to take the Crucio he would receive as soon as he answered the question. 'He heard Dumbledore announce that I had taken the Mudblood on as my apprentice,' he said in resignation.

'Exactly,' Voldemort hissed, giving Severus a swift kick in the ribs. After hearing the cracking sound that followed, he pointed his wand at Snape then also. 'You have a lot of explaining to do, but first... Crucio!'

Severus felt excruciating pain shoot through his body like a bullet piercing metal. He felt like screaming, but clenched his jaw and writhed around on the ground instead. This was far worse than the pain he felt when he was Summoned. Anybody else would have died if they had been exposed to this kind of torture.

And then it ended not long after it had begun. He took several deep breaths, which was hard because of his now broken ribs, and forced himself into a kneeling position in front of Voldemort once more.

'Explain your actions, Severus!' he barked.

Snape took a final, deep breath and plunged in headfirst. 'My Lord, I can not justify Dumbledore's reasons for forcing the Mudblood onto me, but I think she may become beneficial to our cause,' he lied spectacularly.

'Go on.'

'She seems to trust me, and with that trust, and her belief that I, her master and mentor, am always right, I will have her wound around my little finger in no time. She will be useful to extract information from regarding Potter,' he said, spitting out Harry's name in disgust.

Voldemort took a moment to consider this and nodded. 'A good idea, Severus. You shall be rewarded for this, I think,' hissed the snake-like monster. 'Come, there is something else I Summoned you for this morning.'

Snape stood and followed the Dark Lord through some sort of forest to a clearing where there were several other waiting Death Eaters. 'It is now time for us to strike the Muggle family just past this clearing,' he addressed them all with a sickening smile. 'Severus shall have the honor of taking the woman of his choosing first.'

Severus felt like gasping but knew that he shouldn't, so contented himself with simply stiffening. He hadn't been commanded to perform a rape in 18 years, and personally, did not want to. He followed the group, trailing just behind, and waited as a rather brash Death Eater blasted the door of the house off its hinges.

He heard a scream from one of the rooms and heard a crash, followed by a thud. Moments later, all of the occupants of the house had been dragged and lined up in front of the Death Eaters and Voldemort.

'Take your pick, Severus,' he hissed with glee-filled eyes.

Snape wanted to vomit when he saw the joy that this sport brought to the monster. He felt dirty, and he didn't want to touch any of the women before him. There was a young woman of around twenty and next to her; a woman of his age that he guessed was the mother, and her husband, lying dead on the other side of the room.

He had to make a decision quickly. He chose the younger girl. He might just be able to spare her the pain that the other woman would have to endure being raped by all of the rest of the Death Eaters. 'May I have a private room?' he asked Voldemort, who nodded, and he dragged the girl up the stairs, threw her into a room and locked, warded and silenced the room.

'Girl, I do not have a long time and I can tell that you are afraid, but you have a decision to make,' he said, rounding on the sobbing mess on the floor.

The young woman had curly brown hair and bore a startling resemblance to Hermione, though not quite the same, as she was shorter, and less graceful. She nodded and sniffed, shaking a little.

'I have two choices for you. First, I rape you, and allow you to be raped by at least five other men, who will be foul and brutal with you, and leave you to die here in a pool of your own flesh and blood. Or I can kill you now, painlessly, and make it look like I tortured you and raped you to death,' he said calmly, seeing the tears in her eyes and feeling sympathy for her.

She cried for a little and looked up at him again, and with a soft voice, answered, 'Please, just kill me. I don't want to suffer,' pleadingly.

Severus nodded and raised his wand. 'Avada Kedavra,' he said quietly and watched as the life of the girl slipped out of her eyes.

It took him five minutes to create a messy, bloody scene. He tore the girls clothes and left shrouds of it laying around the room, all covered in blood. He performed a couple of torture curses on her body, and cut his own arm and covered her with his blood. He performed one last spell to ensure that her maiden-barrier had been broken and her insides torn to shreds.

He left the room after pulling his sleeve over his bleeding arm and went down the stairs to see his "Master". 'It is done. She didn't even survive the torture after I raped the filthy Muggle,' he spat.

'Good. Now just one last task for you, Severus,' he hissed with a wicked grin.

'Anything, my Lord,' he said with a bow.

'Cast the Dark Mark, and then you may leave. We wouldn't want Dumbledore to become worried as to your whereabouts,' he said coldly.

Severus nodded, feeling sick, dirty and angry at himself because of what he had been forced to do, all for the sake of Albus Dumbledore's cause. He pointed his wand at the sky outside, and muttered 'Morsmorde' before Apparating away from the scene.

He went into his bathroom and took up his knife once more, letting the cold steel slice through the flesh of his wrist. He would cleanse himself of the dirty feeling.

--

A/N – Okay, well right now I am sure you think that Snape might be a little Emo, and for a while he is in this story, but I can assure you that it does change. Please don't be put off by the events in the beginning.