Chapter 2

You all know the drill: I only own the plot, JK owns the rest. I make no money from this.

Chapter 2

After placing all of the journals on the table which sat between the chairs, Hermione just stared at them. She finally let out a sigh and picked up the first journal. Opening the page, she began to read:

When I entered Dumbledore's office, he looked at me with disappointment in his eyes. Well, there was nothing new; I was always a disappointment. He proceeded to ask me who Hermione Jean Granger-Snape was. I looked at him and could not even begin to fathom who this person was, so I asked him to enlighten me. Well, Journal, he floored me when he revealed she was an incoming first year and, by all accounts, she was my daughter. Well damn, I had hoped my little indiscretion was a Squib, but I guess I couldn't get so lucky. After much arguing on my part, and firm resolution on Dumbledore's part, it was decided I would take the unwanted little bastard her Hogwarts letter. I need a drink, or I will never get any sleep this night. I have not even met the little bitch, and I hate her already.

He was blunt in his thoughts about me, Hermione thought to herself. She turned several pages before she found another entry pertaining to her.

Journal, I can positively say the woman is a shrew. I thank my lucky stars I was too pissed to notice. I left after giving her the address to the Leaky Cauldron and explained she needed to go to Diagon Alley and do all of the child's school supply shopping there. I was not going to mollycoddle her and told her so. Helen could learn just like the rest of the Muggles.

As I was leaving, she asked if I wanted to see what my daughter looked like. I refused. I would be seeing the child in little over a month and wished I would never see her at all. I bid Helen good bye and left. Journal, my life as I have known it is over. I am now descending into hell, for Dumbledore has just been so kind as to remind me Harry fucking Potter will be a first year also. I need a drink.

Hermione did not know whether to laugh or be angry at the treatment her mother had suffered. She knew how Professor Snape could be, and to call her mother a shrew was like the pot calling the kettle black. She was torn as to whether she should continue to read on or just throw all of the books into the fire and forget everything. But both Dumbledore and Ron's words kept coming back to her. Yes, she would always wonder what was in the journals, but did she really want to believe Professor Snape's feelings for her had changed? She decided she would just go to bed and sleep on it.

Hermione looked up at the clock and was surprised to see it was well after midnight. She shook Ron awake and watched as he looked around the room.

"Alright there, Hermione?"

"I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed at the moment." She stretched out a hand to him and they rose to their feet. She spoke as they were getting into bed. "Well, Professor Snape really did hate me. I mean, he called me several nasty names that I will not repeat, but there was also coldness to his words." She snuggled under the covers and rested her head on Ron's shoulder. "I don't know if I want to continue reading them, but Dumbledore's portrait mentioned to me how Professor Snape came to love me as a daughter and left me everything. I don't know about anything right now except I am tired. Good night, love." Hermione sat up, gave Ron a kiss, rolled over and closed her eyes.

"You know, whatever you decide, I will be right by your side. I won't ever leave you again." Ron vowed into her neck, kissing it, sighed and then fell asleep.

*

Hermione had a very restless night, and after only a few hours of sleep, rose to greet the dawn. She knew she had kept Ron up with her restlessness and made as little noise as possible while she'd dressed. On her way out of their chamber, she picked up the journal she had started to read the night before. As she proceeded down one of the staircases to the Great Hall, Hermione decided she would grab a quick bite and head for the lake to read more.

****

After finding a secluded spot, Hermione opened the journal to where she had left off and began to read:

1 September 1991

I digress; my bastard has also arrived this day. All I have to say is the child will win no beauty contest. She is buck-toothed and has a bushy mop on her head I presume she calls hair. (The resemblance to my Muggle grandmother is uncanny). I could see she was acting as if the Sorting Hat was a test she was going to fail, and of all the horrors, she was sorted into Gryffindor also. I pray I will only have to deal with the little chit in class. I will have to wait and see. I will have both children in my class tomorrow. Wonderful, just wonderful.

Hermione could just hear the sarcasm dripping off the page.

Also, Quirrell is acting peculiarly; I will have to keep up my guard. I still don't know whose side he is on, and to preserve my status as a Death Eater, I must be wary and tread carefully. With Albus hiding Flamel's Stone in the castle, we will all be on our guard. Albus has asked me to create one of many challenges which will protect the Stone. I will have to put my mind to work and think long and hard. Time for bed.

The Gryffindor/Slytherin first-year Potions class was an inimitable disaster. Mr. Potter thought he could not pay attention in my class, and when I brought the boy to task, he had the gall to get cheeky. And Miss Granger, her insistent hand waving will be the death of her by my hand. Maybe I should have taken an interest in the child when she was born, so that now she would have been better prepared to handle the Wizarding world. She is already showing signs of being insufferable. I will definitely have to keep an eye on her. The Longbottom boy will become the death of us all. He is no potion brewer and will definitely make me stay on my guard for every class if today is to be an example. I may become an alcoholic.

Hermione looked up at the lake as she remembered her first class with the Potions master. She was mesmerized by him even then. Now, she understood a little of the attraction she felt even at her young age. She had respect for all of her professors, but Snape seemed to command the most from her. She had always felt she had to strive to do better in his class. To achieve the intangible goal of receiving his praise.

4 October 1991

Tonight is also the night of my beloved Lily's death. I wonder, Journal, do you think Potter even knows this is the night his beautiful mother was killed? He seems a little too joyous to even consider what day it actually is.

At this, Hermione stopped reading that particular entry. She was stunned by the little tidbit that was hidden in the middle of Professor Snape's monologue. He'd been frightened of the prospect of Hermione being in the bathroom and that Harry and Ron might have been the cause. Well, he was right to a point. Hermione leaned back against the tree and remembered the fateful night so long ago. If Ron had not been so cruel earlier in the day, she would not have hidden in that particular bathroom, crying for the rest of the day. She had to smile, for if it hadn't been for Professor Quirrell letting in the troll, she, Harry and Ron would never have become as close friends as they were. She finally had a brother, or five, if one counted all the Weasley boys. Six, if she included Fred. Dear, sweet Fred, how he would have loved this turn of events. George will be unbearable, but to have had both Fred and George find out about this, they would never have let her forget where she came from. She had to shudder at the thought. No, George alone will be enough.

2 November, 1991

Tomorrow, my Slytherins will play and beat Gryffindor. I wonder what Minerva will want to bet this time. I must be more cautious around that Gryffindor. She is ruthless.

Hermione laughed a little as she turned the pages to find another entry.

3 November, 1991

We lost. Potter caught the Snitch in a most unusual way. By his mouth. Well, at least he put it to good use for once. I was distracted through most of the game, for I believe Quirrell was performing a spell. I needed all of my concentration to perform the counterspell, and I needed to keep eye contact with Potter. Somehow, my robes caught fire. When I jumped up to put the flames out, I lost my concentration. Thankfully enough, my actions caused Quirrell to become distracted as well. I believe it was Granger; out of the corner of my eye, I saw her running from under the stands. So, now I know who the pyro is of that little group. I don't know whether to be proud or very afraid of what the little witch can do. We will see.

Hermione fell over in a fit of giggles when she read that. Her, a pyro? As if. The next entry she found was more or less just a footnote. Snape had been happy she was going home for the holidays. Well, now that she thought about it, she was happy to accommodate. It had been a wonderful Christmas that year. Since she had been away from her parents for so long, they had gone all out to make that Christmas one of the best. She was starting to cry again. How she missed her parents. As soon as she could, she would go to Australia and retrieve them. Thank god, she had explained everything to them before she changed their memories. Hermione just hoped they were still safe and Voldemort had not discovered what she had done.

The next entry that pertained to her directly was more towards the end of the journal. As she was thumbing through the pages, she eyed the entries containing the Quidditch match Snape refereed, and also the conversations he had had with Quirrell. She could still remember the horror she had felt when it had been revealed Quirrell was actually the human host to Voldemort. So much had happened that first year, and not surprising was how she, Harry and Ron had all survived their quest to find Flamel's Stone. The next entry she came to was quite interesting, and just remembering that particular incident made her smile.

25 March, 1992

I don't know whether to be upset or just relieved; the children had their detention tonight, and nothing went as it was planned. They were to serve their time with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest and return at dawn. Well, that is not what happened. A unicorn was attacked, and Potter was rescued by a Centaur. Hermione, Miss Granger was with him. Well, at least she was with Hagrid at the time. It seems he had the children split up into two groups, and to my horror, Draco was with Potter. It's amazing they did not kill each other. All hell broke loose once everyone had separated. From what I have been told, Potter and Draco stumbled across a unicorn that had just been killed. While investigating the unicorn, they were set upon by some creature. Draco ran, but Potter was brought to his knees. It seems the centaur, Firenze, was able to rescue to boy just in time. I am just thankful Draco is alright. It seems that girl has a penchant for trouble. I am going have to keep a closer eye on her.

Well, once again Hermione was given a glimpse into Snape's mind. She noticed his slip up in writing her name, and although he didn't come right out and say it, he was concerned for her as well. Though, it did seem as though he cared more for Draco than her. She probably should expect it though.

She was coming to the end of the first journal when entries pertaining to her seemed more in depth:

5 June, 1992

Thank you, whoever you are, for watching over the children. I am glad they survived.

Hermione had to put the journal aside to wipe her eyes. He had cared for her as early as first year and never let on. What must he had gone through to hold it inside... She sat staring off over the lake for some time when she was startled by footsteps coming upon her. She looked up and was surprised at who was standing over her.

Thank you to my wonderful betas for putting up with all of my issues. BattleofLissa and Sunny33, you both deserve lots of chocolate kisses.

Sorry this took so long, but RL was really kicking me in the butt this year.