The Truth About Hermione Granger

Harry and Ron almost didn't see Hermione that night at dinner because she looked so different with her hair hanging straight about her face. She had to wave and call to them before they spotted her. Ron's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he realized who she was.

"Wow, Herm!" he exclaimed, sitting next to her. "You look... well, you look GREAT!"

"Shove your eyes back in your head, Ron," said Harry, sitting on Hermione's other side. "But still, Herm, you do look great."

"Thanks," she said, grinning. "My dad took me into Hogsmeade today. You should see the things he bought for me! I've got brand new dress robes and a couple new school robes, new warm boots and a pair of dress boots and dress shoes to go with my new robes. He also let me get my hair fixed up at The Cutting Wand."

"Snape did all that?" asked Ron, surprised.

"He sure did," she said. Then, lowering her voice, she added, "and he even said he wasn't sure if he would try to get custody of me. You know, because of his WORK? He was worried You-Know-Who would want me to be part of his inner circle."

"So what did you tell him?" asked Harry.

"I told him that I was counting on that," she said.

Ron looked horrified. "You've gone batty!" he said.

"No, listen, Ron, think about it!" she said, shaking her head. "If I were in his inner circle, I could be a spy with Snape! I could help take down the Dark Order! Don't you see?"

"Yes, I see," said Harry, grinning. "You should've been put in Slytherin."

"Well, probably," said Hermione, going back to her dinner and shuddering at the thought of sharing a room with the likes of Pansy Parkinson. "After all, I am rather ambitious, but the sorting hat didn't realize that I am a full-blooded witch, so it put me in Gryffindor."

"How could it not know?" asked Ron. "I thought it was so smart."

"I think it only knows as much about you as you know," she answered.

"And you're sure you want to work with Snape?" asked Harry. "I mean it's awfully dangerous."

"I know," she answered. "But it's still a wonderful opportunity. I can't pass it up! How else would I be able to work against Vold- sorry- You-know-who?"

Ron shrugged. "I'm sure you'd think of something," he said. "You're smart."

Hermione frowned. "You just don't like the idea of me being a Snape!" she said.

"That's true," he said. "But... Oh, Herm, I'll just worry about you, that's all."

"Ron, that's very sweet of you," she said. "But, really, you don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

Still Ron frowned.

"I think he likes you," Harry whispered in her ear.

Hermione turned to look at him. "What?" she whispered back.

"Can't say as I blame him," he replied sheepishly. "You're a great girl."

Hermione studied him carefully. She couldn't believe it. Her two best friends in the world were in love with her! She wondered why they hadn't said anything before, but then figured that they had probably had a talk about it and decided either that they would both stay away from her or else let her decide. Well, if they wanted her to decide between the two of them, she would choose Harry, but she'd rather not choose either of them. It would complicate things way too much and she liked things to stay simple. No, she'd had her eye on Dean Thomas for most of last year, and she'd even caught him staring in her direction a few times.

Finally, she sighed and went back to her dinner. "You guys don't have to worry about me," she said. "But thanks. It means a lot to me that you do!"

"Anytime, Hermione," laughed Harry. "That's what friends are for."

Hermione smiled and as she looked up, saw Dean Thomas smiling at her from down the table. She smiled back at him and he turned a bit red and quickly looked away.

Things were changing for Hermione and she had a feeling it was going to be one wild ride!

* * * * * * * *

Little did she know just how soon things would be changing. After her very next potions class, Snape held her behind as the rest of the students left the dungeon classroom.

"Well, Miss Granger," he said, standing and crossing the classroom to her. "It appears that muggle courts like to hurry these things. We have to go into London next week to have the test done. They say, though, that without any DNA or whatever it was called from your mother, it will be more difficult to determine whether or not I am your father, but, it's still worth a shot."

Hermione nodded. "I was afraid of something like that," she said. "I could talk to my grandfather and see if he would mind if they dug her up to get a DNA sample. That might help."

Professor Snape shuddered. "Only if it's necessary," he said. "I don't like the idea of them disturbing my precious Alyssa." He suddenly got a faraway look in his eyes and looked away from Hermione. "Anyway," he continued suddenly. "That's neither here nor there, and only if it's necessary will we consider that option. Let's see how it goes first. I've already cleared it with Dumbledore so that we've both got the whole of next week off in order to get this done. Hopefully, there won't be any problems."

"Yes, I hope so," she said, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "But, now, I'd better get to Transfiguration. I'll be late in a minute."

"Well, then, you'd better get a move on!" he laughed.

"Bye, daddy!" she called as she left the potions classroom and nearly bumped into a couple of Ravenclaw fourth years on their way in.

By the end of the day, Harry and Ron were bristling. They didn't much like the idea of her going away with Snape for a whole week. Harry especially seemed disturbed. He kept wrinkling his nose whenever she brought up the subject or mentioned her father's name.

"What's the matter with you?" she asked finally.

"I don't like it, Herm," he said. "You being Snape's daughter officially. It's just... weird! I mean, you'll be a Snape! I don't know."

Hermione just smiled at her friends. "You two don't have to worry!" she said. "I'll always be your friend. Just changing my name won't change who I am."

"I don't know, Herm," said Harry. "What about his work? I mean, what if you have to help him?"

"Then I'll have to help him," she said. "And I probably won't be able to tell you everything we do. Just don't worry about it, okay?"

Ron sighed. "We'll try, Herm," he said. "But it's not going to be easy."

Hermione just smiled at her friends. She loved them both dearly and didn't want to loose them, but she didn't want to loose her father, either. She couldn't be kept from him any longer. She wouldn't be!

And that was that!

* * * * * * * *

It seemed like ages later, but finally, they were sitting in the judge's chambers in a London Courthouse, waiting for the judge to appear. Hermione's grandparents were there, as was her biological grandfather. The latter wasn't too happy about allowing Severus Snape to take custody of her, but had reluctantly agreed when Hermione explained to him that her father was working for the Ministry and she trusted him and that this was what she wanted. Her grandparents were happy for her, but sad that she would not be living with them any longer. She promised them that she would come and visit, but she knew that they would no longer know that she was a witch. The ministry was satisfied that Snape was her father and was ready to perform memory charms on her grandparents once he got custody of her. They were not allowed to know mostly because they did not need to know.

So, here they were, waiting for the judge's final decision. He had by this time seen the results of the paternity test and would be coming in at any moment. He would either tell them that Snape was her father and they could sign custody of her over to him or else he would say that they needed her mother's DNA to be sure and they would have to go dig her up and wait another two days for the results.

Finally, the judge entered the chambers and they all stood.

"Well," he said, sitting at his desk and motioning for the others to sit as well. "I have the results of the test." He paused to glance across his desk at Snape and Hermione. "The lab techs tell me that the results are about seventy percent accurate without the mother's DNA. But, that is accurate enough for me to render my decision. In the paternity case of Severus Snape and Hermione Granger, with seventy percent accuracy, Mr. Snape IS her father."

Hermione allowed herself to smile and beam up at her father. He gave her a crooked half-smile and both turned back to the judge.

"Now, if there are no objections, I will make out a new birth certificate, naming Mr. Snape as the father," he said. Nobody objected, though her grandfather didn't look happy. So, the judge took out the new, clean birth certificate and printed all the old information on it plus the name of the father. He then asked for Snape's signature and then stamped the certificate with his seal. He handed one copy of the certificate over to Snape, kept the other to turn in at the hospital and said, "Congratulations! It's a girl."

Hermione giggled and Snape rolled his eyes good-naturedly. They left the chambers hand in hand.

"Now we have to get all your records changed," he said, leading her to the doors of the courthouse. "And notify the ministry."

Hermione nodded. "Yes," she said, turning to her grandparents. "I'll visit, I promise," she told them.

"Of course you will!" said her grandmother, ruffling her hair. "And we'll write to you at school."

"I'll write back," she said.

With that, they parted with a hug. Mr. King frowned at Snape, but shook his hand, telling him to be careful with Hermione, and then left, dissaparating as soon as he was sure nobody was watching.

After retrieving their things from the hotel, they headed to the train station to catch the night train back to Hogsmeade. There was usually one train from Hogsmeade every day, which got in at about five and it left again, this time heading towards Hogsmeade, at about seven, arriving early the next morning. They would sleep on the train and get back to their respective duties a day earlier than scheduled. The train arrived, right on time and they soon found an empty compartment. Soon, the train was off and they were heading back to Hogwarts, father and daughter, content to have one another at long last.