The Given Choices

Hermione moved away from the napping body of Draco Malfoy as she got out of his bed. It was the first semi warm day of the spring and the Gryffindor team was out practicing as it was the first Saturday of March and her best friends still did not know the true nature of her relationship with the Slytherin Prince. They had decided to study in the privacy of his dorm room because only Blaise was there with them. After three hours of studying, Blaise left to get some fresh air, which actually meant he went watch his girlfriend- Ginny, and Draco had 'talked' her into a little snogging time.

Hermione bent down to pick up her shirt from the floor that got there sometime during their heavy petting on the bed. As she buttoned her blouse, a few books on his side table caught her attention and she walked over to them. The five books all had bookmarks in them and where all related to the Dark Arts in some way or fashion. Her eyes traveled over to her sleeping boyfriend, his father must have been sending those books to him. They had not yet actually discussed their loyalties ever since they became involved but it looked like it would need to happen soon.

Hermione bent over to kiss him on the cheek before she left through the secret exit that Narcissa had told her about in a letter after they had their 'talk' in December. They had written each other once or twice since then, mainly about Draco, but she was truly beginning to like the woman. Bellatrix wrote more often than that as she would write about her childhood or some of the things that had happened at the beginning of her marriage. Several books were sent to Hermione from her birthmother, they had been mainly Charms and Potions books that were on the edge of being considered Dark Arts but not by much.

The secret passage let to the Potions lab and she stepped into the hallway as she heard the Potions Master within the room, making some noise like he was cleaning something. With all of her worries about Draco, she decided it was time to see if his Head of House had any ideas on how to sway the young mister Malfoy to their side.

The door was open and she knocked loud enough for him to hear her from his storeroom where he appeared to be located. The dark, brooding Potions Master stood in the doorframe as he asked, "Is there something I can help you with, Miss Granger?"

"Yes, I wanted to speak to about a certain... project I was working on. Can we speak elsewhere?" Hermione asked as she tilted her head in the direction to his adjacent office.

"Very well," he stated and opening the door for her and then warding the door after she was seated in a chair in front of his large desk. "What do you need to that requires taking up my precious time, Miss Granger?"

Inwardly she thought of some inappropriate comments to that question but decided against it. He had always had a snarky side and that was something she had to deal with if he took her as his apprentice. She calmed herself down and then replied, "I am sorry for interrupting you, Professor Snape. But I am growing more concerned on the path Draco is going to be choosing. Do you have any suggestions to help me convince him to turn away from all his father is tempting him with?"

Snape sat back in his leather chair as he eyed her for a few several seconds before he spoke, "Lucius is becoming more and more forceful as to getting Draco ready to take the Dark Mark. There is not much time, Miss Granger. If your personal goal is to save him, then you are about to fail."

"Professor, I've seen some of the books he is reading and I don't know if I can win against his lust for power and glory. I might be able to sway him from taking the Mark by the end of the year but I'll need-"

He interrupted her and spoke, "You do not have that much time, Miss Granger. You have only two weeks before Draco is to take the Mark from the Dark Lord."

"Two weeks? I can't get him to change is mind by then," Hermione muttered as panic began to spread within her.

He snarled, "Then he will become a Death Eater just like his father. I can not interfere without disclosing my true loyalties and that is not a gamble the Order is willing to take."

"I can't be with someone who will be on the opposite side of the battlefield than me. I really can't."

Snape leaned forward as he lowered his voice, "The reason for him to get his Mark so soon is because the Dark Lord believes that you will also receive that Mark in order to be with along side him and your mother. She is under the belief that you will have swayed to their cause by June."

"No," Hermione whispered as her body began to shake. "I'll never take the Dark Mark and pledge my loyalties to a mad man."

"How admirable," he bit out and sat back down. Hermione had slowly begun to be able to read passed the mask that he had built around him. In his dark, black eyes, she saw the pain and fear of losing Draco to Voldemort. She stood up from the chair as she began to lose all hope on being able to stop Draco from making that dreadful choice. By the time she reached the door, the Potions Master's voice stopped her from leaving. "Is that all you are going to do, Miss Granger? Turn your back on him. I knew you did not truly care about him, Narcissa was wrong about you."

She sighed as tears began to run down her face. "Do you truly think I like the fact I am losing the man I love to that murderer? I hate it, but he makes his own choices; Draco chooses to go somewhere I will not."

Snape waited a moment before he said, "I seems to me that Draco does not know you will not follow him. Have you told him that?"

She shook her head as she wiped the tears away and turned to face the professor. "I did not want to give him an ultimatum; I wanted him to make the right choice because it was the right thing to do."

He nodded his head once and then replied, "But he is not aware of all of the implications of that choice. I think he might not make his decision so easily if he knew you would not support him. However, I am not saying he will change his mind but it might make him stop and think about it first."

"Okay, I'll talk to him tonight after dinner. He's asleep right now," she commented and then blushed at the raise of his eyebrow. Quickly she tried to cover her slip, Hermione knew that Snape supported their dating because of Narcissa's influence but being in the same dorm was probably crossing the line. "Um, I mean that's what he told me after we stopped studying. In the library, that is."

"Really, Miss Granger?" The head of house smirked and watched her fidget for a few minutes, but only stated,

"Tonight should be fine. Good day to you. You might want to work on those lying skills of yours, if you are going to continue dating a Slytherin without your friends knowing."

Hermione said, "Yes, Sir. Thank you, Professor."

She left the dungeons with her mind swirling around about the new information of the date of Draco's Marking being so soon. As Hermione walked to Gryffindor tower, the sight of Remus coming from the Headmaster's office caught her eye. He appeared to be upset and she had to approach him before he noticed her presence, "Hello, Remus. Is everything all right?"

Lupin glanced around and then directed her to the nearest empty classroom. He began to pace in the front of the room as she sat on top of a desk on the front row. The chair behind the desk creaked as he moved it in front of her. He took his seat as stated, "No, everything is not all right, Hermione. However, I need to ask you to do something for me."

She face showed much concern as she asked, "What, father?"

The corner of his lips tugged up but then dipped back down as he leaned forward. "You need to call it off with Malfoy. I don't care if you don't get back together with Harry but you have to end it with Draco Malfoy immediately."

"Why are you asking me to that?"

He tried to focus on the desktop and replied, "Malfoy will be taking the Dark Mark in a couple of weeks."

"No, he isn't. I am going to talk to him tonight and tell him he has other choices. He will know in no uncertain terms that I will not join Voldemort and if he does, he will loose me forever," she admitted.

Remus took her face in her hands as he pleaded, "Don't waste your breath, my dear. He will turn to the Dark Arts just like his father has. You can not change a person and he will not change the way was raised to be just for you, he will only break your heart and I don't want to see that happen."

Hermione felt the pain of her heartache more as spoke, "I have to try. Please understand that I can not give him up without a fight. He is worth that much."

Lupin rose to his feet and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I understand that you care for him and it is very difficult to admit that you were wrong about him to yourself, but this is all part of Voldemort's grand plan. It is to lour you to his side because of your love for Draco Malfoy and the fact the Bellatrix Black is your birthmother. Voldemort has known your heritage and will do anything to win this war. I can't loose you to their side, Hermione. I can't loose the daughter I just found out about."

"You won't lose me, father," she stated as she got off the desk and walked to the door. "I will give Draco his choices. It's either with me on the Side of the Light or at his father's side without me. I am not going to join them, even if that means giving up the man I love."

"Are you sure you love him, Hermione?"

Hermione looked down to the bracelet Draco had given her for Christmas and then looked up to the man she now considered her father, "Yes, I think I do. I would do almost anything for him. But I can't join Voldemort for him and I know I can't make his decisions for him. Once he makes his, I will make mine."

A slight smiled crept on his face and he kissed her cheek. "Okay, do what you have to do, my dear. Know I will support you in whatever happens and whatever choices that are made."

They exited to the empty room and went their separate ways once in the corridor. None of the students knew of her real parentage except her close friends. At the portrait of Gryffindor tower, she saw a sweaty Ginny Weasley talking to Blaise Zabini as they held hands. She wondered if he knew the news about Draco taking the Dark Mark in a few weeks, but she wouldn't be the one to tell him. She smiled as she approached them and said, "Hello guys. Blaise, can you tell Draco I need to see him after dinner? Ask him to meet me in the Room of Requirement at seven."

"Sure, Hermione. See you later, my love." Blaise kissed his girlfriend's hands and smiled sweetly at Hermione before going down the stairs.

The redhead shook her head as Hermione joined her on the landing. "That boy is something else."

Hermione laughed as gave the portrait the password and headed upstairs to get some reading done before dinner and her conversation with Draco was to happen. This was going to be a long day and she knew that she would need all the relaxing time she had before their talk about the future of their relationship.

~*~*~* To be continued ~~*~*~*~*~*~