The Given Choices

*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Chapter Twenty-three *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I tried," she bit out as she stood up from the swing and held her chest tight; the pain of her breaking heart was killing her from the inside.

Professor Snape stepped right behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder as he spoke, "Yes, you did. The decision is his and his alone, but you told him that he had choices. Maybe he'll make the right one."

It was odd seeing this side of the cold Potions Master but she had learned of how much he cared about his godson, Snape didn't want to see Draco go down the same path he had done because his father was only making it so easy for him. They stayed quiet for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts and then she questioned, "What am I going to do?"

Severus let out a defeated sigh as he sat down on the wooden swing and replied, "You are going to breathe in and out. Tomorrow you will wake and take one day at a time, sometimes that's all you can do."

The jingle from the charm bracelet that Draco had given her caught her attention. Hermione touched the rose charm as her professor continued, "Your application for being my Potions apprentice has been approved by the Headmaster, but you will need to work on a Potion of my choice to research and complete within two weeks. Your apprenticeship will start immediately due to the need and the war. You will still in all your normal classes but you will just have this in addition to your schooling. I think you should be able to handle it without a Time Turner."

She turned around quickly to face him with a look of utter surprise on her face. Even though she had turned in all necessary paperwork last week, she figured he'd find some reason to turn it down. The Potions Master rose to his feet and took a step towards her as he asked, "Are you up to it, Miss Granger?"

"Yes, Professor. What Potion am I assigned to make?"

He smirked as he turned away from her and headed in the direction of the door. "Well, I think you might be intelligent and possibly capable enough to brew the Wolfsbane Potion."

"But Professor, that is very difficult to make. You are one of the very few Potions Masters that are able to do it," she said as she caught up to him.

Snape turned to her and stated, "You have two weeks to master the basics. You can fine-tune it afterwards. If you do not think you can do it, we can tear up your approved application and go on with life."

Hermione shook her head, as she replied, "No. No, I'll try."

Severus Snape leaned forward and got in her face, as he snipped, "No, either you will or you won't; there is no try."

She gave a smirk very much like his and straightened her shoulders. "Then I will and I think I can master it in two weeks."

"Really? It took me three. Well, we will see, won't we," he commented as he turned the doorknob but then stopped. The Potions Master slowly faced her as he asked, "Do you trust me, Miss Granger?"

Her eyebrow went up with that question and she replied honestly, "Yes, you have proven yourself to the Order. So, yes, I do trust you."

"Do you trust me enough to do as I say without question? Do you trust me with your life?"

She nodded and he looked deep into her eyes as if trying to see if that was true. Snape sighed as he opened the door for her and followed her out of the room; he lowered his voice as they walked towards the dungeons. "These are dangerous times, Miss Granger and there may come a point were you need to remember to always trust me. I would never do anything to cause harm to you, but this is war and things don't always happen the way we expect or want."

Hermione kept up with his long, fast strides and replied, "Yes, I understand."

They reached his Potions laboratory and he finally spoke, "I expect six feet of parchment on everything you have learned about the Potion to be handed in by Monday after classes. We will begin brewing that night and it will take every night afterwards after that one. Make no plans for the next two weeks. Also, bring your other books to study during the portions that it simmers. Good night, Miss Granger."

She watched his billowing black robes as he entered his private office and closed the doors with a loud bang. It was strange how some things stay the same and yet they can change because of your changing perspective. The man that scared her as a first year and she had believed capable of killing her best friend was now someone she trusted completely. From now on, she was going to start laying her path towards the future. Silently she wished her love would make the right choice but Professor Snape was right, it was his decision now. She had made her decision and she was happy with her choice, even though she wanted him by her side.

Hermione headed back to her dorms lost in thoughts and therefore she failed to notice a pair of silver eyes follow her down the corridor away from the Potions lab.

A week later, Hermione found herself packing her bag to go back down to the lab to finish her work for the night. As she pulled the strap over her shoulder, her mind started to think about Draco. She had not spoken to him since that night at the Room of Requirement and he was completely ignoring her. Blaise had said that he had been very quiet and was not even a lot talking to him. Her worries were pushed aside as she made herself focus on her work on the Wolfsbane Potion.

Hermione smiled at the sight of Ron and Harry actually studying at the table in the common room. Harry glanced up at her with that sly smile of his as he waved her to come over to them. She leaned against the table as he wrapped an arm around her waist and he said, "I know that you're spending all this time with Snape for your apprenticeship, but too much time with any Slytherin is not good."

"Hey, I disagree with that," Ginny stated from her position on the coach with Blaise sitting next to her who seemed to be helping her study for her O.W.L.s. The quiet Slytherin laughed as he drew her attention back to the book in her hands.

Hermione laughed and said, "I'm fine. Plus I am doing this to help Remus. It is good to have two people that are able to make the Potion for him. Plus it gets my mind off ... things."

Harry's eyebrow went up but it was Ron who spoke up first, "Is something wrong, 'Mione?"

Her eyes stayed on Harry's brilliant green eyes, as he seemed to be searching for something. Then his lips became a thin line and he got up from the table. "I'll kill him."

"No, Harry. Don't do anything," she begged as she stopped him from heading out the door.

He whipped around to face her as he asked, "When did it happen, Hermione?"

She looked away but he grabbed her by the elbows to get her eyes back on him. Her words were a whisper, "We broke up about a week and a half a go."

"Broke up. With who?" Ron questioned as he came to their side.

"Malfoy," her ex hissed as he lifted her head up and he asked, "When did you start dating him behind our backs?"

She tore her chin out of his hand as she took a step away from him and stated, "During winter holiday but that's not any of your business."

Just as she was about to head out the door, he stopped her and asked, "What did the bastard do to you?"

Hermione sighed as she turned and just over his shoulder she saw Blaise shake his head. She bit her lip and then replied, "Harry, don't be mad. He didn't do anything. We just don't agree on some major issues and that's that. Nothing to worry about."

"He didn't deserve you. You're much too good for him. I'm sorry, Hermione," Harry stated as he pulled her into a hug. With her in his arms, he whispered, "You still could've told me. Don't feel like you have to hide anything from me. I might not have been happy about it, but I would've been there for you."

She took herself out of his warm arms and kissed him on the cheek as she said, "You're a great friend, Harry. You'll make a great boyfriend for the right girl."

He looked like he was about to say something but he stopped himself and opened the door for her. She walked out and he said, "I'll always be here for you, Hermione."

A small smile crossed her lips as she headed down the stairs. Sometimes it seemed so easy just to get back together with him. However, she knew that she would be settling and that was not fair to Harry. Dumbledore once said something about deciding between what was right and what was easy, and within her heart she knew that dating Harry was the easy way; just not right. Her heart already belonged to somebody else, even though it was broken now.

She walked down to the dungeons and placed her bag on the first table when she heard the voice of Lucius Malfoy come from Snape's office. The older Malfoy said, "I must admit that I was surprised to hear about their breakup, but lovers have spats. Things will be fine once she realizes that she must join us."

Hermione flicked her wand to shrink her things and tucked them away in her jeans pocket. With swish of her wand, the soles of her shoes made no noise as she walked into the storage room right next to the Professor's office without either catching either of the occupants' attention.

Snape's voice replied, "Give her time. Your son can be very persuasive, even though Miss Granger can be very stubborn at times. By the end of the year, maybe things between them will have changed. Otherwise, there is still a year before she leaves Hogwarts."

"Actually, our Lord wants her by Saturday. When Draco is to get his mark, he wants her there to also get it."

Hermione paled at those words and panic spread within her. It seemed that Snape was just as surprised when she heard him say, "What?"

"Here is a letter from our Master," Lucius stated and she wished that she had a view of what was happening but it wasn't worth the risk. "He wants you to deliver her to us on Saturday one way or another. Be it by a charm, hex, or potion, he wants her to take the Mark as soon as possible. He chose you because it seems that you're loyalty is questionable."

"I have been a faithful servant and informant to him ever since he came back," the Potions Master said, as his voice became angrier.

The snide voice of Lucius followed next. "Yes, that is true, my dear friend. But. He. Wants. Her. Now. And what he wants, he gets."

The sound of parchment being folded came from the office and the Professor said, "I will do what I can."

"I am sure you will. Good day, Severus."

Then Hermione pressed her body against the wall to ensure that she could not be seen. Lucius' footsteps and cane disappeared as he left the room. She peaked through the slit of the door jam and watched the Potions Master exit his office with an envelope crushed in his hand. His body appeared so much weaker than he ever let on when he knew someone else was around. The years of playing both sides were truly taking their toll on him but he was the only one that could get that inner circle information the Order needed.

Snape slowly walked out of the room as he tucked the parchment into the folds of his robes. Hermione put her head against the wall behind her as a throb started to build at her temples; he had risked so much over the year and there was nothing that she could do. With a heavy sigh, Hermione walked out of the labs without working on her Potion at all. There was too much on her mind and that was much more pressing at the moment.

~*~*~* To Be Continued *~~**~~**