Goodnight, Demon Slayer

Goodnight, Demon Slayer
Prologue:
Somebody Shoot Me, Please

Hermione Granger was not happy.

In fact, she was scared shitless. Furrowing her brow and frowning slightly, she made her way up the moving spiral staircase to Dumbledore's office. She had never been summoned to the Headmaster's study before, and from the stern look on Professor McGonagall's face, something was seriously wrong. However, she knew Harry and Ron were both safe as she'd left them in the middle of a heated game of chess, and no matter how she racked her brain, she could not think of a single thing she'd done against school rules.

Except for asking Harry and Ron to go into the restricted section of the library first year.

Or stealing from Professor Snape's private stores.

Or attacking that same professor a year later in the Shrieking Shack.

Or blackmailing Rita Skeeter.

Or taking care of a savage half-giant in a forest that was, coincidentally, forbidden.

But other than that, what could she have possibly done wrong?

Hermione looked up quickly and noticed she'd reached the end of her journey which had passed in complete silence since McGonagall had come to collect her. Professor McGonagall was now holding the door for her and was motioning her in. Slowly, Hermione lifted a foot (which suddenly felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds) and took her first step inside Dumbledore's office.

"Ah, Miss Granger, come in," the Headmaster welcomed, although there was a strange chilliness to his voice, and his trademark twinkle was absent from his eye. Hermione smiled weakly and walked further into the strange study, taking a moment to admire Fawkes who was in fine form today. "Please sit," instructed the Headmaster, interrupting her revery. She obeyed, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. Dumbledore smiled at her, but the action was almost disconcerting since Hermione knew something was seriously wrong.

"Professor Snape seems to be running a bit late, so I think I'll get started without him." Hermione's eyes shot rapidly between Professors Dumbledore (who was still smiling joylessly) and McGonagall (who seemed to have caught something in her eye as she was turning away and rubbing at it furiously).

"Professor Snape?" Hermione asked worriedly. "Did I do something wrong?" Oh, God! He knows I took the ingredients second year! He's gonna kill me!

"No, no, no my dear. The trouble at hand is through no fault of your own." Trouble? Not my fault? Her mind raced over possible reasons for trouble but she was sure all the normal excuses were not the case now.

But why did it involve Professor Snape? Had a potion gone wrong? Did he need her help brewing something? Thwerewere only so many reasons why her potions master would be involoved in any trouble she'd gotten herself into.

But he wasn't just her potions master, Hermione realized with a sudden lurch of her stomach. He was a Death Eater and double agent for the Order of the Phoenix. Immediately on the verge of tears, Hermione looked up at the Headmaster.

"Is it my parents, sir?" she asked quietly. She was instantly heart sick; she knew that seversal other Muggleborn students' parents had been attacked by Death Eaters, but she had never really considered they might come after her family. Stupid, really, she now realized. Given her friendship with Harry, she would be a prime target. Berating herself for the oversight, she snapped back to reality as Dumbledore spoke again.

"No, Hermione, this involves you. Unfortunately, you were the main topic of conversation last night at the last Death Eater gathering."

"Me?" she asked incredulously. "But why? What do they want from me? I'm nothing special!"

"Unfortunately, Hermione, you are." Professor McGonagall, now crying openly, had interjected. "You are the most powerful witch to ever come through Hogwarts. Some have even said your intellect rivals Rowena Ravenclaw herself. Your prowess is widely known throughout the wizarding world. You are the only person in Hogwarts history to receive top marks in every single class you've ever taken- including Potions. You are the only non-Slytherin to ever be Severus' top student."

"But that's not true!" Hermione interrupted. "Harry got better marks than I did in Defense Against The Dark Arts third year!"

"On his exam, yes," conceeded McGonagall. "But you were top on average." Hermione gazed at her Head of House quizzically, but McGonagall only cried harder. Why should she be sad that her student was tops? As if communicating telepathically with Dumbledore, McGonagall glanced silently at the Headmaster who took over the speech. Hermione had thought it before and she'd think it again. Those two were scary when they got together.

"Hermione," he began softly. "Such an accomplishment does not go unnoticed by powerful witches and wizards, no matter if those wizards' intentions are good or bad. Add to your incredible intellect your efforts so far with Harry and the DA, the fact that your parents are non-magical, and your closeness to Harry and you are quite an extraordinary witch indeed.

"Of course, those who notice most are those around you, who see you everyday. Not only people like Professor McGonagall and myself, not only people like Harry and Ron. People like Draco Malfoy.

"It would seem, Miss Granger, that you topping him in every class severely annoys Mr. Malfoy. So much so that he's been complaining to his father about you for the past six years. The Death Eaters, including Lucius Malfoy, have, of course, taken note of your accomplishments and the likliehood that you will be part of a concentrated effort against Voldemort, so when Lucius was being rewarded by the Dark Lord last night for a job well done, he asked for you as a prize."

"But, if Malfoy hates me so much, then why... Oh," she breathed, realization setting in. Malfoy wanted a slave, probably for Draco's amusement as much as his own, and when he was done with her, he'd kill her. Quite clever, actually, to take out a personal vendetta while at the same time eliminating the girl who, theoretically, posed the biggest threat to Lord Voldemort.

Looking up at the Headmaster with hollow eyes, Hermione quietly stated, "So, I have a death sentence." For once, Dumbledore's demeanor faltered, and she saw the trepidation in his eyes.

"Not exactly," he began. "Luckily, for us, Professor Snape is still highly favored by Lord Voldemort. When he heard Malfoy's request, he objected, and when his objection was called into question, he had to make both the Dark Lord and his inner circle of Death Eaters believe that Malfoy could not have you as Severus had already... *laid claim* to you." The odd tone of Dumbledore's voice made Hermione sure that Professor Snape had not informed the Death Eaters he had his own designs on killing her.

"Professor Snape told them that he and I... we were... are... involved?" Hermione's eyes squinted as her logical mind tried to work out specifics and her emotional self struggled to keep from vomiting.

"Yes, dear," Dumbledore stated, fearing what was to come.

"So, that's it, then? I'm safe?"

"I'm afraid not, Hermione," chimed in Professor McGonagall. "Your behavior will be monitored more closely now than ever. It seems that Voldemoret has made a stipulation that should Professor Snape and yourself become unattached, Mr. Malfoy will be given clearance to collect on his prize. Therefore, when you go home for summer holiday next week, Professor Snape will be coming with you. He is under strict orders not to let you out of his sight. He will accompany you everywhere and live with your family like a Muggle for the entire summer." Shifting her eyes from McGonagall to Dumbledore and back again, Hermione tried to brace herself for what her felt must be coming next. She didn't know what it was, but she was sure there was something they weren't telling her. * I'll give you intuition, Trelawney!* Why did they look at her like she was an imbecile? She knew Snape was no picnic, but she would gladly spend her every waking moment with him if the alternative was Voldemort. Or worse, the Malfoys.

"Hermione, I don't think you understand. Your parents have been informed of the truth, but everyone else MUST believe that Professor Snape is your boyfriend. Not even Harry and Ron can know the truth. Hermione, you will be being watched. You must convince everyone that you and Professor Snape are involved. Hermione," began Dumbledore, peering deep into her eyes as if explaining the concept of sharing to a crying child, "You must PUBLICLY BEHAVE like you are in love with Professor Snape."

"WHAT?!?!"

And as the echoes of her cry faded, she heard the heavy wooden door thud closed behind her.

"I assure you I am just as excited as you are, Miss Granger."

Professor Severus Snape had arrived.