Severus Snape must walk very thin line between his loyalties.

Chapter 27: A Way Out

Draco didn’t leave his room for the rest of the day. He’d thrown himself on his bed and wept after the fight with his mother. After that he sat on the floor, playing the events of the day over and over in his mind. He couldn’t understand how everything was falling apart around him. The people he’d known all his life were becoming strangers to him.

Even his mother. He mourned the loss of who he believed she was. She was his comforter, soft and warm and gentle. She was his savior with a heart of gold. But today he didn’t even recognize her. It’s not that her prejudice against Muggle-borns was anything new. But her coldness toward what was happening toward an innocent human being, her heartlessness at Hermione’s suffering, altered him permanently. Did he even know her at all?

He was pulled from his thoughts by a knock at the door. “Leave me alone,” he called out weakly. “No. I believe we need to talk,” came the answer from the other side. When Draco didn’t protest, Severus entered his room and stood over him. “Stand up, Draco. You don’t belong on the floor,” he said calmly. Draco stood up slowly, as though he was lifting heavy iron weights. He sat tiredly on his bed and looked at his Professor and mentor. He wanted to scream at him, ask him a thousand questions, beg him to help- but all he could do was stare at the man wordlessly with an exhausted, pained expression on his face.

“I just came from speaking with your mother,” Severus began. He noticed that the pain in Draco’s face became more pronounced and the boy looked down, his hands gripping the side of the bed so hard his knuckles were white. “She was upset, Draco. This war has everyone on edge. You know how she feels about you.” Draco’s head snapped up and he looked at Severus in hurt and anger. “She sent you up here, didn’t she? She can’t even face me and apologize? I thought I knew how she felt about me, but I’m not really sure of anything anymore,” he spat.

Severus’s face became stern, but imploring. “You know that she loves you more than her very life. That has not nor will ever change. But you also know very well how she feels about your Aunt, and your callous choice of words wounded her too.” Before Draco could explode in angry protest, Severus held up his hand. “Draco, it seems as though Miss Granger has single-handedly shook the foundations of this very family. Everyone seems to be quite affected,” he said pointedly, his eyes boring into the boy.

Draco felt his insides begin to shake. He couldn’t take another member of his family (for that is what he considered Severus) telling him to leave her to her fate. He was also terrified to hear what Severus had to say about his new-found feelings for Hermione. Surely his mother had told him about Draco’s impassioned plea for her life. I don’t know if I have the strength to have this conversation again today.

Sighing, he spoke his case- not defensively, but rather resignedly, a statement of fact. “I won’t change how I feel about what’s happening to Hermione.” He’d never said her name in front of Severus before. He watched the man for a reaction, but Severus’s expression remained unchanged. “I don’t agree with the things I used to believe in. Well, not even believe, more like ‘question without a second thought’. She’s challenged everything I thought I was… what I thought I wanted to be. I can see what I’m on my way to becoming, and it makes me sick. If I’m going to become like my mother, my father, my Aunt, then I’d rather kill myself now on the spot.”

At that, Severus’s expression changed slightly. With one eyebrow raised he remarked dryly, “A bit dramatic, don’t you think?” He was utterly nonplussed by Draco’s threat. “You will do no such thing,” he stated matter-of-factly. “What you will do is listen to me.”

Severus’s voice dropped to just above a whisper. “It so happens that I agree with you about Miss Granger.” He paused only long enough for Draco to comprehend his words. As the boy looked on in shock, Severus continued. “The girl has no business here, and cannot possibly provide crucial enough information, no matter how close she is to Mr. Potter.” Leaning in close to Draco, Severus continued, “You know as well as I do that she will not survive if your Aunt Bella has her way; therefore, Miss Granger is in need of a way out.” For the first time in the past few days, Draco felt a rush of hope. He stared at Severus, ready to jump at any suggestion the man made.

“I trust that you know all the secret passages here in the Manor? Surely you’ve used them all at some point to leave the house…undetected?” he smirked. Draco felt a slight blush rise in his cheeks; sometimes the man really does know me better than my parents. Severus continued, “I will explain to your parents that for Miss Granger to be the most useful, she should be taken from here and placed at the Shrieking Shack in order to lay as bait for Potter. No doubt your mother would agree to remove the girl as far away from her son as possible,” he added sarcastically, enjoying the uncomfortable flush that rose to Draco’s face again. “Obviously this move would be a ruse, and in a ‘confused battle with some aurors’, Miss Granger would just happen to sneak away.”

Draco felt his heart beat at a frantically hopeful pace. Then a thought occurred to him. “But why? Why would you care what happens to her?” Having already rehearsed the answer to the boy’s inevitable question, Severus simply replied, “It is too soon in the Dark Lord’s plan to lose such a valuable resource as Miss Granger.” He cringed inwardly at the lie as he watched Draco cringe outwardly. “Regardless of the reason,” Severus continued quickly,” it is not Miss Granger’s time to die. He wished silently that Draco wouldn’t put the pieces together fast enough to question why his Aunt would disobey such a direct order from the Dark Lord if Hermione was not to be killed.

“I shall explain the circumstances to your parents this evening, away from Bella’s nosy little ears; I have found that it’s always better to leave your Aunt out of any plan if it can possibly be avoided,” he muttered deprecatingly. Merlin, he couldn’t stand that woman. “After nightfall, you will release Miss Granger and escort her through the South passageway out of the Manor where your broom will be waiting for you. I will watch from the first floor to ensure you are not interrupted. Take her to the Leaky Cauldron where I will have a room waiting for her. From there, she will be returned to safety.”

Draco nodded his head, still absorbing all he had heard his mentor tell him. Could this really work? It has to. As Severus stood to leave, Draco took his arm. With sincerity and gratitude shining in his eyes he said, “Thank you, Uncle Severus.” The professor looked at him and, with his characteristic sardonic tone, replied “Don’t thank me-I didn’t do it for you.” Smiling to himself, he left the room. Not for you, nephew. For the both of you.