Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Beta: Ms. Marauder-Cullen

AN: Based around a student/teacher relationship. If this bothers you, please do not read.

Endearment

Many have said that love is infinite and immemorial. However, at times fate is merciless and needs a helping hand. The pain that one must endure to keep one honourable or make them dishonourable. The love of one could save one that is in need of it most. This is a story of endearment.

Severus Snape, Hogwarts Potions Master, Death Eater turned spy for Albus Dumbledore, knelt down in front of the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Voldemort looked down at the wizard with his red eyes and his snakelike face held anger. He pulled out his wand with a long white hand and hissed, "Crucio."

Severus gasped as his body burned and pricked in pain, like a thousand knives were cutting him from the inside out. He fell to his side and curled up into a ball. He felt his body bend in inhumanly fashion but did not scream out in pain.

Voldemort lifted the curse. "Good Severus. You are stronger than I remember."

The spy shakily moved back onto his knees and kept his head down, starring at the stone floor. Severus endured curse after curse. He took a deep breath when a knife, followed by a whip hit him, but stayed on his knees, wincing at each strike. After the torture stopped, Severus rose from the floor, looked at his master, and bowed respectably.

"Very good Severus. Turn around." Voldemort hissed. He did as instructed and felt a pain far worse than the Cruciatus Curse sting his back. "Welcome Severus, to the inner circle."

Severus bowed and said, "Thank you, My Lord. I will not fail you." Voldemort nodded and dismissed the man.

Severus walked outside and into the woods, away from the Dark Lord's hideout. He fell to the forest floor. He had finally placed into Voldemort's inner circle, just as Dumbledore wanted. He had to kill a family and rape the daughter. Severus threw up when the images came to his mind. "I hate my life," he whispered. He took out his wand and vanished with a faint pop.

****

Christian Granger sat on the couch, engrossed in one of his little sister Hermione's potions books. He was ten years older than she was. Their parents had died when she was twelve, so therefore it was just them living in the home. They were extremely close considering their large age gap. He had taken the time to learn about her world. Hermione had even told him about the war that raged on in the Wizarding World. Christian was a police officer. She wanted him to know what the dark mark stood for and if sudden deaths were to happen and the house was trashed with the dark mark over the house, it was the work of Lord Voldemort and his followers.

Christian had short black hair, brown eyes, tone skin and a muscularly built body. He mostly resembled his father while Hermione resembled their mother. They both had their father's eyes.

Christian was suddenly shaken from the potions book he was reading, when he heard a scream from upstairs. He threw down the book and grabbed his gun from the side table drawer. He ran up the stairs, taking two at a time.

He ran down the hall and busted open the door. He found Hermione with her wand in her hand, a man dressed in black robes, wearing a silver skull mask was pinned down on the floor under her.

"Who sent you?!" Hermione yelled, digging her wand in his throat.

Christian stood next his sister with his gun pointed at the Death Eater, ready to fire if needed. "I would answer her question," He said, cocking his gun.

The death eater removed his mask with a shaky hand. He winced in pain. He closed his eyes in hope to stop the shaking of his legs.

"Professor Snape!" Hermione said in shock and she ran over to the window. She saw nothing.

"I-I wasn't followed Miss Granger," he gasped, "I couldn't ma-make it to Hogwarts. You were the closest."

"Christian help me get him into the bed." Hermione told her brother. He nodded, placed the gun on the desk, and was quickly at his sister's side. "On three. One. Two. Three." They laid him down on the bed.

"Damn it Granger!" snapped Severus when his back hit the mattress.

"I'm sorry Professor," Hermione said and summoned the first aid kit, a rag, and bowl of water. It all landed neatly on the bedside table.

Severus closed his black eyes in pain. His body twitched. His eyes snapped open when he felt his robes being unbuttoned. "What are you doing Miss Granger?" he hissed angrily.

"Helping-" she said but was interrupted by the Potions Master.

"I don't need your help. Leave me!" Severus yelled. He never wanted a student to see him in such a state. He grabbed her hand with a shaky bloody hand. "Don't."

Hermione pushed his robes open relieving a pale, scarred, bloody tone chest. "You will receive no pity from me Professor Snape." She told him, knowing he didn't want pity. "You're very brave sir," she said, removing the blood from his chest.

"Bravery has nothing to do with it girl. It calls for Slytherin tactics." he snapped at his student.

"Yes. Cunningness. The sorting hat placed you in the correct house for a spy." Hermione said with a smile. "This will sting." She grabbed the alcohol and put some on a rag.

Severus snorted. "That's nothing new. Just get it over with Granger."

She nodded and cleaned each cut with the same loving attention as the first. She told Christian to roll him over on his side. He walked over to the bed and rolled him onto his side. Christian saw Hermione blink back the tears. She nodded and he carefully rolled him back onto the mattress.

Hermione walked over to her closet and pulled out a jar of soothing cream. She returned and sat down on the edge of the bed. "The tremors are bad," she said. She told Christian to gently rub the cream onto his twitching muscles. Hermione watched him slowly fall asleep. "Now we have to watch over him. The next twenty-four hours will be the worst. Go get some rest. I'll handle things from here."

"Are your sure?" asked Christian, not wanting to leave her with a Death Eater. He studied her for a moment and nodded. "Alright. Good night." He kissed her forehead, grabbed the gun, and went to bed.

Severus gripped the sheets, tossing his head side to side, sweat rolled down his brow, and his body shook. He groaned out of pain. Hermione looked up over her book and quickly moved to her professor's side. She touched his forehead. He was burning up with fever. She got a bowl of cold water, a rag and several covers. She threw four heavy covers over his sleeping form and pressed the cold rag against his forehead. She heard him sigh in relief.

Christian stuck his head into his sister's room. It was past ten a.m. and he had checked on her many times during the night just to make sure she was safe around the Death Eater. Each time he would check on her, it was the same thing, her reading a book.

He walked into the room and asked, "Why is he burning up with fever? I thought he was ok."

Hermione shook her head. "It's the aftermath of Cruciatus Curse. Professor Snape was under it for quite some time. Voldemort shows no mercy. Snape is the bravest man I know. Yes, he's a bastard, but he has his reasons."

"No. No." Severus whispered, tossing his head to the side.

"Hush. Hush." Hermione whispered, gently stroking his cheek. "You're safe here Professor." Hermione turned to Christian and asked, "Do you remember how I showed to use the floo powder?" He nodded. "Floo for Dumbledore."

Christian ran down the stairs to get the wizard. He knew Hermione wouldn't tell him to do it unless it was important. He quickly returned with the elderly wizard close behind.

The men walked into the room only to find Severus tossing his head side to side and mumbling under his breath. The nightmare of last night flashed before his eyes.

"Miss Granger, how's he doing?" Professor Dumbledore asked with sad eyes.

"Well as can be sir." Hermione whispered. "Professor, why was he beaten so badly?"

Albus flicked his wand and an over stuffed chair appeared. He sat down and Christian returned to his seat, waiting for him to speak. "Severus's mission was to enter Voldemort's inner circle."

Hermione only nodded and turned back to the man that lay in her bed. He reached out with a shaky hand to find comfort. She took his hand and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Severus is reaching out for comfort. Last night's events must have shaken him." Albus told them gently.

"What type of events?" asked Christian.

"He had to murder someone. He would have spared their life if he could have, but in this case Voldemort was there to witness it."

"It doesn't change that he's a good man, Christian." She told her brother knowing what he was thinking. "Professor Snape is an honorable man. He's just locked away his heart and thrown away the key. Only the one with true endearment can find the key and open up his heart."

"Sis, you read too many romance books."

"No my boy. Hermione's correct and perhaps you are the one to find that key." Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

"No." Severus said and shot up, knowingly wrapping his arms around Hermione as his body shook. She quietly held him close and ran her fingers through his black slick baby fine hair. "I couldn't save them," he whispered. "A family died because of me."

"Hush. Hush. Rest, I'll be right here when you wake up." She felt him relax and she laid him back down.

Albus's eyes twinkled at the young witch. He rose from his chair. "I'll leave him in your capable hands Miss Granger. Just floo if you need anything. Good day children." He left the house.

The first few days after Professor Snape was up and able to move were not pleasant. He was stubborn and hot headed, which caused Hermione and the Potions Master to butt heads. Christian found it rather funny. She was able to get him up and moving around the house to build up his strength. She decided to leave the information of him seeking comfort out. She knew he was a proud man.

"I guess I owe you Miss Granger." Severus told the witch. "I do thank you. But if you mention this to your little friends you'll regret it."

"Of course Professor. It's between you and me. I'll see you when school starts." Hermione told him. He nodded and was gone with a pop.

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Thanks to:

Ms. Marauder-Cullen for her wonderful BETAING on this chapter and for my other two stories: Grains of Gold Sand and The Lies We Where Told. You ROCK.