Chapter 1-He's Still Human
"We've found him." Kingsley said coming up behind the small group that was Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Remus.
"Where?" Harry asked.
"Shrieking Shack."
Harry hurried after him Remus close behind. Hermione chased after them, still trying to figure who "he" was. They waited while Kingsley did a complicated spell that would allow the tree to lash out at everyone but them. While they waited Hermione decided to figure out who they had found.
"Remus, who's in there?"
"An injured man we wanted to find."
"Remus Lupin!" They had become close over the summer and Hermione wasn't letting him get away with vagueness.
"Snape."
She was gone before anyone could register that Kingsley was done with the spell. "Hermione!" Harry called.
"Hermione, there could still be-" Remus sighed, "Nagini" he finished quietly as she disappeared into the womping willow.
"Come on, let's go after her." Ron said and they all followed him into the tree.
They were far enough behind her that they couldn't hear her footsteps and hurried, worried that Nagini might still be near. They found her crouched over Snape's limp form her hands on his chest and her wand thrown half way across the room. She was mumbling but none of them could make it out.
"Hermione?" Harry asked, approaching her slowly.
"I've tried everything, everything, I know! I can't help him! We need to help him!, Get him back to Hogwarts!"
"Hermione, he's a Death Eater, a traitor, he killed Dumbledore." Harry tried.
"NO! No, he's still a person, he's still human! We've got to save him! He's got to-"
With a sudden gasped Hermione straddled Snape's waist and put her hand on his chest, touching her thumbs and forefingers together. She began muttering an incantation she had never tried before, hoping it would work. Her eyes closed and the words formed a steady rhythm.
"Hermione, what are-" Ron started but was cut off by Remus.
They watched as a light seemed to travel from Hermione to Snape through her arms. Slowly the glow in Hermione seemed to transfer all the way to Snape, centering at a place on his neck and then with a flash spreading to his body. At the end of the flash Hermione collapsed over Snape.
"What happened?!" Ron yelled.
"I don't know, she just-" Harry was at a loss for words.
"Whatever happened let's get them both up to the hospital wing." Kingsley said.
Remus levitated Hermione while Kingsley took care of Snape. They made their way slowly and silently to the castle, each trying to figure out what Hermione had done.
88888888
"How long was I out?" Hermione asked.
She was propped up in a bed next to Neville and all their friends were around them.
"A week." Harry said. "We were worried about you."
"I'm good, really. And Snape is already out of here?"
"Yeah, the slimy git, woke up the day after and just waltzed out of here." Ron spat.
Hermione giggled at the picture she got of Snape waltzing and ignored everyone's curious glances. "Do you know when I can go free?"
"Tomorrow, dear." Answered Madam Pomfrey, walking up to give Hermione a potion.
With a sigh Hermione swallowed the nasty stuff and lay back to rest. Everyone left, question still on Harry and Ron's minds, the big one being: Why Snape?