A/N: Large chunk of Italics is taken directly from book 7. I do NOT own Harry Potter or its characters.

Chapter Two

Hermione awoke with a smile on her face despite the impending doom. She rolled over and was immediately engulfed with despair. She was alone. Perhaps it had all been a dream. 5:00. The bright red numbers blinded her when contrasted with the dark room.

She was naked. She could still smell him; there was a slight indentation in the bed where he had laid.

The squeaky turn of the shower handle caused the girl's eyes to go wide. "Severus…" she breathed, jumping out of bed. She winced slightly, a light ache between her legs. She ignored it though, desperate to be near him.

Hermione ran into the arms of the freshly showered Potion's Professor, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Let's just stay here…in this room. Until its over." She whispered.

Severus smiled sadly. It sounded like the perfect plan to him. "I can't…I have a duty…I promised to protect Po-Harry."

Hermione nodded. "I know…it was just a nice fantasy."

Severus smiled and kissed her. "If I…when I come back, you better be waiting for me."

Hermione nodded. "Promise…you'll come back…to me…" she got out between frantic kisses.

Severus nodded. "I promise…" He growled out in pain, gripping his forearm. "I have to go…" he said, studying her face desperately.

Hermione nodded, tears threatening to fall again.

Severus was about to go change but turned back and kissed her with everything he had. With a flick of his wand, his Death Eater mask and robes adorned his body. Hermione shuddered and closed her eyes until she heard the pop of apparation.


There was a terrible scream. Harry saw Snape's face losing the little color it had left; it whitened as his black eyes widened, as the snake's fangs pierced his neck, as he failed to pushed the enchanted cage off himself, as his knees gave way and he fell to the floor.

Hermione shoved the jar into Harry's hand, tears pouring down her face. How to save him? She had to save him. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"I have to go…" she told the boys and apparated.

The apothecary was dark and dank; shelves dumped on the floor and papers scattered everywhere. Pulling out her wand, Hermione prayed her idea would work. "Accio Bezoar." She called and several small stones fell into her hand. "Oh thank Merlin…" she cried in relief before immediately apparating back to the shack.

The stench and sight of so blood made her nauseous, and she fought back the bile rising in her throat.

Where were the boys? Had they left him already? Left the man to die by himself? Was he dead already?

Hermione panicked and rushed to his side, rolling him onto his back. She could feel his thick blood soaking through her pant legs but ignored it. "Severus?" she asked, shaking him. No response. She shoved the bezoar into the man's mouth and held his mouth closed, pinching his nose until he swallowed. "Please…you promised…" she begged, holding onto his shirt. "You said you would come back to me…"

Severus shifted, groaning in pain. He looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Not…going…anywhere…" he promised, despite the pain that talking caused him.

Hermione smiled through her tears and kissed his forehead. "Can I apparate you to Grimmauld?" she asked, worried about how stable he was.

Severus nodded and grasped her hand weakly. He took a deep breath and she apparated them to the dusty, old house. It was surprisingly quiet. "Poppy!" she called, knowing the medi-witch was there.

The medi-witch walked in and gasped. "Oh, Severus!"

Severus gripped Hermione's arm harder, his eyes beginning to roll back into his head. "I am about to pass out," his voice was somehow steady despite being raspy.

Poppy helped Hermione get the still bleeding man into a bed. Sure enough, just after being laid on the bed, the man passed out from the loss of blood. "Poppy! Please help him!" Hermione begged.

The medi-witch poured a Blood Replenishing potion into the man's mouth and held his nose until he swallowed it. She ran a diagnostic spell and smiled. "He will be fin, Miss Granger…he needs rest. You've done superbly…"

Hermione smiled. "Thank you so much. I…as much as I hate to say this, I must go…I have to help…"

Poppy nodded. "I will let him know when he awakens."

"Thank you so much," the girl said before apparating.


Severus stumbled onto the battlefield, groaning and clutching his wrapped neck in pain. He had left against Poppy's wishes. He had to find her. It was absolutely essential.

It was over. Harry Potter has prevailed. Just as it was supposed to be. Severus had paid his dues. It was his turn to live…to live for himself. And he could not and would not do that without Hermione.

Yes, Harry Potter had won, but she had not returned. She promised to return to him. He closed his eyes, blood and bodies surrounding him and prayed. She must have been cleaning up or helping the injured or…

He saw her!

Face down on the ground.

His mind reeled, and he felt as though he were moving in slow motion as he ran to her. She couldn't be dead. He knelt beside her in a pool of blood. It wasn't hers, nor was the blood that covered her clothing and skin. He rolled her over and sighed in relief. She was breathing and looking at him.

Yet, something was wrong. "Hermione!" he called out to the girl.

"Severus?" she questioned.

"I'm here…talk to me," he said, taking her hands.

"I…I can't see!"

A/N: Its going to be multi-chapter. Bit of a cliffy, I know. Poor Hermione.