-1Severus sat by Hermione's bed, reflecting.

He wondered if she was in pain. If it was true she was only sleeping, then hopefully she wasn't. She didn't look like she was in pain. Disturbingly, she looked peaceful.

She looked like an angel, taking a catnap and having a most pleasant dream. He'd watched her sleep so many times, and he hated how this looked no different. There didn't seem to be anything different about her, but he knew what and who she was thinking about.

When she woke... well, he'd rather not think about that.

She was technically Lucius' now, at least in her mind. She didn't want him, though not by choice. He would kill Lucius. All it would take is one little trip to Fluffy's room. What good was it keeping him alive? He found he agreed with Ronald Weasley now.

Besides, maybe if they killed Lucius, the spell would break. But Dumbeldore kindly reminded him he's the only one that can break it and if he dies, there was a chance she would be stuck like that forever. And Lucius refused to change her back, so they kept him there until he would finally crack.

Severus sighed heavily, stroking her hand gently, that was strapped to the bed. A few times in her sleep she would try and find Lucius, and fight off anything that tried to stop her.

"Hermione… why can't you fight this?" He asked, knowing no answer would come.

He thought about last year, all the things that had passed. All the things that began it all.

He remembered well when he asked her to be his apprentice. She was delighted.

The notes, and her frustrated face when he only needed one page out of roughly forty pages. He chuckled a little.

He remembered her calming him down after their encounter with Lucius Malfoy. His slight breakdown.

Of course "the accident," that left him in this state.

Draco making their classes living hell. Astounding everyone with his spell to freeze Malfoy's spell. The incident with Filch.

Their First Argument.

Then her abduction.

The rescue.

Harry finding him out.

Finding the potion for Dumbledore...Fighting the Death Eaters...

All of this, with Hermione by his side.

And now... this was who she was. He almost didn't want her to wake up because he knew she would be different.

Then again, he wanted her to wake just so he could see her one more time, hear her voice one more time. Yet who was to say she would even be normal? She wouldn't wake up with his name on her lips. It would be Lucius' name she called for sleepily.

He held her hand as he drifted into sleep.

X

Professor Grant was very handsome, Ginny was surprised to say. He was young, fair-skinned and fair-haired with deep blue eyes. He was tall, and his voice was soft and deep.

Still, nothing like Snape's voice.

"Good Morning, Class. I am Professor Grant. I'm excited to say this is my first year of teaching."

Most of the class approved and were smiling hopefully. Then again, most of the class was only 13 people.

Grant was very charismatic and taught well. But the whole class period, Ginny was looking over her shoulder for Snape. He was supposed to be here. But the desk next to her remained empty, and through her other four classes as well, he never showed.

He was probably with Hermione. She would go right after classes were over, she decided.

In Transfiguration, her last class of the day, there were ten minutes left when there was the sound of a crash down the hallway.

They all jumped and looked towards the door.

McGonagall sprung up from her desk and murmured, "Stay here."

She walked briskly out of the room leaving the door ajar. Ginny was the first to peer out after McGonagall. Sprout and Hagrid were following her closely. Ginny looked the opposite way to find Snape running toward them.

"Where are you going?" She called, as he passed her.

He didn't answer, so she ran after him, catching up quickly.

"Hermione...she's not...in the bed..." He panted. He looked positively distraught.

Ginny felt like someone had just punched her in the stomach. With a brick. Gone? How could she be gone? Especially if Severus had been with her all day…

"Minerva!" He shouted once, closer, "Hermione's gone!"

Ginny saw the same expression on McGonagall she had just had. She suddenly turned on Ginny.

"Weasley, go get Dumbledore. Hurry!"

Ginny past them in a dead-sprint to the Headmaster's office, hearing McGonagall giving orders to Snape and Hagrid as well.

She felt exhausted but she still had a few more hallways and a flight of stairs to go. No matter how tired she kept running, until she finally reached the statue. This was one thing she could do, she could be useful and help Hermione.

"PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE! QUICK!" She screamed.

Within seconds, Dumbledore was in front of her.

"What is it?" He asked urgently.

"Hermione...there was a crash down the 4th corridor..."

He grabbed her hand and they were there instantly. She didn't even ask why Dumbledore just Apparated in Hogwarts, he was Dumbledore, after all. Although, it had felt rather strange.

McGonagall was the only one there now. "Albus! Severus, Hagrid, and Filch went ahead. Sprout just went down to check on Malfoy."

"What's going on?" Grant had appeared, out of breath as well.

"We aren't sure yet. Granger is missing. This could be very bad."

Ginny looked up at Dumbledore though, who had a suspicious glint in his eyes. "Minerva, tell all the students to go to their common rooms for the time being. That includes you, Ginevra."

"What? Why?"

"You are a student. You need to be in a safe place."

Ginny felt slapped. She cried, "But Hermione could always stay!"

"This is different," Dumbledore said gravely.

Ginny stormed off into her room feeling selfish and left out. The nerve of them! Honestly. A student? What a pathetic excuse.

This wasn't fair.

X

How it happened….

X

Lucius heard footsteps approaching him. His head snapped up.

He smiled ruefully.

"So... you're the faithful one?"

X

Lucius and the Faithful One peered around the door.

"Snape is sleeping!" Lucius hissed irritably.

"What can we do?"

"Think of something! There's no way we can take her with Snape right there."

He couldn't see the Faithful One's face, as it was hooded, but he suspected he was thinking by the way his head was bobbing side to side, as if analyzing the situation.

"I have it. Here, take the powder and use it after I create the distraction. You won't have much time. Head straight to the portkey on the fourth floor. It's a pencil."

Lucius grabbed the powder and stuffed it into his pocket, nodding. He watched the Faithful One slide into the room and walk along the wall into the room soundlessly. He motioned for Lucius to take cover further away. He did so, but not happily, he wanted to see what was going on.

He waited, holding his breath. Finally, the door opened and he saw the Faithful One, with his hand over Madame Pomfrey's mouth backing her out of the room, leaving the door open carefully. Lucius ducked back further and then the Faithful One took his hand off her mouth her a few brief seconds.

"Severus! Help me, I'm-" She shrieked and Snape jolted out of sleep, looked around and spotted them and immediately dashed out of the room.

The Faithful One carried her down the hall and around the corner and Snape went after her.

Taking his chance, Lucius dug in his inside coat pocket and pulled out a black powder. He rushed over to the Mudblood and started spreading the powder over her rose and mouth and eyes. Then he finally, dipped his finger in the powder and rubbed it over her tongue.

After a few seconds, her eyes opened groggily, looking around slowly. He watched apprehensively as her eyes turned onto him, blinking slowly. IT wasn't as if he couldn't incapacitate her in this state if the plan hadn't worked, but it would be so much nicer if it had.

"Lucius!" She flung her arms around him.

He smirked to himself and crooned, "Hello, my precious Mudblood."

He picked her up, knowing her bones would be too weak to carry her. They left quickly, running through the quiet halls, with only minutes to spare before the bells would signal the end of class, if he did recall correctly.

As they opened a one of the secret tunnels, Hermione's foot hit a vase next to it, sending it crashing to the ground.

"Shit!" Lucius cursed.

He ran faster and exclaimed when he saw the pencil laying casual on the floor. Not minding Hermione or even himself, he dove onto the floor and latched onto it and they were both sucked through the portkey.

x