Disclaimer: I guess it has got through to everyone by now, that I do not own Harry Potter, and since J.K. didn't want to sell me the rights, I guess I never will. Can I still own Alan Rickman?

Chapter Four

The First Flashbacks

Hold on! Covered for me? Draco? He knows something!

She knocked on his door and opened it as he answered with 'Enter'. Her eyes fixed on his upper body as he was sitting on the bed with nothing on but his silk boxer.

Oh, good Gods!

"Sorry!" she said and covered her eyes, "But I just wondered what actually happened yesterday, that made you have to cover for me?" Draco laughed and fell back on the bed. "Bloody hell, Granger! Have you never seen a semi-naked guy before?" she abruptly removed her hand and glared at him. "For your information; no! But you didn't answer my question!" He raised his left eyebrow as he sat up, looking at her. "Really? You haven't? So you're telling me that you didn't end up with professor Snape in the dungeons last night?"

Hermione gasped. "What? Is this some kind of sick joke you're pulling on me?" she felt fear rushing through her veins. "Yeah, right!" Draco snorted as he reached for a book. "Shouldn't you be out on your rounds, Granger?" he glared at her, "And I really don't give a flying rat's arse about your love life. I want no part in it." Draco opened his book and, with that, silently told her to get out of his room. "Love life? What love life? Are you insinuating something, Malfoy?" Hermione dared Draco, with her eyes, to give her an answer, but he just looked at her with his signature smirk. Ah! She so wanted to strangle him. Right now! "Fine, Malfoy, but this conversation isn't over!" He gave her a surprised look. "Oh, but I say it is! If you want to know more, talk to Snape about it, will you? Now, get out!" Frustrated with the whole situation she left Draco's room and went to do her, oh, so hated, rounds.

Meanwhile, in the dungeons, Severus tried to twist his mind into finding a solution to his problem. Resulting in an even bigger problem; flashbacks from the night before. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger, trying to send the flashbacks way into oblivion, but failing severely.

He'd been summoned by the Dark Lord as he sat down to enjoy his supper in the Great Hall. Clenching his teeth and whispering an apology to Dumbledore, who by the way gave him an understanding look and nodded as in accept, he got up and left the Hogwarts Grounds. As he reached Voldemort's headquarters, he saw her. She was sitting on her knees with her head low. Thinking about it, he hadn't really seen her in the Great Hall that evening. This really explained things. Severus cleared his mind before walking over to his so called Master. "My Lord." He said as he bent down to kiss Voldemort's robes. "You called for me?" Voldemort hissed. "Yes, Severus, I did." He motioned at the Granger-girl. "See that fine piece of meat, Severus? If I'm not mistaken, she's in your potions class?" He grinned as Severus nodded. "Good. I expect you to take her back to your sorry excuse for a school, as Lucius her has other things to attend to, and erase her memory of this evening." Severus turned and looked directly into Lucius Malfoy's face, wondering why he'd brought the girl there in the first place. "If you don't mind me asking, my Lord, why is the Granger-girl here in the first place?" he said, turning to face the Dark Lord again. The snake-like creature smirked at him. "Since you're the one bringing her back, it's only fair that you know." He said, making Severus choke. Fair? The Dark Lord? Was the world about to crumble? "She's one third of the Golden Trio, as is Potter. She could give me more information than any of you, sorry idiots!" Severus raised his eyebrows in amazement before turning back to look at the girl sitting in front of Malfoy's feet. "Do you want me to take her back right away, my Lord?" he said, just wanting to leave as soon as possible. Severus picked up the girl at Voldemort's affirmative nod and apparated back to Hogwarts.

Severus pushed the thoughts as far back in his mind as he could before he got up to do his nightly rounds, hoping to find some Gryffindors, wandering about, out of their beds. He felt an enormous satisfaction at the thought of it and went searching for students roaming the corridors.

As Hermione reached the corridor containing the Transfiguration classroom, she leaned against the wall and slid down it, sitting herself on the cold stone floor.

I'm so tired… she thought as she let her eyes close. I can't fall asleep now. I've got rounds to finish first. Then, I can go to my bed instead of sitting here sleeping.

And with that last thought she drifted away to the Land of Dreams.

When she opened her eyes she was in a dark room. Voices surrounding her as she tried to figure out where she was. Everything was a blur and it was too dark for her to see anything. Suddenly someone yelled 'crutio' and she fell to the ground with a loud scream. Fire. She felt like she was burning up from the inside and there was nothing she could do about it. Her heart raced and for a moment she couldn't breathe. The pain felt like forever and just as it eased, someone yelled 'crutio' again making her squirm like a maggot, trapped in water, on the floor. She heard herself scream again, a painfully long scream, bound to be heard by someone. But no one came to her rescue.

She didn't know how long she was under each crutio-spell, but after the…well, she lost count after the fifth one, she begged for him to kill her. Whoever he was, he'd reached the limit of what her mind could handle and what her body was capable to take. She prepared herself for another hit when she heard him draw his breath to speak. Nothing. She waited and when he spoke, he demanded her to tell him about Harry, or he'd continue to torture her. Why couldn't he just kill her? Right now, she wanted nothing else, but to die. And she couldn't betray Harry. She didn't want to betray him. Then, the crutio hit again. He was reading her mind! And then, she knew. It was no one else, but Voldemort. And with the discovery of who her torturer was, she also knew he wouldn't kill her before he got what he wanted. She also knew that she didn't stand a chance without her wand, and probably not with it either, but it was nowhere near her anyway. He probably wouldn't be that self-destructive. She whispered 'all right', and with that she resigned. "I'm sorry, Harry!" she said, her voice hoarse from all the screaming.

She found herself talking about him. Giving away secrets of his weaknesses. Things no one else knew, but her and Ron. Knowing she couldn't hide anything from the Dark Lord, as he'd broke her down, tearing down her defences the worst possible way. Tears running down her face as she bowed her head in shame, waiting for the last spell to hit her. But it never came.

Betraying Harry had broke her heart and she cried, slowly getting through, realizing it was just a dream, she opened her eyes only to see straight in to the black eyes of the Potions Master. "Miss Granger!" He'd put a hand on her shoulder as he lowered himself to see if she was ok. "Oh, for the love of Merlin! I must have drifted off!" she pulled away from him to stand on her feet, but fell down in front of him. "Ouch!" This day was just too much! Snape shook his head before grabbing hold of her, dragging her to her feet. "You have to stop doing that, Miss Granger. Just ask for help next time." Her eyes fixed on his face. Why was he so nice all of a sudden? "Yes. I'll remember that. Thank you, professor." She trembled as he lifted his hand to wipe away her tears. "Why so sad, Miss Granger?" his eyes gazed into hers and made her knees give in, making her grab hold of his robes. "Sorry, professor!"

He swept her up and carried her down the hallway. "It's ok, but now you're coming with me. I'm not leaving you alone tonight." Draco's words came back to her and she fought to get down. "No! I'm not coming with you. How can I?" Snape halted and put her down. "What are you talking about?"

What? No 'Miss Granger'?

She frowned. "I'm talking about yesterday and the fact that people seem to know more about my whereabouts last night, than I do! Isn't it true, professor, that I was in your dungeons last night?"

Finally, they let me upload this chapter. I think everything is corrected in the previous three, so sit back and enjoy as I continue to update.

By the way; you should all read the first three chapters again, as they may be altered a bit. ;)