Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

Practice and Practical Application

Hermione knocked on the door of Firenze's divination classroom three times before pushing it open and calling out, "Hello?"

A soft trotting sound answered and the centaur appeared before her. "Ah, Miss Granger. Right on time." Firenze bowed and smiled at her sweetly.

"On time?" Hermione was a little confused. "We didn't have an appointment."

The professor's smile turned playful. "No we didn't, but I knew you were coming. And I do believe that is why you are here. Go ahead and sit down, I've made some tea for you."

Hermione was lead to a short stump that she was to use as a seat. Beside her, a slightly taller stump held a pot of tea as well as a tea cup and some biscuits. Firenze poured her a cup before sitting himself on the ground on the opposite end of their stump-table.

"Are you having tea?" Hermione asked in what she hoped was a polite tone.

With a toss of his head the centaur gave a very horse-like laugh. "No, it's strictly a human drink. Never got a taste for it. I will have a biscuit though." This made Hermione feel a little more comfortable about enjoying her own tea and biscuit. "So why have you decided to pay me a visit, Miss Granger?"

Hermione set her teacup down and said seriously. "I was hoping you could teach me about ancient magic. And wondered if you could show me how to use it."

The centaur simply said, "No."

"Why not?" A small panic was beginning to form within Hermione. She had never seriously considered that a Hogwarts Professor would actually turn down a student who was interested in a new form of magic. Her connection to Severus and the mysterious forces that compelled her, they were all interwoven somehow and she needed to know why.

"It wouldn't interest you. I have heard that you've set your goals on receiving the most NEWTs in history, but there are no NEWTs on the subject." Firenze took a bite of his biscuit all but ignoring the desperate plea that came from Hermione.

"Oh please! It isn't about NEWTs or any exams. I just want to learn. It's very interesting, you see. I can't stop thinking about it." Now Hermione was glad she wasn't holding her teacup as she was sure her hands were shaking.

Firenze quirked a silvery eyebrow at Hermione. "Why do you want to learn Universal Magic?"

"Well, like I said, it is very interesting. I think that maybe it some sort of key to progressing further to our future or some sort of answer to how we use magic." Hermione was about to say more, but Firenze cut her off.

"If that is all I have nothing to teach you. It was a pleasure chatting with you, Miss Granger." He stood up and started to leave.

"Please!" Hermione fretted. Somehow she knew that learning Universal Magic was the most important thing she'd do that year, but she had no idea how to make Firenze understand that. "Please, I have to learn it!" The centaur continued to walk and before Hermione realized what she was saying words were pouring out of her mouth. "There's a man. He and I… we're connected somehow. And it's all because of the school and what we talked about last time. I think he's a Champion. I know he is. And I know that I need to learn this for him. And for me. To understand how we are connected and…. And I think I'll need to use it. I don't know how but I know it's important for me to learn."

The centaur had stopped his walk and turned to look at Hermione, "Ah. In that case, there is much I can teach you."

Hermione felt herself slump forward, the mental exhaustion of her plea having taken a toll on her. "That makes a difference?"

With a nod, the centaur returned. "The man does. That you are doing it for him. There were two paths here that might have been taken. Should you have wanted to learn just for the sake of your intellect, you would have failed miserably; however, if it was your heart that guided you, your venture shall succeed."

"My heart? Do you know all that from the Universal Magic?"

The centaur dipped his head and then motioned to the tea for Hermione to continue. "Yes, the Universal Magic connects many things. There are often different paths we can take that will affect how other events occur and tie together. Part of the magic is learning how to recognize these truths and what affects them. You must learn to feel the magic within you and feel how your magic interacts with the magic of the universe around you."

Hermione sipped on her tea as she took this in.

"Are you ready to begin?" When Hermione nodded, the centaur circled behind her and covered her eyes with a blind fold. "First you must learn to feel your own magic and the magics of the things around you. You must learn what your magic feels like and understand it completely. Then you can learn to distinguish the other magics around you. How many trees are in this room?"

The question had come from nowhere and Hermione had no idea what it had to do with anything. "I'm sorry?" she asked wondering if she hadn't heard right.

"Tell me how many trees are in this room."

No, she had definitely heard right. Well she could do this. There were two trees on either side of the door, and six trees against the back wall. How many rows of trees were there before the classroom clearing opened up?

"You're relying on your eyes. Use your magic to answer." Hermione could hear the centaurs hooves as he moved around her.

"I am not using my eyes, I'm blindfolded. I can't see." Her voice might have come out sounding a little stressed.

"And yet you are relying on what your eyes have seen. You are counting and figuring, just like a human. You are trying to use your mind to figure out what your soul already knows." His hooves continued to circle her and it was making Hermione feel a little dizzy.

"Well how else can I tell how many there are?" Hermione's fingers gripped the edge of her stump seat and tried to sit without swaying.

"Use your magic, feel it within you. Do you even know what your magic feels like?" Firenze's words stung a bit. She had been using her magic for years, but she really didn't know what it felt like. What did her magic feel like? How could she tell? Did it feel differently than other people's magic?

"You're reasoning again. If you cannot let go of your logic and find your instincts I do not know why you are here. I told you intellect alone will not help you here. Stop thinking and feel it."

Quickly, Hermione was becoming frustrated. The more Firenze baited her, the faster her thoughts came until suddenly Hermione silenced them with what would have been a scream had she leant her voice to it. In that moment everything stopped.

For a brief instant everything seemed to go dark, but as the seconds wore on Hermione became aware of a warm yellow light. Yes, that is what was here something warm and yellow. The further in she went, the warmer the light seemed to get until it turned a sort of orange with a deep red in the center. This warmth was pleasing to Hermione and she felt as though she were really at home. All the years bouncing between magical world and the muggle world looking for a place to call her own and here is was- wherever here was. This was the most pleasing sensation.

There was another feeling further away from her, which made Hermione realize that there was more space around this warmth than she originally felt. The other entity Hermione felt colder, more distant and had a definite touch of otherness about it. This one moves in a circle around the warm yellow center and Hermione had the distance feeling it was purple. The purple moved around her at the same time and spacing as the hoof beats and suddenly Hermione realized that the purple was Firenze. The colors began to waver.

"Stop thinking! Don't lose it." The centaur encouraged and Hermione struggled to hold the visions.

Hermione plunged herself right back into the yellow warmth and the colors stabilized. Hermione could feel her heart beating faster and the little red center of warmth pulsed quickly. If this warmth was her magic, maybe she could control it. She thought about drawing the magic into herself and the yellow light pulled back toward her. When she released it, the yellow went back to where it started.

Testing her new limits, Hermione reached out in the direction of the purple flash that was moving around her. Wary at first Hermione only touched it hard enough to get an impression. The purple magic was old and wise. It understood without needing to be told and accepted without needing explanation. Something about it was also wild. Throughout this purple entity was the feeling of running as fast as you could with no end in mind. Yet, there was restraint too-a part that said while running was nice, coming home to a herd was nicer.

How far could she feel? This time when Hermione reached out she was less cautious. Her yellow magic spread out quickly bumping into the purple and passing it before it began to touch many other solid entities. These magics were strong but yielding, far older than her but not old yet at all. They told many stories and held many secrets.

Suddenly she shouted, "Thirty-seven." With a gasp, Hermione pulled her blindfold off and the colors all disappeared. The world came back into focus too quickly and Hermione blinked trying to make sense of the classroom around here. Still gasping she spoke, "There are thirty-seven trees in this room." Hermione was shaking and covered in sweat, but she was proud at having figured out how to feel her own magic.

Firenze nodded, "Very good, Miss Granger. Now you should go get cleaned up and get some rest. We will continue this later. You show much promise."

Hermione muttered her thanks and stumbled back to Gryffindor Tower. Without even bothering to remove her school robes, she laid down on her bed and passed out. Morning came and Hermione staid in bed as she was thoroughly exhausted from the night before. It wasn't until nearly lunch time that she was finally able to get up and shower. The lunch spread was full of delicious food, but the little bit Hermione managed to swallow was tasteless in her mouth. She had no idea that magic could be so draining.

"Hermione," Ron spoke, remembering to swallow his food first. "Harry and I were planning on studying in the library today, would you like to come with us?"

"We were?" asked Harry obliviously before catching a look from Rom. "I mean we were. Planning to study. Probably could use some help in our revisions today. Yeah."

Hermione looked up at her friends aware that they were trying to keep an eye on her since she looked so done in today. With a warm smile, Hermione replied, "Thanks boys. I do have some things to do first, but maybe I'll be up in an hour or so."

The boys seemed pleased to know she would be spending most of her time that day studying with them and their talked turned to other things. Hermione's mind once more wandered to the strange experience of the previous night. There was no way Hermione could study until she sorted some things out. After her meager lunch, she wandered down to room eleven to seek out her new tutor.

"Professor Firenze," she called out.

"Right here. I thought you'd be back today." He motioned for her to sit on the same stump as the night before. A new teacup was waiting and Hermione sipped it appreciatively. "Today we will not practice, we will just go over what happened yesterday."

Hermione nodded and was a little relieved. "I'm glad a bit. Not that I don't want to learn," she corrected herself quickly, "It's just that I feel a bit sluggish after last night."

Firenze nodded knowingly, "Yes, it does take considerable strength to utilize magic like this. In time the same feat will seem easy. You must build up your strength."

After a moment of consideration Hermione asked, "How do I do this? How can I build my strength?"

"By using this method and practicing. A simple exercise every other day and then every day when you feel up to it. Drink plenty of water and be sure to rest. And if you've noticed that food is a little hard to eat after you practice," at this Hermione nodded, "then start with the lighter foods raw vegetables and fruit will be best. Heavier food like meats might be a problem at first, but as your strength grows so will your tolerance. Do you want to tell me what you saw?"

Hermione was now bursting with excitement as she explained the lights she saw the night previously and how they interacted. She spoke until she was satisfied that she'd conveyed every last detail.

Firenze smiled. "It is good that you saw light, I wondered if you'd see anything at all on a first try. In time you will learn to make sense of the light and see pictures. I do believe the yellow color shows your strength and intellect, and I also believe the warmth you experienced is something exclusive to you. Perhaps it is what lead Hogwarts to you. That warmth and light tells of great healing strength. I think She believes you will heal the wrongs in your man. It is no wonder She chose you to bear her Champion."

The teacup in Hermione's hands clattered to the floor and split into several pieces. Her curls tossed wildly as Hermione shook her head. "No. No, Severus is the Champion." The words were out of her mouth before she'd even realized she'd said them. Quickly she clasped a hand over her lips while a cold feeling of dread over took her.

But the centaur laughed, and Hermione had a hard time not storming out of the classroom. What he had to say was more reasonable than Hermione imagined. "Well of course Severus is a Champion, no one would doubt that, but your son will be a Champion as well."

"My son," Hermione whispered; she had yet to think of the child within her as more than just a hypothetical baby. "How do you know?" Her curious eyes peered up at the centaur.

"How did I know you were pregnant or how do I know it's a son?"

Hermione though for a moment before responding, "Both."

"Well I knew of your pregnancy before the first time we spoke. Hogwarts had been telling me of her plans for the Champions past and future. And as to knowing you are carrying a boy, well the Universal Magic does help there. I can easily see the two magic forces within you and can tell one belongs to a small boy. I do think even you, still in the early stages of learning were able to see two magics within you."

"Yes, thought I didn't know it at the time. There was red within my yellow. But between us there was orange so I thought we were just one entity." It seemed to Hermione that the more answers she received the more questions arose.

"Well during pregnancy and infancy as well your child's magic will be connected to yours. It won't be until the child is a few years old that his magic will seem mostly independent from yours when he himself is more independent from you." Hermione took this in as the centaur continued. "I know it seems a lot to take in, but you are very important Miss. Granger. You were chosen as the healer, companion and bearer of Champions. Your light helps to guide them all."

Thoughts were forming in Hermione's head faster than she could understand them, but it all seemed to point to one miserable truth. A tear silently slid down Hermione's cheek as she voiced her suspicion. "So, it's all a lie then. Everything I feel for him is a lie."

Centaurs by habit were not outwardly affection to others so it startled Hermione a bit when Firenze put his large hand on her shoulder and looked down at her reassuringly. When he spoke his voice was gentle, "Of course not. Hogwarts herself is not able to conjure feelings of love. I believe you misunderstand. It is the mother that Hogwarts chooses. The rest was up to you. You made the choice of who to lie with. That decision was all yours. Hogwarts utilizes the ancient Universal Magic, which passes down through the line of the mother. When choosing a Champion, she picks the woman who will bear him.

"When She picked you there were two possible paths for you to take. There was an easy path, where things would have gone simply and you probably would have always been content. And there was a harder path where the road would twist and turn climb and plummet, but the reward would be far greater for one who could stick it through."

There was no doubt in Hermione's mind that the choice had been Ron or Severus. Ron was probably the easy choice: they would have finished school together, married during the summer holiday and been able to afford some sort of small place off the money they were granted as war heroes until they figured something else out. That was a very straightforward path. Loving Severus was something else all together. She loved him so fiercely that she could feel him in every breath of her being, yet at the same time she missed him so terribly that she often found herself unwilling to get up in the morning. Her faith in him was complete, but waiting for him to finish his task was almost unbearable. Of course she would remain strong for him and she would wait, but what she wanted more than anything was for him to return and stay. "I suppose I picked the harder choice."

"Indeed." The centaur nodded. "But the harder choice means love instead of content and passion instead of a mundane existence. When you made your choice Hogwarts was screaming with approval that you chose one of her Champions—especially one as damaged as Severus. As I said before the yellow light you saw as your magic means you have a great healing capacity- possibly enough to make a broken man whole again."

Hermione's breathing was heavy as she tried to take all of this in. She wasn't used to speaking so freely about her love of Severus and she was starting to realize that this whole thing was much bigger than she'd ever anticipated. Though Hermione wanted to keep her secrets regarding Severus, she couldn't deny her need for answers. "Was healing Severus the reason why she bonded our souls?"

Firenze looked at her oddly for a moment before he spoke. "What about bonding souls?"

"Well," Hermione hesitated not knowing where to hold back or divulge information. In the end, Hermione decided that Firenze was the only one who was much help figuring this out and so she told him. "There seems to be a connection between Severus and I more than a simple connection between two lovers. There are things that pass between us that should only occur if our souls had been bonded at a formal handfasting."

It was a long while considering this before Firenze spoke. "Hogwarts wouldn't have bonded your souls over this I am fairly certain, though you may ask her in her own time if you wish. I do believe there is an explanation. You've said you never used

Universal Magic before last night, but you were able to access your powers very quickly. I have hear other professors speak of your brilliance, yet even considering that I did not think you'd have success with your venture last night."

Wide-eyed, Hermione listened as the centaur went on.

"It is possible that you've been able to access this power in heighten emotional states. Would I be correct in assuming that my baiting of you last night was getting a rise from you?" He stopped and looked at Hermione.

"Yes," she nodded. "I was feeling very stressed out and angry at myself for not getting it right. I was getting quite worked up actually."

"Well, you will need to learn how to harness your powers without being in a frenzy, but my hypothesis would be that in your heighten emotional state during your encounter with Severus," here both Hermione and Firenze blushed furiously, "you somehow managed to access your magic like last night and you are the one that created the soul bond. Soul magic is a subset of ancient magic after all."

"Me?" Hermione wasn't quite sure she could handle any more shock today. "I created a soul bond?"

Firenze stood and began pacing and Hermione could tell that he was a bit uncomfortable at this subject. "Wizards when they enter a marriage always have someone else presiding over the ceremony as well as people to witness the joining of spirits. We centaurs had a different way. After the mare agrees to have the stallion, the two disappear into the woods and pledge themselves to one another. No one else is present, and no one is mediating their encounter, but when they emerge from the forest back to the herd they are considered mated for life. No one doubts the magic of their binding and such unions are never challenged. Perhaps your own talent for universal magic allowed you to open yourself for such magic."

Hermione twisted a strand of hair between her fingers while she thought about what he said. It did make sense, but she supposed she would one day be able to ask the school herself what had happened. "So you think one day I will be able to control this ability then?"

The centaur dipped his head. "Yes and I will help you to learn. I think the best thing you can do for now is practice accessing your magic like we talked about: start with every other day for a week and then every day for two weeks. Three weeks from now return with the skill mastered and I will show you the next step." Hermione collected her things and made her way off to the library. She had a lot to think about in the next three weeks.

*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*

When she got to the library, Hermione slid into the empty seat next to Ron and across from Ginny. She realized that the group was whispering about something. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Well you see that group of girls over there?" Harry nodded his head to a table on the other side of the room. "From the sound of it, the little one is marrying Malfoy."

Hermione looked at the table where a group of Slytherin girls were sitting. The "little one" referred to was one of the younger Greengrass sister. The elder sister Daphne was in their year while the younger sister was just now in her sixth year. Both sisters were very pretty with fair skin and blond hair—ideal Malfoy looking women. "What's her name? She still has another year of school right? I mean wouldn't it be better to marry the older sister?" Hermione was getting impatient with all the news of weddings. Yes, she understood that the wizarding world was not like the muggle world and that women generally married younger, but this was starting to feel a bit ridiculous.

"Her name is Astoria," Ginny offered, "And her sister had already been promised as a child. We were listening in," here Ginny flashed an extendable ear, "she barely even knows Malfoy. He hardly spoke to her when he was in school."

"Wait, an arranged marriage?" Hermione was almost shocked. She looked at the girl again and noticed now the telltale red rims around her eyes and the pallor of her cheeks. It seemed that the girl was not entirely happy with her new fiancé.

"Yeah," Ron put in, "arranged. Apparently the news got Pansy Parkinson knickers in a twist."

"Ron!" Ginny and Hermione shouted at the same time earning a death glare from Madam Pince.

"Blimey!" Ron started back. "It's true isn't it?"

Ginny had to agree. "Yes. Pansy's been raging since hearing the news. Got herself kicked out of the library for screaming. She's been going on about the way she's been slighted and how her father is never going to let this through."

"It's all tactics." Harry stated flatly making the three other Gryffindors turn to look at him. "Well, Pansy wasn't exactly held in such a great light after the Battle of Hogwarts. Her family's involvement was well known. It looks like Malfoy is trying to create a better image. The Greengrass sisters might be Slytherin but their family wasn't involved with the Death Eaters at all."

"Well that at least makes sense." Hermione looked again at the sad looking girl. "Did they say where Malfoy is this year?"

Harry nodded, "His father thought it best to lie low this year and he hired private tutors. We'll probably see him here when he takes his NEWTs."

"Joy." Ron groaned and flipped open his books. "I think I'd actually rather study than talk about Malfoy."

The rest of the evening Hermione and her friends studied and Hermione managed to forget the crazier aspects of her life for a change. For one evening she was just like any other seventh year studying for the NEWTs.

*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*

The next night in her room, Hermione retreated behind the closed curtains of her bed. After a moment of hesitation she sat down with her legs crisscrossed. Feeling a little foolish, Hermione tried to access her magic.

"Can you believe the fuss Pansy was making?" Two high pitched giggles followed the sentence.

Hermione grit her teeth and tried to ignore the sounds coming from the other side of the room. With all her might she tried to think about the process from two nights previous.

"All for a pretty boy like Malfoy too! Bet he doesn't even know what to do with a woman!"

"Ha! That's not what I heard!"

"Oh really?"

This was no good! No matter how hard Hermione tried to concentrate, the voices distracted her. She needed something better. What if she focused on herself instead of the room? In her mind, Hermione drew a picture of the warm yellow light that she knew was her magic. Inside this light was the red of her womb. Both lights pulsed with her heart beat.

Yes! It was working. Hermione focused on her heartbeat. Soon enough, the beating drowned out the sounds of the voices across the room. When she could feel her heart beating in ever inch of her body, she decided to branch out. The yellow light swam around her and held her. She stretched her mind farther and she encountered an orange form in front of her. The orange light form was lounging and occupied by something. Hermione focused on this and the orange began to take shape. Though she was still completely orange, Ginny was right there in front of Hermione. The younger girl was lying on her stomach flipping the pages of something. Hermione got the distinct impression of boldness and happiness from her.

Pleased with her progress, Hermione stretched herself out to the left where she found three new colors: a light pink, a cloudy blue and a lime green. Before too long the colors began to half form into girls enough that Hermione could tell the pink belonged to Lavender and the blue to Parvati. The lime green color was harder to identify and was less formed than the other two. None of the three were as completely formed as Ginny had been. The green, Hermione surmised, belonged to the girl in Ginny's year named Sarah. Each of these colors spoke to Hermione of different thing—she was starting to realize that each form gave her two different feelings. The first feeling was a permanent characteristic of the owner—Ginny was always bold and would be for the foreseeable future. The second feeling was a temporary state that reflected what it's owner was doing. Whatever Ginny was looking at made her happy, while gossiping had a different affect on these girls. Lavender was jealous, Parvati amused and the last girl Sarah merely curious. Hermione immediately understood how learning the state of people could be used as an advantage. It also made her more aware of how Firenze was certain her child was a boy.

Hermione was satisfied with tonight's exercise and she retreated back. This time she allowed for several moments to come back to herself before moving. When Hermione felt stable—not dizzy like last time—she opened her curtains and walked across the room to Ginny's bed.

"What are you doing, Ginny?" The red head was lying on her belly looking at something in just the same position as the orange form Hermione had seen moments earlier.

Ginny shifted a bit so Hermione could see the magazine of wedding dresses on the bed. "Just trying to get an idea of what to look for. Do you think we can go back sometime this week?"

Hermione was so pleased with herself for being correct with her practice. If she kept this up she'd be on to the next step in no time. "Sure," Hermione replied, "Maybe on Tuesday." Suddenly her legs gave way and Hermione sprawled onto the floor.

"Hermione!" Ginny had jumped up and rushed to Hermione's side.

The older girl put a palm to her forehead and tried to shake the dizziness from her head. "I'm fine, Gin. Just tired. I think I'm just going to lay down."

Nodding, Ginny helped Hermione to her feet. "Are you okay? Anything I can get you?"

"No, no. It's really not necessary. I just need to rest."

With that Hermione withdrew back to her bed and shut the curtains. She fell asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*

It was dark. Trees stretched out in every direction. Everything around her was still. With great effort, Hermione silenced her breathing so as not to be heard. He was out there and just a few moments before, he had turned and look at her cold. It was almost as if he knew she were out there waiting for him. Not good. Not good at all.

Footsteps. Leaves crunched under the heavy boots. Hermione moved noiselessly through the trees. She could have gone faster if she didn't have to worry about being heard. Flicking her wand down from her sleeve into her hand, she prepared herself for what was to come.

As the man got closer, she turned from behind a tree and shouted "Impedimenta"

At the same time something hit her square between the shoulder blades and she crumpled to the ground with a guttural moan. Shit! There were two of them! Footsteps: they were both moving. Hermione turned and threw a curse behind her just before a fist collided with her jaw. She was thrown sideways, landing face down in the dirt. There was a crack as the man kicked her hand shattering the bones of her wrist and sending her wand flying. The second man cast a body bind and she could no longer even struggle. It wouldn't do to panic. Analyze the situation. Find the weak point. Use it to your advantage. With a hard kick to the ribs she was flipped roughly onto her back. Two men loomed over her and the malice in their eyes made her feel physically ill.

One man started to laugh, revealing a disgusting mouth full of crocked yellowing teeth. "Ah Severus, you're looking as ugly as ever I see."

The second man started to speak in the same mocking tone. "We were expecting you. Knew you'd come pay us a visit just like the others. That's why we planned this little… welcoming!" he glanced at the other man and they both laughed.

The first man pressed his booted toe into the face which Hermione now realized was not actually her own. "People are talking Severus. They know it was you and they are not too happy. This little act of yours has pissed off the wrong people. One in particular has put word out that he'd pay highly for your… disposal." The last word came out as a hiss through the horrible yellow teeth. Surly if this were her stomach, Hermione would be sick all over!

The second man was running a hand through his nearly bald hair as he spoke and Hermione tried to sort out what was going on. This was Severus. Was it a dream? Did it show the past? The future? Was it happening now? Why couldn't she do something? Severus wasn't struggling against his bonds, he was analyzing the situation looking for a way out. Those trees there would be quite heavy. If only he had a wand!

With some sheer power of will, Hermione's consciousness shot an arm forward and shouted "Reducto!" Of course none of the three men could see or hear her movements, but they worked all the same.

There was a loud crack and the two men looming over Severus stopped and looked behind them. Hermione's spell hit it's mark and the large tree was now crashing down. "Shit! Run!" The second man shouted. As they ran, Hermione threw more spells sending more trees after them. As they ran she heard them shouting about Snape's reinforcements and she hoped they wouldn't return soon. A quick Finite Incantum set Severus loose and he scrambled to his feet mindful of his broken wrist and cracked ribs.

Suddenly, Hermione felt some tingling on her conscious as if someone else were trying to get in. Hermione. Thank y…

The tree finished it's loud decent, crashing just to Severus's left. and everything went black. The connection was broken and Hermione was in her room at Hogwarts, shaking, covered in sweat and holding a death grip on her wand. And then Hermione was sick. All over her bed. She wiped her mouth and wiped away her tears. A quick scourgify cleaned up the mess, as she sorted out what to do. Severus was alone in those woods and those men would be back. He'd had a broken wrist, dislocated jaw and a few cracked ribs even before the tree fell. At least the tree had missed him!

She had been him in the dream this time. During that time she was in his body and felt his feelings. In truth it reminded her of how Harry often had described his dreams about Voldemort. Hermione shuddered not wanting to think about having anything in common with that mad man. It seemed that she was able to open the connection further because of the practice she had been doing. It was a powerful bond between their souls and Hermione had basically been opening herself up to the ancient magic all week. Could she actively seek the connection with Severus? Could she use it to find him? Would he be able to tell her if he was safe?

Both the practice this evening and the dream connection had worn her out. The earliest she'd be able to try to reach Severus would be tomorrow night. And that was even pushing it close according to Firenze. Well, she would just have to push it. There was no other choice, not for her. Now all she had to do was get through tomorrow. Hermione laid back on her pillow, but this time she didn't sleep. She laid awake watching shadows play on the ceiling.

After some time had past, and Hermione still hadn't found sleep, she lowered her hand to her abdomen and rubbed a few lazy circles over her womb. "Don't worry Little One." She whispered in her mind, "Your father will be safe. He is a great man and has come through worse scraps than this. You just wait. Tomorrow we will open a connection and talk to him and he will be just fin you'll see."

Was it her imagination or did Hermione really feel a small flutter in response? Whether or not it was, Hermione felt reassured and she finally allowed her eyes to close and sleep to take her.

*YY*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*Y*

Author's Note: Wow! Sorry on the wait. Real life started happening rather quickly, but my time is my own again. The next chapter should be up much faster comparatively! ;)

Thank you for reading and I hope you review too! Love you all!