Disclaimer: I own nothing except a laptop and the plot. Characters and world belong to J. K. Rowling.

Destroyer

By Catsitta

Chapter nine;;

"You saved my life."

Severus could feel the power resonating behind that statement. A life debt. She owed him in a manner that ancient magic made binding. He did not want this, he realized as he reeled away. He did not wish upon another what James Potter enacted upon him. It filled the debtor with the overwhelming sense of obligation to the persons they owed a debt and would be urged to do whatever was required of them by that individual until the debt is paid in full. Often, such debts resulted in resentment and seeded the dark illness that was loathing.

The last thing he needed was a powerful witch whom wanted to make his existence a worse hell than it was presently. Even if she could not "harm" him, there was much she could do to ruin his life should she choose to take her frustrations out on his hide. Except…he could not bear to relinquish the debt and release her from its ties. It would be very un-Slytherin of him to do so. This debt, if played right, could be to his advantage. After all, she had many secrets at her beck and call that teased his very nature, bidding him to seek a means of manipulating them.

Considering the events of the past few hours, Severus found himself staring into the strange eyes of the one he knew only as the Destroyer.

"Who are you?" he asked. Countless time before he had made the same inquiry, her answer elusive at best. "Why were you at the Potter's residence last night? And what was that…thing?"

The girl smiled blandly at him,"I was saving lives, Professor. Through killing Voldemort"—Severus flinched—"I sought to prevent pointless slaughter. As for the object in question, the one that nearly killed me, well, quite simply, that thing was the bane of my existence. I was a victim of the Fate it desired and apparently, I went off track with my actions. What is curious, Professor, is the fact that you stopped it from exacting its pound of flesh for my failure. What did you do exactly?"

Finding the conversation turned on him, Severus scowled. "I banished the infernal device," was his curt reply. "But my actions are not under question. I repeat: Who are you?"

"Very well…Call me Hermione."

"Is it your given name? What of you surname?"

Hermione, as she called herself, offered him a thoughtful frown, her gaze distant.

"Yes. It is my given name…and as good as any other, I suppose. As for my surname…it doesn't matter. Looking in the records, you will find nothing about me. As far as the Ministry is concerned, I do not exist. Thus, a surname is of no importance, to me, to you, or to anyone else."

"Then why do you refuse to divulge it?"

"Because…it is a name that belongs to another. Someone…I am no longer." The air between them was thick enough to cut with a knife. With every answered question, another five were presented. "What I need is a new name. After all, it appears that I have a second lease on life." She glanced around. "That, and a new wand as it appears mine is…gone."

"How could you not be sure that I do not have it my possession?"

Hermione had the audacity to laugh,"Ah, Professor. You sound so put upon. As for my wand, well, I was well in tune with it and I can no longer feel its…presence. It is as if a part of me is broken, but not beyond repair."

"Should the Wizengamot not send you to Azkaban, a new wand is something easily acquired."

"Azkaban? Exactly what are my crimes? I did little more than curse a few Death Eaters…and of course, defeat the infamous He-who-must-not-be-named," Hermione grinned at the moniker, but it faded as she continued bitterly, "If anything, I will be lauded as a hero. Now, if you will excuse me…I have a life to figure out and a life debt to repay."

She swung her legs out from beneath the thin sheet and made to stand. Barefoot and clad in nothing more than a unflattering hospital gown, she looked so…helpless. Hermione was light enough that Severus could lift her with one arm if he wanted, and the malnutrition impacted her health dramatically. This was the powerful and feared Destroyer? This world-weary, broken creature with her too wise eyes and feral posture. She was a starved ally cat that had proved queen of the junkyard due to cleverness and tenacity alone. Strength existed in that frail body, but it was all but exhausted in the fight.

Having traveled a similar path, of weakness and battles, Severus stepped forth, a pillar of strength between her and the exit. The injuries he suffered when the roof collapsed were superficial and easily patched with a quick flick of Poppy's wand. He was in better shape arriving this morning than usual when he ended up unconscious and in the mediwitch's care. She'd mended countless broken bones, lacerations and various wounds received from fist fights, potion's accidents and curses. Poppy knew his history and his body better than he due to his all too frequent trips to the Hospital Wing, starting mere days from his entering the hallowed halls of Hogwarts for the first time. To quote her on her more exasperated days, a typical result from having an awake Severus as a paitent: "No need to be secretive. Nothing about you surprises me anymore, Mr. Snape. I swear I've seen more of your naked arse than your own mother."

Poppy had tittered and tutted as she was wont to do when he left his sick bed to change into his staid, black attire. Busy with other patients, she fluttered away to hover over others, and by the time he had returned, Severus was all but alone with the sleeping girl who slayed the Dark Lord. Order members whom suffered greater injuries were nearby since St. Mungo's was overflowing with victims from recent Death Eater raids. And Severus knew that he should be with them and not the girl whose alignment was in question. But curiosity captivated him. He could not leave her side until he learned who she was and why she was in Godric's Hollow last night.

Now, as the powerful witch stood before him, no longer clad in her billowing, tattered cloak, the potion's master could not help but feel a pang of sympathy. It did not show through his natural expression. Instead, he scowled menacingly and glared down at the miniscule creature whose actions made his life agonizing for the past couple months. He wanted to exact revenge for his humiliation, his torture and for Lucius. The blond and his family were not the same as before, and it was HER fault. But, he knew there was gratitude that needed offering for eliminating the dark wizard and attempting to rescue young Harry Potter.

Speaking of whom…why was Hermione concerned about Potter? Did…did she know of the prophecy? Would she be relieved to hear that Dumbledore sent to boy to live with his Aunt and Uncle on Privet Drive? A small snarl of outrage built in Severus' throat. Traitorous scum, Sirius Black, betrayed the Potters and murdered Peter Pettigrew on the same night, along with a slew of muggles. His impending trial and prison sentence kept the murderer from enacting his rights as Godfather and adopting Harry. Although, from what he remembered of Petunia Dursley nee Evans, Potter was not going to end up in the most accepting of homes. Lily's muggle sister would likely let jealous color her judgment in accordance to the boy.

But, that was neither here nor there.

His concerns needed to be focused entirely on the witch gazing at him with a peculiar glint in her eyes.

"I am not staying here."

"You must."

They were mere inches away from each other, staring dangerously.

"Severus Snape, you leave that poor girl alone!" Poppy suddenly interjected. Severus shot her a dark glare to which the mediwitch was long ago immune. She was not the type to cower. Little fazed her. "And you—Hermione is it?—get back in bed immediately. You are in no condition to go anywhere."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, clearly agitated,"Try and stop me."

She made to push by the potions master and he wrapped his hand around her upper arm. Severus was never a bulky man, by any means, despite his best efforts he only manage to tone his scrawny frame. But this girl was tiny! Near a foot shorter than he with a complexion that made his pallor seem healthy, she was in no shape to break away from his iron grip. She stilled for a moment before jerking her elbow around and landing a surprisingly solid blow to his gut.

Severus doubled over but refused to release the struggling witch.

He was unsurprised when she growled a spell under her breath at him and the wandless magic threw him against the wall, his skull cracking loudly against the stone. However, Hermione unbalanced herself and ended up sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath. Merlin! That hurt…but as Severus regained his footing and shook away the fuzziness from his head, he noted that the girl was trembling all over, as if overexerted.

Madam Promfrey huffed with vexation as she waddled over to Hermione and used magic to lift the girl back onto the bed. A few flicks of the same wand later resulted in a strange, opaque-red glow over Hermione's heart. "It's worse than before," she muttered. "Magic depletion is nasty business. Foolish child needs to rest before she puts herself into a coma again or worse, turns herself into a squib."

"And you," she rounded on Severus a mere heartbeat later. "Do not provoke her any further. She may be an impressive witch but she's as weak as a newborn kitten right now."

He arched a single brow. Weak as a kitten his arse. Hermione was dangerous. She needed careful monitoring to make sure she did not escape and cause serious damage.

"Go away! I am sure the others would like to know you are well, even if you are a miserable git."

"Madam, you wound me."

"Oh don't start, Severus. You were a miserable git when you were a first year and you're a miserable git now, simply bigger and more hostile when you feel vulnerable." Poppy poked him in the chest, reminding him of his recently healed over burns. "I know better than to tolerate your temper tantrums or be afraid of your silly glares." Her voice softened,"You always became a vindictive little brat when you realized that you were crying in my arms, professing suffering and sins that would make a saint cringe in horror. Now, the girl is going nowhere under my watch and if anything, you need sleep. Report to Dumbledore, insult Lupin on the way past his bed and gripe about constant vigilance to Alastor when you see his broken arm and bandaged face. Then rest."

With great reluctance, he did just that.

.x.

Quietly, Hermione laid abed, her mind awhirl.

Now that Voldemort no longer posed a threat and the Time Shifter was nowhere in sight, what was she to do? Anxiety bubbled high in her throat. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, and all she could do was choke on the influx of emotion. There were so many options. So many unexplored paths. She could achieve so much…she could change the world in its entirety. But did she want to?

No. She did not. All she wanted was to go to sleep and wake up from this nightmare she knew as her life. Or better yet, go to sleep and never rise again.

"I'm no hero," Hermione fought the insane urge to giggle as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. "I failed Harry. I could not save his parents and give him the life he deserved. So many lost lives. Gods. Why me? Why not let me go?"

Night blanketed the medical ward, only the faint glow of errant moonbeams casting radiance into the sterile gloom. She felt so alone. So lost. Suddenly, she was without further ambition. She no longer desired to change the world. It was as if the Time Shifter no longer held sway over her actions. Perhaps her mind and soul were too broken. Or perhaps, Severus Snape had done more than simply save her life.

A hopeful spark entered Hermione's desolate thoughts.

Despite the life debt, he may have just set her free.

"What now, Hermione?" she asked the shadows. A pang of ache in her chest and the lethargy seated in her bones reminded her of her state of magical exhaustion. Earlier, she was all too eager to leave. Now…she was not quite too sure what her plans were. "There is so much you could achieve…that is, if you are not thrown into Azkaban and driven loony. Or you could just…rest. Find that state of peace you need to heal."

The troubled witch laid a hand over her heart and felt the familiar tattoo beat beneath her palm. After being alive for so long without ever a chance to live, stability and routine was what she needed most. She closed her eyes. Privately, in the sanctuary of dreams, she allowed herself to indulge in the "could be's" and "If only's" that plagued her waking mind. There was nothing wrong with idly visiting the fantasies of her long ago youth, where a powerful, dark-haired potions master and his bookish student had a chance.

She never noticed the grim figure standing sentry nearby, listening to every word, curious to as why the sad girl fell asleep wearing a smile.

TBC?

A/N: (This chapter refused to be written! I swear, transitional scenes are the hardest to write…that, and I've been distracted by a plot bunny for another tale…anywho, please enjoy and review! And, if there is anyone who wishes to discuss and bounce ideas with me about a SSHG fic with a creature twist, please PM me (Hint: Involves dragons, castles, the kidnapping of a certain Princess of Gryffindor, and complete disregard for the Epilogue of DH). Or hey, even this one for that matter.

Thank you for reading! )