A/N: Hey all! Sorry i haven't posted in a while, I have had education commitments to deal with, but here is a moderate size chapter to make up for that. This is part 1 of a series of events which will be continued in the next chapter so look forward to that. Reviews and comments are always welcome. I give credit all things Harry Potter related to the talented JK Rowling and any real life objects or landmarks mentioned in this chapter to their respective parties.

Chapter 11

Hermione turned a page in the book on historic Runes and codes that she was reading, it had been a tough afternoon for her in her Ancient Runes class, mostly because the Professor had introduced a new type of Rune to study that the School Board of Governors had approved for sixth years just that summer and it was a Rune that she had never studied, at least in recent memory, thankfully Madam Pince had suggested a book that detailed all about the new Rune since Hermione had to write a two foot essay on it.

It was a short while later when Madam Pince came to tell her that the library was being closed early for inventory that night and would reopen around noon the next day. Thanking the Librarian, Hermione packed up her school bag and headed to the Gryffindor common room.

Upon seeing the fat lady, the portrait could sense her frustration.

"Hard day in classes?" She asked kindly.

"Very" said Hermione "new things to study with a new year."

"Well my dear, you aren't the first to say those same words in the centuries I have been on this door, no not at all, there have been many that have responded the exact same way, password?"

Hermione gave the password and walked into the common room, it was rather quiet at almost seven thirty at night, save for the crackling of the fire burning brightly in the grate nearby.

"Hey Hermione"

There on one of the couches was Ginny, carefully writing on a parchment and looking at the portrait hole every so often as if she was expecting something."

"Hi Ginny, where is everyone?"

"Well Ronald and his friends are actually in the great hall attending an exploding snap tournament. I tried to tell Ron he should focus on his homework but he wouldn't pass an opportunity like this up."

"He needs to study, I keep telling him he will never pass his classes as long as he keeps up these distractive practices."

Ginny nodded but clearly didn't care what her brother did.

"What's Harry doing?" Hermione asked.

"He said he had a meeting with Dumbledore, wouldn't tell me anything specific. I just hope he's ok. I miss him when he's not close."

"I hope he's okay too but he does have a life to live after all," said Hermione.

Ginny nodded but the worry in her features was evident, so far no one had run in and told her that Harry was having problems, so that meant whatever the Headmaster was discussing with him was nothing bad wasn't it?

"Good luck on your homework."

"Thanks Hermione" Ginny gave her a quick smile and continued working.

Hermione retreated to her dorm then and quickly changed into another set of clothes, then she couldn't help but take a look out her dormitory window at the grounds.

It was a calm night with just a few stars visible in the sky, she could see the forest off in the distance with the chimney of Hagrid's hut letting off a steady smoke but then she saw something out there, it looked like a dark lump, laying on the ground, from her vantage point it looked like it wasn't moving.

Squinting a bit, she tried to look closer and could just make out a strand of black hair and that was when it hit her.

"SNAPE!"

She started panting in short breaths in panic and she knew what she had to do.

She grabbed her warmest coat that she had, covered in a fleece lining, of course it was best for winter but she knew she needed it now.

The young witch raced down the stairs and to the portrait hole, not even bothering to listen to Ginny as she tried to stop her, this was too much for her to stall.

Hermione briskly walked through the corridors, blocking out all voices that she heard until she had exited the castle.

The lump was getting closer as she raced towards it, still panting and hoping that Snape was alive, was the only thing that mattered at that moment.

Soon, she was upon the form of the potions master and that was when she stopped short.

The Potions Master was covered in deep slashes and cuts all over his body, and was bleeding from several wounds, the scene before her caused her to break down in tears.

"Oh Professor, who did this you?" she sobbed, her tears falling on his chest and the grass surrounding her.

This man might be a thorn in the side to Harry and the other students but he had a focus on protecting the students as well, five years of the same and he hadn't really minced her as badly as the others, he had said that she was intelligent, even for a know it all.

She moved her head up his chest to his neck, carefully hearing for signs of a pulse, which was the true sign that Snape was still there.

The faint beating of his heart and his pulse told her what she needed to know and she gave a choked up sob in relief, he was alive but barely and if she didn't stabilize him in time, he might be lost, that thought was enough to make her cry somewhat more uncontrollably.

Then she got to work, trying to keep herself together as she began to use the many healing spells she knew, most of the bleeding was stanched in a way that the wounds were stable but she was sure that Snape had some internal injuries, she was not skilled in fixing those.

The injuries were such that she could not just pick him up and try to carry him, in fact that was one of the worst things to do with someone in his condition, she levitated the professor carefully a few feet off the ground and tried to contain her tears as she headed towards the castle, the emotion of the moment was huge, the injuries on the potions master were quite cruel.

Once she was near the oak doors of the front of the castle, she saw Professor McGonagall coming at a run, clearly knowing that Hermione had gone out on the grounds and once she reached Hermione she looked furious.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Miss Weasley said…"

She then stopped and saw the still figure behind Hermione and she gasped in horror.

"Is that Severus? What happened to him Miss Granger?"

"I found him on the grounds bleeding to death, is that good enough for you Professor, he needs help."

Hermione burst into renewed sobs and McGonagall looked shocked and just stood there.

"He needs the Hospital wing Professor, not you staring at him, he needs his health restored!"

The deputy Headmistress nodded quickly, clearly surprised that Severus was in this state.

Hermione continued forward with Snape behind her floating in the air, as McGonagall clearly followed behind him, to make sure that no students would ask any questions.

Reaching the doors of the Hospital wing was not that difficult but Hermione had to carefully make sure that Snape would not hit anything.

There was Madam Pomfrey administering a potion to a sick student, when she turned herself towards the entrance and saw Hermione and her trusted colleague at the door, she dropped everything and looked at them with a scowl on her face.

"What is it this time Miss Granger, are you hurt, is something the matter?

Hermione simply moved to the side so that the nurse could see Professor Snape still and injured before her."

"Oh Merlin" the nurse exclaimed "Severus must have had a particularly bad summons tonight."

The nurse took over the levitation of Snape and floated him over to a bed with warm covers and the always-trusty pillow.

Once he was settled on the bed, Pomfrey began to wave her wand in a series of diagnostic spells trying to figure out what if any unseen injuries the Professor had.

A red glow emitted from the wand a few times and the matron grimaced as she figured out the results of her scans.

"Well, he will live, that much is for certain but he has two broken ribs and severe blood loss."

Hermione had composed herself but tears were visible in her eyes.

"Miss Granger, did you manage to use your own healing spells to stop the bleeding?" The matron asked.

"Yes" said Hermione, barely able to speak and looking at the potions master's face for signs of pain, it appeared he was out cold.

"He will need Dittany and blood replenishing potions."

The nurse bustled over to one of the cabinets near her office and gesturing Professor McGonagall and Hermione away for a few moments; she pulled the screen around the Potions Master and began to apply the Dittany and carefully opened his mouth to give him the blood replenishing potion, she had to use a reflex spell to get him to swallow, it was a good sign that the nurse could hear him breathing even if quietly but it was rather strained with the broken ribs, then she knitted his ribs up properly and healed them the best she could, making sure that his lungs also were stable.

"You can come back now you two" said Pomfrey as she retracted the screen. Hermione looked around for a chair and finding one, she sat herself down next to Snape's pillow; she looked at him closely, watching his chest as it rose and fell; this was when Professor McGonagall started to ask Hermione questions.

"Miss Granger, how did this happen?"

"I don't know. I was just in my bedroom in the tower and looked out the window and saw Professor Snape on the ground, he was out cold, it didn't seem like anyone was nearby, so I ran outside and brought him here, I'm not sure how he ended up the way he was." Hermione sniffed and rubbed her nose.

"The only probable conclusion would be, that he received a call from the Dark Lord and angered him enough to cause this carnage to occur to him, the question is what caused it to happen?" The Deputy Headmistress said in thought.

"I'm not sure Professor, whenever he wakes I can ask him" said Hermione quietly, looking at Snape's face in thought.

"I believe it should be up to us as the staff to look into the matter, you can return to Gryffindor tower."

But Hermione wasn't about to move, not if she had her way.

"I'm sorry Professor but I'm staying in the hospital wing and nothing you can do or say, will take me away from his side."

"Be that as it may, what will he think when he has noticed you sitting next to him at his bedside?

Hermione knew she should say something about that, she didn't really know what Snape's reaction would be, probably some choice words and a sneer.

"I think I can find that out for myself Professor, please let it be, I'll be sure to get out if it goes over my head."

Professor McGonagall gave a sigh "Very well, do let us know if he wakes up, I am most eager to hear what happened, also I will send up the elves to give you some refreshment later."

Hermione nodded slightly and the stern witch left the wing.

TLOSH***TLOSH***TLOSH

Harry was deep in thought as he made his way back to the common room, the discussion about the Headmaster's affliction was a shock to him and it still brought up the prospect of who would lead the war effort if Dumbledore were to become infirm, sooner than the 2 year expectation that the Headmaster had mentioned but all would be well as long as the main goal in focus remained, to defeat the Dark Lord.

He was going to head back to the common room for a few hours before he had to meet Pansy at the astronomy tower, now the question was, what was Ginny up to?

Once he was next to the fat lady, before he could even give the password she spoke up.

"Well hello dear, I believe you might be interested in what your significant other has to say to you, there has been a rather significant development."

"Uh, thank you" Harry said and gave the password, once he was in the common room, he saw Ginny there on the same couch he had left her, looking closely at the essay she was working on.

"Gin. I'm back."

Ginny looked up and upon seeing her boyfriend, leaped up into his arms, putting her head on his shoulder and breathing rather audibly.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked, stroking his hand along her beautiful shining hair and Ginny shivered at the tender contact.

"Hermione ran out on me."

"What for?" Harry suddenly wondered what the brunette was up to.

"She didn't really say, in fact she didn't look at me. She looked like she was in a panic running out the portrait hole. I tried to ask her what was the matter but she wouldn't stop, she was hasty."

"Did you get McGonagall to check it out?" Harry had leaned down and was trailing gentle kisses on Ginny's neck, getting soft moans from the young witch in appreciation; in return she had splayed her hands around his neck.

"Yes I did, I ran to her office and told her, so I suppose she is taking care of it."

"Well good, I hope she finds out what is going on."

Ginny nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Harry grabbed Ginny and pulled her over to the couch, where he propped her on his lap and began rubbing her back in circles.

"So what did you and Dumbledore talk about?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, we discussed his mission he went on, its order business, being in said order, I can't really divulge what was said but I can tell you that he had something happen to him."

"Oh no, was it serious?"

"Again, its really only business for the order to know but he continues to be the headmaster, I wouldn't be where I am today without his guidance."

Ginny nodded slightly, squinting a bit at the essay she was working on, which she had in her hands while sitting in Harry's lap.

"What's that you're working on?

Ginny looked at him with a look akin to amusement.

"I don't like that look Gin," said Harry with a look of his own.

"I figured you wouldn't, you will only see me making that look when I'm doing something that reminds me of the two of us."

Harry couldn't believe his eyes, was she writing something about the two of them, maybe something about their exploits in the intimacy department?

"It's an essay for Flitwick, he wants us fifth years to write about something that changed our lives, so why not talk about us? I reckon it's a good idea." Ginny looked at him for approval.

With a shrug, Harry nodded "go right ahead but nothing crazy you understand, I don't want my reputation as the chosen one ruined."

Ginny laughed loudly in a rather animated matter at his statement "Harry, do you want the naughty version or the nice version, because my line of thought can go either way."

"Just be discrete, I don't want Draco bloody Malfoy to start sporting a rumor mill from his mouth."

"What's the probability that he will or won't hear of what I wrote?' she asked with a smirk.

"Its rather likely that he will hear of it, if Crabbe and Goyle can overhear us talking about it."

Ginny put her head in her hands and laughed bitterly "I don't want to even think about what could happen."

Harry nodded right along with her and left a kiss on her forehead in reassurance "Don't let Malfoy sway you, he's bloody insignificant as far as I can tell."

Ginny felt another point of agreement with his words.

The redhead wished to continue working on the controversial essay and so Harry went back up to his dormitory to take a look at the Marauders map, in order for tonight's rendezvous with Pansy to work, Harry would need to be absolutely certain that Filtch and Mrs. Norris were nowhere near his intended destination.

He carefully scrutinized the many pathways and hallways and areas near the teacher's offices, from what he could tell, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, Snape wasn't in his office, so perhaps he was out berating a student.

It appeared that everything was set for the evening and so after spending the rest of the immediate time between the discussion with Ginny and the upcoming bond procedure working on homework in the common room, he was ready to make his plan of action count, everyone had left the room and Harry had just completed an intense snogging session with Ginny, which thankfully, had not been seen by anyone during that intimate moment.

He was already prepared with the cloak and the map, quickly; he tiptoed out of the common room, even ignoring the sleepy grunt that the fat lady had made in her portrait.

The torchlight brightness level had been turned down in the hallways, possibly to simulate the fact that it was nighttime and that no students should be out of beds after hours.

Harry kept his focus on his silent run through the hallways, pausing only a couple of times to check the map to make sure that no one was present.

When he finally reached the stairs to the Astronomy tower, it was to find a cold breeze coming from above him; the cool air was literally coming down the stairs and flowing through the hallways.

Harry mounted the stairs and walked up towards the source of the cold, the trapdoor leading to the outside was open and Harry felt that at this point he could take off his cloak he had barely done so, when he was suddenly grabbed by a hand and yanked out to the surface of the tower.

There standing in a nightgown and a thick overcoat was Pansy, she looked tired but her eyes made Harry believe that she was still awake enough that she would be able to do the bonding.

"Good Evening Parkinson, you don't look all that awake tonight," stated Harry with emphasis.

"You thought correctly Potter, I can barely stand on my feet but I want to get this done, wouldn't you agree?"

Harry still felt a lump in his throat about all this, could he really trust this girl to know his very thoughts and share a magical element with her just to oppose one of his most seriously sworn enemies in Draco Malfoy?

"Does Draco suspect anything? I mean, it's only been a few hours since you accosted me in a broom closet."

"He doesn't suspect a thing, I said I was patrolling a bit longer tonight and he thought nothing of it, now what can you tell me about bonds?"

"Well, what bond are we talking about here, there is more than one meaning for the word you know," said Harry, giving her a notable gaze at the question.

"Yes, there are several meanings of the word bond, I think the most popular meanings are for money, like Gringotts, in this case it's the money which everyone craves just to have, based on tradition in pureblood circles in my family, saving a select sum of money can be considered a bond and the other most common use for the term is for getting together so to speak, that's basically what we are doing just now."

Harry nodded slowly, he knew what he was getting himself into but he wanted some answers.

"How do I know you aren't setting me up here, are you sure this is going to work?"

Instead of answering him, Pansy wrapped her arms around Harry and pulled him close to her. Harry stiffened but didn't try to move; the smell of Citrus in her hair overwhelmed his senses and made his breath hitch.

"Enjoying that Potter?" Pansy asked with a pointed sneer.

After not speaking for a few moments, Harry managed to say a few words albeit quietly "I suppose."

She dipped her head at his response "I have to keep up appearances, better to smell good than not. The only drawback is some of my fellow Slytherins have decided to waggle their eyebrows at me much too often. I'm better then that."

Harry couldn't believe that she was being so bold about her situation. He was already under the assumption that Pansy was very popular within Slytherin House but he didn't know what her strengths and weaknesses were, at some point, he decided he would have to ask her about those.

So how does this bond work?" Harry asked.

"This is one of the bond spells that my ancestors used, I had to search the family library to find out what the incantation was and if it was still widely used, as I expected it's rarely used now, in fact if a student was caught here using it, you would get expelled."

"But this isn't an unforgivable, how can its use be restricted?" Harry was shivering, the breeze had picked up on the tower and he was finding it hard to concentrate.

He was suddenly let go by Pansy as she waved her wand and there next to them was a leather sofa complete with a little table next to it. Twin pops were heard and there on the table were two steaming cups of hot tea.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise "did you just summon a house elf?"

"I did" she confirmed "Just one of the elves that is loyal to Slytherin, some of them get so hooked with a certain house it's hard for them to serve Hogwarts in other capacities."

Harry nodded in understanding "I don't think I would want Dobby to see us doing this, he would say bad Harry, or something to that effect," said Harry with a grin.

Pansy scowled at the mention of the house elf.

"I don't really favor Draco's old servant however, perhaps if I could see what he has done in the service of Hogwarts here, I might have a different opinion."

Harry cringed at the use of words that the Slytherin used. Dobby was a good elf, crazy at times but good.

"Please don't speak ill of Dobby in front of me, I know he can act weird but I mean come on, he's a house elf for bloody sakes."

Pansy grunted in hesitant agreement but that still would not settle her viewpoint on the subject of house elves.

"Well sit down Potter, the sofa isn't going to hurt your arse," she said with a sneer.

Pansy pointed at one side of the sofa and Harry followed suit and seated himself.

"Now, you have to understand that this spell is painful, it will hurt, your muscles will hurt, you might not even be able to keep your eyes open for a second at a time, in fact you might even scream, there are however, certain remedies to keep it at a minimum so that it won't be bloody difficult."

"Oh bloody hell, don't tell me that you laced the tea with something" Harry looked truly mortified as the thought flowed through his brain.

"Calming draught, that's all it is, just to keep you from being all jumpy" Pansy picked up her teacup and sniffed it "Yes, just the right hint of orange and pekoe."

Harry nodded, albeit slowly "ok, I'll trust you this time but don't make me lose that trust." He drank up much of that cup of tea as he stated this.

Pansy nodded with an accepting smirk "have it your way Potter, now look at me and don't blink."

Harry did as he was instructed and he was suddenly engulfed with warm moist lips that made his senses flutter in warning, why was she doing this, this couldn't be a part of the bond no, most definitely not at all.

Pansy stop!" Harry said, trying to push away from her "this is a bonding ceremony, not a snogging session."

She did not answer him but she did take out her wand and clasped her hands in his, finally releasing his face.

"Hold still" she said quietly as she pointed her wand to his wrist "Culus Atocis!"

Instantly, white hot pain enveloped every inch of Harry's body and he had to grit his teeth to keep from crying out, the agony was enormous and one of the more pressing fears in Harry's mind was of his scar, would Voldemort feel this spell, would it arouse suspicion?

Harry didn't have that much time to think about the dark wizard, as he and the witch his hands were clasping were suddenly engulfed in a blinding blue light, all he could hear was Pansy pronouncing the same spell over and over again in short intervals and then, when the pain became too great, he blacked out.

Harry came to with the feel of Pansy's body pressed against him, the couch was heavy with their combined weight, she wasn't doing anything, just laying there and breathing heavily in an audible manner and it appeared she had conjured a comforter over them as well.

Harry was the first to break the silence "Pansy, are you all right? I think I blacked out or something and what's that sound?'

Next to them, Harry could hear the sound of wailing, but not just any particular wailing, it sounded strange nonetheless.

"It's the wards Potter, "she said looking at him with unconcerned eyes "this spell always causes the wards to reset or surge, it did as such when my family used the spell in the past, its not going to harm the school's ancient powers, I'm sure the Headmaster has a fail safe plan or something."

Would Dumbledore have known the wards had been tripped, was he headed up to see what was going on?

"Dumbledore must already know what happened," said Harry putting his head in his hands "its detention for sure."

She patted his back in reassurance "not if I can help it."

"You would take the blame for me but Snape is your head of house, he probably won't even deduct a point from Slytherin."

Pansy did not comment on that, instead she said, "Can you feel my thoughts?"

Harry carefully centered his mind to seek out her presence and there, at least weakly, he felt her thoughts swirling, they were calm and composed but it felt as if she was seeking his thoughts as well, Harry's occlumency skills were suspect at best, given with how the greasy git had humiliated him.

"You seem calm, as if this seems routine to you." said Harry, noting her expression.

"I am right now, doing all this spell work doesn't bloody sway me in the least."

Harry nodded at her "So what should I do with it now?"

"Its very simple, anytime that I am in danger you will basically feel my pain, my thought processes and anything else at the time, somehow you have to figure out where I am and find a way to rescue me."

"Let's say you are in your common room and something happens, then what should I do, I can't just barge in there to save you," said Harry giving her a scowl as if she could try to find a way around that.

"You may have no choice then will you Potter?" she said "Use that cloak of yours, its good enough isn't it?"

Harry knew that she had a point but Snape had so many ways of figuring out who was in his house and who wasn't, thus it would not be difficult for the Professor to use means of identification.

"We better get back to our towers before Filch comes calling" said Harry, leaping up off the couch and lifting Pansy up by the hand as well.

Pansy wrapped herself around him once more, clearly not wanting to lose any contact.

"Look, just let me know if Malfoy shows any aggression, heck if you have to come to me in the great hall do that."

He threw the cloak around the both of them and they hurried back down the astronomy tower staircase into one of the corridors, when he felt that they were all clear, Harry let Pansy be on her way.