*OK this is the normal I don't own anything Potter, I am just playing with them to keep my sanity!

Also this is not being beta'd as of right now; I am still actively searching for someone to Beta for me. I've had some offers but we can't seem to connect for some reason or another. I'm rather easy to work with and I'm not afraid of honesty and constructive criticism. I just want to make this story the best it can be and I know to do that I have a lot to learn. Not to mention a lot that needs fixing so far. If anyone is interested please email me: Lady141220_aim_._com…you just need to remove the 4 dashes.

So now without further delay…Chapter 12


"Ennervate!" Hermione sucked in a deep breathe as she came to, quickly realizing she was starring directly into the green eyes of her best friend. "Welcome back…"

"Thank you Harry," Hermione shook the fog out of her head and with the help of Harry sat up slowly as she glanced around the room, her eyes immediately falling onto her old potions professor. "Bloody hell…it did work."

"Very astute observation Miss Granger." Severus replied from his position across the room beside Lucius.

Draco moved to Hermione's side to observe her injured arms, "May I?" Draco lifted the bandages slightly to inspect the wounds as his father moved towards the bed, "Where is Mother? She should have a look at these now that she is awake."

"She returned to your aunt's" Lucius replied. "She said she would return later this afternoon."

"They won't heal, I tried everything." Hermione whispered, "I can't do magic."

"None at all?" Harry inquired.

At her head shake, Lucius moved forward picking up the Urn from the bed behind Hermione. "That is not uncommon after a feat such as this; your magic will be drained for hours possibly days."

"Hey! What are you doing!" Hermione cried, yanking her arms from Draco's grasp and reached for the Urn. "I need that!"

Moving quickly, he snapped his fingers and crated the Urn once more lifting it out of her reach. "Now Miss Granger, what could you possibly need this for anymore? You accomplished what you set out to do and now this can be returned to my collection."

Standing sharply, Hermione came toe to toe with the elder Malfoy and glared up at him, "I have hours of documentation and copious amounts of research regarding possible side effects for both parties involved and I can only do that with ALL ingredients for the spell at my disposal!"

Lucius held her gaze and quickly noticed the darkening of her iris' as she held her ground before him, her normally honey colored eyes began to darken slightly as her temper flared. Locking this bit of information away for the time being, he slowly returned the crate within her reach and allowed her to take if from him. "I will expect you to return that immediately after completing your 'documentation'."

"Thank you," she practically spat and pulled it out of his grasp moving back to the bed. Grabbing her bag she gently set the crate inside.

Harry shook his head as he watched the entire scene unfold before him, "Yes, well now that that is settled perhaps we can sit down and discuss this situation. I'm sure Professor Snape has many questions regarding his situation."

"No." Severus replied shortly causing the entire room to look at him.

Confused, Harry caught eyes with Severus once more, "But Sir, aren't you the least bit inter…"

"No." He reiterated as he turned his gaze on the young woman in question. Hermione refused to turn from his glare and held her ground, turning quickly he left a pregnant silence hanging in the air.

Harry glanced from Hermione to Draco, finally coming to rest on Lucius himself. Lucius shook his head, "It's quite late, I believe we should retire and discuss this situation at a later time after some rest. I will have my house elves make you up a room Mr. Potter. Good evening, Draco. Miss Granger." He nodded at the group and took his leave as well.

Draco watched his father leave, "I think we could all use some rest, I'll see you a few hours."

"And then there were two," Harry mumbled as he took a seat once more on the side of Hermione's bed. He watched her move around the bed laying out research journals and numerous amounts of vials containing what looked to be potions or salves. She seemed to be ignoring his presence completely, "You never answered my question."

"Yes I did." She answered picking up her change of clothes and heading into the open door leading to the loo.

"No, you did not." Harry stood and followed her to the door only to have it closed in his face. "Do you know what could have happened to you? What were you thinking 'Mione?" Leaning against the door he waited patiently for some type of response.

The door was suddenly yanked open revealing a freshly dressed and pissed off Hermione, "What I did was no worse than anything I blindly followed you into since we both came to the magical world, Harry."

"That- that was completely different-"He tried to argue.

"Yes because it was about YOU!" She hissed and stepped around him moving to the bed and taking two of the pain potions and one blood replenishing potion. Hermione didn't have to turn around to know the stomp of retreating footsteps and the slamming of her bedroom door.

Glancing down at her arms she lifted the bandages again to check her wounds and was disappointed to see them still bleeding lightly. She hadn't meant to snap at Harry, she knew he was only concerned for her and feared for her well being. 'But where was he when she needed him? 6 Months of nightmares and isolation while he was off chasing his dreams and getting all cozy with Ginny!'

Hermione's mind raced as she contemplated her situation; she couldn't apparate home because she still couldn't do magic, her floo was locked and there was no way she would be able to just walk out of Malfoy manor without some protest. Long story short: She was stuck here for the foreseeable future or at least until her magic returned.

Her body was tired and still drained from the physical demands of the spell but in light of recent information her mind was racing. Severus Snape was ALIVE! She had done it! Hermione Granger had righted one wrong of this whole terrible war. But there was so much more to be done and there was no time like the present to begin. Glancing back at the journals and urn sitting on her bed she got an idea, "Alge?"

Moments later the pop of elf apparition sounded directly behind her, "Misses calls Alge?"

Hermione bent down slightly and smiled at the little elf, "Alge, can you do me a favor? I'm very tired and I'd like to go home. Can you take me there?"

Alge's set his shoulders and shook his head, "Master Lucius said you would ask Alge that. Alge is not to let you leave the manor."

Glaring at the elf she shook her head, she shouldn't have underestimated Lucius so. "Thank you Alge, I appreciate your dedication to your Master. Could you bring me a few things?" At the little elf's nod she smiled, "Can you bring me a chalk board, chalk, some parchment, and perhaps some tea and biscuits? I'm rather peckish."

"Oh Yes Ma'am, Alge can do that. Alge will return right away." The excited elf popped out of her room quickly.

Mentally running down a checklist in her head, Hermione moved to the bed and flipped open her journals and began jotting down what she could remember from the beginning of her day.


Harry slammed the door behind him and stormed off down the hallway, he couldn't believe she'd had the audacity to say that to him! After all the years and things they'd been through together. The arrival of another of Lucius' elves stopped Harry short on his war path. "Mister Potter, Kolk has finished your room sir. Kolk can take you now if you like."

"Thank you Kolk but I'm fine, can you just direct me?"

The little elf nodded, "Yes sir, it's down that hall fourth on the left."

Smiling softly Harry nodded his understanding at the elf, "Thank you." With a small nod the elf winked out leaving Harry to find his way. Continuing down the hallway towards his room Harry shook his head free of his previous hostile thoughts towards his best friend. Emotions were running high and the lack of sleep they'd all been suffering didn't help the volatile situation either.

His entire thought process was brought to a halt as he ran into someone in the hallway, stumbling backwards as the form sprawled before him on the floor. "Great Merlin! I'm sorry Professor Snape!"

Glaring up at the boy wonder from the floor Severus sneered, "Is it completely impossible for you to be aware of something other than yourself Mr. Potter?"

Harry was in the process of bending down to help him up when he paused and set his jaw at the all too familiar jab. Breathing deeply he continued down and grasped Severus' hand tightly assisting him to his feet.

Both men started moving past one another once again when Harry paused and turned back to his old Professor. "Sir?"

"What?" Severus sneered turning back to glare at the young man.

Harry took another step forward and carefully structured his thoughts before speaking. "I understand your animosity towards me after the years of torment my Father and his friends put you through." Severus scowled and started to open his mouth as Harry continued, "I love my father and I miss him terribly, and I cared for Sirius and Remus a great deal. But I hate them for what they did and how they treated you. They were to you what Draco and his group of miscreants were to me so I know how it feels. And I do understand that I'm the spitting image of everything you hate about him and your past; but I'm just as much Lily's son as I am James!"

Severus' glare faltered slightly, this wasn't what he expected out of this conversation.

Running his shaking hand through his wild hair he continued, "And I know how much she meant to you. You've spent the last how many years protecting me from myself and the horrors of Voldemort because of your love for her or because of some debt you think you owe her. You made the ultimate sacrifice for me or my mum, the greater good…however you want to call it and I'm eternally grateful for everything you did. Every injustice you suffered during your service to Dumbledore and all the horrors you experienced because of Voldemort were because of me and I'm sorry." Harry hung his head and took a few calming breaths.

Trying to school his glare back in place, Severus found himself struggling with a mirage of emotions he hadn't expected threatening to overwhelm him. Clearing his throat he tried to speak, "Mr. Potter…"

Harry lifted his head and made eye contact with the older man holding up his hand to interrupt him, "Please let me finish. I'm not sure I'll be able to find the courage to do this again Sir. I-" The lump in his throat seemed to grow as Harry's emotions washed over him. "I don't blame you for what happened to my parents. I never did! And I despise the fact that my one and only link to my mum hates me for reasons I've no control over. But I hope that one day you'll be able to see past your past and my father and just see me: just Harry."

After he finished, the two men stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Harry's shoulders slumped, discouraged he turned on his heel to continue his quest to find his room.

Severus watched Harry for a moment before spoke, "Mr. Potter!" The sound of his name caused Harry to pause and turn back, "Yes Sir?"

Taking a step forward he watched Harry's eyes for a moment before he stuck out his hand.

Harry looked from Severus' face to his proffered hand then back up, a small smile crept to his face as he shook his hand firmly. "Good day sir, I hope you rest well."

"Good Day Mr. Potter." Severus replied and took his leave to locate his room.


AN: OK here is another update. It's 10:20pm here and I had hoped to hit the midnight showing of HP 7 but since I have to work in the morning and I've no one to watch my son I will just need to wait until tomorrow. *SIGH HEAVILY* So since I couldn't hit the midnight showing I decided to put my next chapter out I won't lie it is still rather slow going but at least I was able to get another chapter out and if I'm not mistaken it's longer then the last! YAY for me!

To my Reviewers: Thank all of you for reviewing! We've had some Ghosties poke their head out to say hello and I greatly appreciate you taking the time out to leave me some love. I hope all of you enjoy this next update and I look forward to hearing what you think.

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As always, Leave love or hate just let me know what you think.

Always,

Lady