A/N: I know some (not many) were not happy with the last chapter. Some thought it rushed, and some thought it might lead to a melodramatic display of cliched fanfiction. I had always intended to thicken the plot exactly when I did, and I promise that I have a plan for this story. I'm not flying by the seat of my pants! hahaha That said, I hope you all like this chapter, and thank you again for your patience. Enjoy!

Rescue?

Snape's mind was racing. He had to get out of there. He had to find Hermione and get her out of there as soon a possible. Acting his way out of it would not be possible. For the first time since he was sixteen years old, Severus had let his mental defenses down, forsaking himself in his panic over the safety of his wife. If had only taken a moment, but Voldemort saw it all.

Shit. Shit. Shit. He had to focus. He didn't even want to imagine the things that Draco-sodding-Malfoy was doing to her right now. She was pregnant and alone, and probably very scared. If Malfoy did anything to harm her or their daughter, nothing would save him from Snape's wrath if...when he got out of this cramped cell.

"Well, well, well," Bellatrix's screechy voice interrupted his thoughts. "If it isn't the little traitor."

"Spare me, Bellatrix." He replied in his normal bored tone. He would not let these vermin, especially her, know how terrified he was. He was Severus Snape. He had a logical and dangerous mind, and he would get out of here. There were back-ups and protocols set up for a situation like this. He just had to focus enough to make them happen.

"Crucio!" Bella shouted, hitting him square in the chest with one of her strongest torture curses. His teeth clamped down as his body shook with the effects of the curse. As soon as it started, it stopped and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Well..." Snape started, thought his voice was strained now, "that seemed rather uncalled for."

"I knew you were nothing but a mudblood loving traitor." Bellatrix sing songed. "I knew when you begged for the life of that filthy mudblood from school. Lily Evans." she spat the name like it was a curse.

Snape growled. "Do get to your point, Bella, or leave me alone." He snapped.

"I can't believe you'd give up all this for two pathetic Gryffindor mudbloods." She sneered. Snape had always known that Bellatrix wanted him, in some strange and disturbing way. He'd begged her off for 20 years because she was repulsive and insane. He had no idea she was harboring such...jealousy. For a single moment, he was glad Hermione was in Draco's clutches rather than the crazy woman in front of him.

"Jealousy really doesn't become you, Bella." He drawled. It was seconds later that he felt the slicing curse cut through his abdomen. Thankfully, it was not deep enough to cause real damage, but it hurt like a bitch.

"Bella, what are you doing?" a voice hissed from the shadows, out came Rodolphus, Dolohov, and Lucius, obviously ready to lend a hand. He wondered if he was expected to make it through the night, or it this was it. He had to focus.

"Crucio!" Lucius cried, a satisfied smirk on his lips as he cursed the man he'd hated since he passed him in the Dark Lord's favor.

When Snape stopped shaking, Lucius began to chuckle. "As much as it pains me, it looks like your half-breed spawn is about to be inducted into the Malfoy family. The Dark Lord has already deemed Draco the perfect replacement for your Mudblood bitch."

Snape growled and lunged at the man, but was quickly pulled back by two strong arms on either side of him. Too focused to care who it was he glared at the blonde in front of him. "If you hurt her, I'll kill you."

"I don't think you've got a lot to say about it, Severus." Lucius said. "I might even have to have a taste of her. Anyone that can turn the stoic Severus Snape into a lovesick teenager must be doing something right. I guess Draco's lucky to reap the benefits now."

Snape charged him again, but was thwarted and immediately hit by a battery of curses. He had to get her out of there.

"Please, Draco. I want to go home." Hermione cried, hoping that she could appeal to his sense of right, assuming he had one.

"You are home," he said, his voice soft and soothing as he led her to the bed. "I know it's not what you want right now, but I'll keep you safe. I am your only hope for survival. I'm not going to hurt you." He promised.

"How can I believe that?" Hermione asked, looking up at him through skeptical eyes. "You tried to murder my child. You sexually assaulted me. You tried to rape me. You allowed them to take my husband, likely to murder him. How can I trust you? You'll just take what you want, be damned if I or my child make it out alive." she said, her eyes blazing.

His expression started angry, but turned sympathetic, and for a moment she wondered if he wasn't as terrible a man as she'd once thought. He had the capacity for understand, that she knew, but why had he done this? Why had he taken her from her family? It was a selfish thing.

"I..." he started, "I know you have no reason to trust me." His voice was soft and gentle, and he cupped her cheek. "I was wrong to have hurt you. Hermione, I love you. Why can't you understand that? I just want to be with you."

She tensed at his words. "I can't. If you...if you try to take me," she swallowed, scared to death that her words wouldn't affect him, "it could hurt the baby. Please, please Draco, don't."

"I won't." He said quickly. "I don't want to force you. I want you to want me like I want you. I swear, I'll treat your baby like my own. I just want you."

"She will always be Severus'" Hermione countered. He growled at that.

"Well, Severus is as good as dead, so get over it." he spat. Hermione's heart stopped as she considered that her husband might already be dead. How was she going to get them out of this? How could she fix this. If he was already gone, how could she go on without him?

Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at him like she'd been slapped. Crumbling on the bed she sobbed into the expensive sheets and pillows, her soul aching for Severus, while Draco rubbed her back. What was she going to do now?

"You think they slept in?" Harry asked, his brow furrowed as he looking up at the Head Table again. Hermione hadn't shown up for breakfast and neither did Snape. This wasn't unusual. But from months of working with Dumbledore, he felt something tugging at him. Something seemed off.

"Probably," Ron shrugged. "It's happened before."

"Why don't we just see if she shows up to her first class. Snape has to teach. If they are not around after breakfast, we will worry." Ginny said, looking, concerned, at Harry.

"Okay," Harry said, chancing a look at Dumbledore once more. He'd give it thirty minutes, then he'd talk to the Headmaster. Something didn't feel right.

He and Ron waited outside of Charms looking for her, forty minutes later. "Mister Potter, Mister Weasley," Professor Flitwick motioned for them to come inside. "Class is starting."

"I'm sorry, Professor," Harry said, "We have to speak with the Headmaster."

The tiny man looked at them confused but nodded. "Okay," he said slowly. "Hurry back."

Harry just nodded, pulling Ron by the arm as the moved down the hall. "Harry, she's missed a class before. What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Harry said. "Something isn't right. I can feel it. Dumbledore knows it too."

"What could possibly be wrong?" Ron asked. "This is Hogwarts. Wait...did you see Malfoy at breakfast this morning?"

"No, why..." Harry's eyes popped almost out of his head. "Come on," he and Ron ran, full-speed toward the Headmaster's office. Muttering the password, the boys rode the staircase, impatiently to the top and burst through the office door.

"Professor..." Harry started, "Malfoy wasn't at breakfast and Hermione wasn't in class. I haven't seen Snape. I think somethings wrong."

The old man sighed heavily as he looked at both boys, panting and scared in front of him. "I'm afraid something has happened."

"What?" Ron asked this time.

"Please sit."

They obeyed silently, waiting for Dumbledore to continue. "Hermione has been spying with Professor Snape for months." Both boys gasped, but said nothing as they waited for the other shoe to drop. "Last night, they were called to a meeting and never returned. Mister Malfoy was in attendance. He hasn't returned either, but his father informed me, this morning, that he was not coming back to finish the last two weeks of the school year."

"Wait," Harry said, shaking his head. "So, Hermione and Snape are off with the Deatheaters, and we don't know what's happening to them?" he asked incredulously.

"Blimey," Ron cried. "They could be doing anything to her right now. And with Malfoy there..."

"I assure you, we shouldn't panic until we have more information. Tom wouldn't risk his only spy without cause. Perhaps they have just been unable to leave Deatheater headquarters." He didn't sound convinced.

"You don't believe that, do you, sir?" Harry asked, reading his tutor.

Dumbledore sighed again. "I'm afraid it doesn't look good. The protocol in a situation like this has not been met. Which means..."

"They are in danger." Harry finished.

"Well, we have to find them. Her. She's pregnant. She's our best friend. We have to get her back." Ron said indignantly.

"I am trying to get through," Dumbledore assured the boys. "There is nothing I can do until I know where they are..." He was cut off instantly as he fell back in his chair, and unknown force taking him over. His eyes glazed over and Harry jumped into action.

"Professor! Professor, please. What's going on?" He cried, shaking the old man until his eyes cleared and he suddenly sat up straight. "Professor, are you okay?" When Dumbledore didn't answer right away, Harry and Ron started to panic.

"Blimey, Harry, I think he's having a fit." Ron said, his eyes wide and scared at the same time. But as soon as he said it, Dumbledore shook his head and turned back to the two boys.

"I'm sorry," he said, trying to smile, but his face looked more pained than anything. "I really must go."

"Wait," Harry said, indignantly. "What about Hermione? What happened? You're hiding something."

Dumbledore sighed in resignation, knowing that, on short notice, he wouldn't be able to do anything without their help. But, he couldn't help the uncomfortable feeling of getting Harry involved in anything to do with Voldemort before the time was right. "They've been captured," he finally said.

"How do you know?" Ron asked, Harry was too shocked to speak.

"Professor Snape and I have set up a mental connection. He's in distress, but he was able to conjure enough wandless magic to contact me." Dumbledore explained calmly. "Now, I've got to come up with a plan to get them out."

"We are coming," Harry finally said. "Where are they?"

"Harry..." Dumbledore started, but Harry cut him off.

"No," he said, his voice strong. "You put her in this position, and we are going to get her out. She's a muggle-born, wife of a known traitor. They will do worse than kill her, and you know it."

Dumbledore was sure that there was no changing Harry's mind, and truth be told, at this moment, with the consequences dire, he had little time to put together a plan to save his spy and his young wife. "I must contact the Order."

"Then do it," Harry said, his tone steel.

"We'll wait," Ron replied, standing strong next to his best friend. If Hermione was in trouble they were both going to be there to save her.

"Mmmm," Hermione moaned, snuggling deeper into her husband as she tried to hold onto the last moments of sleep. She'd had a terrible nightmare, and just wanted to bask in the feeling of Severus holding her tight, knowing they were safe and she was taken care of.

She smirked to herself as she felt his hard cock against her ass as he spooned her and held her as close to him as possible. "Hermione..." he breathed, but her heart stopped in her chest as she moved out of his arms. That wasn't Severus' voice.

Turning around, her mouth gaped open in horror as she saw Draco Malfoy lying in bed looking up at her with a satisfied smile. It wasn't a dream. It was real. Severus was captured and she was Draco's personal slave and he'd...he'd waited for her to fall asleep before snuggling with her. She felt her body tremble at the thought.

"What are you doing here?" She said, clutching the covers to her, happy to find she was fully dressed in a pair of silk pajamas.

"Well," Draco drawled, propping himself up on on elbow. "This is my room...and my bed. And as we will be spending a lot of time together, I assumed it best we get used to...sharing." He said, smirking up at her.

"What did you do to me?" She asked, mentally taking inventory of her body, hoping he hadn't taken more advantage than just sleeping with her.

"Nothing," Draco assured her. "I don't want to risk hurting you or our baby." He answered.

"She's not yours. She's Severus' and always will be." She pointed out, her heart pumping faster as she thought of her husband. "Where is he, by the way?"

"I'm sure he's well on his way to being killed as we speak," Draco said with a shrug.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she considered it. "Why did you do this?" She asked. "Why did you turn us in?"

"You know why." Draco said, looking into her eyes intensely.

"And you think killing my husband will endear me to you?" She spat.

"You will fall in love with me. You just need time." Draco said, moving to get out of bed. "Now, how about some breakfast."

"I just want to see him," Hermione pleaded. "Please, Draco..."

She felt his compassion for her, mixed with irritation at her loyalty to her husband. "I can't." He said, after a moment of internal debate. "I don't have the clearance."

Her eyes continued to well up until she was sobbing on the edge of the bed, unable to even keep an appearance of control. This couldn't be happening. Everything was falling apart to quickly. She absently rubbed her swollen tummy as she grieved for her husband. She didn't even bother flinching when Draco came to her side, wrapping both arms around her. She didn't care about anything anymore. Not without Severus.

Severus didn't know how many hours had passed since they left him, likely to bleed to death. His whole body hurt, but he couldn't think about that now. He had to keep his mind focused. He'd been trying to reach Dumbledore for hours, or so it seemed. He was too weak to know if his message was getting through, but it was the only thing keeping him sane at the moment.

Forget his pain. He'd always known this was a possibility. Being a spy was dangerous. As much as he regretted missing out on the birth of his daughter, and the fairytale life he'd let himself believe could come with Hermione, he was more concerned with her safety. If he could get her out safe, then it would be worth it.

A shuffling to his left caught his attention, and he tried to draw up all his strength for the next attack. Why didn't they just kill him already? The theatrics were unnecessary. He was a traitor. A quick Avada Kadavra and the Deatheaters could be done with him. Instead they played with him. Bringing him to the edge of unconsciousness just to leave him, panting and begging for death.

"He's here," he heard a whisper and wondered if he was going insane. Bellatrix and her posse didn't know the art of subtlety.

"Severus," It was another whisper, the voice familiar, but he couldn't place it. "He doesn't look good. Where's Hermione?"

Snape opened his eyes to look up at that. Staring at him were Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, and Remus Lupin. His eyes doubled as he shook his head, trying to rid himself of the delusional apparition. "Snape, where's Hermione?" Ron asked impatiently.

"He's in shock," Kingsley said, his eyes dark with concerned. "He won't last much longer."

"We have to get him out of here," Lupin said, using his wand to open the door of the cell that had been Snape's home for the last several hours. Unfortunately, the act set off a loud and incessant alarm.

"Now," Harry said, helping Lupin lift Snape's broken body off the floor. "We have to find Hermione."

"No time," Kingsley said.

"We can't leave her," Tonks cried as the Weasley boy let out an outraged grunt, and Snape began to protest. His head was a blur, but he knew very well that they were considering leaving her behind.

"No!" He cried. "Find her! Save her!" He thrashed as three sets of arms tried to both hold him still and move him out of the cell. HIs head was pounding, but he tried as hard as he could to hold onto consciousness. It was futile, however, because within moments his body jerked and he was overcome with blackness.

"Draco, put your toy away," Lucius snapped as he barged into his son's room not even bothering to look at Hermione who was curled up in a ball on the bed. "We have a breach."

"Bloody hell," Draco mumbled. "Don't try to leave, you can't get out." he said, turning to Hermione. She didn't even seem to comprehend what was going on around her, so he left with his father, locking the door behind him. He could care less about any breach, as long as Hermione stayed with him. But he had to keep up appearances.