Severus's P.O.V

It was almost one when I left Minerva's office. She knew. She'd seen it. That little bit of need and lust when I'd seen Lena. She'd suspected before now but tonight had proved her worst fears. She knew there was nothing she could do to stop us, and how she'd cried when I told her I loved Lena.

It didn't appear to anyone else but Minerva was my closest friend and although we rarely showed it, we cared deeply for one another. She'd never judged me, and for that I was thankful. She wouldn't tell, she swore she'd never utter a word, but I was to be careful. Sat the talking everything through I hadn't thought of the time and realising how late it was I'd flown out of Minerva's office. Lena would be back now and I was so late. She would have left, and when I reached the dungeons, I wasn't wrong. No one was around and after checking my office and classroom I opened the door to my rooms, collapsing down onto the sofa. She'd hate me for missing this. Everything was going to be perfect. I couldn't really blame Lena for leaving and going back upstairs and I hated myself for being so foolish.

There was a knock at the door and my heart skipped a beat, she was back. I ran to the door, Filch stood there panting. "What is it Argus? Its late." Disappointment washed my veins as I watched the squib try to catch his breath. "The headmaster Sir, he needs you in the hospital wing." I shook my head and locked the door behind me, wishing Filch goodnight as I flew up the staircase taking the steps three at a time. The Hospital wing at this time of night was generally a pretty bad call and as I entered the ward I was shocked to see Potter and Weasley stood in the pyjamas, shaking. One of the beds had been closed off with screens and I could see Albus's head hovering above it. I didn't acknowledge Potter or Weasley but as I swopped past them, I saw regret and sadness in Potters eyes.

"Albus?" He turned to me and pushed the screen aside, before pushing it closed behind him quickly. "A student has been attacked Severus, I believe one of your own students is to blame." Dumbledore's eyes were full of sadness and I looked between him and Potter. Neither could quite look me in the eye and fear flooded my veins. "Albus, who is it?" I stared him down and looking into my eyes, I saw how blue his eyes really were, but gone was their usual youth and excitement, replaced with sadness and anger. The pause in his answer had me begging it not to be but as I heard Minerva's gentle tone behind the curtain it felt as if all the air had been sucked from the room.

"Tell me Albus." I looked away from him and turned my back on Potter and Weasley, not wanting them to see my expression. "Miss Black has been attacked Severus, Harry believes it was Mr Ambrose." My heart did that giddy stop thing it did whenever I felt Lena close to me and I steadied myself against the nearest bed's headboard. "How bad…?" Albus shook his head and my heart sank, fear pulsing through my veins.

Poppy pushed aside the curtains and came to stand beside Albus and I, Albus's hand resting protectively on my arm. "I'm going to give the boys some calming potion, they're all of a flutter still. We're going to need that potion Albus, I've stopped the bleeding and patched her up but…" Poppy looked exhausted and Albus took her to her office bringing out a large bottle labelled calming concoction, passing the boys two large glasses, but they looked into it, not drinking. She was bleeding, and heavily. God damn it. I walked towards the curtain and Albus came to stand at my shoulder. "Be calm Severus, she needs you." I nodded slightly and pushed the curtain back quietly.

Minerva was sat on the bed, her hands clasped tightly around two smaller ones, tears were falling silently down her cheeks as she stroked hair from Lena's face, where tears ran freely but silently, marking that beautiful face. "Minerva." She looked up at me, as did Lena and the pain I saw there bit at my skin angrily. Minerva came to stand in-front of me taking my hand and kissing me gently on the forehead, "Never, Severus, did I think here at Hogwarts…" I shook my head and my eyes strayed to Lena. She sat with a blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders and she looked smaller than I'd ever seen, her hair hanging loosely around her face. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her knees and her chin rested upon it as tears slid silently down her cheeks. Minerva crept back over to the bed, taking Lena's hand tightly and wiping a few more tears from her face.

"Do you want anything Lena? Are you in pain?" She nodded quietly and looked from me to Minerva "Anything?" Lena snapped her eyes to the older witch who sat crying as if she had been the one attacked, her mouth clamped tightly shut. Tears fell harder and Lena's breaths became heavy sobs that raked her weak body, my arms wanting, needing, to be wrapped around her, "I just want Dad." Minerva nodded and passed by me quietly, squeezing my fingers as she brushed against me. I stood watching Lena. She didn't look at me and instead sat crying, her eyes turned down.

I wanted to hold her but it was if all time had stopped. "Lena?" She didn't look at me but the tears began to fall harder again, and I quickly sat beside her on the bed, taking her hands in mine. "I'm so sorry Lena." I brushed a curl from her wet cheek and she pressed into my touch. "Severus? I need a word." Albus had popped his head around the curtain and as I leant in to kiss Lena's forehead, she turned her head, my lips brushing her curls instead. Rejection searing my vein, I left the bed to talk to Albus.

Potter and Weasley were sat on one of the vacant beds further up the ward and were talking quietly to Minerva. "I've sent for Sirius Severus, she needs him. I'll need to talk to him. I believe that Flitwick has found Mr Ambrose in his classroom so I've sent for Ministry officials. I'm afraid I require you to collect me some Veritaserum and a virtue tonic, the ministry will require it as evidence,' the old man took my hands and I looked down at him, 'I am truly sorry Severus." I shook my head and taking one last look back at the bed where Lena lay, I swept out of the hospital wing, down towards my dungeons.

Lena's P.O.V

Everything was sore. My muscles ached and every part of me shook as I watched Severus leave. I couldn't do this, look at him like everything was okay. Everything was different. I couldn't stop the tears, they continued to run down my face and soon my cheeks felt sore from having everyone wipe them away. I don't know if I could actually feel anything. All I felt was pain and all I wanted was to run away and lie in the shower, washing off this dirt. The dress had been beyond saving and Madame Pomfrey had be change into a nightdress and dressing gown as everything quietened down. Severus was long gone and he was soon followed by Dumbledore. McGonagall was sat with Poppy in her office drinking tea, both women rather shaken up themselves and so I lay, hugging myself as small as possible on the bed.

Harry pushed aside the curtain, coming to sit beside me on the sheets. Ron sat down on the chair to the side of the bed and I reached out a hand to him, he took it gently as Harry stoked my arm quietly. Neither boy said anything, but as the tears continued to fall down my face, I watched Harry rub at his own cheeks, Ron's eyes glowing with tears, none ever falling, his fingers wrapped tightly around mine. Harry's fingers were gentle on my arm and I soon found myself drifting away.

When I awoke, Severus sat beside me, his hand replaced Ron's and as I awoke, I felt my hand pull itself from his, allowing me to hug myself again as I looked up into the dark pools of Severus's eyes. Poppy pushed aside the curtain and came to stand beside Severus and McGonagall, who sat beside me on the bed. "Lena, I'm afraid we need to take a little of your blood, it won't hurt for long." McGonagall rested a hand over mine and I nodded gently, what was a small scratch to what I'd been put through tonight. Severus took my hand tenderly in his and inside I felt myself recoil from the oh too familiar touch, I only saw it in his eyes but it was there all the same, a glimpse of hurt.

He pricked my finger and I watched as a drop of my blood fell into a tiny vial of pale pink opaque liquid. Smoke swirled from the vial and through the smoky wisps I could see a faint image of Ambrose. I turned my head and rested my cheek against the pillow as more tears ran down my face. A chair scraped against the cold stone of the hospital wing floor and a cloak billowed behind the screen. I curled myself up and gasped in pain, my stomach clenching. I lay and cried for a short while, eventually giving in to sleep and when I awoke next it was to find a great black shaggy head led on the pillow beside me. Four warm paws were wrapped around me and reaching my arms around Dad, I let the tears fall again, my body screaming in pain as it relived every bruise, every scratch and bite that tore through my skin. I felt a heavy weight against my head and knew Dad had rested his upon it. I stroked Dad's fur and he nudged my head with his paw, making me look up into his eyes. I sighed and smiled weakly, glad that he was here, the worry and threat of discovery playing very little on my mind.

I tried to pull myself up and as I did so Dad curled up around me so that his head lay over my knees. The blinds were open now and I could see McGonagall stood talking to Remus, he looked as tired and haggard as ever and I turned away from him ashamed, my eyes falling on Severus who sat on a bed close to the pair, his head in his hands as his hair shielded his face from me. His body shook and I rested my head back against the pillows, stroking Dad's fur unconsciously.

A pale light was filtering in through the curtains and I realised it must be early morning, although none of the adults appeared to realise I'd woken. Dad sighed and barked over at Remus who turned towards us, his hand stroking his cheek in thought. Catching my eye his face dropped even further and he stroked Dad who bounded from my legs and wrapped himself through Remus's. McGonagall had walked over to Severus and her hand lay gently across his shoulders as she spoke to him softly. "I shouldn't even be here Minerva. I should go," his voice was almost a whisper and he made to move but the small witch took his hand, "You will not run Severus, she needs you, don't worry about Sirius, all he's worried about is Lena." He looked over his shoulder at me and as his eyes fell upon mine, my heart did a steady skip, but it was very unlike anything it had ever done before. He seemed to pull himself together and stood as Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey came to stand beside them. They called both Remus and Sirius towards them and checking there was no one around, Dad transformed, standing tall beside Remus. Albus took him aside and I watched as Dad's face, which had been set in stone as he watched me across the room, fell, his hand brushing across his face.

"Albus no, please, she can't be.' His voice broke as he begged, 'I'll kill him. That's it." Remus came to stand beside him and I watched as Dumbledore spoke quietly to him, Dad was obviously rather angry and I couldn't help but notice that Remus's grip on Dad seemed to grow tighter. As the headmaster finished, Remus's head fell and his body shook as he turned to Dad, taking him in his arms. My heart was racing with worry and I could no longer stand the sympathy and remorse in the adult's eyes. Madame Pomfrey appeared to have also relayed whatever the information was to Professor McGonagall, who's face turned to a stony white and I watched as she reached out for Severus who held out his arm in support of her, but his eyes were staring straight into mine, unblinking and with no emotion, his face showed the only sign of shock. His bottom lip shook and a single tear danced in the sunlight as it slid down his cheek.

Professor McGonagall seemed to get a grasp of herself and I could feel the nerves gripping my body as she and the matron came to sit on my bed, either side of me. McGonagall took my hand and I glanced nervously to Dad who stood, Remus's arms holding him up. I glanced between the two witches, up to Severus and then to Dad again, shaking my head. No, No, No. It couldn't. No. No, No, NO.

I shook my head angrily, "Please no," my voice was raw and broken from being unused and Dad shook with sobs as Remus held him, his head nodding heavily. I shook my head harder, left right left right. My head was spinning. He couldn't have. I couldn't be. It was once for goodness sake.

McGonagall's fingers squeezed mine tightly but my hand felt limp as it hung on the bed. There were no tears left and so I let heavy sobs rake my body instead. McGonagall was crying heavily now and she wiped away her own tears, "I'm so sorry Lena, I really am," her voice broke between each word and I felt my body shake, wanting nothing more to disappear, or run as far and fast as I could. "You have a choice Lena, if we act quickly…" Even Madame Pomfrey's voice broke and I nodded painfully. I couldn't look at Severus, but turning my eyes to look once more to Professor McGonagall, I realised he'd turned his back on me. "Do it, please, I can't do this, I don't want it." I tried to regain a little strength as I spoke but the last few words were choked and Dad started towards me. I threw my arms out to him and he hugged me against him warmly. "I'm so sorry Lens, I really am," he kissed my forehead and I turned so that I lay against his chest, his arms warm around me. Madame Pomfrey squeezed my knee tightly and wandered away quietly, visibly shaken by the whole thing herself. "Oh God Lena," Dad lay gentle kisses on the top of my head and I held onto him tightly, my eyes closed tightly.

The matron walked back towards us, her heels clicking quietly on the stone floor. She held a small bottle in her hand and a crystal beaker. "I think Lena needs some space," the matron's voice was quiet and everyone turned to her, everyone but Severus who kept his back to us. I shook my head, pulling Dad back down as he raised himself, "Stay, everyone stay." They all stopped moving and no one could quite look me in the eye. Everyone but Remus. He stood, his arms clamped tightly over his chest, watching as Dad held me. As Pomfrey passed me the glass filled with a pale blue potion, Remus stopped my hand, "Lena, are you sure about this? You can't take this back." There was no question, and I was supported further when Severus turned to look between Remus and I. Dad's arms tightened around me and I raised my hand, downing the bitter potion in one. Dad pressed his lips against the side of my head as I began to shake, curling into a tight ball as the potion ran coolly through my veins. Severus watched as I lay there, shaking in my Dad's arms and the only place I wanted to be right then was in his arms, with him holding me tightly, kissing me, telling me everything would be alright, yet something just felt wrong and as I lay, looking up into his dark eyes, every part of me wanted to throw myself away from him, run while I still could.

Pain rattled through my every limb and my stomach clenched tightly, screaming out in pain. I was quickly pulled back into Dad's arms. He held me tightly as every agonising wave of grief ripped through me, my blood throbbing loudly in my ears as I screamed out and cried. Dad shushed me gently and eventually the pain came in much shorter waves and my body suddenly felt weak and tired. Eventually Madame Pomfrey and Remus helped me to the bathroom and the matron watched over me as I sat, blood pouring from me, as if I hadn't already shed enough for him.

Somehow Remus carried me back to the bed, my legs no longer able to support my weight and I lay heavily in the sheets, Dad sat in the chair beside me, holding my hand tightly. I hadn't even registered that Professor Dumbledore and Severus had left until I looked up several hours later, darkness filling the hospital wing, and I suddenly felt very much alone.