Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews, and thank you for being patient with me! I've been crazy busy!

Do you think we can reach 300 this week? I think you can do it!

Also, people seem to not be enjoying this story. The only advice I can give you is if you don't enjoy it, don't read it. No one is forcing you. This is my story and I am going to do whatever I want with it. If it is not to your tastes, there are plenty of other stories out there that may be more suiting for you to read.

Thank you :)

A sob escaped from Hermione's chest as her knees went weak.

"SNAPE!" Bellatrix screeched.

"My, my, Bella, stooping to new lows, I see,"

"What are you talking about? Why are you here!"

"I had an inkling you were up to something the Dark Lord wouldn't approve of. What wonderful intuition I have, don't I?"

Hermione closed her eyes, listening to him walk around the room, the noise of his boots echoing around the room.

"Lucius, call him!" Bellatrix screeched.

"Now, now, Lucius. I would think about this before you start making impulse decisions like your dear sister-in-law,"

"This could restore my family," the man meekly replied.

"True, it could. But what if the Dark Lord knew you were interfering with his plans?"

The room was still as every person clung to his words.

"You didn't think just because she was not present at meetings that he wasn't using her, did you?"

"But, Bella-"

"Misinformed you again, I see. The Dark Lord was using her to retrieve valuable information for our cause, and once again, Bella has allowed her feelings to govern her actions,"

"Feelings!" the woman screeched as she pushed the knife harder against Hermione's throat, causing her to cry out. "FEELINGS! I am trying to help the Dark Lord! With this filthy Mudblood out of the way, we can finally move forward with our plans! We don't need her now that we have Potter!"

"You of all people should know the Dark Lord's feelings towards the girl, Bellatrix. I know he often speaks of it to you,"

Hermione could feel the woman shaking with rage behind her. Before another word could be spoken, all eyes turned upwards to a squeaking. There, Dobby sat, unscrewing the chandelier. With a snap, the large metal structure plummeted downwards, and with a cry, Bellatrix shoved Hermione forward in an effort to escape.

Hermione immediately fell into black robes, her senses filled with familiar scents. Somehow in the process Harry had regained the wands. Her brain was slow to process the next few moments. There were more words exchanged, arms tightened their hold on her, and a knife was suddenly hurtling towards them as Hermione felt the sudden pull through space.

Sunlight, water, and sand. All three touched Hermione's skin at the same time. How can things change so drastically? Was it over? Was she dead?

She opened her eyes and found nothing but blue sky above her with faint wisps of clouds drifting by.

Hermione rolled over and pushed herself off of the ground just as someone appeared at her side. Their hands seemed to skate over any part of her being that they could reach.

"Hermione, look at me," a frantic voice said.

Her eyes strayed upward until they landed on his face. Oh, his face. She had forgotten how uniquely handsome he was, how his strong cheek bones and jaw line made her want to touch his skin. His hands framed her face and his eyes darted over her features in a panic. She wanted to say something to him, anything, but the words wouldn't process. Instead, silently crying, she flung her arms around his neck and pressed her face into his shoulder, clinging to him while shaking violently. His arms encompassed her, with no hesitation, with no uncomfortable motions. Sure and strong he pulled her to his form whispering quiet words that her ears couldn't process while stroking her tangled hair.

Hermione was pulled back to reality when her name was yelled. She pulled her arms back and turned to see Harry cradling Dobby's form to his chest, the bloody knife discarded in the wet sand.

"I need something to help him," Harry said.

Hermione's tears flowed faster as she looked at Harry appearing so vulnerable and holding the elf tightly to his chest. She leaned into Severus, needing to touch him as they all helplessly watched their savior slip away. His arm wrapped around her shoulders once Dobby had finally let go and he allowed her to cry into his robes.

"I want to bury him, without magic," Harry announced once he was composed.

Ron walked past Hermione and Severus and followed Harry to the top of the hill, a small distance from Shell Cottage. Hermione used her good hand to brace herself as she stood. Severus helped her from the ground, and tried to stop her, but with a single look, he let her go and followed her to the hill where Harry and Ron had already half dug the hole.

Hermione found a flat rock and carved "Here lies Dobby, a free elf," with one of the wands Harry had taken in the fight.

Severus awkwardly stood in the background, shifting his position according to Hermione's movements, keeping a close eye on her.

Harry finally lowered Dobby into the hole and the three gradually pushed the sand back into its rightful place before Hermione gently put into place the headstone. For a few minutes the three stood together, silently, remembering their friend.

"Let's go in," Harry croaked out.

The three made their way down the hill, Hermione instantly making her way to Severus' side. She could see his hesitance in his movements. He kept drawing close to her before pulling away because of Harry and Ron's presence.

The minute they entered the house, the three were ushered to the table where Fleur had been about to serve lunch. Harry and Ron instantly began filling their plates, but Hermione felt like she was suddenly trapped. There were so many people in the small room, so much movement. Hermione just wanted to be alone. She needed to think. She couldn't focus.

Abruptly, she stood from the table, drawing more than one set of eyes to her form.

"I think I'm going to wash up…I have sand in my hair," she lied lamely.

Avoiding Severus' stern gaze, Hermione escaped up the stairs and into the bathroom. Turning the shower on, Hermione sunk into the large tub without removing her clothing. The water was freezing, causing goose bumps to rise on her skin along with shivering to consumer her form. She felt like Bellatrix was imprinted into her skin, like she would always be a part of her being. Her eyes strayed to her left hand, where blood was still dripping down her palm.

Rolling up her sleeve, Hermione gazed at her wound for the first time since it was inflicted. The word 'MUDBLOOD' screamed at her in harsh lettering, dripping blood which was mixing with the water, causing an eerie swirling pattern to slowly travel towards the drain. She was forever marked by the hatred behind the word viciously scratched into her skin.

Hermione allowed the cold water to drench her body and irritate her injury. She felt disgusting. She felt violated, and as she sat in the cold spray, Hermione tried to forget and avoid her feelings.

A knock caused her head to slightly turn towards the door. She wasn't coming out, not until she could straighten herself out. The knock sounded again, and once against she ignored it.

"Hermione?"

That voice.

"Go away," she said as her voice cracked.

She didn't want him to see her like this. She knew he wouldn't take no for an answer. When he opened the door, she didn't look at him, let alone acknowledge that he even was in the room. She could feel the emotions churning just below the surface, and she tried to swallow them and squash them.

When he went to touch her dripping hair, she slid away from him. She didn't want him to touch her. Without a word, Severus Snape climbed in beside her, allowing his respected robes to become drenched.

As his body pressed against hers, Hermione could feel the tears bursting forward, and she buried her face in her hands, sobbing.

The water spraying the two suddenly became warm, almost hot, and Hermione turned herself away from him.

She didn't want him to see her. She wanted to be alone.

His fingers gently grabbed her arm and she flinched away from him.

"No," she sniffled.

"Please let me see," he said quietly.

She shook her head, the tears streaming faster.

"I can help,"

Something in Hermione suddenly made her yank her sleeve up and brandish her arm at him.

"Look at what she did to me," Hermione whispered, staring at his face, though his gaze was on the harsh wound. "How can that be fixed?"

Her tears began again and his eyes immediately left her arm and settled on her face. Severus immediately wrapped his arms around her and she clung to him, letting sobs tear through her body. The stress she had been bottling up for the past few months suddenly came crashing down on her all at once.

She was grateful Severus was there with her. His arms wrapped around her body, demonstrating the safety she always felt with him. His fingers gently stroked her dripping hair as he slowly rocked her back and forth.

After a few minutes, her sudden outburst began to ebb away, but Severus still rocked her and held her tightly against his body, protecting her.

"I feel like she's still on me," Hermione whispered, just loud enough so he could hear her over the spray. "I feel like I won't ever get her off of me,"

Severus pressed his lips to her forehead and tightened his arms around her.

"I feel…violated and…and hideous," Hermione said, choking on her tears.

Severus pulled away from her and instantly held her face with his two hands, forcing her eyes to his.

"It's over," he whispered gently. "She's never going to hurt you again; she's never going to touch you again, okay? She can't take anything away from you unless you let her. You're still that stubborn, insufferable know-it-all with your damn noble tendencies, and you've never looked more…beautiful than you do now,"

Hermione instantly pressed her lips to his, and he more than willingly accepted the action. All at once she realized how much she had missed him, which only further increased her passion. Soon, her hands were tangled in his hair, the water pouring over the two and his hands grasping at her back.

In a split moment, Hermione felt herself being shifted so she was on her back, and Severus was leaning over her. Peeling her eyes opened, she found him staring down at her, the water blocked by his form. Her hands gently caressed his face and an instant later, they were desperately clinging to one another as she let him take control of her lips. Hermione managed to wrap a leg around his waist, as nearly all of his body weight rested on her. Pulling her hand from his hair, she began fighting his robes off of his shoulders, which he helped her with. The wet material was thrown on the floor with a splat, and the two instantly resumed their desperate grabbing. Severus dug his fingers into her thigh that was wrapped around him and slipped his hand under her shirt so he could feel the smooth skin of her back. Hermione threw her head back to breath, and his lips instantly sought out her neck.

"Severus," she sighed, tangling her hands in his hair.

He suddenly froze above her, pulling his hands away from her body.

"Hermione, we can't. Not here," he muttered, sighing against her skin.

She relaxed against him with a sigh and closed her eyes.

"I know," she muttered.

He gently pressed his lips against the spot beneath her ear.

The two untangled themselves and sat up, trying to control their breathing. Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. The water was making a soothing pattering sound, and Hermione felt herself falling asleep.

It was then that something suddenly occurred to her.

She pulled away, looking into his eyes.

"You were there that night weren't you?" she asked.

"Hmm?" he asked, opening his eyes and looking down at her.

"That night, with the sword,"

The flashes of emotion across his face confirmed her accusation. She simply pressed her lips to his jaw and snuggled closer to him.

"Thank you, you don't know how helpful that was,"

"I wish you would tell me what was going on,"

"I know…soon, very soon,"

After a few moments, Severus sighed.

"We should go back downstairs, no doubt everyone is wondering where we are,"

Hermione pulled away from him, and shut the water as he climbed from the tub. Feeling incredibly tired, she stood and allowed him to lift her out and to the floor. A single flick of his wand and they were both dry. Severus replaced his teaching robes and smoothed them down. Hermione stepped forward and helped to readjust them, and Severus watched her face as she smiled at her work. She lifted her eyes to his, and sighed.

Over the past few months, she couldn't believe how much she had missed him. Hermione never again wanted to be away from him for that long again. She was very well aware of the fact that they would once again have to be separated; her work with Harry was far from complete.

Staring into his swimming dark eyes, Hermione wished she could just blurt her feelings out loud, but something was holding her back. She was absolutely in love with him; there was not a thing in the world that would make her question that. Hermione was afraid of after the war, would this last? Oh, the end of the war. Severus was sure he wouldn't be alive to see it, and Hermione instantly pushed that thought from her head.

Severus bent down and placed a tender kiss on her lips, and Hermione communicated the fact that she missed him through that single touch. Pulling away, the two left the bathroom together, holding hands, until they reached the stairs. Reluctantly the two pulled apart, Hermione descending the stairs first, and Severus following closely behind.