Author's Note: This chapter's song is Me and a Gun by Tori Amos. This chapter is quite graphic, and if you are uncomfortable with violence and sexual assault, please skip to the next chapter.

June 4, 1993

Danielle tossed a stack of completed exams onto her desk. It might have been nice for Dumbledore to cancel the exams this year. She had been working so hard lately, what with writing exams, grading, and a visit to the Chamber of the Secrets, and she could really use a vacation. Plus, she knew that this weekend she would have to sit down with Severus, Dumbledore, and Poppy to set out their plans for the upcoming year, where the events of Prisoner of Azkaban would take place. Personally, since Sirius was not actually trying to kill Harry, she felt very little should be done to alter the events, as they were important building blocks for what was to come afterwards. But she'd have to see what the others had to say.

Still, summer was taunting Danielle. She wanted to relax, sit in the sun, and read books. She wanted to buy a bathing suit and swim somewhere, possibly the Black Lake, although the actual ocean sounded tempting too, cold as it probably was. Most of all, she wanted to discuss an idea she had been having lately, about possibly finding someplace else to stay this summer. She wanted to maybe find a flat somewhere else and truly have her own space.

At least it was Friday. She'd have two days to sleep in a little, catch up on her grading, and relax. Danielle settled in and graded her tests. Luckily, most of her students had done quite well. Grading was actually sort of nice when a majority of the grades were good. However, there were always a few who did not do so well. She was currently grading Newton's exam from her fifth year O.W.L. class. Sadly, she would not be able to allow Newton to move on with her N.E.W.T. class, it appeared he had sat through her class for the past two years and learned nothing. He was a student Severus often called a dunderhead, and sadly, Danielle had to agree. Newton appeared be using a vast majority of his brain cells to walk upright and breathe at the same time.

She was so intent on correcting Newton's many mistakes, that she was only mildly distracted by the knocking on the door.

"Come in," she called irritably, hoping whoever it was had a damn good reason for interrupting her when she was almost done with her grading for the night. The door opened to reveal the grinning, foolish face of Gilderoy Lockhart.

"What do you want?" she said, not bothering to hide her annoyance. Lockhart came up next to her, leaning way too far into her personal space.

"Darling Danielle, you shouldn't be working yourself so hard. Leave this behind and join me for a nightcap?" he asked in what he was sure to think was an ingratiating manner, but only further irritated Danielle.

"Look, I'm almost done for the night, and I would like to finish before I turn in," she told him, returning her eyes to Newton's exam paper.

"Come now, leave it for tomorrow and join me in my quarters," he whispered, his breath hot against her neck, making her skin crawl.

"Don't you have exams of your own to exam?" she asked irritably.

"Yes, but I'm not bothering," he told her.

"Not bothering? Why the hell not?" she asked, surprised at his irresponsibility.

"I spoke with Dumbledore earlier this week, and he told me he would not be asking me back for next year, so I figure, if he doesn't want me to return, he can grade his own exams," Lockhart told her in a rather bitter tone, very different than his usual one. Danielle looked at him, not surprised by this news, as Dumbledore had never planned on asking Lockhart back and needed to be rid of him so Remus Lupin could take the job next year, but she was surprised at Lockhart's honesty.

"Well…that's a shame," she said, feeling no need to add insult to injury, how deserved it was. "Although, that's not very professional, refusing to grade your exams like that."

"Bugger the exams. Did you hear what I'm saying? I won't be here next year!" he shouted.

"Yes, I'm not deaf, so I heard you," she said coolly, returning to her grading.

"So I'll be leaving next week. Meaning this is your last chance to ride the Gilderoy Lockhart Love Train," he told her in his "seductive voice," which vaguely reminded Danielle of Mickey Mouse.

"Sorry, Gilderoy. That's one train ride I'll have to pass on," she said as she marked yet another answer of Newton's wrong.

"Danielle, don't be foolish. You have no idea what I'm offering you," he said.

"I think I do. And I'm not interested," she answered without looking up.

"Is it because of him?" he asked her in a rather nasty tone.

"Of whom are you speaking?" she asked.

"Snape," he said as if Severus' surname was a horribly dirty word.

"No. Severus is a friend, nothing more. But that doesn't change my answer," she answered, dipping her quill for more red ink.

"Come off it! There's something going on there!"

"Yes. It's called friendship. Severus is a very good friend," she said, wishing he would just leave her the hell alone. She felt a dull throbbing behind her temples, and wished he'd let her be.

"Then you haven't fucked him?" he asked, shocking Danielle as in the whole time she had known Lockhart, she had never heard him use profanities. That was more her M.O.

"That's none of your goddamned business!" she told him in her coldest voice.

"Than why not go for a round between the sheets with me?"

"Because I made a rule when I arrived in England. No more sleeping with idiots," she snapped at him, completely losing her temper and turning to face him. Lockhart looked shocked. Then, his face changed and a rather twisted smile spread across his face.

"I wouldn't say things like that if I were you," he warned her.

"Why not? It's the truth," Danielle answered him.

To her surprise, he waved his wand and cast a Full Body Bind Curse. Danielle found herself frozen. She couldn't move, couldn't blink, couldn't talk. Most importantly, she couldn't fight back.

"You may have a lovely mouth, but I am not so fond of the words that come out of it," Lockhart quipped. He then shoved all the papers and other items off Danielle's desk. He then awkwardly pulled Danielle out of her chair and hoisted her onto her desk. He cast an Incarcerous spell, which resulted in tight binds wrapping themselves around Danielle's wrists and ankles. Finally, he canceled the spell.

"Untie me, you fucking bastard," she snarled as she fought against the bonds.

"Like hell. I've been waiting for the chance to spread your legs and see if exactly what you're hiding from me all this time," he sneered.

"You won't get away with this," Danielle hissed, trying to hide the panic that was growing inside her.

"My dear, I already have," he told her, causing Danielle's blood to run cold.

"H-h-how?" she stuttered, humiliated that she was stuttering like Quirrell from her fear.

"You were right earlier in the year when you called me a phony. I never did any of the things in my books. Other witches and wizards did, and I got them to talk about it to me."

"You modified their memories!" she gasped, understanding dawning on her.

"Yes. And if a woman is…uncooperative, I can use them on her as well," he said, a sick glow in his eyes making Danielle shudder.

"But there are plenty of women who are willing," she argued.

"Yes, but it's the ones who put up a fight that are the most fun. I've been waiting for this for a long time, ever since I first saw you. "

And with that, he used his wand to slice Danielle's red button down blouse open, revealing her red lacy bra.

"I see you came prepared," he said with a nasty laugh. He lowered the cup of her bra and proceeded to slobber all over Danielle's breast, while she tried to wriggle out of his grasp. He grabbed her hips to hold her still. So Danielle did the only thing she could. She head butt him, banging her head directly into Lockhart's nose. He yelped and jumped back grabbing his nose.

"You bitch! I think you broke my nose!"

"Good!" Danielle shouted. "And when I get out of these ropes, it won't be the last thing on you I break!"

"Not if I wipe every memory you've ever had from you mind! But I'll wait until I've finished with you, so I can make sure you enjoy every moment of it."

Lockhart then began unbuttoning his pants, and despite her mocking words, Danielle really started to panic. She had never thought she would be a rape victim, she had always made a point to be careful and pay attention to her surroundings, had never gotten into a car with a man she didn't really know, and in general, she had just never believed it could happen to her. But she should have known better, it could happen to anyone.

And as Lockhart began to stroke his rapidly hardening penis, she knew that worse than the physical rape would be the mental on, where he took away her memories. Although this night would be something she would gladly forget, what if he erased her knowledge of the Harry Potter books? Or worse, what if he accidentally erased her memories of home? She'd never even be able to see the faces of her parents in her mind again. Her life as she'd known it would be over. She began to scream at the top of lungs. Lockhart slapped her across the face.

"Do you really think I'd be so foolish as to not cast a Silencing Charm when I came in here? Scream all you want, whore, no one but me will hear you."

And with that, he climbed on top of her, his sweaty hands wandering all over her body, squeezing her breasts and roaming like overgrown spiders across her belly and legs. He ripped her underwear in two then stuck a finger inside her with no warning, hurting her and making her scream as wasn't aroused and not the least bit wet.

"Contrary, aren't you, not getting wet for me when it would make this whole thing easier for you? Well, I can fix that," he said spitting on her hand and rubbing his saliva across her labia and forcing it inside her.

And with that, he climbed higher up her body, positioning himself to enter. Danielle was beyond thinking, beyond reason, beyond anything but the all encompassing fear that she was drowning. She screamed louder than ever and tried to thrash and wiggle to prevent him from entering her, but Lockhart was too heavy for her to toss off. She felt the tip of his penis pressing against her entrance, and she tried to pull her thighs together to prevent him from sliding himself into her. Lockhart grew angry and used his hands to force her legs open.

"Be prepared for the best lay you'll ever have," he crooned.

"I beg to differ," a deep voice said from behind him. Lockhart turned to look over his shoulder, when a flash of red light and Lockhart was blasted off of her. Danielle lifted her head to see Severus standing in the doorway, looking more furious than she could ever remember seeing him. He came over to her and released her bond with a wave of his wand. He then offered a hand to her which she took, pulling her upright. He removed his long black robe and wrapped it around her, covering her nakedness. Only then did he meet her eyes, and the fury switched instantly to a stricken look.

"Did he…?" he asked, unable to continue. Danielle shook her head.

"If you'd been a minute later, he'd have…" she said, also unable to continue.

"And I will once I've dispatched this uninvited guest," Lockhart called from behind them, causing Severus to gracefully spin and throw a Stunner at Lockhart, who managed to dodge it. Severus' face regained its formerly fierce expression and he started hurling jinx after jinx at Lockhart, who was ducking behind a table he had over turned, attempting to throw some of his own all of which Severus Shielded or blocked. Danielle cowered behind her desk, watching fearfully.

Severus kept coming closer and closer to Lockhart. Once he was right above him, he cast another Expelliarmus, disarming Lockhart. He grabbed Lockhart's wand as it flew through the air, stowing it and his own in the pocket of his frock coat. He then reached down and hauled Lockhart to his feet, causing Lockhart to make a squealing, frightened sound.

"What are you going to do to me?" Lockhart whimpered. Severus answered by punching Lockhart in the face with everything he had. He then dropped Lockhart to the floor and proceeded to beat the shit out of Lockhart. Between punches, Danielle heard Severus' grunts.

"No…means…no…you bastard!" Lockhart's face was a bloody pulp, and Danielle began to fear that Severus would accidentally kill him. She leapt off her desk and pulled Severus off of Lockhart.

"Severus, no! He's not worth it!" she shouted. Severus allowed himself to be dragged off of Lockhart. He looked wild and was breathing heavily. Slowly, he seemed to calm.

"You're right. But we need to go to Dumbledore and tell him what this scum tried to do," he said in a steely voice.

"Alright," Danielle said softly, humiliated at the prospect of sharing her experience with anyone else. Severus saw this, and frowned at her.

"He deserves to be locked up, and we have to report him," he told her.

"I know," she said, when something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Lockhart was reaching for his wand, which must have fallen out of Severus' coat.

"Severus, look out!" she screamed.

"Obliviate!" Lockhart called, but Severus moved like a panther, spinning and casting the most powerful Shield Charm he was capable of, causing Lockhart's own spell to rebound upon him. Lockhart flew into Danielle's bookcases and fell to the floor. Cautiously, Severus approached him. Lockhart's eyes fluttered open and he looked at Severus.

"Hello. Who are you?" he asked sounding very confused. Severus glared at him, then punched him one last time, knocking Lockhart out.

"His…his memory?" Danielle asked.

"His spell rebounded from my Shield Charm. He erased his own memory," Severus explained. He then turned to Danielle. "Can you walk?" he asked her. Danielle nodded, but as she tried to take a few steps towards him, she stumbled shakily. Severus responded by scooping her up in his arms.

"This isn't necessary," she protested weakly.

"Just let me take care of you," she said in that rich, soothing voice of his. Danielle looked into his dark eyes, and nodded. She laid her head against his chest and allowed him to carry her in his arms all the way to the Hospital Wing.

"Poppy," he called, and Poppy came running out, tying her dressing gown over her nightgown.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Lockhart attacked her," Severus growled, the vibration in his chest tickling Danielle's cheek. He laid her gently in a hospital bed. Poppy came over and began waving her wand, running magical tests.

"Did he…?" she asked, but Severus shook his head.

"Watch over her. I'll be back shortly," he told her, leaving the room with his dark garments billowing about him. Poppy continued her tests, and asked questions which Danielle attempted to answer as best she could.

Soon, Severus returned, floating Lockhart's body in the air ahead of him. Lockhart was still out cold. He canceled the spell, allowing Lockhart to fall to floor like a sack of potatoes. Poppy almost chastised him, until she remembered what that man had almost done to Danielle and she stopped feeling concerned about Lockhart.

Dumbledore arrived shortly after, looking stricken.

"What happened?" he asked.

Danielle managed to tell what happened, how she had been grading exams and Lockhart had arrived and assaulted her. Severus took over from his arrival, describing how he got Lockhart off of Danielle and the battle between them. He finished by explaining how Lockhart's own spell rebounded upon him. Dumbledore looked to Danielle for confirmation of all this several times, and she nodded the affirmative.

"This is quite serious," Dumbledore said. "Illegal memory modification is a crime that can land a wizard in Azkaban, and with your record, this could be a life sentence."

"But he was protecting me," Danielle protested.

"I know. But they say that rape is a crime of he said, she said. And with Professor Lockhart unable to tell his side of the story, this would be especially bad for Severus."

"But I'd testify for him," Danielle continued to argue. "He saved me."

"Sadly, the word of Squibs is not heavily weighted in the Wizengamot," Dumbledore said sadly. "Your word would not be enough to save him."

"So what will we do?" Severus asked evenly.

"We'll leave the whole assault out. I will say that Lockhart was attempting a spell he was unfamiliar with and it backfired. That way, I can protect Severus," Dumbledore said, looking directly at Danielle. Danielle took a deep breath and nodded.

"No!" Severus said. "Lockhart deserves to be tried and punished!"

"Not at the cost of you," Danielle told him. "Besides, without his memory his life as he knew it is over. He's lost everything, and I'm satisfied with that."

"Then if you'll excuse me, I'll get him to St. Mungo's," Dumbledore said, waving his wand and levitating Lockhart. With that, he left. Poppy finished with her tests, and other than being quite shaken up, Danielle was okay. She gave Danielle a vial of Dreamless Sleep Potion, ordering her to take it right before she went to sleep.

"I'm so sorry this had to happen to you," Poppy told Danielle, hugging her.

Severus walked Danielle to her quarters. At the door, Danielle stopped and looked up at him.

"Severus, please stay with me. I don't want to be alone right now," she whispered, looking for all the world like a lost, lonely little girl. Severus nodded and followed her into her quarters.

"Is it okay if I take a shower and get ready for bed?" Danielle asked.

"Of course," he murmured. Danielle took a long time in the shower, turning the heat up as high as she could stand it, and scrubbing until her skin was raw. Then she dried off and changed into a pair of blue striped pajama pants and a light blue tee shirt. She came out to find Severus sipping a cup of tea and petting Claudia. He offered her a cup which she gratefully accepted.

"Danielle, I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," he told her.

"Severus, I'm just relieved you came when you did," she whispered.

"I told you to tell Albus that Lockhart was harassing you. If you had, this would have been nipped in the bud and it never would have gotten to this point," he told her in a manner that was both stern and gentle.

"I know. You were right." And as she said this, tears began to spill down her cheeks. Danielle had been holding the tears in, but once she began she found she couldn't stop. Soon she was sobbing in earnest.

Severus had never been good at dealing with crying women. When Lily had occasionally cried, he had always been on the verge of panic. But he remembered what Danielle did at his mother's funeral, and he wrapped his arms around her. She clung to him and cried into his chest. He did his best to make soft soothing sounds, but he couldn't bring himself to sing to her as she had him. Still, it seemed to help and she quieted a bit, though she continued to cry. After about an hour, her sobs subsided and she start to take deep, calming breathes.

"I should have listened to you, Severus," she whispered.

"Shh…I never thought it would come to this," he told her.

"Still, I feel like this is my fault," she said in a voice that wrenched his heart. He took her face in his hand and made her look up into his eyes.

"Listen to me, you did nothing wrong. You made it clear to him over and over that you had no interest. You in no way encouraged him, and all of this is his fault, not yours."

"I never thought it could happen to me," she whimpered.

"I know. No one does until it happens," he said. He thought for a moment. "When I was eleven, right before I left for Hogwarts, my father attacked my mother. She didn't want him to touch her, but he forced her. He raped her."

"Oh my God," Danielle choked. "You saw?" Severus nodded.

"I tried to stop him, but he was too strong. He broke my arm and finished what he started," he finished, sounding worn and bitter.

"I'm so sorry," Danielle said as she wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm just relieved I got there when I did," he murmured down into her wet hair, which looked black instead of its normal dark brown hair. He planted a soft kiss on top of her head.

"Severus, will you stay with me?" she whispered.

"Danielle…" he began, afraid what she was asking.

"I just don't want to be alone tonight. Just stay so if I wake up, I won't be alone."

"Alright," he sighed. He guided Danielle to her bed. He pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat down in it. He then insisted she take the Dreamless Potion Poppy gave her.

"But you'll stay?" she asked.

"Of course," he promised. So Danielle downed it in one gulp and laid back into her pillows.

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being the best friend I've ever had," she told him, grabbing his hand and holding it tightly. And she didn't let go as she drifted off to sleep. Severus watched her as she slept, her gentle breathing the only sound. He'd never seen Hurricane Danielle so peaceful, and he felt all sort of strange, unfamiliar emotions swirling inside him. He raised their joined hands and kissed hers. But he didn't let go. And when they awoke the next morning, they were still holding hands.

AN: Tori Amos wrote Me and a Gun to deal with her own rape. It was the only song I ever considered for this chapter. Danielle nearly had one of the worst possible things that could ever happen to someone happen to her. She was beyond lucky Severus arrived in time. So Lockhart was far worse than anyone imagined. But I honestly always thought of him as a rapist. What he did to the people he stole his stories from was the mind equivalent of rape, even if they were unable to remember it. So I knew all along that I wanted him to attack Danielle. And please, if anyone of you goes through anything like this, please don't stay silent! Silence allows a rapist to win. There are various rape crisis centers all over the place, so go to one of them.