"What could it mean...?" Harry was at a complete loss. He pushed the paper over the table looking to Ron, who had joined him downstairs sometime after noon, their meal had been finished and the adults had gone away to check on other affairs.

"It looks like a visual perception puzzle..." Ron pursed his lips turning the paper upside down.

Harry's brows rose at the obvious elevation in his normally sophomoric vocabulary, it seemed well outside his realm of normal rhetoric. Ron noticed his look and grinned dumbly for a moment.

"One of Hermione's words of the day," Ron explained idly before placing the paper flat. "It's like a puzzle or something, we should try and look at from a different angle...maybe?" He shifted in his chair lowering himself down closer to the table top. He squinted when he thought the words shifted in a way they shouldn't have. He adjusted himself a little more before he let out a small gasp.

"The manor!"

"What manor?" Harry pushed himself up and came around the side of the table beside him. They'd both been given copious amounts of potions to get them up and moving leaving them each with a sort of an illusion of invulnerability.

"Malfoy's look!" Ron moved aside letting Harry take his place. He would never forget the face of that house as long as he lived.

Harry squinted his eyes but he couldn't see what Ron was seeing, it did look like a sort of building sure, but he hadn't exactly seen it clearly himself through the spell Hermione had cast on him.

"Let's say it is...What does that mean? I mean, we know she's being held at Hogwarts. Even Neville, Luna and Ginny had seen and talked to her there." Harry sighed heavily rubbing his scar before falling down into the chair beside Ron's. The redhead joined him soon after pulling the paper back into his hands.

"I don't know...but it's something..."

oOo

"Dilecto Servo..." Snape's eyes were completely focused as he drew the light around her wrists. Small bands made of orange light formed around Hermione's cord bound wrists. She was knelt before him with her head bowed, her eyes at his feet and her hands clenched tight.

They had both agreed to the spell, but even so, it made his stomach turn. As the light faded out, his eyes shot to the mark forming on her neck. She'd pulled her hair back into a tight braid leaving her neck completely exposed. Snape took a breath pulling the golden light up from her wrists to go around her neck. More whispered words left his lips and he felt the pull of the old bond against his chest.

Hermione's scream tore through his chest like a spear to the heart. His body actually jolted and his wand wavered. A black fire crawled over the now midnight initial. Her scream ran out of air but her eyes remained wide with unbelievable pain as her neck continued to burn.

Had he doomed them both?

His face was a mixture of sorrow and fear as he knelt down in front of her. His wand fell to the floor as he took hold of her arms just as she started to pitch backward. The fire burned itself out and her throat let out an odd noise before her entire body started to grow heavy. His heart was running a marathon through his chest and when her body started to collapse back he was sure he'd killed her.

oOo

"We need to get back to the safe house tonight. I think whatever Hermione was trying to warn us about is going to happen soon." Neville kept his voice low, leaning over the little table between them.

The three of them had taken to spending their free time in the room, though others of the D.A. had joined them as well, they all were occupied with other things. Luna pursed her lips but had to agree with him. She glanced at Ginny who was writing to Harry through the two-way parchment. They had told them what Ron had discovered but none of them had a clue on what to do with the information.

"We'll have to sneak out right after dinner, we won't be able to wait until after curfew this time." Ginny looked up from the parchment as her message disappeared into the page. "How are we going to get by the Carrows and their goons to get here safely?"

"I can handle the brother, Carrow," Even as the words bravely passed her lips Luna's face showed her concern over what she knew she'd have to do to accomplish such a feat.

"You can't possibly take him on alone." Neville noticed the look that fell over her face and felt his heart grow heavy. Though she hadn't spoken a single thing about what had happened to her at the manor he had noticed the light in her eyes wasn't as bright as it used to be.

"I can, If you can get his sister away from him. I can keep him busy for at least 20 minutes..." Luna glanced to the side when one of Seamus' spells backfired. The little group around him gave a wry chuckle before banishing away the smoke.

"I can handle the sister. She's hated me from the beginning, she'll be easy to lead on a chase." Ginny too had glanced over before turning her head back down to the message that appeared on the paper.

"Harry and Ron have agreed to meet us at the safe house." Ginny let out a heavy sigh looking over at the other two.

"How did you manage that?" Neville leaned back unto his chair.

"I told him that Hermione wouldn't forgive him if he didn't let us help."

Luna raised a blond brow at the lie, that was so obvious to her, slipping from the redheads tight jaw. She was very certain that some other arrangement had been made but decided to keep her observation to herself. When Ginny glanced at her to make sure she'd keep her mouth shut Luna lowered her eyes to the table.

"Right after dinner then?"

"Yea."

"Yes."

oOo

"Tilt your head further..."

A soft grunt made Snape look away from what he was doing. By some miracle, their plan to rid her of the slave bond by enacting another had done what they had predicted. The only snag in the plan was that the raised mark that had been on her neck was no longer there.

Snape was doing his best to retrace the lines of the intricate mark from the light red lines it had left behind when it had burned itself away. He was sure the pressure he was putting against the slightly raised burns was painful but it was the only course they had. He was sure with the proper burn care she'd be able to remove the scar almost completely but he definitely wasn't making it easier with the tattoo he was now putting into place.

Tears were silently running down her tightly closed eyes but she'd not said a word since they'd removed the old bond. Her scream was still ringing in his mind and the fear he'd seen in her eyes was sure to bring fuel to his already elaborate nightmares. She had been unconscious for over an hour after and he had feared the worst had finally come.

When she'd woken, he'd carried her from his bed to the chair and encouraged her to eat. She'd managed some mild rice porridge and yogurt before refusing everything else. He was sure her throat hurt, he'd offered her a pain potion but she'd outright refused by turning her head into the wing of the chair.

He'd even gone so far as to slip a small dose of Draught of Peace into her porridge but she'd only eaten a few bites. He was sure that was the only thing that was presently keeping her mind from running circles around itself.

"I'm sorry...I know it hurts..." His words were the softest he'd ever spoken to her, gentle almost the sort of tone one would whisper into a lovers ear. He took a slow breath and adjusted himself to see a bit better.

He had almost finished the last of it when he felt her hand coming up from beneath his arm. He paused not wanting to miss the mark and turned his head down watching her fingers curl into the tail of his coat. Her eyes had opened just slightly and her breathing was a bit calmer. He gave her a lingering look before finishing the tattoo.

"Please..." Hermione's voice sounded ruff but not damaged. She sniffled slightly and swallowed thickly waiting for him to meet her eyes again, "I...just..."

His brows furrowed deeply as he tried to read her thoughts. They were slow and out of sync making it difficult to see through to what she wanted from him. He lowered his wand but didn't move to pull away, waiting for her to finish.

"I need..." She closed her eyes tight for a moment. She felt unbelievably senseless to even say what she desperately wanted to say. She felt weak and foolish. Still, she needed it more than she ever thought she would.

The night had risen long forgotten feelings that had plagued her youth. Hours spent alone in a house with parents too busy to find the time to play with her. She had escaped to the land of books as her sole source of comfort. Her parents weren't unkind, but they hadn't sought to all her emotional needs either.

"Hold me..." She was scared, possibly more scared than she'd ever been. Her eyes glistened with tears that hadn't yet fallen and her hand curled tighter around the fabric it had taken captive, "Please...?"

Snape hadn't truly been expecting those words to come from her mouth. His own mind was conflicted about what he needed to do. He had been so mission focused since he awoke that he hadn't even considered the reason for her presence in his bed that morning. It had taken him years to become as strong as he had. It had been foolish of him to believe a mere child of 19 could achieve the same level of control in just a few days.

She was strong, yes, but she was still young. She was still exploring the world. A world that was very quickly growing smaller and smaller. His jaw twitched as he took a gentle hold of her wrist. His eyes never fully met hers as he raised it up towards his neck.

He guided her arm around his shoulder before very cautiously wrapping his arm under her own and around her back. He took hold of her legs next and when he felt her finally realize what he'd done, he lifted her up from the chair and moved to take her place.

It was beyond awkward for him as he settled her sideways over his lap. Her arm came back down to curl against her stomach and when she pressed the side of her face into his chest he felt and saw her relax. His hand came up tentatively before very gently holding her head against him. His other arm moved around to hold her at her waist keeping her secured in his lap.

An odd peace settled inside both of them as they sat. Neither one truly able to explain it, even to themselves.

oOo

Luna wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve. Her crystal blue eyes turning up to the man in front of her who was now adjusting his belt back into place.

"Always knew Ravenclaws were smart." He sneered down at her reaching out his hand to grab a fist full of her hair, "I knew that time in Malfoy's cellar would loosen up that little brain of yours." His eyes ran over her face as he curled his fist just a bit tighter. He could see the mark he'd left behind on her neck starting to bruise. Man, he loved it when they cried.

His sneer and snort as he cleared his throat, spitting off to the side before releasing his hold. Luna closed her eyes tight for a moment trying to put herself back into her 'happy place'. Just the smell of him made her stomach churn. Luna gave him a forced grin but merely came up from her knees, surreptitiously glancing at her watch.

"Get out." Amycus snorted again and turned around continuing to tuck in his shirt. His mind was anywhere else but where it should have been at that moment.

Luna cast a small charm on the door handle on her way out that was sure to leave the callous man hurting.

oOo

"Severus..." Narcissa lowered her eyes to the girl at his side for the briefest of moments, "He's in the ballroom..."

The dark man merely inclined his head and gave Hermione a gentle push along the small of her back. Hermione kept her head down but did chance a glance from under her lashes. The aristocratic woman looked almost as bad as she felt.

Snape had put the occlusion shield in place over her more dangerous thoughts but had left everything else alone. It felt odd. Like a slight pressure around her temples. She didn't dare to try and think about what he'd hidden away. She had conceded to him without a word. Her lesson from the night before having finally sunken in.

Snape kept his senses sharp listening into her thoughts for the first sign that he'd have to send her back into a fugue state. He had given her more Draught of Peace with her dinner. Though she hadn't eaten much, she had drunk all of the juice he had spiked.

As they turned down the proper corridor the smell hit them both like a physical wall. Blood and sweat lingered in the hall and the sounds of pain could be heard through the illustrious doors. When Snape pushed open the door they each felt a small shiver roll through their frames at Bellatrix's cold belt of laughter.

"Kill him! Finish it!" The insane woman was laying over a large lounge chair atop of a platform that afforded her a perfect view of the horrors in the center of the room.

A ring of sorts had been made in the grand space. Two apparent captives were inside the magically caged space. Two males, one at least 6 feet tall and muscled beyond reason, possibly in his late twenties. The other, a much smaller and substantially younger man with barely any weight on him at all. The latter had obviously been beaten beyond recognition. His face and body was a bloody bruised mess. Neither one of them wore more than the shorts that clung tightly to their frames.

The larger man raised the club he had been given by Bellatrix after she had called for the youngers execution. There was a small pause before the club came down with heavy force. The boy pleading at his feet went silent and still in an instant.

Hermione felt her stomach lurch. A hand came to her arm keeping from leaning over and a tingle in the back of her throat stopped everything mid-process. A short cough and a heavy swallow set her right again but she couldn't help but turn herself into his side.

Snape sneered at Bellatrix who was grinning down from her perch and put his hand on the back of Granger's head to make sure that the witch knew to whom she belonged. He turned his eyes away after his message was sent and sought the ringleader of this circus of insanity.

Hermione curled her fingers against his jacket and kept her face pressed tight to his chest. How could anyone be so twisted? She couldn't even begin to understand what she'd just witnessed. She didn't want to. When she felt the muscles of his body shift she took a step with him before he pulled her out of his chest with a calm hand on her shoulder. Even as she turned she kept her eyes closed tight and her side pressed into his.

A new coldness wrapped around her and the air that had been thick grew thin. Her heart sped up despite the potion in her system keeping her from running as far as she possibly could from everyone and everything.

"My lord."

Snape's voice sounded tight and she knew to whom he had brought her. The hand that had been guiding her steps gave her a small pull and she knew what was expected of her. He had briefly instructed her on everything she was to do if their plan was to work. She had had many arguments against everything he said but none of them had passed her lips.

Despite all her better judgment and her pride, she lowered herself down beside his feet and pressed her forehead to the floor. Her hands shot closed when the lightest touches of a robe brushed against them and it took everything inside of her not to shiver with revolution.

"I'm impressed, Severus."

The man's fake platitude turned her skin cold. She heard rather than saw, his ever-present familiar coming closer. When it's cool body pressed down along her side she pulled herself up from her bent position back into Snape's leg. Neither one paid her much mind but Hermione could feel Snape's leg going tense against her temple.

"Do you have what I've asked for?"

Snape kept his calm, his own shield well high above normal levels. He pulled the fake stones from his pocket holding them out into his palm for his master to take.

"Interesting choice of stone."

Snape pulled his hand back down to his side, his fingertips brushing along the top of Hermione's head by accident before he curled them up, "The spell required harmonic resonance to have the full effect, I've spared no expense for you, My Lord."

A small thud of an explosion made the half-man before them snarl and cut off whatever it was he was going to say. His eyes narrowed dangerously and he stepped around the both of them throwing open the doors that had led to the small lounge off the ballroom.

"Bellatrix!"

Snape turned his head down leaving the man to go on his tirade. The girl had shifted when he turned but was staring at something ahead of them. He followed her line of sight and felt his own stomach turn at the sight.

The large man from before was laying in pieces scattered around inside the magical ring. A girl, possibly only a few years older than Hermione, cowered in the corner with an old wand clutched tightly to her shaking chest. Her straight light brown hair was a mess and blood covered her emaciated frame. She wore nothing but a black bra and shorts. Her body was covered nearly head to toe with all sorts of curse marks that Snape could only guess came from the wicked woman who oversaw the 'game' she had rigged.

Snape took a small step but frowned when Hermione grabbed onto his pant leg tightly. Her nails scratched through the fabric of his slacks to the skin of his inner thigh. He was quite certain the potion he'd given her was quickly losing its power over the adrenaline trying to pump itself through her system. He glanced up to make sure both Bellatrix and Voldemort were distracted with their little argument before taking a moment to reassure Hermione the best he could.

He'd noticed she had a particular liking to when he had run his hand over the back of her hair during their moment of shared humanity and decided it was the best least obvious course. He felt her tremble but her fingers had relaxed their death grip. He took hold of the back of her shirt giving it a small pull to bring her back to her feet.

Hermione wasn't even sure if she could stand. Everything inside her was ringing alarm bells but she could do nothing about them. She glanced up slightly before managing to pushed herself back to her feet. Per his instructions, she stayed just behind his shoulder and kept her head down. Her hand opened and closed at her side before she relented to her fear and took hold of his coat tail. She was sure he wouldn't approve but it was the only thing keeping her squarely in reality.

Snape's eyes narrowed slightly when Bellatrix came around Voldemort's shoulder. He took hidden satisfaction in the blood that was bubbling near the corner of her mouth but he didn't dare let it show. She flicked her wand towards the ring lowering the hidden walls with a sharp yellow flash of light.

The witch who had been cowering in the corner attempted to scoot farther away even going so far as to throw the wand at Bellatrix's feet to appease her risen temper. Another sharp flick of Bellatrix's free hand called the wand to her palm before she took hold of the girl's arm half dragging the defenseless girl towards the doors that led to the cooridor.

"Wormtail!" Bellatrix kicked open the doors contnuing to drag the crying girl out. The doors slammed loudly behind her and Severus knew that the spotlight was all theirs.