Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. This has a few chapters left. Now for the warning…IF YOU DO NOT LIKE ANY SORT OF INTERACTION BETWEEN HARRY AND BELLATRIX DO NOT READ THIS…if you read it anyway don't then complain about it. I thought I was clear in the last chapter about that…guess not. Anyway, please review.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Savin' Me

"Calm down, princess. It will all work out. You'll see. And if it doesn't…well, there is always me."

Hermione stopped her pacing and looked over at Rabastan with a look as if she couldn't believe what he was saying. She saw the smile at the corners of his mouth and she couldn't help but to smile back. As she shook her head at Rabastan she noticed the white stag galloping through the air toward them. She stood up straight, ready to receive whatever message Harry was sending her way. The stag stopped at Rabastan however.

"You didn't think that message was for you now did you," Lucius asked teasingly with a raised eyebrow. Hermione rolled her eyes at the elder Malfoy. Deciding her pacing was only making her more nervous, Hermione pulled herself up on the small wall and sat down, allowing her feet to dangle. Lucius followed her actions and leaned against the wall next to her.

"You know," Lucius began to speak with his usual aristocratic arrogance. "If Severus does not take what is in front of him, I am sure there are…others…that would gladly accept what is offered to them."

"Why, Lucius," Hermione said with mock shock on her face. "You're not suggesting I come to you in such a case now are you?"

Lucius glanced over his shoulder at Hermione and smirked before turning back around to watch Rabastan having a conversation, so it seemed anyway, with Potter's patronus. His son was over there as well. He felt Hermione's hand slide up on his shoulder and her body lean in to whisper in his ear from behind.

"Tell me, Lucius. What have you to offer? Will I be allowed to punish your son for his future misdeeds?"

Rabastan and Draco were walking up, Draco with a strained look on his face as his eyes danced between Hermione and his father. They stopped in front of Lucius and Hermione.

"Harry can't make it, princess," Rabastan explained. "Something came up. Draco's going to go see what he can do until I can get there."

Hermione looked slightly worried, but Rabastan held a hand up and reassured her that it was nothing for her to be concerned with. Her eyes shifted to Draco. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, relaxed for all appearances. Hermione was giving him her "I'm sorry" look. He had been looking forward to seeing this happen to Snape—it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He shrugged his shoulders and kissed her quickly on the cheek.

"It's for the best," he said backing away. "Don't particularly want to see Professor Snape 'get the girl' anyway. Especially when it's the girl I wanted."

With those parting words, Draco jumped on his broom and flew off toward the tower Harry Potter was currently in. Hermione's mouth was still hanging open when Lucius' laughing erupted. Lucius stood up straight, picking up his broom. Rabastan and Lucius smiled down at her.

"We'll be out there just in case, princess."

She turned and watched the two men fly off and hide in the darkness of shadows nearby.

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"Hey, Potter!"

Harry was in the main room of the tower staring at his hands in his lap. He couldn't leave the tower with an unconscious and obviously not well woman in his bed. Draco's voice echoed from his chambers. He turned around on the sofa as Draco opened the door. Harry stood and rushed up the stairs, pushing Draco back into the room and shutting the door. Harry looked at him waiting for some sort of reason Rabastan wasn't there.

"Professor Lestrange said he will be here shortly." Draco's eyes shifted to the woman on the bed. "So, I suppose it is Uncle Harry."

"Stuff it, Malfoy," Harry spat as he stepped around Malfoy and sat on the bed next to the ill woman. With a flick of his wand a bowl of water and a soft white cloth appeared on the bedside table. Harry reached out wetting the cloth and wringing out any excess water. Draco watched as Harry dabbed the cloth on his aunt's forehead, cheeks, and chest. Harry sat the cloth back in its bowl of water and cringed slightly as he rubbed his scar.

"He's angry," Harry whispered. Draco looked from The-Boy-Who-Lived to his aunt and backed up slightly until he hit the wall. Draco remained in the shadows feeling as if his presence in that room was an intrusion…as if he were interrupting something private, personal, and intimate between his aunt and long time enemy now blood brother.

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Severus Snape was an imposing frightening figure rushing through the corridors of Hogwarts. Students out past curfew scurried to the shadows to hide. His mind may have been on one thing, but as he passed each of these students the sound of point deductions followed his billowing robes.

His face was set in a mask of hate, hiding the worry and concern. Hermione Granger was in danger…not immediate, but danger none the less. The stone she wore around her neck warned him. He ran up the stone stairs in his desperation to get to the Astronomy Tower. His mind only paused for a moment, more like a hiccough, remembering Dumbledore and that terrible night's events. He wasn't sure he could handle more harm coming to someone he cared about on this tower.

Snape threw the door opened and stepped out onto the tower. The night air was cold…the sky cloudy. He stopped halfway across the tower when he saw her. Hermione stood on the small wall…her long fitted white gown trailing behind her as she paced on the wall…a thin school robe her only other cover. The wind blew through the snowy hills surrounding them and brushed her hair back behind her shoulder.

His eyes followed her form down to her feet…her bare feet.

"Miss Granger, get down from there this instant," he said as she took another step along the wall. She slowly turned to face him, the wind whipping the gown and robe around her legs. Snape was unsettled by the look in her eyes. They appeared empty and full of hope at the same time.

She leisurely shook her head.

Snape recognized the look in her eyes at that point. It was a sadness that seemed embedded in the fear of rejection…the fear that this could be the final blow—the end before it began. The cold wind swirled around them both and Snape worried about Hermione's balance on the ledge of the wall. His eyes searched the small wall quickly for something, any sign that she was not going to do what he was afraid she was. He spotted a broomstick propped against the wall. That must have been how she got there without notice.

The white landscape acting as a backdrop behind Hermione made her look like an angel to Severus. She just stood there precariously on the ledge staring at him.

"I do understand what you said to me at Grimmauld Place Christmas day."

Snape cocked his head slightly to the side, narrowing his eyes as if trying to decide her sincerity.

"It may not seem like it, but I do," she continued. She took a deep breath and glanced to her side to see the snow covered hills. She turned back to Snape as the snow began to fall around them. "It doesn't have to be that way. You could at least try to be one of the last ones standing."

Snape took a deep breath and pinched the area between his eyes again before dropping his hands and looking back up at the girl.

"It is not that simple, Miss Granger."

He stepped forward to continue what he had to say, but Hermione was wildly shaking her head.

"I know that! All I'm asking is for you to actually want to live beyond this war…to try to live beyond it instead of just going through the motions of life planning your untimely demise in the meantime!"

The man was frustrating beyond all reason! Hermione stood on that ledge, her hands clinched into fists at her side, chest heaving as a result of her quickened pulse and the fear coursing through her. Severus looked up into her flushed face and shook his head.

"For such a brilliant witch, your naivety astounds me! My death warrant was signed the moment I switched sides! Accept it, Miss Granger! You have no other choice."

The moon peeked out from behind the clouds and Snape could see the tears glistening in her eyes in the moons glow. She was shaking her head again, her hair flying in the wind, her gown whipping around her ankles.

"It's not naivety! It's simply hope. I know what it is! You are afraid! Severus Snape is afraid…afraid of being among the survivors…afraid of living!"

She recognized the surprise on his face…surprise that she was correct. Snape felt momentarily frozen as he watched Hermione whip around to face away from him, to face the silent serene landscape behind her. Snape was shaking in anger. Hermione's arms were wrapped around her middle as if she suddenly realized how cold it was. This wasn't going how she planned. He saw her sudden hand movement and knew she was wiping tears away.

"You silly little girl," he ground out. "Do you actually hold such a silly frivolous fantasy? That I'll live beyond this war, the wizarding world will sing my praises as some hero, or that my life will be all pigtails and puppy dog tails after this?" His voice was growing angrier and louder with each word and each word seemed to stab Hermione in the heart. She began to doubt her ability to go through with it if an opening came. She already had her answer, but Snape was still yelling. "Wake up little girl! No one will care! No one will be standing in the ruble that remains waiting for my safe return…"

Hermione's head whipped around quickly as she interrupted him with her own angry, desperate voice.

"I will!"

He started to laugh so cruelly. In the shadows of the trees Lucius held his broom so tight his fingers were turning white and Rabastan was constantly telling himself to give it time before he makes an attempt on Snape's life. Snape's laughter echoed in the snowy air and Hermione turned back around so she wouldn't have to look at him right then. She seemed to weaken with each second of laughter that passed. When she finally spoke it was so soft that Severus stopped laughing to hear her.

"You know, Professor, we all have our demons." She turned her head a bit to look back at him. A sweet bittersweet smile graced her lips and it put Severus on his guard for what she would say next. Slowly, she turned her head back around though. With her back to Snape she said her final words.

"I think its time you face yours."

It happened so fast that Snape hardly knew what happened. He saw her foot step forward and in a flash her body plummeted from the tower.

"NO!"

Snape's voice echoed in the still night. His mind flashed wildly through their conversation and through it all he could hear Potter's voice.

"Hermione can't save you, Professor. You have to save yourself."

It echoed like a mantra in his head as he ran wildly for the broom. He picked it up as he rushed up on the wall. He jumped, placing the broom under himself as he fell. With the broom under him, he shot down as fast as he could with the appearance of a wronski feint and pulled up just under Hermione's falling body. He caught her as soon as he pulled up and the momentum of the broom kept going.

Severus shot up through the air with Hermione's shaking body in front of him, one arm wrapped around her, one hand on the broom guiding it and slowing it down. He barely slowed down enough for them to land back on the Astronomy Tower. They tumbled off the broom onto the stone floor. Snape was not letting go of Hermione.

They were both a crumpled heap on the floor. Sitting up, Snape immediately grabbed her head, his hands going along her jaw, to her neck, and then up into her hair. He stared at her with wild eyes full of something beyond what Hermione had ever seen.

"Never again. Do you hear me? Never!"

Without warning, he pulled her face to his. He didn't seem to care anymore. His mouth was on hers like a hungry, starving man finally given a meal. His lips continued to ravish her jaw and neck when he dropped his hands from her head and grabbed her by her waist, jerking her closer toward her so that she was partially on his lap with one of her legs resting over his, her knee bent touching his side. When the sleeve of her robe fell off her shoulder, she didn't even notice the cold air surrounding them.

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Rabastan rushed into Harry's room startling both Harry and Draco. They watched with wide shocked eyes as Rabastan shut the door. Walking to the other side of the bed, Rabastan picked up Bellatrix's arm and observed the Dark Mark. Rabastan was looking at the Mark when he glanced up at Harry sitting there rubbing his scar with a slight flinch.

"Scar bothering you, Harry?"

Harry nodded.

"He's been angry all night."

Rabastan gently sat her arm down and nodded his head.

"I'm not surprised. You were right though. She's been ignoring the Dark Mark…for too long."

Harry looked back down at Bellatrix. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore and this was no exception. Why would someone who was self proclaimed as Vloldemort's "most loyal servant" ignore his calls to the point of becoming ill. He felt Rabastan pat him on the back.

"She'll be okay. This will pass, but we can't let anyone know she is here."

Harry nodded, feeling as if he were doing something wrong. This was the enemy after all. He felt Rabastan's eyes on him and looked up with a light of realization.

"Here? You want her to stay here?"

In the corner Draco was in fits of laughter.

"At least until she wakes up. Then we will be able to get the story from her."

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Hermione looked up from her book and breakfast as Harry shuffled over to the Gryffindor table. Her chewing slowed and she swallowed with a bit of difficulty as Harry took his seat next to Ron. Hermione glanced at Ron, noticing his concerned look as well. Harry grumbled a "morning" as he grabbed some food.

"Harry? Did you not sleep well," Hermione asked with her concern very clear in her voice. Harry looked up at her.

"Yea, you look awful, mate."

Harry looked over at Ron.

"Thanks, Ron."

Ron saw Hermione's reproving look and dug back into his food, deciding it was hazardous to his health to continue talking. Seeing that Ron was properly chastised, Hermione turned back to Harry with a raised brow waiting for an answer. He shrugged.

"Yea, just didn't sleep well."

It didn't curb Hermione's concern though.

Halfway through breakfast Harry reached into the middle of the table and grabbed a clean plate. Hermione and Ron both watched curiously as Harry began to pile food on it before rising from his seat.

"I forgot something in my room. I'll meet you in Defense."

Hermione nodded, her eyes drifting to the plate in his hands. Harry said nothing about it though as he left the Hall with the plate of food. Hermione's forehead crinkled as she looked back at Ron. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe he's going nutters. The whole You-Know-Who thing could be driving him there."

Hermione sighed.

"Ronald, just say his name."

Shaking her head she glanced up at the Head table. Rabastan didn't seem to be paying any attention to what Harry was doing. Glancing along the table she found a pair of dark eyes watching her though. Looking back at Ron, she shut her book and stuffed it in her bag.

"I'll meet you in Defense as well. I have something to take care of."

Hermione stood and rushed from the Great Hall. Slowly, Severus stood from the Head Table and exited through the back as he often did. Where was his princess off to?

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Hermione rushed through the corridors, her school bag bouncing off the back and side of her upper thigh on her way. Quickly giving the password, she stepped into the tower and looked around for Harry. The only sign of Harry being in the tower was his school bag sitting on the sofa. There was no sign of the plate he took with him.

Dropping her bag to the floor, she dashed up the stairs to his room. She knocked firmly on his door.

"Harry…Harry, its me."

A loud thump startled Hermione slightly. She gently tried the door, but it seemed to be locked. She had just pulled out her wand when she heard Harry's nearly breathless response.

"I…I'll see in class, Hermione. Got to take care of this."

Hermione crinkled up her forehead. What in the name of Merlin was Harry doing in his chambers with the door locked? It wasn't like him to not let her in.

"Mister Potter, do not be late."

The deep sounds of Professor Snape's voice carried up to Hermione and she assumed through the door as she heard a muffled curse coming from Harry. Slowly, she turned around. Snape stood in the middle of the main room, holding Hermione's school bag out for her to take. Understanding exactly what this gesture meant, she slumped down the stairs and took her bag from him. She mumbled a "thank you" and moved to walk by him. Snape reached out and grabbed her upper arm, halting her progress. She looked up at him wondering is she were about to be reprimanded for something as simple as coming to the tower before class. Instead, he swooped down and gently brushed her lips with his own.

"Now, run along, Miss Granger. You don't want to be late."

With a snort of amusement, Hermione left for Professor Snape's Defense class.

Hermione sat in her seat with her parchment, quill, and ink out. This was not a practical lesson today, but a theoretical one. She already had a couple things Professor Snape had mentioned jotted down by the time Harry made his appearance. She did nothing more than roll her eyes as Harry took his seat next to her and quietly got out his own materials for class.

"I am positive a majority of you did not do the reading assigned. In any case, can anyone explain the theory discussed in chapter eight?"

This being Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry's best subject, he raised his hand, poised and ready to answer. Hermione's was the other hand to go up along with some Ravenclaw in the back of the room. Snape's eyes looked at each person with a raised hand as if determining who he disliked less to call on. His eyes landed on Harry and inwardly Hermione cringed. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"Mister Potter," Snape said in that tone he got every time he was pointing out how ordinary and unimportant Harry was. "You are not invited to participate in class today. In fact, you are not invited to participate until you deign my class important enough to show up on time. Twenty points, Mister Potter."

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Harry's odd behavior went on for a couple more weeks. He wouldn't tell Hermione or Ron what was bothering him, but every meal was the same. Every meal he left with a plate of food…a plate that was never found in the tower when Hermione went back. Her worry and concern went so far as to affect her studies with Snape on the Dark Arts.

Snape lowered his wand and pinched the area between his eyes.

"Miss Granger, stop this incessant concern for that boy and concentrate on your training!"

Lucius looked up from the chair he was sitting in with a raised eyebrow and a look that said "ah…here's another show." Hermione glared at Snape with her clenched fists held stiffly at her sides. When they were in the tower he generally called her Hermione unless he was angered in some way. There were times she got the feeling that Severus liked to make her angry by referring to her as Miss Granger. It was the look in his eye when he would do so.

She opened her mouth to retort, but was stopped by Lucius' sudden rise and Snape flicking his wand and suddenly holding his Death Eater robes. She looked down at her Dark Mark.

"It appears only the Inner Circle has been called," Lucius said fully aware of why she was checking.

Remus was at the doorway about to leave.

"I'll go relieve Rabastan of his watch over Ginny and Harry."

The other two nodded. Harry and Ginny were currently at Quidditch practice. Snape looked around quickly. Blaise had long since gone to his room and silenced it not wanting to listen to Snape bicker at Hermione anymore. Snape stepped closer to Hermione and bent down slightly.

"Do not leave the tower, Hermione. It's important…it's vital that you don't." With a slightly lingering kiss on the cheek, Snape left with Lucius to meet with Rabastan along the way.

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Voldemort walked around the circle the best of his best had formed. The all stood tall and straight, ready to do whatever he commanded. All but one that is. There was an empty spot in this circle…a spot that usually held one of his most powerful followers. Bellatrix Lestrange. He stopped before this empty spot and just stared at it. From Snape's position he could see the anger dancing in Voldemort's eyes. His eyes flashed an even more intense red as he turned to his other faithful followers.

"I have called only you because you are my faithful…my most faithful."

Voldemort looked around the circle searching for any indication that this was not true.

"Our numbers may appear to have diminished significantly with the unfortunate loss of Bellatrix, but never fear. She will be found. She will pay for her indiscretion…for her disloyalty." His eyes glittered in the moonlight. "We are still strong. In a weeks time we will return to Hogwarts. Not three or four of you as before. No. All of you…even the lower ranking of you. We will bring Hogwarts to its knees…destroy everyone that will not join us…"

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Hermione sat nervously on her bed. Harry, Ginny, and Remus would be back soon, but her concern was with the three members of Voldemort's Inner Circle that were summoned. She turned a page in her Transfiguration text and began to read that page.

She was worried. With the Inner Circle being called it made her worry even more about Harry's strange behavior and the odd noise that would come from his chamber on occasion. Sighing, she closed her book. She sat there in the silence of the tower. That was when she heard it…a strange thump from down stairs. Concerned and curious, she grabbed her wand and silently made her way to the door. Maybe Blaise finally got out of bed and came down for a drink? He had gone to bed very early still sick with a nasty winter cold.

Hermione opened her door as quietly as she could. With bare feet, she made her way down the stairs. The fireplace lit up the front room in an orange glow. Hermione noticed her as soon as she touched the bottom floor. She stood before the fire, looking down into its flames.

"YOU!"

Hermione could see the insanity in her eyes when Bellatrix looked up. Bellatrix's face broke out in an over excited smile.

"Awww….did the wittle girl come down to pway?"

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Harry, Ginny, and Remus were walking back to the castle in silence. Harry was a bit concerned by Remus escorting them due to the other's being summoned. What did that mean? What did that mean for the woman currently napping in his bed? His heart was still torn between wanting vengeance and wanting to help.

Rabastan, Lucius, and Snape seemed to come from out of the darkness in front of them as they crossed paths—Harry, Ginny, and Remus coming from the Quidditch pitch and Rabastan, Lucius, and Snape coming from the front gates. They all nodded in greeting and continued their walk in the same direction.

Harry looked around at everyone there. Who was in the tower if all the guards were here? Suddenly, Harry stopped walking causing everyone to stop and look back at him.

"Who is in the tower with Hermione?"

Rabastan nodded toward Snape.

"She promised him she wouldn't leave."

Harry's eyes widened.

"YOU LEFT HERMIONE ALONE IN THE TOWER WITH BELLATRIX THERE?"

Harry took off running. The others had no choice but to follow him. He skidded around corners and rushed up stairs finally coming to a halt outside the tower door. Harry wasn't sure he wanted to see what was on the other side of the portrait. Taking a deep breath, he muttered the password and the portrait swung open. They all stepped in only to stop, frozen in utter shock.

Hermione and Bellatrix were all over the tower, various lights from different curses flying around. Bellatrix was standing on the sofa, laughing manically.

"TELL ME!"

"NEVER," Bellatrix yelled back as she stepped up on the back of the sofa. Hermione threw a rather nasty dark looking curse Bellatrix's way. Bellatrix jumped up just in time for the curse to go under her, barely missing her bare feet. She landed on the floor on her feet like a cat.

"My…my, it's easy to upset Snape's little pet."

Bellatrix threw her own curse that Hermione easily rebounded. Hermione quickly threw another curse.

"TELL ME, LESTRANGE! WE KNOW HE LEFT IT IN YOUR POSESSION! TELL ME!"

Bellatrix responded with an evil laugh that echoed around them. Bellatrix's wand moved up in a fashion alerting everyone she was most likely going to crucio Hermione.

"Expelliarmus," echoed through the room.

Both Hermione and Bellatrix's wands flew through the air and landed in both Lucius and Rabastan's hands. As this happened, both Severus and Harry rushed forward to detain the two women from any further physical attack. Hermione felt the large strong hands grip her by her upper arms, preventing her movement forward. Arms wrapped around Bellatrix's body, pinning her arms to her side stopping any further movement on her end. Her eyes glinted with delight and insanity.

"Left it in my possession? Is that what you've been telling them, Rabastan?" Her eyes weren't leaving Hermione though. She laughed. "For such a brilliant witch you can be awfully thick. I am the horcrux."

A/N: I must give credit where credit is due. "You are not invited to participate in class today. In fact, you are not invited to participate until you deign my class important enough to show up on time." These are the words of Augusta State University's Dr. Walter E. Evans to one of my friends. He was our own "Snape." Oddly enough we felt an inch tall whenever we left his class and yet still signed up for those classes he taught. shrugs We were a glutton for punishment. Lol.