Okay guys, I'm making this a long one so i have a long song to go with it. NIN is beautiful, and so is this song.

Firstly, I got a job around the 8th of july and it's totally eating my writing time. I'll be able to update a few more times before but I'm going to draw an ending for this story so I may start the Sequel. Yes, it has a sequel. And it's becoming too long to to read.

Secondly, book 6 anyone? I won't say anything about it this chapter, so just tell me if you've read it and I want your opinions.

Yes, my Dementors attacked people. If you've read book 6 you know it's possible now, don't you? Voldemort was training them to be able to be useful. And it was ONLY a nightmare. Nothing happened between Hermione and Lucius, but that was her fear, kind of like the boggart Dementor. Voldemort has been training them to do that too. Let's say he got the idea from the 3rd year, just go with me people.

I also have a poll. When you review, type "1" if you actually read what i type. Don't type anything if you don't.

I love you.

Downside of Aging Potions - Chapter Thirty-Eight

"She shines
in a world full of ugliness
she matters when everything is meaningless.
Fragile.
She doesn't see her beauty,
she tries to get away.
Sometimes
it's just that nothing seems worth saving.
I can't watch her slip away.
I won't let you fall apart.
She reads the minds of all the people as they pass her by
hoping someone can see.
If I could fix myself I'd - but it's too late for me
I wont let you fall apart.
We'll find the perfect place to go where we can run and hide.
I'll build a wall and we can keep them on the other side.
...but they keep waiting
...and picking...
It's something I have to do.
I was there, too.
Before everything else
I was like you."
-Nine Inch Nails, The Fragile

Hermione looked around, realizing that everything had been some weird distortion by the Dementors.

They were in some sort of dungeon it seemed. At least, the floor was made of stone. The walls seemed to be made of pure fire, and Hermione's clothes were soaked with sweat and sticking to her already-weak body.

Gaining more reality, she realized Severus was next to her, but she couldn't hold him or he her because their hands were in cuffs, which were followed by a long chain of smoke, connected to the wall. She was as far away from the wall as she could get. She had a feeling Severus moved her there.

Still, he was on his knees, his head on hers.

"Severus... Severus what happened?" She panted.

He seemed to be breathing heavy too.

"I don't know... Dementors... I've never seen what they did before. Perhaps Malfoy has been teaching them tricks..."

Harry and the others began to stir, all chained to different walls in pairs.

"But Malfoy should be in Azkaban anyway. Wouldn't they be after him?"

"Oh, Miss Granger, I've been finding ways to keep them happy." Lucius stepped in the hot dungeon room, extinguishing a small spark that had leapt onto his coat.

The door dissolved behind him and she instantly felt sick at the sight of him.

Her eyes wide with fear, her body shaking, Snape noticed something was wrong.

"Hermione? What is it?" Someone kept asking her but she couldn't make out who's voice it was; Snape's, Harry's, a Dementors.

She tried to speak, but words didn't come. She was lost in the dream-web the Dementors had spun for her, seemingly minutes ago.

Lucius grinned cunningly, advancing on her slowly, "Whatever is the matter, Granger? Bad dream?"

He let out a deep, rich laugh that made her scoot back, closer to the wall.

"Hermione!" Severus warned her the closeness of her to the wall.

"Yes, Severus is right, if you back up anymore you'll burst into flames." Malfoy added matter-of-factly, "Which I'm sure would be a shame."

She drew her knees to her body, almost pissing herself.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked, looking perplexed from Hermione to Lucius.

"He was in your Dementor Dream, wasn't he?" Severus said quietly.

Lucius stood in front of her, and raised her up just by raising his hand. She came to stand right in front of him, levitating off the ground, her arms struggling against the smoky chains. His chin was raised up so she couldn't see his face, and she was glad. Just the images of the 'Dementor Dream' and she would break all over again.

"Where's Ron? And Voldemort?" Harry demanded, and Hermione snapped to reality. She had forgotten there was anyone else there but Lucius and Severus.

Lucius looked at Harry with a snarl, and put his hand in his pocket, taking out a not-quite-big jar, filled with bubbles, deep, red, angry eyes swirling in the container occasionally.

Hermione wanted to laugh, but didn't dare.

"I'd almost forgotten about that red-haired Neanderthal of yours. No matter, he'll provide entertainment for everyone later. I know he has done so for myself and my friends." He laughed, and then said, "Now, let me demonstrate how I keep the Dementors happy."

Through the walls, Dementors swirled around the room, freezing the fire, turning the floors to ice. Two stood behind Lucius and looked at Hermione hungrily.

She wanted to die.

!

Miles and miles away…

The old Headmaster laid in a hospital bed next to the Transfiguration professor when he suddenly sprang up.

"What... Minerva? How..."

"Quiet, Albus, you've been through enough."

"But-" He lifted his head.

"Lucius Malfoy slipped you the Sleeping Death potion. Very, very powerful one, too. We've spent two months working on the antidote. Finally one worked, obviously. You have Poppy Pomfrey and some of Snape's old potions to thank for that."

The old Headmaster tipped his head back onto the pillow and closed his eyes.

"Two months..." He repeated weakly.

The Transfiguration Professor looked on the old man for several minutes, studying his face.

He still looked tired, despite two months of sleep. Weary, sad, old.

She wanted to cry.

"Well, I'd better get a move on then." He said, moving to sit up.

McGonagall put her hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back down.

"Albus," She said quietly, looking at him with her cat-like eyes.

He met hers.

"We're getting too old for this shit."

The cliché was over-used and boring, but it fit very well. They looked at each other for another long minute before laughing. Loud.

!

Riley and Gina had been asked by McGonagall to stay back from the Weasley search party to help with things around the castle, after all, the Head Girl was gone and the Head Boy was in some kind of juvenile camp his mother sent him to for what he'd done to Filch.

So they were replacements, anyway.

They patrolled at nights, cleaned up the Common Rooms, etcetera.

Students had been sent home, teachers' fearing their safety was in danger. Only a few students were left, and only a select few Seventh years could stay, including Riley and Gina.

"How do you think they're doing?" Riley asked Gina, after seeing how she was staring out the window with her arms crossed.

After everyone had left, Riley and Gina got closer. They were good friends now and really worried about Hermione and the others.

"Just... what if my dad..."

Riley knew what she was going to say. She was scared her dad would kill them, or take part in it at least.

"I hate him so much." She said, her voice shaking in anger.

He came up behind her and put his arm around her waist.

"They're gonna be back. And he's going to go to Azkaban, just like all the rest of them."

She made a disbelieving noise.

Riley tried again, "Did you forget who went on that trip? Potter, Ginny, well, Luna and Neville, but not to mention Hermione and Snape. They've faced Dumbledore together almost as many times as Potter has. I can totally believe they'll be back. You should too. They're gonna lock up all the Death Eaters and this war."

Gina thought about what he said and turned to face him, giving him a weak smile.

As she leaned in to kiss him, he hoped to God that everything he said would be true.

!