Authors Note: I'm still in the hospital, struggling to find a pain medication that works for me, without some pretty awful side affects. It makes it quite hard for me to concentrate and even harder to write, so at the minute I am doing a lot more reading than I am writing and for that I apologise.

Please accept this little filler to let you know that I have not forgotten about you, NTSG will be finished, that I promise you.

With a flick of her wrist Minerva cast the rennervate at the prone girl, as Hermione, human once more, stood by Severus in silence.

They waited for the girl to stir, and when she did not do so immediately Minerva cast the spell again.

They waited.

And waited.

And this time, it was Lord Greengrass that howled.

Lord Greengrass moved forward towards the still form of his daughter, but before he could reach her he was stopped by a menacing growl. Hermione stood, with her teeth bared in a vicious snarl. A small step forward had the ice wolf's foot pressed onto the girl's shoulder, turning her onto her back and guarding her as though she was her next meal.

Minerva barked something frantic out and Severus made to move forward, though his direction was towards Lord Greengrass, as the man went to retrieve his wand from it's holster. Grief-stricken eyes focused solely on Hermione.

Before Minerva could finish her shout, before Lord Greengrass could reach his wand, before Severus could reach him, Hermione had leant down and pressed her face to the girls, her breath appeared like fog between her teeth as she stood with her face pressed nose to nose with Daphne, hot breath coasting over the girls face.

Fearing the worst, that this great wolf now planned to make a meal of his eldest daughter, yelling from grief, in outrage and pain, Lord Greengrass had to be bodily held back by Severus to prevent him from launching himself at the wolf. The tears he had tried to hold back so valiantly, now falling freely in his grief.

A loud thud echoed and all turned to see the wolf falling backwards into a dazed sit.

"Father...why are you crying?" Came the weak sounding voice from the ground. With a yell, Lord Greengrass launched himself to the ground and cradled his daughter just as Severus too caught Hermione, as the great wolf collapsed weakly to the ground, unable to maintain her sitting position anymore as exhaustion sapped her strength, melting away to form the woman he now held in his arms.

He breathing was weak, and her eyes rolled back though the heat from his body roused her, and she smiled weakly at him as he cradled her closer to him. She was as weak as a kitten, easily as drained as when she had worked tirelessly night and day to free the men of their dark marks.

Minerva who had approached them both in concern, noted the hoarfrost that melted on Daphne's face and gasped back in something frigteningly akin to horror.

"Don't" Severus growled out, but it was too late as the frightened witch put the pieces together and took a giant step back.

"Nam mihi vires tuas" Minerva gasped out, covering her mouth as though wishing she could take the words back the second they had escaped from her.

The glare from Severus showed that he too had wished she had remained silent.

"Father, I don't understand, what is nam mehe ver-" Astoria spoke, as equally shaken as her father. But was quickly silenced by Minerva. "Don't say the words-" She began, before Lord Greengrass spoke up.

"nam mihi vires tuas." The shaken man spoke, his voice wavered with equal parts gratitude, awe...and fear as the air practically hummed with the strength of the words spoken aloud. "It means, my strength for yours, it's ancient magic... earth magic. She literally gave her own strength, to save Daphne, it's incredibly complicated magic"

"Then why do you sound so afraid?" Astoria asked her father, who for once did nothing to hide his fear as he warily watched the girl who was recovering in Severus Snape's arms.

"Every person who's ever attempted the Vires Tuas, has died in the attempt. All except one."

"Who, father?"

And Severus's eyes met his in warning, but it seemed like Minerva earlier, there was no holding back the words that broke free from his lips with an awed whisper.

"Merlin Himself".