A/N: Hello and happy Tuesday! My day today was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, so I nearly forgot to upload this. Oops.

Thank you so much for your positive responses to the last chapter, I'm so glad many of you liked the soul-bond reveal :)

I should mention that towards the end of the chapter, TW: vomit, there is pretty non-descript mention of someone vomiting towards the end of the chapter. I have put the relevant bit in italics, so you can skip over it if that is an issue. Also, if there is ever something that you spot while reading that you think I should put up a warning for, please send me PM and I'll update that.

Anyway, enough said. Enjoy, and let me know what you think! xxx Note

By the time Thursday rolled around, Hermione was feeling rather feverish and had to make a conscious effort to keep her magic from flaring, which left her even more exhausted than usual. Her scar was positively pounding and all she wanted was some sleep. She knew now that it was caused by the forming soul-bond, but she wondered if Madame Pomfrey would be able to do something to alleviate the symptoms and buy her some more time at least. She could hardly believe how fast she had deteriorated since her conversation with Harry and McGonagall.

The headmistress had been watching her at meal times, her concern only showing in the tight line of her lips.

Cruz was waiting for her after her Arithmancy class, ready to escort her to the Hospital Wing.

"Afraid that I would forget about my appointment, Professor?", she drawled, doing her best Professor Snape impression.

Cruz seemed displeased. She grabbed her by the elbow and hurried her towards the Hospital Wing. "No, Hermione, I fully expected you to try and avoid this appointment the way you avoid facing your problems. Besides, as your guardian it is my duty to accompany you to things like this."

Had she been any less exhausted, she might have been surprised that Cruz sounded nearly hostile, loosing some of her usual, overbearingly caring nature. Instead, she allowed her to drag her to the hospital wing, while tamping down hard on her surging magic, so that her guardian would not notice it flaring.

To Hermione's surprise, there were no patients in the Hospital Wing when they arrived. Madam Pomfrey appeared out of her office, a stern look on her face when she took in an exhausted looking Hermione being pulled along by Cruz.

"Professor Cruz, if you would release your charge, you may take a seat while I examine Miss Granger."

Cruz looked as though she wanted to follow Hermione into the curtained off area that Madam Pomfrey had prepared, but one look from the Matron stopped her from trying to make any demands. Clearly she had learned from Hermione's previous time in the Hospital Wing that the matron did not make any allowances in the boundaries she set for her patients.

Once the curtains closed around them, Hermione felt the ripple of a silencing charm around them. "You may be assured that this area is absolutely private and that whether or not Professor Cruz is your guardian, this check up will be as confidential as possible. Of course I will have to tell her something, but we will discuss what that will be before we finish here. Is that acceptable to you, Miss Granger?"

The curly haired witch nodded, feeling stunned. Madam Pomfrey's harsh tone did not match the kindness in her statement. "Yes, thank you, Madam Pomfrey, that means a lot."

The older witch made a dismissive gesture. "No need to thank me, dear, patients need to trust their healer. I don't care what Professor Cruz is to you, you are an adult and should be treated as such. She might be able to force me to do a check up on you, but she can't control what I put in your file. Now, why don't you lie down on the bed and I'll cast some quick diagnostic charms on you to see how you're doing."

Hermione did as she was told, sighing as her back muscles relaxed painfully. Clearly, she had underestimated how worried she had been about this appointment. She was a still a little confused as to why Madam Pomfrey seemed so firmly on her side every time she had spoken to her since the hearing, when she could have just taken Cruz being her guardian at face value.

Warm magic washed over her and she watched the various results of the diagnostic charms shimmer in the air above her, wishing she could interpret them.

"I know you've been under a lot of stress, Miss Granger, but I must say I am concerned. I can tell that you've started exercising regularly since I last saw you, but you are still dangerously underweight. Are you able to eat much?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't really have much of an appetite unless I have exerted myself physically or magically." Before she knew it she found herself telling the matron about Cruz trying to force her to eat certain things. Madam Pomfrey huffed, a look of disgust on her face. "Well that's just the perfect way to facilitate the development of an eating disorder. I might be able to help you out a bit by recommending a lighter diet to get your body used to more food again. In the meantime, I will send some nourishment potions to your rooms that you can take before breakfast. They are designed not to make you feel full, so you are able to try to eat as normally as possible, but taking them will ensure you are getting all of the nutrients you need and it will take the pressure off at meals. If you take them regularly for a couple of weeks you should start to gain some weight, which will be good for you and it will get Professor Cruz off your back."

Hermione sighed with relief. "That would be wonderful, thank you."

The matron shook her head. "Don't you worry about that. I'd wager that you would be doing just fine if it wasn't for all of this emotional upheaval and pressure in your life. Hopefully this will give you the breathing space to get better. But that's not all." She gestured at Hermione's arm. "I assume you are aware that your scar is inflamed?"

Hermione nodded and bit her lip nervously. "I think I know why, but it's not something I can tell you about. I'm sorry. I have spoken to the Headmistress about it, and it isn't currently something that… can be healed, but we know that it's nothing malicious."

Madam Pomfrey looked at her shrewdly. "I see. I can give you a salve to reduce the inflammation and help with the pain. But, depending on what exactly is causing this, it's possible that it won't be effective."

"I thought that might be the case.", she sighed. "Can this be something that you don't mention to Professor Cruz, please?"

"Like I said, it's up to you what I tell her."

Hermione nodded and held out her arm as Madam Pomfrey applied an anti-septic salve. She hissed slightly, the salve burning as it came into contact with the tender scar, but a moment later the pain stopped entirely and for the first time in days, she could not feel the pounding in her arm. With a swish of Madam Pomfrey's wand, bandages wrapped themselves around her arm to ensure the salve stayed in place.

"That salve should help reduce the inflammation as well as the pain. Reapply it once a day, and hopefully that will sort you out."

"Well, it's stopped hurting for now, so we might be in luck and it will work after all." She smiled brightly, relishing the feeling of safety that had been washing over her ever since Madam Pomfrey had brought her into this little bubble of privacy. Unfortunately, it couldn't last, so she tugged her sleeves carefully into place, making sure that the bandage was well hidden.

"I suppose there is no way you could just tell her that I was perfectly fine?", she asked.

Madame Pomfrey smiled sadly. "No offense, dear, but you don't look well, so even if I did there is no way she would believe me and that would get us both into trouble. Better to tell her that the only thing I found was something she was already aware of, like your eating problems."

Hermione nodded in agreement, appearing somewhat defeated. Madam Pomfrey gave her one last once over, then dropped the privacy spells and pulled the curtain aside, gesturing for Hermione to walk ahead of her.

Cruz was waiting for them, her arms crossed and pacing the length of the Hospital Wing. She stopped mid-stride and turned towards them. Although she seemed almost anxious, not a single one of her blonde hairs was out of place.

"Well? How is she?"

If Hermione hadn't known better, she would have mistaken her tone of voice for genuine concern.

"You were right to bring her here.", said Madam Pomfrey. "She's still underweight, but I will leave instructions with the house elves to provide her with the appropriate foods to get her eating properly again. Other than that she's completely fine, but the continued lack of nourishment would have started causing serious problems sooner rather than later. It's a good thing we're catching it now. And Miss Granger tells me she is committed to improving her diet, so I expect to see some progress the next time I see you." At this she had turned to Hermione, a small smile on her lips. "Shall I make you an appointment… shall we say a month from now? That way I can check on you just before the Christmas break."

Before Hermione could say anything, Cruz responded for her. "That would be much appreciated, Poppy, if you let me know the details I will make sure that Miss Granger does not miss her appointment."

Madam Pomfrey showed no reaction to this and simply nodded. "Of course. I will send a note to both of you."

Hermione made to move towards the door before Cruz could stop her. "I better drop my bag off before dinner. Thanks, Madam Pomfrey, see you later Professor."

oxoxoxoxo

Much to Hermione's relief (and that of her friends) the change in diet that Madam Pomfrey had ordered along with the salve for her scar were making a huge difference. She found herself less overwhelmed at meal times and could eat without her stomach turning. The lack of a pounding pain in her arm was also a relief and so she was able to study and train as well as sneak in a little research on Duodax bonds. However, despite rigorous application of the salve Madam Pomfrey had given her, her scar did not look any less inflamed. In fact, she was sure it was still getting worse, even though she couldn't feel it. On top of everything, she still struggled to sleep, and when she did she often spent her dreams running from Death Eaters or trying to find Severus. Even the increased food did not help with her energy levels and she often felt a bit under the weather, especially in the mornings. She wondered if it had anything to do with the suppressed pain in her scar, or if it was just her regular insomnia, but she didn't dare to stop putting on the salve and find out, afraid that the pain had become unbearable in the time that had passed since her visit to Madam Pomfrey.

oxoxoxoxo

After a week or so, the salve began to lose its effectiveness. Hermione found herself burning up and drinking more and more pepper-up potions to keep her temperature down. She got Luna to send another letter to Draco to ask him to check in on Severus again, as they had never found a way of communicating that would be easily concealed. On top of her deteriorating health she also worried that maybe Severus hadn't tried all that hard to help them set up communications, that maybe he didn't want to face the fact that a soul bond was forming between them. She knew that she shouldn't worry, that he had reassured her and that it was all just very bad timing, but the doubts crept in regardless. It had been so long since she'd seen him.

The Friday two weeks after she had been to see Madam Pomfrey, Hermione went straight to bed when her afternoon classes finished. She set an alarm so that she would not miss dinner, but she desperately needed to lie down. She was both hot and cold at the same time as she curled up under her blankets. Her head and arm were both pounding. The salve had seemed to stop working entirely that morning and she could not remember a single thing that had happened in her classes. Had it not been for Ginny and Luna coming to meet her, she probably would not have managed to make it down to dinner.

"Hermione, you need to go to the Hospital Wing.", hissed Ginny as Hermione pushed food around on her plate, feeling sick to her stomach with the pain in her arm. She shook her head stubbornly. "No. I know she's been on my side, but for something like this she'll have to tell Cruz and she cannot find out what's happening with me."

She had not told her two friends about the soul bond. It had been nearly too much for her to take in and it was bad enough that Harry and McGonagall had known before she was able to talk to Severus about it. A breeze went through the Great Hall, causing her to shiver and pull her robe more tightly around her.

"So you're sick, it happens. There is nothing wrong with that, Cruz can't exactly order you not to be."

Hermione tried to laugh. "I'm sure she'd try. I'll see if I can make it through my check up with her and maybe I can just sleep it off over the weekend."

She took a sip of water, enjoying the feel of the cold glass in her feverish hands.

"Hermione… Hermione!" She jumped, spilling a little water, not realising that Ginny was still talking to her. "Hermione, your magic is… rippling!"

The curly haired witch hadn't realised that the iron grip she had been forced to keep on her magic as the effects of the interrupted Duodax bond had worsened, was finally beginning to slip as her exhaustion caught up with her.

She got up suddenly. "I think I will go to the Hospital Wing after all.", she said and hurried off before Ginny or Luna could follow her.

She had no intention of actually going to the Hospital Wing of course. Instead she stumbled towards the Headmistress' office, nearly blind with pain, her hand clutched around the otter necklace. She needed to stop the pain and magic surging through her once and for all and there was only one way to do that. She needed to be with Severus.

Rounding a corner, she saw the familiar gargoyle and began to activate the otter necklace, but just as she finished the spell, a hand wrapped around her wrist and stopped her in her tracks.

It was Cruz. Her guardian looked furious, her eyes flashing with anger. "Why are you trying to hide that you are sick? What is causing this?"

Hermione stared at her, uncomprehending, feeling the necklace heat up against her skin.

"Don't look at me like that girl, clearly this isn't a flu, there would be no need to hide that from me. Come now, we're going to see Madam Pomfrey."

She was so overwhelmed with exhaustion and pain that she barely noticed Cruz dragging her to the Hospital Wing. At least, Madam Pomfrey would be able to keep her safe until Severus arrived.

They arrived in the Hospital Wing and Cruz called for Madam Pomfrey. The matron arrived, a look of concern flashing over her face as she saw the state that Hermione was in.

"I need to use your floo and take Miss Granger to St Mungo's immediately. I believe she has been cursed and needs to see a specialist. Now!"

Hermione started and tried to pull away from Cruz. She did not want to leave Hogwarts. Cruz' hold on her arm tightened and pain rushed out from her scar nearly bringing her to her knees. Before she knew what was happening she was being dragged towards the fire place. Green swirled around her, making her feel disorientated. Cruz held her tightly as they spun through the floo network and stumbled into the arrivals area of St Mungo's after an excruciatingly long moment. She felt dizzy and thought she might throw up. Taking a breath and trying to get her bearings she felt another tug and then the frighteningly familiar tightening sensation of side along apparition. They weren't going to St Mungo's at all.

oxoxoxoxo

Cruz apparated them two more times, clearly in an effort to throw off potential pursuers, before they arrived at their final destination.

Hermione thought her surroundings looked vaguely familiar, but she didn't really have time to take it in as she was violently ill. There was an exasperated noise next to her, and the mess she had made vanished.

Cruz' hand clamped around her arm once more and pulled her along. Hermione felt delirious and disorientated, barely able to stay on her feet as she followed Cruz wherever it was she was taking her. Questions were rushing around in her mind like angry bees, but she could not focus enough to ask even one of them. Her heart was pounding along to the beat of the pain in her arm.

Cruz stopped so abruptly that Hermione nearly knocked both of them down.

"Careful, girl!", the other witch hissed, pushing her down on something that felt like a stone bench. "Sit. Accio wand."

To her dismay, Hermione felt her wand slip out of its pocket. She tried to get up, as though she could simply reach for her wand and take it back, but she found that she had been tied down. An icy wind blew across the field, making her shiver, but also momentarily clearing her head. She looked around and her jaw dropped. They were alone in a field, possibly a moor. The night was clear and cold. In the distance, she could make out the lights of a village and although she had only been there once, Hermione recognised the outline with a sinking feeling in her stomach. They were outside Godric's Hollow.

Before she could think any further, cold fingers grasped her chin, redirecting her gaze at the person that had brought her here.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I have brought you here?", hissed Cruz, her benevolent mask gone, as though Hermione hadn't seen through her all along. "Or are you that delirious?"

"Given that you have tied me down and taken my wand, I assumed I would be wasting my breath.", she ground out. Through the haze of her pain, she was astonished to find, that she was not afraid. In fact, she was almost relieved. Sure, they had failed to stop Cruz from going ahead with whatever she was plotting, but at least all of the waiting and worrying was over. A fresh wave of pain washed through her and her vision blurred momentarily.

Cruz was still looming over her and pinched her chin. "Ask me then.", she demanded.

"If you're so desperate to tell me, why don't you just go ahead already?", Hermione spat hoarsely, wondering what the hell Cruz was playing at. Surely, she hadn't been waiting all this time for some kind of big reveal? Surely with everything that she seemed to know about her, she would have realised that she had given herself away at least in part?

A terribly familiar fire ran through her veins and Hermione felt herself convulse as the Cruciatus curse rippled through her, creating a horrific harmony with the pain from the soul bond.

"I will have no more of your impertinence, girl.", growled Cruz. Hermione realised only dimly that the curse had stopped. Something cold pressed against her chin, forcing her to look up. Her vision swam for a moment but then focused on a small knife that was being waved in front of her face.

"You will respect me or I shall have to reacquaint you with this.", she purred as though she wanted to do just that. Hermione's stomach turned and she could feel the blood rushing in her veins as she realised that Cruz was holding Bellatrix's knife. The very blade that had caused the scar on her arm. There was a faint ringing in her ears and it took every ounce of her will to hold back the memories of that night at Malfoy Manor.

"Bellatrix is dead.", she whispered, more to assure herself of that fact than anything else.

Cruz smiled wickedly. "Oh, I know. Don't worry this isn't some Barty Crouch Jr. style ploy. I don't make a habit of repeating other people's mistakes. But Bella and I were very good friends, once upon a time, and she was kind enough to remember my fondness for… exotic weapons."

For the first time in months, Hermione looked up and properly into Cruz' eyes. They were filled with an icy cold determination. A shiver went through her. "So tell me then, Professor- ", she asked. "Why did you bring me here?"

One of Hermione's strengths was that she could think on her feet in most situations and because this wasn't the first time she had ended up on the wrong end of a crazy, torture happy witch's wand, she knew that she would be able to stand the pain, at least for a while. But this time there was no Dobby to come and save her and she had no idea if Severus would be in any state to track her here. Either way, doing what Cruz wanted and getting her to keep talking seemed like the best course of action until she could focus enough to figure something else out.

Cruz' smile was sickening now. "Good girl." Then she spread her arms to indicate their surroundings. "I brought you here, because Godric's Hollow is a powerful place. There is a lot of magic here and the history of the place… It feels good to stand here, where the Dark Lord created the thing that would be his downfall. It feels good to stand here and feel that power and know that I will not make the same mistakes."

Hermione couldn't help herself, she gaped at Cruz. The other woman cackled at the expression on her face. "Oh, you didn't see that coming, did you? I assume you at least suspected me of coordinating the Death Eater attacks? Lucius Malfoy is such a blabbermouth after all." She grinned wickedly. "You were always so suspicious of me, but you just couldn't figure it out, could you? And they say you are such a bright witch. Tell me, did you start to believe the things I was saying about your precious Severus Snape? And do you have doubts, even now, that maybe you are just as much of a wreck as I told everyone you were?"

Hermione felt her magic flare at that. "No.", she ground out, but she feared it was obvious that it was not as true as she wanted it to be.

Cruz send another sickening smile her way. "Well, we'll see about that."

She spread her arms out again and with a little flurry of her wand and that same disgusting wash of magic she had felt the day Cruz removed her glamours, a set of strong wards were dispelled from around them.

And on the other side of said wards, surrounding them completely, were a group of wizards in dark cloaks and the tell-tale bony masks of Death Eaters.