That moment when I kind of have my life together. Just kidding. I'm on break from school.

Like always, let me know what you think and practice self-love and self-forgiveness while reading.

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"SEVERUS TOBIAS SNAPE!" Narcissa windlessly threw open Snape's front door. As she was usually a welcomed guest, the wards recognized her and allowed her entry. That was Snape's first mistake. He should have removed Narcissa from the wards the moment he declared war against the House of Black. "SEVERUS! IF YOU DON'T REVEAL YOURSELF THIS INSTANCE!"

"Merlin, woman! Are you attempting to get the aurors called!" Snape's voice was layered in irritation as he wiped his hands off on a towel as he emerged from his basement (his brewing area).

Snape really should have known better. He had seen Narcissa through all of her miscarriages and was a close confidant to both her and Lucius. If Narcissa ever lost her composure and started to scream, the best thing to do was run for cover. If, by unlucky circumstances was not an option, the best thing to do was get on hands and knees and grovel for forgiveness. Snape, however, seldom did what was best for him, and it was because of his tendency to self-destruct that he was met with a slicing hex to the leg.

"Be thankful that is all you get, Severus." Narcissa sneered as she slammed the door behind her. "I believe as the best potions master in the last few centuries, you can manage just fine without standing too often."

As Severus was healing his leg to staunch the bleeding, Narcissa walked slowly over to a wingback chair and sat down. Now that she had screamed for Severus to reveal himself, she was the picture of a Black dealing with a nuisance.

"You come to my house after sending an elf…" Severus's words were silenced when Narcissa held up a hand and spoke.

"You will not speak of Maggie in such a tone, Severus. Do better."

"You honestly think assaulting me in my own home gives you the right to tell me to do better!"

At this, Narcissa stood and walked slowly over to Severus before crouching down in front of him.

"No, Severus. Of course not. I have the right to, as you put it, assault you in your own home because Maggie made it very clear that questioning her motives or her lack of giving you answers or threatening her, which I know you did, was an act of war against the House of Black." Narcissa looked down at Snape with disdain before standing back up. "You started this war between us, and I am here to put an end to it."

Snape slowly got to his feet, wincing at the still healing gash on his leg. Narcissa's aim was perfect; she sliced in just a way that even healed, the spot would hurt for days. He could not help his growl and glare at the woman sitting so primly in his tearoom.

"Really? She was serious about that!" Snape burst out once he had gotten himself to a settee. "Narcissa! Why on earth are you taking such a stance! I just wanted to know why you were requesting such potions in such large supplies. The only place that ever requested things like this was St. Mungo's during the first war when Bellatrix and Dolohov took exquisite pleasure in torturing unfortunate muggles or muggle-borns!"

If Snape had been paying attention to Narcissa's hands, he would have seen how they twisted at the mention of her sister. If he had been paying attention to her eyes, he would have seen the flash of despair in her eyes at the mention of Dolohov. As it was, he didn't miss her hurriedly stand and briskly walk to the window, clasping her hands behind her back. He did not miss her tell that she was barely holding herself together.

"Draco…" Narcissa cleared her throat and tried again. "I'm sure you are aware of what Death Eaters are still at large, Severus."

"Of course, the Ministry questions me every day. They seem to be under the illusion that I am in contact with those still at large. What do they have anything to do with the fact that I apparently declared war against the House of Black?"

Narcissa rolled her shoulders back and lifted her head higher, if that was possible.

"Maggie is… she's the best elf. I could also count on her to do exactly what was asked of her." Narcissa released a small chuckle. "If mother could see how far I have fallen, allowing war to be declared against our house on behalf of Maggie. Mother would do exactly what Walburga did to Sirius." Narcissa ceased talking and stared out into Severus's garden, lost in memories.

"Narcissa. Get to the bloody point." Severus snapped at her.

"This war between our houses is settled, Severus, but you cannot speak of supplying me with potions. I have a… witch under my care that… well, let's just say that no good will come of the public knowing that she is under my care. Uncharitable things will be thought."

"Bloody hell, woman. I realize that being raised a Black and marrying into the Malfoys gave you the skills to speak about things without ever speaking about them, but as you just sliced my leg open, would you kindly just be direct."

Narcissa heaved a huge sigh before returning to her seat.

"Draco informed me of… an occurrence… a fact… about the Department of Mysteries Battle that, I want to say wildly known, but as I know of only 4 people who know of it, I will just say that it is not known." Snape went to interrupt her to remind her to get to the point, but he was silenced when Narcissa gave him a reproachful look. "You were right earlier. When you mentioned the first war and St. Mungo's requesting these potions."

Snape looked at her with all the confusion in the world. Bellatrix was dead, and even if she had been torturing someone before then, she almost always killed her victims. Dolohov usually accidentally killed his victims, or he left them so beyond repair that another Death Eater usually took pity on the girl. The instances where St. Mungo's treated one of their victims were far and few between. The backbone of the woman who survived Dolohov were made of steel. Snape racked his brain for information that had slipped through the grape vine about Dolohov's latest conquests. He came up empty.

"Dolohov accidently killed his latest victim. He suffocated the girl for too long…" Snape trailed off and blankly stared forward. His vision did pick up on Narcissa picking at her nails, a very un-Black thing to do.

"Antonin did not kill his latest victim. I can assure you of that, Severus."

"I distinctly remember Crabbe and Goyle Sr complaining that they didn't get to play with her longer, the disgusting cretins that they are."

"As she is asleep in the Sanctuary Suite at the Manor, I can assure you that Antonin did not kill his latest victim. I can also assure you that his latest victim is the reason why he is still at large."

Severus stared at Narcissa, trying to process what her words meant. His internal reverie wasn't getting him anywhere, so he began murmuring to himself.

"It couldn't have been Ginevra; I saw her throughout the battle. She wouldn't have existed anywhere without her brothers or Potter after the battle if it were her. Lovegood would have made an absent-minded comment about it, and the entire staff would have been conflicted with what to do… Granger is a force to be reckoned with…" Snape caught Narcissa's swallow and turn of her head, and his stomach dropped to the floor. "That's why… She lost all the weight. I thought it was stress for the O.W.L.s, but she wouldn't stop eating. She's too smart for that, even at exam time. She… Draco told me she apologized to him. I thought nothing of it, just that she must have not realized it was him. She… Narcissa…"

"She is not well, Severus, and now you understand why I forbade Maggie from telling you anything. I need these supplies. I need to help her get well." Narcissa turned her face away as tears filled her eyes. "I have made so many mistakes, Severus. I turned my back on my own sister. I allowed Lucius to fill Draco's head with impurities, and still, Draco found a way to rise above the drivel that Lucius was spilling. I have played the perfect Pureblood bride for too long." Narcissa hated showing weakness, and she hated that she had to reach a hand up and wipe away the tears that were silently tracking down her cheeks.

"Narcissa…"

"Don't. Please don't, Severus. I made my bed, and I have had to lie in it, but… I would like to make myself and my family a different bed. One that we do not have to endure, but one that we thrive in. Please, Severus. Help me help Miss Granger."

The room fell into silence as Narcissa kept her head turned away, and Severus brooded over all the options available, and why Narcissa was not the best one.

"Surely, Miss Granger would rather be in the care of…"

"I assure you that Miss Granger doesn't want anything but to cease in existing. I did not go to collect her from her family home under some form of transfiguration or Polyjuice. I went as myself, of course in Muggle garb that would not garner suspicion from her neighbors. She saw exactly who I was, and she decided to come anyways."

Severus stared at his long-time friend in disbelief. Hermione Granger went willingly with Narcissa Malfoy, not only a Pureblood supremacist, but the mother of her long-time bully.

"Narcissa," Snape drawled out, "how did you know of the situation?"

Snape's interest piqued as Narcissa shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I hardly think that is important, Severus."

"On the contrary, it is of the upmost importance. How were you made aware? If Potter or Weasley were to have known, the entire wizarding world would know due to the ruckus they would cause. So, again, how were you aware of what happened to Miss Granger?"

Once again, Narcissa strode over to the garden window and stared out of it. Snape watched her go and prepare herself for emotional battle once again.

"Draco… he stopped her from jumping."

"I'm sorry. Do you mean to tell me that Draco stopped someone from committing suicide on Hogwarts' grounds and did not tell me, nor anyone else, about it?"

"He stopped her from jumping off the train into the ravine it goes over." Narcissa said over her shoulder before turning back to the garden. She heard Snape take in a breath as if to talk, but she paid him no mind. "From what I have gleamed, Draco thought to take his chance and not be the son he had to be for his father. He has long admired the girl, but Lucius would not hear of it. He walked into the last compartment, and Miss Granger was… she was starting to climb over the railing. Draco hulled her back inside the train. He confronted her about what she was doing, and she said something about whip marks. Draco managed to get the who out of her before she cried herself to sleep against him. When she woke up and realized that she had told him… Draco said that she offered herself to him, and then to Theo when he came to find Draco. They told me on the platform. I…" Narcissa shook her head out.

"I'm an unregistered animagus, an artic fox. I hadn't shifted in so long, I was worried that I wouldn't remember how, but I couldn't keep watch of her in human form, someone would have seen me and called the police. She… academic that she is, she thought research on the matter would help, that seeing if all men treated women the same would help her get through this." She heard Snape's intake of breath but pushed onward. "I… I followed her as my fox that night. She wound up with three men who solidified that men will use and abuse women. I could smell them on her. I could smell her blood. Severus, the girl was already self-destructing, but that night, I was worried that she would do something to herself when she was in the house and I wouldn't be able to do anything. That week, I began to sit with her in the garden, as did Theo's owl, Feroce. She had a huge bruise across her throat from those boys, not to mention the other bruises they left behind. I couldn't do nothing anymore, Severus. I could not idly sit by and watch her disappear into nothing. As her body gets more unstable, so will her magic. I am hoping that she is still asleep, to be truthful. I don't know how well she will take being at the Manor. It did not go well last night."

As Narcissa took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around her body, Severus plopped back into his chair. The first war with Voldemort had left so many victims to every kind of crime against humanity that could be inflicted. The second war had barely begun, and yet, there was a crime against a woman who saw the good in everything if there was even a shred. Dolohov had destroyed that woman. Would Hermione ever be able to see the good in anyone ever again? Snape couldn't fathom how she would be able to. He knew that he could not, but then again, Snape also knew that he was weak-willed. As loathe as he was to admit it, he fell into the Death Eaters because he was upset with Lily and that she never forgave him for calling her a mudblood. He only defected because he was furious that Voldemort killed Lily. Those are traits of a weak-willed man, not a strong one.

"I will supply you with everything you may need, Narcissa. I would think it best for you to get home, now. Draco is too emotional to be of real hope. It is obvious he loves the girl. He will put himself in the path of her wild magic if he thinks it will help her. He will have no regard for his safety, only hers."

At last, Narcissa turned from the garden window and met Snape's eyes. She was surprised that not only did she see horror at what Hermione had gone through, but also conviction. Snape was taking it as a personal offense that Hermione had been hurt. She sighed. As long as he kept up her supplies, she supposed she could not complain too much. Narcissa seemed to glide over to the fireplace, and picked up a handful of Floo Powder before turning back to Snape.

"If you break my trust and tell someone, Severus, I will know, and then nothing will stop my wrath. This girl comes first now, even before My Dragon. I will not allow her healing to be disrupted because you felt the need to tell Poppy or Minerva. Do you understand me?"

Snape saw no purpose to argue when he would ultimately loose, so he simply nodded.

"Good."

With that, Narcissa stepped into the fireplace, threw down the Floo Powder, and spoke her destination clearly and with purpose. Little did she know that she would be returning the Manor and two patients.