I slowly poured my ingredients for my cruciatis curse healing potion in my cauldron watching them simmer slowly. We were working on potions we had designed ourselves, which was going as expected of course. Neville had burned something that smelled like rotten eggs, Harry was trying to keep his cauldron from overflowing, and Ron wasn't even bothering to put anything in his boiling water. Better not to start when you knew you would I fail I supposed.

I hated potions with a vengeance that Harry and Ron would never understand. They assumed that just because I got good grades in the class that I loved it, but the way Professor Snape always made a point to make me miserable had rubbed me the wrong way for so many years I dreaded his class. Harry had told me that he thought Snape was a death eater and mean to keep his cover, but I didn't believe that for a second. My mood was already sour from tiredness and dealing with the Slytherins bullying me on the way to class since I walked alone instead of with Harry.

My potion was one of the few in the room that didn't have gooey sludge in the works besides Draco of course. I had ten minuets before my potion would be ready for the next ingredient so I took a deep breath watching the blond bully glance at Harry between making his own potion.

They were sworn enemy's but I had made them penpals of sorts sending letters to each of them pretending to be them until they stopped insulting each other and learned to be friends, then I started letting them really talk. In public it was only fighting and hatred, but behind closed doors they were entirely different. Harry actually smiled when he was around which was sadly rare for him anymore.

"Granger, instead of flirting with your classmates, focus will you?" Snape said startling me out of my thoughts. I glared at him matching his rudeness easily.

"I wasn't flirting. My potion is simmering CLEARLY." I said not in the mood to be the well behaved Gryffindor right then. I normally would simper to his every whim, but just couldn't bring myself to. The class turned to me shocked and I heard a whisper go around the room. Snape's eyes darkened dangerously and I saw him change his mood from annoyed to dangerous fast.

"Who exactly do you think you are you little mudblood?" He asked so softly and quietly only I could hear him. He was baiting me. I was sure of it. He wanted me to yell and make a fool of myself just to make me look bad. Hearing him call me a mudblood though seemed to do the opposite. I felt my heart race thinking of every way I wasn't good enough. Every time I had failed. Every person who hated me at the school just because of my parents.

I felt dizzy, my mind swirled and I looked down at my potion. Not wanting to look at his glare full of hatred.

"What, have nothing smart to say now?" He asked louder with a smirk earning himself a few snickers from the Slytherins.

"I may be a mudblood, but at least I know enough to put the mandrake root in AFTER the unicorn tears to remove the effects of the cruciatis curse." I said softly finally bringing my eyes up to meet his after gathering my strength. He had made a comment two classes prior about the current potions for that specific curse being so mild you didn't even bother using them. The original formula was one of his own invention so I knew the insult burned like a hot knife.

If I wasn't in a room full of people I was sure he would have killed me for my insolence. I didn't have to look at his fiery expression long because he swept away angrily, his cloaks billowing behind him.

"Detention Granger."

Draco looked at me like I lost my mind, but I also earned myself an admiring glance from Harry who just loved to see Snape suffer in any way.

I thought I had gotten off easy, but when it came time to put our potion sample on his desk he looked up from the work he was marking, his anger still radiating from him.

"Your detention starts immediately after class so don't bother leaving." He said without any room for argument. I smirked trying to hide how tired I was and not wanting to give him the satisfaction of getting to me.

"Of course. It's worth it." I said with an air of triumph that only angered him more. Harry gave me a pitying look, but in a manner of minutes Snape and I were the only ones left in the room.

"Clean all the cauldrons by hand." He said scribbling violently on a paper he was grading taking out his annoyance on the scroll.

I was silent and began working trying to hold back my thoughts that threatened to overtake me in the silence of the room. I had gotten by on the loud chatter of the castle for the last few months and managed to avoid silence, but now it hit me like a freight train.

"Any specific reason for your insolence today Miss Granger?" Snape asked after about an hour of my work. I chanced a glance at him and surprisingly he seemed calm and was watching me almost curiously.

"No."

"You rarely ever talk back. It's unlike you." He said with what could be viewed as something resembling concern if I didn't know he was a cold selfish bastard. I just scrubbed the cauldron harder.

"You have lost weight." He said simply. That got my attention. I looked out of the massive cauldron surprised. No one had noticed.

"I have spent the nighttime studying curses and spells to protect Harry and I. Don't act like you don't know where this war is headed Professor." I said quietly watching his stern expression with a mixture of my own curiosity now. He raised an eyebrow to this.

"Studying…I see." He murmured as if he didn't believe me at all.

"What? I'm not out sleeping around if that's what you think!" I snapped thinking of the many couples my age that did exactly that. He smirked a bit playfully almost leaning back watching my annoyance with humor.

"Of course not. I noticed Ron was left off your list of people to protect. Looks like that ship has sunk, hasn't it?" He teased mirthfully. I blushed at the insinuation.

"No, he's just…I don't feel that way about him. Harry is just…different." I stammered trying to explain it without seeming like I was turning my back on my own friend. I liked Ron, but when it came down to it, Harry would take priority.

"Ah, so that's why Potter keeps falling asleep in class." He mused nodding appreciative of the ammo for the next lesson. I felt my annoyance getting stronger at his twisting of my words and the exhaustion from studying all night trying to learn enough to stay alive in this war started to eat at me.

"Nonsense! He doesn't even like girls. Surely you realize that?" I snapped over his childish tactics. His eyebrows went up at my statement not having known that.

"I didn't. My moneys on Malfoy. You know the saying…the closest thing to love is hate." He said guessing it right somehow first try. My jaw literally dropped open surprised he had figured it out that fast. He sighed seeing my reactions.

"Wonderful. As if Potter didn't do enough to try to get me killed already. Fucking idiot." He muttered his sour mood returning thinking of the danger their relationship put him in. I couldn't deny he was right. One whispered to Voldemort and Draco would be dragged down to be killed, or worse, used as a pawn to kill Harry.

"I guess love doesn't care if it takes death to bring people together. It will accomplish its aim regardless." I mused albeit sadly knowing there would be no real winners in this war once all was said and done.

"Truly." He murmured running his finger on his lip thoughtfully. I had expected him to yell at me love didn't exist or was just for the weak, but he seemed to agree. I scrubbed the cauldron with slightly less angry energy, my mind swirling with confusion on what to make of him as opposed to worry about not dying.

It got dark outside before I was even halfway done and I didn't realize how exhausted I was until I stood up to go to the next cauldron and I felt my feet buckle under me and my vision black out. I fell to my knees catching myself somewhat, the air feeling thin around me all of a sudden.

"Granger, when did you last eat?" Snape said from somewhere to my right. I took a few deep shaky breaths and my vision came back slowly as well as a pounding headache.

"I dunno." I said hazily. He was standing to my left and seemed reluctant to touch me to help me up, but also seemed unwilling to let me die on his floor unattended.

"You need to eat. Lord knows if you die everyone will blame me even though its your own idiotic fault." He said with an annoyed sigh leaving momentarily to get me something from his drawer. A granola bar. I took it hesitantly wondering what the chances of him killing me with poison would be at Hogwarts itself.

"Thanks." I muttered not opening it and just leaning exhausted against one of the cauldrons I had put on the floor to clean after I got tired of standing. He opened his mouth to chastise me again, but the fire in his fireplace turned green and in a second Malfoy Sr. stepped through.

"Shit." I heard Snape mutter and for a brief second he looked scared before his bastard mask was back in place perfectly.

"Lucius! I wasn't expecting you." He said with a hint of annoyance that seemed highly restrained. He spun around and walked over to Lucius as if I didn't exist, still too tired to stand up on his floor. Malfoy Sr. didn't seem to notice me and smiled at Snape pouring himself a whisky.

"Of course not. I just wanted to stop in and see how things were going before our meeting. I know you have a lot on your plate trying to figure out why the Dark Lord can't kill potter." He said pouring Snape his own whisky. Snape took it gratefully and turned so that I couldn't see Malfoy. My mind turned processing what he said. So Harry WASN'T killable?

"Not yet, but I should have something soon. I was actually in the middle of something Lucius." Snape said tersely drinking his whiskey quickly from what I could see. Lucius seemed to finally notice me slumped against the cauldron still gathering myself from almost passing out. His excitement was almost tangible seeing me.

"Well, well. Look what we have here! Severus, you have yourself a little toy and you didn't even offer to share?" Lucius said stalking around Snape and to me eagerly taking in my disheveled appearing and assuming the worst. I glared at him and struggled back to my feet refusing to let him tower over me. I was just over five foot so he was unfortunately still towering over me, but I felt better at least.

"I'm not his toy. I was doing detention." I snapped annoyed at his vulgarity. He smiled and looked me up and down vulgarly, his blond hair shorter than before. If he wasn't a death eater and horrible human being I might have been flattered

"My…haven't we grown up." He said hungrily, his eyes raking me even though I was fully clothed. I used to have more curves before stress kicked in, but apparently I still had some left thankfully. He tried to reach for me, but I smacked his hand away forcefully.

"Don't touch me." I snapped daring him to try again. I would love nothing better than to try some of my curses on him. He chuckled darkly.

"So feisty. You know…the Dark Lord has been asking for a way to terrorize the little brat. Stealing his girlfriend and torturing her would do quite nicely." He mused backing up to discuss with Snape.

"She's a student. The headmaster…"

"We will obliviate her before we bring her back. No harm done. She will assume it was just me if I'm the one who brought her back." Malfoy Sr. reasoned thoughtfully. I thought Snape would argue more and come to my defense, but he just watched me darkly not moving or doing anything to indicate he cared at all.

"Professor?" I pleaded starting to get a little panicked by his lack of action. He paced towards me and I was sure he was going to save me, but he grabbed his mask from a drawer I was standing in front of and nodded to me.

"Let's go." He was devoid of all emotion grabbing me by my arm and shoved me on the fire throwing the floo powder in. He didn't send me to Malfoy manor since it was blocked off so even once we got into the little shack he sent me to he, we had to walk to Malfoy's house.

I wanted to scream for help. Run away. Do something to get away from them, but no sooner had I decided on an exit plan did Snape give me a dark warning glare. I wasn't sure what would happen if I tried to escape into the darkness but I suspected it was worse than Voldemort.

Malfoy's house was grand and had exquisite marble everywhere we walked. I didn't have time to process. I was at the feet of Voldemort in seconds of coming in, thrown in a heap like garbage being tossed to the curb.

I didn't feel so stupid for hating Snape after seeing how fast he was betraying me.

"You've brought me a gift?" Voldemort hissed sitting in what had to be described as a throne in the middle of a hall at Malfoy Manor. My breath came in ragged and my exhaustion was going to be a severe hindrance in my fight with them, I was sure of it. I looked up at his snake like face and gasped in horror seeing myself surrounded by the hooded figures. That's why they were coming here, they were already coming anyways for some sort of meeting.

My hands went cold seeing Voldemort's smile and I didn't even have time to prepare before I was hit with his first curse.