It was very late, about 4 am perhaps, when Filch and Severus burst into his office holding a tiny black robed figure between them. Severus held a strange unreadable expression in the place of his usual scowl as Argus sneered.

"Look what we found creeping in the hall up to you office." he pushed back the figures hood and long tresses of sliver hair fell over the young woman's face, still hiding her identity but revealing that she was injured and bleeding.

" Good god, She's bleeding set her here Severus." he stood and motioned to a chair that sat before his desk.

Severus delicately set the limp body in the chair, brushing away the hair from her face only to reveal more bleeding and bruises as he kneeled before her.

Albus looked at Filch gravely, "Argus...please fetch Poppy."

"But headmaster she 'tis but a damn meddling intruder, why-"

" You heard the man, get Poppy...now." Snape glared at filch within seconds of his protest as he spoke in a deadly quiet voice he saved for only he most incompetent of students.

After Filch had left Albus turned to Snape and the petite silver-haired woman.

" Have you any idea who she may be, Severus?"

He said nothing, but took one limp arm in hand and unbuttoned the cuff of the robes rolling up the right sleeve to the upper forearm, and there as plain as day was the dark mark identical to his own.

Albus sighed, " She came here on orders then I suppose."

"No." he retorted, "She fled here. We did not do this to her, we found her this way, barely aware of where she was. also she has taken a truth serum of her own accord. I found this in her robe pocket." In his hand he held a small vial that smelled heavily of the serum. Then the visitor stirred.

" Yes I had to, so I could make sure I did not back out of this or tell any lies that might hinder the truth. Thank Severus for bringing me here when I am gone."

"Gone? You are going nowhere until all of my questions have been answered. Firstly and fore mostly are you in a great deal of pain?"

"Yes."

"Why? What happened and who did this to you?"

" I have broken ribs, and that is as much as I know injury wise. I was beaten. My colleagues."

Filch returned with Poppy just as she finished speaking. Poppy exclaimed that she must be moved at once to the hospital wing immediately when Severus stopped her.

" Wait I have one more question."

He placed his hand under the woman's chin and tilted her face up so that it was level with his own as his black eyes searched those piercing green eyes of hers.

"Who are you?"

"A...a dead woman."

And with that she went limp falling forward into his arms and he whispered in her ear though he doubted she could hear him,

"Who are you?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

-The next thing I knew I found myself sitting at her bedside for the two weeks that she slept in St.Mungos. I found it hard to leave her side even to eat meals. I slept there so that was not a problem at all. Now I thank the gods that it happened during summer, I have no idea how I would have explained that off. No one knew I was there not Even Dumbledore.-

"Something about her intrigued me..."

As Severus walked he was so deeply immersed in thought that he almost missed the entrance to his own office and personal dormitory.

The moment he had hung up his robes and lit the fireplace he poured himself a glass of wine just before sitting down in front of the fireplace in his favorite chair, It was hard and lumpy, worn and tattered. -Just like me.- he remarked to himself cynically.

As he watched the flames dance he fell back into thought, failing to notice that some one now stood in his door way watching him silently for quite some time before they took a seat next to him.

"Hello McCoy"

"Hullo Snape. It's been a long time since we last spoke. I was beginning to think you had forgotten me."

His anger flared as he half-shouted " Damn you woman! I wouldn't even if I could! And god knows I can't! Gods I whish.... you...you..." He turned to look at her only to see a triumphant smirk that played across her tiny and delicate features.

"I?"

"You are unforgettable. My life has been dull without my silver-haired angel singing in my life."

With all of that said she burst out laughing.

"How are you my old friend?"

"No better...no worse...", he smiled.

" You should write romance novels. If you had been serious you would have had my heart in your hands."

"Really that good?"

"My legs were weak beneath me, I felt as though my heart....and time it's self would stop for that one moment...for us my darling Severus." she made dreamy expressions and romantic intonations as she spoke, then they both burst out laughing once more.

"Your not to shabby at it yourself McCoy! Care for a glass of wine?"

" Gods yes! I thought you were just going to sit there and taunt me with that glass in your hands there."

"Now would I do that to an old friend?"

"Yes."

"...Then again I do suppose I would." He smirked and handed her a glass filled to the brim with red wine. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~