AN: Wow…I'm on a semi-decent roll. Now, if the reviews would actually show up, it would be a great help. And thank you to the reviewer who told me that Ron's last name was spelled wrong. And there may be some OOCness, but what is a fanfic without it? And thank you for all the titles for the previous chapter, I still need to go through them and pick which one I like best, but I may use them for other chaps to!
Morte flew around the castle. Severus looked around. He knew the doors would be locked and only a password from Albus (or powerful dark magic) would open them. Hermione knew this too.
"How do we get in, Professor?"
"Grab my wand, point it at the window in the Great Hall and fire away." Snape replied easily.
"We're going to break a window to get in?"
"Why not?" Hermione shrugged and gripped his ebony wand. She pointed it at the large window.
"Shatterium totalius." She said. The window shattered.
Draco Malfoy sat at the Slytherin table in between Crabbe and Goyle.
"Anyone notice Granger isn't back yet?" He asked.
"Who cares?" Someone replied.
"Yeah, but Snape's gone too."
"What are you trying to say, Malfoy," Ron snapped from Gryffindor table, "that Snape and Hermione ran off together? Yeah right!"
"What Weasley, jealous?" Malfoy smirked.
"Hey! Draco! What's that?!" Pansy said softly. He turned and saw a great, black shape hovering outside the window.
"What the…" Suddenly, the window shattered. People screamed as the glass flew everywhere. The black shape flew in and landed right in between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables.
It was a Pegasus. People stared. Most had never seen a horse before, let alone a flying horse.
"Severus!" Dumbledore cried, standing up. "You found her?"
"Yes, Albus…Alive and mostly in one piece," Snape replied curtly, swinging off of Morte.
Hermione slid down and looked around, curiously, like she had never seen the Great hall before.
"And…were there any signs of the Dark Lord?" Albus said softly. The Great Hall went silent.
"I did not see any-" He was cut off by a curt laugh from Hermione.
"That's why you're such a fool Severus. Really, a brilliant mind, but a bit underused…teaching potions all day, spending your nights withering away in the dungeons. And I thought you had better things to do." She laughed again. It was cold, heartless. It was a sound that no one ever expected to hear from Hermione Granger.
"Why so stiff Severus? Really, you are quite warm, though I fancy females myself." Severus turned slowly and stared at Hermione. Silence befell the Great Hall as he stared at her.
"Voldemort?" He asked softly, hardly daring to believe it.
"Very good, Severus!" Voldemort/Hermione laughed coldly again. "And I really must thank you for giving me such free entrance to this place. Ah…Hogwarts, how I have missed it." He/She sighed dramatically.
"And just think. If Dumbledore hadn't sent you looking and you hadn't gotten lost, and then so foolishly brought her back, I would still be out there, nearly dead."
"But…I thought you had your body back?" A brave student whispered softly. Voldemort/Hermione turned to the Ravenclaw table and a strange grimace passed over his/her face.
"Unfortunately, the body that dear Harry Potter helped me make was too weak for the magic I was putting through it. It began to decay from the inside out. I had no choice but to take an insubstantial form yet again."
"Where is Hermione?" Ron asked.
"She is here…inside…screaming…she never stops screaming…quite annoying really." He/she tapped his/hers forehead.
"She's in the deep place."
Hermione's eyes flew open. She was just above the silver lake. "Why am I back? I didn't want to come here!"
She flapped her large black wings, trying to fly away. She gave a muffled scream when she looked down. Her ankles and wrists were bound by chains. The chains came out of the silver lake itself. They hurt, a lot. She felt a sob rise from within her.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!" She screamed, straining against the chains. She wanted out, she wanted to leave. She no longer felt safe.
Hermione?
Help me!
I can't, for the Dark Lord has bound me as well.
The…the Dark Lord?
Yes, he has…taken you…chained your soul to this very place…
My…soul?
Yes. If you can not break free…you will die. Truly this time. Not the sleeping death you have been experiencing, but a deep, painful death.
He has chained you too?
Yes…I must leave now…I am too weak…
NO!! Don't leave me! Please!!
Hermione…I'm sorry!
Her chest heaved, her wings beat fruitlessly, and she knew she was trapped.
"You have sent her there, Voldemort." Severus said softly.
"Yes, I did. She fought…bravely. But I won in the end. I always do, you know that though, don't you, Severus?" He/she asked mockingly. A low growl escaped Severus' lips. He lunged, catching Voldemort and the Great Hall off guard.
"You forget one thing, Voldemort! You may be the strongest and most powerful dark wizard ever, but you currently inhabit the body of a girl that has been starved, beaten, battered and raped! Physically, you are NOTHING!" His voice cut through the hall like a cold slap.
Severus slammed Voldemort/Hermione onto the Slytherin table.
"No! Severus!" It was Hermione's voice.
"Do not try to trick me, Voldemort. I have lived in your shadow for far too long." He leapt onto the table next to him/her. "Hermione," he whispered so only her ears heard, "If you can hear me, I'm sorry."
He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Voldemort screamed.
"Severus! What are you doing?! Severus?!?!"
His body went limp. He lay there on the Slytherin table, draped across Hermione's pale body.
Hermione had long since given up. She had no way to tell how much time had gone by since she had entered this place, but it felt like an eternity. She wanted to be free.
"Harry, Ron, everyone…" She lapsed into silence again. There was no use for self pity. She felt another wave of hot tears roll down her face. She watched as they hit the silver lake. Ripples went out, seemingly forever; they grew larger and larger, just like her own despair.
Hermione!
She looked up in surprise. She saw a dark shape approaching her, flapping wings as large as the person was tall.
Severus! How? What?
No time for questions, Hermione, I don't have much time here.
He flared his wings and came to a lazy halt in front of her. He reached out and touched her cheek.
Sorry. He leaned forward and gave her a chaste kiss. Her eyes widened in shock. She felt her bonds begin to break.
Fly Hermione! Fly from this place!
What about you?
GO! NOW! BEFORE HE COMES!
Hermione gave him a startled look then flapped her way up. She felt sudden resistance, but continued to push forward. It was like trying to fly through half-dried blood. She burst free suddenly.
She heard a cry from deep within herself as the Dark Lord was thrown from her.
Hermione's eyes flew open. She felt a heavy weight resting across her and was surprised to see the pale face of Severus. She worked her way out from under him.
"Severus! Severus!"
"Hermione! Is that you?" Ron asked.
"SEVERUS!" She screamed, desperately trying to wake him up.
"Severus is gone, dear girl. And thanks again to his foolishness, I now have his body!"
AN 2: I wanted to make this chap a little longer, I hope you all enjoy it. Now...if the reviews would show up, I would be very J