AN: Thank you to all that supplied me with titles for chapter 3, decided on Here is My Heaven (thanks Keita) but Where is My Hell? (Added that part myself J ) And I am SO BLOODY SORRY for the long wait, but when summer started, work overwhelmed, then school started, and I hate it. But hey, there's only 33 weeks left!
Severus cried out in pain. He had never felt anything like this. He opened his eyes slowly. Space. That was all he saw. He tried to move, but was unable to. He craned his neck and saw that he was 'chained' to nothing.
There was no way to explain it. He was floating in this 'space', chains holding his arms out. He could feel the strain on his lungs. He had been crucified.
He managed another weak cry, and then began to look around more. He heard screams. So many people were screaming. But where were they coming from.
He looked down. He saw hands reaching for him from the blackness below him. He gasped as one touched his foot.
"Get back!"
Do they frighten you? I can call them back…
Severus froze. What was this?
"Who are you?"
Why do you care? In essence, you are my captive, all mine.
"Are you Voldemort?"
No, Severus, even I do not sink that low.
"I have heard your voice before…"
Indeed.
"Morte?"
In a fashion, but call me Bellerophon.
"Bellerophon? He was the prince in mythology that tamed the Pegasus with Athena's golden halter."
Very good, a Potions Master knows his mythology.
Severus heard the sound of hooves walking towards him. A pure white horse stood in front of him, its blood red eyes glaring at him.
Severus Snape, you have been a very naughty boy…
"What? What are you talking about?"
You shoved He who must not be named from the girl's body, when he briefly inhabited yours, he chained your soul so deep, that even you could not break out.
"What are they?" Severus whispered, jerking his head to indicate the souls floating around him.
They are the souls that you have killed. You harbor them inside yourself. They have waited for this moment, to taunt you, to break you, as you did to them.
"What if I could get out?"
You couldn't. If you did get free, it is a maze through yourself to reach the surface. You are not strong enough.
"Shut up, Bellerophon." Severus said wearily. The white horse tossed his head and laughed.
You are telling me to shut up? You are the foolish one Severus.
He looked at the horse. Bellerophon's eyes penetrated Severus' body. He felt it, deep inside of him, like a volcano about to erupt.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Why, Severus? Why should I? Why should the souls of those you have killed? They want their revenge, shouldn't they have it? Maybe I enjoy this? Did you think of that?
"Hermione…" Severus whispered, barely audible. Bellerophon tilted his head and flicked his ears forward.
Oh! I see…The evil potion's master wants a student to help him… Bellerophon's laugh cut through Severus' heart.
"Stop, please!" He felt his strength being drained from him. Bellerophon stared at him. The horse began to change. Hooves became hands and feet. White mane became bushy brown hair. White fur was transformed into tan skin.
"No, don't!" Bellerophon had become Hermione.
"Why not, Severus? Isn't this what you want?" She looked at the souls that were taunting Severus. "Back." They sunk into the space.
"Leave me alone…" Severus whispered weakly. Bellerophon walked forward and placed Hermione's hands on Severus' chest.
"I thought you wanted me…"
She leaned forward and kissed him gently.
"No…NO!!! BELLEROPHON!!!!"
Hermione Granger sat in front of Albus Dumbledore. Draco sat at her side. "Ms. Granger, what happened to you?"
"Which time?" She asked dryly. Dumbledore arched an eyebrow. Draco looked at Hermione, she had changed. Hermione opened her mouth to tell them what had happened when the fire behind Dumbledore's desk ignited. Madam Promfrey's face appeared.
"Headmaster! Something is wrong with Severus!" The three of them leapt to their feet. Hermione was the first one down the stairs. She ran all the way to the hospital wing.
The door burst magically open and they ran in. Morte was pacing angrily, trying to get closer to Severus, but Poppy wouldn't allow him.
"What's happened, Poppy?"
"I don't know, Albus. I was sitting in my office when he began to scream. He was screaming Ms. Granger's name, and Bellerophon."
"Bellerophon?" Draco asked.
"Bellerophon was a prince who tamed Pegasus in Greek mythology," Hermione supplied.
While Dumbledore and Poppy talked, Hermione edged closer to Severus' bed. She clasped his hand and leaned down next to him.
"I'm here…come back…Please…we need you…" He stopped convulsing, but his chest was still rising. His heart was beating faster and faster. She clung to his hand and continued to chant. "I'm here…come back…I'm here…"
Severus felt Bellerophon's hands all over his chest. He had stopped screaming quite some time ago. He felt Bellerophon's lips on his. He wanted to die.
"Does this bother you?" Bellerophon asked softly. Severus didn't answer. He wanted to give up. To quit, to die.
Bellerophon smiled wickedly. The smile distorted Hermione's features. She slapped him.
"Answer me, damn it!" He remained stoically silent.
Bellerophon screamed. As she tossed her head, bushy brown hair softened and returned to white mane. Brown eyes returned to fiery red. The horse had returned.
Bellerophon tossed his head angrily.
I will leave you now, so you can wallow in your misery. The souls of those he had killed returned and began to stroke him. He felt another scream welling up inside of him, but he clamped it down, knowing that if he started to scream now, he would never stop.
Hermione sat silently in front of the fire in the common room. She was bundled in blankets, but still she was cold. She felt as if she would never be warm again. She and Draco had sat with Severus for three hours before Poppy and Dumbledore had quit arguing.
Hermione's mind drifted back to the argument.
She sat next to Severus, holding his hand. Draco sunk into the chair next to her and sent her a weak smile.
"But Dumbledore, his soul is trapped! He will never come back! It would be more humane to just kill him!"
"No! Severus wouldn't want us to give up! Look at those children next to his bed! They do not want him or us to give up, so why are you?"
"There is no hope for him! You-Know-Who has trapped him deep inside himself. He will never come back. I must insist-"
Dumbledore slammed his hand onto the table. "Merlin damn it, Poppy! Call him by his name, VOLDEMORT!"
Hermione and Draco looked fearfully at each other. They had never seen Dumbledore loose his temper like that.
"You will NOT give up, am I making myself clear?! We will all work to get Severus back, and only in the case that we are sure he will not come back is when we give up, but until then, we try. And if we fail, we try again." He looked at Hermione and Draco.
"Ms Granger, Mr. Malfoy, good day." He turned and swept out of the hospital wing.
Hermione shook herself from the memory. She remembered when she was trapped in the deep place, and Severus came to her like an Angel, saving her. Suddenly she sat up.
"Oh my God," she whispered. She stood and bolted from the common room. She ran down the stairs and into the library, where Draco was sitting, doing DADA homework.
She flung herself into the chair across from him.
"Draco, I need your help."
He looked at her. "For what, why can't Potter help you?"
"Because he doesn't want Severus back, and you do."
"You know how to get him back?"
She smiled. "I know how to bring him back."