Disclaimer: So, nothing has changed here…
A/N: I've provided the short version of the incident to avoid my rambling of details. You get the idea, I don't really think that any more discussion is necessary. Remember that things always get worse before they get better. We're building up to a great climactic event here…
Hermione's potions work was going well. She had spent most of her time doing research in the library and she would work in the dungeons over Christmas. She had been totally immersed in her work. The week before break, the owl came.
Hermione,
I am sorry about what happened at the match. Meet me in Hogsmeade Saturday for a drink. We have to talk.
Viktor
Talk about what? I hope he wants to call this whole thing off. I'm sure that's what it is. He wants to dump me.
Two days later, Hermione appeared in Hogsmeade at the usual table. Viktor came in, grabbed her by the arm and dragged behind the little store. He accused her of cheating on him with Ron. She tried to explain but it made no difference to him at all. She just resigned herself to her punishment, finding out long ago that fighting it only made it worse. With one final blow, she blacked out.
Severus Snape was walking along the grounds at the school. It was a clear December day, a bit cool, but nice nonetheless. He was drawn to walk around the side of the school but didn't know why. When he saw a figure vanishing into the Dark Forest, he had a sneaking suspicion that it was none other than Viktor Krum. Sensing a relative uncalm in the air, he hurried his walk to see a figure lying face down in the grass. It was Hermione.
The next thing she knew she was being lifted from the ground. She struggled at first and then the smell filled her nostrils. It wasn't Viktor, the hands, the smell, none of it belonged to him. She didn't know who it was but whoever it was, he was warm, gentle, and felt safe. She lay comfortably in his arms as she was rushed away from the grass.
Severus rolled her over and looked away from the sight that met him. Her hair was bloodily plastered to the side of her face. When he gently moved it out of her eyes, he saw the damage that had been done. She was a mess beneath him. He felt her struggle, scared and panicked as he put his hands under her to lift her up. He whispered to her and bent over her to pull her into him. She had calmed, her breathing regulated. Severus pulled her close to him as if trying to protect her from everything in the world. He ran as fast as he could, she lay lightly in his arms like an angel. Before making it back, she had put a hand on his chest, burying her head in his chest. She fit so well there. He didn't want to ever put her down.
Minerva McGonagall had seen the episode from her window and met the two at the front doors to the school.
"Did you see who did this?"
"Don't be thick Minerva. Who do you think did it?"
"I mean, did you see him?"
"I saw him as he ran into the forest. At least he brought her back to me… er, the school."
Minerva pretended that she didn't hear his slip. "Let's get her upstairs to Poppy."
Hermione felt herself being laid on a cot in the infirmary and panicked as the warmth and safety of the arms left her. She could still hear him. It was Severus Snape and he sounded almost enraged. She could feel light hands on her head and she looked up to see Madam Pomfrey washing her face. Snape stood in the corner, a pained look in his eyes as he watched the mediwitch tend to her patient. Not ten minutes later, she lay asleep in the infirmary, dreaming of what happened, over and over again.
Severus Snape saw her twitching in her sleep. He had decided to stay and wait for her to awaken. She began to turn her head first to the left, then to the right, the pain was reflected in her face. Her arms shot up to guard her face as she began to cry. He couldn't take it. He rushed to her bedside and put his hands against hers, not to take them into his own, he didn't want to alarm her. She stopped moving momentarily and put her arms down. She was still dreaming. He softly pushed a lock of hair away from her face and whispered to her.
"Everything is fine. I'm right here. You're safe. You're going to be fine." Hermione breathed deeply and went back to sleep but before she did, she thought she heard him whisper 'I think I….' She smiled to herself and fell fast asleep breathing in his scent made the dreams of Viktor go away.
Severus sat down in an armchair in his rooms and pulled out an old tattered photo album. He lovingly looked at the pictures of the young girl inside it. She was beautiful. Her hair was black as ebony and fell to her waist. The girl in the picture was 10 maybe 11 years old. She looked at the young boy beside her, two years older with adoration in her eyes. As he turned the page, he saw the same young girl, perhaps three years older still clinging to the young man by her side who was proud and protective over this young woman. Her eyes were solid green yet bright and inviting. He sat back in his chair. He knew what the next pages would soon show. As he quickly thumbed through the rest of the album, the beautiful figure dwindled and extinguished like a smoldering fire. The final page showed an older version of the young boy who sat alone on a bench crying. That boy was now a man, a young man. As Severus peered closer, he could see the dark mark on the young man's inner arm. He closed the book and tilted his head back to the ceiling.
"Gods, Jenna, do you know that I still think about you? There isn't a day that goes by that you're not in my thoughts and my dreams…"
He closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. He knew that he had to reach Hermione, before it was too late. The lingering image of the ebony haired woman infused his senses. I have to do something for her. Hermione is your second chance Severus, to do for her what you couldn't do for Jenna. But, is it more than that? I don't know… I just don't know…
A/N: So, who is the mysterious Jenna? You've probably already guessed, but if you haven't I'm not going to tell you, not yet anyway.
