PRIVATEHermione opened her eyes, and looked around. It seemed she was in hospital ward, and for a moment she believed it was Hogwart's. She soon realized it was not, because of two death eaters standing guard at the door. She then noticed Snape on his knees at her bedside, his head buried in his arms. She lifted her hand and gently twirled his hair with her fingers, which was surprisingly silky. Snape lifted his head, his face full of grief.
"Hermione, you're awake," he said startled. He stood up and poured some water into a glass from a nearby jug. He lifted her head and allowed her to slip slowly. When he thought she had enough, he gently helped her into a sitting position. She stared quietly into his eyes saying nothing. She had so many questions but she was waiting for him to say something.
* * * * *
"Thank-you Harry for coming so quickly. I am sorry to interrupt Quidditch practice but I thought there was something that you ought to know," said Dumbledore apologetically.
Harry nodded and held his breath. He knew Dumbledore would only call him if it were extremely important.
"I have some news regarding Hermione actually. It seems that Severus has found her but now they are both under the watchful eye of Voldemort. You see he wants Severus to train Hermione, bring her over to his side," said the Wizard. Harry looked aghast.
"But Professor Snape is on our side?" Harry said confused.
"Yes, but he is also being held against his will and rather than abandon Hermione, he will try prevent what Voldemort wants to and will do,"
"Is she alright?" Harry dared to ask. Dumbledore shook his head at this.
"I am afraid she has been severely beaten, raped and will have permanent scars from the torture that she has suffered," Dumbledore's eyes filled with tears as he said the words. Harry reaction was the same.
"Why did they torture her, I mean if they wanted her on their side?" Harry said his voice shaking from the anger welling up inside him.
"Harry, they or should I say he wanted to find out where you live in the summer, but without Voldemort's knowledge,"
"Who is he, Lucius Malfoy you mean?" Harry did not look at the Professor as he said it; not wanting to believe it was true. When he did finally look up, Dumbledore nodded. Harry's hand tightened around the leather of the chair, his nails although short, piercing the material with force.
"Voldemort actually saved her life, Lucius was about to kill her," Harry jumped out the chair and began pacing. He did not know how to control all the emotions that he was feeling.
"How do you know all this?" demanded the boy with scar.
"Severus managed to owl me a letter before he was taken to Voldemort's hideout!" Dumbledore leaned back into his chair and quietly watch Harry. It was almost though he could see what was running through the boy's mind. 'All the conflict and the pain of possibly losing Hermione, might be to much for him,' Dumbledore thought to himself.
"Harry, Hermione is strong and with Severus she might pull through," Harry stopped pacing and leaned forward against the Professor's desk.
"Might, might is not enough, I don't mean any disrespect Professor, but when you die, it will be up to Hermione and I to defeat Voldemort, and apparently I can not do it on my own, I don't even know where to begin!" shouted Harry was now very agitated.
"Well that is the other reason you are here," said Dumbledore trying to calm him. "You will start training with the Order of the Phoenix, preparing you for what will come your way later. The training Hermione will be receiving will be similar, but in order to defeat you, if she turned against us. But with both of you, you could easily destroy Voldemort!" The Headmaster stood up and walked around to where Harry was standing. He pointed at Harry's heart.
"This is where it is Harry, this is what will bring Hermione back to us and this is what will save us all from Voldemort!"
Harry looked up, tears in his eyes and flung his arms around the old Professor.
"I don't want you to die, you are like family to me!" cried Harry. Dumbledore pulled Harry away from him, his hands on Harry shoulders. He looked the Harry in the eye.
"Harry, I will always be with you, just as you always feel the presence of your parents, I will be your instinct!" he said with conviction.
* * * * * *
When Snape finished explaining exactly what Dumbledore explained to Harry, Hermione's eyes were wide with panic.
"But I never would turn, you know that Professor?" Hermione protested. Snape nodded.
"You also don't know how strong Voldemort is, Hermione there is something else that I need to tell you, and it will be quite a blow," Snape tried to prepare her but Hermione could already tell from the look on his face.
"My parents are dead aren't they?" she said before Snape could tell her. He nodded sadly.
"I thought as much," the tears started flowing freely, down her cheeks.
"We all have lost to Lucius and Voldemort," said Snape bitterly. Hermione bit her lip before asking her next question wondering how he would react.
"Who is Marie?" she asked quietly. Snape got up off his knees; his body ached from being in the position so long. He walked over to a nearby armchair and pulled it up close to the bed. After getting comfortable, Snape told Hermione the story.
"I was in Paris on Hogwart's business about three years ago when I met Marie at a street café. She was beautiful, happy and she lifted me out of the darkness. We fell deeply in love but her being a muggle, I thought it safer she stayed in Paris. Lucius Malfoy somehow found out. He has been watching me for a long time trying to find out whether I am really loyal. When he found Marie, he threatened to kill her if I did not show my loyalty by bringing Harry to Voldemort. Of course summer had just begun, so I gave him a flimsy excuse about having something else to work on from Voldemort, and that is when he hid Marie from me," Snape noticed Hermione was crying again. Snape was astonished. 'Why would Hermione care about his loss?' he thought to himself.
"Oh, Professor I am so sorry, Marie told me of someone, but I did not know it was you," Hermione mumbled eventually.
"Where is she, you should be with her?" Hermione asked perplexed looking around the room for Marie. Snape look at her sceptically.
"What do you mean Hermione, she is dead, she was killed in front of you!" he spat venomously. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to remember what had happened. She recalled Lucius coming in and starting to beat her and then, yes Marie had come in and tried to block him from hurting Hermione. Lucius killed her, with the Avada Kedavra curse; her body was flung into the corner like a rag doll.
"Oh I am sorry Professor, I did not remember till now," she said desperately. "She tried to prevent Lucius from hurting me and got in the way, he killed her!"
Snape looked away from her but she still saw his face crumple with tears. She tried to comfort him but he wanted to be left alone. Eventually she drifted off into a disturbed sleep, all the information had been too much for her to take in her weak state.