Discovery

The grounds were the most peaceful at night; there were no pesky children running around, or thundering gamekeepers to watch for. No, he liked the castle when it was quiet and dark outside, with the stars shining bright enough to light his path.

It was this time of solitude that kept him sane despite the countless bouts of Crucio. Suddenly, a thick Oomph! was heard and Severus tensed himself, wand at the ready. Quickly, he scanned the area around him, finally spotting a flash of silver in the darkness.

Cautiously, he approached the place with his wand in front of him, a hex on his lips as he prepared himself to be ambushed. What he did not count on was Draco Malfoy struggling with a body.

"What are you doing here, Draco?" demanded Snape, stunned by the fact his godson was carrying the missing Miss Granger, and even more so by the fact that her blood was everywhere.

Draco glared at Snape with fear and defiance, struggling to hold onto Hermione while aiming his wand at Snape's heart.

"Don't you touch her, you Death Eater bastard," said the boy in a dangerous voice, "If you try to stop me or take us back to Father, I will kill you."

Warily, Snape lowered his arm, not reacting when the boy Summoned it to him and placing it in his robes.

"Come, we must bring her to the Infirmary at once, or else she will be lost."

Suddenly, the girl let out an agonized moan, startling Draco into releasing his vise-like grip. Catching the girl in his arms, Severus had no choice but to cradle her thin form against his chest as he walked quickly to the castle, Draco fast on his heels.

"I can't heal her, Albus," said a distraught Poppy Pomfrey, tears in her eyes, "There are complications. Her injuries..."

Disbelief, followed swiftly by anger, clouded Snape's face. He himself had suffered injuries similar to the girl's, and been Healed. If she said she couldn't do it now, she had to be lying. What possible reason could keep such a powerful mediwitch as Poppy Pomfrey from Healing the girl, except an ulterior motive?

"Can't? You mean won't," he laughed harshly, the venom in his voice unbearable. He couldn't believe she wasn't going to at least try to Heal her minor wounds.

As Albus watched the anger in his young friend's eyes grow, he placed a hand on his shoulder, his grip reassuring. Furious at the mediwitch's refusal, he was shaking as he turned and walked away from the girl. Suddenly, he shook the older wizard's grasp off violently, and darted back to her body, raising his wand.

"If you won't save her, I will."

"Severus, NO!" cried Poppy and Albus at the same time, the former throwing herself at him, too late as he cast the spell, white-blue light shooting from his wand and hovering over the girl's body.

"Totus corporis sanum!"

As the spell connected, Hermione's body convulsed, her chest rising from the bed, her hands palm-up spreading themselves apart. All at once a bright, powerful light exploded from her mouth, ears, nostrils, fingertips, and toes as a bloodcurdling shriek tore itself from her throat, unearthly and making his heart tremble in fear. He had never heard such a cry in all his years.

As he watched, scars along her body and face split open, the holes in her palms and feet re-opening with a vengeance, and several loud, sickening Crack!s could be heard as bones were re-broken. Seconds later, Hermione's body collapsed before their eyes.

All three stood frozen, shock arrested on their faces. Before their eyes a strange symbol slowly burned its way onto her right arm. Blood dripped on the floor as it charred the pure white of her skin, as well as trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Choking back a sob, Poppy rushed to her side, flicking her wand, taking readings. She didn't have time to spare to vent her anger at Severus, not when precious seconds were drained onto the Infirmary floor. Albus Dumbledore, however, had plenty of time.

There was no twinkle in his eyes as he looked at his Potions Master, only a cold fury that shook Snape to his core. His normally gentle and comforting blue eyes were frigid and chipped as ice as he spoke, his voice lined with steel:

"You will leave the Infirmary immediately, Severus. I did not think a day would come when you endangered the life of one of your pupils. Wait for me in my office; go."

Snape shivered inwardly at this change in his mentor; this was the cold, relentless man who was feared by Voldemort, who had defeated the first evil Lord of this century. So numb with shock, he left the ward silently without his usual hatefulness for the first time in years, and strode up the staircases to the Headmaster's office.

Draco had been sent to the Headmaster's office as soon as Hermione was taken to the Infirmary. Unable to remain seated by the fire, he had placed himself by a window, the glass frosted and cold. When Snape walked in, he shifted a hand to his pocket, protecting the wands he carried.

When Dumbledore came in, it was to see the two of them at opposite ends of the room. At his entrance, however, they both jerked to attention and turned to him.

"Miss Granger has suffered many injuries, and will require assistance once she awakes. I am afraid she will be delirious with fever," here he paused, then looked directly at his Potions Master.

"You will help her recover, Severus. You are to mentor her, keep her safe, aid in bringing her back to herself."

/In other words, atone for causing her so much suffering./, thought Snape, his heart shivering at the memory of her unearthly screams. Squaring his shoulders is resignation, he nodded to his mentor and walked from the office.

"Now, Mister Malfoy, I do believe you have quite a story to tell me."

Albus watched as the young Slytherin continued to stare out the window, his eyes shuttered and bleak.

Slowly, Albus got to his feet, and padded across the room, behind the boy. Gently, he laid a strong, aged hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You have my word, young Draco; no one may pass onto Hogwarts grounds without my knowledge or consent. Neither Voldemort nor your father will be capable of removing you from my care by force."

He felt, more than heard, the boy exhale painfully. His eyes focused somewhere in the darkness, he began to speak.

When he arrived in the Infirmary, Poppy scowled fiercely at him, and then waved him to a chair close to the fireplace but where he would still be able to watch over the girl. Without a sound he watched as the Healer bandaged the girl's injuries the Muggle way, tightly tying the wraps and splints to her body.

Finally, after taking numerous readings, the mediwitch left the two alone: the girl unconscious, the man silent and brooding.

As she slept, he kept watch. A few hours later she stirred, and opened her eyes slowly, turning solemn when she caught sight of him. His heart clenched tightly, most curious, as he saw the resigned denial in her eyes.

"No," she said in a harsh whisper, shaking her head lightly, "No, no-this is a dream. I'll wake up in my cell-just a dream."

She let out a soft sob as tears fell from her eyes, large and wet with sadness.

"Only a dream. Not real; not real. Wake up, wake up."

Her body began to spasm as she thrashed weakly around her bed. He rose and walked quickly to her side, taking hold of her arms and restraining her gently. A strange feeling welled up inside him as he held her, as he looked into her eyes. There was such pain there, such suffering. Knowing Lucius as he did, he was familiar with the man's usual tactics, and damned him for it.

"I dreamed of you," she murmured, closing her eyes again, "I dreamed for so long you would find me, rescue me, from Him. You never came, though. You never came; I waited, and waited, but you never came."

"I did not know you were taken by Lucius, Miss Granger," he said, then hesitantly asked:

"Why would you dream of me?"

But his question went unanswered as she had already fallen asleep again, her face still and calm, unmarred as yet by nightmares still to come.

A.N.:

Disclaimer: All characters recognizable belong to J.K. Rowling; everything else is mine.

Translation:

Totus corporis sanum = totus (complete) corporis (body) and sanum (heal)