Miss Piratess: Thanks! You're the first reviewer for this fic :D

v-babe24: Wow! You're her cousin? Cool!! Thanks for the review, and this is the last chapter.

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Chapter 2 - Rescue is at hand!

Hermione woke up in the morning feeling stiff. She slowly sat up in the bed and looked around. She was in some kind of a room, but she couldn't remember coming here.

She pushed the covers off her and got out of bed. That's when she realized her clothes were torn. She remembered last night's incident.

"Oh God, Viktor." She whispered to herself and sat on the edge of the bed. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered.

Viktor was acting strange after they got out of the Burrow. She insisted on going home by foot and he didn't mind at all. After one hour of walking, Viktor stopped. He looked at her, and she felt that his eyes were emotionless. She knew what that look meant - he was under the Imperious Curse. She looked around them, trying to see who was there. To her surprise, Viktor grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. She struggled, but he was stronger than her. He slapped her when she tried to push him, and before she could reach her wand, he ripped her clothes. Then she saw him. A man wearing a black cloak and his face was hidden under a black hood walked to their direction. Her heart started to beat stronger. She has seen that outfit before. That man was a Death Eater, and when he spoke, she knew who he was - Lucius Malfoy.

"Kill her." He demanded in his cold voice, his wand held high and pointing at Viktor.

Hermione could see that Viktor was struggling against the curse. He wanted to do as he was told, but he was trembling.

"Viktor, please don't do it," she whispered.

"Kill her, now!" Lucius said.

Viktor reached for his wand, and when he was about to raise it, he shouted: "NO!"

He fell on his knees, panting. "No," he said in a whisper. He got up and turned to face the Death Eater. "No one kills my girl!" he said and raise his wand at Lucius.

"No, please don't! NO!" Hermione screamed as she saw Lucius raise his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!" Lucius said, and a green light erupted from his wand and hit Viktor straight on his chest. Viktor fell to the ground motionless, his eyes wide opened.

Hermione stared at him, tears filling her eyes. She looked at Lucius who was advancing on her. She was shaking; she didn't know what to do or what to think. The only thought that came to her mind was to run.

She ran through the dark streets, without looking back. When she felt that she wasn't being followed, she stopped. She was breathing heavily. Her body ached, and her legs were trembling. She looked around; she knew that place. Her teacher lived here and she decided to go to him for help. She didn't care that her clothes were torn, she didn't care that her hair was in a huge mess and that her face was bruised. Lucius Malfoy has just killed her friend.

She sat on the edge of the bed and put her face in her hands and cried. How could she let Malfoy kill Viktor? Why didn't she stop him? What was the use of being a member of the D.A. if she wasn't able to defend her friend?

"Oh Viktor, what have I done?" she asked herself between sobs.

A soft touch on her shoulder made her jump. She looked around and saw professor Snape looking at her with his cold eyes. Only they weren't cold this time. He looked at her with some kind of confusion.

"Are you all right Miss Granger?" he asked.

Of course she wasn't all right! She has failed! For the first time in her life she has failed to do something when she was supposed to!

She looked at him with wet eyes. She wanted to say something, but couldn't. She hang her head down and stared at her feet.

"I heard about what happened. Lucius was here last night," he said, "do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. She wanted to tell him everything, but she wasn't able to find her voice at this moment. She wanted to see Harry and Ron, but they didn't know where she was. Her parents must be worried about her now, but she wasn't able to say anything at this moment.

"I've sent an owl to Dumbledore and your parents," Snape said, "I told your parents that you have been attacked and now you are safe. Dumbledore is calling the Order for a meeting at Grimmauld Place."

She looked at him again, and this time she managed to smile. "Thank you," she said slowly.

"You must be hungry now," he said, "I've prepared breakfast and I was waiting for you to wake up."

"You didn't have to," she replied.

"But I did. Now, come on, go to the bathroom and wash your face. I'll be waiting for you in the kitchen."

He left the room and closed the door gently after him. Hermione stared at the door. Was this man her Potions teacher? Was this really Severus Snape, the one who kept insulting her during classes and taking points from Gryffindor just because she has asked a question or answered one?

She shook her head and got up. This was all confusing. She didn't know why did he act so calm with her, without any insults, and she didn't care. He helped her in her time of need. Lucius Malfoy was here last night and Snape had kept her safe. As she got up from the bed and headed to the bathroom, she made a mental note to thank him for everything.

"Feeling better?" Snape asked when he saw her enter the kitchen.

"Yes, thank you." She replied.

"Have a seat." He said.

Hermione sat at the table and stared at him. He was pouring some tea for the both of them, and she noticed that he looked different from professor Snape that she knows at school.

"Thank you for not telling him I was here," she said.

"If I told him, he would've made me do his dirty job for him." He replied as he sat down.

"He didn't even give him the chance to defend himself," she was about to cry again.

"I am sorry for your loss," he said and took a bite of bread, "after we finish breakfast, we are going to Grimmauld Place. You are going to stay there until the start of term."

"Why?"

"The Dark Lord wants you dead."

She was shocked. Why would Voldemort want to kill her? What interest did he have in her?

"Isn't he supposed to be after Harry?" she asked.

"He is, but your case is different. Apparently, they planned it in a few hours," he replied, "we will go to Grimmauld Place, and Dumbledore would know what to do next."

She nodded and continued eating her breakfast.

They went to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place by floo and Hermione noticed that most of the members of the Order were there already. She knew she had to relive everything that happened last night again, but when they were all seated around the meeting table, she looked at Snape who nodded to her and then she told them everything that happened.

When she finished, she was crying again. Mrs. Weasley was trying to comfort her, but she wasn't succeeding.

Snape told the order his part of the story and got up. He helped Hermione out of the kitchen and took her upstairs, to a room where she would rest. The Order would do the rest without her being there.

He entered a room on the first floor; not knowing whom it belonged. He took Hermione to the bed and helped her lay down.

"Try to relax," he said calmly, "I don't want to give you a relaxing potion because you will want more of it."

"Thank you, Sir." Hermione replied.

Snape was on his way out when she called him. He stopped and turned to her.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Why are you being nice to me?" she asked.

Snape smiled at her. It was the first time for Hermione to see her Potions teacher smile.

"Because I'm your teacher." He replied and walked out of the room, closing the door gently after him.

THE END