Okay, this is a one shot, written mostly because I don't want to do homework. Read, review, enjoy but if you don't, I won't be heartbroken.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Co., or else I wouldn't have to do homework.
The Letters From Someone
Chapter 1
Hermione was in a trance.
It would do her no use to try to read now, nothing would sink in. Her gaze was unfocused, hazy, her head slightly aching.
But all her blurry thoughts vanished when her laptop's screen flickered on.
Breaking out of her reverie, she crossed the small room in a few steps. "That's odd," she turned the screen off. "I was sure I'd shut that down." She hoped she wasn't getting a virus, her parents had just bought the computer for her a month ago.
As she turned away, however, she could hear the sound of the computer booting up. She whipped her head around to see a blank screen. Then she heard a clacking, the sound of keys depressing. Slowly and painstakingly, she saw letters appear on the screen, forming words. At last, the message was done.
IDF YOOU WAKNT HIMM, COMEW GTE HIM
Despite the spelling mistakes, Hermione could read the message with out problem.
If you want him, come get him.
But who?
SHSHSHSH
"Now, we'll see who comes running to your aid," Lucius chuckled, the Dark Lord behind him.
Severus struggled hard to keep his head from lolling to the side. It felt as if his head was twice the size of his body and three times as heavy. His right eye was swollen, he could feel it. Though it was true Voldemort loved using Unforgivables to torture prisoners, he preferred to be more hands on when it came to the punishment of his followers. Severus had to push the memory of Regalus Black being beaten to death out of his mind. No, when it came to brute force, Voldemort felt that the Muggles had gotten it right.
"She'll never come," Snape rasped out, not able to breathe out of his nose. He wondered faintly if it was broken. "And if she does, only because she thinks you mean Dumbledore or Sirius. Someone she cared about, who's no longer here. She'd never come if she knew it was me."
"Perhaps you're right. She definitely won't come yet. But believe me, if she does come, she'll know exactly who she's saving."
Chapter 2
Hermione tried to put the strange occurrence out of her mind. She'd been tired, her vision could hardly be trusted. And besides, what could that mean? Nothing added up.
And if she really had seen what she thought she'd seen, well then, it was probably a joke. One of the twins, or perhaps even Harry, though he'd not been in the joking mood ever since Dumbledore's death.
Hermione's heart leapt. What if it was Harry? Was he in trouble? Being held hostage? There were thousands of possibilities and Hermione's mind was running through all of them.
It was lucky the Daily Prophet had already been delivered to her house. First she scanned the headlines, then she read the articles and finally she went through every aspect of the paper with a fine tooth comb. And while there were more disappearances than usual, none of them involved Harry, in fact, all of the captured had been women.
A breath she hadn't known she'd been holding escaped Hermione and her heartbeat slowly returned to its normal pace. It was obvious the note was getting more to her than she'd admitted to herself.
Sighing, she flopped onto her bed, which, conveniently was straight across from her computer. As if willing it to share its secrets, Hermione stared at the screen. A part of her was hoping that she would hear the faint white noise of the computer start, and a part of her was terrified by the prospect.
Perhaps it was as she'd originally thought. Perhaps she had just been imagining things. She resolved to get more sleep and folded the lap top down.
Chapter 3
Severus could still feel the metal spikes ripping through his body. It hurt like hell, but he'd been broken worse times before, he was sure. But then he'd seen Lucius coming at him with a belt. A long black one with a silver buckle.
The smell of alcohol was on his breath, Severus knew what was going to happen.
Lucius began swinging the leather belt, whistling a jaunty tune.
"I come home from work and to what?" His father's harsh voice hurt Severus' four year old ears.
Severus began thrashing about before Lucius came within a yard of him.
"To a good for nothing ugly as hell wife and a kid who's not even mine!" He was pulling his mother's hair now, ripping a scream from her throat.
"I guess it was as the Dark Lord said," Lucius was amazed at how apoplectic Snape was becoming with out a hand being laid on him. He gazed at the weapon in his hands. "This thing frightens you more than anything else has."
"What are you looking at?" The angry eyes fell on him, paralyzing Severus in his tracks.
The man continued to stare at his son. Slowly, he threw his wife to the ground. He unbuckled his belt and started to advance on the little boy.
A wicked grin spread over Lucius' features. He drew the belt back and whipped it across Severus' already destroyed body.
The pain melted into white, searing heat and then Severus knew no more.
Chapter 4
Hermione had just gotten the message out of her head when it happened again. Once again, the keys started spelling out a message.
TIOME ISS RUNNIGN OUT. WLIL YOU JUTS SIT ANDX WATCIH HIOM DIEE?
"Time is running out. Will you just sit and watch him die?" Hermione read softly.
She waited, but there was no more. How was she supposed to help anyone if she had no clue who was in danger? In frustration, she banged her hands down on the keys.
RHAT WON''T KKEEP HIIIM SAGE.
That won't keep him safe? It took Hermione a moment to realize that the person was responding to the gibberish she'd typed in.
WHAT WILL? WHO'S IN DANGER? HOW CAN I HELP?
BE LOGICVAL.
And with that, the screen went blank.
Chapter 5
It was morning before Snape at last woke up. Looking down at the slash marks on his chest, Snape remembered the metal claws of the night before. But there were other marks, ones he knew all to well. Ones he'd spent a good part of his life trying to hide from everyone around him.
Lucius looked up. Snape knew he was physically exhausted, he could tell that Malfoy had been contacting Hermione again.. However, the man hid it wonderfully, if Snape hadn't known him so well, he'd of thought Malfoy was just as fresh as morning dew.
"It won't be long now. She's more like Harry than she knew. When push comes to shove, she won't shy away from the hero role."
"Are you so sure of that?" Severus fought to keep the conversation going. The second he stopped talking, the pain would begin once again.
"Positive."
Chapter 6
Hermione had to help who ever it was, there was no question of that. There was something in her heart that knew whoever was being held hostage shouldn't be. And though she knew that she should contact Harry or even Ron, she knew she couldn't. They were off chasing after Horcruxes.
But she couldn't sit on her behind and wait for them to come back for her to take action. Who knew how long the person had?
All she had to do was wait, wait for the mystery man to contact her again.
Chapter 7
Voldemort's spies had alerted the men when they'd seen the mudblood prepare. There was no doubt that she would be taking the bait. Now all they had to do was provide a proper trap in which to ensnare the little witch. Though they were sure she was high on adrenaline enough to short circuit her sense of judgment, she was still by reputation the brightest witch of her age.
Severus was brought to a secure area, one that would allow the use of a portkey, but only once. After that, no means of transportation would work, including Apparation. The scene was set, now all they had to do was wait.
HSHSHSHS
OLNY YOU CAN HEPL HIM NOW. YOU CAN SPTO HIS DETAH.
The words appeared on her screen just when Hermione was beginning to worry. She raced to her keyboard and typed out:
BUT HOW? TELL ME HOW!
A ring materialized next to Hermione's mouse.
YOU KWNO HOW.
She did.
HSHSHSH
It was the middle of nowhere. Hermione had no clue where she was. She could sense though, that someone was nearby. She followed her senses into a dilapidated house. She wondered briefly what had possessed her to do this. She would try to use the ring as a portkey to return home if she hadn't already discovered it was useless.
They hadn't made it hard to find the prisoner. Hermione could see he was in what was once most likely a living room. Cautiously, she treaded closer and closer to the figure.
'Stay back!'
Hermione jumped backwards. She had just heard someone in her mind!
'Don't come any closer! It's a trap!'
As if it had taken her this long to figure that out. But the fact remained that this person, whoever he may be was hurt and needed her help.
"I'm going to come closer sir," Hermione warned him.
'No, don't!'
But it was too late, Hermione was already standing in front of him.
"You," her voice held more venom and hate than she knew it was possible to feel. "You did this? You set me up!"
'Hermione, listen-'
Hermione could feel rather than hear Severus pleading with her.
"No, you listen! It's bad enough you killed Dumbledore, but this? Luring me here? I can't-" Hermione stopped, her eyes had found Severus' bare chest. "Oh God." She felt sick all of a sudden. "Oh God, they did that to you?"
Snape felt as if he was being crushed by her pity. He didn't want it, dammit! All he wanted was for her to escape, and time was running out.
'Get out!'
"Answer me." It was times like this when Hermione's stubbornness really came out to play.
'That's none of your concern! Get out!"
Hermione moved closer to the chair Snape was tied to. Instinctively, he lurched his chair away. But she advanced on him once again and put her hands on his face.
Gently, she probed into his mind. With a sickening clarity, she saw all that had been going on, the torture, the beatings. And before that, she felt his disgust with himself for killing Dumbledore. It was then she knew that Snape hadn't wanted to kill Albus. And at the moment, that was enough to make her trust him. She realized now, where she'd heard the phrase from the last message. I can teach you to put a stopper in death…
Wordlessly, she retreated from his mind. She began to untie his ropes, and gag.
'What are you doing?'
"You know, as much as I love you talking in my head, you can speak now." Hermione continued to untie him.
'It hurts too much. Why are you doing this?'
"Because," Hermione looked into his black eyes. "You would've done the same for me."
'They're coming for us, they know I double crossed them. And now they have you…'
"They don't have me yet."