Pre-warning, this chapter seems a bit off to me, but no matter what I do to it, I can't seem to fix it, so please refrain from flaming me if you disagree with it.

Try and enjoy!

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Chapter Eight

Emerging from their room, Harry and Ron both held a silent hope that when they walked into the Gryffindor common room, Hermione would be waiting by the fire for them in their favourite armchairs, brimming with tales about how awful it was to stay with Snape.

Their descent to the common room ended with a plummet of spirits. A few students were sprawled about the room, either coming back from breakfast, going to breakfast, or still half asleep, but their brown haired friend was no where to be seen.

"He'd better not hurt her." Ron said, through clenched teeth as they walked glumly down to breakfast. "It's a pity it's Saturday. If we had Potions, we could have slipped in and seen her."

Harry pretended to stumble. "Ron! I never thought I'd see the day when you wished you had Potions!"

Ron glared at his friend. "You know, it'd be nice if you or Ginny were actually worried about Hermione being cooped up with that overgrown bat!" He muttered, and stalked off to the Great Hall. When he arrived, he instantly looked up at the Head Table. McGonagall was missing, he noted, as was Snape. Irritation surged through him. Where was he! And what was he doing to Hermione?

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Down in the dungeons, Snape was actually calming down a very distressed Miss Granger. It had been much to his surprise that after giving her a dose of potion at nine in the morning, and attempted to move away from her, to go and search for food, she had started calling for him.

"Professor? Come back, please, I don't want to be alone." He wasn't even sure if she was awake or still lost in the land of… wherever she was, or awake, but still, he retreated back into the room, and carefully sat on the bed, away from her. "Don't leave me." She whispered, her eyes open and unseeing again. "If you go, please take me with you, otherwise it'll get me." Her cheeks were flushed. Gently, he leaned over and place one pale hand on her forehead, feeling her flesh burning. Reaching for his wand, he placed a cooling spell upon her, and she sighed in what could only be described as relief.

An hour later, Miss Granger fell into what seemed a very deep sleep, instead of a dream-troubled rest. Snape tried to move off the bed, and felt enormous relief when she didn't call him back. There was only so much time he could stand sitting next to that brat. To stretch his legs, he left the room, his lips curling. It was infuriating, being tied to his own rooms by a know-it-all girl who usually cringed at the very sight of him.

Of course, he couldn't deny that she had talent, no matter how hard he tried. She'd not once made a mistake whilst brewing a potion, but he'd never allow anyone else to know that. He was only waiting for the day when she would make a mistake, and he could gloat in her face. But his time was running short, there was little more then a month before the end of the year. While he was looking forward to getting rid of her little friends and her know-it-all attitude towards work, he couldn't help but feel that it would be a long time before he had such a talented student in his class. He'd spent seven years refining her talent without her noticing, as he had been with all the class. Even Neville Longbottom didn't need as many instructions from Miss Granger, apart from when Snape was standing at his shoulder, which Snape so loved to do, just to watch the boy feel pressure, which he needed to.

A movement ahead made Snape snap awake, and he realised that he was standing near the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Ahead, a Slytherin boy and a Ravenclaw girl seemed to be some sort of tussle. With another sigh, before regaining his "imposing professor" posture, Snape swept up the corridor to meet the pair.

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Hermione was snapped out of her dozing by a fierce wind that begun to blow around her. She looked up to see the blue sky above her disappearing, only to be replaced with grey clouds that slid across her world. The storm that has been speeding towards her for hours was here. And where was Professor Snape? He'd been next to her just a moment ago; he'd not left her side in hours, helping to guide her gently away from the storm when she needed it.

And now, when she most needed him, he was gone. Terror shook her as much as the wind did, knocking her about. She lost control, and began to fall towards the trees that seemed to reach up as if to grab her and eat her. She fought to rise again, screaming the whole time. Lightening was flashing around her, and rain began to fall, soaking her, making it all the harder for her to stay airborne. She would not fall, she would not fall, she repeated again and again in her head.

At these thoughts, the storm grew more vicious, the wind ripping at her exposed skin. She felt as though she was being whipped again and again, and rain was falling in fat droplets all over her, making it hard for her to see. The rain mingled with her salty tears as she screamed and cried for help.

Lightening flashed just to the left of her. She let out another scream. She was going to die, she just knew it. It was so tiring to stay airborne, she couldn't do it any longer. Her whole body was aching. Yet every time she was lowered into the trees, she launched herself back skyward, unable to do with the pain that was rocketing through her body. It was hurting too much, much too much.

She tried to fly forward as fast as she could, darting through lightening and trying to find the end of the storm. Her muscles screamed at her to stop, to stay still, and just to let herself die. The storm seemed to just go one forever.

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Furious at what he'd just seen, Snape stormed back into his classroom, only to be greeted by the screams that were coming from his bedroom. Miss Granger! He thought with a fright, sprinting to his private chambers. He came to a skidding halt when he reached the bedroom.

Miss Granger was looking helpless, thrashing about weakly with sweat pouring off her body. Screams and cries erupted from her body as she threw herself around the bed. "No, no, NO!" She screamed. "I won't die!"

At this, Snape threw himself at the bed, grabbing her arms.

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Hermione felt the strong hands close over hers. She opened her eyes to see the Potions Master floating effortlessly in front of her, holding onto her arms. "You won't die." He said, his black eyes looking straight into her chestnut eyes. "Fight it Miss Granger, fight it."

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Miss Granger's eyes were wide open and looking straight at him. "Fight it." He said again. Beneath him, she thrust up, her screams erupting again. "Fight it, Hermione!" He screamed at her, holding her down, trying to settle her down. Her hands had latched onto his shoulders, and he moved to wipe sweat from her face.

"It's so hard!" She shouted, her face twisting in pain. "Help me, please help me!"

Snape reached for the potions again, and tipped some down her throat, causing her to choke.

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When Hermione felt herself convulsing, trying to swallow something, she was sure this was it, she was dying. Her clenched up everything in her body, her muscles screaming at her to stop fighting it, even when the voice of her teacher was telling her to. She felt her hands close around his robes and pull him towards her, and she let out another scream of pain.

Suddenly her muscles released, and there was no wind, no rain, no howling weather surrounding her. There were still hands holding her arms tight. She opened her eyes to find herself in a dimly lit room. She'd seen this room once or twice. She'd also seen the man inches from her face, panting.

"P-professor?" She asked, her hands were still clutching his robes. She wasn't sure if this was real, didn't want to let go in case she slipped back into the storm. Oh, how she ached, her whole body was in so much pain.

Through the curtain of hair that covered his face, Hermione saw Professor Snape open his eyes. When he raised his head to look at her, she was caught by the vulnerability that was on his face. She'd seen that in the sky. "Miss Granger… you're okay." He whispered.

"I don't know, sir." She managed to squeeze out.

"No, shh, sleep, you're okay."

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Snape was heartened by the small smile that crossed her face then. "The storm's over. You saved me." Miss Granger closed her eyes again, but Snape felt she was more at peace now. Gently he brushed the hair away from her sweaty face, before casting the cooling spell again for her.

Then, stepping away from the bed, he snarled at himself for allowing such a moment.

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Yup, I know, Snape was a little ooc there, but I hope it was still okay for you all out there! It's late and I need sleep, have school tomorrow, so won't be replying to reviews tonight, I'll do that along with the next chapter, which should be up by tomorrow night.