Haunted Memories

-Chapter Ten-

In Between Dreams

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters within J.K. Rowling's story.

Harry laughed as he threw Hermione into the pool which he shared with the other tenants. They were having a pool side party for everyone who lived in the neighborhood and Harry was having lots of fun. It had been three days since their serious discussion. Afterwards, Harry had suggested he take Hermione touring of his neighborhood. Many of his neighbors were witches and wizards. Surprisingly the purebloods were cohabiting with muggleborns without problems. Hermione found herself feeling safe and comfortable surrounded by these people. They were prejudice against others and were very open minded.

Laying back, she enjoyed the afternoon sun shinging on her exposed back. The whether was mildly comfortable and all thoughts were pushed to the back of her head as she lounged around. Muttering softly she wandlessly cast a drying spell on herself, so that she could enjoy the sun to it's full extent.

Hermione closed her eyes and let her thoughts swim lazily away. Feeling herself drift into a peaceful sleep, Hermione smiled and let the warm sun bathe her. Her dream caught her unawares as she felt her body tied by a strong rope and couldn't move. Hermione's muffled cries were unheard as she realized that her surroundings had changed. She was in a dark room, there was no light, save for that which creeped from under a doorway a few feet away. Her ears strained for any sounds coming from the doorway but she felt she was utterly alone. Gasping, from pain which broke all over her body, Hermione rolled over onto her side and salvaged the damage. To her surprise she wasn't dressed in her usual robes. Instead, she donned on a dark robe made of the softest fabric she had ever felt before. They clothing draped around her body and Hermione felt many small objects hidden between the folds in secret pockets. She wondered whether there was a tool that could help her out of this situation. Rolling around again, she winced as the pain sharpened and she realized that a large wound on her shoulder and another on her thigh had reopened. Blood started to seep on the already soiled robes and Hermione bit her lip in frustration. With slim fingers, she gripped the rope around her and tugged sharply. Her heightened senses told her that someone would be coming very soon. With a grin, she felt the rope give and she unbound herself, letting her circulation come back into her arms and legs. But before she could move more, the door opened. Rummaging in her robes, she tried to find her wand but came up with a foreign one. She stared in astonishment at it's beauty before realizing that the intruder had come through the door.

"Expellerimus." Hermione flew across the room and hit a wardrobe hard. She cried out in pain and tried in vain to look for the wand again. Instead another curse hit her in the side. She groaned as a large gash cut itself through the fabric and into her ribs, breaking bones. Then turning, she saw a woman silohetted in the doorway. The woman laughed and Hermione remembered the voice.

"Well, well, well, what have we got here?"

Hermione glared daggers at Bellatrix Lestrange as she stood with her wand pointed at her. "Bellatrix…" Her mind worked through this wasn't Bellatrix dead? Before the thought registered, Bellatri laughed evilly and kicked her in the head and all was dark.

Hermione woke with a gasp, her chest hurt and her breathing was erratic as she tried to calm herself down. It was the same dream again and again. She never knew where she was being held, but each time, she would have numerous injuries and a Death Eater would come into the room and inflict her pain. What bothered her was the fact that Hermione was in another body. Not one her own. She knew that she was in a male's body and judging from the clothing… Hermione suspected that she had been in Severus Snape's body. However disturbing the dream --- no more light nightmare, was, Hermione couldn't help but think that Severus Snape could be somewhere being tortured by surviving Death Eaters, or worse had been tortured and had died.

Feeling a cool wind blow past, she tried to cool her heated body down by taking a dip in the pool and surprising Harry by shooting a stream of water towards the surprised young man. Before they knew it, the two had involved the rest of the tenants in a heated water battle.

Hermione kissed Harry gently on the cheeks and stepped back watching the man blush. She laughed and swatted him playfully. "Bye Harry. It was nice, visiting you. I promised to bring Remus, Tonks and Professor McGonagall over sometime. What do you think?"

Harry smiled and placed an arm around Hermione, leading her down the path of his home. "I would love it, Hermione, anytime."

Hermione grinned and hugged Harry. "Then it's a deal!"

Harry lead the way towards the park where Hermione would be apparating back home. "By the way, Hermione… " he waited for Hermione to turn towards him before he continued, "have you ever thought of looking through Snape's possessions? Or maybe in what Dumbledore left behind?"

Hermione winced. She had completely forgotten about Snape's abandoned room. She shook her head, disappointed in herself. Surely the man had left something that would be of importance. Something telling all that he had some reason to do as he had… Harry nodded in acceptance and waited a bit before smiling, "Well Hermione. Let me know if you find anything."

They had reached the park and Hermione smiled brightly at her friend. "Thank you Harry, for understanding."

Harry nodded though he knew that he really didn't understand why he felt compelled to give Snape a chance. He doubted that Hermione really knew either. It was like instinct. Something told him that through all the years that he had known Snape, there was something that he couldn't grasp. Though Harry could be quite stubborn some times, the five years away from the magical community allowed him to reflect on that and allow himself to accept what happened.

"Visit soon Hermione. I miss everyone, heck , I'm already missing you and you're still here!"

Hermione laughed and hugged her friend one last time. As she took out the rubber duck portkey, she smiled as she looked into her friend's eyes and then concentrated on the rubber duck. For a moment, she saw the face of her Potions Master and she couldn't help but blurt out, "Severus..."

With a sharp tug, she felt her body lifted through space and pulled towards her home.