The Sickness

It was hot. Hermione couldn't catch her breath. It was like she was in a fernous in the middle of the iciest winter. She tossed her head back and forth to try to shake off this dreadful heat. Every way she turned was the burn. There was no visible source. All there was was an abyss of black. I'm so thirsty. There was no end to the heat. Stop it. It grew hotter. Stop it! Her chest was burning. STOP IT! The sensation spread to every inch of her body until there was only pain. She tried to hold on. No. No. It can't. I won't let it! She fought for what felt like ages. Tears twinkled in her eyes. I can't hold on anymore. I can't do it alone. She let go. She had given up. The invisible fire began to tear her appart when, out of darkness, a cold hand fell upon her forhead, cooling her; soothing her. The touch seemed to heal her. Her pain lifted from her. In the darkness she knew that everything was all right. There would be no reason for the afflictive heat to torture her again. The cold hand saved her from complete destruction. She smiled and took a deep breath before opening her eyes to her saviour. Her breath left her with a wail. The face looming infront of her was unexpected and close in addition to belonging to someone most unpleasent. Snape's cold, black eyes penetrated her through the curtens of his greasey black hair in his crouching possion abover her. She sat up quickly. The two would have smashed forheads if Snape hadn't backed up; still staring. The way he stared at her made her shiver. She had never seen a look like this in his eyes. It was alarming. Not knowing what to do, Hermione returned his stare. They beheld each other for a long while before Snape lowered himself to sit on the cold stone floor of his Defence Against the Dark Art's class room with a sigh.

"At least your lungs work..." he mumbled.

"Professor? Um... What time is it?"

"Past your bed time," he sneered. It didn't sound like one of his normal remarks. It sounded forced. There was something unnatural about it.

"Well, uh...um...Thank you Professor Snape." She stood and headed for the door.

"Miss Granger, do you know an Alex Drury?" He called after her.

She stopped but kept her back to him. Wasn't he that crazy one from this morning? "All I know is that he's a Ravenclaw prefect."

"Then it must be so..." he said softly. There was silence. Hermione didn't know if she was free to leave but the uncomfortable atmosphere of the room pushed her out of the door. She ran all the way to the second floor until she was out of breath. She leaned forward heaving. Snape looked insane. Why was he so funny?

"Hermione?" a vioce drifted. She pulled herself upright. "Hermione, here." He handed her a small glittering box topped with a soft pink bow. "I was completely out of line this morning and I hope you could forgive me." She looked into his face. It was that crazy prefect. Speak of the devil. she smirked. "W-what?"

Hermione regained herself, "Oh, nothing. Just thinking. Um, Alex, it's getting kind of late and I don't want to get caught after hours...So, um...I guess I forgive you and I'll just-- Hey! What were you talking about this morning?" She looked at Alex's reddening face.

"Yes, Alex, What were you telling his dashing young lady?" A lanky, dirty blonde haired boy came up behind Hermione's bushy head.

"Marcus? What are you doing here?" Alex looked a little weary.

"Oh, you know. Just taking a midnight stroll. Looking for some interesting people. And look! There you are!" He snickered, inclining his head toward Hermione. He caught a glimpse of the silvery package. "What's in the box?"

"Well," Hermione began as she lifted the corner of the folded wrapping.

"Nothing you need to know about, Marcus!" Alex said sternly.

"OH. O.K. Ha. It is, after all, your business." Marcus pretended to look uninterested. "Anyway, I forgot to introduce my self." He took Hermione's hand to kiss with a bow. "I am Master Marcus Moon of Ravenclaw. I have heard much of you upon the wind; of your knowledge, of your courage, of your pleasures," he winked. "The only shame is that you do not belong to the honorable house of Ravenclaw." Alex just rolled his eyes.

"Charmed," she played along. She gave him an exaggerated curtsey. "Well, it was nice meeting you. I'll be going."

"Speaking of going, it reminds me. You can't go. I planned a little something special. Where are those douchebags?" Marcus set his face in a scowl and rubbed his chin in a comical way. "Ah! Here they come now!"

A/N: Ok, so, I've decided to discontinue the fic. I'm tired of it now. Do you want to know what happens? Do you want to know the symbolism of the first paragraph of this chapter? Do you want to know how Hermione and Snape hook up? You want to know why Hermione is pregnant? Well, I'll tell you right now:

Snape catches Hermione. He takes her to his classroom and gives her truth serum so when she wakes up, she wouldn't lie about being out of her house common room so late. She is asleep longer than he expected, so he begins performing legilimency upon her ("reading" her mind: HP5).

The darkness signafies life. We don't know where we are in it or where we are going. Hermione is being tormented emotionally and mentally by her situation. This is what she is feeling while Snape is "reading" her mind through legilimency. Because she cannot remember the rape or the nightly encounters with Alex, it hurts. Eventually, when all seems lost, someone saves her, someone with cold hands. But do not be fooled, it will not be Snape. This also foreshadows the end of the fic.

What's happenning here is that Moon is trying to hook up with Hermione because he thinks she's easy. The present for Hermione was a good bye gift from Alex; a home pregnancy test. However:

After Snape read Hermione's mind, he felt bad for her and guilty because he almost took advantage of Mrs. Malfoy. It was ironic that he came across Hermione at that point. He wants to look after her; protect her.

Snape goes to look for Hermione and sees Alex with her. Knowing what Alex had been doing, he is over come with anger. He attacks him and threatens him to never talk to Hermione again. The "gift" is forgotten. She becomes interested in Snape. He won't answer her when she asks why he did it, so she tries to warm up to him to try and get him to tell her; forgetting all about Ron. This goes on until about Christmas.

During this time, Lavender has secretly seen Hermione and Alex together late at night and now Hermione and Snape being all buddy-buddy. She thinks it would be funny to get Hermione a muggle home pregnancy test for Christmas. She is completely clueless so she just takes it as a really bad joke. She tests herself for fun. That is how she finds out she is pregnant (beginning of fic). She freaks out. She goes to Snape. He is now a friend and she wants a more accurate test done (potion). She turns out to be really pregnant. Snape tells her about all of it; what had happened to her. The reason she couldn't remember sleeping with Alex is because Malfoy put a really bad memory earasing charm on her. Her sub-consious mind was making her relive that night but, instead of finding Malfoy, she came across Alex. She doesn't know who the father is. She is is in such a shock. She doesn't know what to do. She begins to cry. Snape, feeling incredible pitty and sympothy, lies to her, saying he has fallen in love with her. He vows to help her with the baby and anything else. She has no other choice but to accept. She couldn't tell anyone.

Throughout the rest of the year, she and Snape grow closer. They learn to love each other. Ron doesn't know what to do about their ex-relationship. He screwed it up and he was beginning to feel embarrassed and ashamed. He could hardly talk to Hermione. After some snooping around, he finds about Hermione being pregnant. However, he doesn't know about the incident with Malfoy or Alex. He thinks the baby is Snape's.

However, as we remember from the 6th book, Snape kills the Headmaster...sniff. This brings everything crashing down. Hermione thought she could be happy with Snape but then he commits murder. She has no more tears to shed for herself. She feels like she can never be happy again. After everything is settled (end of HP6), the three-some is about to head home on the Hogwarts Express. Hermione is standing against a radient sundown looking upon the lake, alone. A stoney expression on her face. Ron comes from behind her.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. For everything I did and for...Snape. I'm sorry," He begins.

"Ha," She still looks indifferent.

"I can't imagine the difficutly of the situation you are in."

"Well, happiness isn't made for everybody."

"Don't say that."

"Ah."

"Hermione, I want to help you. I...love you. I've always loved you. I'm...just...a huge jackass. I'm so sorry for hurting you. I will do anything for you. Please, take me back. I want to be with you, and only you, forever. I want to be apart of your life and the baby's life. I will always be here for you. I want you to be happy...with me. Even if you can't forgive me, at least let me help you with the baby. I'll do anything."

She begins to laugh. The laughs turn into sobs. Ron takes her into his arms. They embrace until Hermione controls her crying. Then, Ron, with his arm around her shoulder, leads the way to the train.