ENJOY!!! AND PLEASE REVIEW; I LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT MY WRITING!!

"Severus, it's time to get up… we have class…"

He could hear her voice, gently bringing him back to reality. Her hand rested on his shoulder in between soft shakes to awaken him. Slowly he opened his eyes, blinking quickly to adjust to the light. Hermione has insisted on a numerous amount of candles being added to their chamber, so in the morning it was especially bright.

His body opposed movement, and fought his decision to rise and get out of bed. Stretching, you could hear light pops are his body fell back into place. Looking up to Hermione, he saw a grimace on her face.

"You look like a giant black and blue…" She tried to smile to him but her eyes weren't sparkling. "I'll get you the usual, hopefully then you'll feel better." Hurriedly she headed to the closet at the far end of the room where Severus kept emergency potions, like the one needed now. Rummaging through, her head inside the closet, he heard her ask, "Why didn't you just go to Madame Pomfrey last night? You would have slept better."

"That isn't true…" he murmured in reply. "Poppy would have made me stay in the infirmary all night. And besides I always sleep better with you next to me…"

She didn't respond, just closed the closet and walked back to him, holding a small green vial. Putting her hand back on his shoulder she pushed him into a sitting position on the bed. "Drink it all…"

Don't I always?" he said with a smirk. Having brewed the potion, and many like it, he knew how vile it would taste. But Hermione would never have him only drinking a couple sips so she calmly waited for him to finish it all.

"You'll need to make some more of that potion tonight. Along with the Dreamless Sleep and the Days of Death potion, you're running low on both."

Severus nodded. Within the last 5 months, from the students return from Christmas Break, he had been called to no less then two-dozen Death Eater meetings. Everyone was getting anxious. They wanted to strike but Voldemort had been very insistent on choosing a date. So they were forced to settle on small attacks, attacking muggle families. It got to the point where there would be gang rapes of muggle girls, and sometimes boys. And while Severus was allowed to not act in most of the 'parties' when it came to killings it was expected. He would do it quick and easy, hoping not to cause the individual too much pain. Sometimes he was expected to make them suffer, or make family members watch as their loved one twisted in pain and horror. He would take the youngest first. Making it seem like they would just be going into a nice easy sleep, he would whisper gentle words in their ears, and with a flick of the wrist, or wand, they were gone. Sometimes though, their fear still got the best of them and you could see pain on their faces, but sometimes they looked serene, peaceful. Then he would head to the parents making it just as fast, unless being watched by Voldemort. Then he would take the wife and torture the husband. His Death Eater mask could hide his emotions from the others. But when he returned home, back to Hogwarts, back to Hermione, nothing could cover what he felt. Thus many nights he would take a Dreamless Sleep potion, the only way he would get any sleep that night. And many mornings he would take a revival potion, to help his body get through the pain of the Cruciatus curse. Hermione would help him as well, massaging his shoulders to help him relax. If it were really bad she would levitate him to the infirmary when everyone was asleep or in class so they wouldn't be seen. She took really good care of him.

"Will you help me brew them?" he asked after he had finished his potion. "If I have to do three at one time I'll need some help."

"Of course." Her smile was better now, almost reaching her eyes.

Putting the now empty vial on the bed, he took her hands in his. "Voldemort is planning his attack. Graduation morning… We're going to be evacuating all first through sixth year students but all seventh years are expected to stay. That way it looks like the Order has no idea of what's been planned."

Hermione nodded.

"I don't want you fighting…" he whispered knowing what her answer would be.

"We've had this conversation already." Hermione squeezed his hand reassuringly. "As long as the people I care about, Harry, Ron… you… as long as you are out there giving you life, then I will be at your side. Besides," she tried to laugh, failing miserably "If I don't look after you, who will?"

"Hermione…" he tried again.

"End of discussion Severus. We have three weeks to get ready, and we are already late for breakfast… I'll help you dress."