Disclaimer: I own none of these characters.

Chapter 3

Hermione awoke to the clambering of dishes and the pitchy hum of a teakettle. She lay there without opening her eyes or moving only because she couldn't remember where she was or what had happened to her that was causing the pounding in her head. And the pounding was intense, to say the very least. Her tongue felt thick inside her mouth and her head was too heavy to lift, but where she was lying it was soft and warm.

"Mm," she sounded, testing her ability to make noise. "Mm," she tried again. It sounded all right enough but very weak and scratchy. It would have to do. "Hello?"

As soon as the words left her mouth another loud clang came from somewhere nearby and Hermione heard footsteps running toward her. Still not wanting to open her eyes, she waited quietly on her back for signs of any more movement. She started slightly when a warm hand closed over the cold one at her side. There was an even breathing coming from the person beside her and she longed to know who it was but her eyes were aching painfully inside her skull.

"Hermione," came the deep and silky voice in her ear. "Hermione."

In a moment of shock, her eyes shot wide open and, between the discomfort of the light and the protests her body was screaming at her, she saw the man that she had longed see.

"Severus," she whispered, her voice raw and light.

"Shhh," he hushed her, placing a hand on her cheek. "You're safe. He's dead."

Hermione looked up at him quizzically. Who was dead and when was she unsafe?"

"Lucius Malfoy," Snape told her as if he had read her mind, which he most probably had done.

It was with this response that it all came flooding back to her memory. The torture, the molestation, the disgusting face that grimaced triumphantly at her…With the hand that Snape wasn't holding, Hermione felt her still bare stomach and the chunk of skin that was missing from it. Something vile rose is her throat and she choked to keep it down.

Snape brought a cool rag to her forehead and she closed her eyes against the angry tears that were beginning to form.

"Severus," she said again. "I…I," she was shaking now and he brought her up to rest in his arms.

He was warm and smelt of potion fumes and something else Hermione couldn't place as she nuzzled her face into his neck. A small moan escaped his lips and she could feel his heart beating rapidly. She brought her arms around his body in a desperate embrace and he held her tightly against him, lowering them both back down into the sheets. She forced herself to look and saw her professor's eyes as they appraised the bruised body beneath him.

"Does it hurt much?" he asked her.

She shook her head, lying to him. "No."

He ran his hands across her skin with soft caresses, amused at the small noises Hermione made with each one.

"I can't believe he left us!" Harry yelled as he paced the Gryffindor common room. It was late into the evening and they all ought to have been in bed but the small group of students was wide-awake and anxious as ever. Ron stood by the fire, fidgeting with his hair as Harry bantered on and on. Meanwhile, Pansy and Draco, hesitant guests in the room, were sitting on separate chairs and staring blankly at the plush carpet.

"I mean," Harry continued. "We were supposed to help! Who knows if Snape even reached her in time!"

"The whole thing's ridiculous," Draco snarled.

Pansy glared at him accusingly. "It's ridiculous that your father likes fucking little girls."

"Shut up about my father," he said, his shoulders tensing. Ron turned from the fire and Draco could have sworn he was staring strangely at him. "It isn't my fault."

"Well I'm choosing to blame the only available Malfoy in the meantime, if that's alright," Pansy said.

Draco stood from his chair and crossed the room to stand closer to Ron and Harry. Pansy pouted and crossed her arms.

"This is stupid," said Ron, his first words in a while. Draco eyes him curiously. "It isn't Draco's fault. He couldn't have done anything."

"I don't need you defending me," Draco snapped much too quickly.

"Right," mumbled Harry sarcastically and he stopped pacing to stand before all of them with confidence.

The three of them stared back dumbly.

"No matter which of us Hermione is dating," Pansy rolled her eyes at Harry's words, "I'm tired of waiting around for Snape to bring her back. Let's go get some answers mates!"

"I'm not your mate," Draco hissed.

"Nor am I," agreed Pansy. But the four of them still left the Gryffindor common room together, in search for their mutual girlfriend.