AN: Thank you to those of you following my story – as you can see, the plot is starting to take shape and I have plans for our dearly loved Potions Master!

Meg527 – Thank you so much for your review and kind words, I'm happy to hear you are enjoying it so far!

Pain. All consuming, searing pain everywhere. Every muscle, every sinew, every breath resulted in mind-numbing agony that drove him to the very edge of madness. Even being tortured to within an inch of his life with the cruciatus couldn't compare to the utter hell of this. If he could summon his magic to cast an unforgiveable and release himself from his cursed existence, he would, but his magic was too weak and would not obey his command. Somewhere nearby he could hear a woman sobbing, accompanied every few moments by a gentle touch that unbeknownst to the giver left a burning trail of fire across his tortured skin. A whimper escaped him. Please stop. Don't touch me, leave me be. His mind screamed. His voice had deserted him along with his magic and he found he could not get his eyes to open either. The sobbing intensified and he felt something splash across his face, causing a new wave of agony to ripple across his cheek. Merlin release me from this hell. He wasn't ready to beg, but he wasn't sure how much more he could take – his mind would give out long before his body did and that terrified him more than anything else. If he were to spend the rest of his life as a mindless husk of a man, he would gladly offer his soul to the devil and have done with it.

He let out an anguished groan as his body began to seize, muscles contorting and jerking as a seizure hit him and he felt those soft hands caress his head as he lost control of his body once more. It was a mercy when he finally surrendered to the darkness and the sweet, albeit brief, oblivion that it offered.

All too soon, awareness slowly returned to his body and the relentless pain registered in his nerve endings reignited with a vengeance. With an effort, he managed to jerk his eyes open at last. At first he feared he had lost his sight as well but then as he slowly blinked the darkness cleared and he realised he was actually in a room, dimly lit by a multitude of softly flickering candles. He could make out the shadow of a woman huddled beside the bed, one hand still caressing his cheek as she sobbed silently into the other. Every noise, sound and smell assaulted him and he felt a sudden rush of nausea as the pain drummed its way to a crescendo behind his eyes. He lurched away from the shadowy figure and vomited violently over the side of the bed. For several long minutes he was wracked by excruciating dry heaves as his stomach rebelled against the battle raging within his body. He felt those gentle hands at his neck now, pulling his sweat soaked hair away from his flushed skin and holding it while he retched. It was a simple, humane thing to do, that seemed oddly comforting despite the pain it caused him. He wasn't used to being cared for, to being touched, and his mind registered that it must be someone who knew him. A name danced on the edge of his consciousness – Hermione? He wasn't sure why but he needed to see her.

"Ugh," he grunted. His tongue felt thick and unwieldy and he couldn't get it to form the words he needed. He so desperately wanted to see her face, for her to touch him again and he fought against the dark tendrils threatening to pull him under again. As the heaves finally subsided, he rolled exhausted onto his back and forced his eyes open again. They hurt.

A face leaned over him. A fine-boned face, austere, but undoubtedly beautiful – blue eyes bright with unshed tears gleamed in the candlelight. He thought he recognised that face, and he tried to summon a smile in greeting but his face refused to move. He watched silently as a tear leaked slowly from the corner of one eye and edged slowly down her face. He wanted to wipe it away, he didn't want this beautiful lady to cry for him. He didn't deserve it. Was this Hermione? His fevered mind struggled to bring the image of her to him and he groaned in frustration as she remained faceless in his memory. Not being in full control of his mind was totally alien to him, and it terrified him. The lady seemed to sense his distress and her lips began to move quickly. She looked worried. He couldn't make out the words – they refused to take shape in his mind, just meaningless sounds that made no sense to him. What language was this? He tried to focus on her eyes but as he forced his burning eyes on hers, her pale skin began to shrivel and drop off in great flakes, her eyes turning black and dull and her sleek blonde hair falling out in clumps around him. He recoiled in horror as she moved towards him, her mouth enlarging into a grotesque cavern filled with rotten shards of teeth. He finally managed to force out a terrified scream before her face appeared to consume his and the blackness swallowed him whole.

As Severus collapsed back onto the bed in a dead faint, Narcissa sagged into the chair and closed her eyes in relief. The terror in his eyes before he passed out had been unbearable to witness and she found herself sobbing again as she felt for his pulse once more. He was fading rapidly. After changing his sweat-soaked trousers and damp sheets, she made him as comfortable as she could before turning her attention to cleansing the room and freshening the stale air. When she was satisfied all was right again, she allowed herself a glance at the clock centred on the mantelpiece. 4am. She had promised herself she wouldn't keep watching the clock, that it wouldn't do any good but she couldn't help herself. The minutes ticked by at a torturous rate making 6am seem a lifetime away, and yet each minute he breathed was a step closer to the possibility of help arriving. She just had to keep him alive long enough to receive it. No pressure, Cissy, none at all.

XXX

"You have some nerve showing up here Mr Malfoy!" Minerva seethed as she fixed Draco with a cold, hard stare. She had been on her way to her quarters to collect herself when she had come across the youngest Malfoy pacing the corridor outside the entrance to Dumbledore's study. He looked nervous, repeatedly running his hands through his hair and whispering different sweet confections at the gargoyle guarding the secret stairway. He had started in fright when she had grabbed his shoulder and dragged him round to face her.

His face twisted into his customary snarl as he shrugged himself free of her.

"I'm here to help! Snape is my Godfather and he's dying!" he hissed, his trembling lip betraying his emotions as he tried to maintain his hard demeanour. He leaned closer to her, glancing around to check there was nobody in earshot. "Mother is going to lower the wards on the guest room floo at 6am this morning."

Minerva gave him a sharp look, "Explain Mr Malfoy."

"You know my father took him, he's at home. But he's really unwell, I mean –" he swallowed hard and took a deep breath before continuing, "Mother thinks he's dying and she told me to get Dumbledore and bring him to the house."

Minerva snorted a bitter laugh, "You must take me for a fool, Draco! Pray tell me, why would your mother, the most esteemed Lady Malfoy, betray her husband and risk incurring the wrath of the Dark Lord, for Severus? Does not Lady Malfoy offer her house up to the Dark Lord and his minions to use at his convenience? This is merely another sly Malfoy ploy to lead Dumbledore into a trap! As much as I resent him right now, I will not be party to his downfall!"

Draco looked alarmed, and he reached out to grab her arm. "No, you've got this all wrong! He needs help –" he pleaded.

Minerva shook herself free of his grip. "He was receiving help when your father removed him from the infirmary!" she hissed.

"I know how this looks, but you have to believe me! Please!" Much to his disgust, a tear escaped and slid down his cheek and his lips began to tremble, "My father made a grave mistake – he knows nothing of this, you have to believe me!"

"Your mother cares more for Severus than for her husband? I cannot believe that – listen to yourself! Now if you'll excuse me, this has already been a very difficult evening for many of us and I need my wits about me for whatever may come next," she made to move past him when he stepped into her path and grabbed her shoulder tightly, blocking her exit.

"She loves him!" he blurted out, "My mother loves him." He let his arms drop then, looking utterly defeated. Minerva could only stare at him in shock, her mouth opening in a silent 'O.'

"She's always loved him. She thinks nobody can see it, but I've seen the way she looks at him when she thinks no-one is watching. My father is too ignorant to notice, but I am not my father and I can see it for what it is." He gave a resigned sigh, "Look, if you don't come when my mother drops the wards at 6am, Severus will die. It is as simple as that." He raised his eyes to hers and he looked so broken in that moment that Minerva felt her resolve weaken. Now I know how Hermione felt, she thought. Merlin curse him if he's playing her too.

Minerva took a deep, steadying breath, "Perhaps your mother sees in Severus what so many others refuse to, that he is a good man underneath all those layers. Alright Draco, I will agree to your request – on one proviso."

Draco looked at her hopefully, "Anything!" he gasped.

"My request is simple. You will accompany one of us through the floo, you will allow them to administer a healing potion and then you will ensure their safe return to Hogwarts. Should you renege on this agreement, the consequences will be dire, Merlin help you." She held out her wand and offered her other hand to him. He looked at it in confusion.

"I require an Unbreakable Vow, Mr Malfoy, to ensure we do not have a repeat of your prior behaviour." Her expression was firm. A Wizard's Oath could not be broken – to do so would result in death to the one who broke it. But it would be worth it, if it offered an opportunity to save Severus's life. Mind made up, he nodded silently as he took her proffered hand in his and clasped it tight. He gave her another small nod, and Minerva began the incantation.

XXX

The clock on the mantel showed 5:56am as Narcissa cast a series of charms around the room. Severus's genius invention, muffliato to cover any noise followed by an unbreakable locking charm on the door itself to prevent anyone wandering in on them, and if all went to plan, Dumbledore. She stole a glance at Severus. He had been blissfully unconscious since his last seizure, and for that Narcissa would be eternally grateful. His temperature had soared to an almost lethal level and she was glad he had not been awake to suffer its full effects. Whilst his body was still ravaged by the internal inferno raging within, he was now too deeply comatose to feel the excruciating pain that had tormented him earlier, and whilst he still look flushed, his face had relaxed.

She had heard no word from Draco, and she could only pray now that he had got the message through and help would arrive before it was too late. Another glance at the clock – 5:58am. Taking a deep breath, she drew her wand and lowered the wards on the floo before returning to sit in the chair beside Severus, taking his hand into hers and staring intently at the fire.

She didn't have to wait long. At 6:01am, the floo suddenly flared into life and two figures materialised in front of the hearth. Her son, Draco and – sweet Merlin! The gnarled old figure of Mad-Eye Moody pushed roughly past her son and advanced towards the bed, limping lopsidedly, his magical eye spinning madly around in its holster. Mad-Eye indeed.

"Mad-Eye, I was not expecting you –" Narcissa's voice was tight. Merlin, she really was dead if Lucius or the Dark Lord discovered the old Auror in her home.

He stopped inches from her face and she forced herself to remain calm as he gave her an appraising look.

"Aye, always expect the unexpected," he grunted before hobbling past her to Severus's side. He stood for a moment, looking down on the comatose man.

"This man has been the bane of my career for many years. I know him to be a Death Eater, despite Dumbledore's insistence that he is innocent of any wrong doing," he fingered a pillow thoughtfully, "It would be tempting to put him out of his misery whilst I have the chance, but it wouldn't be right to kill a defenceless man. Besides," he offered her a sly smile over his shoulder, "it would be more fun to release him and hunt him down again." He widened his smile, revealing his teeth, rather like a Rottweiler greeting his prey.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes. Something about him seemed…off.

"Draco, this is not what I asked for – you were supposed to bring Dumbledore, not his gnarled old guard dog – no offence, of course Alastor." She smiled sweetly.

"None taken," grunted Mad-Eye.

"They would only agree to sending him," Draco hissed in his mother's ear, "they didn't trust me."

Narcissa nodded, "So be it, I only hope Dumbledore knows what he is doing."

Mad-Eye regarded the fevered man before him for a long moment before reaching into his inside pocket and drawing out a small potion containing a swirling purple liquid. He gave it a good shake before removing the stopper and gently pushing the bottle into Severus's mouth. He stared in dismay as the potion began to leak from the corner of his mouth, and he placed a hand on the younger man's throat and massaged it gently, encouraging him to swallow. It worked, and in a few moments the bottle had been drained.

"What is that?" Narcissa enquired as she regarded the empty bottle with suspicion.

"A bespoke healing potion, that's all you need to know," growled Mad-Eye. His hand was shaking and he hastily shoved it into his pocket. Luckily, Narcissa hadn't seemed to notice. She had however, noticed that Mad-Eye seemed uncharacteristically emotional this evening. If she were not mistaken, she could have sworn she saw tears glistening on his scarred cheeks – but that would mean the old goat had a heart, and she couldn't imagine that to be true for a second.

Narcissa checked the clock again. 6:11am. Mad-Eye still hadn't moved from the bedside and was half hunched over the bed, just inches from the prone man's face, studying him intently. She felt indignant on Severus's behalf – that he should so blatantly be invading his personal space and fought the urge to hex him. Severus would kill him, if he knew.

Finally, Mad-Eye appeared to finish his appraisal and slowly straightened up.

"It's too soon to know if this has helped him at all. Keep in contact via Draco – I expect to be appraised of his progress – positive or…negative." He growled.

"Of course," Narcissa inclined her head in affirmation. Severus looked unchanged, nothing appeared amiss.

Draco stepped back to Mad-Eye. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.

Mad-Eye loped past Narcissa following Draco to the floo when he passed Narcissa.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Lady Malfoy." He offered as he loped by. As he did so, Narcissa's gaze was drawn to the back of his head where a wild mane of chestnut hair was rapidly appearing amongst the thinning grey.

"Wait! Who are you –" she surged to her feet and reached out to grab Mad-Eye's coat just as he strode into the flames but she stumbled in her haste and crashed heavily to the floor just as Draco and his guest vanished from sight.