Authors Note:

Summers Rage, I want to say thank you for pointing out the formatting to me. When i typed this, I had *** markers between scenes, but they did not stick around for the publishing so that is being addressed in this chapter!

Thank you all for the support on this fic! I hope you like this next chapter!

Chapter 2

Severus landed with a bit of effort and he glanced down at his load, feeling himself panic when blood began to seep from Hermione's nose and ears. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he quickly strode to his only guest room and placed her as gently as he could on the soft blankets. He flicked his wand, clearing the blood away before giving her a blood replenishing potion. Severus allowed himself a moment to stare down at her sickly form, the knot in his stomach growing larger and larger within him with each passing moment. He couldn't fathom his reaction to her but every fiber of his being was screaming at him to save her. That she was important.

"Draco!" Severus shouted loudly.

Draco's head shot up at his Godfather's shout, and quickly cast a temporary stasis on the blood replenishing potion Severus had asked him to brew before rushing out to meet him. His godfather's voice had a desperate edge to it that put the hairs at the nap of Draco's neck on end. He rounded the corner at the stairs and nearly missed Severus in his room.

"Sev-"

"There is no time. I need you to look after Miss. Granger. If she dies I am holding you personally accountable." Severus growled before stalking out of the room. It pained him to admit that he needed it, but he was no fool, and for a reason he couldn't fathom, he could not risk her life on something as basic as pride. Severus frowned. His first instinct was to go to Albus, but another, -stronger, feeling was telling him not to. Who else could help him? The Grangers said they did not trust Hogwarts to care for their daughter, why did this resonate so deeply within him? There were few people he could trust that were skilled in charms...there really was no contest. Severus sighed, resigned before apparating.

Draco stared in horror at the brains of the Golden Trio as more blood began to drip from her nose and her body began to shake. Draco shook himself and lurched into action. He conjured a bowl of warm water and a cloth before accioing for a muscle relaxant. Her body was shaking like a victim of the Cruciatus. Draco gently touched her arm and felt how tense her muscles were before uncorking the bottle and carefully opening her mouth. "Come on Granger." He coaxed as he messaged her throat until her body reflexively swallowed the potion. He dabbed at her nose with the rag while the potion took effect, and Draco nearly sagged in relief when she ceased shaking.

He cast a charm to check her vitals and sucked in a breath at how low they were. "Damn it Granger, what in Merlin's name did you get into this time...Don't you dare die on me. Severus will kill me long before the Dark Lord if you do." He murmured before stroking sweat slicked hair away from her face.

Severus landed on the well manicured lawn and stared distastefully up at manor. He quickly strode forward and before he could knock, the door opened and a well dressed house elf bowed low before him.

"Master Severus, sir." It greeted, bowing deeply.

Severus nodded to the elf. "Take me to Narcissa." his tone commanding but, not unkind.

The little elf nodded its head rapidly before leading Severus into the harsh, nearly mausoleum esque parlor. Severus let his eyes wonder for a moment before he focused his attention back to the little elf, who seemed to be leading him through the halls of Malfoy manor to the gardens. He should have assumed that was where she would be. It was, after all her favorite place, and it was tea time.

Narcissa glanced up and was startled to see her long-time friend stalking towards her. She hadn't seen him since the Dark Lord's return, although she was sure he had seen the Dark Lord.

She had not expected him. He had chosen Dumbledore, blindly trusting the old wizard over his friends and beliefs. Although why he did so still eluded her. The old man was as bad as the Dark Lord. He was just more...sneaky about it by hiding behind the "Light."

She felt a sudden fear creep on her and she rose quickly. "Draco-" She began, but Severus waved his hand in dismissal, and she knew her son was alright.

Narcissa nodded to him once she was reassured, "Severus." She greeted warmly, her fears abated. She kissed his cheek. "It's been a long time."

"Cissa." Seveurs returned.

"Severus, what are you-"

" I don't have much time," Severus cut in. "But I find myself with no other option."

Narcissa glanced around nervously before she studied Severus' face, noting the worry lines and stress that colored it. His eyes were hard, but were also staring at her, beseechingly.

"Sit." She demanded, a tea cup and saucer automatically appearing. She poured him a cup and sat back.

"I am surprised by your visit. I have had…" Narcissa paused, trying to be delicate. "Many guests of late. But They are often in meetings with Lucius, like now for instance."

Severus nodded. "I understand perfectly well that he is here. Cissa…" Severus stopped, his brows crinkling together in frustration. He didn't know how to explain it. He was floundering. He usually relied heavily on his instincts, but now they were tugging him in different directions and he hated the confusion they caused. He hated second guessing himself, and yet, that was all he had done since receiving the letter from Jean Granger.

Narcissa frowned, placing a delicate hard on his forearm. "Severus?" She questioned, worry evident in her voice.

"Cissa I need your help."

Narcissa raised a brow, surprise shooting through her. She had known Severus Snape for a very long time, and the man had never once asked anything of her. Had not asked anything of anyone. Not since he had beseeched the Dark Lord to spare Lily Potter.

She stared at her dearest friend for a moment. He was on edge and nearly fidgeting! He's desperate, she noted with shock.

"Whatever you need must be important to risk coming here." She noted.

Severus nodded. "I need you to come with me to Spinner's End. I will explain what I can there, but I have lingered too long here."

Narcissa frowned but nodded. "I will accompany you. But my presence will not go unnoticed if I am to just leave. I will have an elf tell Lucius I am going to visit Caterina."

Severus nodded and stood,. "I will go first. Meet me as soon as you can."

With that he stalked off to the edge of the lawn where his apparation out would go unnoticed. He was lucky that the Malfoys had not altered their wards against him after the Dark Lord's return. As soon as he reached the point where it was safe he apparated out with a crack.

Narcissa stared at her friend's retreating back before standing. "Midgy." She called out and immediately the summoned elf appeared, bowing low.

"What can Midgy do for Mistress?" The small elf questioned softly.

"Tell Lucius that I will be visiting Caterina Zabini and am uncertain as to when I will return."

Midgy nodded and bowed low again. "As Mistress says, Midgy will do." She said before popping out with a snap of her fingers.

Narcissa sighed and looked at her unfinished tea with a minute sense of longing. Her life was never easy. She then apparated out to Diagon Alley, not wanting her apparation to be traced before apparating again to Spinner's End.

She landed gracefully in the living room of the quaint little house and smiled at its simplicity. Books and maps were littered everywhere, and the smell of brewing potions permitted the air, she must have arrived before Severus had she mused. No matter. She thought before seeking out her son. She nearly passed by his room, assuming he was in the potions lab but stopped dead in her tracks at what she saw.

Her son was leaning over the prone figure of Hermione Granger.

Draco didn't know how long he cared for her, but he was never more grateful to hear the pop of apparation. He didn't move, but waited for his godfather instead. With his luck Granger would croak as soon as he left his post.

Draco could hear footsteps and when they stopped he began to speak, his eyes still glued to Granger as he smoothed more of her sweaty hair from ther forehead.

"Her vitals have dropped since you left." He informed his Godfather without looking at the man. "Her muscles were seizing, so I gave her a muscle relaxant after you left. She has also stopped bleeding from her nose."

Narcissa listened in morbid fascination as she stared at the crippled body. What in Merlin's name was going on here? Narcissa wondered before a she heard the sound of apparation and turned to see Severus stalking toward her.

"Mother!" Draco exclaimed in shock. He had thought that it was Severus behind him, but the second sound of apparation had him turning around.

Narcissa glanced at her son with a raised brow. "Draco." She greeted, affection filling her voice. Then she whirled on her oldest friend. "Severus Tobias Snape, you have precisely one minute to explain to me why you have the near corpse of the, and I quote, "Know-it-all swot of a Muggle-born" laying in your guest room while my son is playing Healer!"

Draco's eyes widened in shock, he had never heard his mother raise her voice quite like that, it was not proper, after all. And at Severus no less! He didn't know which emotion was stronger -amusement or mortification.

"She is dying." Severus drawled in what sounded like a tone of indifference.

Narcissa scoffed. "I can see that, Severus. What I want to know is why, and how you have come to care for her!"

Severus shouldered his way into the room before staring at her broken body. "How is she, Draco?" He asked instead.

"Her vitals have dropped after you left, and she began seizing, so I gave her a muscle relaxant. She hasn't bled since." He parroted to his godfather.

Severus nodded before pinching the bridge of his nose. "I received an owl from Potter's owl from Ms. Granger's mother. I found the contents too important to ignore. What I have found is...disturbing at best."

Narcissa frowned. "What exactly is wrong with Ms. Granger? And why did you not inform the Headmaster." The title was sneered, and Draco silently agreed with his mother. He hated the old coot. But he was also very curious about Granger…

"Do you recall the incident last term at the Ministry?" The question seemed rhetorical, so Narcissa merely raised a brow at him to continue.

"Antonin Dolohov cursed Ms. Granger with a spell of his own creation. Ms. Granger nearly died. She, by all accounts should have died but, something prevented that from happening. The Healers assumed she had shielded herself from the brunt of it, and left it at that, but even then she should not have lived. She was deemed healthy weeks later and the term soon ended."

Severus paused. He knew Narcissa needed to understand the context if she was to help him heal her.

"Obviously the Healers missed something." Narcissa murmured quietly.

Severus sneered. "I don't even think they noticed it. When I examined Ms. Granger, there were massive fluctuations with her magic. It is, in simplicity, killing her. The spell that Dolohov used did not miss it's mark, but instead mingled with existing magic within Ms. Granger. Magic that had been placed there at a very young age."

Narcissa startled. "How is that possible? She is a Muggle-born? To have magic absorb a curse of that magnitude...it is no curiosity how she is dying. The dark magic has mixed with her core."

Severus did not disagree with her. "I need your help Narcissa. Together we should be able to extract the mingled magic from her core and expel any oddities in her core."

Narcissa's eyes widened. "Severus that kind of magic...I haven't done anything of that complexity. Surely a healer or-"

"No!" Seveurs growled, cutting her off, knowing exactly what she was going to suggest. "I will not-"Severus paused to collect himself before continuing. "I do not trust him with this. And I would not have come to you had I thought you unable to perform this task."

The praise would normally make Narcissa glow, and it was high praise coming from Severus. But his sudden distrust in the Headmaster…that was interesting.

"Fine. I will help you. But, Seveurs, when this is over I expect an explanation."

Severus locked eyes with the witch and nodded his consent.

Narcissa then shed her outer robe until she was in a simple, but elegant dress.

"Let's begin." She commanded before stepping next to the bed across from Severus. "First I would like to see what I am getting into."

Draco watched, enraptured by the spell work his mother was conducting. He had never seen her do Magic like this. After all, as Lady Malfoy she didn't have to do much on her own.

A moment later Narcissa's wand movements stopped and she stared at Severus in horror. He nodded in agreement and without any ceremony or words, they lifted their wands in tandem.

"Perspicuum!" The spell allowed her and Severus to see every strand of Magic within Ms. Granger as if her body was made of glass and they were looking in.

Draco inched forward to see and was nauseated by the amount of darkness that clouded her Magic. He could see her Magic mixed in. The colors were vibrant and warm and something within Draco felt so drawn in, but the dark oozing thing was threatening to consume what was good within her.

Narcissa frowned, "You can single out individual strands." She instructed.

Severus nodded in agreement before casting, "Singulus sectus diiungo."

The trio watched as a single black strand separated from the bunch and with incredible speed and accuracy, Narcissa severed the magic, "Caesa!"

The black strand was cut away but still lingered, "Evanesco." Severus murmured and, just like that once piece was chipped away.

"Draco darling, we need to work quickly, the magic that is killing Ms. Granger is growing. Severus will separate strands, I will cut them, and you need to make them disappear. Can you do that dear?"

Draco paled. If he missed he could cause serious danger to Granger.

"Draco!" Severus snapped.

Draco shook his head to clear it. "Yes. I can do it." He bit out, determination coloring his voice. And he could. He would. He had to.

The three worked in tandem for hours, never once stopping, for as soon as they did the dark poison began to spread a rapid rate, as if it knew it was being cut out. All three of them were tiring, but despite the weariness they all felt, they knew that they were succeeding in their task.

Draco had a sheen of sweat on his skin as he accurately vanished the darkness from the Gryffindor golden girl and he could see that they were indeed making ground. The dark magic was nearly expelled and then it would be over.

Suddenly, as Draco was vanishing a dark tendril, Granger's body jerked hard and he missed his mark hitting a greyish colored piece of magic within her. The three froze in shock for a moment before Severus spurred into action, "She is having a seizure. I think her body is trying to fight back." He spoke quickly, holding down Hermione's thrashing body. "Don't stop, Narcissa, it is almost finished." Severus growled, the bit of grey magic forgotten.

"I can't alone Seveurs, my magic is too drained."

"I can do it, mother." Draco inserted insistantly.

Narcissa studied her son for a moment before nodding. "Separate the strands."

Draco did so with effort and Narcissa cut them before Draco vanished it. The two worked slowly but soon Seveurs had Hermione sedated with a potion and her body stilled in its movements.

Severus once again joined the them and they began to work together again until it was finished.

Narcissa collapsed on the chair beside the bed in the most unladylike fashion Draco had ever seen her, but he didn't care because he soon plopped down on the floor, and Severus merely leaned against the wall.

It was finished. They had successfully taken the damaging magic from Hermione's prone form and Draco stared at her, as if waiting for her to jump up and be fine. She did not, but he knew she wouldn't.

"How long until she will wake up?" Draco questioned after a tense minute.

Severus leveled a look at his godson. "I am uncertain. Her body has just gone through a massive change, her core needs to replenish itself, and even then the outcome is unknown." Seveurs answered briskly.

Narcissa cast a quick tempus and nearly choked. They had been at it for several hours, and it was well into evening.

"Well as nothing can be done for her now, I suggest we all retire to the living area to have some refreshments and rest." Narcissa announced before standing and once she was sure she was being followed, she quited the room.

….

End Chapter

Spells: ( Not real HP Spells, but oh well ^^ )

Perspicuum - To make transparent

Singulus sectus diiungo - One by one, separate and unyoke.

Caesa - cut or slice

Evanesco - disappear

Hope this chapter was good, it was a bit tricky to write, but I will try and update soon!

Cheers