Look how quick I am with this update! That's in large part due to darnedchild and her wonderful betaing, bless her! Thank you all for the faves, follows and reviews! This chapter has some really harsh language, be warned.

To the guest named Willa, I'm crazy confused as to how this story is "sexist". Because she needed a husband? I think I explained the logistics of that in the first chapter. A little elaboration on your criticism would be lovely.

I own nothing, including the book excerpt. (Will give credit in endnote.) Enjoy ~Lil~

The new information didn't bring with it a cure, but Severus didn't let that discourage him. Odd, Old Snape (as he occasionally referred to his previous self) would have broken the nearest unimportant (sometimes very important) object and finished off half a bottle of firewhisky. But he didn't have the time or luxury for such actions at the moment. If the curse was 'part Imperio' that gave him a whole new set of worries and a shit load of questions. Was Yaxley controlling each episode? Was that why the severity of the symptoms and the intervals between the episodes varied? And most terrifying of all, could he simply compel her heart to stop beating? Could he kill Hermione before Severus got a chance to put an end to tall of this?

He did make a decision, however. Hermione needed to be a part of the process. He was shocked that she hadn't demanded it already. But then it struck him, her confidence had taken a huge hit. Her fire had gone out. Though she was still very much Hermione Granger, she was indeed different. She of course wasn't using her magic nearly as much as she had before the curse, that in and of itself could cause some emotional repercussions. He wondered if perhaps… no, he was coddling her. He shook his head at the idea that he'd become the kind of wizard that fawned over his sick wife. So he decided to enlist her help with research. He was a fool to have not been utilising such a mind to it's fullest potential.

Three days after 'movie night', Hermione came into his study.

"Severus?"

He glanced up, noting how much better she looked. Suddenly she resembled the knowledge obsessed, bushy-haired girl he'd once known. She wasn't a girl anymore, though, and the snug jeans and tee-shirt she was wearing reminded him of that fact. "Did you find something?" he asked as he marveled at how simple research had brought so much more colour to her face.

"Well, I'm looking through Galston's Theory of Spell and Curse Combination and…" she trailed off, obviously engrossed in the text.

After a couple of minutes he began to wonder if he was supposed to simply enter her mind and retrieve the rest of the information. He waited another minute or so, then smirked and said, "Hermione? Was there more or was that just an update on your reading material?" Merlin, a few years ago her partial sentence would have annoyed him to no end. What on earth had he become?

Jerking her head out of the book she seemed startled for a moment. "Oh, sorry. Ahh… This is incredibly complex magic, Severus. How he accomplished it… I'm just…" She sighed and went back to the text.

"Yes, well as I stated he's quite skillful with the Imperious. My theory is that it's the only way he can get a date," he deadpanned as he returned to his notes.

Hermione looked up and giggled.

"I'm serious. He makes me look like Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Oh, Severus!" She was actually laughing now. "That's ridiculous!"

He froze and cut his eyes up at the witch, not moving his head.

"You're much better looking than that over fluffed charlatan!" Her eyes widened, her cheeks instantly coloured and she completely lost the look of mirth she'd just had. An almost imperceptible squeak came her mouth as she dropped her head back to the book in her hands. "Um...It says here… ah, that Dark curses are nearly impossible to combine."

What? Better looking than Lockhart? Smarter, a better wizard, not mentally incapacitated by my own hand, yes, but better looking? Bloody hell... "Yes, I've discovered that as well," he finally managed.

"But it doesn't elaborate on the reason. Why?" she asked, taking a seat at the side of the desk and looking slightly recovered from… whatever the hell that was.

Severus folded his hands in front of him and thought before answering, actually pleased to have something to focus on besides their awkward exchange. "A Dark curse, Hermione, is born from... " he paused, wanting to explain- to teach the young witch something he'd learned long ago, but he had a hard time reconciling the idea of Hermione Granger and anything… Dark. "The darkest curses are born from hate and an overwhelming need for self gratification. To create something so sinister one has to set aside one's gentler humanity. Or give it up completely, in some cases. One must expel kindness and generosity and forgiveness, just for example," he added with a shake of his head as he remembered creating his own Dark curse when he was still a teenager. "To combine two, two that were possibly created with different intents or focus in the originator's mind, would require a sort of…" He searched for the right words. "Focused Dark intent, I suppose is the best way I can explain it."

"I see."

"And that's just what it takes to create them. To implement such Dark Magic… there's a cost."

"I've read the theory, but never fully understood." Her whiskey coloured eyes seemed to envelope him for a moment.

He nodded. "The Imperius Curse can be undone, the cost is minute compared to the others, though still significant. The Cruciatus can be stopped, but the damage, as you know, varies. Causing that kind of physical pain to another being, it… rips at your soul. And of course the Killing Curse…"

"Once it's done… it's done," she finished for him.

"The cost is immeasurable. That is if one can actually feel… anything. Most who cast it have souls already so black that it hardly matters." He didn't like the tone of his own voice. Finding that he couldn't look at his wife, he focused on a Monty Python poster across the room. How had they gone from mocking a Death Eater and that idiot Lockhart to this?

"There are special cricimstances…"

"Are there?" he interrupted, his eyes unfocused, staring ahead. "Are there really any special circumstances?"

Several moments pass as his thoughts turned darker and darker. Self loathing emerging from some distant corner of his mind.

"He asked it of you, Severus," Hermione said.

He shook his head and once again tried to focus on the poster. This was decidedly not a subject he wanted to think about. He was a murderer. The murderer of his friend. A great wizard. A crazy, manipulative old windbag, but that didn't mean that he'd ever wished the man harm. He still recalled the multitude of conversations Albus had had with him. The first one was all logic and planning. Severus, of course, had refused. Then the begging started. "...the greater good, Severus", "I'll not survive this, and you know it" and "this is the only way". And then… in the end, "Severus, please!".

Can one's soul survive such a thing?

Perhaps that's why he'd thrown himself solving Hermione's curse so quickly and completely. He hadn't thought about Albus or the multitude of other regrettable things that haunted his past in months. Was Lucius right? Was he trying desperately to redeem himself?

"Severus?"

He came out of his thoughts to find Hermione standing next to him, an arm over his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry. That must be… I can't imagine," she said as she rubbed her hand over his back.

"I… umm… not to worry, Miss," he shook his head in attempt to compose himself. He was dangerously close showing emotion in front of the witch. Deeply regretting his decision to no longer use Occlumency, he said, "Sorry, Hermione. I…" He cleared his throat as he stood up. "I should be brewing while you're researching." He started to leave but stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. He didn't turn around.

"I think your soul is just fine, Severus." She squeezed his arm. "Beautiful, actually."

Once she released him, he left as quickly as he could.

Severus was eating a sandwich next Hermione's bed as they discussed what she had discovered the following day.

"So, what are you saying?" he asked before taking a drink of tea.

Hermione wiped off her hands, moved her plate to the side table and picked up the ancient book that was next to her on the bed. "I'm saying it's only been done a handful of times, and obviously no one's ever combined two Unforgivables before."

"That we know of, Hermione. You don't think this is the first time it's been attempted, do you?"

She rolled her eyes. "I know you think I'm naive…"

"I don't, actually," he interrupted. "I think your research skills are second to none. What you lack in experience you make up in the ability to not only obtain information, but decypher it as well."

"Really?" she asked, hoping she was hiding her overt and unabashed elation.

"Yes, really. We'd all be dead if you weren't obsessed with gathering all the information you possibly could and delivering it to the Boy Wonder and his ginger sidekick."

Hermione laughed at Severus' turn of phrase.

"You're wasted as an auror, you know that right?" The look on his face told her he was dead serious.

She looked away. "Well, someone had to keep Ron and Harry from getting themselves killed."

"Why is that your job?"

"Because they're all I have left."

He paused and concentrated on his forgotten food for a few minutes. Finally he said, "When this is over you should look into research."

"And how do I make a living doing research?"

"I'm sure we could find a way."

"We?"

He stood abruptly, picking up both their plates. "I mean you've got all your friends on your side. You've got plenty of contacts and connections…"

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"Will I have you?" she asked, then quickly added, "On my side, that is?"

"Should you have need of me. Of course."

He started to leave but Hermione called out to him determined to let the evening end on an awkward note.

"What?" he asked as he turned and walked closer to the bed.

"I've thought of a name… for the curse."

"You have?"

"Yes. It's the Imperatus," she said with a cheeky grin.

His lips turned up in a slight smile before he sobered, a frown marring his handsome features. "How can you stay so cheerful through all of this?"

"I don't have much choice, do I? Besides, I keep thinking something good could come out of it...maybe."

Severus stared at her for several moments before he hurried out of the room.

He'd been doing that a lot lately.

Three nights later Severus woke up to the sound of Hermione screaming, it wasn't uncommon for him to be woken in the night because of one of his wife's episodes. It was why he kept his door opened most of the time. Usually she was just moaning or gasping for breath, which he could easily hear after years of being a spy. His ears were one of his greatest assets. Screaming was not normal. As if any of this is, he thought as he rushed to throw on his dressing gown.

He ran into her room to find her in a ball in the middle of her bed, her arms around her stomach, holding herself tightly. Rushing into a very familiar set of motions, he forced her onto her back and coaxed several potions down her throat. Within ten minutes she was calm, her body was no longer taught and her breathing was somewhat normal.

"That... was... unpleasant," she said between breaths. She winced as she tried to sit up in bed.

He waved her off and carefully scooted her up until her back was resting against the pillows and headboard. "How are you feeling?"

"The usual; like I've been run over by the Hogwarts Express."

They had discovered that while the topical potion did seem to mitigate her pain level, it didn't stop the spasms or completely eliminate her pain during an episode. Molly Weasley had just been there the day before to apply the potion.

"Do you notice any difference with this latest version of the potion?" he asked hopefully.

Hermione was stretching out her neck, moving it from side to side. "I believe so. Though it's hard to be precise about it. The spasms aren't always the same, neither is the pain." She looked up. "It's a bit odd, isn't it? The randomness of it all?"

Snape nodded. "I've considered that, myself," he said as he thought about the absence of any kind of pattern to the episodes. When he looked back to his wife, he could see that something was wrong. Something was, once again, different. "Hermione?"

"Well, I've… the last couple of days, I've felt… strange," she said with a defeated sigh.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Because I wasn't sure if it meant anything or if I was just…" she trailed off, looking embarrassed.

After several seconds Severus said, "What?"

She was clearly embarrassed and uncomfortable. "I've felt… depressed." She looked thoughtful for a moment then quickly added, "No, depressed isn't strong enough. I'll be fine and then suddenly I feel like nothing's ever going to be right again. Like anxious and worried and… hopeless." She was nearly in tears by the time she finished explaining, he could see her fighting them back. "Then it's just over." Looking him in the eyes she asked, "Am I going crazy?"

While internally kicking himself for not noticing his wife's recent distress, Severus tried to come up with something comforting to say to her. He was at a loss. "How long?" he asked, almost afraid to know the answer. How long had Yaxley been manipulating her emotions without Severus even noticing?

"Three days or so. At first I just thought it was normal. You know, pain is depressing and I haven't been off this property in weeks…"

He made a mental note to find a way to take her somewhere, though he was at a loss as to where.

"It kind of came out of nowhere, though. I was feeling better, you know, helping with the research."

"Any pattern to this or is it random like the episodes?"

"Random," she answered. "You should get back to sleep."

"I could stay," he said, without even thinking.

"Oh… umm…"

"I mean if you'd like to talk or anything…"

She smiled shyly then looked up at him with her bottom lip caught between her teeth. After a couple of seconds she said, "Would you read to me?"

"Read?"

"Ah, well… yes. It's just…" she mumbled.

"Hermione?"

"I like your voice, okay. It's rather... lovely." A bright flush spread across her cheeks and neck.

For a split second he wondered just how lovely she found his voice, but he pushed the thought away. "What would you like me to read, wife?" he asked, dropping his voice slightly lower than normal.

Hermione visibly shivered then cleared her throat. "Ah, any-anything really."

"I'll be right right back. Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you."

Hermione was a little more than mortified for revealing her fondness of Severus' voice. Down girl, she told herself as she waited for him to return. Though she couldn't be too upset, she was getting Severus Snape Story Time as a result.

He reentered the room, book in hand, and sat down. "Are you comfortable?"

She nodded her reply and he started reading where she'd left off.

Hermione was lost. Lost in the words of Jane Austen spoken in the deep rumble and perfect annunciation of her husband's voice. It was delicious. Like the darkest chocolate or expensive red wine… or both at the same time! Over the last several months that voice had comforted, chastised and entertained her. She was more than fond of it, if she was honest, she was enamored by it. She tried to focus on the story, though she'd read the book at least three times, and found herself drifting as Severus read.

He sat with his elbows on his knees leaning forward squinting a bit, making her wonder if he needed reading glasses. She greedily took in her his features whilst he concentrated on the text. His hair, for instance, wasn't greasy as she'd previously thought. Upon closer inspection it was shiny and silky looking. She noted the shape of his face: angular and defined… refined, she decided. His nose, a nose most would find overly large and unattractive, was to her distinctive and proud. Following his eyes as they moved across the page she couldn't help notice that his eyelashes were lush and dark. A girl would kill for lashes like those. Then there were his fathomless eyes. Dark and mysterious, much like the man himself. And his mouth… Severus had a tongue as sharp as a saber, but his lips looked soft… kissable. She wondered how they'd taste...

Shaking herself out of her inappropriate thoughts, she refocused on the story and tried to put to rest her foolish notions.

* " 'I am not wishing him too much good,' said Marianne at last, with a sigh, 'when I wish his secret reflections may be no more unpleasant than my own. He will suffer enough in them.'

'Do you compare your conduct with his?'

'No. I compare it with what it ought to have been; I compare it with yours.' " *

"I never liked Willoughby," Hermione said as he finished Marianne's last line.

"Well, no one really does by the end," Severus returned, not looking up from the page.

She paused for a moment and pondered fact that Severus had obviously read Muggle literature. "No, I mean I never really liked him. Just… something about him. I didn't like him the first time I read the book, long before finding out about his scandalous behaviour."

He smirked as he marked the page and closed the book. "Well, I would say you're a pretty good judge of character but I've met your two best friends."

Hermione laughed, his cutting remarks about Harry and Ron no longer bothered her. They lacked the bite they once had. She sighed, noting just how late it was. "Thank you for reading to me."

"Feeling better?"

"Much."

"Well then I'll leave you to it, Mrs. Snape." His words caused a shiver in her spine.

After putting the chair back under the desk across the room he walked to the door but paused just before walking out ."You need anything else?" he asked as he turned.

You, she thought, but instead of answering she smiled and shook her head.

Severus was in the lab when his wards alerted him that someone was floo calling. He stirred the anticonvulsant potion he was working on three more times counter-clockwise and put it under a stasis charm. He then put the other potion he was working on under stasis as well and sprinted up to the sitting room. When he got there he answered the call and found Kingsley Shacklebolt's face in the grate.

"Damnit, Snape! What took you so long?" the Minister for Magic said in his usual abrupt manner.

"I was in the lab, Kingsley. What's going on?"

"They did it! They caught Yexley!"

"You have him?" Severus questioned, hardly believing it had finally happened.

"Yes. Believe it or not Potter and Weasley got him. There's hope for those boys yet!"

There was no one else but his godson to call on such short notice. Thankfully, Draco wasn't busy. It was odd, and if he had time to really think about it he might have realised just how lonely the young man was to be available at a moments notice on a Friday night. However he had more important things to worry about, such as exactly how he was going to kill Yaxley after he removed (forcefully if need be) the information from the piece of rubbish.

He left Draco with only a smattering of information, in fairness he had very little to share, and flooed directly into Kingsley's office. He had to force himself not to check on his wife before he left. She was resting and he needed to hurry.

"We have him in an interrogation room, Severus. But you can't go in unless you give me your wand," the Minister explained.

That's okay, he thought. I still have my hands… and feet… and knees. He handed over his wand and followed the man into a small plain looking room. Yaxley was chained to the wall. His brutish features were hard to make out under the split lip and two black eyes. His nose might have been broken as well, it was hard to tell. The last time he'd seen the wizard he'd looked half dead. This was almost an improvement. Damnit, the boys already got to him. Ah well, they deserve some fun too, I suppose.

Then the bastard smiled. "Enjoying your little Mudblood, Sevvy? Merlin's cock, you really do have a type, don't you? Maybe we could have kept you on our side if we'd have just found a dirty blooded piece of arse for you to occupy your time with."

Severus lurched forward only to run into some kind of shield separating him and the Death Eater.

Yaxley laughed, a sickeningly grotesque sound, then said, "They ain't gonna let you get to me Snape. Tell me, is it hard to fuck her while she's having one of those fits or does that make it better?"

The Potions Master turned to Kingsley and said, "You fucking release that shield right fucking now!" in a low dangerous voice.

The Minister put both hands on Severus' shoulders and tried to calm him. "We need information first. Think about it, think about Hermione."

Severus took a deep breath. "Plan?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"He's refused to tell us anything about the curse or give us the counter..."

"Legilimency," Severus interrupted.

"I don't think it'll work, Snape. And we already tried Veritaserum and all we got was a bunch of ramblings about that night and curses and mistakes. If the answer was there, I think we'd have found it," Kingsley said, an apologetic look in his eyes. "He…"

"He what?" Severus looked at the smiling Death Eater then back to the Minister. "What are you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter Snape," Yaxley yelled from across the room. "You can't undo it. Our illustrious minister can't undo it. Only I can. Isn't it beautiful? I created a curse only I can break." His sickening smile turned Severus' stomach. "And guess what? I'm not properly motivated to end that Mudblood whore's suffering. As a matter of fact, I'm enjoying it way too much."

"His wand?" Severus questioned, hoping for some kind of solution besides the one that was formulating in his mind.

"It was even less helpful, if you can imagine. He cast dozens of curses that night. All known, all very dark, but we already knew that."

Severus paced away from the Minister and tried to clear his mind. This wasn't a known curse. It couldn't be. "Did you ask him what would happen if he died?" he asked Kingsley.

"We did. He didn't know."

There was no way he could take that chance, not with Hermione's life at stake. He cleared his mind using Occlumency shields to try to force down his emotions and finally settled on the only plausible solution. He would have laughed at the irony if he weren't putting Hermione's life in the bastard's hands. "Cast a sound shield." He waited for the wizard to do as he'd requested. "Let me cast the Imperius and order him to cure her. It's the only way, Kingsley."

The older wizard nodded as he spoke, "I had the same thought. However, you can't cast it. I can't allow that, Snape."

"Who? Who could possibly perform the Imperius well enough to make him heal Hermione. He'll fight it, Kings. He was the best of all the Death Eaters I've encountered. He controlled Thicknesse for nearly a year with that curse and I believe that this curse is some combination of the Cruciatus and Imperius."

Kingsley looked thoughtful for a moment. "He cast them both that night, according to his wand."

"I thought it was the Cruciatus, but I was wrong." Severus looked at the piece of shit chained to the wall then back to Kingsley. "I wouldn't have thought him imaginative or skilled enough to combine the two, but I underestimated him. I'm happy to give a full report later, but right now…"

"Of course, of course. Okay, what I'm about to tell you is top level stuff, Snape. You can tell no one, understand?"

Severus nodded.

The Minister sighed and rubbed his hands together. "After the war a measure was passed, well, several actually. It was decided that the Unforgivable Curses, while still unforgivable, needed to be taught… extensively, to the MLE. All Aurors are trained in the Killing Curse, they always have been, however we decided to train a handful of Aurors to specialise in the other two. I have two wizards who, at this point, are probably as good as him at the Imperius."

The Ministry is finally doing something right for a change, Severus thought. "I want to be there."

"Of course," the Minister replied as he nodded.

"And I want five minutes alone with him… now. I assume you need to locate your Auror?"

Kingsley stopped nodding and looked at the Death Eater. "Five minutes, no wand."

"I don't need a wand," Severus said, his voice menacing. "Potter and Weasley?"

"They'll be there too." He canceled both shields then looked at Yaxley and said, "Master Snape would like a little alone time, Yaxley. I have an errand to run. I wish I could be here to witness this, but my work is never done." He closed the distance until he was less than six inches from the Death Eater. "Minister or not, I will get my turn with you, you piece of shit." Then he turned and left.

Severus remove his frock coat then rolled up his sleeves…

Arriving at home a short while later, Severus found Draco in the sitting room.

"So, what's going on?" he asked his uncle.

"Is she sleeping?" Severus asked as a response.

"Yes, she said she was tired. Do you have the counter?" Draco's tone was impatient and Severus, not for the first time, thought about just how much his godson had come to care for his wife.

"No. It's complicated. I have to move her to St. Mungo's. But first I have to have a… conversation with her."

"Can I help? I want to help."

"Yes. Wait here, you can help me move her. I'm not sure if you can be in the room, but I'll see what I can do."

Severus found his wife in her bed, but she wasn't sleeping. She most likely lied to Draco so that she could be left alone to worry in peace.

"Draco said the boys found him," she said as he walked into the room.

He sat down on the side of the bed, propriety be damned, this was going to be difficult and he needed to be able to touch her if she reacted badly. "Yes. We have him."

"Why do I feel like there is some really bad news on the way?"

He preemptively took her hand.

"Oh no…" she gasped looking down at his bloodied knuckles. "What happen?" Taking both his hands in hers, she rubbed her thumbs across his fingers.

He ignored her question. "The counter-curse must be performed by him, Hermione. He'll have to do it himself. But he will be Imperio'ed."

"Gods… I'll… He'll have his wand on me… again?" She immediately started trembling.

"I'll be right there. As will Kingsley and Potter and Weasley and three other Aurors."

"He will fight it. He… he could hurt me." She laughed bitterly. "More."

He grabbed her face in his hands and shook his head. "NO! He won't. I won't allow it."

She held onto his hands and sobbed. "I'm sorry. I trust you, Severus, I do. I'm just... scared."

"Of course you're scared. You're scared and tired and in pain. But you've been so brave." He leaned closer until their foreheads touched. "My brave wife. After this you won't have to be brave anymore. You can be anything- do anything you want."

"Anything?" she whispered.

"Yes."

She pulled back. "Is this the only way?" she asked.

"It is, Hermione."

"I'm so glad you're making this decision and not me." She took a deep breath. "Listen, if something happens…"

"No. Nothing is going to happen. You will be cured."

She smiled. "Since when did you become so optimistic?"

That was a good question, actually. "Don't get too used to it."

Hermione was taken to a large procedure suite by Severus and Draco as soon as they'd flooed to St. Mungo's. There were no healers or medi-witches present when they got there.

"Why are we doing this here instead of the Ministry?" she asked as Severus adjusted the pillows behind her back.

"Because we have no idea what's going to happen," he said, he was trying to appear emotionless, after months of living with the man she'd learned his tells. "There is a team on hand ready for just about any contingency."

"It's dangerous, moving him like this. I would have voted against it if it had been my case," she commented.

"Well it's not your case, Auror Granger," Severus growled, his impatient self making an appearance. "I made the decision. This is why you married me, remember?"

"I suppose so," she said with the hint of a smile.

Just then the doors opened up and Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry, Ron and Auror Davis walked in. Severus immediately joined them and they started speaking in hushed voices.

Draco sat down on the edge of her bed. "So Granger, what are we going to do about the other problem?"

"Shit, what other problems are there?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"I'm talking about your unresolved feelings for my uncle. What's the plan there?"

Hermione just stared, panic rising. Was it that obvious? "Malfoy…"

"Don't worry, Granger, your secret's safe with me. But…"

"No buts, Draco. This is nearly over." She looked at her husband and the group of wizards across the room. "One way or another he'll be free finally able to return to his life."

"What if that's not what he wants?"

"Don't be an idiot!" she hissed. "Of course it is!"

"Then why are you crying?" he asked.

"I'm not... " That's when she realised that she was, indeed, crying. "What fresh hell is this?" she whispered as she wiped her cheeks.

"What do you mean?"

"I… I…" She took a deep breath trying to collect herself, because she was suddenly completely terrified. "Get Severus. Get Severus right now!" she demanded.

Draco sprinted across the room and soon returned with her husband.

"What is it, what's happening?" he frantically asked.

Still attempting to regulate her breathing Hermione finally managed, "I'm s-so af-afraid."

He sat down where Draco had just vacated and took her hand. "Of course you are…"

"No… I mean," Deep breath. "M-more than I should be. S-something's wrong, S-S-Severus."

Realisation dawned on his face and he turned to the group of wizards, who had moved closer to her bed. "NOW! You have to do it now!" He tried to get up, but Hermione wouldn't let go of his hand. He looked at Auror Davis and said, "Don't let him in this room unless you have full control, understand?"

The wizard nodded his head and made for the door.

Severus cupped Hermione's face with his large, warm hands. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere."

"What's happening? Pl-please don't lie to me. You've… you've never lied to me," she sobbed.

"I don't know for certain, but I imagine it's something about proximity. It's, for some reason, affecting you emotionally now. I can't even begin to explain it. He hasn't got his wand, I don't believe he's skilled at wandless magic, but he won't have a chance to attempt it."

"He's…" Gods, this is awful. She hated feeling so out of control. "He's gonna fight it. What if he wins?"

Severus started to speak, but Hermione held up a shaking hand.

"If I don't…" Once again he tried to interrupt but she wouldn't allow it. "No! I need this, please. If I don't survive please believe me when I say it has been an honour being your wife. And if I had to be married to anyone… I'm glad it was you. Thank you Severus, for being my husband and my hero."

He opened his mouth just as the doors opened and Yaxley walked in surrounded by three aurors. Severus looked back at Hermione and said, "Do you trust me?"

"Of course," was her teary answer. And she did, she trusted with everything she had. "Please don't forget me, Severus."

"I'm not going to forget you because you'll be right here. Remember who I am and what I am," he said before standing to face the new group of wizards. "Draco, sit next to Hermione but do not touch her while the counter is being cast." He removed his wand from his sleeve and turned it on the Death Eater while his godson sat in a chair next to Hermione. "Okay Davis, let's get started," he said.

While the aurors and Severus were all staring at Yaxley Hermione softly called out to Draco. He turned his attention to the witch in the bed and she said, "If I die, will you tell him that I loved him. I just want him to know."

"How 'bout you tell him."

"Promise me," she pleaded.

He swallowed hard. "Yeah, I will."

"Thanks, Draco. You're okay, did you know that?"

The blond wizard smiled. "I did, but I'm glad you finally figured it out."

The next thing she heard was her husband saying, "Legilimens".

Thanks for reading. I love hearing from you, please let me know what you think. ~Lil~

I have to give credit where credit is due and the quotes marked with * are by a writer I could only hope to emulate, Jane Austen (Sense and Sensibility).