A/N: Admittedly, this one isn't very nice (towards the end, at least). If this bothers you, I would suggest skipping the last part of the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything; I'm just playing on J.K. Rowling's playground!

It had been three months since Hermione had begun her apprenticeship with Professor Snape, and it was going well. She was brewing more complicated potions now, and he'd recently started letting her teach Professor Slughorn's first years. He really was an excellent teacher; it felt as if she'd learned more in three months than in all her years as a student.

Her N.E.W.T.s had been the week before Christmas, and she'd passed them all with flying colors and she now held the record at Hogwarts.

She had stayed at Hogwarts over the holiday for the first time, and it had been nice. She usually went home and stayed in her alley, but her professor had work for her to do.

Professor Snape was wonderful. It was apparent that he wasn't always a snarky bastard, and Hermione enjoyed their time together. Her feelings aside, it was amazing how much she liked working with him. He was absolutely brilliant, and they could talk about anything for hours as they argued their points. There had been many times when he'd asked her what she thought of a book she'd been reading, and it would lead to a long discussion over tea, like one they'd had the other night.

"So, what did you think?"

"It was rather insightful, Professor. I never thought of Potions being linked to other magic that way. I knew that all forms of magic were connected, but I've never researched how. It makes so much sense. Thank you for lending it to me."

"It was my pleasure. I do believe that you are the only person in the building- with the exception of Albus, of course- who is competent enough to uphold any discussion on such matters. Now, were you aware that at Hogwarts, all magic is tied to the castle's elemental magic?"

"Yes, sir. I read it in Hogwarts: A History. It was a fascinating concept. Because of the immense power of the castle, the magic done on the grounds can be strengthened in times of need. The castle is sentient, which explains how the moving staircases cooperate when you ask nicely. Anyway, the ultimate goal of the castle is to protect its inhabitants. The magic of the professors is stronger here than anywhere else in the world, allowing the most protection possible."

He nodded. "Good. Where does Potions fit into this?"

"Well, if the castle's magic makes our magic stronger, it is safe to assume that the ingredients that grow on the grounds would also be more powerful, yielding stronger potions. What links Potions to other forms of magic is magic itself. The ingredients absorb the magic from the grounds, as do the plants in the greenhouse. It is the same magic that allows charms ad transfiguration to work; the power pulses through the castle's walls. Thus, all magic in the castle is connected by the castle's magic."

"Indeed. Have you seen evidence of this, Miss Granger?"

"I believe so. During the Final Battle, all of the professors put up the wards. That is extremely powerful magic, and should have left the professors drained. However, than would make the students more vulnerable, so the castle strengthened their magic. At the same time, the wards were much stronger than they would have been otherwise."

"Well done. So, does the art of Potions require magic?"

"Not directly. While the brewer doesn't have to use their magic in the obvious sense, it still flows, like a circuit. Our magic runs through us, and is part of us whether we're using it or not. This is what allows us to brew. But, the magic from the grounds is also in the ingredients. So, even if one didn't have magic, and the castle deemed it acceptable, a Muggle could brew with things from Hogwarts."

"That is mostly correct. While it is true that the magic from the grounds would make brewing possible, a Muggle would not be successful. A Squib, probably, could manage, but not a Muggle. Squibs have little magic, but it's there. Hogwarts' magic needs to be able to channel through the brewer, and Squibs have just enough to make it possible."

"So it really is like a circuit, then."

"Yes, I suppose it is."

Hermione had moved to her new quarters a week into her apprenticeship, and it was actually nice to live so close to him. They would oftentimes work together in their shared sitting room, and he really wasn't bad to live with. He was organized and the rooms were all clean (courtesy of the house elves, she was sure). The rooms were fit for the Head of Slytherin, all in dark green and silver. Most of their quarters were shared; they each had their own bedrooms and bathrooms, but the rest of the space was for both of them. He didn't even mind Crookshanks being there as long as he behaved himself.

Sleep was easier now than it had been, but she still had to silence her rooms so he wouldn't hear the screams from her nightmares. While she was having them nightly, they had lessened in their intensity, so they felt less real. Hermione still woke up screaming and wet with sweat, but what sleep she did get was better.

One night a few weeks ago, she'd woken up from one of the really bad ones; she'd been hoarse from her screams, the sheets were soaked, and she was shaking. Desperately in need of a cup of tea, she'd gone out to their kitchenette as quietly as she could. She had been able to prepare it, but when she reached for a mug from the cabinet, she was shaking so badly that it slipped from her fingers. It fell to the stone floor and shattered loudly, echoing through the silence. She'd had an instant flashback to that night when her father had first hit her and she curled up into a ball on the floor, snapping hurriedly at the band on her wrist. It wasn't long before she drew blood, but it didn't matter. She just needed everything to stop. She could almost feel his hands connect with her torso as he beat her; the rage and hatred was still in his face.

Professor Snape had come rushing into the room, wand at the ready before realizing it was only Hermione. Once he'd looked at the sight before him- shattered mug and Hermione rocking on the floor with blood trickling down her arm- he'd immediately knelt down beside her and taken her in his strong arms. He'd murmured quick healing and cleaning spells and grabbed her wrist gently; she'd pulled it away at first, but then she'd realized what was going on. She slowly came out of her mind, only to find tears running down her face. It had taken her a while to regain control of herself, but he'd stayed with her. When she could finally breathe again, Hermione pulled away slowly, giving her professor a look that was both grateful and apologetic. He had looked her over, repaired the mug, and poured her tea before getting his own.

"Sorry, Professor, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's alright, Miss Granger; I was not yet asleep." He hadn't needed to ask if she wanted to talk about it; Hermione knew that he knew she would if she was able.

So, sitting on the couch at just after two in the morning, she'd told him what had happened. Hermione had described the nightmare and what had happened after. Professor Snape didn't say anything as she spoke; he just listened. It was nice to be listened to.

After their tea, he'd sent her back to bed, and they hadn't spoken of it since.

Now, when she woke up in a state, she Summoned Tinky instead.

The past three months had been pleasant for Severus. His workload was considerably lighter since he'd started working with Miss Granger, and he was getting more sleep. All in all, he was slightly less dour than he had been.

Miss Granger was a perfect student. She learned quickly, was an excellent brewer, and was one of the most intelligent witches he'd ever worked with. They were moving quickly through her apprenticeship; she was almost two weeks ahead of schedule. Her work was impeccable, and she was doing well with her teaching. According to Horace, she'd quickly won over most of the first years.

She wasn't terrible to live with. The young woman was just about as organized as he was, so his quarters gradually became their quarters; he really didn't mind this at all. Severus had been alone for so long that it felt nice not to have to be anymore. He enjoyed their late-night banter about Potions, or politics, or anything. It didn't matter what they talked about; it was stimulating for his mind, having another brilliant mind to argue with.

Even her cat was manageable. The furry orange menace had taken to him, and would curl up with him if Miss Granger wasn't there or he was having a particularly bad day.

Since finding out about what she'd endured at home and experiencing the aftermath firsthand, Severus had been making an effort not to be a complete arse to her all the time. She'd had more than enough of that in her short life; he didn't need to add to it. As much as he wanted to help fix her, he wasn't quite sure he knew how. Since November, she hadn't had many more panic attacks that he was aware of; there had been maybe five since they'd started working together. Miss Granger hadn't brought any of it up unless he was calming her down, and a part of him was glad. He had come to feel protective over her, and as willing as he was to listen, he didn't like hearing what haunted her dreams. It made him feel sick and angry and sorry that he couldn't make it go away.

A tentative friendship had formed between the two. They were slowly but surely becoming familiar with one another, they enjoyed each other's company, and they worked well together. He looked forward to working with her when he woke up n the mornings. Not having expected to survive the war, Severus hadn't had much of a plan. He would continue teaching, and that was all he knew.

But now, he was doing that, and he was happy about it. Never had he enjoyed teaching as much as he did with Miss Granger.

There had been minor disagreements, of course, but they hadn't lasted very long. Sometimes he pushed her mind, hard, and she would get frustrated. They would both lose their tempers, rail at each other, and then it would be over. She would finally understand what he was doing, or he would eventually try a different approach; they usually ended up somewhere in the middle.

The rest of term passed quickly, and soon the school year was over. There was to be a celebration of the first anniversary of the war's end, but both he and his apprentice had declined. Severus was staying at Hogwarts during summer, and Miss Granger would be leaving. He sent some work with her, and she would owl him her assignments and an argument; their banters were by letter now. It pleased him to know that she wanted to keep in touch as much as he did, and while it wasn't quite the same, it would suffice.

He wasn't really sure where she was staying. Severus couldn't imagine her going back to the house, so he could only think that she was on the streets again. This worried him immensely, but it was her life. If the streets were where she wanted to be, it wasn't his place to tell her otherwise, even if he wanted to. Sure, she'd been fine for years, but that didn't make it any easier for him.

Her friendship had become valuable to him, and Severus didn't know what he would do if anything happened to her. He would be alone again, and he couldn't go back to that. Severus had learned what it was like to have a true friend in Miss Granger, and he was not willing to let it go. Somewhere in the past six months, she had come to matter to Severus, and he would do what he could for her.

The streets of Hermione's small hometown were always lively. People were moving all day, always having somewhere to be. When she left Hogwarts and come here, she'd found her way to the alley she'd inhabited every summer since she'd started school. It was small, in between the book shop and a small café, as far from her childhood home as she could get. Hermione had enough money from the war to live comfortably, but she was frugal. She would buy the occasional book and lunch from her 'neighbors', but that was it, aside from groceries. Only nonperishables; they were inexpensive and meant to last. She tried to use magic as little as possible when she was home. With as many people out and about as there were, she couldn't risk being caught.

Her summer had been as uneventful as ever, aside from her correspondence from Professor Snape. She enjoyed doing the work; it relaxed her and gave her something to look forward to. Hermione's days were long and often dull; she would talk to other homeless people, but most of them lived on the other side of town. More shops were that way and, unlike her, many of the homeless weren't so by choice. They needed to be there.

Part of her wished she had told her professor where she was, but she had a feeling he could figure it out on his own. There was nothing stopping her from writing, 'I'm currently living in an alley at home,' but she just didn't. It was pointless.

He would probably disapprove, but she didn't care. Professor Snape wouldn't understand. This was one of those places where she felt safe, strange as it may be. At home, shut out from the world, things had been well and truly awful. Out here, people were everywhere; surely that was safer.

It was with this in mind Hermione decided to take a walk one night. It was early July, and the air was warm. The breeze was soft and calm, cooling her face as she ambled through the streets. When she felt as if she'd gotten too close to home, she turned back around. She made it back to her alley quickly; there were less people out now than there had been earlier, and she didn't want to be caught too far away when it grew quiet.

Hermione was sitting against a wall with a book under a street light when it happened. She was so absorbed in the thick tome that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her. All she knew was that one minute she was learning about Oculus Potion, and the next a hand was on her mouth, muffling her screams. Her wand fell from her sleeve and fell to the ground, but her attackers didn't seem to notice it. The one that was holding her spun her around so she could see them.

There were two. One, the one who'd grabbed her, was tall, with fair hair and dark eyes. He was stocky, and she was confident she'd never seen him before in her life. The other was much shorter, and he was also much uglier. He was stout, and his toad-like face made her think of Umbridge.

"Well, well, well, what've we here? It looks like a treat for the two of us, doesn't it, mate?" the tall one sneered in a smooth voice. Hermione was vaguely aware that she was trembling.

"And look, she's scared," said the toad. His voice was nasal and high pitched for a male.

Before she could process anything else, Hermione felt her head being smashed against the wall as she fell to the ground. Above her, she could hear pants being undone. Her heart sank; she never thought she'd have to do this again, especially not with total strangers. She was horrified, but also resigned. They couldn't take anything from her; she had nothing left to give.

The two bent over her, pants down just enough for their lengths to be free. The toad began yanking her clothing from her body while the other stroked himself. She just sat there. There wasn't any fight left in her. Hermione had lost it all to her father; some had come back in the face of the war, but now it was all gone again. She couldn't bring herself to struggle.

The two men must have been looking for a little fight- and been upset when she didn't give it to them- because she was being hit hard in the face. She still did nothing.

The beating continued until Hermione was seeing stars, and as she came back to herself, she felt one of them enter her forcefully. She stayed limp and unmoving beneath him. She could hear him grunting above her, and he hit her again; the other man was pleasuring himself as he watched.

It felt like it lasted forever, but he finally released inside her. She knew it wasn't over, though. The other had to have a turn.

She was surprised to find that the second man wasn't the toad; she'd thought he was the submissive partner, but maybe they were both dominant. Not that it mattered; they both raped her anyway.

The tall one had his fun. He was worse than the toad; he hit her harder and more frequently, and his thrusts were harder, like her father's. By the time he was done, Hermione was battered. Both her eyes were swollen, her nose felt broken, she had a split lip; her breasts were badly bruised, some ribs felt bruised or broken, and she was struggling for breath. That familiar pain was back between her legs, but she had long since grown used to it. When Hermione looked up from cataloguing her injuries, both men were gone. Sitting up, she pulled on what clothing was left; her bra was in pieces and her shirt was torn, but wearable. Her jeans were spotted with her blood, as were her knickers, but she pulled them on. She struggled to find her wand, beyond relieved when she found it in one piece.

"Tinky."

She waited a moment before the house elf appeared with a pop that resounded through the empty alley. "What can Tinky do for Mistress?"

"Tinky, I need you to take me to Professor Snape," Hermione rasped.

It was then that Tinky noticed her condition, and she gasped.

"Yes, Mistress. Tinky will take you to Master Snape."

They left just as Hermione fell into the darkness and let it swallow her.

A/N II: Thanks again to everybody who's taken time to read and keep up with my story so far; it means a lot! I wish I could update more often but, in the past few weeks, writing has slowly become more important than my schoolwork, and I can't really let that happen; I'd really rather not fail out of school. I'm also trying to make sure I stay far ahead enough in writing it that, should I have a week when I can't write at all, I'll still be able to update no problem.

Currently, this story is about 18.5 chapters, but I'm not done yet! I wish I could give you an idea of how long it will be, but I haven't been following my original plan too well- things are taking much longer than they were supposed too, but that's okay. All I know is that I'm about five chapters off, meaning that what I thought would happen in Ch. 15 got pushed to Ch. 20; not that it matters, and it actually turned out better, I think.

Anyway, enough of my blathering; any and all reviews are welcome and appreciated, and I'll see you guys next Wednesday!