The rain came down in sideways sheets. Severus was exhausted, and the black sack was weighing heavy on his right shoulder. Through his wet lashes, he looked at the wall that should be Number 12 Grimmauld Place, but he could no longer see the building. Conjuring his patronus with his last scraps of energy, and picturing Hermione's face, he announced his presence.

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"Are you ready?" Poppy called into the bathroom, her voice bearing just a hint of anxiety.

"Almost," Hermione called back, coming out only a second or two later. She looked at Poppy, "How am I going to answer their questions?"

The nurse came and put her arm around Hermione leading her in their new mantra. "With," they continued in unison, "specific generalities." The nurse patted the girl on the back. "Now, I have something else to tell you." She turned Hermione around by the shoulders to face her.

Hermione looked into her friend's eyes and new it was very serious; a pit started to form in her stomach.

"I received a note from Minerva while you were in the shower." She squeezed Hermione's arms. "Severus turned himself in to the Order two hours ago. They are holding him at Headquarters."

For a second Hermione looked at Poppy in disbelief; then with adrenaline infused strength; she broke away from the woman and made for the fireplace.

"Petrificus Totalus."

Hermione fell on her side, frozen; floo powder broadcasting all over the floor.

Poppy came and stood over her. She could see Hermione's eyes; they were livid.

"Now, I am sorry I had to do that, but you weren't thinking … you can't just go running in there. You want your privacy, do you not? Do you want to wear your heart on your sleeve?"

The nurse couldn't stand looking at the girl this way and said, "I am going to let you go, but, if you don't listen to the rest of what I have to say, I will hit you with another spell…. Finite Incantatem."

Hermione moved slowly, moaning as she got up, "Was that completely necessary?"

"Yes."

"Fine," Hermione sighed in resignation, "I'm Listening." Then she flicked her wand, cleaned the mess, crossed her arms and looked pointedly at the woman.

Poppy met her look and said in a deadly serious voice, "Do you trust Severus?"

"I-"

"Do you trust Severus Snape?" The girl looked at her friend wide-eyed "DO YOU?" Poppy pushed.

"YES … YES … OK!" came the cracking scream; then after a moment of silence, a whisper, "Yes …yes I do trust him. I trust him …"

"You love him."

Hermione bowed her head, face burning; then her stomach pushed her heart into her chest until it broke into a millions pieces that began traveling to the tips of her fingers and toes. "I love him with everything I am …"

"I know dear, I know."

The girl stepped swiftly into the woman's arms and hugged her desperately.

Poppy knew Hermione truly loved this man, but the wisdom of age caused her to question deeply its foundation. She knew that if they all survived this, it would take conscious decisions and boundaries to keep the feelings alive in the everyday world, but she knew that that discussion was for another time.

"Ok, now Hermione," Poppy gripped the girls shoulders and pushed them away so she could look into her eyes. "I want you to realize that Severus Snape NEVER does anything without a plan, and he must have one for him to make such a move as this." The nurse looked at her sternly. "So you must be stoic; see what's what. Minerva has already told the Order the general outline of your capture based on what you told me, and you know what we've discussed about the "cure." Hermione nodded.

"The last thing is that they've been interrogating him." Hermione panicked, pushing against the woman who gripped her firmly by the shoulders shaking her slightly to reestablish eye contact. "Stop it! You need to be strong. Trust me; I have patched him up too many times. He will survive."

"But they don't know-"

"And they may never, but you do … trust him Hermione. Be the woman who loves him. Be a woman of this war. You've been to hell and back; you can and will do this … Do you hear me?"

The young woman nodded. Poppy's eyes bored into hers.

Then Hermione answered with head rising, "I hear you … now let's go."

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Hermione had forgotten the dizziness she felt with floo travel, but, in spite of this, she put a sure foot into the Grimmauld kitchen. She had hoped to have a moment to establish her composure before the bombardment came, but no such luck.

"Hermione!" Several familiar voices called out, bodies moving quickly towards her.

Ginny was the first to embrace her, then Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George, Minerva moving into the group as well.

"Let her breath," Poppy said, nudging them away.

Hermione was overwhelmed with the sight of these people. Somehow, happiness and dread had made a third unnamed emotion. Something was off though. Where were Harry and Ron?

While walking further into the kitchen, Hermione put voice to her question, "Where are Harry and Ron?"

Fred blurted, "They're upstairs with-"

"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley's voice drowned out the young man as she came to stand quickly next to Hermione.

"Let's get you a cup of tea dear; sit down." The woman guided the girl to the table.

Hermione sat down, trying to clear her thoughts. 'Snape ... All the rest are with Snape.' She felt the panic returning. What were they doing to him? Hundreds of words began to formulate in her brain; then she remembered Poppy's advice and stilled her voice.

Minerva sat and clasped Hermione's hands in hers," Severus Snape turned himself in to us less than three hours ago. They are all upstairs interviewing him."

"You mean interrogating him." Hermione said flatly.

Minerva nodded head down.

Ginny sat down quickly next to Hermione and touched her arm, "How are you?"

"Fine." Hermione slumped her shoulders relaxing slightly with Ginny's touch.

Just then, the kitchen door swung open. "That bastard! … Just sitting there… we should have killed him for-"

"Ronald Weasley!" Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice came suddenly.

Ron stopped at the sound of his mother's voice causing Harry to run right into him.

"Hermione's here." Ginny alerted with a bright voice.

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Severus could feel Moody's Crucio running through his body as he sat bound to the chair in the empty room high in the Black house. He vaguely thought he had gone soft, not having been tortured like this since before Dumbledore's death. 'Moody's good,' he thought disassociating himself from his pain. The auror would leave just enough time to let the body cells calm down before casting the curse again.

Occasionally, if Moody waited long enough, Snape would notice that his face stung. He remembered Weasley and Potter jumping him when he walked in the door, pounding him into the ground; it took the adults several minutes to stop the boy's barrage, he figured they all were getting a vicarious show. Finally, Arthur Weasley had pulled them off, then Tonks and Moody, had dragged him upstairs manually.

Now Remus Lupin was the first to speak, "Alastor, I think that is enough."

"Nothing is enough for Albus' killer." Moody ground out.

"Bastard!" Ron spat, hitting the prisoner's face with his saliva.

Lupin flicked his head at Arthur.

"Come on boys, you're not helping." Mr. Weasley forcefully pushed Ron and Harry out the door.

"We deserve to be in there!" Harry yelled, pushing into the man and trying to get back into the room.

Ron was doing the same saying, "He held our best friend prisoner."

Arthur pushed back hard in an unusual show of strength and anger, "She is also safe now and free. So unless you want to deal with me, you better go to your room and cool off."

Harry looked at the man questioningly, almost wondering if he could take him. Knowing his father, Ron had wisely backed down.

"Well Harry, I can see you've forgotten that I have raised six boys who are all bigger than you."

Reality quickly dawned on The-Boy-Who-Lived, and he backed down, lowered his head, and turned to go downstairs.

Ron glanced sheepishly at his dad who lifted one brow; the young red head quickly caught up with his friend.

Arthur watched them for a moment; then turned back to the interrogation.

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Harry and Ron had engulfed Hermione in hugs. In many ways, she had thought she would never see them again.

Hermione could barely get an answer out as they peppered her with questions. Then they started to ask her about Snape, but she could tell it was more about getting ammunition than concern for her.

From across the room Ginny piped in, "That's enough!" She sounded a lot like her mother. "Hermione probably just needs to get used to being back." Then, turning toward her friend Ginny said, "You want to go to your room now Hermione? It's just as you left it."

Hermione stood, nodded, then kissed both boys on their heads, saying, "I'll see you in the morning. We'll talk more then."

While they silently climbed the stairs to their rooms, both girls listened in discomfort to the sounds coming from the floors above them.