A/N; Sorry it took a little longer than usual to get this chap up. Hope you like it.
Thank You to everyone who left a review!! You all Rock:D
"So," Draco smirked as they both reached the kitchen, "you're doing Granger. I do admit, I often did wonder how she managed to get those marks, I mean she is just a Mudblood after all".
Severus closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning around to face the young Malfoy. He wasn't in the mood to spend time with the little chit, but Hermione needed to speak with her friends, and he wasn't going to stop her due to his own selfishness.
When he did turn around he noticed Draco was snooping about his kitchen drawers. If he hadn't spent most of his life learning to control himself there would be one less Malfoy plaguing the earth.
"I am not doing anyone Mister Malfoy" he said through clenched teeth.
"Strange" Draco said turning around, "I could have sworn I saw you and her in your bed last week"
"That was-" Severus rubbed his temples, "none of your business".
"As I thought" Draco smirking again turned around to resume his investigation of the kitchen.
Severus wasn't really bothered what he or anyone else thought of him. He didn't care if he was labelled as the sick perverted professor who fell for his students. He knew the truth, and he didn't have any friends to be concerned about their opinions. But Hermione did. Hermione could be great, given the right guidance. She was someone that was going to be someone, and he didn't want her to be known as the girl who got the grades by sleeping with her professor.
Not that they had slept together, not that he was even thinking of taking whatever it was they had that far. But Hermione had worked hard for her marks and reputation (even if it was as a know-it all) and he didn't want to be the man that took that away from her.
"You are mistaken" Severus said pulling Draco around to face him, "there is nothing going on between Miss Granger and myself".
"You're joking right?" Draco shot back pulling himself free of Severus' grasp, "I've seen the way you looked at me in there, I saw the way you reacted. And what's more I saw her."
Severus took a step back away from Draco, on some level he didn't want to stand to close unless he began to believe the lies he was telling.
"I saw the way she looked at you, for Merlin's sake" Draco said standing tall, "she is completely and utterly besotted by you".
Looking closely at the young Malfoy, Severus searched for any traces of lies; none. But was it so much of a surprise, hadn't she been trying to show him how she felt for days now?
She had, as the realisation struck Severus he knew that he had to let her know how he felt. It was useless trying to convince himself otherwise. If it was obvious enough for Draco to see then surely she must know.
And if she did, wouldn't she prefer to hear it from him, rather than the likes of Draco, or worse, one of her idiotic friends?
"Where are you going?" Draco asked, as Severus turned on his heel and marched back towards the staircase.
Severus didn't answer. Just as he stepped onto the first step he heard something smash.
IIIII
"You're coming with us" Harry said quickly as soon as he was certain Snape and Malfoy were downstairs.
"What? No" Hermione shouted, "You don't understand Harry I-"
"You chose to do this, fine I get it. That doesn't mean you have to stay here with him"
"I agree" Ron said nodding his head vigorously.
Hermione turned to scowl at Ron. He didn't agree, he didn't even have a bloody opinion on the matter; all he wanted was to remove her from his home. Like she was some damsel in distress that needed saving.
"Shut up Ron" she spat, "and you Harry. I'm not going anywhere you can't make me"
"Hermione" Ron said almost laughing, "You can't honestly want to stay here, with Snape can you. I mean why?"
"You wouldn't understand" she said looking at her feet. There was no point even beginning to try and tell them how she felt. She didn't even know how Severus felt yet.
"If you are going to say what I think you are going to say then you can save your breath" Harry said frowning at her, "it's not real; it's what they call Stockholm syndrome"
Hermione's eyes snapped up and flashed dangerously at her friend, "don't you dare suggest that I am suffering from Stockholm syndrome Harry Potter" she raged, "you have no ide-"
Before she could finish her sentence however Harry had turned to Ron and nodded, "its worse than I thought mate" he said quickly, "we have to take her now".
And before Hermione could figure out what was being said, or why Ron had just nodded in agreement to Harry, she felt a thundering blow to the head.
Her world went black.
IIIII
Harry and Ron had been expecting Hermione to be in danger, but they didn't expect her to be sitting half naked in Snape's bed talking with Malfoy as if it were the most innocent thing in the world.
They had discussed before hand that if they needed to then when they found Hermione they would take matters into their own hands. After all Hermione Granger was their best friend and she didn't deserve to be left there to suffer whatever it was she was suffering.
She would thank them, in due time. Harry and Ron were sure of that. She just needed to get away from it. She needed some air to clear her head.
Maybe, Ron thought, if Harry spoke to Dumbledore then he would be able to do something about that thing on her arm. Maybe she would eventually be normal again, and even, in time, come to thank them both for saving her life.
Yes they were definitely doing the right thing, and Hermione would notice as much. Just as soon as whatever spell she was under wore off that was.
"Put her on the bed" Harry said to Ron as he carried Hermione's limp body into one of the dusty bedrooms of Grimmauld Place. "It's the one she used to have when she stayed her last summer, it will make it homier for her."
"Good idea mate" Ron said laying Hermione down.
"I'll get Ginny to bring her up some food for when she wakes up" Harry said pulling the covers over her, "and some proper clothes" he added scowling at what she barely had on.
"You don't think she'll want us here when she wakes up?" Ron asked looking slightly worried.
"Probably, but we'll have to let her calm down first. She knows this is for the better, she just needs time"
Ron nodded in silent agreement and followed Harry out the room. All Hermione needed was time, Ron could give her that.
As he and Harry reached the drawing room downstairs, they noticed that most of the order had arrived.
"What's going on Harry?" Remus asked, "You sounded urgent".
"I am" Harry said taking his 'I'm the boss, listen to me' tone. "We have Hermione".
There was a collective amount of gasps and relieved sighs from the Order members.
"Where is she, I'll go fetch her something to eat" Molly Weasley offered.
Ron rolled his eyes at his mum, but Harry smiled. "She's upstairs, you can go see her" he said and Molly along with Ginny and Minerva McGonagall hurried their way up the stairs to tend to their lost friend.
"Where was she?" Dumbledore suddenly said stepping forward from behind a few Order members.
"With him" Harry spat.
As Ron watched the exchange he could have swore he saw Dumbledore recoil at the way Harry addressed the Potions Master, it was almost as if even now the headmaster didn't approve of Harry's disrespect.
"We're going after him" Harry announced, "he had Hermione trapped like a rat and Malfoy was there-"
"Lucius?" an Auror asked
"No, Draco" Ron said feeling the need to add something to the conversation.
"Harry you can not be certain that Severus had ill treated Hermione" Dumbledore said soothingly, "he may merely have been protecting her".
"NO" Harry shouted, "If he was protecting her then why does she now have that, that thing on her arm"
To say that the rest of the Order was shocked would be an understatement; even Dumbledore couldn't hide a confused and angry frown that forced its way onto his face.
"That is a very serious allegation Harry" the headmaster said, "to accuse Hermione of being a Death Eater-"
"She's not a Death Eater" Ron said, "he made her do it, she said so herself, didn't she Harry? Didn't she tell you?"
Harry nodded, his emerald eyes not leaving Dumbledore once.
"I must see her" the headmaster said, "if it is true, if Severus has forced the mark upon the girl, I'm afraid I am to blame" he announced.
"You cannot be serious?" Remus said in disbelief
"I'm afraid so, if it is true, I admit to being terribly wrong about Severus. An old fool's mistake to say the least".
Harry's eyes seemed to brighten at the announcement that Dumbledore might finally be seeing the light when it came to Severus Snape.
"I'll take you to her" Harry said, and began leading the way upstairs, eager to prove his point to the Order once and for all.
A/N; Ooooh Bad Harry, Bad Ron!! Tsk Tsk.
I'm Writing the next Chapter now, I like it alot better than this one already. It shouldn't take to long to post.
Leaving a ReViEw though, may inspire me to write faster ;P