Authors Notes: Please review!

Severus didn't know how he felt about Hermione being gone. She had been missing for four months now and no one knew where she was. Her parents had a service for her, no doubt thinking that she was dead. He had attended but had felt out of place among all the mourners. He had received nothing but vicious looks, especially from Potter and Weasly, who apparently still hated him and did not think he belonged there.

As he walked out the front doors of the castle he couldn't help but think of her and how he missed her. Her know-it-presence, though, no doubt annoying was still something that his life just didn't seem right without. He had an empty hole inside him where she used to be, her smiling face and bossy voice, his day just didn't seem right without it. He silently swore to himself for missing her.

What is wrong with you Severus he thought? She is a student and nothing to you. You shouldn't be missing her. It doesn't matter that she is gone; it makes no difference in your life.

He knew this was a lie though.

H couldn't work out what he felt for the girl, no woman. He thought to himself. Hermione had matured into a woman. She was intelligent and mature beyond her years. She had so much more substance than the other giggling girls who worried about nothing more than boys and frivolous things such as their hair and the latest fashions. He had no use for that silly kind of stuff. Hermione was different though. She was witty and bright, confident in a way that wasn't snobby and beautiful. He had to admit that her plain beauty got to him in a way that no one else did. All of those girls with their perfect hair and gaudy make up did not appeal to him at all. They were cheap. Hermione wasn't. She was just so real, just so perfect…

Stop it! He thought harshly to himself. You could never have her. She is a student and she is gone. She will never come back and even if she did she wouldn't care a thing for you. She is repulsed by you.

Yes he thought. It was time to move on with his life. To put her in the past.

He looked up and realized how far he had wondered out onto the grounds. He was almost to the lake. He sighed and turned around to head back up to the castle. It was very pretty outside. Bright and sunshiny. He had never preferred the summer though, it was too…bright. He enjoyed winter more. The cold made him feel alive like nothing else could, except maybe…

No he thought. No. Do not think of her again.

He opened the front doors to the castle and slowly started walking the familiar path back to his dungeons. He loved the castle in the summer. No chattering children around to bother him. The only thing he missed about them was telling them off and taking of points. He sighed though, this bliss would not last long school would start again in less than a week. He walked along but stopped abruptly when he bumped into Dumbledore, who of course stayed at the castle during summer as well.

"Hello Severus, why are you looking so glum? It's beautiful outside." He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"I was just heading down to my potions room Headmaster; I think its time for a difficult potion to get my mind off things." Said Severus.

The twinkle in Dumbledore's eye died out as he realized what Severus was speaking about. Hermione's memorial service has just been the other day.

"Ah, well Severus I know we all miss her, but you shouldn't get yourself so down about it." Said Dumbledore. "We were all very sorry to lose her, she was so bright and lively."

Severus quickly looked up. How was it that Dumbledore always seemed to know what he was thinking?

"I don't know what you're talking about Headmaster, I will speak to you later. I am heading to my potions room now." Severus said coldly.

Dumbledore looked sadly at Severus' retreating. As Severus had said, Dumbledore did have an unusual knack for knowing everything that was going on. He knew of Severus' feelings toward Hermione. He also knew of the heartbreak he was feeling at having her gone. Dumbledore sighed. It always seemed that the worst things happened to the best people. Hermione was indeed one of the best and now she was gone, and now Severus who had already suffered so much was suffering even more at the loss of her.

Severus gripped his head in his hands as he was overwhelmed in sorrow. He refused to believe she was truly gone. Somewhere deep inside of him he had a small hope that she was still alive, in what condition, he did not know. But dead? No. Somehow he thought he would be able to feel Hermione's spirit leave the world if she was truly dead.

He twisted his hands in frustration at feeling so powerless. Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin and Potions Master, NEVER felt powerless. He had the power to incite fear in any one, but now he felt as powerless as a baby. There was nothing useful he could do for Hermione and this killed him.

Severus silently berated himself again for his intense feelings for the girl and decided it was time for bead. It was no use dawdling over the past and wishing that she was here. He would head to his bedchamber and get to sleep. That was what he needed.

Severus walked along the icy cold floors to his bedchamber, which was very near his potions room. He liked it this way, never far away from his work. None of the students knew where he slept; he didn't like the thought of them bothering him. Although his sleeping quarters were so well protected and warded, he doubted it was possible every if they tried. He reached is bedchambers, took out his wand and whispered then incantations to disable the wards. He then slipped inside and headed to the bathroom. He slipped off all his clothes and engulfed himself in a hot shower; it felt good to have all the day's problems wash off himself. Contrary to what the students believed, he did wash his hair, every night actually. Severus stepped out the shower and muttered a quick drying spell and then slipped into his black boxers. This was a new commodity of his, he thought they were more comfortable and hip that his old gray gown he used to sleep in. He yawned as he got under the covers and was asleep quickly, his last thought that of Hermione's face smiling at him….

Later that night Severus had a vivid dream.

He dreamed of a large manor with wrought iron gates set against a hillside. The manor was beautiful but somehow had an aura of unhappiness about it. He walked up the hillside and gates opened for him easily to his surprise, so he strode them though them and up the hill to the front of the manor. He came to the huge doors; they were black iron with knockers that depicted a dragons head with looming eyes and snarling fangs. The doors like the gate opened up for him and stepped into the manors white marble floors. He could tell rich wizards lived in this manor, everything was beautiful and intricate. There was a large sweeping staircase that led to the upper floors but he could tell that wasn't where he needed to go. He followed his instinct which led him through a dining room with a gorgeous dining table on which sat expensive dishes that glittered in the light. He passed these without a thought and came to wall with a halt; he stared at the wall with a puzzled expression until it began to change. The white walls with intricate patters of black vines and flowers seemed to be melting together until a portion of it flowed seamlessly into a wooden door.

Severus pushed gently against the door and it opened into a dark hallway. The hallway immediately spoke to him of anguish and torture. It had a dank, moldy feel as if no one came down here very often, or if they did, they weren't of much importance. As he walked along the hallway the torches in the wall blazed to life and he saw where he was. He was looking at cells where 'prisoners' where supposed to be kept. He walked quickly to his destination, he was drawn to a cell at the very back of the hall. It was the darkest one and its contents were still unknown to him. As he walked within 10 feet of it light blazed before his eyes and he saw who it was….Hermione.

She was shackled to the wall and looked on the verge of death. He had never seen anyone so thin. She looked as if the hadn't eaten in days, he hair hang lank and dirty in her face and her body…her body was bruised and bloody. It looked like she had been beaten savagely by someone. All she was wearing was a filthy white nightgown that barely covered her. She looked up and he gasped, her face was swollen and bruised too. She looked him straight in the eye and he felt as if an electric shock had passed through his body. She then whispered please before it looked like she had passed out again. Severus stood there in shock until her heard a scraping noise behind him, Lucius was coming through the door, Severus tried to scoot into the shadows but it was too late. Lucius was coming right towards him, he would see him but…he just walked right by. Apparently Severus was invisible to him. He marched quickly to Hermione's cell and yanked the doors open. He grinned maliciously before he yanked her up and threw her bodily from the cell. Severus quickly lunged at Lucius and inarticulate scream of rage flowing from his lips, but it was to no avail, his body went right through him and Lucius didn't even look up. He kicked Hermione repeatedly in the ribs until she woke up with a whimper. She slowly lifted her face and let out an anguished scream…

Severus woke up with his body drenched in sweat. His breathing was coming in ragged gasp as he remembered the vivid dream. That dream had seemed so real he thought suddenly. I have to go see the Headmaster.

He leaped from bed and quickly threw on his dressing gown, not caring at the moment about looking professional. He raced along the stone cold hallways the stone gargoyle that would lead him to the Headmasters Chambers. Severus muttered out the password "Mars Bars" and the stone gargoyle started to turn. It seemed as if the staircase were deliberately taunting him, revolving as slowly as possible in his state of barely controlled panic. As soon as he reached the door to the Headmasters Office he burst into it, not even thinking about knocking. Dumbledore of course was still awake, sipping some hot chocolate with a bemused expression on his face.

"Why hello Severus, I see you were not the only one who could not get to sleep tonight, care for some hot chocolate maybe?" Said the Headmaster with a twinkle in his eye.

Severus shook his head in rage "Hermione, no dead, I know, where she is, go now." He managed to gasp out.

"Slow down Severus, now tell me exactly what happened." Said the Dumbledore, his demeanor immediately changing to that of grim seriousness. "Have you seen her?"

"Yes, I..I had a dream. I mean no. Not a dream, more like a vision. Like Potter used to have. I was there, at the Malfoy manor, she is being kept prisoner there" Said Severus.

He then quickly relayed the whole story to Dumbledore. Dumbledore was growing more serious by the moment.

"Very well Severus" Said Dumbledore. "We will go immediately and get young Hermione back. I just need to make a few contacts, from the order of course. Lucius is not to be underestimated when he is angry and I will take no chances. We will leave as soon as possible."

Authors Notes: Dont forget to review ;)