A/N: I'm so sorry this took so long for me to update. I had major writer's block; that's what i get for not having a plot laid out and just making it up as I go ;) Hope you guys can forgive the long absence of new chapters….On a happier note, I've decided who she eventually ends up with and a few things that may make the readers who wanted the other fellow not feel so bad :D Anywho, on to the story….enjoy.

Snape Apparated shakily to headquarters where he flung open the heavy wooden door. His baritone voice cut through the quiet of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. He began to grow positively frantic as no one responded, until- what seemed like ages after his first desperate call-

"Severus, whatever are you doing bellowing in such a manner at this time in the morning?" said a very groggy and aggravated Minerva. It was the first time he could honestly recollect being happy to see the elder Gryffindor witch.

"Hermione- she's in trouble- the remaining Death Eaters- there's no time-" Severus was barely able to string together the words. By this point other heads had begun to poke their heads out of their bedrooms and at hearing this last bit of information there was a flurry of robes and shouts to awaken the other Order members. Professor Dumbledore however, remained calm as he reached out and put his blackened hand on Snape's wrist.

"Severus, my boy, what are you not saying?" asked Dumbledore as his clear blue eyes pierced through Snape's resolve. A tear slipped down Snape's stony expression as a wave of emotion flooded his features.

"I didn't have a choice-" He croaked out as his breath hitched. "We don't have enough time for this. She needs our help."

"It will not help her for you to be distracted, Severus. If you lose your life will attempting to save her because you are-"

"Maybe it would be better that way." Snape said with a pop indicating Apparition. Dumbledore sighed as he followed into the ensuing battle.

00

With a yawn Lupin's eyes searched for the lighted green numbers. 2:37 they flashed. He was about to turn over and fall back to sleep when he heard the aggravated tones of Minerva and the frantic ones of Snape. Never in his entire life had he known Snape to be worried. He always carried himself in the same expressionless fashion. What was going on? Lupin threw off his afghan and poked his head at the door.

"Hermione- she's in trouble- the remaining Death Eaters- there's no time-"

Lupin's heart stopped. Hermione. He swallowed as he listened to Snape describe where she was being kept, but he was already a thousand miles away. Death Eaters. He was nauseated at the thought of his Hermione being trapped with the likes of them. At that his mind turned to another dark thought; Snape left her there to fend for herself. Who knew what condition she would be in when the Order finally arrived. Lupin heard others around him Apparating and knew it was time to go, but for the life of him could not recall that any signal had been given to leave. With a loud pop Lupin left with the others.

When he Apparated he ducked instinctively as a green light flashed above his head. He whipped his wand out from his pocket and held it at the ready. He saw Nott leering at him only several feet away.

"Well if it isn't the werewolf." as he shot a disarming curse Lupin's way. A quick silent spell protected him as he cast a full body bind curse towards his attacker. A flurry of lights shot over his head barely missing him. He felt a searing curse graze his cheek as blood began freely flowing. He took the back of his hand to wipe it away, barely noticing; I need to find Hermione. He was in what appeared to be the back yard of the Riddle Manor. The dilapidated house looked as if it was wheezing from the immense weight of its occupants. He heard a large creek and spotted a newly formed crack in the house's foundation. It's going to collapse! It was then that Lupin heard a muffled scream coming from within the home. Oh Gods. He began racing towards the home a wave of panic flowing within him. He reached the back entrance and pulled on the rusty screen door, which fell at his feet. He took a step inside and saw a hem of a skirt flash into a doorway at the far side of the room. He began walking towards it when he heard a familiar mousy voice:

"Expelliamus!" Lupin was suddenly wandless as he looked up at a man with a silver hand.

"Oh, Moony….imagine seeing you here. Looking for your next catch? Is that pretty little thing your prey? Pity she's no longer that pretty…..really she's more of a mangled mess, but if you--"

"Stop!" He pleaded. Lupin was unsure why the words were bothering him so, but there was no doubt that each word felt like a knife digging farther and farther into his flesh.

"Hit a nerve?" Wormtail cackled as his wand emitted a green light.

Hermione's vision was blurred. She was looking desperately around the room to try and see something….anything, but with no avail. She heard harsh tones all around her and she caught herself wondering if she was going to live to see herself get out of this mess. However, her morbid musings were abruptly stooped when she felt a steel-toed boot kick her ribs, breaking bones. Her breathing was labored and uneven, each intake inflicting a pain like she never could have imagined.

"Morning Mudblood," said a metallic voice that cut through the pain. Fear took hold of her. She recognized the voice from earlier. Her body tensed and she visibly winced when the masked Death Eater took a step closer. "Your stupid following has decided a Mudblood like you is worth risking their lives for….We mustn't disappoint them shall we?"

With that she was lifted up off of the cold cement flooring and thrown over the man's shoulder. She yelped in pain as the impact marred her already bruised and broken body. The men in the room laughed in response. Her vision was slowly returning to her and she saw that they were leaving the room she had been trapped in for so long and headed towards the stairs. She cringed inwardly. The stairs would hurt. And so they did, each one sending a shock wave of pain. Finally upon reaching the landing the man set her down and leaned her against the wall. The sound of footsteps entering the room caused him to notice the intruder. With a cruel look, he muttered a spell.

"Imperio!"

All of a sudden Hermione's mind went blank; she didn't understand when a voice shouted in her head to run into a room in the far corner. She wanted to fight the voice, she was in so much pain already she could only imagine what running would do, but she was not strong enough to fight it. Without much hesitation, Hermione ran barely making it past the entryway of the door before collapsing on the musty olive carpet and falling out of consciousness.

Snape Apparated to the Riddle House with only one thing in mind: Get Hermione. He had little trouble fighting the Death Eaters with simple silent counter-jinxes and spent no time wondering when they finally figured out that he was no longer on their side. He saw Lupin across the yard opening the door in the back of the manor. Stupid man. Can't he tell the door is rusted. It will notify anyone in charge of Hermione to your presence. His heart fell as he saw the door unhinge and Lupin walk inside. Snape quickened his pace with the hopes of getting there in time.

When he finally got to the doorway, he saw Peter Pettigrew casting a curse of some kind and Lupin falling to the ground with a thud. While Pettigrew was celebrating his victory over his old friend, Snape bound Pettigrew in one single movement of his wand.

"Where's the girl?' Snape sneered.

"I haven't the foggiest," Wormtail said in a meek voice.

"Don't fool with me." Snape in his anger tightened the ropes binding Wormtail so they would begin to cut off circulation. Wormtail let out a gasp before answering.

"In the room on the far corner…" He squeaked.

"Is there anyone else guarding her?" Snape demanded.

"I don't kno--" Snape cast a spell rendering him unconscious. He walked over to Lupin, squatting down on his knees, checking for a pulse. After finding one, he cast a simple Ennervate.

"Get up!" Snape said with a bit more bite than he intended. "If we have any chance of getting the girl it's now." Lupin looked dazed for a moment and then got to his feet quickly. Snape handed him his wand and the two set off for the room in the far corner.

Hermione was alone in the room. Her body was splayed out spread-eagle. Snape bit his lip, appalled at what he saw, while Lupin brought his hand to his mouth a sharp intake of breath breaking the silence.

"Is she alive?" Lupin barely managed. Snape strode over to her limp and lifeless body.

"Her pulse is faint. She needs to get to Mungo's now." Snape looked up at Lupin's eyes, which were tearing. Lupin looked up from her body to Snape.

"Side-Along Apparition may be best." Lupin said strained from the emotion.

"I agree." Snape replied scooping her small frame up in his arms handing her to a confused Lupin.

"Wha--"

"If she does manage to wake, I'm sure she'd rather be in your arms than mine." Snape's thought reminded him of her what she had said before being taken: Remus.

Lupin took Hermione gently in his arms silently praying that being jostled by the Apparition wouldn't be too much for her and left for St. Mungo's. Snape stayed only a moment longer and then Apparated to the yard where most of the fighting was in order to tell the Order that she had been rescued.