Laying on the floor. Face down. Something's wrong. It's obvious. But he's unable to move. He could barely breathe. He could barely think. And he couldn't see. He could only hear the sound of footsteps below him, and the sound of pounding somewhere distant. Or was it very far away?

"Severus!" the voice sounded far away and echoed around inside his skull. The sound hurt. Everything hurt. The pain was so much, he could barely stand it.

"Sev!" the voice sounded slightly closer.

The banging ended, but a giant crash followed instead. Severus opened his eyes a crack to see the blurry outline of Winter.

"Sev?" she asked in a small voice. She knelt beside him and lifted up the side of his unbuttoned shirt. She gasped and dropped it again.

"Wh-?" was the only thing he could get out.

"You-you're covered in blood," she said. "More than usual. What'd he do, Sev?"

A few tears hit the soft skin of his stomach. They mingled with his blood and rolled onto the stained floor. Winter rolled him over and gently lifted his head up, pulling his torn and bloodied shirt off. She bundled it up with her free hand and tucked it under his head, slowly lowering it down. She got up and left the room. When she returned, she had a spare change of clothing and bandages and antibacterial ointment.

She knelt down next to him again and started cleaning his stomach wounds. After she cleaned out the wound, Severus crying out as it stung and caused more pain, she got up and came back with a bowl of water and small cup.

"I'm gonna wash it down, too," she explained.

She filled the cup and poured it slowly onto his stomach. The blood washed away to show many cuts and bruises on his pale belly.

"Did he...cut you?" she whispered, looking over her shoulder at the open door. Light was pouring in from the hallway, bathing them.

"Uh-huh," Severus groaned as she used his dirty pillowcase to dry off his stomach. She wrapped it in the bandages, holding his torso up.

Winter helped him change into his pajamas, and then helped him limp to her room. She tucked him into her bed.

"Sleep tight, Sev," she said. "I'll be right here on the floor if you need me. Okay?"

"Yeah," he mutted before shutting his eyes. Winter sat on the edge of her bed for a while, waiting for him to truly fall asleep. When his breathing evened out and wasn't as fast, she got off. She sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall.

She closed her eyes and was getting ready to fall asleep when the door slammed over.

"You son of a bitch!" their father shouted, stomping in.

"Father, let him sleep, please!" Winter pleaded, standing up.

Severus looked up with his black eyes huge.

"Father?" he asked weakly.

Snape stalked over and back handed him. Severus cried out. Winter tried to stop him, but her mother pulled her out. Elder Snape picked Severus up by his neck and slammed him into the wall.

"You just HAVE to try to take care of yourself, don't you?" he spat, knocking his head into the wall again.

Severus shut his eyes, but the tears still leaked out. He whimpered when his father twisted his arm the wrong way.

Snape sat up in bed, panting. He hadn't had nightmares like that for quite some time. He looked around, saw the twisted sheets, felt the sweat on his body. He sighed and got up. The sun would be up soon anyway.

He showered and got dressed, still thinking about the dream. That had happend about a week before Winter had- No, he wouldn't think about that. He would keep that thought at bay. He went into his office, shaking his wet hair.

"Morning, Sev," said the cheery Winter. She was sipping the blood potion out of a tea cup with black flowers printed on the side. She looked at him carefully. "You don't look so good. Did you not sleep well?"

"Not really," he answered, making his own tea.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Did you have any nightmares?"

"Yes," he hissed.

"About Father?" she asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Do you think those Ministry officials triggered it?"

"Yes."

The previous day, officials from the Ministry questioned Snape further. Winter had done her best to hide, but Draco had accidently called her name. This had caught their attention, and Winter had to quickly lie about herself. She hadn't been perfect, but she hoped she did well enough to keep them away, to think she was not the "missing" Winter Snape. Now, Winter was hoping they wouldn't come back. That they wouldn't question her.

The moments in their lives that had been brought up stirred memories Snape would not have liked to see again.

"I'll be okay," said Snape. "Ready for the school day?"