-1Severus dashed after the hooded figure that was dragging Poppy Pomfrey behind him, but it was too fast. He sprinted faster every time he rounded a corner and lost sight of them. Finally, he slid across the hall and saw the old nurse laying on the ground alone.

He hoped to Merlin she was still alive.

"Poppy! Poppy, are you all right?" He shook her lightly, rested his hand above her mouth and nose to see if she was still breathing. Thankfully, she was. But she remained still. He growled and looked around. What could he do? In haste, he left his wand in the Hospital Wing.

Deciding he needed his wand to do anything, he picked up Madame Pomfrey's body and half-dragged her along.

He wished he had his old body back, for the first time in awhile, surprisingly. This wouldn't be as difficult if he were larger and stronger.

He pushed the door to the Hospital Wing back open and dropped her body with an 'oof' when he saw Hermione's bed, unoccupied. He was so flabbergasted he couldn't move. He kept thinking it wasn't possible. She couldn't have left. This wasn't happening. The one second he left…

Recovering, he grabbed his wand and enervated Madame Pomfrey.

"S-Severus, what's going on? Where did that creature go?"

"I don't know, Poppy, but Hermione is gone-"

Suddenly, he heard a loud crash coming from a floor up. They met eyes and he bolted, yelling over his shoulder, alert the other teachers!"

He sprinted much faster than he had been able to earlier. In fact, he was sure he was pulling his muscles or something gruesome as he ran, he almost couldn't go upstairs or turn with the structure of the hallway he was running so fast.

Several students were now peeking out of their classrooms, and he knew Minerva would be out any second.

It seemed she was already several steps ahead of him, he saw. He could also see the remains of an old artifact, smashed on the ground; the source of the sound.

Suddenly, Ginny was beside him. She must have asked something, so he managed to pant, "Hermione… she's not…in the bed…"

He could see McGonagall ahead, inspecting the remnants of the vase, it looked like.

"Minerva! Hermione's gone!"

She looked floored, and looked around frantically for someone or something.

"Weasley go get Dumbledore, hurry!"

Severus bent over, feeling as if he would be sick to his stomach. He braced his hands on his knees and heaved for air.

"Severus, are you all right?" McGonagall placed her hand on his shoulder firmly.

He nodded. But he was most certainly not all right.

"I have to search, there was a man, he tried taking Poppy; or she was just a distraction, either way, I believe there are two Death Eaters in this building, if they aren't already gone. I have to…"

"Just wait a moment, talk to Dumbledore first…"

As she finished, Dumbledore arrived again with Ginny at his side…

X

Back in the present…

X

Ginny was pouting and furious.

Hermione was in the middle of everything last year. She was always with the teachers and here was Ginny still being treated like a little girl. She was as old as Hermione was last year, so why was she being treated so much younger?

Everyone around her in the common room was gossiping and crying and, for lack of a better word, freaking out and Ginny was sitting there, her composure in tact, her head cool, and everything.

Then again, she supposed whining about it wasn't mature, but still.

She uncrossed her arms and went into her room where it was quiet, planning to think of ways how to get everyone to take her seriously.

She saw the look in Dumbledore's eyes. He was suspicious of Grant. Could he have had something to do with Hermione's disappearance?

X

Severus returned from searching all the hallways, corridors, dungeons, and secret passages on every level that the school had.

They found nothing.

Now he couldn't keep an eye on Hermione. There was no telling what had happened. One minute she was with him, and the next he was alone. He would kill Lucius Malfoy, and whoever his accomplice was.

He had wanted to keep searching, but Hagrid picked him up and carried him out of the dungeons after six straight hours, to Severus' great embarrassment.

They went up to Dumbledore's office, Snape still flipped over Hagrid's shoulder.

"I think I can make it from here, Rubeus." He said curtly, but kicking wildly all the same.

"All righ' then, jus' take it easy..."

Hagrid, Snape, and Filch walked up in silence, meeting McGonagall on the way.

"Albus is waiting. I'm going to go deliver the news to the students." She told them and kept going as they made their way to his office.

Snape was curious to find out what Dumbledore's course of action would be. 'Most likely, nothing.' He thought bitterly.

X

"We will temporarily cancel classes. Lucius Malfoy is missing as well as Hermione Granger. We are assuming they have gone to find You-Know-Who." Minerva McGonagall announced to the students.

"But Hermione can't be evil, can she?" A Gryffindor asked.

"No, she is under the influence of... a very powerful spell. We... we don't know if she will again be the same."

A few people were crying. Probably more out of fear for their own lives than hers. Most were concerned and worried-looking. Some angry.

McGonagall silenced looking around the room.

Wonderful. No Weasley. She had to tell Albus to watch out for her. If anyone knew Ginny, McGonagall did. If she was continuously left out, she feared the redhead would do something daft.

After all, Ginny reminded McGonagall of a younger version of herself.

"That will be all. I, or another member of the staff, will be by later with new rules. Don't leave this room." To make sure, she told the Fat Lady not to swing open for anyone, unless it was herself, Dumbledore or Severus, no matter what.

Now to find Albus...

X

"So, what are we going to do?"

Albus sighed. It was only the first day and already they had to lock-down the school. Nobody in, nobody out. At least they were more prepared. Still, he wondered if Hogwarts would ever be the same, or if they would at least have a semi-normal school year.

"Begin another search. We'll have an emergency staff meeting here tonight at 7:00 PM. Spread the word. Go, but you stay, Severus."

As they stood up, McGonagall entered.

They left and she took Filch's spot.

"Albus, I'm worried about Weasley."

"Why?"

Snape wasn't really listening but this had caught his attention. He looked at Minerva and Albus.

"Because, in the hallway...well, we aren't letting her become involved as we did with Hermione."

"Yes, but Hermione was different. She was involved because Voldemort was, and is, still after her. Miss Weasley may be a powerful witch, but she doesn't even compare to Hermione." Severus said dismissively.

Minerva frowned, and said, "That may be, Severus, but I still think it's better to have a strong witch on our side then not. She feels neglected and I fear she'll do something drastic."

"Drastic?" Dumbledore mused.

"You remember me in my younger days, Albus, no?"

Dumbledore smiled faintly, "Yes."

"She will do something drastic; trust me."

"Well, we'll just have to keep an eye on her. Severus?"

"Eh?" He grunted. Once again he was not listening.

"You will need to stay with her."

"Weasley? But-Hermione-"

"We'll send a party after her, don't worry."

"I want to find her," he asserted firmly.

"Severus, you're not capable-"

Snape stood up in rage, knocking over the chair, and shouted, "Not capable?"

"Please sit, and listen to me." Dumbledore said calmly, not flinching like Minerva had. Breathing heavy, he sat again and huffed while Dumbledore continued.

"Severus, Hermione is in danger enough. You will only be putting you and Miss Granger in more danger if you go after her yourself. It will be much, much worse."

"Please, Severus," Minerva pleaded, "Don't go after her."

"Fine." He got up and left.

Did they honestly expect him to do nothing?

He paced back and forth in one of the dungeons that hadn't been used for years.

Don't go after her...

But he had to do something...

Don't go after her.

But Hermione...

Don't go after her!

That was like telling a prince not to rescue a princess, held captive by a fire-breathing dragon.

This was in his blood. He had to, or he had no right to say he loved her. And he would die if he never got to hear those words come from her mouth again.

X

"Drink this." Lucius offered the cup to her lips, and she drank while watching him and licked her lips afterward.

"Oh," Voldemort said amusedly and chuckled, "I think she might like you, Lucius."

Hermione sat in a chair as the three men stood around her.

She felt more full of life after the potion and only more loving to Lucius. Her savior, her protector, her (dare she say) knight in shining armor.

"Wonderful work, Lucius, brilliant."

"Thank you, Master." He set the glass down and kneeled down in front of her.

"Now then," he started, "What is your name?"

"Hermione Granger." She purred, stroking his hair.

He was grinning, "What happened last?"

"Um... I was in a flower bed and you were there and we..." She giggled.

Voldemort laughed again.

"And then?"

"And then I woke up."

"Perfect." Voldemort laughed. "Get back to the school. They'll be looking for you."

"Yes, Master."

Voldemort took a drink from a flask and said, "All right, Lucius, go have your way with her."

"My pleasure, Master."

He led Hermione away and left Voldemort to scheme. Maybe things weren't so bad after all…

X