My life is just fantastic, I have so much to be grateful for. I mean who else would be lucky enough to have a gang of rabid Death Munchers after them and cornering their every move. Life is just swell.

"Shit Harry" I whisper into Harry's ear.

"Shush" is all I get back.

I look up at the towering form of the nearest pathetic excuse for a man.

Oh crap its Lucius. I only hope Severus is alright.

I really have to admit I am beginning to realise my infatuation for that man, I never knew the tall, dark and handsome in a scary sort of way, type appealed to me.

Hmmmm.

"They are in here, can't you feel it?" I hear the slow drawl of Lucius cutting through my daydream.

Harry tenses up next to me.

"Yer I can" either Crabbe or Goyle senior grumbles.

"Reveal yourselves you filthy little blood scum vermin." Lucius spits.

As far as I can tell Harry is clenching his fists now, I place a gentle hand on where I think his own is. I can't see due to the dissolution charm whether or not it has clamed him.

Probably not.

"Come out, Come out wherever you are" one of the thickheads sings.

All I can do it watch now as they creep their way towards our corner, the charm placed on Harry and me will work best if we don't move, we are not invisible just camouflaged.

Harry doesn't seem to understand this.

He moves forward in one quick sweeping movement and punches Lucius square in the nose.

Impressive. I think to myself as I raise my brows. I never really expected Harry to throw a punch; he was always more the silent but seething type.

I come back to my senses just in time to realise our cover is blown.

I grab the back of Harry's robes and attempt to pull him towards me and the corner. It doesn't work, he pulls harder and before I have time to let go, he has yanked his cloak out of my grip and I'm flying backward, my head collides with the wall and I know no more.

I honestly can see stars.

Seriously.

Stars.

The floor beneath me is damp, I wonder if I have drowned?

Hmmmm.

Maybe I'm at the bottom of the lake…

I wonder if the giant squid has noticed. I'm sure he hasn't I would have probably been eaten by now.

Maybe I have been and I'm in his stomach.

Hmmmm.

"Get up Mudblood!"

What? Who was that? Has the squid devoured the Death Chompers too?

"Mudblood!"

I hope it has, though I didn't think that I would ever die in the belly of the Giant squid being digested alongside Voldemort's most trusted.

"I said get UP!"

'THUNK' a kick in my side.

"Huh? What?" I shout out.

Opening my eyes for the first time I realise how stupid I am to ever have thought that I would get lucky and be consumed by a giant squid. That fate would have been preferable.

Crap.

"Mudblood!" Wormtail screeches at me.

"WHAT?" I yell stubbornly back.

"Get up you filth" he growls and kicks me in my side again. I feel a snap. I think he has broken my ribs.

The pain is unbearable, and I find it hard to breathe, I'm sure my lung has also been punctured. I can feel myself going light headed.

"Bring her" a slow voice drawls.

"Yes Master" Wormtail obeys, he crouches down beside me and grabs my hair, I feel it tear out but the pain in my head is overshadowed by the pain in my side. He drags me along a cold stone floor until all I can see is the bottom of someone's robes; I'm in no doubt as to whose it is.

"Well Miss Granger" the voice hisses at me, "You have given us quite the run around" it jokes.

I can't even find it in me to look up. Oh how I really wish I was being eaten by that squid now.

"Well?" he crackles.

I remain silent. I am doomed, there is no way he will let me live, I might as well just give up now. I hope Harry has got out ok, probably not, nor Severus, they are both probably dead, and I'm the only one left now. All my years at Hogwarts all my studying has come to this, nothing, another life to be taken, another one of Voldemort's nameless victims.

So much for my Gryffindor bravery.

No I won't take it, if I'm going to die then so be it but I'm going to make Voldie wish he has never messed with me first!

I slowly and in loads of pain, find my feet.

I take my time and once I have my balance I flick my head back and look him straight in his scarlet eyes with a glare so hateful even Snape couldn't achieve.

"What?" I spit.

"Miss Granger there is no need to be impudent" he sneers.

"Oh I think there is" I bark back.

"Please do explain"

"My ribs are broken" I growl.

"Well we don't want that now do we" he jests, "WORMTAIL" he orders over.

"Y-Y-Yes M-Master" the pathetic excuse for a man whimpers.

"CRUCIO"

Wormtail falls to the floor in a fit of agony.

"Its quite fun you know" Voldemort looks at me, "Want a try?"

I have no idea what he is getting at, as much as I would like to cause excruciating pain to the little rat I shake my head.

"So be it" he hisses and lowers his wand, Wormtail scampers away still twitching.

"What do you want?" I ask through gritted teeth.

The slight joy from his eyes vanishes, and he glares at me. "Two things really" he uttered.

"And what might that be?" I ask sardonically.

"Where is Potter?" he demands.

Harry? Harry's alive? Thank Merlin. A rush of warm blood and hope seers through me, Harry's alive.

I let a smile escape me.

Voldie looks scandalised, "Answer me you worthless whore!" he roars.

"Well that's not very nice" I say sarcastically, and I fold my arms across my chest in a stubborn sort of way.

I feel that same icy pin-prick at the front of my mind and predict what is about to come, I try with all my might to conjure up an image in my head and succeed.

Voldie pulls out of my mind and looks at me lividly.

I had just imagined him and Harry skipping merrily, hand in hand over flowery hills and meadows in a sound of music sort of way.

"What?" I say innocently.

He raises his want at me again, "AVA-"

"What was the second thing?" I interrupt him.

"What" he growls.

"You said there were two things you wanted from me, well I don't know where Harry is so what's the second" I enquire.

A short smile creeps over his features. "Well Granger you are smarter than I expected, how very Slytherin of you".

Slytherin of me? Pha! I was trying to prolong my being killed. I never knew that was a Slytherin thing to do.

"Well?" I say impatiently. He looks a bit put off that I am demanding this from him, but I don't stop none the less. I almost have to stop myself from shouting 'Time is Money People'.

"Miss Granger your knowledge is known to us, you could be a great assistance" he draws out. If he thinks I'm joining him then he is very much mistaken, I don't think so.

"Maybe" he purrs mischievously, "Severus could explain this better".

He notices the shock on my face and I can't even begin to try and hide it.

-SEVERUS?

- Alive?

-Here?

-How?

So many thoughts are rushing through my head.

-Why isn't he dead?

-And if he is here why hasn't he tried to help me?

I almost forget to breathe, taking in one huge breathe I gulp and look up at the Dark Lord.

"Severus?" I whimper.

Voldemort just smiles at me; I notice in the corner of my eye his hand flicker and beckon someone forward.

Severus.

He is dressed in his Death Eater robes, cloaked in the heavy blue material that matches and blends in perfectly with the night sky; his hood is up, but thank Merlin he is not wearing his mask.

I take a deep breathe, I cannot believe this is happening, he must have found some way to convince them he was an ally, yes that makes sense.

I try to look into his deep black pools of eyes but see no emotion there. I don't understand, he is not even looking at me.

"Severus?" I ask sheepishly.

Nothing, not even a flicker of emotion.

What is going on?

"Ah Severus, maybe you will care to explain" Voldemort hisses.

I look up at him expectantly.

"Miss Granger" Snape begins; those words hurt me more than any broken ribs ever could. "As you know, there is no such thing as good and evil" he continues, I zone out about now.

My mind won't let me listen to him ramble on about the differences between power and those who wish to see it, I know the speech off by heart, its bullshit.

As I stand there, barely conscious all I can't do is look at him, Snape. A name that fits perfectly with his character, sharp, cool, collective, powerful, graceful, important and yet mean.

I look into his empty soul-less eyes and see no emotions there. Oh how stupid I was.

To think I could tame his wild heart and melt his icy glare.

How naïve.

I can feel my mind racing, I was just a toy to play with, to see how far he could push me, and there was me thinking I was the one in control. He used me to lure Harry in. It worked.

How naive.

It all makes sense now why he wouldn't go up to Hogwarts, probably went off to alert the others where me and Precious Potter were heading.

How he gained mine and even Harry's trust by pretending to be on our side.

How naïve.

I can't believe how stupid I have been, but as I look into his empty lifeless, loveless eyes I still cannot deny the fact that I care for him, long for him, need him.

I know I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't, even, maybe a little bit, love him.

Shut up Hermione you do not love him.

Trouble is I think I do.

No you do not.

If only it were that simple.

I look over at him and he has finished his speech. Finally.

"Well?" he asks me.

I refocus my thoughts and pour all the hurt and betrayal I can feel into the stare that I decide to give him.

Let him know how I feel.

Bastard.

I can even see a flicker of hurt in his eyes, if only for a second before he regains control over his pitiful emotions.

I will myself not to feel sorry for the heartless git.

I take a deep breathe.

"What" I growl at him.

He looks taken back, or outraged, it's so hard to decipher what actually goes on in that mans head.

He manages to regain his cool. "Will you be joining us?"

As if.

"HA" I laugh in his face.

"Miss Granger, please keep your cool" he purrs into my ear as he takes a step closer.

I glare at him with all the malice I can muster.

"Well Severus?" Voldemort hisses from somewhere behind me. I spin around to look at him.

"Miss Granger" he says in a mock charming voice, "Have you considered my offer"

"I would rather die" I spit at him, the grip on my arm that Severus has gets tighter.

"So be it" Voldemort calls, "CRUCIO"

Instantly pain shoots down through my veins and all over my entire body, a brilliant and unbearable pain as I have never felt before, it feels like I am on fire. All of my muscles contract and my skin feels like it is tearing away from my body. White hot daggers force their way through my limbs and slice at me bit by bit.

I suddenly feel a comforting pressure on my arm. Snape is still holding me. I realise that he has gripped me quite tightly as I am thrashing about like a lunatic. The pain that he is enforcing upon my arm seems to focus my attention away from the burning that is the Crucio curse. For a moment I am grateful though I know that it isn't deliberate, I'm sure if he knew he was helping me he would let go.

Finally Voldemort lowers his wand and the pain ceases. I still continue to twitch however, memories of what just occurred echo through my mind.

"Take her to the cell" Voldemort hisses, "We will keep her as leverage, I'm sure our hero Potter won't be able to resist, tomorrow and the days after we will continue to enjoy her pain until she can take it no more and either sides with us or dies."

His laughter fades in the background as Snape forcefully drags me towards a staircase inside an old tower; he attempts to pull me up the stairs.

Like I'm going to let him.

I kick and scream and bite and do basically whatever else it is I can do to get him off me.

"Hermione" he shouts.

I pause to look at him.

"Don't you dare address me as a friend" I snarl at him.

He looks blankly at me.

"How stupid I was to ever think I could ever be treated as your equal" I begin to sob.

He looks at me, sorrow laced in his gloomy eyes, "You are my equal" he whispers.

I look up and realise I have let my guard down, "Piss off" I shrug his hand off my swollen arm and walk towards the stairs.

"Your hurt" he points out.

Bleedin' idiot.

"No Shit Sherlock" I harshly snap back.

He takes a deep sigh and follows me up the staircase.

I find a small room at the top; the floor is wet and stone.

Great if I don't die of a broken heart ill freeze to death.

There is a small balcony ledge with a railing but nothing else, it looks like a cell.

"You won't be able to escape" he informs me.

"Really" I reply sarcastically, its true even if I wanted to I couldn't, I have just noticed the gate that is to lock me in. big brass steel bars. It is exactly like a prison cell, and as for escaping off the balcony I might as well commit suicide. It's at least 150feet up.

"My Diary Miss Granger" he growls as he holds out a hand.

How could he possibly know I had it?

"I am not stupid Miss Granger" he roughly yanks me forward and pulls it out of my robes.

"Why?" I ask him, I desperately want to know why he did this to me, to Harry to Dumbledore.

He turns around and throws the diary back at my face, "There are many secrets that lie within those pages"

I pick up the diary and hug it to my chest, I know it's pathetic but it's the only bit of Severus I have left.

"If you ever needed help, I trust you would be the only one to look for answers in a book" he remarks.

I have no idea what he is going on about.

"Goodnight" he whispers and with a flick of his wand the cell door bangs shut.

I'm alone.