Disclaimer: Not mine, never mine, and no- as much as I wished I own them I've found someone in REAL LIFE to fawn over.... *gasp*

Title: The Ties That Bind

Summary/ Warning: Dom/ Sub, HGRW, PPBZ, RLSB, NLDM, TNSB, NMLM, LVBL …and of course HPSS.

Authour's Note: Bottom

Chapter 27: The Sum of Their Fears

:Parseltongue:

"Conversational thoughts"

Private thoughts, shared memories

Sunday passed by fairly quickly for the students in Haven- they kept themselves busy with schoolwork and make-work. It was nearing dinner time when Hermione went to check on Harry, and by this point the sight of a- for all intents and purposes- wild animal wrapped around her best friend didn't faze her in the slightest. Nikita merely watched as Hermione pressed her hand to Harry's forehead, falling back on Muggle ways unconsciously.

Harry's eyes slit open at the touch, and his sleepy emerald eyes blinked up at her. "'Mione?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep. "What's wrong?" Hermione tried to blink back the tears that threatened to fall, and let a wavering smile grow on her face.

"Nothing, love. You're a little sick, so you've been in bed for a while."

"Oh," Harry said, looking around as he began to sit up, "Why is Nikita here?" Hermione let the Manticore answer for herself, and Harry chuckled weakly at whatever was said. "Ah. Apparently she doesn't trust you humans to make sure I'm getting better." Hermione smiled again, a bit stronger than the last one. Harry seemed to be fine, just weak, and the relief that flooded through Hermione was almost overwhelming.

Harry glanced around, and once he had noticed the door was shut, turned to Hermione. "Hey Herm," he said, voice slightly more steady than before, "where is Severus? You'd think he'd be here if I was that sick."

Hermione felt her heart stop at the innocent words, and for a moment all she could to was stare at Harry. He looked back, no doubt wondering why she wasn't answering him, and Hermione licked her suddenly dry lips.

"Harry-" she began, her voice unsteady and filled with the tears she needed desperately to banish from it, "don't you remember Saturday?" The boy frowned, and cocked his head at his best friend.

"What are you talking about, Herm? I was with Severus- we went to bed, and…" Harry trailed off, his eyes widening as whatever scenario he had erected crumbled around him. "Oh god." Harry started to shake, and Hermione rushed over, scared. Harry stared sightless at the far wall, his body shaking uncontrollably in reaction. Hermione shouted at Ron silently to get Poppy, and returned all of her attention to the brunette.

"…not worthy… useless… leave… get out…" Harry muttered to himself as Hermione rocked him, trying to speak over his words and tell him he was perfect and worthy and she loved him and wanted him to stay. Nikita watched, sadness coating her very being, as her Master began to sob into Hermione's shirt, calling out for Severus to forgive him, for his mate to please, please want him back.

Poppy flew into the room, frantic, but froze at the sight of the Manticore on the bed. But Harry's need was too great to ignore, and she saw that Hermione ignored the creature, and did the same. Harry glanced up as the Medi-Witch pulled out her wand, but when he saw she wasn't his mate nothing mattered anymore.

The Common Room was as silent as a grave as Harry wept, the Dom's pulling their Sub's close to themselves and holding tight. Harry's tears slowed and stopped, but he kept his face buried in Hermione's chest, unwilling to see the world and recognise it's flaws. For what good was a world where Severus hated him? He did not deserve to live in a world where he had failed his mate.

His mate… Severus, who had told him to get out, to leave. To have nothing more to do with him. He was an attacker, a violent person who didn't deserve to live. Why else would Severus have sent him away? Harry couldn't think of any other reason… he was foolish, unworthy of Severus' love. A useless wreck who couldn't do anything right.

He couldn't protect his mate in the right way, he couldn't fight for his mate in the right way. He shouldn't be allowed to live as such a failure to his mate, who should be able to trust him. He should be allowed to die for his mate, at least, so that Severus could know he'd done something right.

Harry faded into sleep, sharp words poking him and making him bleed, and he welcomed the pain. It was good- right- that he should suffer for his mistakes and failures.

Hermione fell into her bed, exhausted, as Ron finished getting ready. Monday would be here in a few short hours, along with classes and responsibilities. And Potions. And Hermione wondered just how she, Ron, Neville, Draco, and Pansy would stand to be in the same room as Severus Snape.

Breakfast was subdued- a sharp contrast to the high-energy memories of Friday. Gryffindor Table was eerily silent, as was Slytherin. The younger years- and those who didn't know what had happened- followed the lead of Hermione and the others, shooting questioning glances at the Seventh Years but not daring to break their mournful silence.

The Slytherin Table had taken one glance at Draco's tight face and fallen silent, the instinctive urge to obey the Malfoy Heir taking hold with a vengeance. As a result the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Tables only spoke when they had to, giving the rival Houses odd looks throughout the meal, not wanting to break the unusual silence.

Hermione glanced up at the empty space across from her, where Harry usually sat, but glanced away before the urge to cry could become a reality. The others kept their eyes firmly away from the glaringly empty space, not wanting to be reminded of the teen unconscious in Haven. But even if they tried to forget him they couldn't. He was on all of their minds.

No one looked up at the Staff Table- Hermione and the others who knew not wanting to deal with the possibility that Snape might be there- and the ones who didn't know never looked up there anyway.

The trek the Potions was silent- no one wanted to speak to begin with and to top it all off this was Potions. No one wanted to go. By the time Snape arrived the class was present and settled, and the only absence was Harry. The Slytherin's looked on with interest as their Head of House noticed the noticeable lack of the Golden Boy, all but two waiting for the inevitable taking of points from Gryffindor.

But Snape merely pursed his lips and looked away, saying nothing. Hermione nearly laughed at the astonished looks on the Slytherin's faces, but caught the urge before it had fully formed. She would not speak to this man. Not after what he had done to Harry.

"Turn to page 497 and review the Gradient Potion. The ingredients you will need are in the closet, and you will work alone. Begin."

"He doesn't even sound sorry!" Hermione hissed to Ron, who glanced over at her with a raised brow- a distinctly odd look on the Gryffindor.

"What did you expect, Hermione? This is Snape we're talking about. The Death Eater spy. Sure- he might have changed for the little while Harry was with him, but there's no way he could completely change who he is." 'A bastard', Ron didn't add, but Hermione heard him anyway.

Hermione clenched her jaw at Ron's words, not wanting to admit that her mate was making sense. She had seen the two men together- she knew that Snape had been different! But now… every damned thing had changed.

The class passed by as it usually did, but with a noticeable lack of explosions. This potion was fairly easy- a third year potion that would normally have offended Hermione's sensibilities. But today she was merely grateful she didn't have to think about what she was doing- she only had to explain the process to Ron, who was actually beginning to understand the class a little more.

Snape stood from behind his desk and began to walk through the aisles, inspecting cauldrons as he went. The Slytherin's looked up at their Head of House curiously, wondering at his unusual mood, but Snape didn't bother with them. After a few silent minutes the Professor went back to his desk, and left the class alone.

Draco glanced at Hermione, brow raised. The Gryffindor shrugged slightly- who knew what was wrong with the man? No one knew if Snape was at all affected by the separation, or if he was just doing a rather good job of hiding it. But none of the students in the know cared. If he was suffering, he deserved it. Even Draco agreed with them.

"Bring your potions up now."

Potions were ladled into vials and brought to the front, the students returning to their desks to begin cleaning and getting ready to leave. Finally even the slowest student had finished their cleaning, and Snape looked up disinterestedly. "Get out."

Hermione flinched at the words, and Snape glanced at her quickly. She stared into his black-as-jet eyes for a moment, searching them for anything. But they were blank, dead, and Hermione started to shake as he looked away indifferently. Only when she was outside did she look around for Ron, and silently ask for a hug.

The Gryffindor agreed immediately, and Seamus and Dean waited for them before going to Transfiguration. Ron kept his arm around Hermione's shoulders, silently offering his support. The girl was lost in thoughts of Harry, her mind presenting her with images of the still, frail form in the bed- the shuttered emerald eyes and the pale, pale skin.

"At least Nikita is still with him," Hermione told Ron out of the blue, and the red-head nodded. They filed into the classroom as silently as they had Potions, and Minerva looked up in interest. Her sharp eyes picked out the paired students, noticing that they were the ones who were the quietest and the ones who were influencing the others.

Once they were all seated Minerva stood and walked to the front of the class. "And where is Mr. Potter?" Her question was innocent- she thought- until Draco, Seamus, and Hermione flinched. "Ms. Granger?"

Hermione glanced up at her Head of House and shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "He's not feeling well, and Madame Pomfrey told him to stay in bed for the day."

Minerva turned a disbelieving eye on her Gryffindor. "If you say. I shall be in contact with my colleague after class, and if you are lying on his behalf, it will be detention."

Hermione nodded. Poppy would tell Minerva what she needed to, and no more. That, Hermione knew for a fact.

Harry woke up, his eyes straining to see in the dim light. For a moment he was still, wondering where he was, but then Nikita shifted to gaze down at him and everything came flooding back.

"Get out!"

… unworthy… despicable… disgusting…

"Leave!"

…shattering… breaking… falling… failure…

"I don't want you anymore!"

… violent… attacker… NO! SEVERUS, PLEASE! Screaming-hurting-bleeding

I don't understand why he hates me

… sobbing… weeping… wailing…

"OUT!"

… dying…

Hermione jumped as her wand began vibrating in her pocket, and for a moment she didn't understand what it meant. But then she remembered, and glanced at Ron, eyes wide. "We have to go!" she hissed into his mind, and to his credit Ron didn't even hesitate before packing up his things.

Flitwick looked up in puzzlement as Hermione and Ron darted out of his class, but Draco's gesture caught the little man's attention.

"Y-yes, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked, staring at the door where his best student and his worst had just disappeared.

Draco's lazy voice, however, dispelled any of the man's concerns. "They were late for a meeting with the Headmaster, Professor. I think they'd forgotten about it."

"Ah," Flitwick nodded in understanding, and Draco immediately hid his smile. Merlin how he loved fooling the small man. Not even Neville's reproving remarks could dim his warm feeling of accomplishment. Not that the Gryffindor really meant it, of course. The other Slytherin's looked at their Prince on shock, wondering why he had covered for two Gryffindor's. Not like they would ask…

Poppy looked at Hermione as the now-calm teen slept, the Dreamless Sleep surprising them by working. Hermione leaned against Ron as she took a deep breath and let the tension flow out of her, before glancing up at the Medi-Witch.

"Is this normal?" she asked, the plaintive question tearing at Poppy's heart. The older woman sighed as she watched Ron's arms go around his mate, and for a moment she let the silence fill the room.

"Yes," she said heavily, slowly beginning to pack away her things. "The Dominant partner- when rejected- cannot comprehend the fact that their mate forced them to go." Poppy bit her lip as she thought, stopping her motions for a minute as she watched the Manticore guarding the teen. "And even though it is accepted that the Dominant can force their Submissive to do anything by commanding it, it's more true that the Dominant needs to make their mate happy. And if their mate is happy by their leaving, then that is what happens."

Hermione glanced up at the wording, and furrowed her brow. "But Snape didn't seem at all affected in class." Poppy's jaw clenched, and she glanced over to the teen as Hermione kept speaking. "It was like he didn't even care."

Ron shook his head slowly, an odd expression of distaste and honesty crossing his face. "That's not entirely true, 'Mione. If it was, Gryffindor would be completely out of the running for the Cup."

Poppy looked up at that, a slight smile on her face. "What did you do?" she wondered, and Hermione shrugged."We wouldn't speak to him. Well, those of us who know, anyway. The rest just followed our example."

Poppy paused as a thought hit her, and she turned to Hermione suddenly. "I know you said he didn't seem affected, but did Severus act at all oddly today?"

Ron and Hermione paused in thought, the question surprising them. "Well," Ron began, "he wasn't at breakfast, and he gave us a third year potion to work on."

Hermione nodded, and added, "When I met his eyes by accident, they seemed dead. It was creepy."

Poppy sank into the chair next to the bed, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. In the silence Ron and Hermione began to get nervous, wondering what Poppy had discovered. "Dear Merlin," Poppy breathed, looking at Harry's sleeping form with wide eyes as all the pieces came together, "he actually managed to block Mr. Potter out."

Hermione shook her head. "So what? Isn't that what always happens?"

"No," Poppy said, shaking her head, "The Dominant can always see their mate's minds, no matter if they are near or far, or if they have separated. The only time that bond is broken is by the complete severing of the Bond- and that hasn't happened." Hermione grew pale, and Ron turned to his mate in confusion.

"What am I missing?" he demanded, and Hermione looked up at him.

"Even though Snape is an accomplished Occulmens, he shouldn't be able to keep Harry out of his mind entirely. This should not be possible," Hermione paused, "unless…" She stared at Poppy. "Unless they didn't Bond properly," she whispered, and Poppy looked up sharply.

"That's why Mr. Potter's case is so much more progressed at such an early stage. He's literally dying without his mate." They turned to stare at Harry as he slept, unaware of his situation. His face was peaceful for once, a startling contrast with what they now knew.

"You have to get Severus to take him back," Poppy said, looking into Hermione's terrified eyes, "Or else they'll both die."

Severus shook his head suddenly, as if to scare away a bug. But nothing was there, and he looked around his quarters with wide eyes. How long had he been sitting here? His tea was cold. What had he been doing?

But no one answered, there was no dry, humorous reply from the back of his mind. He shook his head again and stood, stumbling as his limbs protested the action. There would be no reply- that part of him was gone. He'd already looked for the teen, wondering why the continuous commentary had stopped.

He'd noticed it Sunday morning, when he woke wrapped around Harry's pillow. He'd paused, waiting for the sarcastic comment, but none came. Harry's voice was absent- and the teen would never have passed up such a chance to tease Severus. The Potion's Master had flinched at the silence, and jerked away from the pillow. The room was empty, there were no clothes strewn around for him to frown at, there was no warm spot for him to snuggle into.

Severus stared at the sink, the mug slipping out of his hands as he thought. But nothing could distract him from his thoughts, and as he walked away he slammed his shin into the corner of the table. But Severus managed to get to his room, and strip, and curl around Harry's pillow on Harry's side of the bed.

Yes. He'd yelled at Harry- who wouldn't have? But where was the teen? Why wasn't Harry here, waiting to hear Severus' apology? Did he hate the Potions Master that much? Had the teen been so disgusted by Severus' outburst that he would never come back?

Harry hadn't been in class today, and the Granger girl had been staring daggers at him the entire time. Why hadn't Harry been there? Every other Gryffindor was… but Severus hadn't said anything, thinking that Harry just needed time to think. Maybe he wanted to punish Severus for Saturday's mistakes. Maybe he would come home tonight.

Severus shivered as the cool air of the dungeons hit his skin, and he frowned as he realised he hadn't put his night-clothes on. But he didn't want to move- maybe Harry would come back and see him here, waiting to apologise. If he left and Harry returned while he was gone, the teen wouldn't stay.

So he shivered, and pulled the sheet up- noting as he did so that no warm weight rested atop him and why wasn't Harry here? Couldn't the teen read his mind? Couldn't he see how much Severus needed him and wanted to apologise?- and tried to sleep.

Maybe Harry would come to class tomorrow.

Hello, my lovey loves!!! So as a graduation present to myself and MissingEden, I have decided to post the next chapter of this fic with my sisters face pressed into the monitor of her laptop. *smile* She didn't get off lightly for not posting, never fear. I think her ears are still ringing... lol. ANyways, how have all of you been these past weeks? As you can tell, today (30 Jan 09), I graduated from Army Basic Training! Yay me! lol, but I will miss this shit hole of a base.... as odd as that sounds. I love the people, and my Drill Sergeants, and the atmosphere of the place, its just sometimes the... attitudes... of the people piss me off. Whoops! XD So I'm using my sisters laptop as payback to post this chapter, and no, I will not have internet access once she leaves to go back to New York tomorrow... or rather, once I leave for my next phase of training... Georgia..... ugh. But I've posted, yes? That's good, no?

lol, love you all, and please remember to review! I need the love..... *sad face*

Love ya lots!

Netrixie