Author's Note: I own nothing. Im a broke mom of two and not JK Rowling. Harry Potter and all of its trademarks belong to Warner Brothers and JK Rowling. That being said this is based on a beautiful plunny by Fran that was posted in the Granger Enchanted group on Facebook. It is also my first FanFiction. Ive been reading them for most of my life but this is my first creation. Be patient with me, I will update as i can.

The smell struck him first. Although he had been on Death Eater revels and seen his fair share of blood, Lucius was not prepared for the metallic stench of blood to permeate everything. He doubted he would ever be able to look at the Great Hall again without remembering the stark smell. Yet, he would not be distracted. He had a purpose, get out of the castle and to the shrieking shack. He had to see if he could save Severus.

The grounds were worse than the Great Hall, everywhere the eye fell he could see people he knew. Eyes that would never look upon him again, eyes that could no longer judge him or his choices. Maybe that wasn't a bad thing, maybe this was the respite he was hopeful for. His family may have stayed out of the majority of the fighting, but he doubted either side would look upon him favorably. So, yes, maybe having less people be able to judge would be a small mercy.

As he neared the shrieking shack he took a deep breath before opening the latch to let him inside. What he saw was enough to make him stop and watch from the shadows.

Hermione Granger sat holding the body of the Potions Professor to her chest. Severus was not breathing but he had to watch for a few moments to make sure since Ms. Granger was holding him so tightly that her sobbing wracked his lifeless body. Lucius took note of the bites and blood pooling from Severus and knew that he had died a rather terrible death. Bleeding out from a magical snake bite wasn't for the faint of heart and Lucius took a moment to settle himself at the thoughts of Severus Snape's last moments.

Just as he was about to make his presence known the girl started to speak, "I'm so sorry Professor. I couldn't save you…" her voice was broken by a shuttering sob.

She wiped her face quickly, as if afraid that dead potion's professor would judge her emotional state. "I tried, I really did. I tried to save you but nothing's working!" she continued a bit more frantically.

Lucius watched as the tears ran down her face, leaving clear lines in the dirt that clung to her face. " I broke my promise…" she said quietly to herself.

She didn't seem to be talking to the body anymore, she sounded broken and desperate, and Lucius realized he may be able to save Severus yet! He had never known the Granger girl to fail at anything she tried, and honestly if she could save Severus then he would owe her a life debt. He wasn't sure what she meant by her promise, but at this point he would take any help he could get. He cleared his throat loudly as he stepped out of the shadow he had been hiding in. He wasn't sure if her eyes found him first, or her wand. Lucius quickly put his hands into the air, showing her his wandless hands.

"I mean you no harm Ms. Granger, I only wish to say Goodbye to my brother." He tried to sound as harmless as possible as he slid slightly forward towards her and Severus.

She eyed him cautiously before lowering her wand a fraction. "Your brother?" she asked looking around to make sure there was no one else in the Shrieking Shack. She looked at him again, her eyes full of distrust and caution.

"Severus and I are – were – half brothers. We share a father, from after my mother died, you understand." He took another step towards the girl, he wasn't positive if all the blood was from Severus of if some of it was hers.

He was slightly worried for her since he knew what he was about to ask of her.

"Why…why are you telling me this?" She looked at him, tears still coming down her face as she lowered her professor to the ground gently. She didn't lower her wand any further, but he didn't see her as a threat at that moment. Her eyes had the look his wife's would get when she was trying to work out a complex problem.

"Because, I have the means to save him, but I shall not be able to. I shall shortly be arrested and unfortunately it is not something I can do from behind bars. Given that you rushed here faster than even I, his family, could manage and that you seem to be crying over him I assume you care for him. That you probably even think he deserved to live. So I must ask you, would you be willing to…?"

Before he could finish his sentence the doors to the Shrieking Shack were blasted from their hinges. Aurors rushed in, still torn and bloody from the battle. In the explosion Lucius propelled himself towards the girl and his brother in the floor.

"Save him…..please" he whispered as he slipped the velvet bag into her pink jacket. He was roughly pulled up and felt the incarcerous ropes wrap around his body.

"Please…" he repeated as he was dragged down the same passage he had taken to get there. He had done everything he could, now he had to place his hope into the girl. He only hoped she was a better person than he was.