It was early morning, still dark outside, when Hermione woke. She blearily rubbed the sand from her eyes and sat up, desperately needing the loo. A portable one had been left by her bedside in case she felt the need in the middle of the night, so she drew the curtains around her bed and made use of what had been provided to her. When she was done, the commode calculated her output, measured it against her liquid intake, and cleaned itself.

Hermione noticed a clear gem on her table as she made her way back to bed. She sneered in disgust when she recognized what it was. "A Sneakoscope calibrated for suicide watch; how lovely."

Can you blame them?

She whirled around, desperately looking for the source of her Professor's voice. "Where are you? Show yourself!"

Does that really work, do you think? Does the dastardly villain drop his disguise simply because it's demanded of him?

Hermione sat on the edge of her bed and balled her fists in her hair. "What curse is this? What's wrong with me?"

I could elaborate if you wish, but we don't have that kind of time.

The bed squeaked slightly as she curled up in a ball, her fanned out on the starched white pillowcase. "Okay, Hermione," she whispered, pausing only to wipe her nose on her sleeve. "It's apparent that you've lost your mind."

Not your mind; your heart.

"WILL YOU STOP THAT!" she screamed into her pillow, mindful not to make so much noise that the Mediwitch would come dose her again.

No.

Hermione began to cry softly, pulling the blanket over her.

Tell me, Miss Granger. Why do you wish to die? The Professor's voice was kinder, leading Hermione to think that he felt somewhat guilty for making her cry. She soon discounted the notion, though, remembering how he had treated her in class.

She wiped her eyes on the soft material and sniffed indelicately. "It doesn't matter. You wouldn't understand anyway; I barely understand it myself."

Comfort and warmth fluttered through her chest. Try me.

"I feel so…empty," she muttered as she fixed her pillow. "Well, empty isn't quite right. I don't feel that I have nothing inside me; rather, I feel that what is inside me wants me to be empty." She closed her eyes and concentrated. "There is no color left in the world. I gave my rainbow away and never got it back."

The voice in her head was silent.

Sighing dejectedly, Hermione got in a comfortable position where she could fall asleep and forget.

Severus raised his head from his hands and stared at the portrait of his most hated friend. "What is going to happen to her, Albus?" he asked dejectedly, his voice raw with rage and guilt. "Did you even tell her the risks?"

The portrait wore a pained expression. "It was not pertinent to discuss them at the time."

"'Not pertinent?'" Severus barked, his fists clenched so tight his fingernails almost cut into his palms. "Why was it not pertinent to tell her that she might, at best, lose her mind, at worst, lose her soul?"

"Severus, please…"

The dark wizard held up his hand. "Not now, Minerva. You had your chance." Severus leaned in closer to the portrait. "Months have passed since then, Albus. Months. " He narrowed his eyes. "I have been at peace during that time, so she must be carrying something lethal."

A look of pain momentarily flashed across the late Headmaster's painted face.

Severus backed away and shook with fury. "What did you do, old man?" When no answer was forthcoming, he snapped. "WHAT DID YOU GIVE HER THAT WAS MINE?"

"You don't love the 'insufferable Know-It-All,'" Albus snapped, accurately imitating Severus's hateful sneer. "What do you care if she suffers?"

"Och, Albus, that's quite enough," Minerva said, stepping between the two. "I'm no longer your Secret Keeper now that the cat is out of the bag." She turned to Severus. "When you were finally returned to us after the Shack, we had to keep you on suicide watch because you were sorely determined to do away with yourself. You even deactivated a Sneakoscope we set to monitor your tendencies." She stepped away from him, wringing her hands. "It was eventually determined that your memories were haunting you. We discovered that you had cast Legilimens on every person you tortured in your duties as a Death Eater. You told me yourself it was so He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named would think you reveled in your assignments, but it was truly to alleviate some of their pain, and those memories were killing you."

Severus slumped back into his chair. "Why don't I remember any of this?" He put his hand over his forehead. "Did you Obliviate me? Why not just use a Pensieve?"

Minerva shook her head. "The memories were too deeply imbedded. It was Miss Granger who came up with the idea of a temporary transference. Conventional magic hadn't worked, so Albus gave her the shaman spell to work with." The Headmistress gazed upon her Deputy with sad eyes. "She volunteered herself to be the vessel; I think she loved you even then." She glanced over at Albus. "The Headmaster was made the binder of the spell, but he passed on before a more permanent solution was reached. It was then that we discovered the spell didn't dissolve with the death of the binder."

The portrait spoke. "The barrier keeping those poisonous memories out of Miss Granger's consciousness is dissolving, and we have no idea how to stop it."

I…regret…causing you harm; such was not my intent.

"How can you harm me?" Hermione mumbled sleepily. "You're not even real."

Oh, I am very real, I assure you.

She snorted. "Prove it, Professor Fancy-Pants."

I will forgive your disrespect this one time. How may I prove my…reality?

"Tell me something I don't know."

Now it was the Professor's turn to snort. Color me unsurprised; very well, then. I shall teach you how to deactivate the Sneakoscope which has you trapped here.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "There's no way to deactivate a Sneakoscope; that's why they're so useful."

Do you always show such a lack of faith in your hallucinations?

"Now I know I'm going crazy. Professor Snape would never tell a joke, especially not to me. Alrighty, then, let's get on with it. Teach me how to deactivate a Sneakoscope." Hermione was full of doubt, but a part of her—a very tiny part—was excited at the prospect of learning something new, especially something as potentially useful as deactivating Sneakoscopes.

Pick up the 'scope and turn it over so that you're looking at the underside.

Hermione complied.

Now, bring it close so that you can see inside the crystal.

"I see all sorts of lines and fractures." She looked at the top of the gem and then underneath again. "Hmm. They're only visible from the bottom."

Astute as ever, the voice sighed. If you concentrate on the individual cracks, you will see images flash through the gem. What you are looking for is a crack that gives you the image of an act of suicide.

Fascinated, Hermione watched the scenes flash through the gem. Lies, robbery, adultery (which made her blush furiously), and murder flashed through her vision until she happened upon an image of herself jumping from the Astronomy tower. She cleared her throat. "I, um, I think I've found it."

Splendid. Now summon your wand, repair the crack, and you'll be free.

"But, every patient's wand is locked up when they stay overnight in the Infirmary."

I shared with you knowledge you did not have. I never said you'd be able to use it.

"You tricked me!" Hermione set the Sneakoscope on her table so as not to set it off accidentally. "Now how am I to know whether I'm crazy or not?"

Use your head, girl. Would Severus Snape have so readily granted your wish of spoon-fed knowledge that you did not have to earn? Would I have been so accommodating, Miss Granger?

Hermione felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. "Oh dear Merlin, I have Severus Snape in my head."

Not yet, but you are about to.

Pain blossomed in the left side of her chest and radiated down her left arm and up into her neck. She broke out in a cold sweat, and it became painful for her to breathe. Hermione screamed out for Madam Pomfrey, but all that came out was a strangled whisper.

You don't remember, Miss Granger, but you took part in a ritual that ended up with your heart in my chest and mine in yours. It was supposed to be temporary, but something went wrong, and our time has run out. Miss Granger… Hermione…please forgive me for what you are about to witness.

Powerful magic burst from her chest, blowing everything across the room and shattering the offending Sneakoscope. Time seemed to stop, and Hermione took a deep, cleansing breath as the pressure in her chest lessened.

Her peace was not to last; memories of Severus Snape's Death Eater atrocities slammed into her mind all at once, and she could only writhe on the floor, screaming in impotent terror, as every spirit-rending deed blasted through her mind and seared her soul.