Hermione trailed behind Harry and Ron, carefully placing her steps as she descended the hill towards Hogwarts gates. She was pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. She squinted as the icy cold December wind rushed around them, carrying the light snow on the grounds up into the air. There were chattering students in front and behind of the trio as it was time for their trip to Hogsmeade. Hermione had been looking forward to this trip, it would provide her with the breath of fresh air that she needed.

Bellatrix spared no mercy on Hermione during the passing two months into winter. But the circumstances had changed. She no longer trespassed into the depths of Hermione as she did in the past, but she made up for it in the physical pain she caused Hermione to feel during her interrogations. The young witch had finally discovered the reason to their meetings and why the Death Eater had been keeping such close tabs on her. It was all in the name of one of her very best friends, Harry Potter. She should have known sooner. It was always because of him. Hermione pitied him. And she couldn't bring herself to tell him with everything else he had going on that year. She had been introduced to a task that was all her own. She was going to take it on headstrong, like Harry had did when he was introduced to a challenge.

Ever since their first meeting in the Room of Requirement, something had changed in Hermione. That night she went back to her room and unwillingly succumbed to sleep, however her dreams were not haunted with that which she had become accustomed to. She didn't dream of that menacing smile or cackling laugh that usually found their way into her dreams. That night when she slept, she dreamed of Bellatrix, oh yes. She saw the woman standing before her – the pouting rosy red lips that had hissed in her face, the bouncing curls that cupped her face so carefully, the look of innocence she had read in her eyes seconds before she had felt the stinging upon her face, and the patchy red cheeks that had been claimed by the tears she had seen falling from her glistening orbs. She awoke that morning well rested, and changed. Hermione was unaware of this, but it had happened nonetheless.

Hermione slowly came round to acting a bit more like herself as time went by. She began talking to Ron and Harry again – if she saw them in the common room she would make it a point to go and sit with them. She smiled more despite her outer appearance of frailty. She knew the boys were doing their best to keep on as if nothing had happened and not ask questions, and she appreciated it. She mentally kicked herself for shutting them out of her life. They were such good friends. Harry, with all his discretion, started doing small nice things upon her return to show her that he cared. But there was no more prodding, no more outbursts, and although her appearances were still scarce it was almost as if nothing had happened and there hadn't been a time where the frizzy haired witch was absent.

They arrived at Hogsmeade and instantly Ron had set off in the direction of the Three Broomsticks muttering something about fancying a pint of butterbeer. It was no secret to Hermione or Harry that it wasn't the butterbeer that he fancied – but Madam Rosmerta herself. Harry had a curious smile on his face as Ron forged way through the snow towards his destination. He looked over to Hermione, who was slightly smiling herself.

"You coming?" he asked, looking back to Ron for a moment.

Hermione looked at Harry with the answer written all over her face. He should have known that a place like that would now be a bit too social for Hermione's liking. He smiled with a gentle look in his eye, his gaze intently placed on Hermione's face.

"I think I'll go for a walk about the village. You better go and keep an eye on that one," she told him, her voice much more cheerful than it had been of late. "I'll catch up later."

They said their goodbyes and Hermione set off not further into the village, but towards the Shrieking Shack. It was easy to see that she had taken a liking to the darker things this year. She enjoyed solitude now over being surrounded by her classmates and jolly strangers, just the kind of people that were found in the Three Broomsticks especially this time of year. She smiled politely as she passed through a clearing that was spotted with students in the middle of a happy snowball fight and continued down the path. As she walked, either side of her became more dense with trees before she reached the hill that descended down toward the shack. Howls of laughter rang through the cold air from the group having a bit of fun in the snow as Hermione neared the shack that stood looming in the distance. Other than that, it was silent.

It had been so long since Hermione simply sat with the only objective but to dive inside of her mind. She had spent so much time making sure she was constantly occupied, never allowing her mind to wander in fear of what she might find. It seemed to easy when she was at the castle. On the nights she slept, she found it simple to wake up completely ignoring the dreams that she had during the night, instead diving inside of the Daily Prophet at breakfast or engaging in conversation on those mornings she found her mind particularly hard to control. But now, here? She didn't have anything to distract herself.

Fearlessly, she walked through the fence that closed off the shack from the rest of the village and walked up to the steps that led inside. She sat down on the stair closest to the door and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the cold surface. The howls of laughter were still ringing occasionally, but they seemed further away as Hermione allowed herself to relax fully. It had been so long since she had had complete privacy. She wouldn't have to worry about company here – it wasn't exactly the primary destination during anyone's trip to Hogsmeade. Instantly, her mind shot to the one thing that she had so diligently been working to close her mind off from. She was afraid of what her mind did when she allowed it free reign. She was afraid of the plump lips she saw so clearly in her mind and the curves she saw outlined as if her eyes were traveling down them during this moment. The eyes that had been so full of maniacal pleasure now stared back at her mind's eye with that look of innocence and torture induced pain, just as she saw them on that October night...

Hermione's eyes snapped open. This isn't happening she told herself. She had snapped herself out of the dream-like haze she had entered in her relaxation to come to grips with reality, panting heavily as she looked at her surroundings as she sat there on the stair by the abandoned shack. She had worked so hard to ignore it for this long, she couldn't be broken down now. But she couldn't deny it when the truth was right there. She couldn't convince herself that the way her body reacted to the touch of her fingers or the way she pushed her around was just human nature. She could not say that she didn't catch herself day dreaming in class about being thrown up against a wall and taken, her head swimming with pleasure while deeply taking in her addicting scent. No, no, she shook her head, attempting to throw the thoughts straight out of her mind.

She couldn't believe what was happening or even begin to wrap her head around it. Everything she was experiencing was wrong. But it was as if that look that she had the last time as she brought herself over the edge was burnt into her mind forever. Hermione had always been one of those people that saw the good, or attempted to see it, in everyone. Seeing the way she looked and just a glimpse at her with such pain, torture, innocence and sadness detectable in her eyes... it assured Hermione that there was a human in that shell. It wasn't emotionless like the rest of them. She could be saved.

A frustrated grunt was expelled from her mouth and she slammed her head against the door just hard enough so that it hurt. I shouldn't be thinking like this, she told herself. In fact, she didn't know why she was thinking like that. She had never spent her days trying to expel the feel of a person's touch upon her skin from her mind – nothing of the sort. And she had never imagined that the day she started to, it would be the touch of a woman: a Death Eater. The things her mind focused on when she allowed free reign scared her to no end.

Hermione brought her hands up to cover her face and she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She pressed the palms of her hands down on her face. This was unbearable. She couldn't stand not knowing what was happening to her; not being able to understand it. She lost count of the number of times she could taste the words on her lips when she was alone in the common room with Harry – ready to confess everything that she had been so desperately trying to hide. It killed her not having anyone to talk to, but this was the way it had to be. She knew she distanced herself for a reason. Harry and Ron would always be around and she had to control herself to the best of her abilities. She had felt so tough and impenetrable during her months of solitude. Why did she feel that all of the walls she had worked so hard to put up had come crashing down, leaving her vulnerable once again?

Just as her hands slid down her face and she opened her eyes, blinking to adjust them to her bright white surroundings, the door her back had been resting against opened a crack. After opening an inch it made a soft thud against whatever was obstructing it on the inside. Hermione jumped and quickly leaned forward. She couldn't spot anything on the inside until her eyes spotted the doorknob and the fingernails, long and painted blood red. Only a hand and a wrist was visible, still grasping onto the wood from pulling it open with some force. The fear that had usually washed over Hermione whenever in the presence of this woman had long subsided. She heard a child-like coo come from behind the door and it opened a bit further, revealing the Death Eater standing inside.

Bellatrix stood with the door open just enough so that she could see Hermione and Hermione could see her standing inside. She haughtily looked down upon the girl sitting on the steps, a look of insincere surprise looming behind her eyes. Hermione stared up at her, her eyes caught on the pout of Bella's lips and the way the limited light played with her dark orbs. She had the same crazed look on her face, but Hermione couldn't help but notice that it seemed as if her features had softened a bit. She could smell the heavy perfume radiating off of the woman standing before her, the scent that always sent her into a senseless frenzy that always seemed to jump-start her desire.

"What, not even a little chase? Pet, you're no fun."

Hermione saw the rouge nails rushing towards her and rushed to get up, but she was too slow. Bellatrix had grabbed her by the hair and pulled her into the house, slamming the door behind her. She hit the wall parallel to the door and fell to the floor. Bellatrix turned to face Hermione, her hands clasped together behind her back as she leaned back onto the heels of her leather boots. She looked haughtily down at Hermione, a look of disgust on her face.

"Where are your friends? Don't they want to come and play with me too?" she asked, mocking the girl on the floor before her.

"What do you want, Bellatrix?" Hermione spat. She wanted to be anywhere but here. She no longer wanted to be in the presence of Bellatrix Lestrange. The woman that made her head spin, her insides churn and her heart race. She made her experience emotions Hermione had never dreamed of. And that was exactly what she was doing as she stood there, lazily leaning back onto the heels of her leather boots before coming back down and repeating the process. Hermione noticed the way she acted was a bit child-like, but she was far from being an innocent child. She chuckled, but it wasn't the cackling laugh that rang through Hermione's ears, haunting her late at night. It was low. Hypnotizing.

"Oh, dear." It was as if Bella's eyes had set on fire hearing Hermione speak to her without permission. She looked at Hermione with such an intensity it felt as if she was staring completely through her. She began to take slow steps towards Hermione. As she neared, Hermione could see her rolling her wand between her fingers behind her back. Hermione scrambled to her feet, her back pushed up against the wall, in hopes to mount a defense. But Bellatrix had rushed forward and pointed her wand at Hermione's neck. The tip dug into her skin just enough to cause her discomfort.

She could feel the young witch trembling and she brought her free hand up to rest on Hermione's cheek. Her thumb ran over the length of Hermione's cheek and then back again. She flinched under the initial touch, expecting it to be painful as it usually was. But the warm pad of her tongue was gentle and light on her skin. The sudden touch had distracted Hermione and she didn't the smile that crept it's way across Bella's lips. "Seems the mudblood never learns," she said in an almost whisper, the words sharp on her tongue.

"That's right, I'm never going to learn. I'm never going to tell you anything. I'd rather die." Where Hermione had gotten the courage to say those words she would never know. She found her last sentence extremely difficult to complete and her words trembled as she spoke. It felt as if her heart was going to jump out of her chest as she stood there as brave as she could be in front of the most notorious Death Eater and Voldemort's most loyal follower. She didn't know what was controlling her or what had caused her to say what she had said – but a part of her deep inside knew that Bellatrix wouldn't do anything. Hermione was calling her bluff.

Bellatrix opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came. She closed her mouth and stared scornfully at her for a moment and went through the motion to speak again. She spoke this time, and acted as if Hermione had not said anything. "I'll give you one more chance." She tilted her head to the side and her eyes fell down to Hermione's lips for a second before her eyes met Hermione's with a hateful glare. "Tell me what the boy has been up to. Tell me what that old fool has been doing with him." She dug her wand a little deeper into Hermione's neck. Her words dripped with disdain. Her thumb ran over Hermione's cheek roughly this time, her nail leaving a long scratch across it. Hermione's face jerked lightly away from Bella's hand but she quickly grasped her by the jaw and held her face firmly in line with hers.

Her breath was hot against Hermione's lips. Her knees became weak. You can't show her you're weak, said a voice in the back of her mind. That's just what she wants. You can't back down now.

"Didn't you just hear what I said?" Hermione's voice was now louder and more powerful. "I'm not telling you anything. Anything! So why don't you go and spout an Unforgivable and watch me writhe in pain on the floor and see how that works for you. Or maybe you should just jump right to the Killing Curse and knock me off now. Save some time, leave me here on the floor, crawl back to Voldemort so he can pat you on the head and tell you what a good girl you've been killing the little mudblood girl. Get it over with, Bellatrix. Get me out of the way."

Bellatrix gasped when she heard her say His name. "How DARE you speak of him in that way you filthy little creature!" The sensation that she got when she heard the mudblood girl say her name can be likened to liquid fire running through her veins. Her nails slowly dug into the skin she had her fingers pressed into on Hermione's face. Hermione clenched her jaw and pursed her lips, breathing furiously through her nose. She could feel Bellatrix's body shaking uncontrollably.

"You can't do it!" Hermione shouted painfully.

"Shut up, foolish girl!" Bellatrix hissed, her lips brushing against Hermione's chin. "You've left me with no choice!"

Bella's nostrils flared as she held her wand into Hermione's neck. Her hands were now trembling so bad that the tip of her wand was kneading into Hermione's neck unsteadily.

"You can't do it," Hermione said again, except this time her voice was softer. She brought her hands that had been pressed against the wall and forced them between their bodies so she could place them on Bella's cheeks. This time it was the Death Eater that flinched when she felt the young witch place her fingertips on her cheeks. She had not been expecting the gentleness of her touch, being used to the rough and violent touch of others. The only other person that had ever acted gentle with the witch was her sister, Narcissa – the one person that had her completely wrapped around her finger. But here she was, standing here with the girl letting her gently caress her face. Bellatrix felt like a blanket of warmth covered her once she felt her touch. It was no sensation she was used to and when she flinched and jerked her head away Hermione's hands did not back down.

She could tell the plump red lips, that were in such close vicinity to her face yet not touching it, were trembling. The cold black eyes of Bellatrix Lestrange had softened and gained the look of innocence she had seen but once before. Her grasp on Hermione's face had slackened so that her hand was just hanging on to her face and the pressure her wand was putting on Hermione's neck gave up a considerable amount. Hermione had struck a nerve and Bellatrix was the weak one now. She had pushed through her boundaries and was now entering a territory of Bellatrix that seldom had seen. Hermione wasn't afraid.

Her fingers curled to grasp Bellatrix behind the ears and she pulled her into a kiss. The Death Eater seemed to fall into Hermione and a clatter of wood hitting the floor rang throughout the near silence of the Shrieking Shack. Bellatrix forcefully thrust her tongue into Hermione's mouth, prodding around and caressing the others as she kissed Hermione with the small amount of passion she had inside of her. Her hands fell down to the girl's jacket and tore it open. Hermione lowered her arms and let it fall to the floor. She proceeded to take her own jacket off, letting it fall heavily to the floor behind her and pressed her body hard into Hermione's. Something had woken up inside of her. It felt like something exploded in her stomach and was burning her from the inside out. She had never wanted to be so close, physically, with anyone – not like this. Hermione's hands were like electricity as they roamed her body, sending currents throughout it whenever they made contact with her skin. Her touch was so gentle and soft.

Bellatrix brought her knee up to the level of Hermione's hip and pressed it against the wall. Using one hand to hike up the skirt of her dress she moved the other underneath the fabric and began to stroke herself lightly. She broke the kiss between the two and rested her forehead against Hermione's and her breath quickened as she teased herself. Bella let the fabric fall around her lower arm and unbuttoned Hermione's pants, immediately slipping her hand into her pants and rubbing her through the fabric of her underwear. The young girl's traveling hands found their way to Bella's shoulders. Her nails prodded at the exposed skin and gathered the sleeves of her dress underneath them as they moved across her shoulders and halfway down her upper arms.

Hermione tore at the fabric covering Bella's chest, stretching it down so it was now caught underneath the fold of them, pushing them up a bit. Through the dim light that traveled through the uncovered windows of the house provided enough so that she could see Bella's pale pink nipples on her porcelain white skin. She bent her knees and lowered herself down so she was level with Bellatrix's breasts and grabbed each of them, squeezing tightly. Her thumbs slid over the little pink mounds repeatedly as they hardened. Bellatrix's body seemed to have a mind of it's own as the pleasurable sensation radiated through her and her fingers tangled in Hermione's hair. Hermione's mouth latched onto the nipple of her left breast, her tongue trailing circles around the swollen mound, and she pinched at the other. Bellatrix exhaled heavily and a moan was muffled behind the lips that she kept tightly shut. The sensation between her legs on top of the feel of Hermione's mouth upon her nipple was too much for her to handle. Her eyes had closed and she threw her head back in complete bliss.

Hermione hungrily nipped at Bella's nipple and slid her hand down in between her legs and rested on top of the hand that was so eagerly stroking as Bellatrix expelled soft whimpers of pleasure. Hermione shoved Bella's hand out of the way and brushed her thumb lightly against her swollen clitoris. Bellatrix sighed upon feeling the contact she made with her. Her fingers, tangled in Hermione's hair, grabbed onto her strands and pulled her head up to eye level and Bellatrix lurched forward as her stomach muscles tightened – Hermione had plunged three fingers deep inside of her.

She had been mirroring all of the things Bellatrix had done to her before. Feeling how wet with desire the Death Eater was only made Hermione yearn for her touch even more than she already had been. As if she had been reading her mind, Bellatrix's hand traveled into Hermione's pants again – but this time her fingers touched skin. They ran over her clitoris, also swollen and just as ready to be touched as Bella was. She was a master at teasing, only allowing the tips of her fingers to enter Hermione and no further. Her nails playfully scratched and pressed against her inner thighs.

"Bellatrix," she breathlessly whispered – the first thing that had been said between the two since their lips had met. The way Hermione had whispered her name, the way she could sense just how much Hermione needed and wanted her made her go mad. As soon as her name left the young girl's lips she slid two fingers easily inside of her. Instantly Hermione began moaning and whimpering, never having experienced intercourse … well, wanted intercourse... with anyone before. This was a new experience for both of them and judging from the noises they were making, they were surely enjoying it.

Within minutes of entering her, Bellatrix had Hermione on the edge of release. She could feel the girl tighten around her fingers. Hermione's head tilted back to rest against the wall and her eyes shut tightly, face contorting, as her body lost itself in the throes of passion. Their foreheads had come in contact again and Bellatrix heavily panted, her breath hot against Hermione's lips, as her gaze stayed contently on Hermione's scrunched up face. She had an obsession with watching the people she fucked get thrown over the edge at the mercy of her fingers. The way Hermione looked, so sweet and innocent, engulfed in the sensations that were running free throughout her body, it turned Bellatrix on. The noises she was making were driving Bellatrix up a wall. Hermione's touch had become more rough, more of what Bellatrix had a taste for. Hermione wasn't the only one audibly moaning, now.

The pleasure she was providing Bellatrix with was more than the witch had ever experienced at the hands of another. She found it difficult to keep her eyes open – something she usually had no problem with. Her stomach was having uncontrollable waves of spasms that caused her body to come forward into Hermione's, as if it wanted to bend in half. Bellatrix bit down into Hermione's shoulder and she pinched the skin, covered by Hermione's long sleeved shirt, between her teeth. The young witch cried out as the feeling that could only be described as an earth-shattering orgasm washed over her. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter and an explosion occurred behind her lids as if the sun had exploded white-hot before her.

The feeling of Hermione tightening around her fingers, the wailing sound of her moan as she came and the wave of spasms she felt her going through was enough to send Bellatrix thundering over the edge. Her teeth released their hold on Hermione's shoulder and a deep, guttural, almost animalistic moan rang throughout the house. It overshadowed Hermione's moan and was the only thing that could be heard in their vicinity. It shook Hermione to her very core as Bellatrix tugged on her hair, riding the wave of her orgasm.

To Bella's surprise, it took more than a few mere moments before she could compose herself entirely. Her body involuntarily shuddered when she felt Hermione's fingers slide from in between her legs. Her hand now rested upon Bella's hip, gently squeezing and stroking the fabric that covered her skin with her thumb. Bellatrix's hand emerged from Hermione's jeans and pulled her dress back up so that it now covered her chest. Without saying a word she bent down just far enough so Hermione's jacket got caught on her lengthy nails and she rose again with Hermione's jacket resting on the padding of her pointer finger. She held it out, waiting for Hermione to take it and leave, not looking at the witch but instead gazing at the wall behind her.

Hermione pursed her lips for a moment and cocked her head to the side, looking intently upon Bella's face. She buttoned and zipped her jeans back up and bit down on her bottom lip. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know how she stood with the witch. What she had just experienced at the hands of her provided her with the most beautiful, heart awakening sensations she had ever felt. When Bellatrix had came in front of her before, it wasn't like this time. No. She didn't shudder and whimper, she didn't make the noise that she just did – she had lost control over her entire body and Hermione knew that. But she only knew the tip of what she had instilled inside of the cold, icy heart of the Death Eater. She had no clue what she had just gotten the both of them into. Of course, Bellatrix had a much more extensive idea of what the two of them had done. And she was already working on closing herself off again.

She couldn't believe what she had just allowed to happen. She wanted to run back to her Lord and tell him of all the bad things that she had done and receive her punishment accordingly. And she would have done it too if she wasn't sure she would be killed. She would have gone and told Him, her master, if she wasn't positive that she would have to stand watch as He killed her. She would have told Him, but the mudblood – the girlHermione – made her feel so full and warmed to her to the depths of what soul she had left.

"You need to leave." Her voice wasn't forceful or angry. It was soft. Cracked. A bit rough. It sounded defeated. She still refused to look Hermione in the eyes.

Hermione took the jacket that had been extended to her, letting her fingers brush over the palm of Bella's hand as she did so. The look upon Bella's face was heart breaking. She couldn't stand it.

Her hand reached up through the darkness and touched the porcelain white cheek that was in front of her. Bellatrix slapped her hand away with a frustrated grunt. Hermione gasped at her unexpected violence.

"Now," she added curtly.

Hermione put her jacket on slowly, biding what time she had left in the presence of this beautiful woman. When her jacket was on and buttoned up, she stood straight backed against the wall in front of Bellatrix. She opened her mouth to speak, but before the words could come out she shut her mouth abruptly, deciding it was better to keep quiet. She knew whatever she had to say was going to be of no help, and was probably unwanted at the time. Instead of speaking, she stepped forward so that her cheek was almost touching Bella's, and kissed her cheek.

Bellatrix almost fell into this girl's touch. She sighed with want as her warm lips pressed into her cheek. Hermione lingered for a moment before Bellatrix pulled away and stepped to the door. She opened it and looked at Hermione with a dark, painful stare as she waited for her to leave.

Hermione walked towards the door. When she got to where Bellatrix was standing she didn't face her, but instead turned her head to the side to glance at her for a moment before she stepped down out of the house.

Bellatrix clenched her jaw together, looking as if she was fighting off the most powerful of notions that she had encountered yet. Her fists balled and she closed her eyes. As if without permission, her hand that was resting on the doorknob reached out and grabbed the hood of Hermione's jacket. Hermione spun around to face the witch again that was standing in the doorway, now a few inches shorter than her as she stood on the topmost step.

Bella grabbed her by the face. Her thumb dug into her cheek and the rest of her fingers pressed into the other side of Hermione's face. She squeezed tighter, her hand shaking and causing Hermione's entire head to shake. She looked up at the witch, a fearful yet longing look behind her eyes. Bella's stare was cold, yet she still had the shattered look of defeat. Without warning she bent her head down a bit so that her lips crashed into Hermione's. Her grasp upon her face had become less furious and rough, and more gentle as her thumb was not digging into Hermione's cheek any longer – but gently stroking it now. Hermione's hands rested on the back of Bella's head, deepening the kiss. She wanted as much of her as she could get. She wanted her in her entirety now and forever.

Bellatrix pushed her away and the hands that were resting on the black curly hair that covered her head fell lifelessly to her sides. Bella stood upright in the doorway and looked down upon Hermione for a moment, trying with all her might to muster up any contempt, any hate, any angry emotion that she could get towards the girl. But she couldn't. She stood there looking vulnerable, her lips pouting, giving her that irresistible look that had caught Hermione's eye in the first place. In a second's notice the door had violently slammed shut in Hermione's face. She stood there for a moment, blankly staring at the door. A metallic taste ran over her tongue and at that point she had realized Bellatrix had tore open the skin on her bottom lip, causing her to bleed. She touched her fingertips to her lip and ran them over the length and back again, a smile forming on her face. Hermione dropped her hand to her side again, this time looking at the door with hope. She leaned into it, her shoulder pressing into the wood. "You can't fool me," she whispered, lingered for a moment, and then set off to exit the fenced off grounds of the Shrieking Shack. Her hood was now up, wary to show the wounds she had picked up during her bout with Bella to anyone.

Inside, Bellatrix stood with her back against the door, her eyes closed. She heard the final words Hermione had to say and it hit her very core. This girl was too smart, she should have known it from the start. She was intuitive and acted with her heart. She let her emotions get in the way, and now she was causing Bella's emotions to break free and run loose too. She didn't know what she was going to do. Where was she supposed to go now? She had betrayed her master with her heartfelt affair. She hated that filthy mudblood with all of her being. She couldn't believe she had allowed her in, to see her vulnerable – to kiss her on the lips with emotion... and she couldn't believe that she had kissed her back.

There was only one place she could go. There was only one person she could speak to about this that would completely understand. She would be judged and she would be belittled, but the burden of her secret would have safekeeping within the confines of that mind. It was as if this sudden opening of her heart allowed her to understand what had been going on all along. She had to go see him and tell him what had happened. He would help her. Severus would be her ally and he would keep her safe. And she would help him in return. She was certain she would do whatever she could to get her out of this alive.