She circled the private bath like a rabid dog, searching for a non-existent outlet. She picked up random items, wondering if it would be enough to help enable her escape, only to throw it and grasp another item. Tears of fear and great frustration poured from her unseeingly gaze as the parasympathetic nerve began to slow down her sympathetic one. She paused, silently trying to collect herself, but could only feel the sickness begin to build in the bit of her stomach and continued to rise up towards her throat, almost clawing at her like a wild beast. She couldn't breath, it was as if her lungs refused to inhale any oxygen and that was when she felt as if her mind began to collapse within its self. The darkness encompassing her vision as she could hear the thud of her body hit the marble floor.

Severus could hear the flailing of objects being flung around as he waited for her to reemerge. He had zeroed in on a self-service trolley, holding many colors of different alcoholic poisons, that he was content in helping himself to. As he poured his third drink within seconds of each other, he overheard the unmistakable sickening sound of something, smack into a solid surface. Knocking back the drink in hand, he threw the crystal into the empty fireplace and slammed into the locked bathroom door.

As the door burst opened, he had nearly tripped over the bundle of limbs and fabric, and he gasped in horror. Severus quickly dropped down clumsily, his aging knees smacking grossly into the floor beside the unmoving woman, as he checked for a pulse.

"Not breathing!" He groaned to no one in particular, whipping his wand out he quickly cast a reviving charm but she did not resurrect. He sent a potronus to Poppy in hopes that she would be able to do something.

"Bloody chit, I will not take the blame for this!" He shouted at her lifeless body before straddling her. He laced his hands together over the top of her chest and began to press down. Every couple of presses he would duck her head up slightly, clasp her nose shut and try to breath air into her unmoving lungs. He continued to do this routine and as he began to pump her chest for air, his lean muscles propelling his hands more forceful each time, a cracking noise was heard. His face fell more as he realized that he might of cracked her chest cavity and it made him sick to realize that this weak corpse like witch, was a shell of the girl she used to be. The bursting of a door in the other room alerted Severus to the presence of Poppy, and he quickly got up and out of the way of the old matriarch witch to allow her room to do her work.

"I tried to revive her, but she wouldn't, I have been administrating muggle CPR in hopes to help, but I believe I might have cracked her chest cavity." Poppy nodded to show she acknowledged what he was saying before she began to cast every spell she knew that will help her.

"Episkey!" Poppy pointed her wand at the other witches chest and the clicking sound of her chest cavity confirmed that it had mended back into place. "Anapneo!" This caused a favorable action from the deathly still woman on the floor.

Hermione spluttered as she simultaneously tried to gasp any and all oxygen into her lungs, seconds passed before her eyes widened with fear as the loudest scream tore from her throat before passing out once more. Severus jumped with unease as Poppy confirmed that Hermione was breathing this time and enlisted his help to take her to the school infirmary.

Keeping out of sight, they took the less travelled corridors and secret passageways as they cut across the castle, Severus holding the frail young women lightly in his arms. Poppy led him into a private room off to the side of the main infirmary room.

"What happened?" Poppy snipped, as she gathered multiple potions of the shelves to the storerooms that connected to the private room.

"Slight disagreement, she simply was troubled and I offered a ear." He snapped irritably as he retrieved potions he believed would be more beneficial than the ones the medi-witch had procured.

"More like forced your company on her."

"Don't be daft woman, she is ill and I want to know why she is in such a state."

"Has hell frozen over? You have never once cared unless it benefits yourself."

"She is a professor here at this school, and I make it my business to make sure these children are receiving the proper education that they need."

"That is the biggest load I ever did hear, Severus!" Poppy scuffed as she poured the remaining vials of potion down her throat.

"Quiet Women, do you not see that this is not the same girl we had in her youth?" Severus crossed his arms in a defensive way.

Poppy's face fell at this, she had noticed since the first day Hermione step foot back into the castle, that something was deeply amiss. The young lady she knew was nothing like the woman who layu motionless on the cot in front of them. "I have. Who do you think has been sneaking potions into her tea at every meal? She would have wasted a way a lot earlier. Shall I summon Minerva?" Severus mellowed over the question, wondering if it was a wise move.

"No. If she wanted others to know she would have informed them. I fear that this will only cause her to run away. We will have to trod lightly." He pulled his wand out again, mumbling a 'repero' on her wrist. He looked up in time to see a disgruntled look on the old woman's face across from him. "What!? It's not like I intended to hurt her."

"You forget that I half raised you, young man."

Severus scof

fed at this, "Yes, and look where it got me."

"Exactly where you were meant be. Now you can either leave and I shall call on you-" Severus dragged an armchair from the corner, purposely trying to be loud and obnoxious, "Or, you can stay here and wait. But don't you dare bother her and you will inform me at once when she awakes." Poppy exited the room leaving the sour man in his pensive thoughts.

If only the odd pair knew the horrors and terrors that plagued the woman's subconscious.

A/n: I'm sorry for the delay, this is one of those stories I need to get into my dark place for. It is intended to be a dark fic. The spells are from the series you can find the meaning from here wiki/List_of_spells.

Hermione will be awake in the next chapter but not after we find out what her nightmares are. Sorry for the short chapter but had to leave you hanging some where and to build more of Severus' character for this chapter. Please do leave a review if possible!

I really appreciate your reviews you are very kind! Thank you

Petite Mule- I always try to do an original and whether its interesting or not I just try to write from the heart. Thank you for your review xoxo catsgotmytongue- No definitely it is not going to soften Hermione up, but I want He to still struggle with his demons and darker side. He will be a little OCC but I want him to stick by the Severus from the books/movie. Thank you for your review! Xoxo

Witchsangel01-thank you for your review! Xoxo

Eclaire Stones: Thank you for your review! Xoxo

Luvslinkpk88-Hopefully he will be we shall see in further chapters! Thank you for your review! Xoxo

Lacey-Mae Emelia-thank you very much for pointing this out to me about the 'chock' I appreciate it! xoxo