A/N: Hello everyone, here is the newest chapter of our favorite story. When I started this story, I had no firm plot in mind, and yet here I am just a few chapters away from finishing it. When I finally paid attention to how many pages I wrote, it honestly shocked me. 170. And I decided to close the story when I reach 200. So, not much longer now.

Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, and I do hope this story will end in a way that would please all of you. You've all been wonderful so far. Love you all.

Kisses. MoonShadowAMR.

Chapter20.

''Good morning Severus.''

Severus was feeling quite…happy…today. Waking up with Hermione's scent in his nose and her warm body in his arms was divine. Each morning seemed like a God sent gift to him. Perfect in every way.

Not to mention that today was a Quidditch day. Slytherin and Gryffindor to be more exact. He nearly laughed out loud at the memory of Draco asking Harry to hand over the victory for once.

So, when Minerva greeted him, he had a warm smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye.

''My, you look happy today.'' she said. She hadn't seen Severus smile in…when was it the last time? His fifth year?

''I am. What do you think of the game today? Care to place a bet?''

Minerva snorted. ''In the mood of loosing some money? I wouldn't mind. In fact, I think both Pomona and Fillius would be more than delighted to se the Angels play.''

The double meaning wasn't lost on Severus. Casting his eyes towards the other end of the table, he caught Poppy's eyes and she winked at him. Now there was another reason to be happy about. ''Of course. Why don't you three come by my office before the game and we'll place our bets.''

Minerva nodded and started eating breakfast.

With a bit of luck, the Slytherins will snatch the victory and brighten the day even more.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

His eyes started searching the sea of students as soon as he sat in the teachers' stand. The meeting with the other three Heads had been successful, and he couldn't wait to tell her about it.

Minerva had been delighted to know that Hermione had been the one to actually start the club again, and wanted to see their progress so far. He smirked. Well, they'll be in for one hell of a surprise.

''Ready to lose, Severus?'' Minerva asked leaning in from his right.

''Why do you always have to do that?'' Severus shook his head. ''You know my answer each time, and yet you insist on questioning me.''

Minerva shrugged. ''And every time I asked, Gryffindor always won.''

Severus shot her an incredulous look. ''Honestly, you'll make me think you enjoy Trelawney's predictions.''

She huffed. ''I would never. Not only is she blind as a bat in the daylight, she's still predicting our doom every chance she gets, although none of her predictions have come true. Really now, you insult me, Severus.''

Severus fought very hard to keep his mask on. He and Minerva were always bickering at the Quidditch matches. And honestly, she was the only one that didn't avoid him, or look at him in disgust. They had their differences as heads of the most competitive houses in Hogwarts, but they always ended up with a chess game and a glass of wine, or brandy, or placing bets on either a student getting top marks -which she always won, considering Hermione was in her house- or what would Trelawney's new prophecy say.

His eyes started searching for Hermione again, and as soon as he found her his brows furrowed. Both Weasleys were sitting on either side of her, and she looked very angry.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

''What do you want Ronald?'' Hermione asked.

''Mione, you know I love you. Why would you chose Harry over me? Can't I really have a chance?''

Hermione rolled her eyes. She hadn't told Harry, nor Severus, but Ron had taken in stalking her, stopping her in between classes and pleading with her to be his girlfriend. Even Ginny had cornered her in the girls' bathroom.

''How many times do I have to tell you Ron? No! What do I have to do? Write it in the Great Hall, so you can see it every time you enter? Honestly, stop being a nuisance and let's watch the game.''

''You know, Herms, you're spending too much time with Snape. He's the only one that calls us that.'' Ginny sneered.

Hermione gritted her teeth. She'd always disliked that annoying nickname. She ignored the redhead's comment and looked at the players as they started to enter the field one by one.

Harry flew by her and gave her a wink. She laughed and sent him a kiss. Well, everyone knew they were together. Everyone besides the DA that is.

She watched as Draco started doing different acrobatics on his broom and scowled. No matter how good he was on a broom, the idiot could always slip and fall. Her eyes found Pansy and she nearly laughed out loud. She had her hands over her face and was asking Millicent to tell her if he had finished. The girl was deadly with a knife, could climb a tree like a monkey and learned how to wield a sword in a few weeks, yet she was terrified for Draco who played Quidditch for years.

Hermione had never had a passion for Quidditch, but always loved to watch Harry fly. He was as graceful on a broom as a ballerina on a stage. She wanted to laugh as Harry and Draco shook hands, glaring at each other, showing the others just how much one hated the other. If they only knew…

''The Snitch has been released and the game started full force…'' she heard Luna comment. ''Spinet has the Quaffle and is heading for the Slytherin posts…oh, Zambini managed to take over…'' It was odd, really. Of all the people to comment a game, they chose Luna. She loved the girl, but with her dreamy voice, she would never be heard over the insane crowd.

She watched in fascination as crimson and green nearly mixed in a blur of movements as the players zoomed past the stands, trying to gain possession over the Quafle, or in Harry and Draco's case, trying desperately to find the Snitch before the other did.

Hermione jumped up and started clapping and shouting when Gryffindor scored their first ten points. Draco looket murderously at his keeper and started circling the pitch even more quickly…then,something felt wrong. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn't move.

Her eyes started searching the faces of all those around her, well the ones she could see, but no one seemed to be paying attention to her. She growled. This wasn't a normal body-bind spell, it was something more advanced, maybe even Dark magic? Why the hell did she chose to sit at the front of the stand and not higher?

Hermione managed to lock eyes with Neville, and was about to mentally tell him what was wrong and to bring Severus, when she heard the unmistakable sound of a Bludger heading er way.

With her hands still stuck together, she concentrated as best as she could to cast a shield around herself. A gasp ran through the crowd as the students saw both Bludgers heading her way and everyone sitting next to her dived out of the way, she heard both Draco and Harry shout her name, but her eyes were trained on the two rock-hard balls.

The first hit her in the shoulder and broke the shield, she didn't get the full force of the impact, but it still hurt, the second got her in the hip and her eyes watered. The pain was unbearable, but she didn't have time to register it fully as the first Bludget returned moments later hitting her in the knee and then passing through the wood beneath her feet. She knew that the wood had shattered and knew she would fall, but hoped that at least one of the Gryffindors would help her stay on her feet. One did jump, Neville, but the second his arms reached for her, the second Bludger returned and hit her in the back, sending them both flying over the stands.

Hermione could see Neville frantically looking around and up as they fell, thinking of a way to save both of them. She tried to reassure him that nothing will happen to them, but, first of all, she didn't know if anyone could indeed save them, and secondly, the pain was getting to her.

Just before she passed out, she saw two brooms heading their way, but couldn't see who exactly it was. Closing her eyes, she just hoped they would at least manage to save Neville.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Severus was talking with Minerva when he heard the students' collective gasp, and knew immediately that something was wrong. Instinctively, he searched for Hermione and saw her standing as if clapping and watching as the two Bludgers headed towards her. She was standing too still. Something was indeed wrong.

''Zambini!'' he shouted as the boy was hovering just a few feet from the teachers' stands. ''Your broom, now!''

Blaize nodded and quickly jumped off the broom.

''Severus, what's going on?'' Minerva asked alarmed. ''Why isn't Hermione moving?''

Not bothering to stay and answer, he mounted the broom and took off. He watched in horror as the Bludgers hit her one after the other in rapid succession, and then throw both her and Neville over the stands and into the air.

''You get Hermione, I'll get Neville.'' he heard Harry shout from somewhere, but didn't dare take his eyes off his target. Time seemed to stop all around them, as both he and Harry tried to force the broom to move faster. It was a tight fit, but they managed to catch them a few feet off the ground.

Not caring what anyone else would say, Severus pulled his wand and blasted the window on the second floor. Guiding the broom through the opening, he landed in front of the Infirmary.

''Poppy!'' he bellowed as he kicked the door open.

''Is the game already… Oh my, what happened?'' she asked as she guided him towards an empty bed.

''She was hit by Bludgers.''

''As in more than one?'' Poppy shrieked and started waving her wand over Hermione's unconscious form.

''How is she?'' Harry asked barreling through the doors with Neville in tow.

''Her shoulder is bruised, her hip is dislocated and has a shattered kneecap, not to mention that it might have damaged her spine. Get out of here so I can work.'' Poppy said.

Severus growled. ''You'll have to throw me out. Now tell me with what can I help?''

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Two hours later, a thoroughly exhausted Severus and Poppy exited the privacy screens around Hermione's bed, to see every member of the DA gathered in the Hospital Wing.

''You shouldn't be here.'' Severus said while rubbing his face. ''Especially the Slytherins.''

''Screw Dumbledore.'' Draco shouted. ''How is Hermione? I don't even know what the hell happened exactly.''

''She's fine now. We were afraid she would sustain permanent damage to her spine, but we fixed it.'' Poppy answered.

''Why wasn't she moving? I saw her just standing there.'' Pansy asked.

''She was under a curse. A deviation of the Body-Bind curse. I haven't seen it before.''

''Who could have cast it? The only ones powerful enough are in the DA, and we would never hurt her.'' Draco said angrily.

Severus eyed each of them before speaking. ''Someone that wants Hermione out of the picture.'' he said slowly, ''…someone that sees Hermione as a threat.''

Suddenly Harry gave a frustrated yell and hit the wall with his fist. ''Dumbledore.'' he growled. ''That bastard has gone too far this time.''

''Harry, don't do something Hermione wouldn't agree to.'' Neville tried to calm him down. ''Let's wait for her to wake up, and then we'll sort this out.''

''Neville, you're asking me to calm down. Do you understand that Mione could have died today?'' he sighed. ''When I'm done with Voldemort, Dumbledore will wish he were never born.''

Severus nodded, ''You should get out of here. He's bound to come in here at one point.''

The students nodded and slowly started to exit the room. All except Harry.

''How the hell did she get trapped under that curse? She can do wandless magic. What the hell happened?''

''Potter, she is very powerful, but she isn't indestructible. Maybe if she was a full demon, that wouldn't have happened, but she isn't. Hermione never lets us see how she really feels, she wants to stay strong for all of us, but I know different. She still has nightmares at night.'' Severus sighed. ''And the worse is that we can't do anything to help her. Our spells don't affect the demons. She has to fight them on her own. Honestly, I don't even know how she's able to hold it in one piece. I mean, two demons, Voldemort wants her, and now Dumbledore is trying to kill her…''

Harry nodded. ''I know. Believe me, I thought about it myself almost every time I go to bed. Actually, it's because of her that I haven't left yet. And I bet most of the DA is thinking the same.''

Severus snorted. ''One look at Longbottom and you can see exactly what Hermione does to them.''

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as McGonagall and Dumbledore entered the Hospital Wing.

McGonagall went straight for the bed and started questioning Poppy, but Dumbledore walked towards them. Severus gritted his teeth, and forced himself to stay put and not do anything rash, and he could clearly hear Harry do the same.

''What has happened my boy? I was paying more attention to the game than to the crowd.''

Clearing his throat and looking the headmaster in the eye, Severus forced himself to answer. ''It appears that Miss Granger was cursed. Some kind of the Body-Bind curse. We've never seen it before, but we were able to deactivate it with a simple 'Finite'. She has sustained some injuries, but both Poppy and I did our best and hope the damage won't be permanent. It would be a shame if Hogwarts most bright student were to be rendered unable to walk.''

''Of course. Miss Granger is indeed our best student. Not to mention our best researcher for the Order. I wonder who is so keen in killing her. Actually I'm thinking in sending her to stay with Remus and help with the werewolf problem.'' Dumbledore said, he popped a lemon drop in his mouth and walked out of the Hospital Wing.

''Is he insane?'' Harry hissed. ''We can't let Mione leave here.''

''Calm yourself Potter. I'll kill him myself before Hermione leaves Hogwarts.'' Severus said, his mind working a mile an hour, thinking of how he would be able to turn the werewolf to their side. Well, maybe Potter could help?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Dumbledore scowled as he entered his office and slammed the door closed. He'd been sitting in front of that annoying gargoyle for the past twenty minutes. Usually, the headmaster could enter without the password, but whatever had happened to it since that morning he didn't know, because it refused to open unless he had the correct password. And it's not that easy to remember every password if you keep changing it every week, mind you.

He huffed in annoyance as he leaned back in his chair. At least the little know-it-all wouldn't be able to mess up his plans if she was unable to walk. Harry would come back crawling.

The smirk on his face quickly faded away as he caught sight of Fawkes. The damn bird refused to give him any tears as of late. And if Voldemort decided to strike and if by mistake he were to sustain any injury, he would be needing them. Why the bird was reacting so was beyond him. And thinking about it, it seemed that everything was turning against him. Even the damn gargoyle.

Standing to leave for lunch, he stopped mid-way when his fireplace flashed bright green. Furrowing his brows, he returned to his desk.

''Headmaster.''

''Mrs. Malfoy, a pleasure as always. What can I do for you?'' he asked with a bright smile on his face. On the inside though, he was fuming. Narcissa Malfoy never came to the school. All family matters were settled by Lucius. Dumbledore was hungry and annoyed. He honestly hoped that the woman wouldn't stay to chat.

A/N: Liked it? Hated it? Leave me your thoughts, or any idea you might have. Thank you all.