A/N: I don't own Harry Potter

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Assignment #3 – Care For Magical Creatures - Task #1 - Maintain Eye Contact: Write about someone refusing to back down from a challenge. (Severus refuses to back down from saving Hermione)

Writing Club February

Disney Challenge: Alice In Wonderland: Write about someone searching for somewhere or something

Amber's Attic: 12 - Rogue, X-Men: (action) touching someone

Lizzy's Loft: 28- Hold onto me baby

Scamander's Case: 5 - (trait) intelligent

Marvel Appreciation: 1 - [Plot Point] Write about a life changing accident.

Lyric Alley: 1 - If there's a prize for rotten judgement, I guess I've already won that

Word Count: 1125

Hermione stepped out of the fire place and looked around.

"It's safe, sir," she stated, poking her head back through. A few minutes later, Severus was standing next to her.

"Where are we, Miss Granger?"

"Still in the States. Cleveland, Ohio to be specific," she answered looking at map. She then quickly folded it quickly and stashed it in her bag. Her and Severus had been on the run for nearly two months now. The Death Eaters wanted both of them dead, for different reasons of course. Hermione wasn't sure how they found out Severus was a spy. She had known before most people, having figured it out during her fourth year at Hogwarts. She'd kept his secret, hadn't even told Harry or Ron.

The Death Eaters wanted her dead because she knew something she shouldn't. She'd found a book, hidden in the Room of Requirement. It was in an ancient language, one she started translating the minute she saw it.

What the book had said, the horrible things she had learned about, she couldn't make herself forget them. Now, they were part of her. The spells echoed through her thoughts, she knew it was some kind of side effect of the book. She'd gone to the one man she knew had knowledge of the Dark Arts. She'd actually collapsed in Severus' office.

She'd woken up in his chambers. He'd put a block on her mind, one she didn't ask for. She was thankful despite that fact. Now, she knew she knew the spells, knew they were horrid, but didn't know what they were.

The Death Eaters wanted that knowledge. Her and Severus had run away, and now, they were still running. City to city, never knowing where they were going land this time. Hermione knew he was searching for a way to get the knowledge out of her head. So far, they'd found nothing. Hermione didn't know what the big deal was. So what if she knew something she shouldn't?

"Are we safe here?" Severus asked, glancing around. The fireplace appeared to be in abandoned house. Hermione cast a quick spell to assure they were alone. They were.

"For now, sir," Hermione answered. "There haven't been any reports of Death Eaters in the States, not yet anyway. It seems He's keeping his reign of terror mostly in England. Do you think the ministry here will help us?" she asked.

"No. I do not. There should be a museum here if I'm right. Maybe we could find something there to fix your mind."

"Nothing wrong with my mind," Hermione muttered. Severus shook his head.

"Keeping deadly spells like that in your brain will destroy you, Miss Granger."

"Hermione, for the fifth time, my name is Hermione! I told you that in Kansas City. If we're going to be on the run together, you can at least call me by my actual name!"

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm just worried. You nearly collapsed in St. Louis, after apparating."

"It was midnight, I was tired. It has nothing to do with my brain," Hermione shouted, tears falling down her face. Severus reached out and brushed away the tears.

"Hermione, I did some more research. Remember that library in Chicago?"

"Which one? The public one, or the private one we kind of broke into and got chased by dogs?"

"Which you do you think, witch?"

"Obviously the public one," Hermione laughed, ignoring the pain that shot down her face. It was nothing. Just a side-effect of traveling, or maybe a tooth ache?

"Funny. The book you found, the one that was supposed to have been destroyed."

"What about it? I know I was stupid, I never should have read it. I shouldn't have translated it."

"It's worse than that. Hermione, that book was cursed. The curse affects the reader's mind, filling it with knowledge, until finally the witch or wizard burns from the inside out. The block I put on your mind is the only thing keeping you alive at the moment."

"And you didn't think to tell me this sooner?"

"I..."

"Nevermind. Look, we'll sleep here tonight. You want the left side of the floor or the right?" she asked, pulling a pair of sleeping bags from her handbag.

"The left, I'll also take the first guard," he answered. Hermione nodded, curling up and closing her eyes.

She tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable. She dreamed she was on fire, that she was in Hell. Suddenly she found herself soaking wet. Her sleeping bag was also damp.

"What?"

"You were on fire, Miss Granger."

"Hermione," she corrected, sitting up. "Wait, I was on fire?"

"Yes, obviously the mental block is failing. We need to find a way to save you, and we're running out of time."

"Severus, what if there's no way to save me? What if... this is the end? It figures, I die because of a book," she whispered, her voice hitching as she talked. Severus pulled her to him, holding her against his chest. She sobbed against him.

"We will figure this out, Hermione. We have to, I won't let you die like this. You're a warrior."

"I'm a know it all book worm," she laughed softly, giving him a small smile. "You know, in fairy tales, they always break the curse by true love's kiss. Funny, right?" she muttered. Severus could see her mind was starting to slip, lose its grip a little. He wondered if this was what Hermione was like when drunk. He wondered if she'd stay alive long enough for him to find out.

Suddenly her slurred words clicked in his mind. Fairy tales, they weren't like that in the wizarding world, she must be talking about the Muggle ones. He remembered a few of them. Although, what were fairy tales but stories that had been passed down for so long no one knew where they had come from?

"Hermione, you are brilliant!" he exclaimed. She lifted her head, her eyes meeting his. He could see fire in them, see the madness trying to burn her alive.

"Wait? What?"

"Muggle fairy tales. Some of them have origins in the wizarding world, millennia ago. What if.. it's a long shot, but maybe," he whispered, tilting Hermione's head slightly. He pressed her lips against hers. Her body spasmed against him, for a brief second, she went limp in his arms. He held his breath. He could see her chest rising and falling. He touched her bare forehead. Her skin was cool against his. He sighed in relief. Once she woke, she would be fine. He'd check her mind then, but for now, he was more than willing to let the most brilliant witch of any age, use his lap as a pillow.