AN: I finally finished the story. I guess I lost all my dear readers and reviewers over the years. If not ... I am very sorry. I wil post the rest of the story over the next days. If you are new .. welcome!

I don't own Harry Potter and don't make any profit.

Chapter: When will this all be over?

The uneventful spring turned into the beginning of summer, with Minerva still being in the hospital wing and Severus filling in for her. He was quite busy with teaching his students, teaching Hermione, taking care of Ben, looking after Elena and on top of this he had his Headmaster duties. Twice a week he was meeting with students in the evening for "Talk with the headmaster". With so many students being interested, Severus had to divide it into two groups. There now was one group for older students and one for the younger ones. Which turned out to be a wise decision, since the younger ones weren't quite as quiet, without the older ones being around. These evenings were always very intense, but more and more students opened up and he had the feeling sharing their stories helped them heal. Although sometimes he wished he had a degree in psychology.

It was the beginning of June, and he was sitting at his desk rummaging through a drawer to find some sticky notes, he came to use fairly often, when a bundle of parchment fell into his hands. Wondering what it was, he opened it and inhaled sharply.

"Bullocks!" he grumbled and leaned back in his chair, running his hands through his hair

"Why didn't he remind me again? I totally forgot about it." Biting is lower lip Severus looked at the threats in his hands, Ben got before Christmas. He needed to talk to Hermione as soon as she was back home.

They didn't have much time for each other over the last couple of months and this evening Neville had invited both of them to have dinner with him at the "Longbottom residence". But Severus, being so stressed out with his workload, declined the invite and Hermione went to meet Neville by herself.

The facility had been running for over a month now and nearly all the rooms were occupied. Alice and Frank had moved there and their condition visibly improved in this last month. Lalita Rowle had also moved in and Severus had made sure that Ben was allowed to visit her on a regular basis. Tonight, Ben had accompanied Hermione. While Ben visited his mother, Hermione had dinner with Neville. The former Gryffindor was so happy living close to his parents and about his achievement with this residential home, that was a novelty in the wizarding world, that he wouldn't stop talking all through their meal.

"I am sorry, I can't stop talking tonight. I am so happy. Sorry you hardly got a chance to talk tonight," Neville apologetically shrugged his shoulders.

"That's quite alright Neville. I am happy for you," Hermione smiled softly at him.

After dinner Neville accompanied his friend to the door. They were about to turn around a corner when they heard unfamiliar voices. Hermione held her friend back gripping the sleeve of his cloak. They listened intensely.

"You can have her. She can't put up a fight, but she definitely is a good shag. But leave the traitor to us."

"No," said a familiar voice through gritted teeth it seemed like, "You can have me, but leave her alone, she has suffered enough."

Hermione cast a notice-me-not-charm on herself and peeked around the corner. She gasped when she saw about ten cloaked figures surrounding Ben and his mother. The young wizard had protectively stepped in front of Lalita, who looked with wide frightened eyes at their attackers.

Hermione pulled her head back and cast a Muffliato, "We are outnumbered. Let's send for help."

And she sent two Patronuses, one to Severus and one to Harry.

"We still have to help them. How many are there?"

"About ten," Hermione said, making Neville wince.

They looked at each other. Brown eyes staring into blue, nodded in unison, drew their wands and walked around the corner firing spells. The moment of surprise was on their side, three of the men broke down instantly and Neville was able to block nearly all the doors on the floor, so none of the occupants could come out nor would the aggressors be able to enter. But there were still seven of them to fight. Hermione was fighting two of the men. They weren't the toughest she had fought with, but they still left her no time to help the others. In the corner of her eyes, she saw one of them approach Lalita with a lecherous expression on his face, who was huddled in a corner of the corridor, her knees pulled to her chest rocking back and forth and obviously mumbling something, Hermione couldn't make out. But there was no way anybody would be able to help her, since Neville was fighting Marius Mulciber and another young brutish looking wizard, while Ben was duelling a man, Hermione instantly recognised as being his father. Wasn't he supposed to be in Azkaban? How did they even break through the wards? She didn't have the time to ponder on that question, due to a Sectumsempra, which grazed her and left her with two deep gashes on her left arm. It didn't look good. Ben and his father were duelling to kill. Neville was very pale and an unnatural sheen of sweat was to be seen on his forehead.

He must be hurt Hermione thought to herself, when suddenly he yelled, "HERMIONE CAREFUL!"

She turned to the side and saw a hex being fired at her, by a man she remembered to be one of Greyback's werewolf friends, who the Aurors weren't able to get hold of. She was able to fend off the hex by redirecting the spell to one of her opponents, who broke down, a pool of his own blood quickly spreading around him.

The werewolf held up his hand to her other opponent and hissed, "She is mine."

He slowly drew closer, licking his lips.

"So little girl. It's just the two of us, I like that. I can smell your fear, little girl. Good! Fear really gets me going. Fear is an aphrodisiac to me," he growled and slowly inched closer. Hermione feverishly sent curse after curse he lazily and obviously wandlessly blocked, while he just as lazily unzipped his fly. Hermione, whose fear at that moment was bigger than her ability to fight, backed away. Suddenly she could feel a very familiar strong magic vibrating around her and the fear instantly left her.

Severus!

He came and without a word and without his wand, sent a spell that sent the werewolf flying across the room violently crashing into the opposite wall, where he crumpled to the floor unconsciously, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked Hermione, who quickly nodded, but they weren't able to talk more, because Severus was suddenly duelling the brutish wizard, who had turned his attention from Neville to him and Hermione's former opponent. So, Hermione turned her gaze to Lalita, and she could feel hot anger flare up. The wizard with the lecherous look had ripped open her blouse and had pulled her skirt up. His hands were on her bare breasts while he ravished her mouth with his and suddenly he opened his trousers and pulled them a bit down. Hermione didn't even think twice and yelled, "SECTUMSEMPRA!"

He broke down on Lalita, who started screaming and wouldn't stop. Hermione rushed over to her and pulled him off her. When suddenly she saw Neville pale even further and a tremor go through his body and he mumbled, "No. Mum."

Hermione followed Neville's gaze and sighed as she saw Alice stand at the end of the corridor. This little distraction was all Mulciber needed to strike down Neville with another Sectumsempra and Rowle to send a Cruciatus at his son, who started screaming in agony, writhing on the floor. Severus had just disarmed and knocked out his opponent and bound him with ropes when a very strong wave off magic radiating from where Alice was standing hit them all and suddenly made the ceiling partly collapse. Rowle senior was buried underneath a pile of rubble. Severus could just save himself by diving to a nearby alcove. Hermione was knocked from her feet and hit her head on the wall. The last thing she heard was the distinct pops of people apparating, before everything went black.

Severus knew immediately it didn't look too promising for him, when the Aurors arrived. It was a horrific scene that unfolded in front of them. There was a half-naked woman on the floor screaming. Alice was unconscious on the floor, Severus guessed she had strained herself with the magic, she had just performed. Thorben was as well passed out on the floor, blood dripping from his nose. Neville and the wizard who was about to ravish Lalita were bleeding severely. Thorfinn, the werewolf and a third guy seemed to be dead. "Severus Snape you are being arrested and will be brought to Azakaban at once," one of the Aurors announced.

Hermione slowly opened her eyes, just to witness Severus being disarmed and his hands bound to his back. His eyes found hers and for a second she saw fear flicker in them, before he forced his features into an indifferent mask.

She mouthed, "I love you," before she once again passed out.

It seemed like every part of her body hurt and she groaned opening her eyes. Her vision seemed to be clouded, but she saw a distinctive mop of red hair.

"Hermione you are awake. Thank Merlin," came Ron's familiar voice.

Hermione blinked several times and at last Ron came into focus and she gave him a small smile. He reached out and tenderly stroked her cheek. Hermione tried to sit up.

"What do you think you're doing," Harry, who had just finished talking to Poppy, asked and came over to sit on her bed.

"You need to rest," Ron scolded and gently pushed her down on the bed again.

"Where is Severus," Hermione asked. Harry's features darkened.

"Azkaban," he sighed.

A strangled sob escaped her lips. Ron lay down next to her, draw her in his arms and held her close.

"What about Elena," Hermione mumbled into his shoulder.

"She is with mum. Kingsley was able to convince that old hag of an adoption lady, that Elena will stay with you and for the time you are recovering with my mum," Ron explained.

Hermione exhaled sharply in relief and relaxed in Ron's embrace.

"What about the others?"

"Three of them died, including a werewolf and Thorfinn Rowle. The rest of them were brought to Azkaban. Mulciber might never fully recover he was hit by the collapsing ceiling and it seems that he is paralysed," Harry explained.

"What about Neville, Ben, Alice and Lalita," Hermione asked worriedly.

"Hopefully they all will be fine," Harry said and pointed to the other beds in the Hospital wing, where they were sleeping.

"Alice will be fine; she just needs a good night's rest. Neville lost a lot of blood and has a broken leg, but in a couple of days he should be as good as new. Lalita just stopped screaming half an hour ago and Poppy doesn't know what the aftermaths of the shock will be."

"What about Ben?" Harry had a sad expression on his face and shook his head, "It doesn't look too good. The Cruciatus didn't last very long, but it was so strong it nearly killed him, also due to the exhaustion he was already in from duelling."

"I need to get up. Help me," Hermione said.

"You will do no such thing," Ron replied.

"I need to get up. Help me or I'll do it by myself," Hermione insisted, causing her friends to roll her eyes. But they knew better than to argue with her and helped her up.

"Make sure Poppy doesn't see me," Hermione growled and with the help of her two friends made it over to Ben's bed and sat down.

"Hey Ben," she whispered and took his hand in hers.

"You are safe now. Your father died under the collapsed ceiling, your mum survived and she will be fine again. Please you need to get well soon. I miss you. You have become such a good friend," she said quietly and rubbed circles on his hand with her thumb.

After a couple minutes she mumbled, "I feel dizzy."

Ron just rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. Instead, he gently picked her up and carried her back to her bed. Where she lay down and as soon as her head hit the pillow fell asleep, due to her exhaustion.

Both of the young wizards sat down next to her, while Harry mumbled gravely, "When will this all be over?"

AN: Please leave a review! Thanks!