"Headmaster," Severus murmured later at breakfast, "we must talk."
"So talk, Severus," Dumbledore replied pleasantly, gazing around the Great Hall.
"Not here."
Dumbledore looked at him, frowning slightly at his urgency. "Is everything alright?"
"No, I'm afraid not."
Dumbledore nodded and stood, placing his napkin on the table.
"Very well then," he murmured, and he and Severus excused themselves.
"So what's so urgent, Severus?" Dumbledore asked a few minutes later when they had settled in his office.
"Apparently Draco Malfoy is Voldemort's new pet," Severus began, carefully choosing his words. "He sent Draco out last night. Maybe to attack just anybody, or maybe to specifically attack Miss Granger. I was in my office and I heard her shouts. I went to investigate and Draco had his wand pointed at her. He'd already hurt her."
Severus sat down to continue his story, as the rest of it was rather faithful to the real events, although he left out any mention of his relationship with Hermione.
"And then he tried to kill me," Severus finished quietly. Dumbledore looked so troubled that Severus almost felt guilty about lying to him about Hermione.
"And what about Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, surprising Severus.
"She was rather shaken when I left her, but I imagine she's alright now."
Dumbledore nodded, frowning.
"I trust I don't need to remind you to tread carefully, Severus."
Severus shook his head and left Dumbledore to his troubled thoughts.
Hermione didn't come to him that night and Severus couldn't help but be concerned, which was why he crept up to her room very late that night, using the password she'd told him a few days before.
The room was dark when he entered; clearly she'd gone to bed already. He watched her sleep for a minute in the dim light which seemed to emanate from the room itself.
Severus decided to let her sleep and turned to go, but stopped suddenly when he thought he saw movement. Paranoia gripping his mind, he whipped out his wand and flipped the light on.
Hermione's sleepy cry of indignation only served to make him feel more foolish as he lowered his wand, which had been prepared to blast a hole through Hermione's robes.
"Severus?" Hermione murmured, blinking furiously in the light. "What the hell are you doing in here?"
"I, uh... I wanted to see how you were."
"At the moment? Blind and annoyed. Shut the light off."
Severus did so and went over to sit next to Hermione on the bed. She sat up, pushing loose strands of hair from her face. She looked at Severus.
"You wanted to see how I was?" she said finally. Severus nodded, looking back at her.
"You didn't come to see me. As it's something of a ritual now, I've come to expect it."
Hermione sighed but didn't respond. "Did Voldemort summon you?" she asked instead.
Severus nodded and told Hermione what had happened. When he finished, Hermione was staring at him, horrorstruck.
"Oh, Severus," she breathed. Severus reached for her hand.
"Don't look so frightened, Hermione," he said softly. Hermione snatched her hand from his.
"Don't look so frightened? Severus, he tried to kill you." Hermione shook her head. "You can't stay here. You have to go into hiding or something."
Severus shook his head, his eyes hardening.
"No. I'm not leaving you here alone."
"Severus, I'm not alone. And besides, I'm safer here than you are."
Severus stood, his jaw set in a hard line. Hermione pushed the covers aside and approached him.
"Severus, you're no good to Dumbledore now that your cover is blown," Hermione said very gently, reaching up and touching his shoulder. He turned to face her and she placed her palm on his cheek. He took her hand, kissed her palm, and shook his head.
"I'm not going anywhere." He let go of her hand and left the room, leaving Hermione standing in the middle of the bedroom, staring at the door, the words to call him back dying in her throat.
Hermione was rather annoyed with Severus the next day and so she ignored him, which in turn annoyed Severus. But seeing as how Hermione wasn't coming to see him at night in their state of mutual annoyance, Severus needed a way to talk some sense into her.
The moment came that Thursday, as Severus called each student into his office to discuss their grade.
When Hermione entered, she sat primly in the chair in front of the desk and stared across at Severus.
"Hermione-"
"Severus, I don't need you to protect me. I've gone four days without seeing you and I'm still here," Hermione said defiantly. Severus was almost tempted to laugh and settled instead for a smirk.
"Is that why you've been ignoring me? To prove you don't need me to protect you?" he asked, leaning in his chair and weaving his fingers together on his stomach.
"Severus, please." Hermione leaned forward, the defiant look replaced by one of concern.
"Alright. I'll compromise," Severus said, straightening and gazing intently at Hermione. "If anything happens in relation to me and Voldemort and/or Death Eaters, I'll go straight to Dumbledore and have him send me away. Okay?"
Hermione nodded, still looking somewhat uneasy. She stood and was almost the door when she remembered what she was supposed to be in there for.
"My grade?" she asked. Severus glanced at the book and back up at her, deciding to humor her.
"You're fine."
Hermione grinned and left the room. Severus smiled to himself, thinking they were back on track.
When Hermione didn't show up again that night, however, Severus was confused and so he trekked up to her room again, waking her.
"This isn't going to become a habit, is it?" Hermione mumbled sleepily as she sat up.
Severus didn't answer, instead asking a question of his own.
"Why did you come down?"
Hermione sighed. "Severus, for all your snark and malevolence, you can sure act like a petulent child sometimes."
Severus stared at her and she sighed again. "You want the truth?"
"That'd be nice."
"I'm afraid to go down there," Hermione said softly. Severus frowned.
"Why?" he said, gently stroking the back of Hermione's hand with his thumb.
"Because of all that's happened with Voldemort. I don't want anything to happen to you. Or me."
"It's fine, Hermione. My fireplace has been disconnected from the Floo Network and there are new wards all over. It's safe."
Hermione tried to smile, but the doubt still fluttered in her stomach. She reached up and lightly touched Severus's cheek.
"Maybe tomorrow. Now can I sleep?"
Severus smiled slightly and kissed her. "Yeah."
Hermione watched him leave, then fell back against her pillows, going back to sleep almost immediately.
The next evening Hermione shook off her friends after dinner.
"I have to talk to Professor Snape about my recommendation," she lied. Ron and Harry bought it, each of them looking mildly ill.
"You both forgot about your recommendations, didn't you?" Hermione said knowingly, smiling slightly. They nodded, grinning sheepishly.
"I guess we'll see you later then," Harry said as he and Ron joined the mass of students climbing the steps.
Hermione joined the group of Slytherins, some of whom eyed her suspiciously but said nothing. Ever since Draco had left the school, the Slytherins had grown quiet, either because they'd looked up to him or, like most, they were only mean and spiteful due to his influence. Whatever it was, they had taken to looking sullenly about and glaring at a few select students, Hermione and her friends included.
Hermione left the group and pushed her way into the potions classroom.
She lifted the wards from the office and pried open the bookcase concealing the staircase to his chambers. She descended carefully, her hand on the wall to maintain her balance. She reached the door and pressed her against it, listening. After five minutes she decided he was alone and so she pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Severus looked up and smiled. Hermione smiled back at him, dropping her bag on the floor by the couch.
"I have curfew duty, but it shouldn't take long. Just stay here," Severus said as he approached Hermione. He kissed her forehead and then disappeared through the door up to his office.
Hermione smiled slightly as she pulled her robes off, piling them on top of her bag. Her shoes came next, though she left her socks to guard against the cold stone floor.
She approached one of the bookshelves and scanned the many titles. He had so many volumes she figured she could probably spend her whole life going through them and never finish.
As she slid one of the books out she heard the whooshing sound of the a fire roaring to life in the fireplace. She turned, surprised, and had just enough time to register who the person was who emerged from the fireplace before he grabbed one of the heavy figures from the end table next to the couch and swung it. The base connected hard with Hermione's temple; pain flared through her skull and then there was blackness as she crumpled to the floor.
She awoke some time later and became aware first of how much her head hurt and then how cold her feet were. She hadn't yet begun to figure out where she was when Lucius Malfoy suddenly appeared over her. Hermione choked back a scream with some difficulty and immediately tried to get away from him. She soon discovered she could barely move.
Lucius's laughter was joined by another voice, this one female. Hermione turned her head and saw Bellatrix Lestrange hovering by the door to Severus's chambers.
Horrified, Hermione realized she was in the lab, apparently bound to one of the long tables. Bellatrix sneered at her and Lucius grabbed Hermione's chin, forcing her eyes back to his face.
"I think the mudblood is scared, Bella," Lucius murmured, grinning maliciously down at Hermione. She stared up at him, trying to get her mouth to work, to say something, anything, but her vocal chords seemed paralyzed by fear.
Lucius straightened. "I suppose you're wondering how we got in here."
All Hermione could think about was what they were going to do to her. Lucius answered himself.
"Through many connections at the Floo Network and, of course, an understanding of how Severus works. As much as he prides his intelligence, his wards are rather easy to break. For an experienced wizard anyhow."
There was a derisive snort from Bellatrix and Lucius glared at her.
"Something wrong, Bella?" Lucius asked icily.
"Not at all," Bellatrix answered with false sweetness. "Hurry up, before he gets back."
Lucius looked back at Hermione and at the same time Hermione noticed a flickering out of the corner of her eye and turned her head slightly. One of the burners was lit on the other table and something was sitting in the flames, a long black handle resting on the table.
"Yes, it must be hot enough now," Lucius said, following Hermione's gaze. "Bella, come here, hold her arm."
Bellatrix sauntered over and Hermione saw she had changed since the battle at the Ministry two years ago. She was obviously living better now and looked it, except for the look of disgust on her face as she grasped Hermione's left arm and extended it, the pale underside facing up. Lucius stepped over to the table with the fire and then appeared back at Hermione's side, holding the thing on the stick aloft. Hermione stared at it, trying to figure out what it was. It was only as Lucius brought it down to her arm that she realized just what it was, and by then she was screaming as the brand burned into her flesh. Bellatrix pointed her wand impatiently at Hermione and her screams were silenced.
Hermione came very near to passing out again. As it was, the pain had given her a sort of tunnel vision, the walls of which were white and hazy.
The pain didn't dissipate when Lucius lifted the brand; rather it bloomed up her arm, searing and intense. She prayed he was finished or, at least, she'd pass out soon. The latter happened soon after something sharp pricked the burn and began tracing along the brand. Hermione began to scream again, though still silenced by Bellatrix's spell, and then merciful blackness enveloped her.
When she came to again there was a shadow over her and she jumped, letting out a shriek as she propelled herself back across the floor. The pressure on her arm made her cry out and she hugged it to her chest, falling back against the wall. Someone was saying her name, but they seemed very far away, at the other end of the long white tunnel. Hands reached for her now and she shrank back, crying. The hands grabbed her shoulders and opened her mouth to scream; the hands shook her once, twice, and the scream died in her throat the white tunnel collapsed and revealed a very frightened looking Severus Snape standing over her.
She began to cry in earnest now, reaching wildly up and grabbing Severus's robes, pulling him down to her. He came rather easily, sweeping her into his arms. Hermione clung to him like he was a life preserver, keeping her from drowning. He was whispering something and stroking her hair and Hermione just held tight to him, afraid to let him go.
She finally calmed down enough to sit back and look at Severus, though she refused to let go of his arm.
"What happened?" he asked softly, frowning as he pushed the hair from her left temple and surveyed the cut at her hairline.
Hermione shakily began to tell him what had happened; when she got to the brand, she gasped, remembering the intense pain.
Severus paled. "Brand?"
Hermione nodded, hiccuping slightly, and Severus gently took her left arm and pushed the sleeve of her shirt up. He turned slightly green and Hermione felt her stomach drop; the Dark Mark shone prominently on her skin, a livid red. The skin around had blistered, still raw from the burn.
"Oh, God," Severus whispered, horrified. "Hermione... oh God, I'm so sorry."
Hermione's eyes were still transfixed on the ugly mark and she looked up at Severus's whey colored face.
"Severus... get it off."
"I can't, it doesn't come off," Severus said, looking into Hermione's eyes.
"It has to!" Hermione cried, her chest heaving as her breathing picked up. "It has to come off, Severus, get it off!"
"I can't, I'm sorry!" Severus felt lost, one of the few times ever in his life.
"No... I can't... it has to..." Hermione murmured and began frantically clawing at the mark. She screamed at the pain and Severus grabbed her hands.
"Stop. It won't come off. Believe me." He gazed sadly at Hermione's terrified face.
"But, Severus, I can't..." She trailed off and began to cry again. Severus pulled her to him and held her.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "There's nothing I can do."
Hermione sobbed in his arms for nearly an hour and when she calmed down enough he took her into the bathroom and gently washed the burn with cool water. Hermione winced at the pain, her eyes red rimmed and puffy. He gently patted her cheeks with the wet cloth and cleaned the cut on her forehead.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said softly. "This is all my fault."
Hermione looked at him but said nothing; he hadn't expected her to. What surprised him was the trust he saw in her eyes. He pulled her close and kissed her gently.
They went back into his chambers and lay down on the bed. Hermione fell asleep almost immediately, her right arm holding onto Severus firmly at his waist.
He lay awake, watching Hermione sleep and feeling his insides churn horribly.
After a couple hours he glanced at Hermione's Mark and was surprised to see it had turned black.
"No," he whispered, but his fear was confirmed as Hermione awoke suddenly, crying out. She looked at the Mark and then at Severus, biting her lip to keep from screaming; she bit so hard she drew blood.
"Severus?" she whispered.
"He's summoning you," he said in a low voice. Hermione's eyes widened and flicked over to the fireplace and back to Severus.
"What should I do?" she asked.
"Nothing," Severus said sharply. Hermione cried again as pain shot up her arm.
"Just... try to ignore it."
Hermione looked at him as though he were insane.
"Come here," Severus said, leaning back against the pillows. Hermione did the same, looking apprehensive. They talked some of the most inane things as the hours drew on and the pain in Hermione's arm grew stronger. A fine layer of perspiration formed on her forehead and upper lip, but despite the pain, she only winced. At close to six a.m. the pain hit her all at once and fought back a scream. And then it was over. All that remained was a dull ache in her arm and the now everpresent Dark Mark.
"You should go to your room," Severus said quietly as Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.
"I don't want to leave you," Hermione replied in a small voice.
"You need your rest and besides, you're safer there. I never should've made you come down here."
Hermione lightly touched his cheek with her right hand and kissed him. Then she left, making it safely back to her own room.
She quickly placed a bandage over the Mark on her forearm now that it didn't hurt as much and changed into her pajamas. Exhausted, she fell straight to sleep, too tired to worry about anything at the moment.