Bring Me to Life

Bring Me to Life

"It was amazing!" Hermione Granger said excitedly to her friends of seven years, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. "Buffy is walking through a graveyard, on patrol of course, and then--as she begins to slay demons--she breaks into song!"

This was the fourth time Harry and Ron had heard the description of Hermione's new favorite T.V. show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It used to be that she only talked about the documentaries that appeared on the Discovery channel. The two boys would never forget the week that she went on about the mating habits of freshwater snails. Something had obviously changed in Hermione's tastes over the past summer. Now all her shows had something to do with a dark side.

"And then Spike sang of his love for her! It was so great!...Guys? Are you still listening to me?" Hermione said, stopping when she realized that her friends' eyes had gotten sort of glazed over.

"Vaguely, Hermione," Ron said.

"Uh! This was a great episode! One of my favorites!" Hermione said indignantly.

"Yeah, we figured that out the first three times you told us about it," Harry said kindly. "Hermione, what's with this sudden obsession with the dark side of everything?"

Hermione's eyes--previously lit with excitement--dimmed. "What obsession?" she asked, wringing her hands together.

"Every show you watch now has something to do with good versus evil. Buffy, Forever Knight, Angel...see my point?" Harry asked.

"Uh...never mind. I'm going to the library," she said, standing abruptly and leaving.

___________________________________________________

They would never understand, Hermione knew. They didn't have the power she had. True that they were both powerful in their own way--Harry with his courage and Ron with his loyalty--but not magically. Not like her. They never had to fear the dark side of things, like she did. Their powers kept them from that.

She finally reached the library a little after midnight--she had taken a few detours on the way. Noting to herself that Madam Pince had actually abandoned her library, she made her way to a table way in the back. She set down her things and let out a sigh. Tomorrow was Saturday, which meant no lessons. She should get a start on her homework that her professors had assigned her today, but she--for the first time in her life--did not feel up to it. She rested her head in her hands and began to think about the episode that she had been reciting to Ron and Harry. Wouldn't be great if life could be a musical? Of course, that's what Xander had thought when he had cast that spell. But maybe...

Now she knew she was losing her mind, but before she could stop herself, Hermione was out of her chair and searching the shelves for a spell that could mimic the musical spell cast on Buffy. Finally, about seven shelves away from her table she found a book that look promising...and it wasn't even in the restricted section! She returned to her seat and began pouring through the book. But she didn't find the spell as quickly as she would've hoped. In fact, she was almost about to give up when she found a scrap of paper that was pasted to the back of the book. Opening it, she saw that it was exactly what she was looking for. It even had a counter curse.

Just then, Hermione heard the library doors open. Without pausing to look around, she quickly recited the incantation to the spell.

"Miss Granger," said a voice from behind her, making her jump.

She turned to see Professor Snape standing over her.

"Good evening, Professor," she said pleasantly.

She had always had a deep respect for Snape ever since her fifth year. She knew it must be hard to be a spy for the Order, but he had never shown any sign of weariness. Hermione couldn't imagine what it must feel like to know that every time you go to do your job, you might never come back.

"Miss Granger, the status of Head Girl does not give you permission to be out of your dormitory after hours. Ten points from Gryffindor," he said. "Now go back to your House."

Oh, but how she was tired of people telling her what to do. Especially him.

"But, Professor, I'm doing important research," she said in a voice of forced politeness.

"I do not care. Go to your House," he said. "Would you like a detention to go along with your loss of House points?"

Hermione stood.

"I will not go back to my House until I am damn good and ready to," she said.

She quickly covered her mouth. She couldn't believe that she had just said that. The look in Snape's eyes was murderous.

"Granger, you will leave and you will leave now," he said, his voice raising slightly.

"No. You're not the only one with dark inner demons, you know. I've seen you come in here, just as I have, looking for a better way to deal. I will not leave simply because you would not leave until you had found what you were looking for," she said.

It was true. Every Friday night, she had walked down here to find a place in the library and had found Snape here, pouring over spell book after spell book. She would never stay. Instead she would go to the lake, but tonight would be different.

"Fine. Have you found what you are looking for?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"No, and neither have you, I see. Other wise you would not be here," she replied.

"Leave, Granger, and keep your nose out of my business,"

"I will not leave, damn you,"

"Hermione, you will never find what you're looking for in a spell book," he said, suddenly desperate.

"And why do you say that?"

"Because I haven't found my peace yet. A spell book won't help you,"

Suddenly, just as Snape opened his mouth to say something else to her, music began to play from somewhere in the library. The tune was familiar, but Hermione just couldn't place it. Then, something unexpected happened. She began to sing.

"How can you see into my eyes like open doors? Leading you down into my core, where it becomes so numb. Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold--until you find it there and lead it back...home,"

The music paused long enough for both professor and student to register each others shock, and then Snape sang, "Wake me up,"

Hermione sang, "Wake me up inside,"

Then Snape, "I can't wake up,"

"Wake me up inside,"

"Save me,"

"Call my name and save me from the dark,"

"Wake me up,"

"Bid my blood to run,"

"I can't wake up,"

"Before I come undone,"

"Save me,"

"Save me from the nothing I've become,"

Another pause in the music. Confusion showed on the two's faces. And then Hermione began to belt out another verse.

"Now that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me. Breathe into me and make me real. Bring me to life,"

"Wake me up,"

"Wake me up inside,"

"I can't wake up,"

"Wake me up inside,"

"Save me,"

"Call my name and save me from the dark,"

"I can't wake up,"

"Bid my blood to run,"

"I can't wake up,"

"Before I come undone,"

"Save me,"

"Save me from the nothing I've become,"

Suddenly, all the awkwardness of singing to each other melted away and Hermione began to step closer to Snape as choruses of "Bring me to life," were sung by invisible back up singers.

"I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside,"

Though it was part of the song they sang, Hermione knew that it was, in a way, a confession of hopelessness. Suddenly, one of her innermost secrets were sung from her lips.

"Frozen inside without your touch, without your love, darling. Only you are the life among the dead,"

And he responded.

"All this time, I can't believe I couldn't see. Trapped in the dark, but you were there in front of me,"

"I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems. Got to open my eyes to everything,"

"Without thought, without a voice, without a soul,"

"Don't let me die here,"

"Don't let me die here,"

"Bring me to life,"

"Wake me up,"

"Wake me up inside,"

"I can't wake up,"

"Wake me up inside,"

"Save me,"

"Call my name and save me from the dark,"

"I can't wake up,"

"Bid my blood to run,"

"I can't wake up,"

"Before I come undone,"

"Save me,"

"Save me from the nothing I've become,"

"Bring me to life,"

"I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside,"

"Bring me to life,"

And the music faded to a halt. Quickly, Hermione whirled and uttered the counter curse. When she turned to back to face Snape, she saw that his cheeks were tinged a bit with red. She, however, could feel her face burning.

"What the hell was all that?" he asked.

"What we were looking for, I think," she replied.

"A spell?"

"Yes. It enables one to sing out their inner most feelings,"

Snape paused, seemingly in thought. Then he said, "‘ Frozen inside without your touch, without your love, darling?' That's what you sang. Did you...?"

"Mean it?" she finished, sure her face was on fire now. "Yes. It was...an inner most feeling, I suppose."

"I see. Hermione, would you...like to talk about this at a later time and day? I think we have much to discuss,"

She nodded and gathered her things. Without a glance at Snape, she left for the dormitory. Merlin only knew what could come of this.