Winter's Shadow

Chapter 22

Moonlight

Severus' world went black.

The coldness of a stone floor seemed to seep through his skin.

His body was motionless, but his mind ran in circles. Hermione invaded his thoughts. He had to get her from Voldemort's manor. But how? He was no longer welcome among the Death Eaters and had been ousted as a spy. There was no way for him to get in. He was helpless--not a feeling he liked.

The abyss surrounding Snape became an inviting alternative to the helplessness that surrounded his conscious. He heard laughter in the distance and incomprehensible conversation. Footsteps grew near and within seconds the footsteps were rapidly approaching.

"Professor Snape!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hermione followed Wormtail into the room he called the "Mahogany and Lily Room." He seemed nervous, as usual, as he showed her the wardrobe with robes in her size for her use. She eyed the robes suspiciously. They were not her ordinary school robes, but robes fit for a Lady--long, flowing, gorgeous. Any other time Hermione would have found the robes gorgeous, but right now her heart ached.

Wormtail watched her look at the robes and glance around the room. Slowly she walked to the bed and sat on it. Taking one last look around she took in the reality. Yes, she saved Snape's life. But now she would never be able to make him understand what he meant to her, never get a chance to feel him close to her--kissing her--again. She would never make out study schedules for Ron and Harry. She would never get to tell Draco what a wonderful friend he had grown to be. The regrets of her last moments with her friends flooded her. She found her self looking down at the marble floor as the tears began to flood her eyes. Silently, Wormtail backed out of the room.

Feeling as if her entire world was taken from her, Hermione crawled up the bed, resting her head on one of the fluffy pillows. The moon shown brightly casting shadowed light across the floor and bed. Watching the moon, the silent tears fell. She fell asleep hoping the Weasley's would continue to live a happy life, Professor Lupin and Sirius would continue to tell Harry stories of his parents, Harry would survive his final battle with Voldemort, and that Professor Snape would use the opportunity she gifted him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Poppy pushed Severus back down on the hospital bed.

"You will NOT be getting up until at least breakfast."

Severus scowled. He preferred talking to Professor Dumbledore in his office and not in the hospital wing. It did not help his demeanor any that Ron, Harry, Draco, and Sirius had found him in a crumpled heap, unconscious, in front of the entrance to Gryffindor tower. Draco was the only one not in the hospital wing--he was relentlessly searching for Hermione. Draco did not leave one corner of the castle unchecked.

Dumbledore noticed the look on Severus' face and kindly asked everyone to leave him alone with Severus for a few moments. Once Poppy ushered everyone outside the door Dumbledore turned a serious look to Severus.

"What happened?"

"A Death Eater was on Hogwarts grounds. He approached Miss Granger right outside the gardens. Miss Granger believed him to be Potter so was taken by surprise. I reached her just in time to take the portkey also."

Dumbledore sighed and peered at Severus over his half-moon spectacles. Severus stated the facts in a detached report-like tone as he previously did when reporting future Death Eater activity.

"Go on, Severus."

"We were taken to Pallidus Manor where Lord Voldemort awaited. He disarmed Miss Granger and urged Avery and Jugson to attack her, but not to kill her."

Dumbledore looked at Severus with a crease of worry across his brow.

"Voldemort did not wish to kill Miss Granger?"

"No, sir. He claimed he wanted to see her powers." Dumbledore nodded his head in understanding.

"We knew he would come for her."

"Yes, Headmaster, but she was unaware of these powers."

"Was?"

Severus nodded. "Without her wand she did not use magic. She only avoided the hexes with fast movements. That is when Voldemort ordered my death instead."

A twinkle lighted in Dumbledore's eyes. "Indeed?"

"Yes. Halfway through the curses I was thrown out of the way and the Death Eaters' wands flew up and landed at Miss Granger's feet. He offered Miss Granger the opportunity to 'cleanse her blood' and join the dark side."

Dumbledore nodded, encouraging Severus to go on. But something crossed Severus' face that concerned Dumbledore.

"Miss Granger put a deal on the table Voldemort couldn't refuse."

A scuffle was heard outside the door.

"LET ME IN! I WANT TO HEAR IT FROM THE GIT MYSELF!" Draco's voice echoed of his father's own raging temper. Harry and Ron could be heard urging Draco to calm down and wait. They were no match for Draco when he was in such a temper. Draco busted through the doors and in two Snape-like strides he was next to Severus' bed.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HERMIONE! WHERE IS SHE!"

Everyone knew Draco was searching every inch of Hogwarts' grounds for Hermione. He obviously had finished. Snape looked up at the blond Slytherin and the pain in his eyes. It angered Severus to see such emotion in the young boy's eyes. Where did he have the right to feel so intensely about Hermione's disappearance? After all, Malfoy was not the one who had to watch Hermione deal her own life away to save his own.

Harry and Ron had rushed in trying to pull Draco away from Snape and back out until they would be called back in. Draco was like a wall--unmoveable. They continued to try to pull him back and out. Dumbledore's words stopped their movement.

"Severus, what was this deal? Where is Miss Granger?"

Snape glared at each boy in turn--the only emotion he dare show. Looking back at Dumbledore he answered.

"She remains at Pallidus Manor..."

Draco grew up around Lucius and therefore he knew very well that Pallidus Manor was one of Voldemort's.

"WHAT! YOU HANDED HER TO HIM! YOU TRAITOR!"

'Traitor' was not a name Severus took lightly, especially at this moment. His head snapped in the direction of Draco.

"I HAVE DETERRED THE DARK LORD FROM SNATCHING HERMIONE RIGHT OUT FROM UNDER YOUR NOSE MORE TIMES THAN YOU CAN COUNT!"

Nobody had ever heard Snape actually yell before. Typically he possessed the dangerously low hiss that struck fear in all. This was something they had never seen and it also frightened them--a Snape with...emotions? Draco would not back down.

"THEN WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER!"

"I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO HER, YOU STUPID BOY! HERMIONE TRADED HERSELF FOR ME!"

Complete silence surrounded the bed. Harry and Ron both let go of Draco out of shock and Draco stopped moving.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry's small voice rang in the infirmary.

"Yes?" The old man turned to look at the boy.

"Is anyone going after Hermione?"

"Please, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Mr. Malfoy, return to your common rooms. Do not fret over Hermione just yet. She has something Voldemort wants. He will not kill her as long as she possesses it. She will return."

Poppy shooed the boys out of the infirmary with a stern look and directions to do as they were told. The boys began to walk toward the staircase. As soon as Madam Pomfrey closed the infirmary doors, Draco looked to Harry and Ron.

"Follow me to the Heads' common room. I am not going to sit around while they do nothing." Draco's words brought slight smiles to Harry and Ron. The three boys headed to Draco's common room with various plans forming in their heads.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus lay silent and still in his hospital bed. The moonlight flooded in through the window, across the floor and bed. He watched its illuminations as he berated himself mentally for not stopping Hermione's little deal with Voldemort. The serpent pendent resting on his chest felt warm again. The heat traveled from his chest and throughout his body.

'She's still wearing the onyx.'

This thought at least gave him the hope she was okay. His head continued to run through the thousands of things he could have done or should have done.

Turning to his side, he continued to stare at the moon and its light. Despite what she did he kept the feeling as if he forgot something when he left.

'You did, you forgot Hermione.'

The warmth was still traveling, but inside he still felt a chill. A shadow moved near his bed, catching his attention. A very bushy tale stuck up from next to the bed. A cat. It crossed in the moonlight and sat there staring at Snape. He looked at it trying to figure out where he had seen this cat before. The realization hit him as the cat pounced onto the bed. The cat rubbed his self against Severus, purring. Turning in circles, the cat settled itself into a restful ball next to his chest. He watched the cat in amazement.

'You are Hermione's cat, aren't you?'