Winter's Shadow

Chapter 23

Saving Granger

Sunlight replaced the moonlight shining into Hermione's room. Hermione lay there unmoving watching the particles of light dancing in her room. She heard knocking on her door, but knew whoever it was would enter whether she answered or not. She heard the creaking of the door opening and shuffling feet. The feet were shifting nervously next to her bed telling her it was Wormtail.

"The Dark Lord says you are to have breakfast with the rest of the manor." He waited for a response, but did not get one. Slowly and nervously, he walked to the other side of the bed. The dark empty stare in her eyes disconcerted him somewhat. "Um...it would be best if you changed into one of the robes he has provided for you."

Hermione barely nodded her head enough for Wormtail to know she understood what he said. He nodded in return and walked back to the door to leave her to get ready. Hermione's voice stopped him as soon as he touched the doorknob.

"Pettigrew? Did Professor Snape return to Hogwarts safely?"

Wormtail slowly turned around to find Hermione still lying in the exact same position.

"Yes, yes, he did."

She said nothing else, so Wormtail left. Slowly, Hermione rose from the bed to get dressed. Grant it, Voldemort's intentions were not to kill her--yet, but she also did not want to anger him. She could only imagine what an angry Voldemort was like.

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Snape always felt hallow and empty when memories of his Death Eater days threatened to over come him. Shutting them out meant shutting out any emotion. Emotions were a pure sign of weakness--nothing more than ammunition for those who knew them. Knowing Hermione was at Pallidus Manor sent cold chills through his body, leaving a hallow cave in his chest. Was this what it felt like to have a broken heart? He was the evil potions professor, the ex-Death Eater and spy; he was not supposed to feel anything--nothing. Snape was unsure how to feel, how to act, what to do.

The seventh year potions class noticed. Snape gave them directions on the board and sat at his desk--staring at a blank piece of parchment. The serpent felt warm against his skin. A majority of the class was not paying any attention to Snape, thankful he was not tormenting them. Harry, Draco, and Ron noticed however. The warmth of the serpent rose slightly bringing Snape's attention to it. One pale slender hand lifted and placed itself over the pendent beneath his robes. It appeared he was holding his heart.

Harry watched Snape's hand seemingly hold his heart and Harry felt his own hate for the Potions Master ebb away. This was a grown man--one who never showed emotion--holding his heart. Harry glanced at Draco. He saw it too. Draco's face fell slightly as he looked down as if in realization of something out of his control.

The heat emanating from the serpent grew. Snape still stared at the blank parchment. Then...then an odd thing happened...something Snape did not understand nor expect. Hermione's voice seemed to fill him from his heart, filling his body and mind with her voice and it was singing.

"I'm so tired of being here

suppressed by all of my childish fears

And if you have to leave

I wish that you would just leave

Because your presence still lingers here

And it won't leave me alone

These wounds won't seem to heal

This pain is just too real

There's just too much that time cannot erase..."

Snape looked up to Hermione's empty seat.

"Class is dismissed."

Everyone stared at him not understanding why he suddenly dismissed class. No one moved. Snape turned a sharp glare to each student.

"Are you all deaf? I said OUT!"

Wands were out immediately emptying out potions and students scrambled to leave the dungeon. Harry looked at Draco who nodded.

"Tonight, Potter." Draco looked back at Snape sitting at his desk pinching the bridge of his nose. "We bring Hermione home tonight."

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She chose to wear an elegant set of black robes she found in the wardrobe. She was nervous and unsure as to where the dining room was. As she cautiously walked down the winding stairs she noticed Wormtail coming toward her.

"The Dark Lord thought you might need assistance getting to the dining room."

Nodding her head, she followed Wormtail. She wondered exactly what Voldemort saw as assistance. Following Wormtail, she could feel the warmth of the onyx resting on her chest. It did nothing to comfort her--only burned an emptiness into her chest. The dining room was dark, no windows and lighted by few candles. It was night in that room. Everyone sitting at the long ebony table watched her entrance. Wormtail scampered to his seat. Voldemort sat at the head of the table and motioned to the chair on his left. Hermione felt the panic rising in her. She stood frozen at the realization of who sat at this breakfast. It was not just Voldemort and Wormtail. Narcissa Malfoy occupied the seat on Hermione's other side and Lucius sat across from his wife. The evil, disgusted look crossed the blond man's face as he left his place at the table. He began to circle Hermione like a predator, looking her over.

"Tsk, tsk. Why if it isn't the mudblood that stole my son."

He stopped in front of her. Everyone at the table waited to see what would happen. Hermione had been staring at a particular spot on the floor trying her best to ignore Lucius. With one sentence Lucius reminded her of her friendship with Draco and the bond they had grown to have and the bond she shared with Harry and Ron. In turn she was reminded of her life prior to the previous night and it was now lost due to people like Lucius Malfoy.

Hermione's eyes rose from the ground to meet Lucius' in a fiery glare. Her words hissed from her mouth, incomprehensible to Lucius. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He felt an unseen force shove him out of the way and Hermione stepped by him to her seat.

As Hermione sat she saw a faint smile playing on Narcissa's lips. Placing her napkin in her lap, she wondered how many mornings Severus had like this one. Severus. Professor Snape. She felt her chest clinch causing her to take a deep breath. Breakfast was a silent and cold affair. Hermione barely ate. Finally she needed to escape--she wanted to get back to her chambers.

"May I be excused?"

Her voice was small and unsure. How do you ask the Dark Lord if you can be excused from the table? He turned toward her and nodded his head. She nodded in return. Placing her napkin in her plate, she rose from the table. Narcissa followed suit.

"Miss Granger," Voldemort hissed, causing Hermione to stop her exit. She was standing next to Voldemort. He reached out a cold pale hand and took her lower arm in his hand.

"Do understand, you are not to leave. You leave and your dear Severus dies."

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

"Professor Snape is a greasy git who did nothing but torment me for my intelligence. I don't care what you do to him."

Voldemort let her arm go and she began to walk out of the room. As she left the dining room Voldemort's last words echoed in her ears.

"Is that why you traded yourself for him?"

Hermione swiftly climbed the stairs ignoring the footsteps following her. She rushed to her room. The door didn't slam shut behind her though--someone was stopping it from closing.

"Hermione?"

She turned to see Narcissa standing in the door way.

"I just wanted to know how Draco was doing."

Hermione looked at the woman standing in her doorway. She was not a Malfoy, but a mother lost in the dark without her only child. Hermione smiled weakly at the older woman.

"He was doing wonderful."

Narcissa smiled and nodded as she backed out of the door. Before she left she looked at Hermione one last time.

"You saved my son, Hermione. If I know him he'll be here for you by nightfall."

Hermione watched Narcissa walk out of her room and wondered over to her bed again. Slowly laying down again she begged for the darkness of sleep to over come her. Anything was better than the life she bartered herself for. The particles of light dancing in her chambers and across her began slowly fading to black.

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Her dreams were filled with a man of ebony hair. Lunch and dinner passed in a haze in which Hermione could not remember eating or leaving her room for that matter.

"Hermione?"

Someone whispered from the balcony. Fear and excitement filled her. Did Severus come to take her home? If he did Voldemort would kill him. But if it was him at least it would allow her to see him one more time. She cautiously walked out to the balcony looking around. She spotted the white blond hair in the corner crouched behind a figure of Athena. She motioned for him to enter so he would not be seen on the balcony.

Draco walked into Hermione's chambers and immediately made his way to her fireplace with a small pouch in hand.

"Come on. Most don't know this fireplace is connected to the floo network."

Draco looked up from the pouch confused. Hermione had not moved closer to the fireplace--in fact she stood next to her bed, one arm draped around the ebony wooden post, head leaning against it. She brought her eyes up to meet Draco's and he felt cold shock run through him at the emptiness he found staring at him.

"Hermione?"

"No, Draco."

"Hermione!" He was sounding slightly panicked as he kept shifting his eyes to the door. "This is not the time to be so bloody...Gryffindor!"

Hermione closed her eyes as if trying to wish it all away. Draco remained by the fireplace looking at her like she was someone else.

"Hermione, it's not just me, Harry, and Ron. You have not seen Snape. We've never seen him like this..."

Her eyes shot open.

"I don't want to know." Hermione walked over to the fireplace and looked up at Draco. His blue eyes searched her face for some sign that she would come with him. She placed a hand on one cheek and reaching up on her tiptoes, she kissed the other.

"You have been a wonderful friend, Draco. If I leave, Voldemort will kill Professor Snape. If you stick around much longer your father will kill you."

She reached into the pouch he held open and took a pinch of floo powder. Quickly she threw it into the flames. Her actions seemed to turn Draco's world upside down; he was not sure what she was doing. Before he could register he actions he felt her shove him into the green flames. He stumbled and caught himself. Before he could yell a destination, he heard Hermione doing it for him, though not exactly where he wanted to go.

"Professor Severus Snape!"