Severus ran a tired hand down his face. He had done all he could for the girl in his care. Leaving her in his own chambers to try and recover all that was lost.

His eyes bored holes into the large ornate headmaster's desk. He could feel the weight of those who had come before him bearing down on him silently from above. Their eyes saying so much more than words ever could.

Severus raised his head as the fire in the fireplace turned green and pursed his lips. Moving to his feet he came around to find his Godson's head looking up through the flames.

"You're still there."

"Some of us, don't get holidays."

"I need to talk to you."

"Come through." Severus could tell by the boy's voice that something was amiss. He raised the gate that kept unwanted guests from just appearing and took the few steps back around his desk. He leaned back in the chair watching the blond step through, dusting himself off. Severus could see from where he was that the boy was barely holding himself together.

"Speak." His voice didn't offer any comfort.

Draco looked down at his hands for a long moment trying to quell the trembling that still ran through him. He had to be strong, though truthfully, he was terrified.

"I need you...I need you to remove a memory..." His face twitched at his wavering voice, his brow growing tight as he tried to pull what was left of his resolve to the surface.

"Why?" Severus kept his tone level but he was already digging into the surface of the boy's mind. His own brow growing darker by the little snippets that he found.

"I can't...I can't sleep...I need to sleep... the dark lord wants me to help him and... and I can't if I can't sleep..." Draco turned himself slowly towards him. His eyes were as dark and haunted as the man to whom he looked up to.

"What is it the dark lord wants of you?"

"I need to find the Lovegood girl... before she is able to get back to her father..." Even as he said it, his stomach churned. He didn't want to, but he had no choice. If he failed, it would be him, not his aunt, at the end of the dark lord's wand.

"I heard there was an escape. She is one of them?" Severus kept his cool, trying to remain as neutral as possible. As much as he had come to be apart of Draco's life in recent years and the oath he had taken to protect him, he couldn't risk his true intentions. The boy was simply too young to carry such a burden.

"Yeah, and the others, all gone..."

"Was Potter truly among them?"

Draco could only nod keeping his eyes turned down. His face twitched with a wide variety of emotions, too many to properly process.

"What memory do you wish to have removed?" Severus came to his feet, moving around the side of the desk. He pulled his wand slowly from his sleeve, turning it in his palm.

Draco closed his eyes turning his head away, he could still hear her. Right there in the back of his mind. Her eyes, the way she looked at him, such pity, such deep pain. Draco clutched the fabric of his shirt trying to push down the rising feeling in his chest but found it just as present as before.

"How do you do this...? How can you just... say nothing?" Draco raised his eyes trying to understand all that was going through him. He'd watched plenty die, even more so now, it never felt right. Nothing in his life felt right anymore.

"I've had many years of practice." Severus took a deep breath standing just a bit straighter, "The memory?"

"They... Bella... Granger-she... she wouldn't listen..." Draco tried to put the memory into some semblance of order but his emotions over the situation clouded any linear thought.

Severus ground his teeth as he waited for the boy to make any semblance of sense. When Draco finally lifted his head Snape lowered his just enough to become level before he raised his wand.

"Legilimens."

Red. The entire inside of the boy's mind was coated red. The memory he was trying to push forward was being overshadowed by a horrible scream that most certainly wasn't his own. Snape pressed harder following the sound.

The drawing room's purple walls mixed with the red, two overlapping memories pressed together.

"It's a fake! A fake!"

Another terrible scream.

Snape pressed harder trying to get the blurred images to make sense.

"Kill them, kill them all."

Snape felt his master's voice as though it was right beside him. He turned his inner eye watching as Lucious fell to his knees resisting the urge to cry out under the Dark Lord's curse.

The sound of small bodies hitting the floor slowly came into focus, falling around a girl lying prone on the floor.

The memory was still overlapped but had started to clear. Snape could make out his Godson cowering in the corner while his Aunt forced the girl's mouth open wide. His eyes turned away but his ears met the gurgled cry of pain before the second memory became too disorienting.

Draco couldn't keep his focus and closed his eyes to drown out another scream, his body trembling. It broke the connection and he could feel Snape's retreat out of his personal space but couldn't bring himself to open his eyes. His hands clutched at the hair on his temples as he let out of his noise of distress.

"I cannot help you." Snape's voice was softer but still held that familiar firmness, "Until you can clear your mind, there is nothing that can be done."

oOOo

"I'm sorry...we couldn't find her..." Bill looked down at the two boys with deep sadness. They had searched far and wide into the early hours of the morning, everyone who had been able had joined in the search.

"She must be somewhere..." Harry spoke through his tight throat unable to lift his head from the old floorboards, "She's hurt...possibly unconscious..." Harry ran a hand down his face wiping away the tears that had spilled over his puffy eyes.

"There's nothing more we can do tonight... it's too dark even with all the Lumos spells and locating charms..." Bill shifted his eyes to his brother who had gone very pale and very quiet. "I'm sorry..."

oOo

Severus was beyond exhausted as he pulled one of his button up shirts closed. Buttoning only the two center buttons over the girl who currently occupied his bed.

She was unconscious again, only after having had another seizure that nearly left her blind. He flicked his gaze up to the claw marks she'd left behind on her face before taking a slim wrist into his hand. He hadn't wanted to resort to restraints but it seemed to be the only course left.

He slipped the cushioned band over her hand pulling the belt tight. Her range of motion would be restricted to only a foot off the bed and would hopefully prevent her from doing any more damage to herself. He leaned over checking the mate before moving down to her ankles.

He'd pulled the blanket down to the end of the bed out of his way so as to check her bandages. Presently, she didn't have the need for more than the shirt he'd added. He'd stripped away all of her outer clothes leaving her in just her under layer but the bandages he'd put into place more than concealed all that was needed to be covered. His prudence over the situation had beaten his brow but he'd ignored it in favor of making her as healthy as he could in the time he'd had.

With her ankles secured, he pulled the blanket up to just over her stomach leaving it away from her face lest she became entangled. His head pulsed with a headache that had been growing ever since his Godson had returned home, a bottle of dreamless sleep for his troubles.

Snape was a strong man, but even he had to concede to the nightmare-inducing atrocities that his godson had endured. Still, without the memory being clear, he could do nothing to aid him.

With a glance at the potion feed that he'd managed to lead down her nose into her swollen throat, he turned away to transfigure himself a place to rest. The potion he was giving her at present was actually a slow-acting poison if taken in high amounts. In low amounts, it helped force the body into rest and helped, paradoxically, to aid in the healing process. He had enough set to continuously flow into her body for at least three hours. Enough for him to rest and try to think of a more permanent solution.

A flick of his wand transformed the bench at the end of the bed into a rather nice lounge. He didn't bother to move it as he would need to be close by when she woke. With a heavy sigh and a curse into the heavens, Snape laid down upon its length and worked on getting his boots untied.

oOo

Late evening had just fallen when Snape had fallen into a proper rest. However, a soft thumping caught his sleep-heavy mind. With great effort he opened his eyes to find the situation much more needing of his attention than previously believed.

Hermione was pulling with all her strength against the binds that held her. Her body had shifted and her head was pressed against the headboard. It shook back and forth, thunking against the aged wood in a manner that was sure to leave a bruise. Her eyes were wild and her mouth was open in a rasping scream around the mouthpiece he'd left in her mouth.

With heavy limbs, Snape moved as quickly as he possibly could; coming to rest his knee on the edge of the bed as he took hold of her head in his hands. Her eyes swiveled round before landing, terrified, on his less than amused face.

"Be still." His eyes immediately noticed the blood running down her nose from where she'd ripped the tube free. The potion that was meant to be helping her rest spilled down into the sheets by the hand that was curled unnaturally by her side.

Her head continued to attempt to move and her legs pushed against the sheets in earnest trying, unsuccessfully, to pull herself away.

"Be still!" His barked order had the desired effect and the girl instantly went still; her eyes widening while trying to gulp in air through her mouth. The mouth piece was affixed and pressed against her cheeks keeping it in place. Snape let out a breath of his own, "Breathe through your nose."

Another strangled series of whimpers curled around his heart. His face relaxed marginally and as his hold followed suit the girl beneath him went quiet. His eyes turned down watching the stuttered rise and fall of her chest.

His finger twitched when a warmth rolled down his knuckles. His eyes rose slowly, heavy with emotions so deep even he was unable to give them a name. Her eyes had turned to his arm, that was bared, his own shirt sleeve rolled up. The dark mark screamed against his pale skin and he hastily pulled the sleeve down and was about to pull away when her face pressed tightly into his palm.

Tears continued to pour down her face, a deeply broken sob muffled at her lips. Snape grimaced before fully removing his hands. A small flick of his thumb released the spell over the mouth guard and he took care in pulling it free.

Hermione tried to lick her lips, that were coated in her spit from trying to push the mouth guard away. Her hands jerking against the cuffs when she tried to touch her face.

Severus frowned and pulled the cuff of his sleeve down gently wiping it away for her. Her eyes rose back to his and he forced himself to look away.

" 'eas...'on-...-ill...m-e..."

Severus turned his head back slowly, his eyes narrowing as he tried to decipher her breathy plea.

"I-I...I...in-n...a-k...a-ee-in-g..." Her words dropped off to sharp gasps for air. Her vein pulsed hard in her neck as her body started to arch up. Her eyes rolled back in her head as another seizure quickly froze what was left in her lungs.

Snape ground his teeth as there was nothing to be done. The potion drip would be impossible to replace when her body was completely locked down. His mind turned as he tried to think of anything that could possibly help aid her through the process.

The straps went tight as Hermione's body tried to fold in on itself. Her entire frame shuddering. Her face was steadily turning an awful shade of purple as her chest didn't expand. Her throat rolled as she swallowed down what little air she could but Snape knew it wouldn't be enough to keep her conscious.

A split decision prompted him to quickly pull open the shirt he had given her. His wand ran down the wraps he had put into place to help her bruised ribs heal. He pulled the broken fabric away and dropped his wand down. Placing his hands along her sides, he pressed over the bruises using his thumbs to try and press the air trapped inside out. His eyes watched her face as she arched into his hold; stretching her body out to allow for the swollen tissue to properly expand.

A series of softly whispered spells aided her further and he finally felt her pressing back into his palms. His brow dipped low as he felt and listened to each and every rattled breath. His mind searching for the cause. Her lips and face were starting to turn back to a fleshy pink but her eyes had already rolled closed. The muscles of her arms and legs rolled with the remaining effects before her entire body slowly relaxed back down.

Snape let out his own deep breath before dragging his fingers from her sides. Her skin was warm, feverish, under his long fingers. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before carefully pulling her wraps back into place. He made sure to keep them loose enough to allow her to breathe but still firm enough to support her ribs. The rattling sound had started to grow louder and it was then that he realized she had most certainly breathed in the blood that was drying around her nose.

What a mess. He was no healer. The girl had been lucky to survive at all. He briefly considered dropping her anonymously off at St. Mungo's but he quickly pushed the thought away. Voldemort had his fingers in nearly ever inch of Ministry controlled institutions. She wouldn't survive the night if her identity was revealed.

A pulse ran through his skull reminding him of his lack of rest. With a sneer down to his charge, he leaned over her form to retrieve the potion tube from before. It was a far reach and his chest nearly touched her own as he untangled the bloody cord from her lax fingers.

How could he possibly make any of this right?

oOOo

"Morning."

"Morning..." Harry sat down heavily beside Ron who was uncharacteristically picking at his breakfast. It was clear neither one of them had gotten any sleep. The dark circles under both young men's eyes were growing.

They both looked up as Luna came to join them, her normally bouncing step, flat and heavy. She gave them each a weak smile before taking her place next to Harry. Despite her normally clueless nature, she seemed to have sensed the weight in the room and kept herself quiet.

Harry looked her over overtly. When they had met her down in the cellar she had looked rather worse for wear. Her face had been thin and her lip bruised. Now in the light of day he was easily able to make out a rather large bruise that ran along the far side of her face, from temple to jaw, her fingers were stiff and scraped, covered in healing scabs. She'd pushed the sleeves of her shirt up to her elbows and he could easily make out a handprint on one of her arms.

Harry frowned deeply as he raised his eyes back up to her face. Her eyes didn't seem haunted, or even sad. Rather, they held that soft knowing shine as they always had.

"Luna, how are you?"

"Better now, thank you, Harry." Her voice was still as soft and kind as it always was.

Harry swallowed down the complex emotion that rose in his throat before turning his eyes down to his breakfast. Ambivalence marking his brow.

Ron glanced over, his face growing tight. How could she sound so calm after all that had happened? It made him angry just to think about. It was like she wasn't on the same plane as the rest of them. Like she'd found some secret Haven away from all the pain they'd all been forced to endure. It wasn't fair.

"Where's Bill?" Ron's voice was harder than intended and he quickly lowered his head with a muttered apology to Fleur who had come to set Luna's plate on the table.

"'e iz in da woodz lookingz for 'ermione." She gave a gentle look to all of them taking a slow breath, "'ez been zere since dawn..."

Luna pursed her lips before leaning over the table to look at the two boys, "If you have something of hers I could charm it to help locate her."

"Really?" Harry's voice was high with hope.

"Yes, of course. It's a complicated spell but I've done it once or twice." She smiled softly at Harry.

"We don't have anything..." Ron looked down at his hand opening and closing his fist, "The snatchers took everything we had, what they didn't take we left behind..."

Luna leaned back in her chair, seemingly defeated. She'd only tried to help but the redhead's harsh tone was enough to lower the shine in her eyes just a bit.

Harry smiled gently at Luna giving her hand a gentle squeeze before his brain tricked, "Does it have to be something she used recently?"

"Not really, though it is said to make the spell stronger if it is."

"So anything she would have touched?"

"She would have had to use it, wear it or cast a spell on it." Luna ticked off the requirements from her bruised fingers. "Something like a hairbrush, necklace or shoes. Something she would have time to leave her energy behind in."

"Harry, what are you getting at?"

"The borrow, surely Hermione would have left something behind in Ginny's room. Something she wouldn't have thought important to bring with us."

"I don't know, even still, do you think it's safe to go to the burrow now? I'm pretty sure they're going to be watching us. I don't want to put my family in danger, again."

Harry grimaced as he remembered Christmas, he looked down at his plate with a growing anger that had been building up in his chest. His arm twitched to throw the plate of food in front of him when a gentle hand rested over his forearm. His eyes snapped to Luna who gave him a kind nonjudgmental smile.

oOo

"I know..." Severus frowned even deeper looking into wide dark brown eyes filled with pain. He was trying to be as careful as he could but it was still a slow process.

The bruise salve he'd placed under the wrappings had done a marginal job. Healing only the top layer of bruising but done nothing for the bone bruises that were deeper. He needed to apply a different salve in order to help them but he had to clean away the remaining salve first.

Her voice was nothing more than airy whimpers, choked and painful. Her regrown tongue was too large to be of any use for speech, the muscle weak and swollen. He'd already made something to help but his first priority was her breathing that was still too shallow. The binds that held her in place scratched against the wood of the bed frame with every new layer removed.

Severus let out a slow breath and pulled the last of the wraps away. He'd set her body to hover over the bed but that had only made the girl in his care more afraid. Her mind was a mess. He'd tried to see what had been left behind, but only found sound. No color, no memory, just sound. Her body was on full instinct mode, reacting only to touch.

He tossed the soiled bandages aside having left a small wrap over her breasts to maintain her dignity. His fingers ghosted over the yellowed skin of her ribs checking the sensitivity and healed cuts. There was only one cut that appeared to have left behind a mark and for that he was grateful. His eyes turned to her face watching her watch him.

"This is going to feel cold."

A soft noise from the bottom of her throat made him frown. Her eyes rolled away from him turning to her outstretched arm. His eyes followed hers and he frowned at the drop of blood that had risen to the surface under the wrapping on her forearm. Moving his hands from her side, he leaned down over her arm splitting the cotton before pulling it away.

Bellatrix's cursed blade had left the wound raw, even though he had closed the skin; it had reopened through the night and had started to bleed heavily. He hadn't thought to use dittany on it as it had been shallower than the rest but it was starting to become clear what needed to be done. Unfortunately, he hadn't any of the potion left.

Hermione's fingers clenched tight when he pulled the rest of the bandage away, tossing it with the others into the bin by his feet. He pulled a small clothe over and dipped it in the bowl of warm water he'd been using to wipe away the salve. He pressed it gently over the area before using a small sticking charm to keep it in place. His eyes flicked to her face when she turned her head away letting out a noise akin to a sob.

Snape pulled back to continue his original plan. Pulling the jar from the night table to the bed, he took a far amount onto his fingers. The soft pitter patter of tears falling to the sheets did not go unnoticed but he forced himself to work with stoic grace.

His mind was in emotional shut down mode. Trying to formulate a plan to get her back on her feet as quickly as possible and out of his chambers. When the week holiday would come to an end, it would simply be suicidal to keep her squirreled away in his personal chambers. He needed a plan—a good one.