Hermione cried out through her teeth as Snape lowered her into the frigid bath. Her eyes closed tight and her head went down to her chest. He had healed her gashes as best he could with spells but they still burned like fire. The numbing spell hadn't lasted long. Just so long as for him to peel away his jacket when they'd finally made it into the bathroom. She had tried to stand but a twinge in her lower back had made it a bit difficult.

She had long since forgotten about her modesty over the situation, letting her hands curl against the side of the tub keeping her from falling under. She was still shaking. Trembling from the adrenaline that had somehow gotten her through with her life. She couldn't even cry. Her eyes were watery but it was only from clenching them so tightly.

Snape's own back was pulsing. The effort of carrying her from the floo to the bathroom had definitely irritated his own lashing. The pain was his punishment.

He had told her, rather, tried to explain why he couldn't give her any potions. She had accepted his explanation but he still needed to do something. She had been shaking too much to be any help in getting her into the bathroom. Even now he could see sharp tremors rocking her frame. Yet, her mind was calm.

He had miraculously been able to call back enough blood to keep her conscious. Though she hadn't lost nearly as much as he thought she had. It brought him little comfort when the lines over her back started to close with his spell. Three of the six lines were near perfectly sealed. Smaller of the bunch they shouldn't leave a scar, even without the help of Dittany. The other three had been nearly as wide as his arm. The healing spell he'd cast to nit the skin together had needed the help of a stitching charm. They bled lightly even now.

Her face and chest looked just as bad if not more so. The side of her face she'd pressed into the pillar looked like someone had dragged her behind a horse. He had needed to heal the larger cuts but he also needed to help numb the pain a bit more first. The water was chilled, like an ice bath. It served him two purposes, it would bring down the swelling in her back and curb off the light bleeding on her chest. His eyes did wander but they were only looking only for anything he needed to heal.

Hermione took a series of deep breaths as the cold water finally got to work. She swallowed down the blood that was still lingering in her mouth and slowly lifted her head. She was still in her slacks, the material, now wet, felt like weights against her tingling legs. When she managed to turn her head and looked up into his face, her brow tightened. He was in pain, he couldn't hide it anymore. He had gone very still, his breathing slow and measured.

"Get... get your salve..." Her face was fierce. Though her voice wavered, the look she gave him was one not to be argued with.

"You can't use it." His eyes rose from somewhere in the water, his brow furrowing from the look she was giving him. He wasn't a schoolboy; he wouldn't be cowed by her intensity.

"For you... it's for you..." She took a breath and shifted so that her chest was pressing against the edge of the tub. The pressure and the cool stone sated the burn. She closed her eyes for a long moment before pulling her arms further over the edge. "You need it."

Snape frowned deeply. Who was she to give him orders? How was she even giving him orders? How could she think about anything? Why wasn't the pain, the shaking, the shallow breaths of air, doing anything to her focus?

His anger was growing but his heart was telling him that she cared. She cared what happened to him. Like she had before when he had come back from his other beating. She wanted to take care of him. He couldn't understand, she was mangled halfway to Sunday and she cared about a few meager lashes on him?

"Go." Hermione dipped her hand down into the cold water before flicking it into his face. The scowl that had been growing there had only tested her patience. She needed him well. He was her only hope of surviving any of this. She saw that now, it had been right in front of her all along. She had just been too stubborn to accept it.

She snarled back at him when he looked down his nose at her. The water had definitely cleared away any foggy thoughts and broken their more intimate mood. Hermione had already pushed the event to the dark little corner of her mind where she kept her most horrendous memories. It kept her going, but it wasn't entirely healthy.

He pushed himself from the stool regardless, if only to clear his mind of her presence. She'd rested her swollen cheek down on the edge of the tub then, closing her eyes with a heavy sigh. He had wanted to put her back together but was he really ready to deal with the full Hermione Granger?

Hermione listened to him leave. The water was doing its job. She could finally take a full breath. Her mind was turning again. Why had they gone to the Manor? Did she lose a lot of time? It didn't feel that way. The last she'd remembered was passing out, but feeling completely safe. It didn't even feel odd to her now, how messed up her life had become. In and out of painful experiences. A small thought stuck to the back of her mind, was this... his life, all the time?

The sound of heavy boots raised her head. She made a small face from the soreness on her cheek before shifting just a bit more so she could reach him over the edge of the tub. Her brow furrowed when he knelt down on his knee in front instead of sitting on the stool. She leaned back slightly when he started to open a glass jar.

"It's not a potion...but it should help."

Hermione pressed her lips. She had told him to get something for himself. Not for her. A soft smell, a familiar smell, wafted up into her nose as he set the lid aside. It smelled like Professor McGonagall.

"It's a lotion I used to make." His words were void of emotion as he raised the jar to the edge of the tub. "It should help your face and chest."

Hermione took the jar into her hand before glancing back at him, "What about you?"

Snape's jaw twitched and he slowly pulled a smaller jar from his pocket. "Here." He placed it on the edge without meeting her eyes.

Hermione regarded him carefully before taking a small amount of the lotion on her fingers. As soon as she touched it, she could tell the scent had changed. It may not have been a potion but it was surely magical. She glanced at him one last time before gently massaging it into the rough side of her face. It did help soothe away the burn and she could tell it was very high quality.

After she finished, she pushed it down the side of the tub well out of the way before looking at him again. He was so quiet. He hadn't really been much of a talker before, but something about the way he was watching her. It wasn't uncomfortable per se, but rather curious. Like he was trying to dismantle what made her tick. Hadn't he already seen? What could there possibly be left to understand?

"You'll...need to take off your...shirt..." She suddenly felt all 19 years young when she spoke. She didn't know why, but unlike before, what she was about to do felt dreadfully intimate. Perhaps, it was the fact that she was sitting topless in his bathtub; or maybe, it was the fact that he'd actually done what she'd asked. She couldn't be sure.

He shifted away from her bringing the stool closer. He lowered the legs of it with a wave of wandless magic before carefully taking a seat. He'd turned away from her now but the air was still heavy. There was a long pause where neither of them moved before finally, he started to pull his button-up from his shoulders.

Hermione felt a deep sadness wash through her. The welts weren't nearly as bad as what underneath them. She had seen him before, but she hadn't had the visual image of how he'd gotten them in her mind before. How many years were layered upon his skin?

Her fingers dipped into the jar and her jaw worked itself as she tried to keep her questions at bay. One thought though, stood out from the rest calling out to be spoken.

"Why...why did he punish you?" Was it because of her? Had she done something she hadn't been aware of?

Snape jerked slightly when her small fingers finally met his flesh. He did his best not to move away, knowing that his salve would take care of the swelling. He blinked slowly before conceding to her question.

"Potter," He did his best but the venom in his tone was clear. The name would forever carry a weight well beyond the boy's meager 18 years. "He broke into the castle."

"What?" Hermione couldn't keep the hope from her voice and she pressed a little harder than intended on his back causing him to hiss. With a grimace, she pulled her hand back to get more salve. "What...what was he here for?"

Snape turned his head ever just so, "You."

Her heart was speeding up now, she bit her lip to keep her calm, "Was he alone...?"

"No." Snape turned his head back forward. It was strange but there was a sort of jealousy forming in his stomach. He pushed it away with a snarl and forced a breath through his nose.

Hermione lowered her eyes and her hand. There was only one large welt left. Their conversation had helped keep her mind off touching him, but now she was conflicted between the pain in his voice and her want to be reunited with her friends. He had done so much for her, yet she wanted nothing more than to leave him behind. She had taken his place, but why?

"He...he didn't use what he had last time... he didn't even break the skin..." Keeping her thoughts directly on what was in front of her helped calm the butterflies growing in her stomach.

"He needs me alive...for at least two more days..."

"Wh...What's going to happen in two days?"

"I will have completed the potion required to infuse the stones." His eyes were looking straight ahead now, but the pressure of her hand that had stilled near his waist was a constant reminder of what was to come.

"But the potion-"

"Only takes an hour to brew."

Hermione pursed her lips and pulled her hand back slowly. He had lied. He had lied to the most dangerous wizard of their time.

"Is...is he going to test it?" Had he gotten the final step from her mind when he was inside? Had she lost her only trump card?

"Most certainly..."

"How...how is he...?" She couldn't even form the end of the question. A stone was forming in her stomach. Even she was not so naive as to believe that there was any hope that it wouldn't involve them.

"With Bellatrix in his ear?" He turned slowly then, his eyes dark and heavy with a burden he had carried far too long, "You."

Hermione's jaw went tense. Her eyes turned down to his chest, not really seeing him. She was far away, her mind turning for any possible solution. She could think of none.

"Why didn't you scream?" He had to know.

"I...I don't know...I just..." Hermione slowly traced her eyes down the muscle flexing along his chest with his breaths. "I just thought that's what she wanted...and I...I didn't want to give it to her..." She swallowed thickly when he turned sideways to face her fully. She hadn't moved her hand back far enough and she could feel his heart pulsing through his chest on the back of her fingers.

"How did you manage?" It wasn't a question of her character but rather an accusation. His eyes narrowed at the deep redness around her lips.

He took hold of her chin unaware that the movement only pressed her hand further against him, "Open your mouth."

Hermione pursed her lips tight for a moment before remembering she hadn't a choice. She opened her lips before her neck even tingled unaware that the brand had gone.

Snape pressed his wand gently between her teeth narrowing his eyes to try and see inside. He tilted her head up just a little more before seeing the rather harsh looking teeth marks on the side of her cheek. He pressed his wand in gently and whispered the spell needed to close the gap. She made a face when the end of his wand lightly brushed her tongue and pulled her head back gently from his hold.

"Thank you..." She licked her lips slowly but could still taste the blood in her mouth. She'd definitely needed to brush her teeth or something to rid herself of the taste.

Another heavy silence passed between them, neither one daring to look directly at the other but feeling the unspoken question lingering in the room. In the end, it was Hermione who finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"You have a plan right...?" She had to trust him, needed to trust in him.

"I do."

oOo

"This wrap should help keep the swelling down. You'll be able to take potions tomorrow to help complete the healing process." Snape pulled the bandage tight and pressed a sticking charm into the end to keep it in place. He cast a cooling charm around it that would hopefully keep the pain at a tolerable level. It too was temporary but he was sure it would help her to rest.

He had expected torrents of tears. Even now he was waiting for the reality of her world to sink in. Still, her eyes remained dry, her mind sharp and clear. He wondered if he was at fault for her sudden warrior persona. Had he somehow placed part of him inside her when he had replaced what had been lost? Had this side of her been there all along? Hidden under the fear that had become her life? Where had it gone? Was it still there?

"Here..." He raised up one of his shirts he'd summoned from the closet. It was extremely soft and worn from years of wear. A series of complex charms embued the fabric keeping the wearer cool but not cold. It would help the charm he'd placed on her wrap from losing its power as quickly.

"Thank you..." Hermione slipped her arms through the sleeves instantly taking notice of the light tingle of magic in the fabric. She had slathered her chest in the lotion before he had started to wrap her. She had been embarrassed for only a moment but he had stayed at her back using a spell to send the gauze around.

She felt like a mummy. The wrap started from just under her armpits and stopped at the flare of her hips. He had dried her slacks but the fabric felt extremely uncomfortable against the welt on her thigh. She knew she would never be able to sleep in them.

"How's your leg?" He turned away to shorten a pair of his sleeping pants. The fabric was soft faded black cotton and would hopefully keep her warm.

"It's alright...a little sore...like a bruise..." She turned slowly towards him. She'd buttoned all but the last few buttons as the shirt was long enough to touch her knees.

"You can wear these." He gave her only a sideways glance. He still hadn't had a mind to replace his own shirt. The cool air of the room was keeping the burn out of his back and he was sure they'd long passed the point of inappropriate behavior.

She took the pants without comment slowly setting them down on the counter. She was sitting now but she would have to stand to put them on. She swallowed thickly, still tasting metal in her mouth. She desperately wanted to brush her teeth. She was sure she hadn't in days.

"Do...do you have an extra toothbrush?" She made a small face at her simple request but there was no way she could rest with that taste in her mouth. She was the daughter of dentists after all.

"I...I can find you something..." He desperately just wanted to help her to bed. He turned away opening up his medicine cabinet. It held only a few of his pain potions and a small pair of tweezers. He snarled slightly and closed the cabinet.

He looked around along the counter before pulling his own toothbrush from the holder. He took hold of it and snapped it in half with a sharp pop. He used his wand to transfigure the broken end into a new toothbrush before turning to offer it out to her.

Hermione pressed her lips but took it, albeit a little reluctantly. She gave him a small look before curling it to her chest, "I'll...uh, call when I'm finished..."

He gave her an odd look, wondering why she would want privacy to brush her teeth when she flicked her eyes down to the pants she had yet to put on. Catching the message he turned back tossing his broken toothbrush into the bin on his way out, making a note to replace it later.

He left the door unlatched but fully closed before making his way over to his closet to pull out a pair of pants for himself. His back was already feeling much better than before but now the stress of the day was settling in. He glanced at the clock on the mantle. It was half past midnight, more than enough time to get a proper rest before he had to be present at the late morning restart of term speech.

Hermione sighed heavily looking at her own reflection in the mirror. She could hardly recognize herself. Her eyes were dark rimmed and partially sunk in. The side of her face was nearly as red as she remembered Ron's hair. Her throat looked thin like it shouldn't have been able to support her head. But her eyes, it was her eyes that worried her most.

When had she last smiled? She couldn't even remember. There was a hardness there, right at the edge, a coldness that shouldn't have belonged yet she was unable to make it go away. Her eyes lowered down to her hands. They still shook slightly. Her wrists were cut and bruised. Like macabre bracelets. Why had she done what she'd done?

She wanted to believe that her heart was still pure. That her care for others was still there. She desperately wanted to see Harry and Ron again but she couldn't stand to leave Snape behind either. Not now, not after everything she'd learned.

She brushed her teeth while mulling over everything she knew. He was her professor. Harry and Ron were still looking for her even though she had told them not to. He had taken care of her, saved her life, more than once. Voldemort was going to try and kill her, and he would succeed without the final piece to the puzzle that she still hadn't shared with Snape. They had two days to figure out a way to save not only her life but his as well. There was no doubt in her mind that if she died while wearing the stone, Snape was sure to follow. There was no way she could let its power fall into Voldemort's hands.

Snape sighed heavily tying the drawstring on his pants tight. He hadn't had a plan, not really. His original plan had been to simply release her near where Potter would have found her. He had planned on using her as a distraction on keeping him out of the castle. The smart plan would have been to come in the middle of the night when they would have assumed them to be asleep. Then again, why had he counted on the idiot teens doing anything smart? He had their brain captive.

He needed a new plan, and quickly. Time was running out. He could almost feel the noose around his neck growing tighter.

Hermione rinsed her mouth one last time. She felt human now, even if she didn't look it. She dried her mouth with the hand towel beside the sink and slowly pulled the sleeping pants closer. Standing was an easy endeavor but moving in any direction was another matter. She wished she had her wand. She could have just spelled her pants on.

As it was, she didn't, so she took care into sitting back down on the stool. Some creative wiggling got her out of her trousers and she took the time to really look at her leg. The welt looked angry, but it didn't hurt as bad as it appeared. Like running into a table at full speed. She had instantly felt the difference when Snape had taken over. His blows still hurt but most of the power behind them had been transferred into the stone. She was grateful for his skill.

A soft sigh and she was back on task. The black pants felt just as worn as the shirt and delightfully soft. A little more creative wiggling brought them up to her hips and she let out a small sigh of relief. She pushed her hair back out of habit before realizing just how much of it was gone.

Of all the things that had happened to her, this was the worst. She had taken a small amount of pride in taming her hair. She liked the curls and the way it rested on her back. It was what made her, her. It was her most striking feature. It was all she believed to have.

She closed her eyes tight letting go. There was nothing she could do about it now. She hadn't the means to do anything for herself. A slow series of deep breaths pushed the thought into the back of her mind. She took the rage that had built against the insane witch who had done this to her and pushed herself to her feet. Her steps were small but held firm. Her back felt numb, for now, and she desperately wanted to do something for herself. She didn't very much like not having control over herself.

She made it to the door before her rage ran out of steam. She pulled the door open slowly, using the frame to keep most of her weight off her legs.

"I'm finished..." Hermione turned her head looking at where she'd caught his movement. He had been turning down the covers of his bed.

"You can walk?"

"A little, the wrap really helps."

"Just a little longer..." He came over, gently wrapping his hand around her upper arm. She shifted in his hold taking hold of his arm instead. He said nothing, walking beside her towards the closet.

Once in the room, he supported her as she sat down in her bed. He let her be for a moment, pulling the small table from the corner to beside the bed. He conjured a goblet and filled it with water before setting it down on the table.

"Try and rest..." His words felt awkward at best. He glanced to the side for a moment before feeling exceptionally uncomfortable.

"Thank you..." She could tell he was having trouble and tried to ease the mood. She shifted slightly and made a point of adjusting her pillow to give him an out.