Severus held her through her screams, his heart pulling painfully on his insides. Not just from the agony behind her screams but also from the fissures in his soul. His body was so exhausted, as if he himself had just run through the that very day all over again. He didn't want to move but he needed to. He didn't trust himself to stand but he knew he couldn't stay leaned over her bed.

He could feel the curses that had struck her faintly on his own skin. They burned beneath, he could only hesitate to wonder what they had felt like first hand. He tried to force his brain to analyze their residual damage, perhaps through the pain he felt by proxy he could identify just what had struck her down so efficiently. He clenched his teeth as her screams clouded his senses. He could do nothing more than hold her tightly to him in that moment.

As her screams had started to dwindle to soft whimpers, his headache came back with unrivaled force. His entire body ached, he had felt what she had felt that day and so much more. He lived through her memories. His mind trying to organize them with his own, paralleling them the best it could.

It was exceedingly strenuous. Severus dared a few cleansing breaths as he gently released her back into the soft folds of her bed. His eye lids had begun to droop and he knew he'd never make it to his own bed. He glanced at her now passive face, all indication of the torture she'd undergone completely wiped away. He knew he shouldn't, he knew better. He did, truly— but his prudence was banging on a deaf man's door at this point; and so, Severus Snape, former Headmaster and Potions Professor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry climbed into the bed beside a former student.

The bed was so soft under his aching muscles. It wasn't a large bed by any standard and his frame all but took up most of the space. He had gently shift Hermione to lay on her side facing him, her arms curled up to her chest. The stones on her head were swirling softly between white and yellow again as he stretched himself over top the covers. It was the least he could do, he surmised, keeping their bodies from touching too intimately. It was a compromise between his fatigue and prudence.

His arms gently held her to him keeping her resting on her side as she didn't have the ability to keep herself up that way on her own. His eyes closed as he rested his head on the pillow, her head tucked under his chin. The smell of her hair wafted under his nose, and though he'd used his own products on it, it still held it's own uniqueness. It took him mere seconds to pass from the waking to the resting world. His arm resting in the curve of her back, his other arm under his head beneath the pillow.

oOOo

Morning came swiftly, its boldness spilling into the room filling it with a golden light. Though neither occupant so much as stirred. Severus' head had turned down, his hair shielding his eyes, his arm having come up to rest between Hermione's shoulder blades, her face hidden under his arm. It was a peace neither one of them had experienced in a long time. A sense of being safe, truly safe.

oOo

Minerva hadn't meant to come unannounced, she had meant to wait for a reply to the two way parchment. However, it had been hours since she first contacted Severus. She had done so directly after her none too cordial visit from Mr. Potter. Though she had assured the young man, and consoled his demons in the intervening time. She had become secretly worried, that perhaps this task had been just a bit more than Severus could handle.

Now she stood in the doorway, having found her way up the stairs; and gazed upon the sight before her. It was something she never thought she would ever see. Such a strong and independent man, a proud and confident man, able bodied and so alone; curled against a woman so much his junior, holding her like a dark angelic protector, so tightly to his chest.

His face was relaxed, washing away years from his face. She had watched his decay that final year, how every hour that passed seemed to add years to the young man. Young by her standards, anyway. It was such a revolutionary sight to see. Those normally furrowed brows relaxed, his thin lips usually pursed so tightly they could cut glass, slightly parted and relaxed. She couldn't hold back the soft smile that slithered over her face as she stood silently just watching drinking it in.

A small disturbance downstairs pulled her from her reverie and she raised a slow brow. With one last glance at the sleeping duo she turned back down the stairs. Just as she met the bottom step a blond stood directly in front of her, his eyes wide, startled by her appearance. She merely raised a brow and quirked the corner of her lip.

"Ah, Headmistress, what a pleasant surprise." He stumbled slightly in greeting. He had cut his hair like he was told to and now he looked like his former self, aside from the coloring of course. He stepped back a bit to allow Minerva to finish her decent. Her heals clicking loudly upon the wooden floor as she clasped her hands in front of her.

"Indeed, Mr. Malfoy." She nodded her head at him before pressing a finger to her lips a signal they should keep their voices down.

Draco nodded dumbly for a moment glancing up the stairs seeing the light pouring into the hallway from the open door to Hermione's rooms. He nodded once more looking back at Minerva before turning back towards the kitchen. She followed him in quietly before sliding the pocket door closed to help keep their voices from reaching the upstairs.

"I see you were able to find your way." She said calmly as she moved to stand at the corner of the table, her eyes sweeping over the disregarded ingredients he'd left out from the night before.

"Yes, I managed." He said softly swallowing a bit. "So uh...what brings you here?"

"I am simply checking in. It is my duty after all as her warden of care to insure that she is in fact receiving treatment." Her voice was calm, her feet leading her around to prepare some tea. As she passed by the sink, she took note of the broken potion vial in the sink and paused.

Draco bristled slightly, "You think he would lie to you?" He spurted before he could stop himself. He recoiled a bit from her glare and lowered his eyes in apology. Old habits tended to die hard it would seem. He moved towards the cauldron noticing the ingredients selected and decided to busy himself with a task rather than face the Scottish woman head on. He waved his wand over the cauldron, filling it with water.

"I have no doubt that she is receiving the best of care Mr. Malfoy, though it would be indolent if I didn't assure others of her status. " She waved her wand over the kettle filling it and lit the flame beneath, she too didn't want to expend too much energy on niceties it seemed.

Draco snorted slightly as he chopped up a bit of root. He'd seen the visitation logs when he'd signed in to deliver his invention. He held his tongue at her warning glance however, and decided to keep his tone somewhat civil, "So what is her status then?"

"From what I can ascertain, she is doing well." She said in her clipped tone, as the kettle started to steam, "Tea?" She asked over her shoulder, a grunted affirmation her response. She opened the cupboard and pulled out the only two teacups in occupancy and set to making them each a cup of tea as they both waited for the man himself to reveal his insights on her progress.

They sat in comfortable silence, Draco working away on the headache potion he guessed his godfather had meant to start. While Minerva busied herself by reading over Hermione's medical records. A cup of tea in her hand as she read with crossed legs, lounging in the only chair. She had transfigured a stool for Draco from an old discarded button she'd found laying in the catch all drawer. He had thanked her for her kindness and leaned back on it in between stirrings watching with great concentration lest he mess up the potion.

About an hour later into their silence the floor above them creaked softly. They glanced up in unison and Minerva set down the file. "I'll start the coffee." She said amicably, going to the catch all drawer to see if she could find something suitable to transfigure into a cup. Draco nodded slightly as he added the last ingredient and killed the flame beneath, stirring it to completion.

The shower started as both of them busied themselves for his arrival. The smell of coffee was starting to perforate the lower half of the house and no doubt betrayed their presence in the kitchen. The shower ran no longer than 15 minutes and the faint creaking over the sitting room betrayed his location. Minerva set down a large cup of lightly sugared coffee on the edge of the table while Draco decanted and bottled his potion at the same time setting it aside the steaming mug.

A bit more shuffling and both of them tensed as the stairs groaned underfoot. Minerva calmed herself first, standing just behind the table next to Draco, her hands clasped passively in front of her. Draco himself ran a hand through his short hair pushing it from his eyes.

Another quiet pause before the pocket door to the kitchen slid open. The man himself clad in his signature black from head to toe shadowed it's doorway. His dark piercing eyes glancing between the two of them grudgingly before he took a calculated step forward; his boot echoing in the silent room. He paused slightly at their offering and deciding not make them suffer any longer, picked up the coffee taking a small sip before glancing down at the vial.

The two interlopers let out unconcealed breaths as he sighed through his nose, his anger slipping away as the dark liquid flowed through his veins waking up his brain. He set down the cup in exchange for the potion tipping it back unceremoniously, he licked his lips and nodded just a bit as he set the empty vial down reclaiming his coffee. He glanced at Draco, a secret approval hidden in his furrowed brow. The boy's cheek twitched slightly in a smile before he bowed his head glancing at Minerva who was waiting patiently for him to speak.

"There has been, an unforeseen development." His speech was slow and punctuated as he watched their reactions. Minerva's brow rose with hope while Draco's darkened with worry.

"It would appear, that there was more than just Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasely the night of the incident." He said just as coolly, taking a sip of his coffee, straightening himself up. "To your knowledge Minerva, were there any undocumented creatures prowling the grounds of Hogwart's that night?"

"There were many manor of dark creatures swarming the ground that night Severus." She spoke matter-of-factually lifting her chin, her brow furrowing with worry, "I would be remiss to say that I knew of all that had joined the dark side's forces."

Snape snorted through his nose, even after all this time she didn't dare speak evil's name. He turned his head away taking a small breath, "I need a book from the restricted section, " His eyes turned to the back garden, "Should it have survived." He added as an afterthought. He set down his now empty coffee cup into the sink, noting the glass from the vial he broke had been magic-ed away. He paid it little attention as he leaned his hands down upon the lip, "And a pensive." He spoke slowly turning to watch them over his shoulder. They both nodded slightly glancing to each other silently agreeing on which tasks they would complete. Severus sneered slightly as his suspicions that they'd orchestrated this whole situation became painfully clear.

"May, I see her Severus?" Her tone was light. Even though she'd been given her marching orders, she was reluctant to leave. Having seen him in his most vulnerable state had shaken a motherly instinct inside of her. Something she had wished she'd used when he'd been a youth, as it was, her motherly attentions would be directly opposed now.

He took a dismissive breath and waved his hand in a similar manor. Minerva turned to the door frame stepping into the sitting room. Severus had brought her downstairs with him, all tightly wrapped in the blanket. Hermione was settled lightly on the arm of the lounge, a small pillow wrapped in her arms to keep her propped up properly. The stones on the band a most beautiful deep yellow as she rested. The cloud magic had run out sometime during the night leaving her thoughts unseen by the waking world.

Minerva smiled down at her gently, she noticed her hair had been washed, cut and re-braided and couldn't help but gently push some loose strands from her face. Her color was returning too, she could tell, she may have even put on a half a kilogram of weight since she'd last seen her. Oh, yes she was improving. Her heart swelled slightly as her faith in the man who'd saved her was doing his duty. More than that, he was honoring everything he stood for. He truly was such a wonderful man. She mused to herself as she unnecessarily adjusted the blanket.

She shifted and scanned her eyes over the mantle, noticing the deep brown box. She hadn't remembered it from before and slowly approached it. She glanced at the kitchen doorway, assuring she was well out of sight, before gently opening the lid. Her eyes widened as she looked upon his wand laying over the red clothe. So this is where the wand in the memorial cabinet had disappeared to! She had been worried for days about it's disappearance. Searching everywhere and every student in the castle for it's possible whereabouts. Now she felt a fool as she remembered a very distinct black owl having delivered her correspondence on the very day of it's disappearance.

She sighed through her nose and gently closed the lid, once a Slytherin always a Slytherin she supposed. She shook her head slightly before drawing herself up. She would cancel the house-elves secret pilfering of the student dorms promptly. Pushing herself away, she moved towards the kitchen once more.

A soft sigh announced Minerva's return to the kitchen and she leaned down retrieving her cloak, ready to take her leave. She took note that they must have been speaking rather seriously as the boy was turning rather green at the edges his eyes filled with a deep sadness. She filed it away as the day would be halfway over and no doubt her absence in the castle had been noticed by now.

"May I have the title you're searching for so that I may take my leave?" She asked placing her traveling cloak around herself. Severus pushed himself away from the table and pulled a bit of scrap muggle paper from his catch-all drawer and scribbled down the title, handing it over to her.

"It's velocious appearance would be most appreciated." He drawled slowly having made himself a second cup of coffee already. They raised brows at each other before Minerva nodded her head raising her chin.

"Noted." She clipped moving towards the backdoor. "I'll send the book by house elf." She gave Severus a look before nodding her head just slightly, " Mr. Malfoy." She dismissed herself, stepping out in the late morning sun. She took a deep breath and sighed contently at it's warmth before starting towards the edge of the tree line where the anti-aparation wards ended. She spun and popped away.

Severus turned his attention back towards Draco a smirk hidden behind his coffee cup. The boy flicked his head to remove his chopped bangs from his eyes and licked his lips lightly.

"I can help you through it. If you want. It was really hard for me at first too." He said softly as he pretended to be interested in a bit of left over leaves. "I can brew another headache potion for you if you'd like. While you uh you know, go spelunking." He smirked at his own bad joke but his joviality didn't last as he cast his eyes down towards the floor.

"Your potion was, acceptable." Severus nodded turning to place his coffee cup into the sink, "I suppose it would be safe to leave you to that task." He wiped his hands on his frock coat lightly, "I will as— you so eloquently put it, be spelunking." He sneered as the word slipped between his lips.

Spelunking indeed. He thought inwardly. It was definitely an expedition into the unknown. He didn't believe having someone else' company would taint his reputation anymore than it already had been. Thus, he didn't fight this battle with his Godson.

"Just don't blow anything up." He grumbled as he walked through the doorway sliding the pocket door roughly behind him.

Severus moved to his favorite threadbare wing-back chair. He sighed softly feeling the coffee running through his veins. He had slept so peacefully, he felt truly rested; a feeling that hadn't graced him in a very long time.

He wanted to just sit in his chair and revel in the feeling—but no, he knew he had duties and new curiosities nagging at his mind. Slowly he stood, shifting his chair closer to the lounge, Hermione was still resting peacefully, her side raising the blanket with her breath. The potions were starting to show more of their effects and for that he was rather thankful. He had checked her scars in the morning, they were still as they had been, inert and faded.

He took a calming breath, pulling her hair from her face as he tilt her head so he had better access to the jewels at her temples. They were still a soft yellow, a color that meant peace. She was at peace. He wondered if when he entered he would find her awake or still sleeping. He breathed, readying himself for their connection. The last time he'd suffered a rather nice nose bleed and headache, he wondered if her state of pain haf reflected upon him at that time.

He closed his eyes and lowered his shields, his fingers going to the jewels. The connection came with the same swiftness but this time, he didn't feel like he was falling through a dark abyss. In fact, the world around him was blanketed in a soft white glow. There was nothing around him but he had the sensation of floating.

He turned his mind searching for that little flicker from before. He sensed it just off to his right and pushed himself towards it. This time, it didn't flitter away from him, it greeted him like an old friend and as soon as he wrapped his consciousness around it the entire world flipped on it's end.

He found himself landing heavily into the same book filled room as before. His feet made no sound as he appeared, the shelves were lightly illuminated showing their endless rows and deep almost endless heights. He gazed around for a moment trying to orient himself when he spotted the fireplace, alive with a gentle warming fire. He compelled himself forward, mindful of the floor and rounded on the chair.

He hadn't known what to expect, but he wasn't expecting her to look up from her hands and directly into him. Her eyes were tired and cold as she peered almost through him. Still he wondered what she was seeing as she examined him so thoroughly.

"It's you." Her voice was strong, but made no sound, nor did her lips move. It was a rather unnerving feeling. Hearing without actually hearing. The woman before him shifted slightly sitting up more properly in the chair, tucking her legs under herself so as to make herself taller.

"The one from before." She continued tilting her head slightly. "Who are you?" Her words wisped over him wrapping him in a soft cocoon of warmth.

Snape retained his composure as he quieted his own mind to speak. Seeing another's thoughts were one thing, but projecting your own into someone else's, that took a skill he hadn't used in quite some time.

"What do you see?" His voice had no tone to it, it was simply the feeling of the meaning of his words. Nothing to even hint at his identity. He was sure the only reason he was hearing her intoned voice at all was because his own mind was creating it in the absence of any actual sound.

She pursed her lips and shifted slightly in her chair leaning back. Her eyes moving up and down in front of him before returning back towards the center, "I see a soul." She said simply, "I see a shape, that has no shape." She continued tilting her head a bit, "It's swirling, moving, shifting," She paused as she tried to find the words, "It's not the brightest white I would have thought a soul to be, it's sort of a soft off white, with a grey swirling through it." She tilted her head to the other side starting to reach out as if to touch him but thought better of it,

"There are small cracks." Her voice floating away briefly, "Like a mirror that's been stepped on..." She swallowed softly, "The fissures are filled with a deep red light..." She stopped in her description suddenly and leaned back with a huff crossing her arms around her waist, lifting her chin as if in challenge, "Why, what do you see?" She curled her lip most unbecomingly, almost mirroring his own trademark.

"I see—a girl, sitting inside of her own mind, in a comfortable chair surrounded by numerous books that she most undoubtably has read at some point and filed away for later use. " He didn't know why he felt so offended by her observation, or why he felt the need to lash out so harshly but he couldn't stop his own thoughts as they spun out of his mind to hers.

Her reaction to his harshness surprised him. She let out a barking laugh and pushed herself up from the chair. She said nothing to him as she rounded the nearest shelf pulling off a book. "These books?" She growled with a sort of wicked smirk on her face, like she had just proven the most important person in the entire world to be a complete idiot. She tossed the tome towards him. It fell to the ground, it's front and back covers opening wide to reveal no pages inside.

"What use is a book without pages!?" She screamed and snarled turning away from him running her hands frustratingly through her messy hair. She turned back as a new filled rage filled her chest and started pulling more and more empty tomes from the shelves, tossing them all towards him even as he moved to avoid her onslaught.

He could feel her distress clearly now, the sense of hopelessness of being trapped. He neared her carefully, and reached out towards her again hoping to push a more calming feeling towards her. It would appear that unless one of them could control themselves they would find each other ricocheting between the other's careless emotions.

"They're all empty..." Her voice felt so hallow and he could hazard a guess that if she could cry in this space her face would be awash with tears. The insurmountable feeling flowed into Severus and he had to pull back just a bit to keep his mind clear. "Bar one..." She hadn't meant to think it but the thought reached him none the less.

Severus pushed forward as that shooting star zipped past him. "One?" he pushed through coming just a bit closer.

Her faced twitched in pain before turning into a look of disgust at the corner of her lips. She turned her face a bit away as she pointed to a very worn tome that sat over the fireplace.

He turned his inner eye towards it, it was glowing dimly, it's pages faded and worn; it's cover was lopsided as if pages were missing creating voids inside. Severus' mind turned over and an epiphany struck him like a bolt from the heavens.

"They're your memories..." His words were filed with awe and disbelief. He turned to look down the rows and rows of empty books.

Hermione watched the spirit through the shield of her hair, her arms wrapping tighter around her stomach. The space was starting to grow colder and the light that had illuminated their meeting was fading quickly. She was shutting herself down.

"I'm so tired..." She whispered closing her eyes. She took a few more calming breaths and slowly lifted her head towards him, "Who are you?" She asked with a desperate sadness, "You're not supposed to be here..." Her voice grew soft, her tone floating in and out listessly.

He could feel himself being pushed out of her mind space, "Miss Granger." He said softly trying to keep her from rebounding him. "Miss Granger, I am here to help you." He spoke honestly.

Her face pinched a bit when he called her by title, "Why do you call me that?" She moved from the shelf letting her hands fall heavily to her sides, "You were here before...weren't you?" She said sizing him up again. "You're the one who tried to touch me..." She said taking a wary step back.

"I mean you no harm Miss Granger. I assure you." If he had hands he would have placed them before him, as it was she could only see his soul shifting with his words.

"Miss Granger...why do you call me that?" She said softly, "Do I know you? From before?" She motioned to the room around them.

He was silent for a long time weighing his words very carefully, "Yes." He watched as she growled and moved widely around him going back to her chair, curling up in it once more.

"Who are you then?" She huffed, "Surely someone powerful enough to get in here." She grumbled absently, wondering if he was powerful enough to get them out as well.

"Indeed." He moved to stand in front of the chair again. "I am—someone whom you may not believe exists." He replied carefully, watching as her face pinched with thought. "Though I assure you Miss Granger, I am very real, and I am indeed trying to get you out of here."

She snorted and rubbed her arm through her jacket. Severus took notice that it was the one that Bellatrix had cursed and made a note to check it when he was out of her mind.

"You still haven't answered my question." She pressed hauntingly, raising her brow at him with pursed lips.

"I am—I was, "He restarted, "Your Professor." He whispered calmly gauging her reaction.

She sort of smiled at that, raising her brow and uncurling and crossing her legs. She leaned forward on them resting her elbows lightly over her knee.

"Really?" She drawled, a very good impression of himself to be honest. "I'm supposed to believe, that a Hogwarts professor has taken time out of their busy day to come and visit me?" She let out a harking laugh and turned her face into the wing of her chair. "Not bloody likely." She mumbled crossing her arms over her chest.

"Language, Miss Granger." he chastised.

She glared at him from over her shoulder and curled herself tightly in the chair. The room was growing dark around her, "I'm tired, Professor." She said weakly. "Perhaps, you could tell me your name next time you visit." She let out a soft yawn and Severus felt the distinct push as she was closing herself off from him. He pulled back on his own accord lest a repeat of last time occur.

Gradually, reality started to warp around him and he opened his eyes carefully. Everything was rather bright and he hissed. He rubbed his brow muttering about stubborn Gryffindors and pushed himself up to find more coffee.

As he stepped into the kitchen he found it suspiciously empty, he did note however, that everything was cleared away and in a proper out of the way place. Four vials of headache potion sat neatly in the center of the table, a note scribbled underneath. He pulled it from under the bottles carefully and read,

Godfather,

I have run out of ingredients, and have returned home to get more. I shan't be long. I shall retrieve the pensive as well.

Apologies for my abrupt departure.

Draco

Severus hummed softly and tossed the missive into the bin. He glanced at the clock to find that he had been inside her mind for 3 hours. He paused mid-step, 3 hours? That couldn't be right. He had only a brief conversation with her. It couldn't have really been that long? His stomach however, told him otherwise as it reminded him that it was in need of food.

He grumbled something under his breath as he moved to the china cabinet where Draco had put the vials from St. Mungo's as well as the left over ingredients. He hummed pensively as he pulled out the three nourishment potions that he had deemed viable from before. There was only one more set left and knew he'd have to brew more.

He pulled out the left over ingredients taking in their quality. He had just enough to remake his missing potion if he was careful with his knife. He set them down on the table behind him and pulled his leather sheath of tools out. He would be lying to himself if he didn't feel a bit of a rush feeling them back in his hands. He placed that next and finally pulled out the cauldron. He set that down too, pulling out a portable burner from the bottom cabinet and set it in place, settling the cauldron overtop of the grating. A few clicks of the burner and he was started. He poured in some purified water and set it to boil. It would take a bit of time over the non-augmented flame so he picked up the vials from before and made his way to the lounge.

He sat himself on the edge, pulling the pillow from her grasp. She pitched forward a bit, her hand landing against his thigh before slipping down. Severus paused at the contact before pulling her up against him. Using his leg to elevate her chest, he cradled her head and massaged her jaw. The stones had started to grow a dark murky white as he moved her. He suspected that she could in fact feel pain inside her mind, it also stood to reason that her exhaustion could have been a direct result of her malnutrition that had been keeping her dormant even inside her mind.

He started pouring the potions down her throat, his long fingers doing their job. He watched the stones change colors from white, to yellow to a soft bluish color before turning back again to a murky yellow.

Once he'd finished he thumbed away some excess around her lips and moved to lift her again. When he pulled her up he noticed the flash of white again and paused. He gently pulled her upward again and noticed the bright flare was consistent with the movement. His brain clicked slowly as he moved out from under her setting her gently onto her back. He mindfully lifted one of her arms, testing his theory. Whenever he pulled her arm out straight the stone would flare and when he'd pull it back closer to her chest it would grow to the soft murky yellow again.

"Bloody hell." He cursed under his breath, his large fingers lightly moving up the muscles in her forearm and bicep. They were stiff, not just stiff, almost locked in place. No wonder she was exhausted. The repeated effects of her daily trips down memory lane had cramped everything. It was then his brain reminded him of what he saw in her inner world.

He rested the arm currently held in his possession down and pulled up her other from under the blanket. He turned her arm, gingerly running his thumb down the macabre engraving. It was healing, but it was dry, the scabs had finally started to close just a bit. He could hazard a guess that it was indeed itchy and glanced down at her face once again.

Salve or lotion? He pondered indecisively as he rested her back down on her side, leaving her arm out to get some air. He kept the blanket up to her waist as he turned back towards the kitchen to finish what he had started.

oOOo

Early evening had risen by the time Draco returned. Severus was finishing the last final steps of the missing nutrient potion. It wasn't a very complicated potion but it wasn't easy either. He had made some slight modifications to its base, hoping it would help relax her muscles as well as restore them. It was no wonder she was in pain, the missing potion was designed to aid in the development and growth of muscle. Without it and with her lack of daily movement they had started to coil up like ropes. He was just finishing the last stage when he heard Draco's approach. He glanced up through his hair when the back door swung open.

Draco sighed softly as he came through, he gave Severus a light smile as he brought the messenger bag to the chair setting it down gingerly. He appeared to be dressed for work. His tie and dress robes neat and tidy around him. Severus glanced surreptitiously and noted that they appeared to be from an office like workplace. He greatly doubted the boy had landed himself a position somewhere in the ministry but he definitely worked with paper work if the ink stains on his finger tips were to be any clue.

"Good trip?" he asked cordially noticing that his potion hadn't been needed.

"Interesting to say the least." He replied with a feigned air of boredom. "Tell me, when you looked into your mother's mind what did you find?"

Draco pouted his lips a bit as he recalled, leaning slightly on the corner of the table, "Well... usually I'd go when she was day dreaming about something, so it was generally wherever she was in that day dream."

"Did you ever dare to enter her mind when she wasn't fully aware?" Snape glanced at him as he switched tools.

" I did once," he admitted softly, "But it was all dark. I couldn't find a way out, it wasn't until I fell asleep did I actually return to myself. I didn't dare to try again."

Severus nodded his head slightly, "Have you ever sat and considered what the inside of your mind might look like?" He sat down the stirring rod he'd been using and leaned over to check the consistency of his mixture.

Draco had turned away a bit ashamed of his admittance, he pulled out a small pensive setting it on the kitchen counter. "I guess I've never really thought about it..." He spoke under his breath moving to organize the new ingredients in the china hunch made potion store.

Severus watched him with one eye making sure he didn't put anything dangerous next to each other. He didn't really approve of the younger's sorting methods but he rationalized he could resort it later if he desired. "Perhaps you should." He replied absently, returning his attentions back to his potion before turning to get his decanter.

Draco wiped his hands on his jacket just a bit before pulling back to look at his handiwork. His eyes drawn to the vials holding memories, he noticed his own memory among them and paled considerably. He'd never wanted his Godfather to see his cowardice. He reached up glancing slightly over his shoulder to see if Severus wasn't watching and slipped the vial into his palm before turning. He made the movement so fluid he was sure he wouldn't notice.

He was wrong.

"Something you don't wish me to see?" His voice was deep and edged with something dangerous. He didn't even look up from his work as he caught him red-handed. Draco turned a few more shades of snow white before lowering his head down to look into his hand slipping the vial out of his shirt sleeve.

Draco nodded just a bit but found that he couldn't find the words to defend himself. He set the glowing vial down next to the vials his Godfather was filling and slowly pulled his hand back.

Severus paused in his work, slipping his long fingers around it smoothly slipping it into his own jacket pocket. "You're getting sloppy.'' He said with a smirk at the far corner of his lips.

Draco let out his own uneasy chuckle, ''Yea...haven't needed those skills in quite some time.'' He cleared his throat a bit sitting down in the chair.

"Why was it taken so late?" Severus kept his mind on his work but he did meet his godson's eyes briefly as he took another vial.

"I was asked by the healer of St. Mungo's to provide more information on the curse. He had learned I was there during the incident so..." He trailed off a little glancing behind him into the siting room.

Snape hummed noncommittally and pushed all but one vial towards him to put away. "You're going to make yourself useful this evening." He said with a smirk holding the vial near his head.

"What...what is that?" Draco stuttered worriedly.

"A simple muscle relaxer mixed with a muscle replenisher." He said nonchalantly as he walked by him into the sitting room.

"And what exactly...am I going to do?" he asked following his shadow closely.

"You're going to massage all her muscles while I-." He paused as Tinie the house elf popped in right in front of him. He took the offered book with a muttered thank you and she popped out, " Do a little research."

He continued with a smirk starting towards the living room, sitting down in his favorite chair. He watched a rainbow of emotions cross the youngest face.

Draco tilted his head to read the title, "Dark Mythical Creatures an encylopedia from East to West...?"

Snape gave him a glare that would have sent first year students screaming to their dormitories. His voice deep not in the mood for any more of his stalling he pointed towards Hermione, "Atone for your sins."