Crossing the Line

Chapter 11

Snape's POV

Jan 9

She's going to work herself to death," Severus said as he paced back and forth. He was neurotic in his rant, his arms were crossed behind his back as he wore a hole in Dumbledore's office. Who was sitting behind his desk simply chewing on a lemon drop as he watched the dark man continue. "She is consumed with the thought of analyzing the dagger. Normally that wouldn't be a problem if she wasn't doing it to avoid her emotions and the trauma she experienced."

Despite having the first Christmas in a long time that he actually enjoyed, New Year's Eve had everyone on their toes and had him riddled with anxiety. Hermione was perusing some of the shops in Diagon Alley, which was not uncommon; several of the members made an appearance through that market. Especially with the Weasley twins joke shop being stationed there. They didn't anticipate the raid that would occur. Being her, Hermione tried to help some of the local shopkeepers when she was spotted and identified by some of the death eaters. It was the twins who informed the rest of the order that she was captured by them. They saw Bellatrix Lestrange drag her off. The order was in mayhem. And Severus was inconsolable.

He hid his anguish well but he was angry. Far angrier than he had been in a long while. He was murderous. And wanted to hunt her down and kill anyone who dared to hurt her. But he was unaware of the raid or where Bellatrix was holding out. He was angry at the order for letting this happen though he knew they couldn't predict this would happen. Or stop Hermione from doing something. It wasn't like he could lock her up in his lab and never let her leave his sight ever again. Though the idea did hold some appeal if only they could find her and bring her back alive. If he was honest he was angry with himself. So much for being a spy if he couldn't help the women he loved. Sadly it took her being kidnapped for him to realise it. He was restless. But no one could tell. They just thought he was being his normal self of a bastard. He remembered when Dumbledore told him the news. His blood ran cold and he barely responded to the Headmaster only giving him a nod or shake of his head instead of verbal answers. As soon as he left he destroyed anything he could get his hands on. His room was left in disarray. But he was left feeling so much worse off.

Luckily his feeling of despair was short-lived. Hermione wasn't some type of damsel in distress. She didn't need saving; she was always able to handle herself. And she did. While the order was busy trying to find where she was being held and no doubt interrogated, she rescued herself. She was brought back home on New Year's Day. She was gone for only 14 hours but it felt like a lifetime.

He remembered how unresponsive she was after she had been found, cleaned up and debriefed. Dumbledore let him take charge over her healing. Madam Pomfrey was just a pediatrician after all. He on the other hand had much more experience with healing and dark magic. And she flinched when Madam Pomfrey came too close to her. The scar on her arm told him why. He has seen other victims have the word mudblood carved into their skin. The only difference is that usually, Bellatrix killed her victims. But somehow to his immense relief she escaped. She was a little hazy on the details. But the gist was that after extensive several rounds under the Cruciatus, Bellatrix thought she was in a coma by how unresponsive she was. She left her alone and Hermione made her way outside of the manor. Then proceeded to apparate close to Headquarters and walked the rest of the way. But that was the simple version. She had to throw herself to her feet and drag herself in her weakened state in order to survive. Then hours after being tortured and being in a constant state of pain and exhaustion she apparated. Used wandless magic even. Luckily the twins had retrieved her fallen wand in Diagon Alley.

When he first saw her he had put a hand on her shoulder trying to get her attention but she just had a lost look in her glassy eyes. Kneeling in front of her he wrapped a bandage over her arm. Unfortunately, it was used with a cursed blade that would leave a permanent scar. He didn't know if she understood him but she must have realized that she was safe with him. She didn't say anything while he healed her. It would take several days for her body to regain its strength but other than her arm she didn't have any other scars. Thankfully she had no signs of sexual assault, one less thing she will have to deal with. Being tortured changes a person, he knew better than most. They were lucky that the Dark Lord was out of the country at the time. Merlin knows what he would have done to Harry Potter's best female friend. It was enough damage done with Bellatrix at the helm.