Always

Chapter 3

Hermione's head hurt. She tried moving and flinched as pain shot through her skull. She was laying on something hard, cold and extremely uncomfortable.

When she managed to open her eyes, she looked around for clues as to where she was. Her feet were the coldest, and looking over at them, she realised why. They were in water up to her ankles.

Hermione shook her head, trying to focus, which sent another jolt of pain up and down her neck and skull. She sighed. Taking in her surroundings, she noticed trees in the distance. It was rather dark, so seeing much wasn't easy. The surface she was on was rough.

Hmm, she thought to herself. There were pebbles and small stones everywhere. The water was icy and...dark.
Oh no, she was at the black lake. Well, more like almost in it. Hermione moved her feet upwards, putting her arms around her legs and pulling them towards her body for warmth.

Why was she here? She didn't remember coming her. Or did she?

Hermione tried remembering.

She was in her and Sev's chambers, getting ready to read a book, a good one at that, and had a cup of tea to calm her nerves. If Severus wouldn't talk to her, and ignore her completely in all ways possible, she would at least occupy her time with something else.

She had just turned to the first page when she heard a crash. All the candles went out. She sat still, listening for any sound. Her heart was beating so fast, she was scared it would jump right out of her chest.

Her head snapped to the left as a shadow moved. Well, she thought it was a shadow. It was dark, she couldn't see anything. Hermione shook her head. No one could enter without permission besides herself and Severus.

"Sev?" She whispered.

A hand grabbed her hair and pulled her off the sofa. Hermione struggled against her attacker. Her book flew off in the distance, landing with a thump!

"Let go!" She exclaimed, searching frantically for her wand.

She felt a blow to the head, and everything went quiet, letting her fall into an uneasy darkness.

Then she woke up here?

Sev?

She called out mentally. Surely he would hear her. He would be looking for her by now. Wouldn't he?

"Sev?" She called out, her voice echoing eerily across the water and through the air.

"Sev isn't here. Sev can't save you," an acidy voice spat.

Hermione spun round to look for the source of the voice. Hang on, she knew that voice.

It was...oh, why was her mind so cloudy?!

"Come, little mudblood. Come. Let's have some fun," said the voice again as a figure emerged not far away.

Hermione's stomach sank as her eyes took in the wild black hair, black clothes and pale skin of her attacker.

"Sev," she squeaked as she realised she had no wand...

***

The door of the Headmaster's office banged open, followed by a spew of black clothing.

"Albus!" Severus boomed, looking for the older professor.

Fawkes chirped quietly as Snape moved past, raffled by the sudden interruption.

"Albus, where the hell are you?!" Severus called again.

The professor emerged at the top of the stairs that led to his private quarters.

"Severus, what on earth is the matter?" Albus asked, clearly just been woken.

"My wife is missing," Severus snarled as he banged his hands on the table, knocking over a few bottles of ink and misplacing everything else.

"Missing? Are you sure? Perhaps she went for a walk?" The headmaster said, feeling it was a sensible explanation.

Severus became furious, growling as he bared his teeth.

"I am damn sure," he answered with a scowl,"the bedroom is overturned. The place is a mess!"

"Is she more pissed than usual?" The professor asked, not quite fully awake yet.

"This is not a joke, Albus! Her wand was still there, a book thrown on the floor and her tea untouched! Something has happened to Hermione!" He exclaimed.

Albus knew Hermione. She would not overturn the place, perhaps if she were very upset she might, but she was very careful with her books. To add to everything, she would never go anywhere without her wand. She was too careful for that. His heart sank. Something truly was wrong.

"Right. Do not inform Minerva. We will deal with this. I assume you have taught her to speak in thought?" Albus questioned, already knowing the answer.

"Of course I did! I'm not an idiot!" Severus answered, annoyed that Albus would think so little of him as to forget that.

"Call out to her, perhaps she will answer. I'll be but a minute." Albus said as he raised his finger and disappeared from sight.

Hermione? He called out to his wife.

No answer.

Hermione my love, where are you???

***

"Hello Dearie," the witch said as she advanced on Hermione,"it has been a while since we've played, hasn't it?"

Hermione backed up as far as she could.

"Come now, little witch. It isn't nice to ignore someone when they're talking to you," she said with a cackle.

"Bellatrix, stay away. I warn you," Hermione said, trying to sound confident yet only succeeding in emitting a whimper.

"But I came all this way to see you," the witch said with false friendliness,"The Dark Lord is not happy about your little arrangement."

"I don't care! He's a coward!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Tssk, He does not like to be disobeyed. Disobedience is not permitted," Bellatrix said as she neared the woman standing only feet away.

"What do you want Bellatrix?" Hermione asked, frustrated and desperately looking for an escape.

"Well, I don't like to kiss and tell," she hissed,"but I want some fun. No one is here to save you. No one is here to stop me."

"You're wrong," Hermione said, trying, and failing to sound confident.

"Oh?" Bellatrix said mockingly,"Where's Severus then? Or better yet, where is Potter?"

Hermione frantically searched for any sign of someone coming to help. There was none.

Bellatrix cackled loudly.

"No one is coming to save you. I have you all to myself," she said as she drew her wand,"I can do what I want, and you can't stop me, you filth! Time to finish what we started at Malfoy Manor."

Bellatrix drew her face into an evil grin as she raised her arm, readying to cast her spell.

Hermione curled into herself, hoping to make herself a smaller target. She squeezed her eyes closed and thought one last thought as Bellatrix opened her mouth to cast.

Severus I love you,take care of our daughter.

Bellatrix cast, red sparks flying from her wand and filling the night...