Dear Lily *COMPLETE*

Pittwitch and Lisa - thank you for reviewing, I hope you like this chapter!



Dear Lily



I had not gotten over the letter.



Hermione was in serious danger and the only thing that could minutely save her could be anywhere in the world and it was a small seemingly insignificant item, a locket, for heaven's sake, how many of them are there in there in the world and we have to look for a specific one and we didn't have that much time.



I was sleeping in a spare room on my own, well trying to sleep. Everytime I did I saw her face that day in the woods looking at Malfoy full of concern. The face turned to me and she smiled, the sun catching her brown eyes making them glow golden honey. Warm and caring, and her smile that spoke paragraphs of care and love. I saw her lift the boy up gently and protectively. And how did that brat treat her afterwards? I was grateful whenever you helped me wasn't I - I mean apart from that one time when I snapped and almost bit your head off but overall I was good and kind to you whenever you were good and kind to me. The beach dream still evaded my mind. Merlin, this one teenager has made a wreck of me. My traitorous body reacts to her very name, earning some very odd looks from Remus, and Molly. I wonder if they noticed? Oh gods, I hope not.



I could not sleep and chucked the covers off and put my robes on and walked down the stairs into the Black's Library. I walked over to the shelves and began looking through the books as a hope that something hanging on a silver chain would fall out from between the pages, hope, Lily. Hope such a small word that can help or ruin your character completely, and I almost let it ruin me.



I was standing idly and then went into the dining room where the letter still lay on the table a lonesome candle flickering in what otherwise was a bedarkened room. I read it again and again, each time made me angrier and angrier! I crumpled it into a ball and threw it on the floor, damn I wish I hadn't been so - so - Slytherin sometimes, I took advantage of that sweet nature of Hermione's and now - now she was in mortal danger and guess who's fault it was - again? Yes Severus you complete and utter selfish dunderhead you!



I went back to the library and paced up and down, down and up, until my legs were giving way and I had to sit down, I picked up a book lighted a few of the candles that were on the table and started to read and to my complete surprise I had picked up Standard Book of Spells where it naturally fell open to Chapter 7. Allohomora! Allohomora THAT'S IT!



I snapped the book shut and blew out the candles and walked out of the library to my bedroom where in the boy's room I heard voices.



"I don't know, Ron, I mean come on he murdered Dumbledore why should I believe he wants Hermione alive, he never liked her!"



"Yeah the git! And since when has he ever decided to wash his hair did you see it all frizzed up like that it looked like something I seen in a muggle comic book where the guy is also wearing something shiny and sparkly."



Since I decided I don’t want to spend the rest of my two hundred odd years alone thank you very much!



"Well, I think you two are being complete idiots," it was Miss Weasley.



"Why?" two voices chorused.



"Well, didn't you see how broken up he was about it? Snape can actually do tears and you can't fake tears like that! It’s almost like – no, that’s just too…”



“What are you on about, Ginny?” Harry asked. No reply.



"Ginny, I thought you were going to kill him when you saw him again!” the brother exclaimed.



"I can't kill a man that was as down as he was Ron," they went quiet for a while. "What I want to know what does he mean by 'he won't let it happen again,' hmm?"



"Isn't it obvious he meant my parents," Potter said fiercely. "I hardly think he shed a tear when Sirius died."



"Didn't he hate them, though?" Weasley asked.



"Yeah," Potter said.



"Perhaps just the one," Miss Weasley said. "What if, Harry, he loved your mother?"



I heard Potter choke on something.



"Ginny, don't make me sick my mum was beautiful and he's well... a monster!"



Miss Weasley sighed and I heard the rustle of some clothes.



"Hermione once told me a story called Beauty and the Beast and it made me cry, Harry," Ginny said. "It was a happy ending though, because Beauty actually loved the beast for what he was inside and when she declared her love for him he changed and became a beautiful handsome man who guess what turned out to be a Prince."



I heard Mr Weasley scoff this time.



"That's just a story Ginny, nine times out of ten people don't change!"



"People do change Ronald," she said. "Perhaps Snape might not have been so bad if people actually accepted him for the potential within instead of looking at the shallow things like hair and skin colour!"



I walked away making doubly certain to give them a reason to trust me, and Potter, I thought would only believe if he saw me do something about the situation. I realised I had to take him along. All I could say was that this was going to be interesting; the fact that Potter and I never got on would of course be a hindrance. Besides that lovely robe of his fathers would come in useful in an operation like this. Perhaps one or two braincells did float around in the vacuum of space that was otherwise his head.



I picked up my wand and checked my robes to see if they were all right and put a de-tangling spell on my hair and walked back to the room where the children were. I knocked on the door.



"It's mum," Weasley hissed. "Quick dive!"



I opened the door.



"It is not your mother Mr Weasley," I said.



Potter and the two Weasley's poked their heads out from their separate beds. I'm sure Potter and Miss Weasley weren't like that when they were talking. I kept any snide comment I had to make on the situation to myself and turned slowly to look at Potter.



"What do you want Snape?" he asked viciously.



"I want to help Hermione," I said.



"Unless you know where the locket is..."



"You play by the rules?" I asked incredulously interrupting him. "Even your father wouldn't give up this easily boy now are you going to get up, get that cloak and help me rescue her or?" I asked sneeringly looking at Miss Weasley. "Do you have other plans for this evening?"



Miss Weasley blushed and Mr Weasley gave me a look like a thundercloud, bad luck Weasel I've practically invented that look so you can't frighten me with it!



Mr Potter threw the grey bed sheets away from him and got up I stayed in the room and watched him put some decaying jeans on and an oversized sweater with the word Nike fading on the front.



"Out of curiosity why didn't you exchange some of the wizard money to muggle and bought some clothes that actually fit?" I asked nicely I thought.



"None of your damn business," he replied testily.



I can't win! Lily, I just can't win!



He then put some trainers on and lifted up the mattress and bought out his fathers cloak.



"Right do you want to hear my plan?" I asked trying ever so hard to be like a father helping a son recover something precious. It wasn't working.



"I'm better at doing things of the top of my head," he replied. He brushed past me and opened the door. "Well, let's get on with this then shall we!"



I rolled my eyes and looked at the other two.



"Do you want to come?" I asked hoping they’d say no. Well, Miss Weasley wouldn’t have been too bad, at least she spoke with reason sometimes. They both shook their heads… an action that surprised me rather.



We walked out of the house stealthily and quietly. We went into the alleyway where the bins were.



"Can you apparate?" I asked.



"Of course," he snapped. "Passed first go!"



"Good now I am going to change into my animagus form."



"Are you legal?" he asked.



"No, but that doesn't stop you from liking Black and besides it might give a little explanation as to why we never connected you might say, apart from the obvious."



"What is your animagus?"



"A black cat, your mother actually gave me my other name."



Potter was about to bite another comment at me but thought better of it.



"What did she call you? Sooty?" he asked.



"No, that's what your girlfriend called me your mother had more class she called me Ebonium!"



He sighed.



"I suppose what you want me to do is to carry you in my arms, apparate to the Lestrange’s in my invisibility cloak!"



"You read my mind!" I exclaimed sarcastically. Potter just threw me an exasperated look.



"All right where do the Lestrange's live?"



"Shropshire," I said. "Fenley Gray Manor."



Potter nodded I changed into Ebonium and he picked me up gently and held me in his arms, he then awkwardly wrapped the cloak around us and then thought of Fenley Gray Manor in Shropshire. I just hoped that he would get it right.



We landed in a grove of trees and bushes he flung the cloak off and let me down I re- emerged as Severus Snape.



"Is this right?" he asked.



"Yes," I said. "Well done!"



Just thought I would throw in that bit of praise there to see his reaction.



It was suspicious. I almost despaired. All right I killed Dumbledore but I am trying my hardest to make sure that no one else gets killed. I have joined up properly and I am thinking of saving a life that even I know is more precious than mine and what are you doing boy? You are distrusting my every move! Just like you're dear departed Sirius. My thoughts wondered over to Hermione, what have they done to her?



"Where to?" he asked.



"The dungeons."



"Know them well do you?" he asked archly.



I couldn't meet his eyes. For once I could not look in yours - I mean - his eyes. The penetration was almost like Lupins and Dumbledores. I could not stand it.



"Vaguely," I muttered.



I changed back into Ebonium and led the way to the walls of the manor.



Two people were talking. Draco the little slime! With his Aunty, so sweet of her to take him in.



"You did the sensible thing Draco by coming here and telling us where Snivellus is!"



"Snivellus?" he asked.



"It's what Black and Potter called him when they were at school together."



Potter looked at me with something of pity, it was weird to say the least.



"So, that's why he hates Scarhead is it?" Draco asked. "Daddy boy used to bully him? So now he hates the son."



Bellatrix snorted.



"Hates and possibly loves the son!" she exclaimed.



"He has no love for Scarhead, Aunty," Draco said.



Potter gave me another look I had again changed back to my human form.



"That's what he would tell you Draco but I know better, tell me why when he had the chance he didn't bring him wrapped in chains to the Dark Lord as a double victory? Instead he scampered into the woods like a frightened little weasel that he is and hid shivering and shaking. I tell you Draco, my cousin may have denied our blood but he did have some good naming abilities. Snivellus describes him to a tea. And then there's Evans never did like that red-haired bitch."



"Who is Evans?"



"Scarheads mumsy," she said. "The one that caused great pain and injury to our Master and made him writhe in agony for all those years."



“He deserved it,” Potter muttered, “and I’ll finish what my mother could not!”



"What's the dead Mudblood got to do with it?" Draco asked.



"Snivellus used to cry on her and then he fell in love with her, only we could all tell right from the beginning he was fighting a losing battle. She was in love with Jimbo right from the word go and never would look at him, I mean Draco who would? He was made up of spare parts that nobody wanted! Even the Mudblood had better taste than that!"



I was shaking with absolute rage. I was not delusional about my appearance but ‘spare parts!’ more likely explains you Bellatrix darling! At least I have a heart… albeit a small, tiny one – but it’s more than you’ve got. Potter sighed, he looked at me and then he touched my arm in – what? Comradeship?



"I'd rather die than be found crying on the shoulders of a Mudblood dead or otherwise!" Draco exclaimed devoutly.



Potter scoffed.



"Little do you know Blondie!" he said with a sly rather knowing smile on his face.



"Anyway I'm surprised Snivellus hasn't shown up yet, he's probably still talking logistics with that pathetic band of useless heroes!"



"He will Aunty," Draco said. "I just can't believe that he betrayed us for that bushy haired freak down in the cellars!"



Bushy haired freak? I was almost uncontrollable! That happens to be my deepest, desire in those cells, and she’s much better than you’ll ever be Malfoy!



"Well if he doesn't come tonight we'll let Fenrir have his wicked way with her, though personally I can't see what the fuss is about she's not even pretty!"



I couldn't believe my ears, Hermione becoming another victim of Fenrir? Was that their plan? Potter tensed up beside me. He was poising his wand and about to step out of the shadows. I grabbed him before he did anything stupid.



"That won't help Hermione," I hissed.



"No but it will avenge Sirius," he said through gritted teeth.



"And get yourself hurt in the process?"



"Since when have you cared whether I got hurt or not?"



"Since you walked into the hallowed halls of Hogwarts Harry!" I said his name fiercely.



That stopped him. I never called him by his first name, not even in front of the staff at Hogwarts. I somehow felt better for saying it.



"What do you suggest?" he asked.



"Follow me," I said. I changed into a cat and stuck to the shadows and he wrapped his robes around him.



I stopped sniffed and changed back into a human.



"This is it," I said. "Now I hope they have not changed the bricks to the secret entrance otherwise this could be a very long night."



Potter was still invisible but I felt the cloak brush me, he was getting closer and I could smell his aftershave. He grew up quick! Since when did he start using aftershave? I poked and prodded a few combination bricks like the entrance into Diagon Alley. They opened to reveal a snake like stone stair case winding darkly down with blue fire lit candles. I went down and after I took a few steps Potter started following me.



We eventually reached the bottom of the stairs and saw some cells. If Hermione was in cell 5 then serious tortures had already been performed on her. If Hermione was in cell 5 then we might already be too late anyway. A consolation for that is that Fenrir wouldn't get his wicked way with her. It was not much but at least there was that indignity spared her.



I thought Allohomora on the padlock of the first cell empty, Potter did the same on the next cell.



"Here she is," he said quietly but urgently.



I walked in only to find her lying flat on the straw strewn floor looking pale as death and she was as still as if she had been Petrified again, if only she was, that would have been easy to cure. But then I noticed something around her neck. It was red, silken and - I sniffed.



I immediately brushed Harry's hand away.



"Touch this and you die!" I said harshly.



"Then we're too late," he murmured. I could see tears in his eyes.



"No because it's not touching her skin at the moment Bellatrix has made sure it hasn't by putting a dress on that reaches right up to the chin. It's just a warning!"



Potter bought out a penknife.



"Shall I?" he asked. I nodded but told him to be quick.



I kept an eye out on the cell door.



I saw her squirm and she was murmuring something, something like 'Please Professor I know the answer let me answer!' I looked down in guilt. If I favoured this one from the start I probably wouldn't be in the mess that I am now! Dunderhead!



Then I heard a voice coming down the stairs.



"That Mudblood don't even know what's been happening to her," the voice muttered. "Another dose of this sleeping draft and then if Snivellus doesn't show I'll give her the antidote so that you Greyback can do what you like with her!"



"Her hair is almost wolf like already there won't be much to change," he said. I could almost see the saliva-drowned jaws. She's not going to have that awful fate happen to her, I vowed, I beat you once Greyback I can beat you again! "When the first transformation happens I will teach her how to become one almost permanently, she will be my mate and produce pure Werewolves!"



"And she shall be grateful for it," Bellatrix said.



Potter leapt up wand ready I pushed him back down and told him quietly to get Hermione out of here and I'll stay to take the consequences. He wrapped the cloak around him and around Hermione and tried to support her up the stairs, even I could determine he was trying not to grunt with the exertion of the exercise.



Bellatrix and Fenrir came down the stairs and I stepped out of the cell smiling.



"Well, well, Snivellus!"



"Bella!" I said coldly and inclined my head in her direction.



"Hey!" Fenrir exclaimed. He pushed me aside and looked into the cell. "What have you done with my future mate?"



"Made her disappear!"



"That Potter brat is here somewhere isn't he?" she asked shrewdly.



"And how are you Bella?" I asked. I flicked my wand at her and remembered that Hermione made one of her old school companions bald, I considered it for a moment then thought better of it, instead I made her undergarments leap ten feet to the left. She was flushing trying to grab them.



"I told Cissy you weren't to be trusted!"



"Oh, Bella, you should know by now that I'm dishonest, at least you can always trust me to be dishonest though!"



Fenrir had slammed me against the wall, I was not going to flicker an eyelash Greyback so there!



"I'll take you instead Snape!" he said as he was about to sink his jaws into my neck he tipped over balance bringing me down with him then he was raised up in the air and slammed against the wall. I was seething won't that boy ever do as he was told!



"Who's that?" Bella asked she was turning a rather attractive shade of puce.



"Hello coz," it was Potter but it was a very good impression of Black.



"Sirius?" she asked she was going to a good shade of green. "I killed you! You died right before my eyes."



"Ah! Well, Bell, what you did not know was that when you killed me I became more powerful than you could ever imagine, now listen and listen good. Being dead I've had time to think about things and what I thought about all the time was my treatment of Snape, and even I can admit when I have been wrong and arrogant! It is I who is to blame for the way he has turned if it wasn't for me he might have been semi decent, not nice oh no never nice! But kind of all right! But I do know it was my foolish childish arrogance that has done this! Now Bell I want you to turn around run up those stairs and leave all my friends alone, and I include Snape in that as he has tried to help the cleverest witch in the whole Wizarding world! Got that!"



Bellatrix picked up her skirts but that was it.



"Boo!" Potter growled, she turned and fled.



Part of me was impressed but part of me was angry, I didn't know where he was but that didn't stop me from glaring in a general direction.



I turned into Ebonium and stalked up the stairs I felt the fabric of the cloak and chirruped for him to follow and he did grunting and heaving the dead weight of the well-formed Hermione. Once we were out we made a mad dash for the grove of trees and apparated back to Grimmauld Place, we went to the kitchen and I laid her on the table (Merlin that steady breathing, her breast rising and falling!) whilst Potter sank on the floor with sweat dripping down his face making his glasses slip down his nose. He didn't look so much like his father without glasses.



"That was irresponsible and reckless to the enth degree Potter what would have happened pray if it didn't work!"



"Relax, Snape, it worked, she's out Mission Accomplished!" He was tired and his heart was not in his defiance.



He fell asleep crumpled up on the kitchen floor, his hair unruly like his personality, and his face calm and passive. I walked up to him and tenderly picked him up, he was too exhausted to notice and I went to his room and placed him in his bed and stroked his hair.



"Sleep well," I murmured. "Sleep well."



I then went back down to the kitchen, Hermione was sitting up her hand on her head.



"What happened where am I?" she asked.



I looked at her and she at me.



“You’re at HQ,” I answered.



“How? Last thing I knew Bellatrix gave me this dress and tied a red ribbon around my neck!”



“Potter and I rescued you Hermione,” I said.



Her warm brown eyes melted when I said that. Oh please, Hermione, don’t look at me like that! You have no idea what I want to do to you right now!



“Thank you,” she murmured. Lowering her eyes. She blushed.



"Just go to bed," I said softly walking up to her brushing her hair aside. "I will explain when you are better rested."



She grabbed my hand and held onto it tightly and looked in my eyes. She leant forward and I stepped closer to her. She tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear and sighed.



“All I could think about when I was awake was you,” she confessed. “And about those stolen kisses.”



I gulped.



“Me too,” I replied.



“I want that explanation first thing tomorrow morning,” she said distancing herself from me. I don’t think she expected it to be requited. Whatever her feelings were!



Oh Merlin how could I tell her what the Dark Lord's plans are for her? How could I destroy her tiny hope that everyone in the world had a small bit of good in them - even him? Just like you Lily, she was just like you!



I took her hand and helped her off the table and then she hugged me. I smelt her hair underneath my nose. She sighed again. I played around with her golden coils.

"Things will be all right now won't they, sir?" she asked. "You're on our side now aren't you?"



"Yes Hermione," I murmured. "Yes I am an Order member now!” She kissed me on the cheek and then I helped up the stairs to the bedrooms where she walked into a room she obviously used before.



"Goodnight sir," she said giving me the sweetest most heartbreaking smile she ever could, shattering my heart into a thousand unmendable pieces.



"Goodnight Hermione," I replied. Hardening myself against the desire to pull her into my embrace and into my bed.



I went back to bed just before the light of dawn and went to sleep properly knowing that she was where she should have been! Home!



Severus



A/N - The plot thickens, and my first venture into FG/HG - this story actually inspired the pairing in Hungry Like The Wolf.