Time lost. ...EPILOGUE UP!

James Potter was pulling second shift duty watching Remus. It was damned unlucky for him that somehow the full moon was on the same night as the dance.

Just beyond him locked in the cave, Remus skulked about in his werewolf form. It was because James was responsible when Sirius buggered off. James had just shrugged acceptingly when Sirius asked him to take his shift so he could keep drinking. James did not care; he had barely been able to enjoy the dance anyway.

Lily had looked so hot in that costume. No, he meant Alice.

James slid his head into his hands and sighed heavily. No, he meant Lily.

James could not get her out of his head. He had fallen in love with her a long time ago. Ages, in fact.

However, Lily Evans hated his guts.

Couldn’t she understand that Snivellius was just an evil kid? It was not just that he was a Slytherin. It was more. Something so dark that it repelled against his very nature.

Severus Snape was nobody’s victim. Not even the Marauders. James knew that occasionally he was meaner then he should be to him but she did not see the looks that Severus gave him. That cold smile that chilled him to the bone. Especially when it focused on Lily.

Lily was like lightness and air, and Severus Snape was the leech sucking it away from her. James could not stand by and let that happen. Not while he lived on this earth. Not while he watched her date FRANK LONGBOTTOM!!

James rose up and kicked a rock nearby the cave. What in the Hades did she see in Frank Longbottom anyway?! That soooooo came out of left corner. James almost pulled out his hair in frustration.

There was NOTHING wrong with Frank; BUT James could not handle watching her walk around school with that NICE, normal person when she could have HIM.

James. James Potter. Quidditch Hero! Gryffindor Leader. Marauder. What was so bloody wrong with him?!
James thoughts were interrupted by a crash nearby and he pulled on his invisibility cloak, moving towards the sound. If Snivellius had come back for a second show of werewolf love, James would be happy to oblige the greasy git.

Under the moonlight, James saw a Dark robed figure carrying a broken doll, a brightly colored fairy with brilliantly red hair and a fantastic figure. James almost dropped his wand in shock.

Lily was lying prone on the ground behind the trees and the figure was untying her costume.

Frank Longbottom was a DOG. Lily looked drunk, or unconscious.

James moved closer to the couple and swallowed hard, seeing all the white skin bared was making him sweat. Frank pulled off the skull mask and dropped it besides him with a grin. Except it was not Frank.

James felt his stomach drop and burn. It was that Slytherin Goyle, and he was about to rape Lily. James threw the cloak back and charged Goyle. He screamed and pointed his wand at Goyle “Stupefy!!”

Goyle froze and fell to the side of Lily.

James ran across the wet grass and slid to his knees besides her. Grasping her limp hand in his, he pressed his ear to her breast, listening for a heartbeat.
He could hear a slow but steady heartbeat and looked anxiously into her face. “Lily!” James patted the side of her face.

“Say something.” His commanding tone roused her and she mumbled. “So hot.”

James swallowed hard and touched her forehead. She was warm but not feverish. Lily smiled at his gentle touch, when she opened her beautiful green eyes and looked across at James.

“Pretty.”Lily wet her dry lips and James felt his heart turn over in his chest.

“Yes, you are Lily.” He murmured quietly before he scooped his arm under her legs and around her back, lifting her up to his chest.

James crushed Lily closer to him and breathed in the scent of her hair. Magnolias. That figured. “Time for bed, Red.” Lily giggled and buried her face in James’s neck

James growled as he passed Goyle and after a brief hesitation, he kicked Goyle in the face, leaving him still stupefied as he bled on the ground.

“You deserve worse.” James utterly quietly before he carried Lily back to the Castle.
---

Severus Snape was panicking. Hermione was not in her room and that potion was about, and she probably drank it. Stupid, trusting Gryffindor has always assumed the best in people.

Crabbe might have seen something and Severus knew that he was in the Slytherin common room or his private room. Either way, it was a start.

Severus ran down the stairs to the dungeon, taking them two at a time. He stopped at the top of the corner looking down when he saw Crabbe outside the Potion’s Professor’s Office.

“Crabbe.” Severus glared as he pulled up and walked purposefully down the stairs towards the door that Crabbe was opening.

“You busy?” Severus raised an eyebrow at the glass of water Crabbe was holding.

Crabbe suddenly looked very nervous and Severus narrowed his eyes at him. “What is that water for?” Crabbe shrugged.

Hermione heard Severus outside the door and she sucked in a deep breath.
She couldn’t face him right now. Not after that episode with Lily. Where was Lily then? She sat down on the chair, her eyes straight forward.

Hermione trembled slightly. Hermione didn’t want Severus to see her here. She would never escape then. Not from him. Severus scowled at Crabbe. Usually he didn’t act so thick. What was with the water? He shouldered his way into the potions room and looked around.

The door creaked open and Hermione carefully schooled her features to a carefully blank drugged state. Her arms fell slack at her sides in compliance.

Severus stopped dead, looking at Hermione staring blankly ahead. Zombie-like.

Severus had never felt such a rage in his entire life as he did at that moment. Her dress was torn at the breast and it was hiked up as she sat in the chair, revealing her long lean legs to anyone’s view. Her face was flushed and she had muddy mascara tracks that had dried on her cheeks from tears once fallen.

In short, Severus wanted to bloody murder Crabbe. Trying hard to control his breathing he waved his wand at Crabbe.

“Thanks for keeping my Mudblood warm, but you can go now.” Severus’s tone was like frost and his gaze was as dark as the blackest depths of the ocean.

Crabbe backed out of the room still holding the glass of water in his hand.The door shut.

Severus turned around to stare down at Hermione’s face. She stared at the floor. A mechanical doll that he could command at his leisure, to do his bidding with complete compliance. He should know, he made the potion that did it to her.

The effects lasted hours with the smallest drop. God only knows how much she had consumed. Severus paced the room in jerky motions that betrayed his rage. His expression was drawn up and closed off but Hermione knew him better then that and she detected the slightest hint of regret. Though she didn’t believe it for a moment.

“Why the bloody hell didn’t you go back to your room!?” He finally exploded. “ Was it so bloody important that you see Black again?” He was yelling now.

Hermione’s eyes flicked to the door and Severus heaved a sigh and cast a Silencing Spell.

He walked to the Potions Counter and pulled out a white cloth. He dapped something on it and moved towards her. Hermione flinched, her eyes widening as he came forward and fell to his knees.

“I wont hurt you. I promise.” His voice barely carried above a whisper.

Severus gently washed the stains of the makeup off her face in slow gentle strokes. Hermione closed her eyes at the unexpected gentleness and she could feel the helpless tears falling again.

Severus froze. He cursed under his breath and wiped the new tears away with a grim look. Hermione wanted so badly to trust him but she had seen him with her own eyes. She knew this was his potion.

Severus retied her shoulder strap covering her up. “Did Crabbe force you?”

He leaned down to stare into her eyes. Something like concern mixed with possessiveness flickered in his obsidian depths. Hermione shuddered but shook her head. Severus remembered that he had to command her to speak.

“Tell me what happened.” Severus harshly demanded.

“Crabbe would have taken me if I hadn’t ate something that made me sick. I told him it was a contraceptive potion.” Hermione spoke quietly but she stared at the ground. “He also made me watch Lily make out with a Death Eater.” The second part was so soft that he had to strain to catch her words.

“A Death Eater? Who?” Then Severus felt it like a punch in his gut.

Hermione had seen him. He was the Death Eater who abused Lily under the influence of a drug.

Severus watched her for a long moment deciding how to explain what happened.

Hermione had enough of the charade and she flew at him.

“How could you? How could you do that to an innocent girl!” Severus stared at her in shock and just let her pound on him with her fists. “ You raped her! You fucking animal. The whole time there was I! I wanted you. I don’t even know why. You’re sick. Disgusting. You…. You, DEATH EATER. God I was a fool to care about you. I HATE you.”

All of her allegations against him pelted down on his head. Her fists barely did any damage, not after what he is father could bring. She was right. He was all those things and more.

Hermione cared about him but he was nothing but an animal, scum like his father had always said. He stood there limply with his arms at his side while she continued to punch him. Suddenly the cyclone stopped, and Hermione slipped to the floor crying, as her tears blinded her.

“Do whatever you want. You can never hurt me worse then you did tonight.” Hermione choked out between sobs and she began to gag suddenly from the influx of tears. Her nose was bright red and her hair was in tangles about her face and tragically to Severus she had never looked more like his Hermione. Her pain was because of him. She was a virago of rage.

Severus couldn’t speak, think or move for looking at her. For the guilt, which threatened to level, him like a ton of bricks. He tried to speak but his voice wouldn’t work. He just stared down at her with something like pity in his eyes.

“You countered the effects of the drugs.” His voice sounded hoarse, like he had garbled razor blades with it.

Hermione stared confusedly at him for a moment and then nodded wearily. “Bezoar. You… Nevermind.”

Severus reached a hand out to her but she recoiled from him. Severus felt something shift in his chest, painfully. “I didn’t rape Lily. The moment I had realized what was happening, I went to find you. You weren’t in your room and I … I suspected that Lucius would try to do something for you.”

Hermione was a smart girl and read between the lines. “ You didn’t spike the punch.” She made it a statement. Severus shook his head.

“Why were you kissing Lily?” Hermione hugged her knees and hated herself suddenly for asking him. She knew why. Severus had always loved Lily. That’s the great Destiny for him. Hermione had nothing to do with it. AT all.


Severus knelt down next to her. “ Because I have always wanted her. She threw herself at me and suddenly it was like a dream came true. A life long dream.” His tone was matter of fact. “The truth of it is, I … didn’t feel right. I realized what had happened, shortly after that. Actually, I kind of dumped her on the floor and went looking for you.”

Hermione breathed in deeply and she wiped her eyes with the cloth Severus had provided earlier. “You have to make me a promise. Swear, a wizard’s Oath. Can you do that for me?”

Severus narrowed his eyes suspiciously but he couldn’t say no to her right now. He was so weak when it came to her.

Hermione took a deep breath. “ Promise me that you will watch over Lily Evans and protect her family for the rest of your life.”

Severus eyes shot up and he blinked at her.

“I grant you a wizard’s oath, and you ask for that?!” He frowned slightly wondering that clever mind was ticking away at.
Hermione looked like a bulldog right now. She narrowed her gaze right back at him.

“Yes. Oh… and one other thing. I want you to swear to always keep this on you.”
She hands him the other Bezoar from her pocket. Severus took the object with a skeptical look.
“I guess. Is this so I cant drug you anymore?” He smirks at her.

Hermione smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Yes.”

Hermione’s mind was working a thousand miles a minute. How much longer before Voldemort came for her. She could feel the minutes ticking by and Severus would soon be put too the test.

Severus shrugs carelessly. A stupid oath about a rock and a girl that he doesn’t hate. Sure thing. If it meant that Hermione forgave his transgressions. It was a small price to pay.

“I swear, I will always try to protect Lily Evans and her family. Oh, and I will carry this Bezoar around with me always.” Hermione felt the old magic swell around her and Severus as he said the oath that would guarantee the future. The future where he died. Or maybe not. If Hermione can get out of here alive. Maybe.

“Maybe.” Hermione whispered and Severus swept her up in his arms. He carried her to his bedroom and slammed the door shut from prying eyes.




TBC.

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