Eternally in Darkness

Hermione got up early the next morning. She decided she'd do something nice for Severus. She started to brew a large pot of coffee. She knew she'd need some caffeine and was sure he would too. She began making pancakes, lost in her thoughts.

She was conflicted. She was definitely developing feelings for Severus Snape, and that was not good. He was the first person she saw when she awoke, and she knew he was there when she was transforming. She was drawn to him. And she knew deep down he was drawn to her as well. She just needed to figure out what to do with it. Did she act on her feelings, as her inner demon wanted her to? Or did she simply push them away, not wanting to make things awkward between her and her ex-professor.

Hermione heard a noise and turned to see Severus standing in the doorway with a look of disbelief on his face. She poured a cup of coffee and montioned for him to sit down. He did, looking at her strangely. "I'm making breakfast, hopefully you like pancakes." Severus nodded, unable to respond. He grasped his coffee and practically downed it in one gulp. Hermione smiled and poured him another. "Thanks," he muttered. She served him his food. "I'll have to remember, coffee first thing in the morning or else Severus Snape is still dead to the world." She chuckled to herself, freezing when she heard him chuckle slightly as well.

Hermione sat down across from him, watching him eat. "Ms. Granger," he began.

"Hermione."

"What?" Severus asked, dumbfounded.

She smirked. "My name is Hermione. You are no longer my professor Severus, so please, call me Hermione."

"Maybe." He replied with a smirk.

"Anyways, what were you going to say Severus?" Hermione asked, her eyes filled with happiness. She loved saying his name. It was beautiful.

Severus gulped. She probably had no idea how badly she was turning him on by saying his name. "Well, er," he gulped, "I have some things to attend to today, but you are welcome to stay here and go through my private library." Hermione's eyes light up. "Oh my, yes please! I would really enjoy that." Severus grinned, "I'm glad to see the annoying bookworm is still in there." Hermione nodded, "I'm still in here, somewhere. Everything just feels.. different. I'm still me, I think, but not the same. I don't know. It's complicated. I don't really know who I am anymore. I know what I want to be, kinda, but at the same time, it's so hard to battle myself." She nibbled at her lower lip, unsure of what to say.

Seeing the know-it-all struggle with words, and what she wanted to say broke his heart. She had always been so confident, so sure of herself, yet now, she was a scared little girl, afraid of the world. He knew he needed to protect her, and help her find her way.

"Don't worry Hermione. You'll figure it out. And I'll help, if you'd like." She nodded smiling. Severus stood to leave. "The library is at the end of the hallway, it contains rare copies of books so please be careful. I'll kill you if anything happens to them." He added, narrowing his eyes. Hermione just smiled even more. He had a passion for books almost as great as hers. He walked out the door, leaving Hermione alone.

Sighing, she made her way down the hallway, pushing open the door at the end. She gasped when she saw what it contained. There had to have been thousands of books sitting here, begging for her to read them all. She ran her hand along the bindings, savoring the feel of them underneath her fingertips.

She plucked one from the shelf and sat down to read it. It was a book about the many uses of powdered bicorn horn. About an hour or two later she finished. Sighing, she looked around. She was bored, to be completely honest. She wished Severus was there to keep her company. But no, he was off doing merlin knows what. She huffed. Standing up, she went to grab another book, but as soon as she went to touch one, she collapsed.

Hermione tried to move, but couldn't. Thousands of images passed through her mind. She tried to catch a glimpse of some of them, but couldn't. They were moving to fast. They were all about her past: the war, herself, her friends. All the images came flashing by. Hermione screamed, feeling something white hot burn against her skin.

Suddenly, it all stopped. She laid on the floor, too exhausted to move. Her forehead burned, as if someone had pressed a hot poker to it. She felt her vision slipping. She tried to grab at it, to hold onto it, but she couldn't. Blackness surrounded her, no matter which way she turned.

She was trapped in her own mind. Trapped within her own thoughts. She could feel the grief inside her eating away, the thoughts that she didn't belong. Ron and Harry. Her two best friends. At least they were.. They have yet to try and contact her. Did they think her a monster now? Someone not worth being around. Hermione tried to escape these thoughts, but she couldn't. They were trapped inside her own mind. She was stuck with listening to her innerself argue with her.

You are alone. the voice snarled at her.

"No, never." Hermione tried to fight back.

Completely and utterly alone. You'd be better off dead, but you already are.

"No. People still care about me. My life isn't useless, not yet." She defiantly argued back.

You have no one. Your parents don't know you. Harry and Ron, they are disgusted by you. You have no one.

"Severus," she whispered back. "I have him."

The cruel voice laughed. No, what would he want with a child like you. He despises you. You are ruining his summer by being here. No, mudblood,you have no one.

Mudblood? No. "I am not a mudblood. I'm better than that. I'm not some lowly being!" Hermione tried to escape the darkness, but couldn't. She could feel her body move as she struggled to exit her mind. This was torture. Why was this happening to her?

No, you are a mudblood. That is how our master thinks of you, and we must comply to his bidding. You will see soon enough.

Hermione struggled, refusing to be enslaved to her mind any longer. She couldn't take it. She tried to push her mind, to free herself. She screamed out in agony. It felt like her mind was shattering.

And this is the scene that Severus came home to. He walked through the front door and immediately heard Hermione screaming. He rushed into the library, his heart racing. He couldn't let anything else happen to her, he just couldn't. He saw her on the ground, convulsing. He rushed over to her, "Hermione? Hermione!" He shouted her name, but she didn't respond. She continued screaming. Her eyes were glazed over, and a silver substance was leaking from them. He was freaking out. Severus Snape rarely lost control. But in this moment, he did.

He tried shaking her body, but nothing happened. It was then that his eyes noticed the mark on her forehead. On the center of her forehead there was a delicate design, looking like an exotic flower in a way. The markings continued around her forehead, looking as if she was wearing a crown or something of that sort. He tentatively touched it. The moment he did, Hermione arched her back, screaming a sound loud enough to shatter the window in the library.

Her eyes shot open, and she flew to the other side of the room. She looked around, eyes full of fear.

"Hermione, it's all right." Severus stated, trying to take a step towards her. She growled at him, not wanting him any closer.

He took the signal, and stopped. "What happned?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. I collapsed, and was trapped. Trapped in my own mind. I couldn't escape. And my head, it burns. The voice, it said terrible things." She looked down, her eyes burning.

"What voice?" Severus asked, moving toward her slowly. She threw herslef at him, collapsing into his arms. "It said terrible things. Awful things. It talked about my master? Severus, I'm so confused."

He held her close. Master? This could be worse than we thought, he pondered to himself.

"Hermione, I'll protect you. You'll be all right." He held onto her tightly, stroking her hair. What on earth were they going to do now.