Bonds of Affection

Under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak, Hermione, Ron and Harry Apparated near a location that was unfamiliar to them. Hermione held the tracking device in her hands.



“Where are we?” Harry asked instantly. The feeling of dread within intensified, threatening to overwhelm him. He felt almost nauseous, but he stilled himself and forced out a weak smile.



She frowned, looking at the display. “South-West, Devonshire,” she murmured. “I believe this is where the Warrington Estate is?”



“What are the Warringtons doing, hosting Voldemort?” Ron muttered. “They were never the Death Eater stock, as far as I could tell.”



Hermione sighed. “Maybe they are under Imperius. Voldemort couldn't quite set camp at the Malfoy Manor at this point, could he? That would be the first place where the Order would look...”



Harry nodded thoughtfully.



Harry flicked his wand and conjured his Patronus – and a glowing form of a stag appeared in front of them. “So what's the message?” Harry asked. “How's this: Voldemort is at Warrington Estate. We need backup.”



Hermione nodded. “Sounds good to me. Okay, let him loose!”



The stag galloped away, and vanished in a burst of light.



“Brilliant,” Ron muttered wistfully.



“Shall we go?” Hermione murmured, looking to Harry for direction. “Where to?”



Harry looked around, feeling fainter than ever. He felt a dull wave of pain in his chest and stumbled a bit. “There,” he said, pointing to a small wooden structure near the castle. Pain stabbed again, harder this time, and he fell to his knees. Ron grasped his shoulder, and steadied him.



“What happened?” Hermione whispered.



Harry got off his knees, using his friends for support. “Let's see,” he said quietly. They headed towards the structure, walking together, merged as one, under the Invisibility Cloak that was almost too small for the three of them at this point.



They approached the entrance and looked inside. The sight in front of them stunned them. Hermione almost let out a scream, but covered her mouth with her hand just in time. There was blood... little pools of blood collected on the floor, trickling down from the lifeless, wounded, disrobed body that hung, suspended by chains.



Lucius Malfoy was surveying the sight in front of him with satisfaction, tucking away his wand. Harry bit down on his lip, and lifted his hand, urging his friends to be silent. Without uttering a single sound, pointing his wand at Lucius, Harry hit him with a stunning spell, causing him to fall on the floor. Shedding the cloak, Ron and Hermione rushed towards Lucius, while Harry made his way to Severus. He released the restraints, and caught his battered body in his arms, lowering it to the floor as gently as he could.



“He's not breathing!” Harry whispered furiously. “Hermione, I need you!”



Hermione was casting one binding spell after another at Lucius, and then, pulled out his wand from under his robe. She cast Prior Incantato on it, and paled slightly.



“Harry,” she whispered. “He... he hit Severus with Avada Kedavra,” she said, almost sobbing. .



“No,” Harry shook his head. “No way... you are wrong.”



“She's not wrong,” Ron said darkly.



Harry knelt by Severus and stared at him with dread. The black eyes were still open, as if looking at him through eternity. Harry stared back into them, unsure whether there was life in them, or not.



“Hermione, dammit, do something!” he demanded.



Having satisfied herself that Lucius was restrained without a chance of awakening, or escaping, she made her way to Severus and Harry, sniffling slightly, covering her mouth. “Harry,” she whispered. “I don't think it's medically possible to survive ... something like this... He's ... I mean, even without the Killing Curse...”



Harry felt a surge of blind rage and grabbed her by the elbow. “Do something!” he demanded again furiously.



She looked at him with anguish. “Remember the last time I tried to help? This is the same. It's his Master's punishment, even if Lucius delivered it. We can't heal it...”



“Maybe Lucius can,” Ron said dangerously. “Maybe we should wake him and kick in in the groin until he does.”



“No Lucius!” Harry almost shouted. “I don't want that damned bastard to utter another spell in his life. Snap his wand.”



Ron did, crushing the wood with his fingers, and pulling out the dragonstring core out of it. He tossed it on the ground, and Hermione incinerated it with a brief spell. Harry sat next to Severus on the floor, and stroked the cold, pale face with his hand.



“Okay, Hermione,” Harry said finally. “Talk to me. He's not breathing, but his heart is still beating. What can you do?”



She sniffled slightly, and gulped, as if in an attempt to suppress a wave of nausea. “I can restore his breathing. I have some ointments on me... I can try to close the wounds and stop the blood flow... if his slave-bond to Voldemort will let me... But – his mind... his soul.. Harry!”



“Get started,” Harry snapped. “Ron, watch Lucius, and the door.”



He was barking orders like he never had, not even while heading Dumbledore's Army, but they obeyed instantly, and without any arguing. Hermione uttered a spell that restored Severus' breathing to normal, and went to work on his injuries.



Harry simply sat on the floor, placing Severus' head in his lap, and stroking his hair.



“Severus,” he said. “If you are there, somewhere, please come back. I am sorry I didn't come in time to stop this. Thank you for the wand. I don't know how you knew, or how you managed to sneak it in – but thank you. I am sorry I didn't listen to you... I am sorry I never fucking listen to anyone who is obviously older and smarter, but I promise that ... if you only wake up...you can put me in detention for the rest of my life...and I'll collect Dittany leaves every day... and I will raise all our kids to be sorted into Slytherin...”



He sniffled slightly, and stroked his hair again.



“I never – ever thought I could feel so much for someone... but it's like... when I was with you, I recognized something in you... something that knows me. When you look into my eyes, I feel like you know something in me that nobody else does, or can... I feel like you recognize something in me that belongs to you, and only you... I want to belong to you... I want to be yours...I want you to wake up... I need you to wake up.”



Hermione's hands moved delicately, but quickly, closing every wound, stopping the flow of blood, healing the horrible injuries. When she was finally done, she looked at Harry questioningly.



“What do you want to do?” she asked. “Try to use Rennervate, or see if he wakes up on his own?”



“Rennervate,” he said quietly. “But I will do it myself.”



He got up and rummaged through the pile of Severus' clothing, finding his robe, and covering him up. Last thing he wanted was for him to feel humiliated upon awakening – on top of everything else. He knelt beside him, and kissed his forehead, hoping that he was not wrong about this... this time. He then pointed his wand at Severus and uttered the spell.



To Be Continued....