Saviours

Many thanks to my beta, Nakhash Mekashefah, for her beta-reading and feedback for this chapter.

A/N: In the previous chapter, I made a very silly mistake. When Potter and Snape take off on their brooms, they should be headed WEST, not east.

And again, apologies for the very late update time. I've recently started school, have been in the midst of spring-cleaning and super organising, and am attempting to make my mucky clay soil into something in which a garden can grow; my computer time is very limited.

Severus realised, after what seemed to be hours but was only thirty minutes, their journey would take them across the Atlantic. Even pushing as fast as they could go, this journey would be too long for broomsticks. As the western shore of England approached, Severus leant over his broomstick and sped forward to catch up with Potter.

"Catch it!" he shouted into the roaring wind.

Potter turned back to him, frowned but nodded, then sped forward to catch the Snitch, which reverted to its game behaviour and evaded capture. Rather than watch Potter trying to catch the enchanted Snitch, he slowed and began his descent to a cluster of trees. Once on the ground, he adjusted his trousers, which had ridden up uncomfortably, and re-considered his plan. Of course, she would be too far away, but he had hoped that perhaps she would be in Europe, somewhere they wouldn't have to cross an ocean to reach. Obviously, she was still alive, or the Snitch wouldn't be on such a direct and speedy course.

He allowed himself a momentary shudder, imagining if that had happened. He sank to the ground, feeling a gnawing coldness inside. Not knowing who had taken her, or why, was the worst. What they could be doing to Hermione... he pushed the thoughts from his head.

"Do you actually want to save her or not, you old git?" Potter shouted as he landed a few yards away. Potter. Severus grimaced as he recalled the snatches of memories he'd seen in Potter's mind several nights before. The bastard had touched her... embraced her... caressed her... and Hermione not only had permitted it, she'd relished in it, and he had the impression that Hermione had been the one to instigate it.

But why? Why, when she had seemed so content with their relationship? And since they'd had their own home, things had seemed especially very nice indeed. He wanted her home. But once she was home, what would he say to her? Could he pretend he didn't know? Should he confront her about what he'd discovered? With a snort, he rose, realising that what had seemed to be a happy, peaceful homelife, would again be disturbed by yet another quarrel. That is, once he'd rescued her, once she was safe again.

"Yes, Potter, I do care to save her. And were I you," he growled lowly, advancing on him, giving the boy his most ferocious glare, "I would remember that I am the one who has been with her all this time, and that you understand nothing about either of us! You should realise that flying across the Atlantic on broomsticks without more preparation would be insane. We've at least a twelve hour journey ahead if we continue like this, unless you feel up to Apparating to the eastern shore of the States?"

"I could do it," Potter challenged.

Severus glared at him for a moment, realising that Potter was likely powerful enough to make it. But he also had to be reasonable, and while Severus might have been able to make the Apparation on a good day, with adequate sleep and perhaps an Invigorating Draught, attempting it after he was so drained having exerted himself to his limit several days before, Apparating after Hermione's captor, and then spending the last several days without sleep to brew the potion which would enable him to track her, would be asking to be Splinched, and likely spread over several hundred miles of open sea.

"Fine, you find another way, I'm going after her." Potter drew himself up, clutching his broomstick tightly in one hand, the Snitch in the other, and took a deep breath as he closed his eyes, gathering the willpower and the destination and focus needed to make such a long Apparation.

"Potter, no!" Severus shouted. "You might make it, but you will do Hermione no good if you Splinch yourself or end up draining yourself so badly you can't go after her. I trust you know how to make a Portkey? Arrange one to North America, quickly."

Potter clenched his jaws, looking to the leaf-strewn ground for a moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine. We'll do it your way," he finally agreed. "I'll need some help with this, then. I'll need to know where exactly we're going, and since I've never been there.... I'll be back in an hour. Here," he said, holding the struggling Snitch out for Severus, "take this and hold it until I get back."

*****

Hermione yawned. She'd only been able to sleep a few hours before the sunlight streaming into the window made it too difficult. The only window coverings were plastic mini-blinds, which did little to block the sunlight. Downstairs, she looked through the unappetising tinned and boxed foods, then turned to the stack of delivery menus, deciding quickly enough that Chinese food would be nice. Malfoy was apparently still asleep, leaving the house quiet inside but with the sound of the occasional car outside.

She decided to order enough food for them both and picked orange chicken for herself, an order of crab Rangoon, egg-drop soup, and an order of broccoli beef for Malfoy. She surprised herself with some hesitation as she wondered if he would really like that or not before calling in the order anyway.

Malfoy, looking bleary-eyed, came into the kitchen just as she hung up the receiver.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked, suspicious, yet trying to be conversational.

"Food delivery; I hope you like Chinese."

"Oh... well, I don't actually recall ever having had any," he said, breathing a sigh of relief that she hadn't called for help of some kind. He was so different from the coldly confident and calculating man he'd once been.

"Anyway," she said, trying to take attention from the sudden tension by turning to the envelope of plain-looking American money and finding a twenty-dollar bill, "it should be here in about half an hour. I could use a shower, so I'll get that done."

They stood looking at one another for a few moments before Hermione went ahead upstairs and started the shower. The soap and shampoo she found didn't smell like her normal brands, and she decided halfway through scrubbing herself that she really didn't like them, but at least they got her clean. Clean, but frizzy-haired, she realised once she began drying her hair with a towel.

She arrived downstairs, wishing she had some clean clothes to change into, just as there was a knock on the door. Before she could answer it, Malfoy rushed to the front door, giving her a nearly apologetic look while signalling her to go back to the kitchen. It wasn't that big a deal, she decided, so she went. Malfoy entered with a large paper bag, and they began removing boxes, both baffled at the huge amounts of food.

"It does smell rather good," Malfoy said as he took a seat at the kitchen table with Hermione.

"So, now that I've seen some of what you have to show me, I can admit it was rather disturbing," Hermione confessed as she sorted the food from the bag.

"Yes," Malfoy agreed quietly, poking at his broccoli beef with the chopsticks. "So, have you thought of what you're going to do now?"

Just what would she do? She almost didn't want to think about it, wanted to just focus on finding a way to get away from Malfoy, but at the same time, a sort of weariness settled on her whenever she began thinking of a way to get home.

*****

Nearly an hour later, Potter Apparated back to the spot from which he'd left.

"What took you so long?" Snape demanded.

"Kingsley wanted an update on what we were doing, and the Portkey Office required some string-pulling. Ron found me and wanted to join in, but he would have taken too long. Let's go," he said, holding out a soda can. Snape grabbed it quickly, and they were whisked away, flying through space at incredible speed. Because of the long distance, the ride and landing were both rougher than normal.

They found themselves in a large back garden of a house; the weather was much warmer than what they'd left behind. Tall pine trees closed in all around the wood-fenced property.

"Hello there," a voice called, and Snape spun to see a woman in jeans and a plaid shirt sitting at a potter's wheel, spinning clay. "I'm Christina, and this is my backyard. Welcome to Georgia! Do you need any help getting where you're going?" she asked.

"We can find our own way," Snape replied.

"No need to be that way about it, just trying to be welcoming. Enjoy your stay in the States; may I have your names, please?" she asked, after muttering a spell to clean her hands and moving to pick up a clipboard. "We just like to have an idea of visiting wizards and witches."

"I'm Harry Potter, and this is Severus Snape," Harry said quickly, not bothering to watch the woman's expression of surprised recognition and awe. "I'm sorry, but we're in a hurry. Snape, the Snitch?"

Snape was already releasing the Snitch, and they both kicked off to follow it, flying west again. The place they'd arrived at was fairly secluded; there was a neighbourhood, however, in the distance.

"Don't forget your Disillusionment Charm," called the woman, apparently using a Sonorous Charm so they would hear her. As they approached the neighbourhood, Snape and Harry cast Disillusionment Charms on one another, then quickly resumed their pursuit of the Snitch.

*****

Hermione wasn't really sure what to do. She did want to ask Severus to explain the terrible things she'd seen in the Pensieve memories. At the same time, she also wondered what she should do about Malfoy. The man, while obviously not right, wasn't evil; he simply was misguided in his attempts to help. She couldn't exactly blame him, though; obviously, seeing such horrid atrocities shortly after returning to Malfoy Manor had seriously disturbed him. He could be stopped, but she didn't want to see him spend the rest of his life in Azkaban for what he'd done.

"Would you like some chocolate?" came Malfoy's voice. Hermione looked up from where she'd been sitting in the living room to see Malfoy with two steaming mugs.

"Thanks, that would be lovely," she answered. He looked so different now, wearing Muggle jeans and a deep blue sweater; he looked kind and concerned... no, she couldn't allow him to suffer for what he'd done.

"Lucius," she began as she took the warm mug, "I'm worried about what will happen to you. Killing all those people... it wasn't right, but I know why you did it. When this week is up, I'd like to help you."

"It doesn't matter what happens to me. I deserve to be punished for what I did before, when I was part of the Death Eaters."

"But it wasn't really you who did those things. You're a different person now; you should have a new life, one where you can help people without being a vigilante. Don't you think so?"

"Perhaps," he said pensively. "But it's getting late. We should best be getting to sleep."

"You're right," Hermione agreed, stifling a yawn and taking a sip of the rich chocolate. "I think that it would be a good idea to send a message to Severus, though... let him know I'm all right. He'll be looking for me, and my friends will too. They probably think I'm being hurt, or will be hurt."

Malfoy sighed as he looked into the froth of his chocolate, frowning in thought. "Very well," he finally agreed. "I'll get an owl sent." He rose and went to the fireplace in the corner, pulling out his wand and casting several charms to get through the wards, then tossed in a handful of Floo powder. There was apparently an additional privacy charm on the fireplace, so Hermione couldn't hear the conversation. He rose several moments later.

"An owl will arrive shortly; you may send your message, but I will read it first. Don't mention my name."

Hermione rose and found paper and a pencil, and then began to write.

Severus,

-- Hermione.

It was short, but to the point. She handed the paper to Malfoy and he looked it over. "You will see him next week?" he queried.

"That's when you'll let me go, isn't it?"

"Yes... I just thought that after what you'd seen..."

"I've been thinking about all those things, but I want to talk to him about it first."

Malfoy looked disappointed, but nodded, rolled up the parchment, and opened the kitchen window. Moments later, a brown owl arrived, and Malfoy tied the note to its leg.

"Now," he said once the owl was in flight and the window closed again, "let's sleep."

*****

Night fell as they sped across the continent, over large cities and small towns, and dodged aeroplanes when they passed a large airport. Severus's hands and feet were numb with the cold, and he imagined Potter wasn't doing so well, either. He seemed to be struggling to keep the Snitch in sight. The Snitch showed no sign of slowing. Through the day the landscape had changed from heavily wooded, to sparsely wooded areas, and now, by the light of the full moon, they saw few trees as they flew over farms and large herds of cattle, but the coming horizon was bright with city lights.

Soon they were over a large city.

"Snape, look!" Potter shouted, pointing at an owl trying to intercept them.

"Catch the Snitch, then go down!" Snape called hoarsely when he spotted the owl. He landed in what appeared to be a park near a small earthen and stone amphitheatre. A nearby sign showed it to be 'The Norman Community Park.' The owl alighted upon a nearby tree, hooted at Snape, and offered its leg. Snape stepped forward and untied the note, and read it by the moonlight.

"It's from Hermione," he announced as Potter landed nearby. "She says she's fine and safe."

"Let me see," Harry demanded. Snape scowled, but handed the note over. Harry read it. "This can't be right; whoever took her made her write this... why would anyone think she was in danger?" he asked, casting an accusing look at Snape.

"Potter, one would think an Auror in training would know the appropriate spells to cast to determine a note's authenticity." He pulled out his own wand and muttered a few charms at the paper as both Severus and Harry noted the results.

"It's been handled by two people, but doesn't appear to be a forced message, and the mood indicator shows she wasn't afraid when she wrote this... she believes what she wrote. Therefore, we can assume that Hermione is indeed safe for the moment. If we are to rescue her, we should be fresh and well. We'll find a place to sleep for the night, then continue in the morning when we're rested. It'll do Hermione no good to have us arrive to rescue her if we're so tired we can't hold up our wand arms."

"If you actually gave a shit about her, you wouldn't say that!" yelled Harry.

"It is precisely because I want her safe that I am saying that. We will need time once we find her location to plan the best means of freeing her. You'll do her no good in your current state." Severus, considering the conversation over, walked to a nearby shrub and transfigured the interior into a shelter and the leaves on the ground into a mattress.

"Give me the Snitch, Potter." Reluctantly, Harry handed it over, and Snape put it inside his pouch. Snape lay down heavily upon the transfigured mattress and immediately fell into exhausted sleep. Harry cast an anti-Muggle ward around the shrub, transfigured a mattress for himself, and followed suit, hoping fervently that Snape was right, that they would find Hermione safe and well in the morning.

*****

"I've a few more memories to show you, Hermione," Lucius said over morning tea. Hermione, who'd slept soundly but with disturbing dreams of Severus dressed as a Death Eater and wielding whips and other dangerous-looking objects, nodded.

"I don't feel I've fully convinced you yet."

"You've definitely raised concerns, Lucius," Hermione said carefully, now wary of Malfoy's thoughtful and somehow decisive tone, as if he had a new plan of some sort. "I'll see the other memories, but after that, haven't you given me the information to make my own choice? That's what all this has been about, right?" She felt it was important to remind him of this, that he'd kidnapped her and shown her memories in order to 'save' her from what hadn't really been a choice of hers.

Hermione placed her cup on the table with a soft 'clank' and ate her scrambled eggs. Lucius merely picked at his own, then rose abruptly and left the kitchen.

There was a sudden crack and Hermione jumped, turning towards the window overlooking the bare backyard. She saw nothing out of the ordinary, other than the sky being grey, even after she got up and took a closer look.

"What was that?" Lucius said, rushing back into the room, eyes wide as he looked around frantically.

"I... something hit the window... probably a bird... maybe a kid in the neighbourhood tossed a rock?"

Lucius flung open the back door and went outside, looking all around for several minutes. He came back in once he seemed satisfied, then returned to the front room after locking the door firmly.

Outside, and up thirty feet, Snape and Potter crouched on the roof, brooms discarded on the rough shingles nearby, and a severely damaged Snitch held tightly by Snape as he glared at Potter.

"You were supposed to catch it! He could have discovered us." Below, they heard a door open, and they crept to the other side of the roof.

"I don't think so. Now, are we going to get inside or not? I want to get a look over here," Harry said, drawing his wand. Snape reached out and grabbed Harry's jumper, giving him a warning glare.

It had only taken them a half an hour to find the house once they'd got underway; Severus had insisted upon breakfast first, and a Confundus Charm as they handed over a few Muggle British coins had sufficed for the already confounded-looking employee who had asked, "Y'all here for Namron Protectorate this weekend?" just before the casting of the charm. They dismissed the question, as the questioner had forgotten asking as he handed over what passed for breakfast. It was sustenance, at least.

"I say we just go in the back door, find her and blast whoever is holding her," Potter said.

"That would be unwise. The captor may have significant wards in place."

"Fred and George's Extendable Ears would be useful now."

Snape said nothing in response and, instead, put away the Snitch and took hold of his broom. "Stay here, I'm going to see inside through the first floor."

"Hermione, I have it prepared," Lucius called. She turned away and walked to the living room, where Lucius was waiting with the Pensieve. Hermione went to the front room and looked down into it, wondering what horrors it would reveal this time.

Just as she leaned over, there was a crash... no, two crashes from above. Hermione and Lucius both jumped, while Lucius looked frantically around.

"Hermione!" called Harry.

"I'm down here... I'm okay," Hermione yelled back, just as Malfoy grabbed her. Before she could react, there was a knife at her throat and she was being pulled towards the wall. "Let me go!" she cried.

"I won't hurt you; please, just do what I tell you. We're going to get out of this together, I promise," Malfoy said.

Two sets of footsteps grew closer, coming down the stairs, and then Severus, followed by Harry, jumped into the foyer, whirled and registered a moment of shock when they saw Lucius Malfoy and Hermione. He and Harry had their wands held steady as they slowly advanced towards them.

"Don't come any closer, Snape," Malfoy threatened, holding the knife dangerously close to Hermione's throat.

"Malfoy, let her go!" Snape said icily.

"Just stop, everybody!" Hermione screeched. "Stop!"

"I'm not going to give her back to you," Malfoy shouted. "You can't keep hurting her! Oh, don't you think I realised what you've been doing to her, Snape?" Malfoy accused. "I've taken her to save her. Potter, you're helping the wrong man; I know you wouldn't want Hermione to be with that monster."

Harry looked back and forth between Snape and Malfoy. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Malfoy, be quiet and let Hermione go," Snape repeated.

"Of course you'd want me to be quiet... you wouldn't want anyone to know about what you've been doing, would you? Potter, he's been beating her-"

"Shut up, Lucius!" Hermione shouted. "Please, let's all just sit down and we can talk. Severus, Harry, put down your wands, now!"

"What's he mean, beating her? Hermione?" Harry asked, looking now between Hermione and Severus.

"Just... please, both of you, lower your wands." She twisted slightly as the blade pressed against her throat. Malfoy seemed to realise he was hurting her, and subtly moved the blade to make her more comfortable, yet trying to appear as if he was still threatening her.

"Snape, have you hurt her?" Harry asked, though his wand was still directed at Malfoy.

"Look in the Pensieve!" Malfoy shouted. "You'll see the kinds of things he does in the Pensieve!"

Harry stilled, looking down at the stone bowl filled with roiling, shimmering light. Hermione felt a lurch in her stomach, and twisted against Lucius's firm hold.

"Potter, don't let him distract you," Severus said, his eyes searching Hermione's for a moment.

"Let Hermione go first," Potter said.

"I won't hurt her, I promise. I'm only trying to save her from that monster," Lucius said to Harry, dropping the blade several inches. To Hermione, he whispered, lips hidden by her hair, "Just stay still; I'll get us out of this."

Harry went down to his knees, looking into the Pensieve while everyone stopped. "Harry, please, stop! It's not what it looks like!" Hermione said. But she was too late. Severus started towards Harry, reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder.

Harry was pulled away from the Pensieve but whirled quickly, levelling his wand on Severus. "Potter, put it down!" Severus ordered.

"No. You... that... Hermione," he pleaded, turning enough to see Hermione, "has he done... that?" He'd only been in the Pensieve a few seconds, but apparently the memory had begun at a particularly 'convincing' scene.

"Malfoy has been using trickery to get his way for decades. We're here to get Hermione. Now, Potter, turn your wand back to Malfoy."

"Now you see why I had to take her, Potter. I'm only trying to help."

"Since when have you ever helped anyone?" Harry demanded, his wand now wavering halfway between Severus and Lucius.

"Since I was made into a new person. Since I came to see my own past actions, and those of my former friends, from a new perspective."

"Lucius, let me go! Severus, put your wand down and shut up; Harry, you do the same!" Hermione screamed. Whether it was the decibel or the desperate tone, the three men listened, finally. Cautiously, the three of them lowered their weapons, stepping back warily. Hermione slowly stepped to the side.

"Lucius hasn't hurt me, so please, just let's all calm down here." Hermione just wanted to get control of the situation, diffuse it, before moving on. Harry wasn't helping any.

"You still haven't answered me, Hermione. I didn't get a long look in there, but what I saw was bad enough... and Snape was... what was that?"

"It was a memory of mine," Malfoy supplied. "A memory of a time I'm glad I don't remember first hand. When I left St Mungo's hospital and returned to Malfoy Manor, Draco showed me these former memories of mine, hoping to make me again into the monster I'd been..." Malfoy faltered a moment, "showed me those scenes of torture and rape, which I regret to say was a past activity I shared with Snape."

"Malfoy, your memories are warped," Severus said. "What you saw wasn't what it appears to be."

"Hermione, answer me!" Harry bellowed, now looking at her in a panic. "What I saw, has he done this to you?"

"Harry, please calm down. It's not what it looks like," Hermione answered, thinking while she answered, that it might be better to just deny it completely. Harry would never understand.

"NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? IT FUCKING LOOKS LIKE TORTURE!!" Harry screamed.

"Potter, shut up now," growled Snape.

"SHUT UP? YOU WANT ME TO SHUT UP? Is this what's been going on with you and Hermione?"

Snape levelled his wand at Harry and blasted him into unconsciousness.

"Harry!" Hermione cried. "Severus, how could you?" She rushed to rouse Harry.

"He's fine, leave him. Now, Malfoy, have your brains been addled beyond sanity after our duel?"

"No, my eyes have finally cleared. I've spent the time with Hermione showing her what you are. You can't deny the truth, and however you've been able to keep her quiet, to make her tolerate your abuse...."

Snape snapped his wand at Malfoy, who immediately went stiff and fell over. Hermione recognised a simple full Body-Bind. With Harry unconscious and Malfoy nearly so, Hermione turned to Severus, surprised to see him much closer as he rushed towards her. He took her by the shoulders, holding her at arms' length as he scanned over her for injury.

"Are you well? He didn't hurt you?" he asked.

"No... he didn't hurt me, Severus. He was trying to help... in his own way, I suppose."

"I'm just relieved you're safe," Severus sighed, gripping her shoulders firmly as he pulled her close. They stood together for a moment.

"I think Harry is going to be upset," Hermione said into his shoulder.

"So be it," Severus answered. He started to say something else, but seemed to change his mind and stopped. "I believe, Hermione, that we have much to discuss." An undertone to his voice suggested he had many things on his mind, not only the present situation.

Hermione sighed.