A Cold and Broken Hallelujah

A/N: Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I am overwhelmed! They are all much appreciated. I wish I had all of my reviewers insights before posting as I'm having a much harder time justifying Voldemort, essentially, saving Severus' life. Hopefully, you all wont despise it.

Chapter 2: Welcome Home

Severus felt a cool liquid on his lips, his mouth being forced open. His mind was fuzzy as he slowly came to. He was dead. There was no way he could have survived the snake's attack. His eyes opened slowly, and Lucius Malfoy slowly became clear in his line of sight.

"Don't speak," the blonde man said, kneeling next to him. "Just listen…"

Severus looked up at the man, unsure of what was going on.

"We were in the forest with Potter," Lucius began. "It was just him and The Dark Lord. They were about to duel when Potter told him that the Elder Wand still wasn't his...that killing you did nothing to make the wand his. He told him that Draco was the possessor of the wand. Luckily, Draco was still up at the school."

Severus listened intently.

"They dueled, and the Elder Wand fell to pieces. Our Lord...he motioned for Bella's wand, which she gave willingly. He killed Potter there in the forest. Avada-ed him twice just for the Hell of it. He grabbed a flask from his robes while the others made the Half-Giant carry the boy back to the castle. He handed it to me," he said, motioning to the flask in his robes.

Severus recognized it immediately. "It's the anti-venom." Dumbledore had suggested that Severus make some under the pretense that, should the snake accidentally bite Voldemort, that the man would have the cure at his fingertips. In reality, Severus had made it so he could study the reptile and its qualities. He hadn't learned much from his research.

"He said to come bring this to you," Lucius continued. "He said...he needs you. He says you're vital to his future plans."

Severus frowned. "What could he possibly want from me?" he asked, standing with a struggle, his voice raspy.

"I'm not sure," Lucius added, standing as well. "He said to heal you the best I could and bring you up to the castle."

"Ron…" Hermione breathed out when the pair landed. Scabior had specifically said Ron was dead. Well, he'd said Ron wouldn't be there to save her. Weak and injured, Hermione fell heavily into an equally injured Severus, and the man struggled momentarily to keep them both upright.

Severus pulled her along the narrow, overgrown path to a small, rundown looking home.

"Wh-where are we?" she asked, hesitantly.

He ignored her, leading her in the door and warding it behind them. He led her down the hallway and into the kitchen before turning right and stopping at a grey door. He opened it slowly.

Hermione could smell the musky, earthy scent of the unfinished, dirt floor basement and cringed as Snape flicked on a light switch and led her down the stairs. Her arm and head both throbbed as she looked around. There was a small, wooden chair in the corner. There was another room with a closed door to the left of the bottom of the stairs.

"Sleep," he ordered, shoving her into the corner.

"Sir," he called as he began to ascend the stairs. "Please don't leave me down here!" Though it were May, the room was extremely cool. There was no bed, blankets, or water even.

Severus continued up the stairs, ignoring the girl's pleas.

Hermione could hear him warding the door, chanting quietly on the other side of it. She felt trapped, cold, and scared.

Alone, Hermione finally allowed all of the feelings of that day wash over her. Tears and sobs of anguish and defeat left her chest as she laid on the cold, dirt floor. Everything she had worked for and many people she loved were gone. Harry was dead. Fred was dead. Tonks was dead. Ginny. Arthur Weasley. Molly had been so badly injured that Hermione was nearly certain she, too, was dead. Fleur and Bill had gone missing during the battle, along with Remus, Seamus, and Dean. Neville. Oh, poor Neville. She knew he wouldn't last long if he was put with someone like Malfoy or Rodolphus Lestrange.

Hermione had the feeling, however, that Ron would be the one dealing with Rodolphus. Molly had killed Bellatrix trying to save Ginny, and there was no way Ron would be given to anyone else. Not after Bellatrix had been so loyal to Voldemort.

Hermione sobbed until her chest hurt, her face stained with tears. She cried herself into a fitful sleep, her dreams filled with horror and agony.

Severus, unbeknownst to the girl in his basement, pushed his ear against the door, listening to her sobs.

He didn't know whether to feel pained for her or whether to be annoyed. He had expected Potter to somehow manage to win. Everyone around him had done everything in their power to make it so that all the boy would have to do would be to beat The Dark Lord in a final duel.

From what Severus understood, the boy didn't even put up a fight. All of their hard work had been wasted.

Severus struggled to make his way up the stairs and to his room. He just wanted to get drunk and pass out. He had some big decisions to make about where his loyalties truly lay, and he couldn't do that with the lingering effects of the venom in his system.

The man barely managed to kick his boots off before stumbling across the room to his liquor cabinet to grab a bottle of firewhiskey. He smirked and wiped the dust from the bottle, pulling the cork off and taking a long drink. He grimaced slightly as the liquid burned his throat, sitting in the dusty armchair next to his bed. The whole house needed cleaning. He hadn't been in it since the previous summer, and it reeked of uselessness.

Severus' shaking fingers made their way to his neck, and he could feel the remnants of the wound on his neck. Dried blood flaked off his skin, and he stared at it. He should have been dead now. He wanted to be dead. He certainly didn't want a sobbing, injured Hermione Granger in his basement. Or in his home at all.

He would have to move her somewhere else. He didn't like the girl, but she didn't deserve to be sitting in his basement.

Severus took a long drink from the musty bottle and sighed. What was he to do? With the girl? With his life? Should he resort to following the Dark Lord? Would there be some sore of resistance?

The dark man fell asleep in his chair asking himself these question, the weight of the previous day heavy.

Hermione awoke after some hours and pushed herself up with her good arm. It was still pitch black in the room, and she sat still momentarily as her eyes adjusted.

The room was cold, and the girl shivered as she stood, the need to use the bathroom overwhelming her. She looked around, biting her lip. There was nothing in the room. Her eyes locked on the door next to the stairs, and she slowly crossed the room to the door.

She reached out and grasped the handle but cried out, snatching her hand back when she was shocked. Wards. He had the room warded to keep her and anyone else out.

Hermione grimaced, holding her hand and rubbing it furiously, her need to use the loo growing with each moment. Maybe Snape would come for her soon. It had to have been at least eight hours; maybe even more.

After a time, Hermione knew she could no longer hold it. She'd been awake well over an hour. Grimacing, she made her way to the far corner and relieved herself.

Hermione barely managed to pull her pants up when she heard the door open. "About bloody time," she muttered.

Severus made his way down the stairs, a disgusted look on his face. "Merlin, Granger, it reeks down here." He glanced over to the corner. "You couldn't wait?"

Hermione flushed, looking at her feet.

"Come," he growled. "Your stench is making me nauseous."

Hermione stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her body as she followed him up the stairs.

The kitchen smelled of breakfast, yet Hermione could see no remnants. Her mouth watered, and she thought back to the last meal she'd eaten at Aberforth's at least two days before.

Snape pushed her forward, apparently tired of her gawking and looking around for food. He guided her toward the stairs, his hand uncomfortably settled at the small of her back.

"Is this your home, sir?" she asked, needing to break the unbearable silence as she made her way up the creaking stairs.

"Don't ask questions, Granger."

Hermione sighed and bit her lip.

"It was my parent's home," Severus spoke after several uncomfortable moments of silence.

He led the girl into the bathroom. It was obviously freshly used as it still smelled of shampoo and after shave, in addition to the fact that Snape was freshly showered and dressed.

Hermione caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and grimaced. Her hair resembled a lion's mane, she had cuts and bruises on her face, and her clothes were tattered and bloody.

"Undress."

Hermione visibly tensed at his words, turning to look at him. "Sorry?"

Snape scowled at her. "Don't play stupid, Granger. Just do it."

"I can bathe myself."

Snape sighed. "You no doubt have more injuries than meet the eye. And no wand. Now undress."

Hermione looked up at him. "Professor, please…"

Snape stepped forward and grabbed her arm. "I will not ask you again. Undress, or I shall do it for you."

Hermione felt tears stinging her eyes and couldn't push them away and she unzipped her hooded sweatshirt, tossing it on the ground before removing her shoes and socks. Biting her lip, she glanced up at Snape before pulling her shirt over her head, hissing in pain when it pulled slowly away from a large, deep cut on her side. She thought briefly about the large scar from the Department of Mysteries her fifth year. It ran all the way up her side, disappearing under her red bra. She was embarrassed by it until she realized it would probably disgust him. Shaking her head, she slipped her jeans off as well, seeing the nicks and cuts that lined her legs.

Hermione couldn't imagine anything more mortifying than what was happening in this moment. She put her arms around herself, hoping he wouldn't ask her to take off anything else.

Severus raised his wand, and Hermione flinched. He slowly healed all of her wounds, and the girl refused to make eye contact with him. Once he'd finished with healing her, he made his way to the linen closet and pulled out a towel, soap, and conditioner for her hair. "You have fifteen minutes," he said. "I'll not hesitate to come in and get you after that."

Hermione clutched the towel to her body, using it to shield herself from him. She glanced up and nodded slowly. "T-thank you."

Thirteen minutes late, Severus heard the shower turn off. He waited a moment before knocking on the door.

"No!" the girl squeaked. "Don't come in!"

"Do you need anything?"

"I haven't any clothes," he called to him, wrapping the towel around herself. She looked in the closet and found a brush. Sitting herself on the toilet, she began to work on her tangled hair.

After a few moments, the door opened. Hermione gasped and held her towel close, the brush stuck in her hair.

Severus handed her the clothing. "These were my mothers. I can adjust them to fit you after you put them on."

Hermione bit her lip and nodded. "Thank you."

"I don't have any other…" he glanced at her bra and panties laying next to the sink. "I'll just…" He lifted his wand to the set and they were cleaned as if new.

Hermione watched him, wondering why he was being so nice to her.

"Come downstairs when you're dressed," he said, a grimace back on his face. "I'll make you some breakfast, and then we need to have a conversation…"

A/N: Well, all for now! This is a pretty long chapter for me! I hope you enjoy. Also, everyone have a Merry Christmas! I'm hoping to get another chapter up next week! There will be more about the anti-venom and such so bear with me!