Chapter 40: The Cost Of Victory Is Measured In Bloodshed

Unknown Location, Unknown World...

Blood. The beast knew it well. So very well in fact that the scent of coppery crimson had been thick in the air seemingly rancid air. There was a pounding sound as steady as a beating drum and the beast recognized it as a heartbeat, so clear in it's pumping precision that it sought it out. The female been before him amid the tall golden grasses beneath the blood moon. Her jasmine scented hair filling it's flaring nostrils and causing it's blood to heat to degrees unheard of. Her amber eyes like soulful daggers pierced the very core of it's being. The beast ran to her needing her all the more.

As it neared the object of it's affections, the sight of blood roaming in great rivers had caught his eye.

The blood appeared to be coming from the female.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

The Infirmary, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

After successfully repelling Umbridge and her werewolf underlings, Hogwarts had been returned to normal. Dumbledore resumed control of the school much to everyone's understated relief. Snape and Hermione had been out of it for a few days following their battle with Greyback, whom everyone was thankful had been killed by a vengeful Snape. News of the once formidable werewolf's death swept through the wizarding world like wildfire. Many people whose children were turned by that wretched creature were pleased that he had finally been taken down. Of course the credit for ending the life of the despicable wolf had been given to Dumbledore by the general public.

The old Headmaster simply allowed it in a bid to protect Severus' werewolf status. The last thing they needed was for Voldemort to get wind of it or any other death eater for that matter.

It would be disastrous for Snape in the long run given his status as a spy for the Order of Phoenix within Voldemort's ranks.

By the time Severus Snape came to, he had been safely tucked in bed and bandaged due to Poppy's expert hands. The Potions Master's mind had been in a thick haze when it came to the events of the past few days. They had him resting in a bed on the far side of the room out of concern for his werewolf antics. Lupin had taken to guarding him most days to ensure that he did not bite anyone.

Snape opened his eyes after a week, his body has still been a little weak from the tree falling on him but he was doing better than most would have given all that he had gone through. The biggest measure of concern had been for Hermione Granger. She had suffered a good deal of blood loss and remained unconscious since she had been thrown by Greyback.

Lupin had barely been able to tell the Potions Master what day it had been before the wizard launched himself out of bed and made his way over toward Hermione. She had been out cold with a running fever that Madam Pomfrey couldn't seem to get down no matter the effort she put into breaking it. Snape didn't understand what had been wrong with the witch and his fury was evident as his wolf side began to bleed through his human nature.

The timid Professor watched curiously as Snape examined Hermione himself despite his own weakened condition. His obsidian eyes filled with the most crisp of concentration and worry. It was all Lupin could do to stifle his pity for the dour wizard. The Potions Master made his way over to Hermione straight away running his pale fingers over her exposed and clammy fore head. The beads of sweat making their own sound as they oozed from her pores. Her pallor had been a kin to his own, due to her recent loss of blood, her muscles stretched and tendons broken from the severed flesh clawed at by Greyback.

"Severus, she's been infected." said the Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor in a sorrowful tone. "When we found you both had been nearly crushed by a falling tree...your body was covering hers, your attempt to save her from the weight of the tree's fall had been brilliant but you and she both received wounds to the flesh courtesy of Greyback."

Snape had been largely ignoring the DADA Professor until now, he turned to face Lupin and arched an eyebrow at this new found information. The implication of what was to become of Hermione like a thick noose around Snape's neck as the gravity of his act of protection sank in. He knew full well that given his injuries and her own the possibility of infection had been high. Though it had been the last thing on his mind when he covered her body with his own.

"A-Are you saying that I...?" he trailed off thinking back to all that had happened. "No!"

Lupin sighed knowing all too well what Snape must have been feeling.

The Potions Master held Hermione's hand in his own not wishing to come to terms with what he had just been told. She did not deserve to be damned because of him. Because of her feelings for him. She had suffered enough at Greyback's claws. There was no way she could have with stood the agony of transformation. Her body had been unaccustomed to agony.

"T-This will kill her." said Snape coming to the same conclusion Lupin had as he watched her twitch in agony while she slept.

"I am sorry, Severus." said Lupin truly sorry for his colleague.

"No." said Snape refusing to give in to the idea of losing Hermione.

"It is out of our hands." said Lupin softly.

"LIKE HELL IT IS!" shouted Snape with a near on growl.

"Severus." said Lupin trying to reason with the enraged Snape. "You must remain calm...tearing the school apart will not do Hermione any favors especially if it gets back to the dark lord that you are now a werewolf."

"I will rip this whole fucking world apart if that's what it takes to get her back." said Snape as his beast side began to take hold.

"Severus please." said Lupin trying his best to keep the werewolf calm.

The DADA Professor had been failing miserably to get through to the Potions Professor, there was only so much that could be said to an alpha. yet the alternative of a rampaging Alpha male was worse in the long run. Snape stepped away from Hermione as his heart began to pound viciously in his chest. The beast within had been none too happy at the possibility of losing the female. Stumbling in the near empty corridors, Snape pushed passed a very concerned Draco Malfoy who had been on his way to the dungeons following a trip to the loo.

The junior Malfoy had been stunned when Professor Snape seemed to be out of it clawing at his trademark frock coat and grunting like an animal. His heart had been thundering in his chest as he collapsed on to the ground. Lupin ran toward him.

"Severus." he said gripping the struggling wizard. "You can't fall apart now...she needs you."

Snape continued to struggle against the raging beast inside him. Lupin had been right of course. Losing control when Hermione needed him the most was not going to do her any favors. The agonized whimpers from the Potions Professor rang out in the sympathetic DADA Professor's ears.

"I know how much she means to you." he continued with reason driving his boldness. "But she is going to need you here when she awakens...not to mention you having a job to do...what do you think is going to happen when the dark lord get's wind of your new found status?"

"I don't give a damn about his opinion of my status." growled Snape still struggling to keep his temper in check. "The female is hurting..."

"Severus control yourself...you are the only Potions Professor we have, suppose she needs a potion and your off getting yourself killed?" said Lupin.

After a painful semi struggle with the werewolf that raged within him. Snape came to his senses. Hermione needed him to be at the top of his game if she was going to survive whatever this was and the upcoming war as well.

With effort Lupin escorted the weakened Snape back into the infirmary unsure if any students caught the little exchange. Draco Malfoy had done quite well shielding himself from them in the wake of the chaos.

Snape sat beside Hermione taking her small delicate hand into his large pale one. His palms were rough where her's were smooth. The knowledge of how easily those small hands made their presence known roaming about his naked pale lean form during one of their couplings had been foremost in his mind.

After a while Lupin decided to leave Snape to his thoughts and the sleeping formidable witch Hermione Granger.

The first few days Hermione simply combated the fever that had set in. It had been much too high for a young witch of her size to contend on her own. Much like he had to endure during the onset of infection, Hermione sweat profusely. Snape spent hour upon hour brewing any and every combination of ingredient to help break the grip of the fever. He had succeeded only in keeping her from reaching the most frightening of levels.

He divided his time between teaching his classes, brewing, and watching over Hermione. Thought he took the necessary precaution of only entering the infirmary late at night, which made him rather testy in the light of day from lack of sleep. He regularly avoided Harry Potter and Ron Weasley if only to dodge their numerous questions.

Hermione progressed to the thirst stage as both Snape and Lupin began to watch over her wondering about signs of change.