Chapter 48: Wolfish Delirium Redux

Unknown Location,Forbidden Forest...

Sights and smells had been a plenty as Severus Snape raced through the darkened trees of the forbidden knew next to nothing about being this deep into the forest nor did he have the mind to care in his present condition. All that seemed to be on his mind was trying to keep from turning around and clamping his jaws down on Hermione Granger's throat in a bid to appease Hircine, The Father Of Man-Beasts. He couldn't believe how her scent and the rushing of blood drew him in. It seemed intoxicating in it of itself. His confusion only seemed to intensify with his state of arousal.

How could he? After everything that has happened between the two of them. How could he of all people want to hurt her so badly for the sake of strange creature's request?

Feeling shame once again over take him he took off in a bid to get as far away from the witch as he possibly could. It had been clear that his mind was not his own and he had not trusted himself to be around anyone whom he could bring into direct harm to appease his blood lust. His heart had been pounding thunderously in his chest as he managed to get himself to a strange cavern. Once he had been far enough away from Hermione, he felt himself being lured into the direction of another familiar scent. It seemed to be enough to convince the beast that dwelled within him to turn it's attention elsewhere.

Without a thought he began to head towards the new scent with as much speed and focus as he head when leaving Hermione on the outskirts of the forbidden forest. A low whimper escaped him as his body began to finish the intensely painful transformation amid his stride. He would not hurt her. He would not be responsible for extinguishing yet another brilliant witch's existence. Another whimper escaped him as he continued to rush toward the familiar scent.

Severus Snape's heart had been thunderously beating in his chest as he raced through trees snapping twigs and low branches in the wake of his speed. His claws were as sharp as a razor and his movements as swift as cascading water. His eyes an eerie obsidian red glow as he made his way to the source of his anguish. The scent that overpowered his other senses and made him transform without the aid of the moon. The Werewolf picked up speed rushing passed a clearing and hopping down a waterfall. The scent growing ever stronger. The mind of the man had been somehow lost in the intriguing chaos of it all, no longer able to fight the overpowering instincts of the beast that dwelled deep within. He had been safely away from Hermione and Hogwarts Castle, that had been good enough for the wizard when he collapsed onto the ground before the scent gave the beast a reason to seek out it's most unusual prey.

The snapping of twigs echoed in the silence of the darkened forbidden forest. Were-Snape snarled as he followed the intoxicating scent toward the source. His heart still pounding thunderously after the spirited run. He could taste the wind upon his tongue and that seemed to intensify his need for whatever it was that drew his undivided attention. He caught the high concentration of pheromones and leapt from a misshapen boulder and down into the river.

The bold move brought him crashing down onto a soft warm creature with piercing black eyes and a decidedly wolfish grin.

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The Library, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Hermione had not been in the mood for socializing when she found herself cornered by Harry Potter as she made her way through Gryffindor tower. His look of concern while touching was quite unwanted as she knew it was only a matter of time before he started asking questions. The green eyed wizard had been suspicious of Hermione working with Snape for quite some time now and with it being known to him that the Potions Master was indeed a werewolf, it was rather difficult not to worry about his dearest friend.

"Mione...do you have a minute?" asked Harry not wishing to draw to much attention to the newly returned young witch.

Said witch narrowed her amber eyes at her best friend and sighed. She knew that there was no getting around Harry's curiosity. It had been well known since his first year at Hogwarts that he had been of course the curious sort.

"Do make it quick Harry." said Hermione with a tired expression filed across her face.

The green eyed wizard quickly noted that her face was rather puffy from recent tear production and she had done little to cover up this fact.

"Well...I..." Harry began not really sure how to approach this conversation. "I was wondering if you had been alright.."

He thought wisely to avoid what he truly wanted to know from her sensing this was not a very good time for such accusatory questions.

"I'm as well as I can be." replied Hermione truly relieved Harry had not been about to ask her about Severus.

"Why not?" asked the green eyed wizard treading carefully.

"I do not wish to talk about it." replied the amber eyed witch quickly as if to end all discussion.

"Let me guess...starts with an S. ends with Snape." replied Harry. "Well, I'm not surprised...that bloke can be a real..."

"Don't." said Hermione cutting him off as her eyes once again became filled with tears. "Not today Harry, please."

Harry nodded understanding that she truly had been in no mood for Snape bashing.

"Aright." he said softly. "I'll...I'll let you get some rest then...we can speak another time."

"Thank you." said Hermione as she turned from him and made her way up the stairs toward the girls dorm.

It had been all she could do to keep from bursting into tears right before him. Harry watched her go as his mind delved into more and more questions.

Snape and Hermione's strange relationship, if he dared call it that had been puzzling ever since the Potions Master was infected by Lupin in third year. That had not been the only bizarre thing on the list, Hermione seemed to have changed rather drastically some how.

The Potter boy could not pinpoint where the change occurred only that it came about rather recent given Snape's sudden influence over her and her lack of time for her friends because of her mysterious project with him.

She didn't even seem interested in what was happening with Ron despite his frequent attempts to make her jealous. Come to think of it not once had she gotten on them about their lack of study habits for this term.

It was official, something strange was going on with Snape and Hermione and Harry Potter was just the wizard to find out what the "greasy git" was up to.

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Hermione Granger's Bed, Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts Castle...

Try as she might, the moment Hermione entered the girls dorm and found herself alone in the comforting darkness of her shared bedroom, she could not control the tears that streamed down her supple cheeks as she took in the ramifications of what was becoming of her Severus. The beast that dwelled just beneath the surface had gotten more uncontrollable with Hircine directing his actions and the fact that he had come very close to murdering her for the sake of his own blood lust had been unnerving.

She didn't know where he was or who far he had fallen into Hircine's thrall but she couldn't shake the feeling that he had been slipping further and further away from the wizard he use to be and into the world of the brutish beast.

The intense feeling of absolute fear filled are once more but it had been nothing to do with her own well being. There was no telling what atrocities Hircine had Severus committing in his name. If he had gone feral then there would be no turning back for him, he'd be lost to his own savage nature and she would lose her lover forever.

The tears kept streaming down Hermione's cheeks as she pushed the wayward thoughts from her mind. She had no intention of letting The Father of Man-beasts win that easily.