Picture Perfect Performance by Livia Ethelind

Harry wasn't quite sure if he had screamed or not. His mouth was open but there was no sound. Had there been a sound? There seemed to be no sound in world at all. He had stopped dead in his tracks – glued the the spot as he starred and (silently?) screamed into two dark eyes. Had he cried out his mother's name? Hadn't he heard something? No? The eyes where in fact not looking at him at all but in those brief seconds he felt he'd fall into their darkness forever.

Then something changed. The dark eyes went completely white as his professor's face fell to the floor for what seemed an eternity. Harry was almost certain he felt it do so. No, scratch that, he WAS feeling it fall! Wait, was he? Then a sudden realization hit him as he felt something slip out of his arms.

NO! No! No! Not again! Hermione!

He suddenly found himself turning. How, he wasn't sure because Harry surely wasn't aware of when he'd decided to do so nor when he had regained his ability to move. He turned just to see the figure of 'Lily' slip from his hands and collapse onto the floor.

”Hermione!” he shrieked.

He stood there with his hands in front of him. His fingers were spread out as if he was ready to receive something. It took him a moment to realize he had actually spoken and then he immediately covered his mouth with his hand reflexively. The cry had already escaped him though and he now stood there covering his mouth, starring at the glamored Hermione's limp body on the floor.

Harry fell to his knees and looked from 'Lily' to professor Snape and back again.

What will I do? What will I do? Hermione what should I do? Oh, damn! Why did I have to tell her? No, why did I have to agree to this? This is my fault! Hermione! Oh no, she's not moving! What if she's dead? What if she's hurt? Oh, wait...

As Harry came to the conclusion that having a panic attack then and there wasn't the best idea, he rushed to 'Lily's side and shook her body as hard as he could.

”Hermione? Hermione!”

A faint groan came from the woman on the floor, but she did not open her eyes nor did she move a muscle. Harry's eyes went wide as he saw the colour had drained from her cheeks completely and that tears were running down them now.

”Hermione, wake up! Wake up! You have to go to the infirmary! 'Mione, please! Just, please!”

Harry was now crying as well. He kept shaking her as much as he could, but he soon found that it was futile. Should he run for help? Should he keep shaking her? Wait... Wasn't he forgetting something?

Harry slowly turned his head and found Snape lying on the floor behind – half covered by his own cloak. Harry gulped and then a single word escaped his lips without him realizing:

”Shit...”

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Severus was lost in the darkness. There was nothing there. No dreams, no memory of anything having been there. He felt like he was waking up while still in a nightmare. The first thing that hit him was a sharp pain in the back of his head then followed by a pain in his chest.

Did I take a sleeping draught? Did I...?

But he didn't have time to gather his thoughts. Somewhere, far above him, he felt something. No, that wasn't quite right. He HEARD something. It was muffled at first but it became clearer and turned to a loud desperate pleading.

”Professor! Please! Wake up! You have to wake up! Please! Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!”

Severus groaned. What was this? What was happening? Was this a nightmare? What was that voice? A girl? No, it sounded like...

Why is Potter in my nightmares?

Severus suddenly felt a hard surface beneath him and groaned as as the pain in his head seemed to increase.

It's all so foggy. What is.. Why can't I remember? Why is it dark?

He suddenly realized with some embarrassment that his eyes were closed. His eyelids felt heavy and he struggled to open them. As he managed to open them slightly he squinted as light shone down upon him from above.

”Professor! Wake up! Please!”

There it is again! That voice! Didn't I dream of Potter? Did I?

”Erh..”

Severus pushed himself slightly off the floor before slowly raising his hand to shelter his eyes from the cursed bright light right in front of him.

”Professor! We have to help her! Please! I can't get her up!”

Potter!

It hadn't been a dream. Where on earth was he? And why was Potter yelling at him?

”W... What?” he said as his eyes adjusted to the light and the source became visible.

In front of him sat Harry Potter – framed by the light coming from the doorway. Tears were running down his cheeks and he looked at Severus with an expression of terror that momentarily had the potions master wondering if the Dark Lord was standing behind him. Then the blasted boy opened his mouth once again.

”Please, sir!”

Severus was just about to question the boy but as he sat up his eyes fell on a redheaded figure sprawled on the floor beside him – her face turned away from him.

Just then it all came back and hit him in the face so hard it knocked all the air out of him. For the next second or so he did nothing but stare at the lifeless body in horror.

”Professor! Are you well? Please! I can't carry her! Please help me save Hermione!” he heard the Potter boy sob.

”Her... Hermione?” Severus whispered and suddenly he was on his feet.

Ignoring his dizziness and the pain in his head and chest he jumped to her side and turned the woman onto her back. Her eyes were closed but a low rattling sound came from her mouth indicating that she was still breathing.

”Sir, I don't know what went wrong! She said she it would end but it didn't and then she fell and I don't know what to do and is she going to die? And...”

Severus was startled by the voice behind him. He spun around with the speed of a Firebolt.

”Potter! Shut it! Unless you plan to tell exactly what you did!”

His eyes narrowed to a glare as he starred at the weeping boy. Harry choked on a sob and nodded.

”Hermione did a spell, sir! She said it would...”

”A glamour spell?” Severus interrupted.

The boy nodded.

”Yes sir!”

The professor felt his heartbeat slow a bit.

So it really is Granger. For a moment I really thought...

Then he let out a low growl as he felt his heartbeat rise once again. He had a fairly good idea what had happened here.

The boy would know if... Who am I kidding? He's useless!

”Potter, grab everything you and Granger brought up here and follow me. IMMEDIATELY!” he commanded as he turned back facing the redhead on the floor.

Behind him he heard noises as the Potter brat scrambled to his feet and hurried to fetch something. Severus didn't have time to take notice of him. He scooped the woman up into his arms and rose.

Just for a mere glimpse of a moment he was still as he looked down at the woman in his arms. She looked almost peaceful. As if she was sleeping. Severus felt a strange sensation as if his chest had just been stabbed with an icicle. He didn't take the time to dwell on the meaning of that, however as he held the woman tighter and went down the corridor so quickly one might have sworn he was flying – neither caring nor noticing if the boy was following.

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Harry was struggling to breathe due to a combination of the sobs he had not yet managed to stop and running like a lunatic trying keep up with Snape.

Why doesn't he slow down? I can barely... No! Wait! I don't want him to! I need him to save Hermione and quickly!

Harry heaved as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He was still falling behind though.

Where are we going? This isn't the way to the infirmary? Surely, he doesn't mean to let her die?

Before Harry could begin thinking of how Snape was the lowest creature on earth and just what kind of torturous death he'd inflict on the evil murderous dungeon bat, he realized that while this was indeed not the route to the infirmary, it was leading them down into the dungeons.

”What is he...?”

But just then Snape turn around a corner and Harry lost sight of him. Still he ran further down heading towards Snape's office, which his subconscious had decided was the most likely destination.

Indeed, when Harry finally reached the door it was wide open. He ran inside seeing Lily/Hermione lying on Snape's desk on top of several bits of essays – parchment littered across the surrounding floor supporting the theory that a large pile of papers had been roughly pushed aside to make room for the woman.

Harry dropped the bag on the floor and fell to his knees gasping for air. Just then Snape came whirling out of another door with a vial in his hand. He quickly grabbed 'Lily's head and lifted her slightly up. Harry looked up – still gasping and saw a fizzy orange liquid was flowing from Hermione's mouth now. Snape uncorked the vial with only one hand and forced the bluish-grey potion inside down her throat.

”Come on, Miss Granger. Swallow, you can do it! Try! Now!” he commanded the seemingly unconscious woman.

But surprisingly she couldn't be completely out for after a few week attempts that sounded like she was gurgling it and sent chills down Harry's spine it went down and Snape slowly let her lie back down on to the desk.

Harry turned his eyes to the floor as he suddenly became aware of the pain in his chest as his heart attempted to escape the ribcage. He wrapped his arms around himself and half cried – half coughed in pain. When he looked up again he almost stopped breathing entirely as his eyes met Snape's, who was glaring back at him with an intensity that Harry was sure could set him on fire.

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Not much had gone through the professors mind as Severus had rushed Lily – NO, Miss Granger to his office. To be honest he wasn't even quite sure why he had brought her there instead of the infirmary. Everything stood still until the moment he had heard Miss Granger finally swallow the stabilizing potion. Now he suddenly felt a swarm of feelings coming forth from the back of his mind.

First came confusion then fear, sorrow and oddly enough a sense of loss.

No, it couldn't be.

Just then he heard a horrid sound coming from the floor and looked up to find the Potter brat looking like he was about to be sick all over the bag in front of him.

Now every other emotion was pushed aside as Severus felt the anger begin to rise within him. The boy looked up and Severus glared at him as best he could. He starred down the boy for a few second before he bellowed:

”Potter! Get up!”

The boy stumbled to his feet. The potions master walked around the desk and came towards the boy.

”Is she going to be alright?” he heard the boy whimper.

”I haven't the slightest idea!” Severus sneered.

”POTTER! You have exactly three seconds to tell me EXACTLY what you where doing!”

”I'm sorry, sir! We were... That is... Hermione cast a spell on herself...”

”I can see that, you stupid boy, WHAT SPELL?”

”I... That is...”

And then to the professor's surprise the boy went for the bag and struggled with it as he pulled out a book. He then began to frantically flip the pages – clearly searching for something.

Merlin save me! Those spells shouldn't be read about until the fifth year – let alone ATTEMPTED by SECOND YEARS!

The boy appeared to have settled on a page and was eying it carefully as if to make sure this was really the one. Severus snatched the book out of his hands before he could react. He took one long glance at the page before he slammed the book unto the only corner of the desk not occupied by the Lily impostor.

”Of all the idiotic, senseless things you wretched brats have done this has be the most absurd, pointless way you have ever attempted to get yourselves killed! I have a good mind to...”
But he didn't get to finish that sentence because just then the boy cried out.

”Never mind, you greasy old git! 'Mione is DYING! And all you do is stand there and yell at me! Can you even do anything at all to help her?!”

Severus didn't flinch. It took every ounce of self control he had not to strangle the boy then and there.

”I can and I will,” he replied with venom-laced softness.

Potter just stood there staring at him with huge green eyes as tears kept coming. Severus sneered.

”Potter unless you are going to tell me exactly what Miss Granger did, may I suggest you get your useless self out of my way and take a seat?”

What is this? Some cruel joke they intended to play on me? No, Potter wouldn't know. He couldn't know. Surely...

”Professor, she said she could do the spell on herself. She said it wasn't that complicated. She said it would stop after 15 minutes but then it didn't and she felt ill and...”

The boy suddenly pulled out a photograph.

”She said all she needed was the picture, sir!”

Severus pinched the photograph off the boy before he could do anything the prevent it and turned it to study it. He took at deep breath as he starred at a photograph of Lily smiling up at him. He had to silently scold himself for being affected by a picture considering what was lying on his desk behind him.

”Foolish girl,” he mumbled to himself.

”Don't talk about Hermione that way!” the boy snapped.

”Mr. Potter if you insist on being a complete idiot, get out of my sight!”

”I'm not leaving her!”

”Then may I suggest you keep your mouth closed? I may have promised to see that Miss Granger survives this ordeal, but I've made no such promises regarding yourself.”

Severus didn't wait for a reply. He turned around and promptly turned a chair into a bed. He then proceeded to lift the now completely unconscious 'Lily' unto it. He then took out a handkerchief and wiped the orange fluid off her face. Lily's face. Severus caught himself being unnecessarily careful as he did it. He felt as though every time he touched her that face might shatter into a million pieces and disappear like sand between his fingers.

It's Granger. Stop it. It's Granger.

He turned around to find that the boy had actually taken a seat by one of the desks he kept there for detentions and was completely quiet. He raised a eyebrow in suspicion.

”What?” he sneered.

”Sir, why... Should we get her to the hospital wing?” the boy finally asked.

”Mr. Potter, would you like to explain to Madam Pomfrey, why Miss Granger looks this way?”

The boy turned white and then just as quickly scarlet with embarrassment. Severus smirked. He was going to enjoy questioning the boy about this. Somewhere in the back of his mind a tiny voice whispered that he wasn't about to let go of Lily's face – even if it was currently worn by a stupid preteen girl. He'd have it for as long as it lasted.

”I believe I can handle the situation, Mr. Potter, so there's no need to disturb Madam Pomfrey at this hour, but of course you wouldn't mind would you? You seem to show no regard for rules nor any sympathy for the people you count on to clean up your mess!”

”I didn't know if I should run to get her, sir! I was so scared when Hermione collapsed that I hardly even considered that you had just fainted. I guess I just panicked!”

Severus froze.

No. No, no, no!

A frown was fixed on his face as he stood there letting the realization hit him as he remembered.

The Potter brat saw me faint!