"How did you get this?" Harry enquired. "We went through their whole house in Marseille and couldn't find a single identifiable hair or nail clipping."

"It isn't her hair," Hermione replied. "The person I went to for help pointed out that there was a good chance of being arrested if we tried to pass for known Death Eaters."

"And how else are we meant to get in their vault?" Ron asked as if he thought Hermione had gone insane.

"With a letter of authorisation," Hermione suggested, pulling a sheet of parchment out of her bag and giving it to Harry.

---

"I— Ehm... Well, actually, I summoned Dobby and I asked him how Bellatrix went about accessing her money when he worked for the Malfoys. It—"

"But Bellatrix was in Azkaban when Dobby worked for the Malfoys," Ron argued.

"So?" Hermione arched an eyebrow. "The Ministry doesn't provide luxuries for their guests. Toilet roll, writing paper, ink, toiletries... None of them are standard issue."

"And?" Harry prompted.

"And before she was too far gone to care, Bellatrix drafted a letter giving Narcissa control of her Gringotts vault, doubtless in the hope that Voldemort would make a triumphant return," Hermione explained.

---

Ron pouted. "And that helps us how? The whole wizarding world knows that Draco and Narcissa were filleted into bite-sized chunks when Lucius turned informant."

"It helps because Bellatrix wasn't smart enough or lucid enough to specify to which sister she was giving control," Hermione continued.

Harry peered more closely at the long hair. "Andromeda?"

Hermione nodded.

"And the letter?"

"Dobby. He's used to moving around Malfoy Manor without being seen. And he knew where they kept the letter. Andromeda's going to lend me her wand on the day. I said it was for Order business. She didn't ask for details."

---

"You're just going to waltz into Gringotts and pass yourself off as someone else. And you think you'll get away with it?" Ron barked.

"Do you have a better idea?" Hermione asked. "You could take the Polyjuice, if you promise not to get over-excited about having breasts..."

Ron flushed beetroot to the tips of his ears.

"No? I didn't think so. I talked to Bill about general security, and there's a bunch of enchantments that could give us away, but they wouldn't be activated unless the goblins were suspicious anyway."

"We don't have an alternative, do we?" Harry remarked.

---

Hermione understood the risks she was taking, and she prepared for the worst. She didn't want to worry Viktor unnecessarily, so she didn't discuss their plan beforehand, but she wrote a letter for him, leaving it on her dressing table.

She visited Severus in person, finding him awake and brewing, despite both the early hour and his haggard appearance.

"Severus..." Hermione's voice faltered. "Can't you take some Dreamless Sleep or something? You look like you've had about five hours sleep in the last week."

"I believe that might be a slight underestimate," Severus answered dryly.

"Not by much," Hermione retorted.

---

"Why haven't you taken something?" she asked.

"Dreamless Sleep is highly addictive, not only that but it takes months to brew," Severus pointed out.

"So have you started a batch?" Hermione asked.

Severus gave her an irritated scowl. "Yes. Happy?"

"No. Why haven't you bought some?"

Severus narrowed his eyes in disapprobation.

"You really aren't the only person who can brew potions, you know?"

"I can wait until my own is ready. It is the only way to know the potency of what you are taking," Severus explained.

"How much sleep did you get last night?" Hermione asked.

"A little."

---

Hermione leaned over the cauldron he was tending and sniffed. "Blood-Replenishing Potion?"

Severus gave a curt nod.

"Then it won't harm it, if I put it under a stasis charm. You're going back to bed!" she ordered.

"Would you care to tell me just when you became the instructor and I the pupil?" Severus whispered.

"It's nothing to do with mentor and pupil," Her voice was equally soft, her tone as different as could be. "You're my friend. I don't like seeing you like this, and if you won't take care of yourself, I'll have to do it for you."

---

"Really? And how exactly are you going to do that?" Snape drawled.

"I'm going to guard your dreams," she answered as she reached for his hand.

He stayed stationary for seconds before he grudgingly took hers and let her lead him through to his bedroom.

"Get changed and get into bed. I'm going to make some herbal tea, and I want you comfortable and decent by the time I'm done," Hermione told him.

"Yes, Madam Granger," Severus replied, sounding like nothing so much as a sarcastic schoolboy.

Hermione grinned. "Behave yourself, Professor, or I won't read you a bedtime story."

---

She waited until they had both finished their tea to make Severus lie down. She settled herself by his side, her back against the headboard and her legs stretched out on top of the covers. Then, she browsed through the titles on his bedside cabinet, choosing an Edinburgh-based police thriller. She turned to the bookmark that marked Severus's place and began reading. "Chapter Ten..."

At first Severus listened to the story, but soon he heard only her voice rather than the words, and shortly after that his breathing slowed to gentle snores. Hermione kept reading, even after he drifted off.

---

She watched him closely for hours, long after her voice had faltered, stroking his hair whenever he grew restless. Without fail it seemed to calm him, allowing him to slide from dreaming into a deeper, more restorative sleep. Afternoon was ambling into evening as she set the novel aside and slipped from his bed in search of writing paper.

'My dearest Severus,

I can't bring myself to wake you. Today, I use the Polyjuice. I'm leaving my bracelet here. You can't help if things go wrong, and I daren't keep anything that might link me to you.

Sleep peacefully,

H.'