" Miss Granger," barked Snape. " Pay attention!"
" Yes sir, sorry sir" Hermione called out hoarsely.
She had no idea what Snape was talking about today. The words on the blackboard about Cough Potions made no sense to her. She had been like this in every class today. Vector, had told her not to daydream twice, and Lupin asked her if she was ok. Knowing she would be sent straight to the Infirmary, she quickly said no, and that she was fine. But potions class was different. The walls always seemed to edge in a little each time she looked around, containing her in a stone case. The fumes of the sweet, yet spicy smelling lavender livid in Snape's example made her even dizzied than she was. Right at the back of her throat was itchy, and her lungs felt like they were on fire.
" Miss Granger!" Snape snapped; he was asking Hermione a question but she was not listening.
" What?!" She exploded. Then she noticed that everyone was staring... And she had shouted at Snape.
" Detention." He said, in barely a whisper. "Mr Malfoy. Please answer the question Granger didn't."
" The potion, Sir, should never contain more that ten grams of brown horse hair." Malfoy said smugly.
" Good of you to show up, Granger. You are to clean out my empty potions flasks."
He lead her to a small table with three cardboard boxes, full to the brim with small, glass bottles. Each bottle had a number of stains- ranging from purple, sticky liquid, to green, slippery slime. She cleaned out eighteen, before starting to cough. Snape looked up from his fifth year Hufflepuff essays to look at the girl at the back of the room. She quickly noticed him surveying her with his fathomless eye, and bent her head to look back at the current box. As she finished the second box, Snape noticed the tremble in her usually steady, firm hands. She finished the third box and made sure they were pristine.
" Sir..." She timidly called out. Her strong voice had evaporated." Sir, I have finished cleaning the flasks."
Flicking his wand, Snape made each box slot into a shelf behind him. Just at that moment, Lupin walked into the classroom.
" Ah, Severus, I am ready for the- Oh!" He exclaimed, " Hermione, what are you doing-"
" Detention, Professor." She stated feebly.
" Well- um- Professor Snape and I need to have a chat."
" About Wolfsbane, Sir?"
" It was obvious really, Sir"
Lupin gave her a questioning look. He had not even expected a seventh year to figure it out.
" When Professor Snape sent out the essay, I became suspicious, and because I already had a permission form for the restricted section of the library, from Professor Mcgonnagal, I read up on werewolves. I know that they become tired and irritable around full moon, which explained why your not in classes once a month. Also, I noticed, whenever there is steak for supper, you always have yours as rare as possible. Then I noticed your premature grey hairs, your scars and how, even when you were happy or excited, your eyes would always look tired." She explained.
Both men stared at her in shock. She was in third year. She had figured out that Lupin was a werewolf within a month.
" Did you tell..." Asked Snape, his eyes darting from co-worker to student.
" no one. Not even Harry or Ron. Parents would be prejudiced. "
They both nodded their heads. They proceeded onto the next room. Snape's quarters, Hermione guessed. Moments later, Lupin came out of the room, holding a clear flask with black slime in it.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness brushed over the girl. She shook her head. She couldn't be sick. She had to much work to do to be sick.
" Miss Granger, are you going to leave?" Snape questioned. He then noticed that her chocolaty eyes were glassy, and that she was swaying slightly on the spot , her bag hanging loosely from her fingers.
" Miss Granger." He said. He pulled one of the chairs next to her.
His large, steady hands gently pushed her into it.
" Here. Drink." He handed her a small cup of water from the jug he kept on his desk. She gingerly took a minute sip and set it back down on the desk. Attempting to get up, she felt the dizziness again, but stronger this time.
" Oh no, Hermione." Snape said softly, but not the same voice he used on Neville when he did something wrong with his potions. Thus voice was fatherly, gentle and calming.
" You are not going anywhere."
" Sir..." She whispered, her voice croaky. " I have my work to finish."
" No. I have several questions to ask you, concerning your health."
She nodded her head slowly. What could be wrong with her, for Snape to not just let her go back to Gryffindor tower to finish her work.
" When was the last time you slept, Hermione?" Hermione's head snapped up as Snape called her by her first name. She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her of.
" Fully, for eight hours or more."
She took a moment to consider her options. She could lie, say that she sleeps properly every single night. No; she probably looked tired, and Parvati had pointed out the circles under her eyes. And she was a terrible liar anyway.
" Start of the year, Sir." She murmured. She was scared that she would be scolded.
Instead, Severus conjured parchment, ink and at stunning peacock feather quill. He scribbled something on the parchment.
" When was the last time you are a proper meal, and not had a pick at one?" He was staring at Hermione's bony hands, her hollow cheeks and the prominent bones in her neck.
" when the year started. "
A minute later, something else was scribbled down on the parchment.
" What time do you go to bed at night?"
Hermione thought. She didn't really look at the clock often, but when she went up to the girls dormitory, it usually read between eleven o'clock and two o'clock.
" Between eleven and two. It depends what work I have." The questions were becoming odd now. Why would Snape, of all teachers, want to know about her health?
" What time do you wake up?"
" Five-ish, maybe half past four."
" Stay here for a moment please."
Swiftly, after a couple of seconds, he walked back into the room carrying a muggle thermometer.
"I want to take you temperature."
She quickly obeyed, opening her mouth as her temperature was taken.
" 39.7 degrees. I will personally escort you to the infirmary. You have an extremely high temperature."
He was trying not to panic. The only person he had ever seen with a temperature this high was Remus, when it was new moon, AND he had a cold.
" but sir, my work, there's so much of it to do, and time. There's not enough time. I gave no time to be sick!" Her breathing had quickened. Her chest heaved as she panicked.
" Miss Granger! Calm down. Bend over, that's it, head between your knees. Deep breaths. Careful, you may begin to hyperventilate!"
As Hermione took long, gasping breaths, Snape sent a patronus to Lupin, Mcgonnagal, Dumbledore and Pomphrey. They each came running in, and caught sight of the scene before them. Snape was rubbing Hermione's back, in the way you rub a toddler's when they vomit. Hermione was pale, and had red rising to her cheeks. Dumbledore immediately conjured a stretcher and levitated her onto it. Pomphrey was speaking rapidly to Snape, getting details of her temperature and state of health. Lupin sent a shaggy wolf-like Patronus to both Harry and Ron, alerting them of the current situation. He then pulled a bottle of fever reducer from the shelf above him. It slipped down her throat, but her temperature remained high. They moved her onto one of the crisp, white hospital beds, her hair spread across the pillow. They all noticed the golden chain that had slipped out from under her jumper. Dumbledore removed it and carefully placed it on the table next to the bed. If it accidentally got knocked while Hermione was wearing it, she may have gotten thrown back years in time.
The medi-witch was taking her pulse. It was weak, but not life threateningly so. She heaved a sigh of relief and explained this to everyone. Severus then conjured a pair of red pyjamas for her. Pomphrey told everyone to go outside of the curtains. As she changed Hermione into the new clothes. She gasped in horror as she saw the girl's physical condition. Her ribs could be counted easily, her hips jutted out alarmingly, her knees were thin, her eyeballs strangely prominent.
When Hermione was change and under the warm blankets, Snape walked up to her with a potion.
" Drink. It will reduce your fever, and make you tired enough to sleep longer than an hour."
As the blue fluid slid down to her stomach and through her blood, Hermione instantly felt sleepy, and a lot cooler.
She shuffled under the blankets and closed her eyes.
Snape advanced towards her, carrying bottles of deadly poisons, while Dumbledore ripped up her Witch's approval and turned her into a muggle. Harry and Ron both spat at her and kicked her down and Malfoy began to torture her. She thrashed around, desperately trying to free herself as the others joined Malfoy.
A set of hands woke her up. They shook her until her eyes popped open. She saw the blurry outline of Snape, who was muttering soothing words to her. Tears streamed down her face. She brought her knees up to her chest, and head in hands, began to sob. Snape realised that she was having a nightmare, and untangled her from the mass of blankets wrapped around her limbs.
" Shhh, it was only a dream." He soothed, allowing her to collapse into his arms. " shhh, dear child. It is gone now. Would you like to go back to sleep, if I give you a dreamless sleeping potion?"
Shakily, she nodded her head. After drinking a shimmering pink mixture, she slipped of to sleep.
Severus did not leave her side. Instead, he patted her shoulder as she breathed heavily. So helpless, so weak... He thought. Eventually, he fell asleep, back resting on the wall, head slightly leaning in his shoulder
Sunlight shined through the window. Hermione sat up, and noticed the black-clad Man next to her. She vaguely remembered her nightmare, thrashing about and being given a potion to help her sleep.
Madame Pomphrey bustled in, carrying a tray containing toast and water for Hermione, and a bacon sandwich with coffee got Severus.
" Ah, you're awake! Eat up dearie. Severus, wake up. It's nine o'clock!"
Severus woke from his slumber, rubbing his neck to help wake up. He saw the tray of breakfast, and hermione facing a portion of buttered toast. She had managed to eat two slices by the time he was done.
" Good, you've eaten quite a lot." The medi-witch said, impressed with the amount Hermione consumed.
" Yes, because I didn't want to have you lot trying to shove food into me." Hermione muttered under her breath.
Snape heard and couldn't help but laugh.
At lunch, Hermione was given a large portion of pasta salad, with boiled potatoes. She managed a little over half, but when the nurse left, she turned a rather interesting shade of green, before turning pale. Snape, seeing what would happen, quickly summoned a bucket and put it infront of Hermione. She brought up everything she had eaten that day, and sighed weakly.
Snape told Poppy of the situation. Another potion was given to her. Dreamless sleep awaited her.
Hermione woke feeling fresh and happy. She didn't feel hot. She didn't feel sick.
" Sir," she asked her professor, " why do I feel so good, when not even 24 hours ago I was vomiting my inside up?"
" We used a series of spells. Professor Flitwick charmed your immune system to function better, Professor Lupin bathed your face and neck with cold water, while I found several handy potions. You are discharged, and your workload reduced. Mr Potter and Mr Weasley have been informed to make sure you eat properly. Miss Weasley has been told to make sure you are asleep before ten o'clock."
Hermione nodded taking everything in.
" and Granger," Hermione looked around,
" Don't ever do this to yourself again."