Severus Snape glided silently down the corridor to the Infirmary. To the unlucky persons passing by his face was a stony mask. But inside the emotions were swirling.
It had been twelve hours since the Quidditch match was cancelled and the attack on Mrs. Granger was announced. Too long had he waited for the students to sleep and the teachers to clear out of the corridors.
Making no sound so that Poppy would not come rushing out, he sank into the chair beside Hermione's bed. The same one Ronald Weasley had occupied earlier.
He lay a pale, long-fingered hand overtop of Hermione's small one. It felt as cold as marble and it caused him to shiver.
"Hello, child," He whispered looking at her frozen face. Even the look of shock upon her face could not make less her youthful beauty. He laughed at that thought, who knew he could even think like that anymore. Maybe his heart wasn't as black as it was thought to be.
"You were very brave." Severus almost smirked but it soon flickered and turned to a look of guilt and sadness. "I'm sorry." He couldn't help but think of how this was his fault in some way. He was head of Slytherin, and the heir of Slytherin was the one doing this. He should know who it is, but he has no clue.
At first he thought it could have been Malfoy, as he had been bragging about getting Mudbloods and how they deserved it. But it couldn't possibly be Malfoy; he was too stupid and careless to control such a thing. He did not have the power.
No, it was someone else. Someone with enough power and hatred for Muggle-Borns. And Severus had only ever met one person with those qualities. Voldemort. He shivered at the thought of the dark lord and gave Hermione's hand a squeeze. But that was impossible, Voldemort had been defeated once again and could not have recovered this fast.
"Who could it be?" He wondered aloud. He had no doubt Hermione could figure it out. She had a brilliant mind and a thirst for knowledge he had seen in no one but himself. She had been found in the library after the attack, for Merlin's sake.
Severus sighed and leaned back in the chair thinking. If she made it out of this he would have to be at least civil to her. He couldn't let a mind like hers go to waste. Potions would be very trying indeed if she was not there to prove he was actually teaching someone.
He must have dosed off because the next thing he saw was a stream of light coming in the small window. He jumped up quickly in order to bolt out the door, but then realized no one was up yet.
He calmed and sat back down. Grasping her lifeless hand once again, he gave it one last squeeze before he stood to leave. "I am truly sorry, Hermione, that you are like this. We will solve it and have you back soon."
With that he exited the room with a swirl of his cape. Unbeknownst to him, Dumbledore steeped out of the shadows. He had come to check on the children that were attacked and had found Severus sleeping by Hermione's side.
His blue eyes sparkled as he thought of the good that girl could do for Severus. Indeed Severus could use someone to lighten his heart. And Hermione would be the perfect someone, sometime in the future.
The End
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