- Prologue -
Hermione hesitated, the gargoyle's password on the tip of her tongue. She took a deep, steadying breath and then she opened her mouth.
"Liquorice wands," Hermione murmured determinedly pushing from her mind the innuendo that Harry had made on their last visit to the headmaster. As she impatiently stood on the revolving stair she wondered why she was being called to the office.
It couldn't be Order business as none of the other students in the Order had been called. Plus, those meetings were held in Snape's office, or classroom under the cover of detentions. It worked fairly well, as most of the junior Order members were Gryffindors, with a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws thrown in for good measure. The only Slytherin to have joined was Theo Nott.
But it couldn't be a Prefect's meeting either, as the other prefects, hadn't been called. She had seen the ever annoying Slytherin prefect, Draco Malfoy, terrifying two young Hufflepuff boys on her way up. If she hadn't already been late for the meeting, she would have berated him for making the poor firsties cry.
It couldn't be anything that she, Harry and Ron had done, as the boys weren't with her, and frankly, they had been so busy with school work, and Order work that they hadn't actually broken any rules.
Hermione was also sure that it couldn't be to do with the DA that she had taken over running from Harry either. The last meeting had gone well, and Professor Flitwick was the teacher who observed and dealt with their meetings.
So, as she raised her fist to knock on the door at the top of the staircase Hermione realised that she had no idea at all why she was there. Sighing slightly, she knocked tartly on the polished wood.
The door flew open at once and an unseen hand propelled her into the room, door slamming back into place behind her a moment later. Without thinking, Hermione instinctively ducked down behind the nearest chair, wand sending out a jet of purple light as she went. Just as she was about to peer out from behind her hiding place, and cast another hex she heard the headmaster's famous self-deprecating chuckle.
"My apologies, Miss Granger," his wizened old voice creaked. Hermione stood up and moved around the chair rather sheepishly. "I should have perhaps given you some warning." Hermione struggled to stop herself from laughing at the fully fledged pair of antlers that now protruded from the headmaster's head.
"Perhaps," she acknowledged sagely, noting that the chair she had hidden behind contained a rather careworn Professor McGonagall.
"Albus!" The elder woman hissed in a clear reprimand. "There are pressing matters at hand!"
"Of course, Minerva. I forget myself." The headmaster waved his wand at himself and the antlers disappeared instantly. "Miss Granger, we have called you here as we have a… task for you."
"What sort of task?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes slightly, a wary tone edging into her voice. The Headmaster was notorious for his ideas, some of which Hermione thought were completely crazy. He'd wanted Theodore Nott to try to seduce one of the Death Eater children, and had actually suggested Malfoy, conveniently forgetting that Nott was seeing Tracey Davies, and wasn't gay. Or at least she didn't think he was. "A task for Hermione the prefect, or for Hermione Harry's best friend, or for Hermione DA leader?"
"For Hermione, member of the Order of the Phoenix." Dumbledore shot back. "Professor Snape is in a spot of bother. He is currently stuck in a Muggle hospital. You are the only available Order member that has any experience with Muggle hospitals, and healing charms. I would ask that you retrieve him for us. I would not ask if we were not desperate, child."
Hermione frowned, crossing her arms across her chest whilst her eyes narrowed ever further. She thought for a moment, organising the questions in her mind into some semblance of order. First things first, she decided, let's work out if I should actually go.
"A few questions, headmaster." She said aloud. The old man nodded, as Hermione continued. "Why is he in a Muggle hospital? How do we know that he is there, and that it is actually Professor Snape?"
"Professor Snape was ambushed by several Death Eaters after a meeting last night. I am not entirely sure of the details, but I believe that they found it amusing to leave him at the doors of a Muggle hospital, stopping him from completing any tasks that Voldemort or I have set for him. They removed his wand, and have left it at his ancestral home, for him to collect when he is recovered-"
"Bastards!" Hermione was startled by Professor McGonagall's vehement hiss.
"Yes, Minnie, they are." Dumbledore said consolingly, only to be interrupted by Hermione this time.
"Headmaster, if the Professor doesn't have his wand, how could he have contacted you?"
"No doubt you know Professor Snape is a very powerful wizard, Miss Granger." He said slowly. "But I am not sure how to put his power into context for you. Suffice to say that our Potions Master can perform some acts of strenuous wandless magic. He sent me a Patronus message, giving me his whereabouts. Also, young Mr Nott has informed me that he received an owl from his father corroborating the Professor's story." Hermione nodded again, before sighing in resignation.
"Why am I the only one who can do this?" She asked suddenly, eyebrows drawing together into a frown. "There are other Muggle-born Order members with much more experience than I have, why not use one of them? What about Hestia Jones? She has a lot more experience in the field than I do."
"Madam Jones is… indisposed, at the current time. She is on another, sensitive, mission that she cannot be pulled from, I am afraid."
"Why not Marcus Belby, or Eddie Carmichael?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrowed. Both of the boys were older than her and Muggleborn.
"Mr. Belby has little experience with hospitals, and Mr. Carmichael has patrol tonight. As he is Head Boy, he cannot switch shifts with anyone except the Head Girl, and Miss Bell is currently in the Hospital Wing after the Gryffindor Quidditch practice held this morning."
"Jeremy Stretton?"
"No experience with healing spells, my dear."
"Lee Jordan?"
"Miss Granger, could you imagine Mr Jordan treating Professor Snape with any dignity? Or without being severely hexed?"
"Melinda Bobbin?"
"No experience with the Obliviate charm, I am afraid."
"Roger- Did you say the Obliviate charm? Why would I need to use the Obliviate charm?"
"Miss Granger, you must understand. If Professor Snape is to save any face with the other Death Eaters, it must appear that he has extricated himself. He will be too weak to cover his own tracks at the hospital, so you must help him. I am afraid if you do not, that things may go badly for him the next time he is summoned. I ask again, child, will you go?"Hermione groaned inwardly, but threw her chin out in strong defiance.
"Fine. Where is he, and how soon can I go?"
- HBP - HBP - HBP - HBP - HBP -
Forty-three minutes later, Hermione apparated into a dark alleyway next to the Chelsea and Westminster hospital. Quickly, she ran over her story, speaking it aloud softly in an attempt to make it stick more solidly into her memory. She ran a hand through her new hair absently smiling at the silkiness. Professor McGonagall had transfigured her hair black and poker straight, darkened her eyes and given her thinner lips, so that she would match the Professor more closely.
"My name is Louisa Prince. Severus Snape is my uncle, I am to visit him. Louisa Prince. Niece. Prince. Uncle. Louisa." After taking what felt like her thousandth deep, steadying breath, Hermione left the alley, and entered the hospital reception. She walked fairly quickly to the reception desk, where a blonde woman sat, filing her nails.
"May I help you?" She asked, in a snide tone of voice that suggested 'helping' was the last thing on earth she wanted to do.
"Yes you may." Hermione snapped waspishly. "I am here to visit my Uncle, a Mr Severus Snape. If you would tell me where he is?" The blonde sighed and melodramatically threw down her nail file before turned to the computer, and typing something in with manicured patent red nails.
"There is no Severus Snape registered as at this hospital." She said, again in the snide tone. "Are you sure you're at the right place?"
"My uncle is here!"Hermione maintained. "I received a phone call telling me so, and so help me god, I will have your job if you do not find him for me this instant!" The woman sat up a little straighter in her seat.
"If he is not under his correct name, there is nothing I can do." The woman glared at Hermione, eyes ever so slightly narrowed.
"You will call every ward, if you have to, but I will see my uncle." Hermione said. "I can imagine this leaking to the papers, the Chelsea and Westminster hospital loses patient!" The receptionist paled.
"If you could give me a description, I'll see what I can do." She said unsurely.
"He's about six foot two, long, black hair, dark eyes, extremely pale skin. He's thirty-seven years old, will have been wearing all black and all of the staff will hate him. He will very possibly be refusing medication and treatment. Now go find." Hermione was oddly quite pleased with her description, and her mimicry of the dour Professor's manner. In the wizarding world, one would never have had to describe Professor Snape; such an infamous figure in such a small population is well known. The receptionist narrowed her eyes slightly, and pursed her lips.
"I have heard of a man who is… awkward." She offered. "I think he had dark hair. I'll call their ward." After a phone call which lasted about a minute and a half the receptionist smiled in a simpering manner. "Your Uncle appears to be in a private room, they're sending a porter over to collect you, if you'll just wait a moment or two." Sure enough, a rather portly porter appeared in front of her, and told her he was to take her to her Uncle.
Hermione noticed that the porter left her at the Nurses' station in the corridor, and scurried away, and that the Nurse on duty only showed her to the door, and not into the room the Professor was in. She hid a small smirk; obviously the Potions Master had lived up to his reputation and chased everyone away.
Hermione knocked on the door, and upon receiving no response, let herself in anyway. The bed was rumpled, but empty. Hermione frowned and looked about the room, drawing her wand, just in case. He forehead smoothed at the sight of a door across from her left slightly ajar. The Professor must have assumed it was another Death Eater.
"Professor?" Hermione called, closing the door behind her and casting a Silencing charm. "Professor, it's Hermione Granger. I've come to take you back to Hogwarts." Still no response. Hermione clutched tightly to her wand, and crept towards the door. She pushed it further open and stopped short at the sight.
Professor Snape, the most loathed and feared teacher in Hogwarts was naked. And his face, instead of being twisted into a fierce scowl was now a visage of peace, and beauty. His eyes were closed instead of glaring. And he was smiling, not smirking. Not just any old smile either. His smile was peaceful and joyous, completely relaxed. He was beautiful.
Hermione's eyes moved from side to side as she registered the room. It was a bathroom with a walk in shower. That's where he was, in the shower. And, of course, there weren't any curtains so that a Nurse could see if a patient had fallen.
Her eyes travelled downwards with the water that cascaded onto his face and neck, following the path down his surprisingly well-muscled chest. He didn't have obvious muscles, but a sort of wiry strength. Sparse dark hair covered his chest, leading downwards to- OH!
Snape (she couldn't look at him naked and call him Professor) was a man. Hermione knew that, yet, when presented with irrefutable evidence couldn't look away. It was quite a large piece of evidence too, she thought to herself. And then his hand slid down across his chest, and he started to touch himself.
He let out a low groan, as his hand wrapped roughly around his member, slowly pulling the foreskin away from his head, and then pushing it back up. His rhythm began to increase, and Hermione could see him using more force, his hand squeezing as he moved. His free hand came underneath, to fondle at his testicles. He groaned again, louder this time, and leaned the back of his head on the wall of the shower.
Hermione moaned slightly in the back of her throat as he came, watching the white ejaculate wash off his hand. When she looked back up to his face, his obsidian eyes were wide open, and staring at her.
"Professor Snape!" She squeaked, much higher pitched than she had intended. "I'm here to take you back to Hogwarts." The man nodded slowly. "I'll just wait out here."
As Hermione whirled around, and exited the room, she missed her Professor's lip curl upwards, into a much more predatory facsimile of his usual smirk, his flaccid penis growing harder once more.