Disclaimer: All characters, settings, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling. Plot and pairing are my only contribution.
Author's Note: Hello readers, welcome to the start of my first Harry Potter fanfiction. As much as I love the books and movies, it has been a while since I've read Deathly Hallows, so some of the details will be movie-oriented. I apologize if there are any major slip ups. I hope you enjoy the story, and feel free to leave a review or send a PM!
Hermione sat by the window in her corner of the girls' dormitory, watching as the rain gently coated the glass. After discussing her options with now-headmistress McGonagall, she had decided to stay at the school after the Battle of Hogwarts. Her parents still had no memory of her, and were likely somewhere in Australia; she didn't have an immediate home to go to. She knew the Weasley's would welcome her, but with their extended relatives coming together to mourn Fred, Hermione didn't want to intrude on their grief or their limited household space. At the school, she could at least help with the aftermath, and McGonagall had assured her that Hermione would always have a home there. So she decided to stay, and promised both Harry and Ron that she would write to them and visit when possible, and that she would see them when the school reopened.
She was to assist in preparing the castle for a new year, which included anything from helping with the magical repairs to the school's infrastructure to playing secretary to many of the faculty as they prepared and polished their coursework. It felt good to be back in the Gryffindor dormitory, after spending so much time on the run with Harry, but she also felt pangs of remorse whenever she walked by the damage leftover from the Battle of Hogwarts. She and everyone else had lost many good friends in the effort to defeat the Dark Lord, and although their victory brought with it new hope and a sense of peace, it didn't diminish the pain of losing so many. She was thankful for the survivors though, a fact she was reminded of every time she visited the hospital wing.
When she grew bored with watching the rain and letting her thoughts wander, she decided to head to the very place she had just been thinking about. It was still early in the morning, and she'd taken breakfast in her room, so she didn't yet have any assignments from the staff or the Headmistress to work on. Hermione grabbed a book and started the trek down to the hospital wing, greeting a few ghosts and staff members as she passed them.
She spent a great deal of time in this part of the castle when she wasn't working on anything specific. She would go, as she did now, to sit beside one of the few remaining occupied cots in the room, looking over the sleeping patient with worried eyes. Madam Pomfrey updated her on his condition every time she visited, kindly reassuring the girl and occasionally offering her small tasks to keep her busy. Mostly though, Hermione would sit at his bedside and read, sometimes to herself, but often aloud, hoping the words would somehow reach the man in his comatose state.
Her eyes moved from his long, black hair to his strong features and pale skin. She noted, for the thousandth time, how odd it was to see him without the perpetual frown she was used to. He looked peaceful in sleep, but the worry that he may never wake ate away at her. Severus Snape was a tenacious man, no doubt, but he had been on the cusp of death when they'd found him. Now, knowing that he was not a traitor, but a hero, Hermione deeply wished that he would recover from the attack by Nagini. To that end, she had been visiting him in the hospital wing every day since she had decided to remain at Hogwarts. She wanted to lend her support to the Professor in any way she could, even if all she could offer was her company and the occasional book read aloud.
He had yet to regain consciousness, however, so for all she knew those efforts were in vain. Madam Pomfrey did her best to assure Hermione that he was stable, and expected to wake soon; that it was a harrowing injury he received, and his recovery would be slow. Yet her stomach fluttered with unease each time she came to visit, and Professor Snape still remained unconscious.
Hermione remembered that horrible night when Harry, Ron and her had silently witnessed Snape's attack, and subsequently found him covered in blood. The sight was horrific, and for a moment, both she and Ron had been frozen in shock. Harry had the quick sense to immediately try to staunch Snape's bleeding, while the dying man had insisted on giving Harry his memories to view. Luckily, Hermione had feared that one of them would be gravely injured in the battle; determined to keep her two best friends alive, she snuck several potent healing drafts into her pockets in preparation. It never occurred to her that she would have to use them on Professor Snape, but none of the three could bear standing by and watching the man die like that.
She had applied essence of dittany in generous amounts over his gaping wound, and waited anxiously as it slowly closed. Snape had lost a great deal of blood, though, and had passed out already. She knew he would need a trained healer to tend him immediately if he were going to survive, so when the three friends made it back to the castle, she set out to find Madam Pomfrey or one of her assistants for help. At first, they had refused, convinced that Snape was a traitor and overwhelmed with injured students already. But soon enough, Harry had viewed Snape's memories in the pensieve and helped her convince the staff that Snape was worth saving. Hermione had seen a few of the medical staff headed toward where they'd left him, but she and Ron soon became caught in the battle with Nagini and there was no time to think about how Snape was faring.
Hermione internally shuddered remembering the other things that had taken place that awful day, but she'd been glad when it was all over and she'd heard that Snape was hanging on. After the dust settled, Harry had formally explained what he'd seen in Snape's memories to Professor McGonagall and the others, even inviting her to view them herself if she was uncertain. Ultimately, they all learned the truth, and the Hogwarts staff did what they could to help his recovery. His conditioned stabilized, but two weeks passed and he had yet to wake up. Now, Hermione once again took up her vigil in the hopes that she would see him finally begin to stir.
Most of the staff, including Madam Pomfrey, credited Hermione's quick work with the dittany with saving Snape's life, but until he woke up, she wouldn't accept any praise. After all Snape had done for their cause, and for Harry, risking his life as a spy, she wished she could have done more to help.
As it was, she opened her latest book to the page she left off on the previous day and began reading aloud in a steady, quiet way. This helped her relax as much at it allowed her to keep watch over Professor Snape, and she soon became absorbed in the text. It was a biography of some obscure, ancient Wizarding family, and the genealogy bits were tedious, but Hermione found the details of their lives fascinating. This particular family had been no stranger to scandal, and their story sounded more like fiction than fact to her.
"A biography, Miss Granger? Were you trying to wake me, or bore me into a more permanent sort of slumber?" The voice was hoarse but unmistakably baritone, and it startled Hermione into nearly dropping the book. She looked up quickly, her eyes going wide as they confirmed that Professor Snape was indeed awake, and he was watching her with a tired, but lucid gaze.
She took in a surprised breath before a genuine, bright smile spread across her face. She was so glad to see him awake that she was almost tempted to jump up and hug the man. Almost.
"Professor!" she exclaimed instead, laying the book down on a table beside his cot. "It's good to see you're finally awake! How do you feel?" she asked quickly, looking him over once more. He slowly raised an eyebrow at her.
"Did you become a Healer while I was unconscious, Miss Granger? It would explain what you're doing…at my bedside," Snape responded, before casually glancing at their surroundings. If he was surprised to find himself alive and still at Hogwarts, he made no effort to show it.
Meanwhile, Hermione did her best to hide the smirk threatening to break out on her face; after all, sarcasm from him meant that Professor Snape was definitely on the mend and fully functioning.
"No Professor, I did not. I was just visiting," she replied, trying to tamp down the brief flash of embarrassment at having been caught reading to him. "I'll go and get Madam Pomfrey for you. She'll be gad to know you've woken up. They all will," she added softly. Snape cleared his throat, giving her a questioning look at that. Hermione took a step closer to his cot, looking down at him with respect in her eyes.
"We know what you did for Harry all those years," she explained. "He told us all after seeing your memories. He told us what you did for Dumbledore, for the Order…the danger you put yourself in. Everyone here is very grateful to you, Professor, myself included."
She continued to look at him, and Snape watched her warily. After a moment of silence, he sighed and said simply, "I see."
Hermione nodded and stepped back, intent on finding Madam Pomfrey as soon as possible. She smiled once more at the surly professor, relief flooding her as she sought out the Healer.
Severus watched her leave, glancing over at the book she left behind once she was out of sight. It was a strange experience, to say the least, waking up to find himself alive and within the Hogwarts hospital wing, and even more bizarre to find Hermione Granger reading aloud beside him. He'd watched for several moments before speaking, taking the time to recognize his surroundings and observe his apparent visitor. It became obvious she was reading to him, just as it became obvious that she had chosen horrendously boring material for the task. He was confused by her presence, and confused that he'd survived at all, but he supposed there would be time enough for explanations later.
As he waited for her to return with Poppy, Severus considered what she'd said about Potter outing him to the Hogwarts staff. He assumed, by the mere fact that he lived and the Granger girl could sit around causally reading, that the Dark Lord had been successfully defeated. That being the case, he supposed it wasn't unreasonable for the others to know his true role, but still, he was loathe to share the details of his personal life. There would be questions no doubt, questions he didn't much care to answer.
He leaned back against his pillow, replaying his final memories from the attack on the school. He remembered the pain of the snakebite, the certainty that he would die then and there. He vaguely recalled Potter and his friends hovering over him, taking his tears as he insisted. After that, there was a blur of what might have been the girl leaning over him, but he couldn't be sure. It was hazy and he was still quite exhausted, though he fortunately felt no pain where the wound had healed. He reached up, feeling the outline of a nasty scar on his throat, but grateful just the same to have escaped death.
The girl soon returned with Madam Pomfrey, who looked elated to see him sitting up and looking around with a droll expression. Severus noticed Granger observing him quietly while the Healer began fussing over him, and quirked his eyebrow curiously. When she flushed slightly, he became even more skeptical, intending to comment on it when Poppy suddenly spoke first.
"See now, I told you he'd be fine soon enough, Miss Granger. No need to worry anymore. I'll look after the professor; why don't you go and check in with the Headmistress? I'm sure she'll have some work for you to do, dear," she said gently. Hermione flushed once again, and nodded to both Severus and Poppy before taking her leave.
"Poor girl's been worried sick about you," Poppy continued, this time to Severus. "She's come in every day to check on you since it happened two weeks ago. Took to reading to you in hopes of bringin' you out of it, too. Don't know how she found the time, with all of the work she's been doing around the castle," she muttered, all the while examining Severus for any abnormalities. There were several aspects of her statement that seemed ludicrous to Severus, so he opted to tackle the most obvious one first.
"Miss Granger came to visit me…every day? For what possible reason?" he asked sharply. Poppy shrugged.
"Like I said, she was worried for you. She was afraid you wouldn't wake, but I kept telling her you would eventually. Had to see it for herself, I suppose," she answered.
Severus found it hard to believe and somewhat disconcerting that the Granger girl appeared to take such a steadfast interest in his well-being. He supposed it could simply be her Gryffindor sensibilities showing themselves once again, but Poppy's words suggested more to the story. He then remembered something else she had remarked upon, and decided to ask about it.
"You mentioned the attack was a few weeks ago now, did you not? Why is Miss Granger still here? Shouldn't the students have returned to their homes by now?" he questioned. Poppy met his eyes for a moment, and something sad briefly shadowed her face.
"Yes, you're right about that. All of the students have gone back to their families, with the exception of Miss Granger, of course. She couldn't return to her home, so she remained here to assist with repairing the castle and to help the professors organize their courses for the school's reopening. She's been an immense help," Poppy explained.
"And why could she not return to her home?" he responded, narrowing his eyes at the woman. Her face darkened once more before she spoke again.
"Well now, that's not my story to tell. You'll have to ask the young lady or Headmistress McGonagall about that." Severus was not surprised that Minerva had inherited the position, but he was disturbed by whatever mysterious circumstances kept Granger at the school at a time like this. He would make a note to discover the cause later on.
"But on the bright side of things, she'll be going into her last year as a student when the school reopens, so perhaps all this extracurricular work will help her decide what she'll want to do after she graduates," Poppy reasoned. Severus merely grunted in response.
"I for one think she should be a Healer, what with that quick thinking she did on you," Poppy continued easily. "Smart girl, keeping all that dittany on her at a time like that. Did a great deal of our work, and most definitely saved your skin in the nick of time." Poppy was now standing, checking things off on a hovering scroll as she walked about the room muttering. The full force of her words hit Severus a moment later.
He was taken aback at the revelation that not only had Hermione Granger saved his life that night, but she'd also continued to monitor his progress in the aftermath. She showed a level of concern for him that shocked him. He didn't understand where this came from or what she was thinking, but he would find out. And he would repay her, in what way he could, for saving him from a painful death.
Hermione spent the rest of the morning and late into the afternoon helping Professor Flitwick reorganize his entire classroom, including some newly improved step stools for him to use to get a better view of the room. After she'd finished this, she'd received a message from the Headmistress requesting her presence in her office. Hermione frowned on her way there, wondering why McGonagall would call her back after seeing her only just that morning. When she arrived, she was surprised by what she saw.
Professor Snape was seated across from the Headmistress' desk, wearing the familiar black robes once more. He looked much better than he had this morning, although he still seemed too pale and his features were pinched with fatigue. He watched her closely as she entered the office.
"Good afternoon, Miss Granger," said McGonagall. "I take it you've finished assisting Professor Flitwick for today?"
"Yes, Headmistress," Hermione replied. She cast a subtle glance at Snape, startled to find he was still watching her. McGonagall noticed her gaze and offered a small smile.
"Very good. As you can see, Hermione, Professor Snape has recovered well enough to be released from Madam Pomfrey's care," she began. "However, he still needs to take things slowly for the time being. I have informed him of everything that transpired while he was injured, and where the school now stands. He will need significant help in sorting out the Defense classroom, as well as performing many of his regular duties for the school. To that end, Professor Snape has requested your assistance, " she explained.
Hermione glanced from one professor to the other in surprise. He asked for my help? She thought. It was unexpected, but she was more than happy to help with whatever he needed to do. He was a hero, after all, and she found that the time she'd spent watching over him in the hospital wing had helped her grow more comfortable in his presence.
"Of course, Professor," she answered McGonagall. She then turned directly to Professor Snape and met his gaze. "I'd be happy to help."
He seemed to measure her for a moment with an inscrutable expression, before finally nodding.
"Thank you, Miss Granger," he simply stated. Hermione nodded politely, but inwardly she was surprised yet again. Professor Snape has just thanked her, of all people, without even a hint of sarcasm or condescension. She made a mental note to remember this in case such an event never happened again.
The headmistress, seeming satisfied with the new arrangement, brought their meeting to a close. She wished them both a good evening, and walked them out of her office. As the pair exited, Hermione felt suddenly unsure of herself beside the professor. She wanted to ask how he was feeling, but the usual frown had settled upon his face again, and she wasn't certain he would appreciate any questions at the moment. She did notice though that his walk was stiff and slightly awkward, likely the result of being stuck in bed for so long. She was sure Madam Pomfrey would have given him something to ease the soreness, but it was clear he had a way to go before he'd be completely recovered.
"You're staring, Granger," Snape murmured bluntly. She looked up suddenly, coming out of her thoughts to notice that Professor Snape had stopped walked and was now looking at her suspiciously. She blushed in embarrassment and quickly stammered out an apology.
"I'm sorry Professor, it's just…well…are you sure you should be getting back to work so soon? You just came to this morning," she said gingerly.
He raised his chin and answered sharply. "I appreciate your concern, Miss Granger, but I am well enough. And I have better things to do than sit around all day while Madam Pomfrey gossips at me."
Hermione snorted in amusement and replied, "Well, if you're sure, sir. When would you like to begin working?" He eyed her critically.
"Do you have any plans at the moment, Granger?" Her eyebrows quickly rose.
"What, right now?" she asked quizzically.
"I believe that was fairly clear from my question," Snape responded irritably. "Yes, right now."
"You really don't waste any time, do you?" Hermione muttered. At his glare, she amended, "Not that it's a bad thing. But yes, I'm free to help."
"Good," he grunted. Then, he pulled something from within his robes. "You left this in the hospital wing. Do not be so careless with your books in the future." He turned to leave, but then looked back. "Meet me in the Defense classroom in fifteen minutes." with that, he turned back around and walked away from her.
Hermione stared after him, then looked at the book in her hands. She blushed again at the reminder that he had woken up to catch her reading to him, and hadn't much appreciated her choice in reading material. Still, his comments didn't anger her; she was simply too relieved that he was bouncing back from his brush with death.
Now she would be spending time with him while he was awake and sarcastic as ever. She snorted again, thinking with her own touch of sarcasm about how much fun that experience would be.
Exactly fifteen minutes later, after dropping the book off at her dormitory, she opened the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom to find Professor Snape letting loose a string of profanity that managed to thoroughly embarrass Hermione. He was facing away from her, so she cleared her throat to alert him to her presence. As he turned toward her, she stepped into the room and took a good look around, suddenly understanding the professor's frustration.
The room was a complete mess, one of the places in the castle that hadn't yet been targeted for repairs. The windows were smashed in and there was debris covering the floor and desks. Torn book pages also littered the area. Hermione sighed and straightened her spine, prepared to tackle the extensive work that would need to be done. However, she couldn't stop the sly comment that slipped from her mouth.
"Well, this will be a joy, won't it Professor?" she inwardly cringed, afraid he would take issue with her making snarky comments. To her surprise, Snape allowed himself a low chuckle, and a definite smirk emerged. She looked at his eyes, startled to find they were not cold or angry as they usually appear. The sight caused a warm flutter in Hermione's chest, which she chalked up to simply being relieved that he could take a joke.
"For once, we agree Miss Granger," he quipped. Then he grimaced. "Well no point in standing here gaping at this atrocity. Get started on the left side of the room, and be quick about it," he commanded.
Clearly, Severus Snape would live to criticize another day. Shaking her head, Hermione got the distinct feeling that this would be a very long evening indeed.