A/N: Dedicated, with thanks, to mtchar, LittleDarkFox and Spellbindersasuke.
Not to worry folks Ron will make more appearances. The plotline for this is slow to start with but it all quickly evolves. Though it does seem to be steering away from my plan...meh.
"Minerva, for the last time I do not want to take care of her. I am a skilled potions master, I should not be reduced to the likes of taking care of little girls!"
Severus was not particularly happy. After removing the broken girl from her former residence, and transferring her to the hospital wing, the two professors were at a loss for what to do with her.
"Severus she is barely a girl anymore! If you weren't so wrapped up in the past, you would realise that!" Minerva huffed. It had to be the one week in which Poppy had taken her annual leave to be with her husband.
"That is besides the point. What possible help could I be? I will defend anyone who is unfortunate enough to go through what she has, but do not make the mistake of confusing that with care." True enough, when Severus Snape had seen the poor girl lying broken, crushed, disheartened girl, weeping barely conscious into the floor, he had felt a mixture of emotions. Surprise was prevalent- seemed the golden Gryffindor princess and prince were not so perfect after all.
But somewhere, stirring underneath his distanced surprise and sneer, he felt pity. Pity for the fallen hero. He could see himself in her.
Minerva sighed.
"Severus, I'm not asking you to care. But Poppy is on holiday, and I know that you and your ego know that you are the next best placed to care for Miss Granger."
"I will take care of her ... physical damages. Her mental condition is none of my concern." He stared coldly at Minerva through black eyes. He was perfectly happy not caring about people. If he did not care about people, people did not care about him and that was how he liked it. After the war everyone had offered their profuse thanks and apologies. Offers of friendship, common street whores throwing themselves at him. Fine for taking care of his... needs. On a purely superficial level. All rejected with the same coolness that penetrated his heart. He had pretended to be a cruel, heartless death eater for so long that he sometimes wondered where the act ended and the real man began.
No point trying to change that now.
"That will have to do." Minerva sighed and exited the wing of the hospital, leaving Severus alone with the ex-pupil turned teacher.
Muttering lowly under his breath, Severus pulled out his wand. First things first he would need a list of injuries so he would know what he was healing. Casting a quick assessment charm, he pulled a 'Quick Quotes Quill' out of his robes, and it scribed the list he was now dictating.
"Lacerations and welts to the lower back, likely from a belt... signs of restricted airflow to the brain due to strangulation could explain the unconscious state, if the throat marks are anything to go by... fingernail scratches and bruises on the wrists and lower arms...there is an injury to the back of the head however it seems to predate the rest...looking to have been done two to three weeks ago. Hmm. Palms of hands and feet look bruised, most likely due to attempts at defence. Silly girl seems to have forgotten she is a witch. Burn marks to the waist and abdomen, one cracked vertebrae in lower back..." He smirked. "Maybe due to carrying so many books."
"Deep scars run across the stomach and back, but this may be due to a car crash two months prior to ... the incident. Does not seem to have been healed at the time. Signs of internal damage....due to a ... miscarriage..." He immediately felt guilty for his earlier 'joke'. The poor girl's fate was unfortunate. Thankfully most of her injuries were not serious and could be healed with a good few doses of Dittany. The more serious- fractured bones, internal damage, the head wound- would require a few potions, which he knew he would need to brew.
He glanced down at Hermionie, laying in the bed. A bit taller than the last time he had properly looked at her – she had been 16 at the time- she still looked like the same mousy haired Gryffindor. The personification of everything he despised. Noble, brave, loved. Well, if last night was anything to go by, maybe not loved. But the way she so effortlessly seemed to have everything she wanted in life- he despised her for that.
He growled under his breath, and reprimanded himself for being so self pitying. He had made his bed the day he had betrayed Lilly- he now had to lie in it. His betrayal of Lilly had lead to everything going wrong- the taking of the dark mark, agreeing to be a spy, everyone hating him. The use of that awful word- mudblood. Sure, he could make a resolution. Now that the war was over, he could vow to never be that person again, to be happy, to remain un-haunted by the visions of his past. But he was so far into his life that he doubted he could ever change.
Waving his wand again, Dittany was applied to Hermionie's superficial cuts and lacerations. Snape had agreed to take care of her, but he would not touch her. He did not want the warmth of another human close to him. He didn't need the nostalgia.
"Professor?" Hermionie croaked, opening her eyes. Upon seeing him, her cheeks burnt a russet shade of shame. She could distinctly remember her two colleagues turning up at her house, finding her curled up, naked in her drawing room. Sobbing into the carpet for everything that was lost and could not be saved- sometimes she wondered if that included herself.
"Miss Granger no words are necessary. I will heal you but I do not wish for an explanation of your injuries. For that you may require speaking to Minerva."
She looked at him in confusion, opening her mouth again to speak, but he raised his hand to indicate the required silence.
"I am aware of your extensive injuries. I have healed the superficial, minor assaults to your person, and the potions required to rid you of the injuries more severe....will be ready by tomorrow. Until then I suggest you do not leave your bed."
With that, the aloof professor swept himself from the room, leaving Hermionie thoroughly alone. She knew it was wrong to wallow in self pity. But of course, how could she not. When everyone found out what had happened....Harry would, of course, stick by his best friend. The Weasleys would stick by their son and brother, respectively. Her parents were long gone victims of the war, she had no siblings. No other close friends. Not for the first time, Hermionie felt truly alone.
A/N: I know this isn't a particularly happy or active chapter but you will get more action soon I promise.
As always, I adore reviews and they motivate me to update faster.