The world of Harry Potter does not belong to me. There are some parts of this story that are taken directly from the source. If you recognize it, it's not mine.
Many, many thanks to my beta YellowAsphodel.
If you have any negative comments, keep them to yourself. Or as my grandma used to say, "If you can't say anything nice, keep your mouth shut!"
Broken
Chapter 6
June 30, 1996
As if the bloody garment triggered some berserker trait from her Scottish ancestry, the Head of Gryffindor lost all sense of reason. She blasted open the bedroom door, rocking it off the hinges. Dust, small stones, and splinters of wood exploded! When the smoke cleared, Minerva McGonagall stood with her wand aloft like an avenging archangel. "Severus Snape!" she cried. Her brogue was thick enough to bludgeon the ear. "Where are ye?"
Severus Snape awoke to a thundering boom, the wailing of a banshee, and the throbbing of his head. His lightning-fast reflexes were dulled by both a crippling hangover and the sheets entangling his bare legs. He was reaching for his wand, usually kept under his pillow, when he heard the blood-curdling cry of "Expeliarmus!"
He bolted upright, his body on automatic, his arms scrambling for the sheet to cover himself. "Shite!" he exclaimed. "Minerva, what the bloody hell are you doing? Return my wand at once, you Scottish harridan!"
"Where's the girl?" she demanded. Her voice was brittle and unrelenting.
"Oh, my head," a smallish, pain-filled voice groaned. A slim arm emerged from the far side of the bed, followed by a rat's nest of brown hair. Hermione's bloated face emerged from under a blanket. "Where? Where am I?" she wondered aloud. Then as realization set in, so did her panic. "Professor Snape? Oh, no! No, no, no!" She screamed and began to hyperventilate. "This can't be happening. This isn't happening!"
"What the fuck!" Snape yelled. He leapt from the bed as if scalded, barely managing to retain enough to the sheet for modesty's sake.
"Oh, Severus," Poppy wailed. "Tell me you didn't!" She rushed to the girl's side, and wrapped her in the remaining bedcovers. "Hermione, child, it's all right now. Do you remember what happened?"
"Sweet Merlin!" Charity yelled.
Minerva's eyes were red enough to rival the Dark Lord's. "I dinna know whither ta kill ye meself or ta let Albus do it," she growled, her voice full of fire and brimstone.
"Surely you don't think that, that, that -," he stuttered, his face pale with hurt and shock.
"Explain!" McGonagall ordered, her voice was icy. She threw the bloody item at Snape.
The sight of Granger's stained clothing stunned him. His exploding head made thinking nearly impossible. "I saved the stupid girl's life at the concert yesterday," he blurted out, "and got a bloodied and broken nose for my trouble."
"Then why," McGonagall demanded, "is tha bairn neked and in your bed?"
"I don't bloody well know!" he shouted back in bewilderment. "Minerva, you can't think that -" He paused as his thought process finally began to work again, and his temper began to rise. "Weena!" he roared. "Where the hell is that be-damned elf? Weena!"
Pop! The small elf, her happy little smile immediately sliding off her face, appeared on the foot of the bed. "Yes, sir, Potions Master, Master, sir," she gulped. She grabbed the tips of both ears and pulled them down on either side of her frightened face. "Weena do wrong? Weena only follow orders."
"Why is that girl in my bed?" he demanded, his voice low and menacing. Snape jerked the little elf up and shook her until her ears were flapping like a flag in a high wind. "What orders? What did you do? Explain! Now!"
"Master say take care of girl," the terrified elf whined. "Weena do for Master of Potions what Weena always do for Master Malfoy," she whimpered piteously.
Minerva lowered her wand slightly. "Master Malfoy?" she asked, her brogue retreating with her anger. "Severus, what are you doing with a Malfoy house elf?"
He let go of the elf and faced his accuser. "Since Lucius has been sentenced to Azkaban, Narcissa thought it best to clean out his London flat. She gifted me with that thing." He pointed to the cringing elf. "Weena served Lucius Malfoy in his London flat. No doubt she was only doing what she'd been trained to do. Apparently when Lucius told his wife there were things at the flat that 'should not concern a lady,' he didn't mean items of dark magic."
"Yes," Minerva agreed with a moue of distaste, "that I can understand, but it still doesn't explain how and why we've found you and the girl in a compromising position." She sniffed.
"Weena know," the elf volunteered. "Weena follow orders to take care of girl. First, remove clothes. Second, put in bed. Third, set out hangover potion," she said, counting off the chores as she held up her fingers. "Fourth, let girl's family know."
"You told my parents I was sleeping with Professor Snape?" Hermione screeched. "No, no, no, no! I can't go home and face them!"
"It's all right, dear," Poppy tried to comfort the girl. "There has just been a huge misunderstanding," Poppy cooed. "I knew there had to be an explanation! Severus would never -"
"I most certainly would not!" he exploded. "How dare the three of you come screeching down here like the three Stygian Witches! All of you, blind as to the truth, yet absolutely certain of my guilt!" A heavy line of red was creeping up his body, and his pale chest was heaving with self-righteous anger.
Minerva lowered her wand and put it away. "Severus, I am sorry," she said formally. "I was most assuredly in the wrong, and I owe you an apology. Your wand."
He snatched it from her, ignoring her apology. "As if I would, under any circumstances, besmirch my honor," he muttered to himself.
"You can't totally blame, Minerva," Charity spoke up. "I mean, we get word from Granger's parents that you and the girl are shagging like bunnies, and, well, there she is."
"And, Severus," Poppy added gently, "we did find her clothes covered in blood."
"Weena always served Master Malfoy well," the elf protested. "Weena do wrong?"
"You did everything wrong, you stupid creature!" Snape blurted out. "Except the hangover potion. That was the only thing you did correctly." He grabbed the potion and downed it. "Oh, stop that caterwauling, girl," he yelled across the bed," and drink the damned hangover potion!" He picked up her scandalous outfit and tossed it to Poppy.
Poppy raised an eloquent eyebrow at the costume. "Severus," Poppy spoke up, a giggle threatening, "we still need a full account of this comedy of errors." He only glared at her. "The girl's parents will demand an explanation."
"Fine," he spat. "As I said, at the concert, I found a highly intoxicated girl who was being forced against her will into a car, and like a fool, I intervened. I had no idea it was Miss Granger." He heaved a sigh, slowly forcing himself to calm down. "To make a long story short, I returned to Hogwarts with the intentions of having Poppy examine the girl, who had obviously been drugged, and to have one of the female staff members escort her home. However, upon arrival, I received an emergency summons from the Headmaster, so I instructed this idiot elf to take care of the girl."
"And Weena do," the elf chimed in. "Weena take care of girl like Master Malfoy instruct."
"Yes, you did, indeed," Snape drawled sarcastically, "and we'll be discussing that later. But first there are some things I need to discuss in private with the Headmaster and his Deputy." He paused, gathering the sheet and the remains of his dignity around him. "If you will excuse me, I will shower and dress before meeting you later in the Headmaster's office. As you found your way in, I'm sure you can see yourselves out." He pivoted on the balls of his bare feet, stormed into the bathroom, and slammed the door behind him.
"Again, Severus," Minerva called out to the closed door, "I am so, so sorry about this." She jerked her head at the door and motioned for the three other witches in the room to leave with her. "Charity, would you please take Weena to the Granger's home for a personal explanation? Assure them that she will be home soon."
"Of course, Minerva," she said meekly. "I am so sorry about all this." She touched the older witch's elbow. "I think, though, I'd better go polyjuiced as Hermione. May I have a sample of your hair?" she turned to asked the girl.
Poppy snorted. "So, now Charity Burbage actually starts using her brain," she snipped.
"Why?" Hermione asked. "Why can't I go home now?"
"When you didn't come home and your date was found passed out at the concert, Muggle authorities were called in," Charity explained, "and they won't close the case until they are assured that you are safe."
"I guess Will drank too much," she said. "I'll admit I drank a bit myself, but I still don't understand why I can't go home now."
"Look at yourself, girl," Poppy said incredulously. "You're covered in tears, snot, and blood. Your make-up is smeared, and your hair is a rat's nest! Do you really want your parents to see you like this? And as for these ridiculous clothes -" She shook the top.
Hermione choked out a single laugh. "All right, Madam Pomfrey, I get the point, and I've already had the lecture on clothing at home before I left."
"Here," Poppy said, handing Hermione's top to Charity. "I'm sure you'll find a hair or two on this. Once the authorities are satisfied and leave, you can allow the potion to wear off and explain things properly before you jet off to watch Muggle games."
Minerva nodded. "Thank you. Poppy," she added, "would you please examine Miss Granger to make sure there are no lingering effects from her ordeal? Give her some breakfast."
Minerva shut and re-warded Severus' door, and then she took Charity by the arm. "Charity, please let me know when you've finished explaining to the Grangers. I'd like to get the girl home as soon as possible," Minerva told her. She eyed Hermione critically, then waved her wand, transfiguring Severus' comforter into a proper lady's business suit.
"Much better," Charity said. "Hermione, I'll tell the authorities that your date -"
"Will," she supplied the name, "William Bankston."
"Had too much to drink and got into a fight, which he lost, so you caught a ride with a friend," Charity said. "After the authorities are satisfied and leave, I'll explain the whole truth to your parents. Then I'm heading straight back to the pub for game time!"