Disclaimer: everything you recognize is not mine.
I have updated the first six chapters, making them somewhat closer to cannon and dealing with my direct speech problem, but there is only so much one can do without a beta.
To do so I needed to analyze Snape dialogs of all the books. See a link in my profile to the first five posted on my LJ.
Hermione's POV
Hermione frowned an applied another glob of the bluish cream to the inflamed underarm of the young man patiently sitting in front of her. Again, the potion sizzled as if laid on a frying pan and evaporated a minute later.
"I am sorry, Draco. The Lotion worked before but it seems that it is unable to stop the disintegration of the Mark."
Before she could say another word they were interrupted by a hurried entrance of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Ronald Weasley, both of whom looked rather frazzled. Shack opened his mouth to say something quickly approaching the bed where the were sitting but one glance at Draco's arm made him change his mind.
"How is he?", briskly inquired the burly Auror.
"Not good. Only the Body Lotion has some effect. All other salves and potions evaporate before even getting in contact with the skin. What of the others?" Her eyes quickly took in Ron's disheveled appearance and the slightly frantic look in his eyes, then returned to the Order's third in command.
"The same. None of those who gave in or were captured on the field seem unaffected. And some have brought themselves in preferring to take the offer of a life-time in Azkaban to the inevitable death. Seems they think we could cure this -" he gestured at Draco's arm. "Or a least Potter can, seen as he did in He-who-must-not-be-named."
"Can he now…" she muttered, remembering their dispute of several months ago.
"There is a problem, Mione,", Ron entered the conversation, "we can't find Harry."
She rounded on him. "What do you mean you can't find him? You were there yesterday, were not you? I thought you two were at the Ministry interrogating Death Eaters ever since."
Ron shook his head and answered, "Shack and I were but Harry wasn't." He glanced at Kingsley.
Shacklebolt laid a hand on Draco's shoulder before saying, "Snape was there yesterday." She heard the blond gasp. "I started dueling the old bugger to let Harry deal with He-who-must-not-be-named," despite the gravity of the situation Hermione couldn't help rolling her eyes, "and got him with a Blasting Curse – that globe of light finally got the bastard distracted – and then Harry snatched him away telling me to come after them in 24 hours…"
Ron it seemed couldn't take it any longer. "And you let him." He hissed in a dangerous tone of voice. "You should have followed them and made sure this piece of shit didn't get at Harry. He's as dangerous as Voldemort now!"
"Ron!" Exclaimed Hermione.
"No, Mione. Don't start this 'he may be on our side' garbage again. You see what he's done now?! He's killed Harry and got away with it. Just like he had with Professor Dumbledore!"
"Ronald is right, Hermione." Draco put in. "I told you Severus was very dangerous. Wouldn't surprise me if he even knew how to deal with this." He winced lifting his left arm.
She felt exasperated like very time when they refused to listen to her on this particular subject. Every other piece of planning and she always was in the center of the discussion, but as soon as she tried to talk about Professor Snape everyone seemed deaf, like Fudge was that night after the Triwizard Tournament.
"Kingsley, tell me please what exactly happened after the light globe disappeared? Every movement you saw."
Shack looked slightly uncomfortable. "We were dueling – Snape was hit with the curse – got him right in between is right arm and his side…" Ron gave a satisfied grunt, "- then he raised his wand like in salute – honestly, the nerve of the bastard! – and then in Apparates Harry, takes him by his wand-arm – and they're gone. And Harry makes me this sign…" He trailed off then turned to Ron. "You know Harry. He wouldn't have let Snape use his wand after this."
"Then where the bloody hell are they?! We checked every damn hole. I'm still dizzy from all those Apparitions."
And then it dawned on her. "No, Ron, not every. You couldn't have gone to the Shack, could you?"
Ron's eyes bulged. "Mione, no way. He couldn't. Bring the damn traitor to our sanctuary?!"
She shook her head. "He had just brought down Voldemort. He might not have been thinking straight." And she added in her head, 'And if what I suspect is true he might have subconsciously brought Snape to the only place safe from all but us.' She glanced ant her fiancé. 'Hope it is safe.'
"Let us go check then." Ron got his wand from its holster. "Shack, would you find Bill Weasley? If Mione or me are not back in one hour, you know what to do." He took a quill and a bit of parchment from the nearest bedside table and hastily scribbled a note. "Show this to Bill. You will still have to dismantle the wards… Snape won't be able to Apparate out there though", he added as an afterthought.
Hermione rose to her feet and left with the two men, reminding Draco to continue applying the Lotion.
They went out of St. Mungo's and found a secluded corner to part ways. "An hour, Shack." Ron repeated. "One of us should come to the Headquarters before then if everything goes right."
On Ron's insistence she drew her own wand and hand in hand they Apparated directly into the lone room of the house. Only to see Snape sitting in their sleeping corner leaning on the wall. Harry, seemingly unconscious, lay beside him with his head on Snape's lap. Unable to believe her eyes Hermione saw the older wizard tuck a stray strand of hair behind her friend's ear.
The next moment she had to hold onto Ron who launched himself at their former professor not even bothering to say a word. "Ron!" She urgently said holding both the redhead's hands and positioning herself between him and the two on the floor. "We have to help Harry first."
Ron froze and, screwing his wand arm from her grasp, pointed it at Snape and hissed, "What have you done to him, traitor?"
Snape looked at the two of them with an unreadable expression on his face. "Nothing, Weasley." He said. His gaze then shifted to her, "Good day, Miss Granger." He glanced back at Harry with – was it unease that flitted in his eyes? "Potter suffers of a rather severe course of magical exhaustion. In fact the second in twenty four hours."
She gasped and urgently whispered, "He hasn't…"
"No, he hasn't slipped into magical coma. Yet." There it was again, the unease, now in his voice. "However, he has been unconscious for three hours with no change in condition."
She paled. "I hope you didn't try to ennervate him, sir?" Hermione ignored Ron's disgusted snort.
Snape shook his head. Releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding, Hermione rushed to the potions cabinet, throwing a last warning glance in Ron's direction. She came back seconds later with a Magic Replenishing potion and knelt at Harry's side, expertly making him swallow the draught.
"It's quite a skill you've got, Miss Granger." Snape's calm voice shattered the tense silence of the room.
"I am a Healer, Professor." She answered, sitting down. "He should come to in ten minutes." She added looking Snape directly in the eyes. "Now would you please explain what happened here?"
"I can tell you what happened." Growled Ron, who had stood the whole time in the same place, never letting his wand waver from Snape. "Harry had to duel this piece of filth on top of defeating Voldemort. And collapsed. And after this Death Eater had found out he couldn't leave the wards he decided to make it seem like he cares… Like Harry was unconscious for whatever other reason."
He took several steps closer and looked at Snape with deathly anger and utter contempt. "Tell us, Potions Monster, which of the Potions have you fed Harry while he laid there helpless? Which of them would react with the Magic Replenisher so that Potter," Ron mockingly imitated Snape's usual way of spitting out Harry's name, "will be harmless for you with his evidence of you murdering Professor Dumbledore?!" He took another step and loomed over Harry's still unconscious form.
Hermione gasped and felt her heart skip a beat. Was Ron finally correct? Was she mistaken all the time? Like in a horror movie she saw again each and every victim of the potions in her mind's eye. Blanching and literally feeling her hair stand on end, she stared at the older man.
Snape didn't move. Raising a sarcastic eyebrow he drawled, "Miss Granger, it would seem, has managed to teach you to be more eloquent in these past years, Weasley. Potions Monster, eh? I am quite honored." Ron gnashed his teeth and opened his mouth ready to curse Snape, when the man drolly added, "And to answer your question, no, I haven't drugged Mister Potter here as he no doubt will soon be confirming himself."
Hermione teared her eyes from the quarrelling men and noted with surprise and relief that Harry was indeed awake now. He had set up somewhere during Ron's tirade and was now leaning heavily onto Snape, his face set, his eyes blazing with some strange emotion.
"Ronald Weasley," he whispered, "I would be grateful if you shut your trap before saying another word. As it is you owe our Ally an apology."
Relief flooding her Hermione drew Harry into a fierce hug. Her friend weakly returned the embrace still looking at Ron who froze, thunderstruck and then roared, "He has drugged you, Harry. Or was it a Confundus Charm? Remember, during our Fourth year? How else could you be calling," Ron visibly cut himself off under the Boy-who-lived-to-astonish-them's icy glare, "him our Ally?!"
Hermione shook off her daze and rose to her feet. "That is quite enough, Ronald. I can tell you Harry is not confounded, and as for being drugged, have you forgotten how such potions interact with the Magic Replenisher?"
Ron stopped talking, still glaring at Snape.
"Now, Harry, would you please tell us what the hell happened here?"
Ron whistled at her use of the invective and to her surprise Hermione saw a hint of red appear on Harry's pallid cheeks.
"I owe you an apology, Mione. You were right – all the time. And I pulled a Fudge and refused to listen." He turned around and firmly stated, "And I owe an apology to the Professor. I took him here and forced him into Confession…"
Hermione was appalled recognizing the indications of Harry's concession, yet refrained from stating the obvious about him violating half a dozen laws. Instead she muttered, "Toby."
"What?!"
"Professor Snape is Toby, Ron." She could almost sympathize with her boyfriend who looked at Harry as if he had just sprouted an extra head. Under no circumstances could a Confessor lie about such conclusions, registered or no, and Harry simply nodded once.
"And the Tour?" Managed Ron in a strangely high-pitched voice.
"Draco." Was the only reply.
Ron's big hand closed painfully on her shoulder as he turned to Snape. She saw him open his mouth but no words came out. Ron's ears went brick red, then his neck, then his face. Hermione gently unclenched his fingers and laid her hand on Ron's shoulder. He never seemed to notice. Finally he forced himself to speak.
"Professor," Ron said gravely, "I…" He swallowed loudly and continued, "I humbly beg your pardon for calling you all those names." There was another pregnant pause then he continued. "I, Second Confessor, will do my utmost to rectify the mess created by the First Confessor's course of action." He broke off completely staring at Snape.
Hermione saw the Potions Master glance between Harry and Ron, his eyebrow almost completely disappearing in his hairline. At long last he said, "Apology accepted."
