Author's Note: A little shorter time between updates. I'm still really busy, but I have a bit more time this month. However, I'm still not making any promises for updates. Sorry. But at least I actually made someone feel better this week! Anyway, reviews are really nice (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). And I do my best to reply to them (harder, more obvious wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Have a great week!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the Harry Potter series; if I did, I would not be struggling to pay rent at the beginning and end of every semester. (Thanks for the help, Mom and Dad!)
Hermione opened her eyes, blinking slowly. She looked around at her bedroom, confused. How did I get here?, she thought to herself. She heard snoring and looked to her right. Snape was sleeping in her chair, his feet propped up on her trunk. What happened?she wondered. Why is Snape sleeping in here? Trying not to wake him, she quietly got out of bed, and slipped past him and into the bathroom. As she rolled up her sleeves to wash her hands and face, she gasped softly, noticing that all of her bruises had healed.
When she walked back into the room, her chair was back where it belonged and Snape stood in the middle of the room, wearing an expression of fury mixed with relief. "What are you doing out of bed, young lady?" he asked sharply, fixing her with a harsh glare.
Hermione shrank under the ferocity of his gaze. "I…I was just using the toilet, sir," she replied nervously.
"Fine. Get back into bed."
"Y-yes, sir." She climbed back into bed.
He towered over her, his unconcealed anger making him seem even more formidable. "Miss Granger, I am going to ask you two questions, and you'd best tell me the truth. Merlin help you if you lie to me. Am I understood?" His stern tone brooked no other option.
Hermione gulped anxiously. "Yes, sir."
"Did you take Blood Replenishing Potion?"
The color drained out of her face. "Y-yes, sir," she replied, looking away.
"Where is the rest of it?"
"In my nightstand drawer," she whispered, staring at the quilt.
"Give the rest of it to me." He held out his hand. Hermione leaned over and opened the drawer, handing him the remaining seven vials. "Is this all there is?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then you won't mind if I double check?" She almost felt better as a hint of his usual sneer returned to his voice.
She glanced up, opening her mouth to refuse him, but thought better of it when he raised an eyebrow. "No, sir."
Snape leaned over and looked through the drawer, finding no more vials. "Are there anymore in this room?"
She looked away again. "No, sir."
He nodded, but still took out his wand and said, "Accio, Blood Replenishing Potion." The vials in his hand shuddered for a moment, but nothing else came toward him. "Very well. You will remain in bed until Madame Pomfrey says otherwise. I'll call her now, and you and I will talk about this later. Am I understood?"
"Yes, sir." Her voice was barely audible. Oh, this is not good, she thought.
Snape left the room, shutting the door securely behind him. He threw a pinch of floo powder into the living room fireplace, shouting, "Minerva McGonagall's quarters!" As he looked up from the fire, he saw Professor McGonagall sitting in a chair, sipping a cup of tea while reading a book. "Minerva!" he called.
Professor McGonagall looked up, startled. "Severus?" she asked. She went over to the fire. "Is Miss Granger all right? Has she woken up?"
"She's fine. She woke up about fifteen minutes ago. I was wondering if you could call Poppy for me? I'd like her to look the girl over for me."
"Oh, thank goodness!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "Yes, I'll call her and have her go directly to you." She paused. "May I come as well? I'd like to check on her."
"Very well. I'll see you both shortly."
Snape pulled his head out of the fire, shaking his head. Those two would fuss over the girl until she forgot that she was in trouble. He supposed she would ask one of the women what had happened, since she probably didn't remember and he hadn't given her the chance to ask. But why did she do it? he wondered. Was St. Mungo's truly a better option than he was?
Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey stepped through the fire at nearly the same time. "Good morning, Severus," Madame Pomfrey said, ignoring the dark look on his face. "I hear Hermione's awake?" He nodded tersely. "Good, good. Minerva, why don't you go check on her while I chat with Severus for a moment?" Professor McGonagall nodded, leaving the two to chat. "Did she take the Blood Replenishing Potion?" Madame Pomfrey asked him.
"Yes," he replied, "and I have the remaining vials."
"Did she say why yet?"
"No, but I intend to find out later."
Madame Pomfrey nodded. "Are her bruises gone?"
"I cannot tell; she's still in her pajamas."
She nodded again. "Does she seem to be suffering any ill effects?"
"Not that I can tell."
"Good. Let's give Minerva a few more minutes and then we'll go in." Snape nodded in agreement.
"Good morning, Professor," Hermione said as Professor McGonagall walked into her room.
"Oh, Hermione!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, throwing her arms around the girl for a brief moment. "I'm so glad you're all right."
"Um…thank you." She was surprised. Professor McGonagall had never seemed to be the hugging type to her. "Um...Professor?"
"What is it, dear?" Professor McGonagall let go of her, but continued smoothing Hermione's hair away from her face.
"What happened? And how did I get here? The last thing I can remember is saying good-bye to Hagrid."
Professor McGonagall sighed, placing her hands in her lap. "Professor Snape found you unconscious on the way to Hagrid's. When he brought you to the hospital wing, you were covered in bruises, and Madame Pomfrey and Professor Snape thought you might've taken a Blood Replenishing Potion."
Hermione looked down at the quilt. "I see," Professor McGonagall said, pursing her lips as if she didn't know whether to scold Hermione or not. "Well," she continued, "Madame Pomfrey gave you a blood clotting potion and Professor Snape brought you back here."
"Oh," Hermione said, unable to think of anything else to say.
They heard a knock at the door and Madame Pomfrey bustled in followed by Snape stepping in quietly.
"Good morning, dear," Madame Pomfrey said to Hermione. "It's quite nice to see you awake today."
"Good morning, Madame Pomfrey," she replied, watching Snape behind the nurse.
Professor McGonagall glanced between the three before saying, "I think I'll head back to my quarters now. I'm glad you're feeling better, Miss Granger."
"Thank you, Professor," Hermione replied, not taking her eyes off Snape, as Professor McGonagall left.
"All right then, dear," Madame Pomfrey said, "I'm just going to check you over, all right?"
"Yes, ma'am." Hermione forced herself to look at the mediwitch, despite Snape lurking in the background. Madame Pomfrey transfigured Hermione's pajamas into a hospital gown, and proceeded to run her wand the length of the girl. Hermione's skin was as white as ever; the bruises appeared completely healed. At least until Madame Pomfrey poked her arm gently with her wand.
"Ouch!" Hermione protested.
"All right then," Madame Pomfrey said, transfiguring her back into her pajamas. "Severus, she's perfectly fine. She has some bruises left underneath the surface of her skin, but they should be gone by tomorrow. She doesn't need to stay in bed, however, I wouldn't recommend that she do anything strenuous today. If she starts developing more bruises, give her half of a clotting potion, and then call me."
"Thank you very much, Madame Pomfrey," Snape said coolly, raising his eyebrow at Hermione.
"Thank you, Madame Pomfrey," Hermione said politely.
"You're welcome, both of you." She turned back to Hermione. "And no more Blood Replenishing Potion for you!" She waggled a finger teasingly.
"No, ma'am," Hermione replied softly.
"I'll walk you to the floo," Snape said. He glanced at Hermione. "I suggest you shower and then meet me in the kitchen for breakfast."
"Yes, sir," Hermione replied.
Shape shut Hermione's bedroom door behind them.
"Severus?" Madame Pomfrey said tentatively.
"Yes?" he replied curtly.
"May I say something?"
"You already have. However, go on."
"Don't be too hard on the girl." He opened his month to protest, but she cut him off. "At least find out why she did it before you punish her."
"I will only be as hard as I deem necessary," he conceded.
She nodded her understanding. "Don't forget, Severus, you're in this relationship for at least another five years. She needs to be able to trust you." And she stepped through the floo, not giving Snape a chance to reply.
