Hermione stirred. She felt a damp cloth on her forehead, cool water dripping down her face. Slowly she opened her eyes. Her room was lit with a solitary candle, but even then Hermione cringed at the flame, extremely sensitive to the light. She heard the door creak, and turned her head to see Professor Snape walking in, carrying a tray bearing different potions. He sat down on a chair beside her bed, placing the tray on the nightstand.
She tried to sit up but her head immediately began throbbing and her vision blotted in and out, so instead she just shuffled her way higher up on her pillow, letting the cloth fall off her forehead onto the bed in the process.
"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly, his face seemingly stuck on a permanent scowl. Hermione didn't answer, but noticed that her arm was beginning to throb. She watched Snape uncork a small vial containing a light blue liquid. "Drink this," he said, handing her the bottle, "it will help subdue the pain."
Hermione instantly felt more comfortable and was then able to sit up properly. Snape then gestured to see her arm, which Hermione noticed had been bandaged. She gingerly lifted it up and placed it, wrist up, in his hands. She tried not to grimace as even moving her arm caused great pain, but noticed how gentle Snape was as he began undoing the wrappings. Hermione looked away as he uncovered her mark, yet could not prevent herself from smelling the fouled wound. She flinched as he began lightly rubbing the area with dampened piece of material, this quickly became too much and Hermione involuntarily whimpered in pain. Snape stopped immediately.
"I'm sorr-" Hermione began, embarrassed.
"Don't." he cut her off quickly and firmly. "Do not be sorry. This should not have happened to you. It is Not. Your. Fault."
Hermione clung to those words, she needed to hear them. She nodded a little in relief, not quite able to speak as she tried to prevent tears from welling up in her eyes.
"I'm going to apply a salve now, it should help, but if it becomes too painful say so." Snape then smeared a thick, paste-like substance over her arm, the contact itself hurt, but the ointment had a cooling effect that made it bearable. He then wrapped on fresh bandages.
"Thank you." Hermione said, carefully laying her arm back on the bed.
Snape observed her, understanding the burden she now carried. He hated Voldemort for marking her, for putting her through what he personally knew as sheer hell. "I have been informed that you will be permitted to attend Hogwarts this year, along with Mr. Malfoy." He began, closing the bedroom door with a flick of his wand.
The summer was half over and Hermione had not even thought of potential problems that would arise on the subject of her schooling. She had just assumed that she would be going back, as if nothing odd had occurred during the summer.
"The Dark Lord has placed his trust upon me. Whilst I am there to monitor your activities, he has no need to worry that you two will be revealing his plans to the headmaster. However, I am suspecting that he will be granting you with a purpose while you are at Hogwarts. As you are close with Mr. Potter, it may become your duty to report his actions, or fulfil a different task of the sort, I do not yet know. Nevertheless, I will help you with whatever arises."
Hermione nodded, wishing that she'd wake up from this nightmare. Why me? She thought helplessly, wishing she was back with her muggle family, playing muggle games and watching muggle television. I'd rather permanently become a muggle than interact with this evil that surrounds me. But I cannot escape...it lives within me as well.
"Miss Granger, I-" he hesitated. Hermione looked at him and noticed that his frown had lessened, but he looked extremely tired. His eyes met hers and she found that their black depths held kindness, and sadness. "Do not lose hope." he said finally. He then stood up and left the room, clicking the door shut behind him.