Disclaimer: Not mine.
Finding Home
Chapter 21
He stepped out of the floo and immediately grabbed another handful of powder. Tossing it down to take the girl to the hospital wing, he scooped her up as soon as the flames faded from green.
"Poppy," he bellowed. "Now!"
He hurried to a bed, lowering his burden and untying her wrists before pushing her into a laying position and releasing her gag.
"Professor? Thank ….." her voice hitched as she began to sob.
"What is your name child?" He frowned at her as Poppy ran toward them.
"Ellen, Ellen Johnson."
"My goodness, Ellen," Poppy hurried to her waving her wand in quick diagnostic patterns. "Severus?"
"A whipping, he got no further," he reassured her. "Miss Johnson, I assume Mr. Malfoy had only just started to beat you?"
She nodded and wiped the back of her hand across her face. "After last class, my sister took me to Hogsmeade."
"He took you from Hogsmeade?"
"No, another man, he…"
"You can question her later. Right now she needs to be treated, Professor Snape," Poppy said, putting a stop to the interview. "Tell Minerva I have her."
"Miss Johnson," Severus frowned at the girl, "I must apologize for my treatment of you. It is important that Mr. Malfoy continue to trust me. Do you understand? I would not otherwise have treated you like that."
Ellen nodded and looked up at him sniffing. "You don't have to tell my Dad do you?"
"Miss Johnson, trust me, he will be glad to have you back," he felt his lip twitch.
"Yeah," she sighed, then rolled her eyes, "it's after he's glad that I am worried about."
"Child," he said pinching the bridge of his nose. "You have just had a whip taken to your back surely you are not frightened of your father."
"What would you do if your daughter went to Hogsmeade when you said not to and ended up like this? No, sir. I'd rather he didn't know. Mum won't let me come visit no more."
"You are not a student here?" He took her chin and turned her head to the right seeing the familiar profile.
"Her sister is in your double session," Poppy said softly. "This Miss Johnson is a squib."
Severus crossed his arms over his chest understanding the girl's trepidation. As a squib, her father would be overly protective, not allowing her to mix with the magical children. He would also be embarrassed that she had no means to protect herself or do other normal things all magical children could do. Ellen was also at the age many families decided to confine squib children to the house. Making their life lonely, as they would never be able to socialize again, unless they could find a place in the Muggle world.
"I have some clothes in my chambers that should fit her," he said, turning to Poppy. "Perhaps it would be better to let her visit for a few days until the healing is complete."
"Professor, you know that is not allowed. Her parents have the right to know."
"Then enroll her in Muggle studies. I am sure she can benefit from the lessons in a wandless study. Inform her parents we want her to take part as a … study for a new course we may be offering."
"Softy."
Severus turned hearing Poppy's chuckle as he headed to see Minerva.
How would he feel? Ellenhad asked. How would he feel if a child of his had been in this situation? He did not know how to answer that. He did not know if he ever would. He thought of Hermione and wondered how she would feel.
At the same time, Hermione had curled up in the dark on the apartment sofa. She'd been in the same spot ever since she arrived, unsure of what to do next. She knew she would have to find a job. Only this time she would not have to stay close to the apartment to check on Draco. This time she would not have to hurry home to make sure he had his meals on time, or be in before dark because she was too scared to walk alone. This time she could do what she wanted, when she wanted and with whom she wanted.
She closed her eyes and pulled her robes tight around her knowing she could not stay like this much longer. She was contemplating how to spend the next day when an elf popped in, its arms full of clothing.
"Hang them in the closet." She sat up, putting her feet on the floor and looking to the window.
"I expected these last night, it's almost morning," she said, following the elf in the bedroom.
"Master say…"
"I don't care what he says. Just hang them up and leave." She watched as the elf hurried to the closet. "Where are my Muggle clothes?"
"Master, he… he say not to brings them… he," his ears flattened and his head dropped to his chest.
"Out with it."
"Master's witch has need of them."
Hermione stared at the elf as everything began to swim. Finally, the swirling colours in her mind started to fall into place. No wonder he wanted to rid himself of her. No wonder he wanted her old friends at the tea. He wanted them to take her away, to make her leave the castle, to be out of his way. She thought of Jennifer, and remembered the hurt she had felt when she saw the smirk on the other witch's face. Fine, she thought. I am done with him.
She turned and walked to the kitchen wondering what there was to eat. She had only been gone a few days but it appeared that most of her kitchen had been packed and carted off to Hogwarts. She found a tin of tea and opened it, raising it to her nose before throwing it at the wall angrily and reaching for her wand. Her hand shook with rage as she let loose with her emotions and rid the cupboards of every food item they held.
If he was paying the accounts, she was not going to eat soup from a tin. She would take nothing but her clothes, the clothes she had paid for, not the fine clothes he bought for his witch. He must have bought them before he knew he would not sleep with her. Before he realized how repulsive he found her. Before he had seen the full details of the rape in her pensieve.
She wanted nothing to remind her of that place or of him. She turned on her heel and headed for the door knowing the deli would be open for the early morning trade. He can pay the accounts, she thought. She needed to fill the pantry with better than she had before.
She hurried and picked up enough food for a couple of days before returning to shower and dress for a trip to the Ministry. She had once hoped to work in the spell department, or even the charm division. There were always openings in the Muggle Liaison section, and in as much as she would find that a pleasant diversion, she had hoped for a little more challenge.
She used her wand to dry and style her hair as she glanced at the clock. It was still early, early enough to miss most of the Muggle traffic if she chose to visit London before going. She pulled her robes off and shrunk them to fit in her purse, then making sure her wand was well hidden she headed for the Leaky Cauldron where she would slip out into the Muggle streets.
The Alley was just now fully awake. Witches hurried down the pavement pulling little ones along heading for the day school while wizards walked while reading the Daily Prophet, slowing down to turn the page then speeding back up somehow avoiding knocking anyone down. She stepped off the pavement twice to avoid walking into a newspaper with legs coming at her, the third time she stood still and braced herself refusing to move.
Within inches of her face, the paper stopped and a head peeked around the edge. George laughed seeing her standing with her fists clenched at her sides and her eyes squinted close.
"Don't really think I'd knock you down do ya?"
"George? How did you see me?"
"Didn't. Paper did." He folded his Daily Prophet and tucked it under his arm. "I developed a spray. One squirt on the paper and it can tell when to stop. This place was wicked dangerous in the morning."
"It should be a money maker," she said with a laugh.
"Come on." He slipped his arm around her shoulder and guided her down the pavement. "Got a pot of tea waiting at the shop. You look like you could use some."
"I was headed for the Ministry. I thought there may be some openings."
"Save you a trip, I'll floo Dad."
"I would rather you …"
"Don't have to tell him who for." He looked down at her quizzically. "You know Hermione, whatever happened between you and Ron is old news. Mum was a little miffed at the time, but Dad always figured it was Ron's fault. I guess everyone else just thinks it takes two to kiss and make up and one of you didn't want to."
"It's complicated." She bit her lip and looked everywhere but at his face.
"Don't want to know about it," he smiled easily, "that's old gossip. I only want the new stuff."
"Thanks, George," she said, her relief evident.
"I'm just going to say one thing and then matter closed." He stopped walking and faced her, laying his hands on her shoulders. "What ever it was that you once saw in Snape, it was enough for you to marry him. Hermione, don't pull away, just listen."
She stopped and looked down at the ground.
"Whatever is happening now I don't care, and I don't want to know about it. I just want you to listen to him."
Her head snapped up and she saw his eyes locked on hers. "It's not what he was saying Hermione. It's how he was looking at you. You need to think hard before walking away. If I learned anything that last day at Hogwarts, it was to not put anything off and not to take anyone for granted."
"Now," he said pulling her along by the hand. "Enough of that. I have some great gags to show you."
"George?" she started.
"Nope, matter closed. I have a reputation to keep up and I won't lose it giving advice to the love starved."
"You really are a …"
"Prat. I know. I work hard for the title."
He stopped in front of his shop and unlocked the door grinning down at her. "Wait until you see the new Witches Handbag. You can put as much as you want in it and then it walks itself home."
"Whatever for?"
"Oh girl, you don't shop much do you? You have to get with it. Spend some of Snape's money."
"George? Would you mind if I gave you a rain check on the tea?"
"Let me get in touch with Dad first."
"No, I don't think I need that right now. I need to do something."
George gave her a bear hug before releasing her and pushing her toward the door. "If he still acts like an arse I have some fantastic hair potions. Just a splash in his tea and you can change his hair pink."
She giggled as she ran out the door and started down the pavement. She was nervous, and didn't know how she would do this, but it was time. She would tell him how she felt and then it was up to him. No more games. No more hidden agendas. This was it.
She fell to her knees in front of the floo and called to Severus. Waiting for an answer, she looked at the clock. It was after breakfast, but before his first lesson. He should be in his chambers. Again, she stuck her head in the flames and called to him, and again she waited in vain.
Sitting back on her heels, she thought that perhaps Minerva was having a staff meeting. After all, with only six days to go before the end of term this would be the last opportunity. She threw in more powder and called out to the older witch.
"Hermione, my dear," Minerva's voice rang out before her face came into view.
"Is Severus there, Minerva?"
"No, there was a little mishap last evening. He is in the infirmary."
"What? When? How bad…should I come through? "
"No, no child. It's not him this time."
"Thank Merlin. I don't think he can take another injury. You know he does not take his potion all the time as it is. You should get Poppy onto him." She felt relief flood her.
"I will tell him that you want to see him as soon as he is done." Minerva smiled widely.
"Wait." Hermione sat back on her heels as the second knock came to the door.
"Hermione!" Severus' voice preceded yet another knock.
"Never mind Minerva," Hermione said happily. "He's here! He came to see me!"
She jumped up and ran to the door, taking a deep breath before opening the door and admitting the dour Professor to her apartment.