Chapter 20.25
I heard the scream as I rounded the corner outside. My body was still adjusting to the biting cold, but the sound shot through me sending any of the chills away and caused a dash toward the distressed scream.
I could hear the shrill sound bouncing in my head as I tried to figure out where she had been. Though the sound of heavy breathing and wooden soled shoes lead me to believe I was heading in the correct direction.
It wasn't until heard nothing did I feel my pulse spike, for just a moment my blood beat against my ears as fear clawed slightly at my throat; yet, with the practice I have perfected over the years I took a single long breath through my nose, slipped my ebony wand from within its place in my sleeve, and began to listen.
I could hear a gentle gasping as I turned another corner, it sounded near one of the statues. Thankful my eyes were quick to adjust to the darkness of this winter-closed hall, I moved closer. I could see Hermione pressed against the floor her body convulsing slightly. I quickened my step to her, I cast a quick cushioning spell beneath her. It should help long enough for me to know what kind of seizure the girl was having.
Finally, I was near to her. The sound of her small gasps had all but stopped and I could see her body tensing almost bow like, then a soft flicker of gold appeared somewhere in her upper chest. Fear and worry that something terrible was happening to the girl, had she been cursed, or 'maybe it was another side effect' the voice seemed to make a jolt spike up my neck. I kneeled next to her looking at the soft golden light, as my hand found the pulse on her neck. It was quick under the pads of my fingers, my other hand held my wand aloft pointing it ready to revive her.
My eyes were drawn down to my wand which pointed to the golden light that seemed to pulse above her chest, I wanted to reach out and touch it. I could see that her body was slowly calming, the tautness of her back lessening until she was on the ground again.
There was an odd feeling slightly lower than my heart, yet not where my stomach is, it pulsed again and seemed to squeeze within me then expanded without my consent. I looked over the oddly Calm Granger, her pulse was steady and slow as her breaths slowly started to fill her chest. The light above it burned slightly brighter and seemed to flicker toward me, I could feel her magic reaching out to me, and they want to take its grasp pulled at me.
It caused the expanding feeling in my own chest to flicker, and for just a moment I could tell her golden flame gained just a small stripe of black. It seemed to fill a flickering hole I had not noticed before. I had but a moment to wonder where her magic might have gone, and what it meant for some of mine to fill it.
"Professor? What happened?" Granger's voice was slightly startled as she moved away and stood to brush herself from the collected cobwebs. I stood and brushed my knee free from debris.
"I heard you scream, Miss Granger," I explained smoothly slipping my wand back into my sleeve. "When I found you-you seemed to be in the middle of a size, I was taking your pulse."
"Oh, thank you sir." she seemed slightly shocked at my answer.
"Are you alright Miss Granger?" I was slightly annoyed that she did not seem to care that she had been seizing. I could feel my brows knit tightly as I inclined my head toward her.
" Oh, I was having a panic attack," her shock was more clear this time. "This is the first time they have happened outside of my room though," she bit her lip slightly at that, her hands worked to fix her clothing.
"Do they happen often? Have you spoken to Pomfrey?" I pressed slightly. While my old habit of just sneering at anyone would have gotten me out of these situations before, I could not do this to her.
"No, to tell the truth, I think it is PTSD… or something like that. Certain things trigger me into that state," her voice was soft, her hand moving up to touch the end of a curl that had fallen over one shoulder. "I have been talking to that quack, but it never seems to go anywhere."
"Miss Granger, I implore you to speak to Pomfrey in the morning," I cocked my head slightly at her, then pull a small vial out from my cloak. "Until you do, take a sip of this if it begins again," I waited until she had it safely tucked away before starting again, "Things of this nature do not fix themselves. And while magic is a powerful source, and it will try to heal its vessel as much as it can. Things of this nature," he lifted his hand slightly before dropping it, "Causes bad consequences."
"Professor, could you walk me back to my rooms?" her voice was soft, her eyes were slightly downturned. Even her hand was still pulling at her curl.
"Of Course Miss Granger," I replied and turned, I waited for her to start the walk out of the hallway.
As we walked I hoped the small feeling of warmth within my chest would not leave, it felt like her magic had stayed connected to me in some tiny way. The touch of the warmth… almost made me stop to catch my breath. The almost heavy warmth in my upper stomach was the main topics of my thoughts as we mixed, it kept me from pressing questions and the walk quite.
When we had reached the head's rooms she looked up at me with a soft smile, "Thank you for finding me Profesor," her words seemed full of emotions. I could feel my heart sluggishly beat at the slight pain that tinged her voice. "Thank you for saving me," her voice was softer this time as her eyes became downcast, the amber color hidden behind her darker lashes.
"Our beginnings where much the same Miss Granger," I spoke softly after moving my sight away from her face and onto the portrait "I hope my negligence for timekeeping has not cost you any lingering misfortune," I gave her a slight bow and turned to leave but a smaller hand on the crook of my elbow stopped me.
"You found me not long into the attack, I will be fine." I could tell now that she was being forthcome about the situation.
"No, before. I had hoped McGonagall would see what I had." I did not look to her face, my eyes fell onto her hand, pale against the black of my sleeve, "I waited and watched, tried to make sure you came back to school. I have no excuse for not saying anything," my voice was soft and by the end, my eyes flicked up to hers.
'Oh,' the small surprised sound seemed to escape her. A soft flush rose over her cheeks, I felt like it was in response to the sound she had not meant to exclaim than at my words.
"Good night, Miss Granger." I gave her a slight upturn to my lip. My own hand moved to grasp hers on my inner elbow, I squeezed it softly before moving my arm away from her grasp. I allowed myself the brief few moments to hold the slim appendage, it seemed cold in my palm. I could feel some rather deep scars crisscrossing the back of her hand. I even allowed in the stretch of silence to give her hand another squeeze, then let it go. I moved to take my leave out of the hall, my throat was slightly tight and I hoped she could accept my very late yet sincere apologies.
I could tell plain as day that she felt better the next morning at breakfast. Her nose was deep in a book yet her hand continued to bring bits of fruit and porridge to her hidden face. Some mornings she would just sit and read, apparently Pomfery had not continued the use of the spell with her.
"Severus, has Millert contacted you for the grades of your Sixth year yet?" the voiced shocked me slightly as came out of my thoughts. I looked at the small professor sitting next to me.
"Yes, Filius, I sent them out the morning." I took a slow drink of my morning tea, waiting to see if he had more before I turned my attention away. That was a hard habit to break when others were slow with their speaking.
"He is looking for someone to apprentice over the summer!" the charms teacher was nearly vibrating with how excited he seemed to be.
"hm," I murmured in a slightly non-committal way. Millert always took on a summer apprentice, last year someone from Hufflepuff was chosen.
The boy had liked to share a lot of experiences when he came back to the month's break. The increase in sources in essays, as well as precision of movements, had very surprisingly increased and more care seemed to be taken in class. While the boy had already been near the top, he was soon over ranking all of the other 7th years. The house cup was definitely theirs this year.
"Was Miss Granger on your list?" his voice squeaked.
"Yes as well as a Miss Chan, Miss Pansy, and Mr. Dobble." I named off the three students that had topped my list. While Miss Granger was the first on the list, I needed no one to think I was playing favorites.
Then he began to babble about my choices and how they were doing in his class… which as he talked my eyes moved away, and I looked down the Gryffindor table and noted Granger had already left.