29.
A night and a morning
Hermione popped a sleeping pill the moment she made it into the Malfoy's parlor. She donned a sweater to hide the bruises on her wrists.
She begged a headache at Spinner's End and went to bed. She twisted the bedclothes as she flailed, damp from sweat and tears. She swallowed two more pills and just before Ron came to bed, another.
Ron had difficulty waking Hermione the next morning. He shook her hard and as her swollen eyes sought his face, she murmured she felt ill. She asked him to owl the school she would be absent today. Ron checked on her several more times. When she gave him a smile and sat up against the headboard, he felt she wasn't too ill to leave on her own.
Her friends packed their bags and each bid her goodbye. She heard the front door close several times. She listened to the house. After a bit, she donned a robe and went down to the kitchen for tea. Harry was at the table waiting for her.
"Harry? Don't you have to be at the Ministry?"
"Tha's 'kay, 'Mione. I owled Shacklebolt I'd be late." He watched her carefully, seeing the tiredness in her face and her doughy complexion. She shuffled to the counter and made a tea and sat next to Harry. They both sipped and waited for the other.
"'Mione... why don't you just say? Whatever it is that's hanging you... keepin' it inside is makin' you ill."
Hermione hugged her cup and tried not to cry, again. She nodded into the steam and began. She told Harry about her encounter with the professor the morning before. She omitted his bruising her wrist, his threat and him pushing her to the floor.
"But, 'Mione, the professor didn't kill me. I'm here. I'm real."
"But he wanted to Harry. He said he wanted to kill you. You were a baby. How could anyone do that?! And we've been helping him like he was as regular as us. You've been doing so much for him!"
Harry shook his head. "He may have said he wanted to kill me, but he didn't. If he wanted to kill, then why did he only break Draco's arm? He could have Avada Kedavra'd him, right? He told you he thought of killing me. Then Draco should be dead. No. Despite what he might have said to you or to anybody... I can't doubt the man's actions, Hermione."
Now Hermione shook her head. "Harry, he didn't have his wand out. It was too quick. Don't forget Mr. Malfoy was there. How could the professor kill Draco in front of Mr. Malfoy?"
"Doesn't matter. If Snape said he wanted to kill me, then he would have. He had plenty of chances, you know?"
"But there were people around, Dumbledore and McGonagall and Ron and myself... "
Harry was shaking his head. "You said this happened around when? Draco was nine, ten months old?"
Hermione nodded in acquiescence. "About that."
"Well, there, you see?" Harry said, "Why would Snape say he wanted to kill me and not a month or so later, save my life?"
"No, Harry, he was trying to save your mother, not you."
"I don't mean his telling Dumbledore to move my parents and me to Godric Hollow, Hermione. I mean the night Voldemort came to kill me. Snape was there."
Hermione's eyes were O's.
"Snape's memories with my mother... when they came... while Voldemort was killing my father... Snape was in my room. He tried to take me, but my mother misunderstood. She thought... Snape wanted to kill me or maybe take me to Voldemort."
"What makes you think he wasn't trying to kill you?"
Harry said simply, "Because of his tears."
Some time later, Hermione said she felt better and suggested Harry get to the Ministry. Harry glanced at his watch.
"No point in my heading to the Ministry yet. It's nearly my time for visiting with Snape."
"Harry? Would you mind if I go?"
"You feel up to it?"
"I really don't want to tackle school today. It would give me something to do and you missed your morning training by sitting with me."
Harry nodded agreeably and headed to the Ministry.
