Hermione didn't have time to register the strange look on McGonogall's face as she pushed past, not thinking of anything except getting down there before it was too late. She had watched him come back from summonings before, broken and bloody, but the man avoided the hospital wing like the plague. If something bad enough had happened for him to not only be there but asking for her… She didn't want to think about the worst that could happen. Bursting through the doors she let instinct guide her past the empty beds, trying to gather enough of her composure not to storm in with tears.
In the back behind curtains was where she found him, clenching his teeth to keep from groaning in pain. Rushing to his bedside she wanted to touch him but wasn't sure if there were burns or what exactly was wrong. "...Severus?" Leaning over the bed she touched the side of his face with her fingers, freezing as his eyes wrenched open and he looked around for her wildly. "No!" Nearly lunging out of bed he pulled her to his chest, wand trained on the door as if waiting for someone else to charge in at any moment.
Well, that answered the question about contact. Not thinking for a moment about where they were Hermione crawled up from the bed and into his lap, crooning quiet words and cradling his face in her hands to draw his attention back. "It's alright, you're alright, I'm right here.." Arms around his neck she held on tightly as he buried his face into hers, breathing her in and proving to himself she was really there. The girl didn't have the faintest idea what had happened, but it was clear enough that he was distressed about it and this was the only way she knew how to help.
Severus turned and laid her on the bed, halfway covering her body with his own to hide her from the outside world. Somewhere he was aware his muscles were quivering, but that was the least of his concerns. He had to keep her safe, didn't they realize what was coming? He barely understood it himself. But before he could warn her away, soft lips were caressing his, coaxing him out of the fog that surrounded his head. Merlin only knew who started the kiss, but he drank from her sweetness like a man dying from thirst.
Her hands were so fragile against his skin, tender and was it really so selfish to have a little bit of comfort for himself? His kisses trailed down over her throat, enticing the soft whimpers from those addicting lips. Just a little more and - "SEVERUS SNAPE!" The illusion shattered and he froze with his face hovering over her skin, lifting his head just enough to look down into eyes as wide as his own. "Every goddamn time…" He murmured, noting the quirk of her lips with something akin to pride. Not quite a laugh, but she would probably be amused if she wasn't so mortified.
Clearing his throat he drew whatever shreds of dignity he had left together and lifted his head further, staring across the room at the stunned women. He had yet to completely sit up, raising an eyebrow at the tightness in Minerva's face. They were the ones who had interrupted him after all, jumping away would make it seem like they truly were teenagers caught snogging in some dark corner. "Minerva." He greeted simply, wondering if her face would combust should it pinch any further. A small hand against the center of his chest decided it might not be the best time to find out.
Hermione nearly smiled his reluctant sigh, sitting up as he turned but his arm snuck around her waist to keep her from truly leaving him. In one sense she was horrified that her Head of House and the mediwitch she so admired were staring at them like that, but in another she refused to be ashamed of being here when Severus needed her. She had been the one to start their kiss after all, and some of the delirium seemed to be gone at least. That had to count for something.
McGonogall opened her mouth to speak when the Headmaster stepped inside, concern melting away to a passively amused expression as he took in the scene. "Ah my boy, so you have returned to us at last." He gave her a polite nod as well, twinkling eyes skimming over the both of them in a way that had her blushing all over again. But looking at her partner's face the old man grew more somber, coming to stand at the foot of the bed. "What's happened?" Severus seemed reluctant to say, meeting her eyes for a moment before pulling the shoulder of his robes to the side.
All three of the women gasped at the burn there, skimming both above and under his skin black as coal, veining out from the impact point and pulsing in time with his heartbeat. "A...gift from the Dark Lord." His voice was flat and emotionless, the same way it always was when he was giving a report to Dumbledore. "It will go away in time, but… not for a good while. Lest I forget what is waiting when we attack one of our own." The lapse of control was stupid, looking back on it, but he had been waiting to get his hands on Doholov's throat for far too long.
His director seemed even more displeased at this, something akin to anger flashing across his face for a moment before he quickly composed himself again. Hermione nearly flinched, never having seen an expression like that on the Headmaster's face before. "Has your position been compromised?" The question didn't come as a surprise for the one who it was directed to, a simple shake of his head being his answer. "Good, we may have time yet. Minerva, Poppy, I'll take a word with you outside." McGonogall made to protest but he assured her that all would be explained in time, the other woman watching them a moment before tsking and following them out of the curtain.
When they were gone she turned and pressed her face into his chest again, nearly face to face with the nasty thing. It wasn't a burn per say, now that she saw it close up, but something akin to a hex that would have to cause him pain. The fact that he hadn't been crying out since she arrived was a testament to his fortitude.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Her question was quiet and Severus stared up at the ceiling, laying back and allowing his hand to stroke over her hair. "There are things I must witness.. that I pray will never cross your imagination. Of all things for me to break over, it would be a… comparison to you. I lashed out, and I do not regret that. Luckily for me enough had been said that I was able to twist his words to mean something else entirely, but… even if the Dark Lord was fooled I do not believe he was." He could feel a shiver run down her spine and held her closer, needing her to feel safe in his arms. Even if he didn't want her to imagine it, Hermione already had at least a few ideas of what the comment might have been. "What happens now?"
"...We wait."