But you would act like I was just a kid
Hermione found her way back to her room. The next morning found her curled up tightly on her bed, face tear streaked and blotchy, in a troubled sleep. Jerking herself awake, she glanced toward the muggle alarm clock next to her bed. Breakfast would be in an hour; she may as well get cleaned up and dressed for the day. She walked carefully to the bathroom; each step a testament to the unfeeling way Sirius had taken her. As if the bruises she noticed on her hips weren't enough to convince her that something was wrong in Sirius' treatment of her, the blood in her panties was. "None of my friends ever said they bled this much. What did I do wrong?? I must not have reacted right to his advances, or else this wouldn't have turned out like this, he wouldn't have just walked away." She took a scalding hot shower and scrubbed herself thoroughly. Dressing in Jeans and a baggy shirt, she made her way to the Hall for breakfast. She stepped up to the head table and said a cheerful "Good Morning." She glanced with concern at Sirius' empty seat, as she took her own. "Ow"
Severus Snape watched her quietly from the other end of the table. Her wincing reaction as she took her seat was not lost on him, nor were the dark circles under her eyes. "The bastard should have taken more care with her."
As if on cue Sirius Black sauntered into the Great Hall sat down. "Good morning all. Lovely day today, isn't it, Severus."
The meal proceeded with the normal conversations. Quidditch, Voldemort sightings, ministry news. If anyone noticed the fact that Hermione was quiet, it was not commented upon. She excused herself halfway through the meal and returned to her room. Once again in the bathroom she tended to her bleeding. By now she had convinced herself that this was just her period and nothing, physical, was amiss.
As she walked through the Gryffindor common room, she came face to face with Sirius. Her face immediately brightened and she threw herself into his arms.
"Oh, um, hi. I was just on my way to see if Harry wanted to play a game of Wizard's chess." He carefully pulled her arms off of his neck and stepped out of her reach.
"Oh." Her face fell. "Well, if you want to get together later, I'll be in the library. Maybe we could do something, a walk, or uh……." She blushed, not exactly knowing the right words.
"Listen Hermione, I've been thinking about last night. It probably isn't such a good idea to keep seeing each other. You're just a kid."
Tears filled her eyes. "I'm sorry. I know that I didn't do good for you. I promise, next time I'll be better." She struggled to find the words to explain. But how do you explain what you're going to fix, when you're not sure what you did wrong.
"No, I mean it. Once was quite enough. Now, leave me alone." He pushed past her roughly and took the steps to Harry's room two at a time.
Shocked, Hermione quietly let herself out of the Fat Lady's portrait. She wandered the halls of Hogwarts for several hours. The tears did not come; she didn't feel much of anything. Not emotionally, not physically. Finally, exhaustion overtook her and she sat down in the second floor south corridor, near the DADA classroom. She just sat there, hearing his voice in her head, over and over again. "Once was quite enough"
Like we were never gonna last.
Oblivious to everything, she didn't notice that the sun went down, nor did she notice that she had begun to run a fever. She didn't even notice the small pool of blood she now sat in. She didn't notice anything until she heard Remus Lupin calling her name.
"Hermoine, there you are. The whole castle has been searching for you. We were worried sick. You weren't at supper and Harry hadn't seen you since breakfast."
"I'm OK," she stammered weakly, "I guess I just fell asleep". She struggled to her feet. Everything started to spin and then…
Remus caught her before she hit the floor and lowered her down gently. "Hermione. Hermione can you hear me???" He patted her cheek and immediately felt the heat coursing through her body. Then he sniffed, once, twice. Even when the moon was not full, he still had the heightened sense of smell of his wolf half. He glanced down and saw blood on the floor. He picked her up quickly and took off running toward the hospital wing.
"Poppy," he screamed as he burst through the doors of the infirmary. "I found her on the second floor. She's burning up and, well, there's this blood, but I'm not exactly sure where it's coming from." He laid her gently on the closest bed. Poppy Pomfrey quickly began working her wand over the girl's body, flashing readings in the air. Her face clearly showed dismay as the wand passed over her patient's hips. "I think you had better leave Remus, I'm sure Hermione would not want someone else here for this examination. Find Albus and Harry, I will need to see them at once. And alert the rest of the staff that she has been found." She stood and pulled the curtains around the bed tightly, sighed and began removing the girl's clothing. She would need to do a more physical examination of the damage.
A short while later, pulled the curtains back, to reveal a very quiet group waiting quietly at the other end of the room. Albus, Harry, Minerva, and…Severus??? "That's odd."
She walked slowly down to the other end of the room.
"How is she??" Harry asked anxiously.
"She is resting right now. It's apparent that she's been…. injured. She had some bleeding, which was complicated by infection. Easily treated though. Her fever has broken, the bleeding stopped, tissues repaired. She should be able to return to her room tomorrow morning." Although the report on Hermione's condition was given, it was obvious that there was more.
"What aren't you telling us, Poppy. What kind of injury did she suffer?" Albus Dumbledore had already heard from Remus where the bleeding appeared to be coming from. Still, he needed to hear it from the Medi-witch before jumping to any conclusions.
"I found some bruises on her hips and outer thighs where someone has obviously grasped her hard I can't be sure, of course, without speaking with her about it, but my best guess is that she has been raped."
Outrage shown clearly on Severus Snape's face. Clenching and unclenching his fists he struggled to keep himself in control. "I'm going to beat the bloody hell out of Sirius Black and love every damn minute of it." Minerva's voice interrupted his visions of blooded knuckles and Black's face pounded to a pulp.
"Mr. Potter, do you know where Miss Granger was last night during her absence from dinner?"
"Y-y-yes, m'am. She had a picnic with Sirius in the Astronomy Tower. But, I can't believe he would do something like… like…. this."
"I see, then until she regains consciousness, our interrogations begin with Mr. Black," Albus said evenly. It was clear to see, that although the wizard was known to have a kind heart, that he was clearly furious himself and struggling within to keep himself in control.
"NO!!" Hermione Granger was now sitting
up in bed at the other end of the room.
Horrified embarrassment etched across her face. "Sirius did nothing wrong."
Everyone rushed to the other end of the infirmary gathered around her bed. Harry sat next to her and grasped both of her hands in his. He ducked his head slightly, his eyes meeting hers. "What happened Hermione?" he asked gently.
"Well, he didn't rape me, if that's what you're all thinking. He wouldn't do something like that," She looked to the older Medi-witch for support. Poppy Pomfrey just shook her head. It was obvious that she didn't believe her.
"Hermione, the extent of your injuries is not consistent with….."
"He DIDN'T rape me. Professor Snape, you know what happened, tell them." The desperation was clear in her voice and in the face that implored him.
Snape groaned audibly and turned his back on the shocked faces that had turned to him. He closed his eyes as images of his days as a Deatheater and a spy flooded through his mind. Faces of countless women, muggle and magical, flew past his eyes. Women who were being raped. Their eyes often haunted his dreams. Those eyes were replaced with the tear-filled cinnamon eyes he saw in the Astronomy tower. Although clearly tormented, those eyes did not match the countless others. He composed his face once again and turned to face the small group.
"I came across Miss Granger and Black last night. She was not being raped," he stated simply. He turned quickly and strode from the room.
He was going to find Sirius Black.
Racing through the corridors, robes billowing, a black fury seeking out his prey, searching and furious. When his search failed to turn up Sirius, he made his way to his office in the dungeons. Turning the corner, he skidded to a stop. Sirius Black leaned casually on the door to the potions classroom, grinning.
Resuming his stride, Snape walked right up to Black grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the opposite wall. Still, Black just smirked at him.
"You could have taken greater care with her you bastard. Do you have an idea the extent of the damage you inflicted??" Snape forcefully held him up against the wall, forearm across his throat, but not hard enough to choke him, yet.
"Well, well, a little on edge are we, Severus. Wouldn't have anything to do with a certain young resident of the castle you have the hots for, would it? How'd you like the little show she put on for you last night??" He narrowed his eyes and continued, "You can't seriously think she would ever be interested in the likes of you. Especially when she could have me. There hasn't been a witch yet who was. When will you learn? Oh well, I'm sure the image of me taking her will fill many a long, lonely night for you and your right hand."
Snape took two steps back, clearly shocked by the thought that it had all been a ploy to get at him. He assessed his opponent with a renewed sense of calm. He towered over Sirius Black by a good 4 inches, but what he gained in height he lost in his slimmer build. All in all it would be a pretty evenly matched fight. He wasn't just going to beat the hell out of Black. "I'm going to kill him."
The two men advanced on each other. Circling, and seeking the upper hand. Before the first blow could be thrown two voices cried out in unison "Petrificus Totalus" and both men dropped to the floor.
Harry and Albus assessed the two men lying on the floor.
"This childish behavior ends right here, right now. When I release the spell you both will back off and listen to what I have to say. Agreed??"
Two sets of eyes blinked in agreement.
"Finite Incantium"
The spell was broken and both men got to their feet, each eyeing the other up and down.
Harry was obviously confused and dismayed by the revelations in the infirmary as well as the conversation he had just overheard. He just stood and glared at his Godfather.
"While it has been established that Miss Granger was not physically raped last night. It is clear that you, Sirius Black, did more than just take advantage of an innocent young woman. You have overstepped the bounds of decent behavior and as such, have overstayed your welcome in this castle and on these grounds. You will pack your things at once and leave. Do not return."
"As for you Severus, I think it best if you accompany me to my office until Mr. Black has left the grounds."
"Of course, Headmaster."
Severus, Harry, and Albus turned and began walking toward the steps, leaving Sirius Black standing alone.
"Oh, Severus," Black's sing-song voice came up from the dungeon. "If you ever do manage to get in her pants, just remember, I was there FIRST!" he spat.
The three men halted on the way up the steps. Harry turned around and pulled out his wand. Without turning, Albus grasped him firmly by the arm. Severus was down the steps in a flash. All the headmaster heard was the sickening crunch of flesh meeting flesh and the thud of a body hitting the floor.
Still without looking, Albus Dumbledore grinned and said "Mr. Black I think it would be best if you saw the Medi-witch in Hogsmeade to get that broken nose repaired. Come along, Severus, I know the spells to mend those broken knuckles."