Disclaimer: All recognizable people, places, and things belong to JK Rowling.
Chapter 9
A night worth three
Sitting on the examination table in the Hogwarts infirmary, Hermione watched the clock on the cold blue wall. She had been waiting alone in the isolation room for thirty minutes.
Professor Dumbledore, careful not to touch her or allow Hermione to touch anyone, with a swish of his wand, had whisked Hermione off the stairs and up to the isolation room of the school's infirmary. The charm he used made her as light as a feather but had disabled her ability to speak. The reasoning behind robbing her of her voice, Hermione still didn't understand, and was really intrigued. Once this was all cleared up, and everyone realized that she was, in fact, still among the living and that this was all a big mistake, Hermione was going to do what she should have done a long time ago…Go to the library.
In order to understand the enemy, I must become the enemy! Hermione silently giggled at the thought.
The door burst open, making Hermione leap at the sharp noise. In strolled Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore, a really old Asian man, and an evil looking man with a tall sturdy jewel encrusted staff.
With a quick swipe of his staff, the evil looking man enclosed Hermione in a bright blue circle.
Not even glancing at Hermione, the man tapped his staff on the gray tiles arrogantly, "Now, Albus, have you and your staff performed a sweep for the young lady's body?"
"Of course, Senator Throckmorton, for three days," Professor Dumbledore looked stern. "All of my best Aquaites and Scanners were deployed in the area we found her clothes and suicide note, which we scoured non stop." His kind face contorted.
Professor Snape huskily cleared his throat, "The rest of Hogwarts and it's grounds were torn apart as well, as a precaution." He bottomless eyes gazed at Hermione's shocked expression with a hollow, haunted need. "I could not find her."
"Perhaps the soul found the body and reanimated it." The Asian man examined Hermione from the safety of his side of the magical barrier as a researcher would a tiger in a cage.
"You may be right, Dr. Michiba," The senator acknowledged with a nod from his stately head. "If she drowned, and her body drifted to a safe location within Hogwarts underwater tunnels and was left there for a couple of days, her soul may have found it and reanimated it, but if that is the case intervention will be needed to keep the dead parts of her body from rotting."
Professor Dumbledore looked relieved. "Well, well this is wondrous news!" He beamed at the doctor and senator. "Professor Snape, as you well know, was the Potion Master who invented Arc Litive, so we should have no problem in the restoration and upkeep of Miss Snape's body."
"Now, now, Senator Throckmorton," Dr. Michiba intently studied Hermione. "First we must complete the necessary tests required to back up such a diagnosis." He turned to face the men. "Senator, you may remove your protective spell, I need to take a tissue and blood sample and perform a Arctative Decremetice spell on her to see how much of her tissue is dead."
Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, and Senator Throckmorton looked tense and at the ready, like men preparing for a battle.
"As a precaution against possible spiritual possession, keep your staff at the ready, Senator." Dr. Michiba continued, cautiously stepping closer to Hermione.
If this wasn't so annoying, Hermione thought, I'd be dieing of laughter at the ridiculousness of four powerful wizards being afraid of little old me…
The hilarity of the situation was soon depleted when Dr. Michiba roughly grabbed Hermione's left arm and painfully jabbed her with a strange medical instrument and sucked out quite a bit of blood, enough for a dozen blood tests in Hermione's view.
It was a good thing Professor Dumbledore had silenced her, because Hermione was screaming her head off. She had never been one for needles, and Dr. Michiba didn't know the first thing when it came to administering a proper blood taking.
His technique could use a little work in Hermione's opinion, so she grabbed him by the scruff of the neck before he could get away and was going to very kindly shove his blasted instrument straight down his throat, but Senator Throckmorton was quicker and with a purple blast from his staff knocked her on her ass, out cold.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione woke up surrounded by something warm and soft. Blinkingly opening her eyes, Hermione discovered silky green sheets and a thick and fluffy black comforter tucked about her.
Suddenly, the realization that she didn't remember climbing into this bed struck her with the force of a milk truck. Hermione sprung up into a sitting position as memories of what had happened to her came flooding back.
Gazing about her with confused eyes, Hermione found herself in a richly decorated bedroom. Black and shades of green blended perfectly with dark rich hard woods.
An Egyptian inspired armoire dominated the wall in front of her, flanked by two apple green stained glass windows. The armoire was a deep black, almost the exact color of thick blood. The four-poster bed she sat on was the same deep color and was huge.
This is the biggest bed I've ever been in! Hermione thought, in the mountain of covers and green silk she felt dwarfed, as if the bed could, with one mighty gulp, swallow her whole.
Two black rattan side tables toped with huge animalistic lamps provided the only light in the room. The lamps with their dark shiny bodies appeared to be in the process of pouncing; their abstract claws extended toward Hermione's sheet covered body, fanged mouths glistening with the anticipation of the hunt.
Uneasily, Hermione crawled to the center of the bed. The dark green walls winked at her with its multitude of emerald eyes. To her right was an arched doorway, it's dark wood frame mimicking the impressive crown molding and paneled ceiling the masculine room boasted. The door was cracked open showing a cool sea green bathroom.
Looking around the strange room, panic rose in Hermione's throat. "I've got to get out of here!"
"That means those double doors—" Hermione squeaked. Her voice was back! The last thing she remembered she could no longer speak because of Professor Dumbledore's charm.
Jumping to her feet in the center of the bed, Hermione felt a draft around her more tender parts. Glancing down, Hermione realized she was buck-naked.
Rolling her eyes, the comedian in her wanted to rise to the occasion. This bizarre situation she found herself in did have a humorous note, but the realist in her overruled. Naked is way to vulnerable a place to be. She needed clothes!
With all her strength, Hermione yanked hard on the silky green sheet. But the silk was tucked violently into place and the heavy comforter out weighed her and in a flash Hermione found herself on her sprawled naked on the floor.
"If this wasn't so degrading, I'd be laughing," Hermione huffed. Yanking again, Hermione turned her attention to the black comforter. Grabbing the closest edge, she pulled back, using all her weight and still the damn thing wouldn't budge.
Cinnamon curls flying wildly, Hermione threw herself whole heartily into the battle.
"This is Ridiculous!!" Hermione screamed. "Bloody thing must be charmed on!"
"What are you doing?"
Stunned, Hermione whipped around to see an amused Professor Snape lounging against the frame of the arched, now open, double doors.
"Did the bed offend?" He chuckled. He uncrossed his arms and strode over to the armoire. Yanking it open, he reached in and pulled out a big pink striped box with a gold label on it and a small red bag.
Hermione, now in the safety of the covers, "What's that?"
"It's a present," he grinned, he really seemed to be enjoying her predicament.
"Who's it for?" Hermione growled.
"For you, my naked little bird." He laid the packages down on the bottom of the bed.
Giving her one last devious grin, he just turned and walked out.
Leaving the doors wide open of course! Hermione glanced at the doors Snape's handsome dark form had just exited and down at the packages.
Oh, hell! Here goes…
In a naked streak of cinnamon curls and creamy curves, Hermione grabbed the packages and zipped into the bathroom and slammed the door, Snape's melodious laughter burning her ears.
"Oh, you'll get yours, my dear professor," Hermione hissed as she yanked open the pink box.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/n: Sorry this was a long time coming. Thanks to all the wonderful people who emailed me. Chapter 10 up soon.