Obligatory disclaimer: not mine J.K.R.'s but I am having fun playing with them.
Snape grudgingly trod the familiar path through the cold dungeons, up the stairs and finally to the gargoyle that was the entrance to Dumbledore office. "Jawbreakers" he muttered. The gargoyle moved aside and he entered, moving up the narrow flight of stairs knowing he was not going to enjoy this latest meeting he had been summoned to. He raised a hand to knock and heard "come in Severus" before his knuckles could touch the wood. He pushed open the door and swept inside to seat himself in the leather covered armchair that he was accustomed to sitting in at these meetings. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company so early in the morning?" Severus asked the headmaster with rather less than the usual amount of sarcasm he usually favored those with whom he spoke.
"Lemon drop" Dumbledore offered. At Severus's terse "no" he sat the candy dish down on his desk and prepared to get to business. "It has come to our attention through the efforts of our latest spy that Mister Weasley as well as Miss Granger have been targeted for an attack this summer. I have decided to bring them to Hogwarts for the summer as this is truly the safest place for them." Dumbledore paused knowing that Severus was not going to like what came next "I need you to go fetch Miss Granger from her home this evening…"
Severus broke in "why must I be the one to fetch her? Isn't it enough that I deal with that…" he stopped seeing the way Dumbledore was looking at him and mentally rephrased his comments. "With Miss Granger throughout the school year? Why not send Minerva, after all she is her head of house." Severus sat forward in his chair glaring at the man he respected more than anyone else. "Why me?" he asked again knowing it was fruitless as Dumbledore never explained himself.
"I've sent Minerva to fetch Misters Potter and Weasley, knowing your… feelings about Mr. Potter I felt you would rather get Miss Granger. Was I wrong?" Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eye. "If you would prefer to fetch Mr.'s Potter and Weasley I'm sure Minerva would relinquish that job to you and instead pick up Miss Granger." Dumbledore bit back a chuckle at the look of alarm that appeared in Severus's eyes at the statement.
"No that's quite all right." Severus said "Miss Granger it is. Does she know that I will be coming for her tonight?" he asked. Seeing Dumbledore shake his head no he asked "I will send an owl to inform her that I will be there this evening." *that way I spend as short a time in little miss know-it-alls presence as possible* he thought. "If you will excuse me then." He said and swept out not bothering to disguise his irritation. He climbed the stairs to the owlery wrinkling his nose in disgust of the odors emanating from it.
When he entered the owls which had been dozing woke up and stood at as much attention as an owl could. He went though and selected the fastest owl there, "now Desdemona I need you to take this letter to Miss Grangers home as fast as you can." The owl hooted softly and stretched out a leg to attach the small roll of parchment to. Severus carefully tied it on with a piece of black ribbon and sent her off through the window. Sighing he went back to his private lab to try to get as much work done as possible before he must leave.
Snape waited until dark and then apparated to just outside the Grangers home. When he arrived he felt something wrong, there wasn't anything visibly off just the atmosphere of the house was wrong somehow. There was only one light burning and everything was entirely too still. His feelings of apprehension increased as he saw the owl he had sent hours ago flying around fruitlessly outside its message still undelivered. He walked up the three steps to the door and knocked. When no-one answered he tried the knob. It opened easily, and he stepped inside. From his vantage everything was as it should be, but his sensitive nose caught a scent that did not belong, blood. "Miss Granger?" he called the only reply was the soft sound of crying coming from upstairs. He slowly walked up the steps to see Miss Granger curled up by the wall in a little ball crying, her face hidden in her knees. "Miss Granger kindly cease your caterwauling and tell me what is the matter with you" Severus demanded in a harsh tone. The scene and smell of blood making him increasingly worried for her. She raised her head and he stepped back shocked at the bruises covering her tear streaked face.
"Professor Snape?" she said in a questioning voice looking up him like he was the answer to her prayers. "Wha….what are you doing here?" she asked
"I'm here to take you to Hogwarts." Snape replied in a gentle but controlled tone.
"Home" Hermione whispered and finally succumbed to the pain and let herself drift off into unconsciousness.
Looking over the cuts and bruises that were visible on the poor girl he was appalled. "What has happened here?" he asked himself muttering softly before picking her up gently and apparating back to the gates of Hogwarts.
He swiftly walked up the path to the front doors and adjusted the limp girl in his arms until he could push the doors open. He hurried to the infirmary, laid Hermione gently down on the nearest bed and turned to find Poppy standing behind him with a look of shock on her face.
"What's happened to her?" she asked horrified at the extent of bruising that was visible.
"I don't know but I intend to find out" Severus replied "when you have finished healing Miss Granger please inform me as to the extent of her injuries." He requested in a cold impersonal tone holding his anger at this attack inside. "I need to speak to Albus, so I shall leave to get to work." With those words Snape spun around and stalked out of the infirmary heading towards the headmaster's office.
As he neared Dumbldore's office the stone gargoyle saw him coming wrapped in an almost visible cloak of anger and jumped aside before he could say the password to gain admittance. "Albus" Severus shouted as he entered the headmaster's office "where are you!"
"I'm right here Severus" Dumbledore said as he came through the discreet door built into the warm wood paneling his office. "What is the matter with you?" he asked, curious as to what could have overset his normally calm professor and friend.
"Did you know?" Snape asked "did you know what I would find when I went to pick miss granger up this evening." Unable to stay in one place Snape started pacing around Dumbledore office trying to work off some of the anger riding him. When he saw the saddened shake of Dumbledore head he abruptly sat down and began talking. "When I arrived, I found Miss Granger barely conscious, beaten badly and her parents nowhere in sight. I informed her that I was there to remove to her to Hogwarts at hearing which she fainted. I brought her to poppy and came here. Now do you know what happened there or not?" Snape asked in more control but still enraged over the obvious abuse of a child let alone one of his students.
"Severus" Dumbledore said gently "I have no idea what has happened at miss grangers home but I'm sure when she is well enough to speak she will tell us. In the meantime I sent one of the house-elves to collect her trunk and have notified the ministry of the attack. They will be working with the muggle authorities to discover what had happened. Does that ease your mind?" Dumbledore paused to look at his still agitated Potions Professor. *interesting* he thought *something has cracked that shield of his*. "Severus I suggest you retire for the night as there is nothing more to do till miss granger is healed or the authorities discover something." He smiled "you do rather look like you could use the rest dear boy"
"Very well headmaster" Snape said curtly with a sharp nod of his head. "Inform me of any news you receive on this matter." On seeing the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes from his high handed order he added "please" Snape stood up and left Dumbledore's office. Once outside he started down to the dungeons and his living quarters.
A/N: second chapter is finally out and I would appreciate anything you have to say about it. Special thanks to my feisty sidekick the girl blonder who read, critiques and then says WRITE MORE!.........DAMMIT! and to all of you who reviewed me of course.