Chapter 2

Casualty of War

Severus had been with the sick boy for nearly an hour now. If Miss Granger had done everything correctly, the potion would be done at any second... he could only hope that it would be soon enough. The boy's condition is getting worse with every second that passes and soon he would drown in his own blood if they couldn't get him stable. He mutters a constant stream of healing charms over the boy, trying to find one that might get past the magic blocking virus-curse. Severus sighs and glances over at Tonks, who is steadily watching him and the boy with tears streaming down her face. He catches her eye and she smiles shakily at him, trying to imply that it doesn't bother her. He nods and looks back down at the boy next to him. He notices the color of the boy's face drain away and he begins to realize the boy's inability to breath properly. Nearly panicking, Severus pulls the boy up and leans him over the bedpan, hoping to allow the boy to retch but the boy doesn't. Instead he begins coughing wildly, drawing in heaving, rasping breaths and ignoring the trickle of blood running down his jaw. Severus rubs the boy's back and the boy quite suddenly coughs up a large spatter of blood into the bedpan. Severus realizes that these may be the boy's last moments and he draws the boy into his lap. He shushes the boy's crying and rocks him gently, murmuring little sounds of comfort to the tiny child in his arms. The boy's crying stills and Severus sighs in relief. Unfortunately his relief lasts only briefly as he realizes that the boy has gone to still. Severus looks down at the boy in a renewed panic. He gently shakes the boy's shoulders and waves an awakening charm over the boy again and again. After a moment of shocked thought, he slips the boy back onto the bed and slowly waves another spell over the boy. Severus turns deathly pale as the aura around the boy shows faded gray. Severus lowers his wand and stares at the boy's placid face lost in thoughts of what Hermione's reaction may be. Carefully, sadly, respectfully, Severus lays the bed sheet over the boy's face and bows his head. A moment later he feels a hand on his shoulder and he tenses violently. He turns to see Tonks looking up at him with sad eyes. Severus is suddenly filled with rage.

''Are you insane woman?! Do you want to end up like him? Get back in your bed now!'' Tonks flinches and Severus quite suddenly sweeps her up and sets her back in her own bed, tucking the covers around her again. Once she is settled again, he sighs and sinks down next to her with his face in his hands.

Hermione barrels into the quarantine room, carrying a vial of her finished potion.

''Severus! Severus, I finished it. I...'' Hermione takes note of the scene before her she pales and drops the bottle with a soft gasp. In a moment, Severus is in front of her, catching her as she collapses. ''Severus?, Please... tell me its not...'' she sobs openly against him as she tries to push by. He catches her around the waist and holds her to him.

''Dobby.'' He calls softly, holding Hermione tightly as she clutches to his robes. The little house elf appears in front of him and slowly takes in the scene around him.

''Yes sir? What can Dobby do sir?''

''Take the body of Mr Myres to the proper place... And clean the bed.'' He tightens his arms around the sobbing Girl. The sound tears at his mind and tightens his lungs but he forces himself to push her away. He keeps his hands tightly on her shoulders.

''Miss Granger... Miss Granger... Hermione! Hermione, you have to pull yourself together. The others will need your help now. We all need you to be strong. Do you hear? You need to be strong.'' Hermione looks up at Severus tearfully and nods. His face flickers into softness briefly before he lowers his hands from her shoulders. ''Good girl. I have made your daily potion. Perhaps it would be best to take it early today.'' Hermione nods again and he gently ushers her towards her office and away from the dismal quarantine room. To anyone passing, it may seem as is Hermione was under the imperious curse but no one saw them as they made their way to her office. Once she is seated behind her desk with the door locked and warded, Severus lets himself relax. He kneels next to Hermione and takes her tiny, womanly hands in his own precise, artistic ones. She stares blankly at him.

''That boy... That poor boy... What will I tell his mother and father?... Oh God, Oh god...'' Hermione leans forward and puts her forehead against her and Severus's clasped hands.

''Hermione. Alan was an orphan. His parents died about a month ago. There was nothing you could have done to help him. If you had rushed the potion you would have ruined it and probably poisoned him anyway. It is not your fault.'' Severus says earnestly trying to comfort her in some way. He doesn't know why he is doing it but he can't stop himself. Listening to her crying is making his chest tighten a most unpleasant way and he is terrified at the implication that he might actually care that she is crying. How many times had he made her cry before? How many times had he relished the sound of her sobs echoing down the corridor as she ran out of his room? What had made this different? He reaches up with one hand and strokes away a section of bushy brown curls, watching as it springs away from his fingers. Hermione is sobbing again. Gently, Severus pulls his hand back, drawing her own hands with it until she is curled up in his lap. He strokes her hair again and holds her as she cries against him. ''Hermione, you need to take your potion, it will help you to calm down. Severus reaches into his robe pocket with the hand that had been in her hair and pulls out her bottle of potion. He pulls the stopper out with his teeth and holds it to her mouth. She holds her hand over his and drinks it down, feeling the effects almost immediately. Hermione sighs and the lines in her face disappear. She wraps her arm back around Severus's waist and relaxes in his arms. He looks down at her slightly uncomfortable at having her so close but not wanting to let her go either. Hermione jumps back suddenly.

''Oh merlin... I'm sorry Professor! I-I just... um...'' Severus smirks at her as she wipes away her tears.

''Miss Granger, it is alright. Its not every day that I get to hold a beautiful woman in my arms...'' Oh God! Did I actually just say that?! Hermione stares at him in small shock. Severus makes his face impassive and gets to his feet, brushing himself off and straitening his robes before reaching down to help Hermione up. She brushes her bum off and blushes brightly with her eyes lowered, afraid to look into his eyes and see that he might have been lying.

''Um... I-I have other patients to take care of and... um...''

''Yes of course. I really should get back to making those potions for you.'' Severus bows elegantly and kisses Hermione's hand before turning and sweeping out of the room. Hermione watches him go.

''Wow...'' Hermione grabs a few potions off the shelf and steps into the infirmary, her mind slightly numb and her skin still tingling from the feel of his lips on her hand.

Hermione enters the infirmary and is met with the sight of Madame Rosemerta bent over a nearby cot.

''Rosemerta?'' The woman turns and grins widely.

''Ah! Hermione! There you are! I was just saying hello to my old friend Kingsley Shacklebolt. Plus, I heard that you needed an extra pair of hands.'' Hermione lights up. '' I figured that you would need them as soon as possible so I came here instead of unpacking.'' Hermione throws herself at Rosemerta and hugs the laughing woman fiercely.

''Oh Rosy! I knew I was to get someone but I figured it would be some stuffy medi-witch that smelled funny. I'm so glad its you instead!'' Rosemerta laughs and hugs Hermione back.

''I am too... Its better than being anywhere else.''