Chapter Three
She gaped in horror as the familiar smirk turned into a contortion of suffering. He could hardly keep himself from collapsing, bringing both of them down with him. Whoever had done this to him, had not wanted him to return. Had perhaps the Dark Lord found him out? Did the Death Eaters figure out who had allowed, and even aided, the prisoner in her escape. 'If this is my fault I'll never be able to forgive myself.'
"Professor there are charms on your door. I don't know how to undo them, you must try to pull yourself together."
He glared at her through the agony he was feeling as if this was obvious and as if to say 'Don't tell me to pull myself together, I'm covered in foot long gashes!'. But of course, being the normally cold and collected Professor, he spared his last bit of energy releasing the three charms that bound his portrait hole and whispering what she thought to be the most idiotic password in the history of humanity. Had these been normal circumstances she would have made any smart remarks she could, but then again under normal circumstances she wouldn't be caught dead within ten feet of Professor Snape's bed.
"Shh please go back to sleep Lauralin, mommy has to help her Professor before he loses too much blood."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* From his position on the bed Snape glared at where he assumed the young woman and child were positioned. When he had finally stumbled his way into the castle he had never expected to encounter a young woman, much less a baby. No children younger than eleven were ever allowed to really step foot in Hogwarts, unless to visit parents, but even then not many of the teachers had children. Who was this mysterious girl with gentle hands, and soothing voice? He could not see her in the darkness, though now that he was allowed time to think about it, he probably wouldn't have been able to see the girl in the light either. It occurred to him that this new illness that plagued him would not be so easy to hide. True he could hide out in his dungeons until the next meeting, but honestly teaching got his mind off of these things. He could lose himself in teaching. 'Dammit now what will I do'. He couldn't very well think anymore. The aching in his ribs had escalated to throbbing. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Alright Professor, its your turn. Stay still."
The second her hands slipped beneath his robes he grabbed her. There was no mistaking the tiniest whimper that had escaped him, but he held her wrists firmly nevertheless.
"That would not be so wise Mrs. . . ."
Hermione wasn't quite sure what was happening, but the Professor seemed to have become quite tense. Whatever she had done had been a no-no of the strictest kind. Perhaps the Potions Master had something to hide beneath those robes he didn't want some stranger to find. 'Well telling him my real name will only get me kicked out.' So Hermione gradually pulled her arms back as far as he would allow. It seemed the Potions Master was not so completely helpless.
"Miss," she faltered, "Miss Evenstar."
She held her breath, hoping that he had never read Tolkien's books, hoping that he would believe her enough to let her heal him. Evidently he was satisfied at that moment with her clarification, or at least he was less stubborn. She walked toward him slowly, knowing what would happen, knowing that he would intend to scare her again. The second her hand hovered above the beginning of his robes he caught her up all over again.
"You must be a Gryffindor" he muttered.
Leaning down she brushed a kiss on his temple and began singing softly the same lullaby she sung to her own child. She smiled as his eyelids began to flutter. Perhaps Snape was not so predictable. She had only meant to calm him into submission, not to put him to sleep. 'It'll be easier when he is asleep, how could anyone wish for more.'
"Vestis discedent" she whispered.
Her breath stuck in her throat as his clothes folded themselves neatly in a corner. Never would she have imagined all this hiding beneath the flowing black robes. He was slim yes, but there was also muscle there. To the students Snape had often appeared to be the nerdy, flimsy git. But lying on this bed was a man. 'A very hurt man' she reminded herself. Staring at him was not exactly safe either. If perchance he awoke, she highly doubted he would appreciate her admiring gaze. 'Still, I can't quite get over the similarity between him and Laurelin.'
"Primus Sanatio."
She watched some of the cuts begin to heal themselves. His ribs were still bruised, and the gash from his nose across to his cheek had formed a thin scar. 'Well, he always wanted to be like Potter' she thought mirthfully. He too bore a visible scar from the Dark Lord. 'Ah Severus the pains you went through to protect me and my child. You could have left us there to die, but you would not have it end that way.'
"You gave Laurelin a chance to live, and we are both grateful. My daughter owes her life to you."
Plucking up the child from her resting place she began to rock them both to sleep. 'A couple of winks wouldn't hurt, I'll wake before dawn.'
She gaped in horror as the familiar smirk turned into a contortion of suffering. He could hardly keep himself from collapsing, bringing both of them down with him. Whoever had done this to him, had not wanted him to return. Had perhaps the Dark Lord found him out? Did the Death Eaters figure out who had allowed, and even aided, the prisoner in her escape. 'If this is my fault I'll never be able to forgive myself.'
"Professor there are charms on your door. I don't know how to undo them, you must try to pull yourself together."
He glared at her through the agony he was feeling as if this was obvious and as if to say 'Don't tell me to pull myself together, I'm covered in foot long gashes!'. But of course, being the normally cold and collected Professor, he spared his last bit of energy releasing the three charms that bound his portrait hole and whispering what she thought to be the most idiotic password in the history of humanity. Had these been normal circumstances she would have made any smart remarks she could, but then again under normal circumstances she wouldn't be caught dead within ten feet of Professor Snape's bed.
"Shh please go back to sleep Lauralin, mommy has to help her Professor before he loses too much blood."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* From his position on the bed Snape glared at where he assumed the young woman and child were positioned. When he had finally stumbled his way into the castle he had never expected to encounter a young woman, much less a baby. No children younger than eleven were ever allowed to really step foot in Hogwarts, unless to visit parents, but even then not many of the teachers had children. Who was this mysterious girl with gentle hands, and soothing voice? He could not see her in the darkness, though now that he was allowed time to think about it, he probably wouldn't have been able to see the girl in the light either. It occurred to him that this new illness that plagued him would not be so easy to hide. True he could hide out in his dungeons until the next meeting, but honestly teaching got his mind off of these things. He could lose himself in teaching. 'Dammit now what will I do'. He couldn't very well think anymore. The aching in his ribs had escalated to throbbing. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Alright Professor, its your turn. Stay still."
The second her hands slipped beneath his robes he grabbed her. There was no mistaking the tiniest whimper that had escaped him, but he held her wrists firmly nevertheless.
"That would not be so wise Mrs. . . ."
Hermione wasn't quite sure what was happening, but the Professor seemed to have become quite tense. Whatever she had done had been a no-no of the strictest kind. Perhaps the Potions Master had something to hide beneath those robes he didn't want some stranger to find. 'Well telling him my real name will only get me kicked out.' So Hermione gradually pulled her arms back as far as he would allow. It seemed the Potions Master was not so completely helpless.
"Miss," she faltered, "Miss Evenstar."
She held her breath, hoping that he had never read Tolkien's books, hoping that he would believe her enough to let her heal him. Evidently he was satisfied at that moment with her clarification, or at least he was less stubborn. She walked toward him slowly, knowing what would happen, knowing that he would intend to scare her again. The second her hand hovered above the beginning of his robes he caught her up all over again.
"You must be a Gryffindor" he muttered.
Leaning down she brushed a kiss on his temple and began singing softly the same lullaby she sung to her own child. She smiled as his eyelids began to flutter. Perhaps Snape was not so predictable. She had only meant to calm him into submission, not to put him to sleep. 'It'll be easier when he is asleep, how could anyone wish for more.'
"Vestis discedent" she whispered.
Her breath stuck in her throat as his clothes folded themselves neatly in a corner. Never would she have imagined all this hiding beneath the flowing black robes. He was slim yes, but there was also muscle there. To the students Snape had often appeared to be the nerdy, flimsy git. But lying on this bed was a man. 'A very hurt man' she reminded herself. Staring at him was not exactly safe either. If perchance he awoke, she highly doubted he would appreciate her admiring gaze. 'Still, I can't quite get over the similarity between him and Laurelin.'
"Primus Sanatio."
She watched some of the cuts begin to heal themselves. His ribs were still bruised, and the gash from his nose across to his cheek had formed a thin scar. 'Well, he always wanted to be like Potter' she thought mirthfully. He too bore a visible scar from the Dark Lord. 'Ah Severus the pains you went through to protect me and my child. You could have left us there to die, but you would not have it end that way.'
"You gave Laurelin a chance to live, and we are both grateful. My daughter owes her life to you."
Plucking up the child from her resting place she began to rock them both to sleep. 'A couple of winks wouldn't hurt, I'll wake before dawn.'