A/N: Hey, so here is the next chapter thanks to my beta reader. Enjoy it and review.
The rescue...
After a few minutes, Snape seemed to overcome the shock enough to speak again, "We have to take him to my Manor!"

Hermione blinked a few times before she answered, her voice was trembling with fear, "Right, to your Manor . . . but why? Okay, not important . . . How do we get there? We should move him only as much as we have to!"

Snape lifted his eyebrow with surprise; he hadn't expected Hermione to react so calm and just act without asking questions, which weren't necessary and would just slow the process of rescuing Harry down.
Maybe he had underestimated the young witch, but he hadn't time to dwell on that thought. Quickly, he explained to Hermione that he would use a portkey to his Manor, and then contact Madam Pomfrey to check on Harry.
As he saw her worried expression, he (and by doing this he shocked himself quite a bit) promised to contact her as soon as he knew the extend of Harry's (of course he said 'Mr. Potter's') injuries.

Back at his Manor, Snape called trough the fire network to Madam Pomfrey, who just five minutes later appeared in his room.
After Madam Pomfrey ensured Snape that Harry's injuries weren't life threatening if she took care of them immediately, she convinced him to go into his potion lab and brew the dreamless sleep potion, which Harry would surly need.

After almost two hours, Snape was done with the potion. He was rather disturbed by the fact that he could not, like usual, relax while doing the potion.
No, this time it seemed that his thoughts were drawn to a certain green eyed, teenage boy named Harry Potter.
He slowly started his way to his living room, the dreamless sleep potion in his hand. Reaching his goal, he found Harry lying on his big couch and he looked terrible. Quickly, Madam Pomfrey started to explain:

"Well, Harry seems to have three broken ribs and two are heavy bruised. I can't heal them because it would risk further damage. His left wrist was broken and his right ankle was sprained, but I could fix that quickly it will just feel a little sore for a few days. He has a grave concussion so he might be confused for the next few days and not remember everything. But the worst....."

Here Madam Pomfrey's steady and strong voice died out, like she hadn't enough strength to keep speaking.
Sensitive, like always, Snape sent her one of his famous glares.

"Well what is it? It can't be that worse after all that!"

"....well you see...he has got three..."
But here she stopped again.

"Severus are you sure his relatives did that to him because...."
Once again her voice faded.

"Come on, spill it out! You must have seen worse things in your long career."

This comment brought Pomfrey over the edge, and she spoke in an almost angry voice:

"The poor dear has got three stab wounds, one in his arm, one in his shoulder and. one in his stomach. What is so disturbing, is that every wizard and muggle who would see this stab wound, would know that without medical attention, this person would die!"
"Are you telling me what I think you are?"

Snape's voice had died down to a fearful whisper, and Madam Pomfrey was almost surprised that the most hated student of Snape's could bring up such emotion in his voice.

"Yes Severus, I can guarantee you, that the intentions of the Muggle's were to kill Mister Potter!"

After this statement followed a long pause; it was an uncomfortable silence, which neither wanted to break. But after almost five minutes Madam Pomfrey couldn't stand it any longer.

"Well, obviously, there are many cuts and bruises. They will fade eventually, he is far to thin. You need to feed him probably, and treat his wounds with the potions I have written on this note. It is a schedule of which potion you need to give him at what time....."

"Wait!"

Snape's voice was loud once again,

"I? Why should I look after.... Potter? He is not staying here!"

"Well, I think he will, except you have a better idea of course!",

Sheer panic crossed the Potion Master's face

"Come on Severus, it won't be that bad. And there is just no other way; Dumbledore is on a mission for the order in Romania, well the Weasley family is in Romania as well. I think they mentioned something about a Prophecy... Anyway, Lupin, well it is rather obvious that he can't and since Sirius died...well the only one I could think of is Miss Granger. But if I remember correctly, she is a muggle and so her house is not protected enough to be safe for Mr Potter.
Furthermore, you know all the potions and can handle a problem if it will come up."

Snape's shocked expression had changed in total disbelieve.

"So there is really no other way Severus, and I must leave. Here are my last instructions: 1.He needs to stay in bed for two to three weeks.
2. Get him slowly used to food, he might not have eaten for days.
3. Someone always needs to be around in the first two weeks. Because of his ribs, he could have so much trouble breathing that he stops all together.

"I think that is all. I will come every day in the first week and then every three days.
Ohh, before I forget, you need to speak with him because of his mental state. To be truthful... I am not quite sure if some of his cuts weren't self-inflected! Have to go now the order needs my help. Sorry I couldn't stay longer."

And off she was, without giving Snape a chance to say something.
* * *
Hermione stumbled out of the oven, into the arms of her impatient parents.

"Hermione, where have you been? We were scared, how could you do something like this especially after Vol. this man has returned!! We thought that you..."

But here the voice of Mrs. Granger died out. She had seen the tears flowing down Hermione's face.

"Hermione dear! Honey what happened.it wasn't this scary man.?"

"No Mum, I am okay, it's not me. I am upset about someone else."

And so Hermione begun to tell her tale. She just began to explain how serious Harry's injuries had seemed when the fire turned green and Professor Snape's face appeared in the flames.
While Snape explained the extend of Harry's injuries to Hermione, her parents recovered from the shock they had received as the head appeared in the flames.
True, Hermione had explained to them how the floo network worked as they agreed to install it in their house, but it was just the first time they actually saw it.
Snape had explained Harry's situation in a fluent and quick speech. He seemed to be at loss of words:

".So.. Miss Granger, there is.. Well, there is one problem. Madam Pomfrey said that Harry has to stay in bed for two to three weeks."

Hermione nodded. She wasn't surprised about that but she had learned not to interrupt him if she didn't wanted to provoke him,
"However she also said, that under no circumstances he should be alone in the first two weeks because of his broken ribs and some breathing issues which could be connected with that injury.
Well, to make this short I am not always there and ..there is no one else so..."

Here he sighed heavily.

"Miss Granger, I do need your help!"

To say Hermione was surprised was the understatement of the year. Of course, she had sensed that something was up, but that Professor Snape would ask her to stay for two weeks at his Manor was just impossible.

"So, are you helping me or not? I could ask that Weasley brat but I would.prefer.your presence!"

Snape's voice sounded impatient and annoyed, but Hermione couldn't resist raising one of her eyebrows in a very Snape like way.
She glanced at her parents.

"Dad, Mum, I think he really needs my help. By the way, this is my potion teacher Professor Snape.ahh.Professor Snape these are my parents!"

With a shy gesture the parents raised their hands and waved a little bit, obviously still in a bit of shock. Snape only nodded.

"So I am just going to go upstairs and pack my things Professor. Maybe you should.. have a chat with my parents... about .well, stuff you need to talk about."

With this, Hermione disappeared from Snape's view and he was left alone with two muggles, who now seemed to have overcome their shock for the most part, and looked at him in interest.

"So, you are Hermione's potion Professor, we have heard a lot about you,"

Snape couldn't hide a snort. Of course Miss Granger had told her parents all about him being a cruel bastard. Typical, no child respected his work.
No one understood the art of potion brewing, how you can loose yourself in the secrets of cauldrons and potion ingredients.
Miss Granger was a hard worker, but of course, she wasn't interested like all mindless children.

"She told us so much about potions, and how fascinating they are!
Sometimes she just gets lost in her explanation. Well, you will have witnessed that. After all, you are her teacher.
So now to the more important things, Hermione explained the situation to us before you.well.. .called.
Horrible people these Dursleys! And poor Harry always seems to get into trouble.
We will allow Hermione to help you, from what we have heard about you, you are a good and trustworthy person.
We trust you to keep her safe, but we would appreciate it if she could call us every evening, if that wouldn't be too much of a problem?"

Snape gaped at the Grangers. Miss Granger had told her parents that he, Severus Snape, most hated teacher in Hogwarts, was a good and trustworthy person?
Maybe he had judged her to quickly, maybe she wasn't as much of a fool as she seemed to be.

"I appreciate your trust, I will look after her closely and of course she can...call you every evening!"

The Grangers smiled while Snape glared kind of annoyed during the uncomfortable silence which followed.
The silence was interrupted as Hermione came down stairs with two big bags.

"So can I go?"

"Of course honey," her mother replied, "Maybe you are even safer with him. So take care, and don't annoy Professor Snape to much.ohh and before I forget you are to call us every evening."

A confused look crossed Hermione's face.

" Call? Mum , Dad, I am quite sure that Professor Snape doesn't have a tele . . . ohh, you mean contact you through the floo network!!! Well yeah, of course. So I'll be off then!"

With a last hug to her mother and father, Hermione turned her back to them, took some floo powder, threw it in the oven and said, "Snape's Manor!" while stepping into the green, turning flames.
TBC

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