Well, I'm quite unhappy with this chapter and can't seem to get it right, so I just thought I'd post it anyway. Hope you guys like it! Keep reviewing, I love them!
Hopefully my page breaks work this time!
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Chapter Four
Snape's eyes wandered over the class and paused just in time to see Hermione Granger pass out, something yellow streaming down her face. It was with a heavy thud that she did the ground, the entire class watching, silent with shock.
Moving to where she lay, unconscious, Snape allowed his lip to curl. What foolish student had been careless enough to have potion splash about? He didn't bother questioning as to why Granger had been seated when the rest of the class had been working hard.
Upon reaching Granger, Snape's expression turned to one of horror, which he quickly concealed. Her face had five large boils upon it, one of which was leaking yellow pus.
"Stand back!" Snape snapped to Potter, who was standing over Granger looking stricken. He pulled his wand out as Granger's eyes fluttered open.
"Dungeons?" She mumbled. "No… skies…" her eyes closed again. As a smile lit her face, Snape's mind snapped. This was no potions accident, oh no.
"Class dismissed!" He snapped. "Put your equipment and GET OUT!" His glare rounded on Potter and Weasley. "Yes, even you." They looked as though they wanted to argue, but they didn't dare, as Snape leaned over Granger, checking that she was still breathing and all.
As the classroom emptied, Snape knelt beside the Gryffindor witch. "Granger," he said in a rough voice. "Granger!"
Again her eyes opened. "P-Professor? Why are you flying?"
"Stand," he commanded. She attempted to, but slipped. He caught her. "We've got to get you to the hospital wing." Holding her, his lip curling again at the forced contact, he made their way across the dungeon to the fireplace. Snatching a handful of powered from the pot sitting upon the mantle piece, he thrust it into the burning flames. As they turned green, he dragged himself and the barely conscious student into the fire, he commanded "Hospital Wing!".
Whirling in the green flames, he held on as tight as he could bear to Granger. When they emerged from the fireplace, they were no in the Hospital, but instead looking at the portrait lined office of Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress. Beside him, Granger let out a small giggle.
"Minerva!" Snape called. The Headmistress appeared in the doorway. "How did I end up here? Miss Granger need to see Poppy right now!" His voice became a manic snarl.
Seeing the Headmistress's eyes flick to the student whom was growing another boil, Snape's heart sank when the Headmistress's expression turned grave. "Poppy isn't here, she's become very ill. The hospital wing is closed for the week." She said in a calm voice.
Granger suddenly giggled again, and told them both that she liked their wings.
Snape's eyes practically bulged. "But, Miss Granger needs help, now! She's growing boils and has become delirious!" He snarled. "She might be in serious danger!"
Minerva almost smiled, seeing Snape's concern for a student for someone outside of his own house. "She will not die, Severus." She said, quite simply. "Have you any blueboil potion?" She asked, pressing a finger to his lips.
"Yes, I do, but-"
"Go to your rooms and give her that there. Also give her something to knock her out for a while. Go." Snape began to protest, still attempting to hold the witch up, but Minerva cut him off. "Now!" She snapped.
Throwing more powder into the fire, Snape dragged Hermione into the flames and commanded it to take him to his office.
Once there, he persuaded the witch, who was giggling again to stand and walk through the door at the back of his office, into his private chambers, his lip curling the whole way. He hated the thought of having a female in there, let alone a Gryffindor female!
He let her to rest on the couch, dashing back into the office to retrieve two potions. He did not believe that the blueboil potion would work, that was used to cure small boils on hands and arms, not giant ones on her face, or delirium, as she appeared to be.
When he returned, Granger was red in the cheeks, and her eyes were open, seemingly unseeing. He didn't know how to administer to the two potions without having her choke on them, so he pulled her body up, then sat behind her, letting her lean on him. Her mouth was open a little, so uncorking the first potion, the blueboil, to her lips. "Drink," he commanded, tipping it.
At first she began to cough, spitting a little back out, but then took a swallow. When she had taken the proper three mouthfuls of that, he pressed the second potion to her lips, a potion for deep sleep, he gave her enough to make sure she would sleep for a least two hours. He would wait for Minerva's further instructions before continuing. She appeared to actually know what might be wrong with the witch.
Suddenly Granger fell limp against him, her hair fanning out across his lap. Disgust coursed through his veins, and he lifted her head, stood, and placed it back down, surprised by his own gentleness. He began to pace his sitting room, waiting for Minerva. Even now and then he stopped to see if Granger was still breathing.
Thankfully he did not have to worry about classes right now, as it was lunch and the school would be dining. Dining without him, the know-it-all, and the Headmistress.
On that thought, Minerva strode into the office, holding yet another potion.
"What's wrong with her?" Snape snarled, pointing. A boil was now growing on her hand, but a slower rate then the others had.
"She has BlueCloud Fever." Minerva said, moving to sit with the witch, who was snoring gently, not at all aware of what was going on around her. "It's rare, very rare. So rare, that not many witches or wizards are informed of it, or its antidote." She smiled grimly. "I know of it as I had it when I was Miss Granger's age. I've always had a hankering fear that it would come back, so I kept a bottle of potion to help cure it."
BlueCloud Fever… Snape searched his vast memory banks. Yes. He had heard of it, did know the antidote. He just couldn't recognise the symptoms.
"It is not deadly," Minerva continued on talking, stroking Granger's hair. "It's just… uncomfortable. Undoubtedly, Miss Granger is currently picturing herself flying high in the sky. But it won't be so nice for her for long. The boils appear when something in the dreams touches her."
"What can be done, Minerva?" Snape asked, stiffly.
Minerva sighed. "She needs constant supervision. Her boils need to be cleaned. Not ruptured, just cleaned. Every four hours, she is to take four hour sips of this potion, which I will require of you to make more," she held up a phial which contained a swirling purple potion. In her dreams, she may attempt to run, or harm herself, with out realising. This is why she needs constant care." She looked at him expectantly.
His trade-mark lip curl returned to his face. Never in a thousand years would he do it, Minerva was insane to even think it. "I'm sure her little… friends… will be happy to take care of her." He sneered at her.
Minerva looked over her glasses at her. "No, they've neither the maturity, time, or experience to deal with this. Unfortunately, I have only two of those, I've not the time, nor does any of the staff here."
"So send the brat to St. Mungos!" Snape snapped, his fists clenched. Never, never, never!
"It would be highly unwise to more her, Severus." Minerva said quietly. I'm afraid, you will have to be the one to look after her. "Your classroom is barely metres from where she would be, you could keep a constant eye on her, and you would be able to brew the potion, which I will send the instructions down to you."
He snapped, he snarled, he growled, he paced, he felt like running. He couldn't, he wouldn't, he'd never, not in the entire fucking world would he care for Hermione Granger!
Minerva handed him the potion. "Every four hours, I suggest you begin now. I will also send down the potion with which to clean her boils, which also must be done very four hours."
She left the room, not looking at Snape, or the girl on his couch, who was sleeping peacefully.
Snape however, had just stepped into Hell.
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sigh It's just not happening for me