A/N: Yeah I suck...I will update more. I promise : )
Harry rushed into the empty cottage first, pulling all of the curtains tightly shut. The place had grown cold in his absence, and he was already wet and miserable. It hadn't been hard enough to apperate Snape here, and they probably couldn't have done it all without Alex's help, something that Harry was reluctant to admit.
Ginny and Alex followed him inside, levitating Snape between them. Harry lit the sitting room with a flick of his wand, and then began to peel off his damp windbreaker.
"What's upstairs?" Alex asked, glancing up the narrow stairwell.
"My bedroom, and a bathroom." Harry answered. "That's all."
Hermione sulked into the room, shutting the door behind her. She hadn't spoken a word since they had apperated from London, and was clearly not about to start talking now. Ginny had been ignoring her, while Alex had been overly apologetic and eager to please.
"You obviously have a bed up there then?" Alex inquired, biting his lip thoughtfully.
Harry nodded, understanding at once what Alex had in mind.
"Do you have a length of rope by any chance?"
"I have some in my trunk upstairs." Harry said, remembering with a shiver how only hours before he had retrieved the Veritaserum to use on Narcissa.
Alex rubbed his hands together excitedly, a gesture that left Harry feeling vaguely uncomfortable. His initial distrust had faded rather quickly as Alex threw all his energy into aiding him in his plight, though it hadn't entirely died away.
"Should we move him upstairs then?" Ginny asked, yanking the dripping invisibility cloak of off Snape's suspended frame.
Silently, Hermione took the cloak from her and retreated into the kitchen, where she began to wring it out over the sink, in a subtle move to distance herself from what she obviously found to be a disturbing conversation.
Carefully Ginny guided Snape up to Harry's bedroom, Alex and Harry filing up the stairs behind her. She lowered Snape onto the bed, and then turned towards Alex to wait for instructions.
"A good binding spell should keep him in place." Alex explained, as Harry moved to fetch the rope. "But I'd feel better it we tied him as well."
As Harry tried not to think about how casual the discussion seemed, he handed the coiled rope to Alex, and stood back and gladly let him do the work. It suddenly occurred to him that he didn't want to touch Snape unless he absolutely had to, because the mere thought of it made him feel ill.
"How long do you think we'll have to keep him here?" Ginny inquired, watching as Alex tied Snape's rigid wrists and ankles to the bedposts with expert knots.
"A few days should do it." Alex said, standing back to admire his handy work. "Just enough to time so Harry can be seen at work, like nothing has happened. That way when we do turn him in the ministry will have a hard time proving that Harry was involved. Obviously if he's supposed to be holding someone prisoner he wouldn't be showing up to work and..."
"We're not holding anyone prisoner." Harry tersely replied.
He wasn't sure what made this situation any different, other than his own insistence that it was.
"But how is he supposed to go to work?" Ginny asked. "He can't very well leave Snape here alone. The binding spell won't last forever, and I wouldn't risk it anyway."
"I'll stay here with him." Hermione offered from the doorway.
No one had been aware of her presence, and Ginny was so startled by the sound of her voice she had to hold back a yelp of surprise.
"For tomorrow and Tuesday at least." Hermione continued, stepping inside to stand at the foot of the bed.
"Good." Alex said shortly, glancing down at his watch. "I'm glad that's settled. Listen, I'll be back tonight to help, but I've got to go before I'm missed at the office."
Harry made a point of looking away as Ginny planted a chaste kiss on Alex's cheek, and Hermione offered a clipped goodbye.
"What's wrong with you?" Ginny hissed at Hermione, as soon as Alex had descended the staircase. "You don't have to be such prat."
"Your boyfriend has gotten Harry in over his head." Hermione countered, her eyes narrowing. "I've got a right to be angry."
Harry wished he had something clever to say that would end the argument, but his mind was very blank at the moment.
"Do you think you're the only one who cares about Harry?" Ginny sharply replied, causing Harry's heart to flutter so severely he felt lightheaded.
"No." Hermione said flatly. "But I'm the one trying to protect him..."
Ginny let out a loud scornful laugh, and Harry's stomach dropped when he saw Snape twitch at the sudden noise. The spell was wearing off, and in mere minutes he would be mobile and definitely very vocal. He was about to suggest that they concentrate on Snape, when Ginny grabbed onto his shoulder, wearing a rare vindictive smile.
"I think I should tell you..." Ginny began, though she faltered when Hermione let out a sharp but nearly silent gasp.
Harry snapped his head in Hermione's direction, and she stared back at him almost blankly. All at once the disagreement seemed to be forgotten, as Ginny muttered what Harry took to be an apology.
"Tell me what?" Harry asked.
"What spell did you use on him Harry?" Hermione asked, eager to chance the subject. "It seems that is was rather weak, though of course you were under quite a bit of pressure."
"Tell me what?" He repeated, though his questioning fell on deaf ears.
Hermione and Ginny had dissolved into their own conversation, flitting nervously around Snape like two moths around a light. Snape in turn attempted to lift his head, but was still clearly incapable of speech at the moment.
"I've got to leave as well." Hermione said, though she looked reluctant to go. "I would stay, but my editor is expecting me and I can't possibly cancel now."
Hermione wrote a few freelance pieces for Witches Weekly every month, usually human interest stories about abused house elves and other equally horrid injustices. From what Harry understood the pay was pitiful, but Hermione seemed to enjoy it enough.
"Just tell her you're writing about giant's rights against and make a day of it." Ginny pleaded. "I told Fleur I'd take the baby for a few hours today and it isn't right to leave Harry alone for long."
Suddenly, Harry was under the impression that everyone was politely bailing out on him, though of course this was hardly the case. Still, this meant he would be alone with Snape until his friends returned. That was not something he had planned for. So much for safety in numbers.
"I'll only be gone an hour at the most." Hermione promised, hugging Harry tightly before she left.
"I've just got to give Fleur enough time to run some errands, and then I'll be right back." Ginny hastily explained.
Then she too was gone, and Snape and Harry were left alone.