Into the Darkness Chapter 18: Sick, a harry potter fanfic

Hey guys sorry for another delay I've been worked to the bone not to mention I'm headed back to school soon. Thank you for the reviews and your patience. Enjoy!

Chapter 18: Sick

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Hermione woke when she no longer felt the warmth she remembered falling asleep with. Whimpering softly she stretched out her hand and groped, desperately searching for that warmth but alas she could not find it causing her to open her eyes and look about the room.

Comfortably nestled under a thick blanket Hermione had no desire to come out from underneath. Although part of her wanted to go in search of the Potions master. The surly man had become a constant figure in her life and she now saw him as a father figure more so then her own father.

Rising from the bed Hermione stretched her arms over her head before dressing in a pair of jeans and a sweater. Leaving her room Hermione found Snape sitting on a sofa reading from a familiar black leather book.

"Professor…" She called uncertainly.

Snape looked up from the book. "Ah Miss Granger…good morning I hope you slept well?"

"Yes sir." She responded taking a seat tentatively on a nearby chair.

"Thank….you."

Snape looked up having not understood her. "Pardon?"

"Thank you…for staying with me last night."

Nodding Snape studied the girl closer. "Do you wish to talk about it?"

Hermione shook her head looking down at her hands for a moment.

"Very well." Snape replied. "I believe we should discuss the rest of the school year."

Sitting up Hermione looked at Snape intently.

"As you know of my position in the Dark Lord's circle." With a nod from the girl he continued. "I can not show favoritism to a Gryffindor so don't be alarmed at my behavior."

Hermione nodded. "I understand sir." Thinking for a moment Hermione thought of something. "Is it alright if I go for a walk on the grounds?"

Snape pondered a moment. "Don't stray too far." He responded.

"Thank you sir." She smiled before running to her room and grabbing her robe and hat.

Hermione raced down the corridors and out the front door breathing in the crisp winter air. The snow crunched under the weight of her feet as she trudged along over the snow covered grounds taking in the beauty of it all.

"A' 'ermione 'ow are you faring?"

Startled Hermione turned around to find herself staring at the midsection of the resident half-giant.

"Oh hello Hagrid." Hermione greeted. "I'm doing ok."

Silence fell between them causing Hermione to fidget uncomfortably in the gentle giant's gaze. "Say wha' are you doin' ou' on the groun's unattended?" Hagrid asked worry creasing his brow.

"Professor Snape knows I'm out here." Hermione replied fidgeting a little more.

Hagrid nodded seemingly appeased by the answer. "Ok then…well I got ter get some t'ings done, why don' ya take Fang 'ere wit' ya's?"

To please Hagrid, Hermione agreed calling the boar hound to her side. She quickly said goodbye to her friend before setting off down towards the frozen lake, Fang loping at her heels.

"Here we go…" She whispered finally finding a decent spot to sit.

Using a quick charm Hermione cleared a circle free of snow and ice before settling down Indian style in the middle. Fang lazily followed her in making a tight circle around her then settled down behind Hermione.

Laying back using Fang as a pillow Hermione stared up at the clear blue sky above. Memories of the past assaulted her mind and soon she was consumed.

I'm Standing on a bridge
I'm waitin in the dark
I thought that you'd be here by now
Theres nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening but theres no sound

Isn't anyone tryin to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Wont you take me by the hand
take me somewhere new
I dont know who you are
but I... I'm with you

im looking for a place
searching for a face
is anybody here i know
cause nothings going right
and everythigns a mess
and no one likes to be alone

Hermione shivered and opened her eyes not even realizing she had fallen asleep. Sitting up the cold wind stung her warm back from where she had laid on Fang. She was so cold; shivers ran up and down her body as she pulled her cloak tighter around her.

"Guess I should go back inside." She muttered through chattering teeth.

Wrapping her arms tighter around herself Hermione trudged through the snow Fang trotting beside her. She felt so warm yet cold at the same time. "I'm so cold." She whispered.

A wave of dizziness washed over her and she dropped to knees in a drift of freshly fallen snow. Throwing her hands out to brace herself she feebly held herself up in the biting wind. "I don't feel so good Fang." She told the dog.

Said dog yipped nuzzling Hermione on the cheek. "Fang…" she trailed off as she passed out in the snow.

Fang yipped again circling the fallen girl worriedly. When Hermione didn't move he began to bark up a storm bringing his master to the door.

"Fan' wha' is it boy?" Hagrid asked coming out the door squinting in the fading sunlight. "Blim'y is tha' 'ermione?"

Hagrid hurried down the steps and stomped across the snow towards the fallen figure. Moaning he crouched down and scooped the unconscious girl up in his massive arms. Carrying her carefully and quickly to the front hall Hagrid made his way to the Hospital Wing.

"What in the…Hagrid what are you doing here?" Madame Pomfrey asked bustling over the half-giant.

Seeing Hagrid's load the school nurse gasped in shock. "What happened Hagrid? She's burning up, set her down on the bed right here." Pomfrey instructed.

"Oh dear, we need to get her temperature down." She muttered as she bustled around the bed to the cabinet. "Hagrid get me a cool rag would you?"

Nodding Hagrid hurried to the washroom to get the rag and came back handing it to the medi-witch.

Hagrid stood back at a loss of what to do. Minutes passed painfully slow as the medi-witch bustled around doing her best to treat the ill Gryffindor. "Hagrid it be best if you fetch Albus and Severus." Poppy said as she passed him to get a fever reducing potion.

Nodding the half-giant left to complete his task.

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It had been nearly an hour before Madame Pomfrey let anyone into the hospital wing. Severus felt partially guilty do to the fact that he had allowed the girl to go out in the first place.

Albus had watched the younger wizard pace back and forth in front of the doors, glancing up now and then to see if the medi-witch would appear.

"Severus, everything will be ok." Albus spoke softly to the agitated potions master.

Said man turned an incredulous look towards the headmaster. "If I hadn't let her go we wouldn't be in this bloody mess."

Stepping forward Albus placed a calming hand on the younger man's shoulder. "There, there Severus…"

The door to the infirmary opened interrupting the headmaster. The two men stood up searching the medi-witch's eyes for answers.

"She is stabilized but I'm afraid she will have to recover the muggle way." Madame Pomfrey replied.

The two men sighed in relief. "May we see her Poppy?" Albus asked.

"Of course…" Poppy said stepping aside so that the two could enter.

Severus paused momentarily as he spotted the girl on the bed looking quite pale with sweat beading on her forehead. Almost as if it was second nature Severus sat in the chair beside the bed quietly picking up the cloth and wringing the water out before placing on the sweaty head.

Albus smiled his eyes twinkling as he watched the younger wizard perform the ministrations to Hermione. "One would think you are a father, Severus." He said.

Looking up Severus glared at the old man. "She is my ward Albus nothing more." He growled turning back to the task at hand.

"Come Poppy…" Albus beckoned to the medi-witch. "I need to speak with you in the other room.

The nurse nodded and the headmaster and herself left the room, leaving the Potions Master alone with the Hermione.

Severus sighed. "I should have never let you leave the castle." He mused pulling the blankets up to her chin. "You are a silly girl. I knew that from the first potions class."

Reaching up Severus brushed away a strand of curly brown hair from her sweaty face; Hermione moaned softly leaning into the touch causing a small twitch in the man's lips.

"I would not admit it but you are a bright witch." He whispered cupping his hand on her forehead smoothing her hair away from her eyes.

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In the haze that filled her mind Hermione felt rather warm. Where am I? She thought as she felt something cool on her forehead. When it disappeared she moan leaning towards the touch wanting it back.

"…bright witch." Someone one was talking to her, but who?

Hermione raked her mind for the answer but couldn't think straight. She knew whoever it was, was a man. Was it Dad?

Why was everything so confusing what was going on? Who was with her?

Leaning into the cool touch Hermione hoped beyond hope that it was the man she thought it was.

"Daddy…" She murmured softly