Chapter 5

After spending an uneventful day doing nothing more than usual, Hermione was moved from her chair near the Matrons office where she had been sitting, feeling the students pass by the doors on their way through the castle. Slipping into bed by the hands of her caregiver, Hermione got comfortable and tried to sleep, but it was hard.

She was in a place where there was no time as such, just time to eat, time to walk, time to bath or time to sit. It was as though there was no time to sleep. Sleep use to be when it was dark and she was alone and all was quite but if that was anything to go by, she was to sleep all the time, and that wasn't right.

Most of all she was alone. Alone in a world there was no escape from. No way to make contact with her former world. One of the particularly frustrating things for Hermione was the disorientation caused by the potion. Whenever she tried to do something small with her fingers they would fumble. Even buttoning a shirt was impossible let alone holding a quill steady to write.

As far as she knew she still had her voice but whenever she tried to talk no one understood her. They would just try to shush her and get her back to what she was doing; eating or bathing or trying to sleep.

Rolling over she tried again to sleep, tossing the covers back to the end of the bed in frustration. Any other time she would have slipped out of bed and to the Astronomy Tower on the pretence of patrolling. Slipping onto the roof top below, she would sing to herself.

Her mouth would bring forth the sound of an angel while her hands moved to form the words as fluid as water. Few knew of her night time wanderings even fewer knew of her ability to sign. Performing with the school signing choir had been one of her favourite things to do when she was in Elementary School. Signing was one of the things that she loved, it didn't care how she looked or who she was, it was apart of her past that she cherished.

Turning once more to get comfortable, magic rushed through the air. Sitting bolt upright she felt the magic very clearly. It was there, just to the right of her bed. It was a darker magic. She could almost call it black.

Raising her hand she called for her wand but it didn't come. 'The Dark' had it. It was swift, pinning her to the bed. Before she could cry out she was silenced and her hearing returned.

Its mouth close to her hear it hissed; "It's been a while my sweet," just as a cold hand travelled up, under the hem of her shirt as she bucked.

"Mmmm, just how I like it."

ooOOoo

The Professors day had been going well. He had forgotten Miss Granger except for when he was monitoring her draft. His existence seemed to be only to terrorise his students and continue his work for the Order. Well, until now.

A knocking at his second floor door brought his attention out of the book he was currently immersed in. Sighing he marked his placed getting to his feet as the knocking became more persistent.

"I'm coming already," he grumbled. Swinging the door open he was met with the sight of a slightly ruffled looking Matron.

"Yes?" he sneered at her. What could possibly be so important that she needed to interrupt his morning?

"I need your professional opinion on one of my patients. Would you care to follow me?" she asked gesturing for him to accompany her to the Hospital Wing. Turning back to his lounge room, he gathered his cloak, fastening it securely before stepping out and locking and warding his door.

"Lead the way if it is that important," he stated and the pair made their way down the corridor.

ooOOoo

"It's Miss Granger," the Matron said finally causing the Professors step to falter only slightly.

"What about her?"

"I think it may have something to do with the potion she was given, a side-effect perhaps. It is quite out of the ordinary," she answered, opening the door to the Hospital Wing. Making her way down the ward she continued, "This morning I was going to wake her…"

"Madam Pomfrey, where's Hermione gone?" interrupted her redhead companion as he emerged from the curtains hiding Hermione's bed, a puzzled expression on his face.

"What do you mean, she's in her bed?"

"No she's not. I came up here to see her before class and she wasn't in bed. Has she been moved?" Ron questioned. However she did not reply as she moved towards the back of the ward a run, well as much of a run that was acceptable for a Matron.

"Miss Granger," the witch called. "Miss Granger."

"You do realise that calling her won't do any good," the Potions Master drawled, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Now is not the time Severus," she hissed back. "Make yourself useful and help me find her. Mr Weasley, search the other end of the wing and see if you can find her."

Rolling his eyes at the woman as she fussed around the wing, he pulled out his wand, placing it in the palm of his left hand. Murmuring an incantation he slowly released his hold on the handle as it began to warm. Glowing, it turned in his hand towards the curtains which hid Miss Granger's bed. Following the direction of his wand, Professor Snape walked towards the white screen closing off the outside world.

Stepping into the door way he surveyed the room, lit by the light spilling in from the window behind the bed. To the left the small bedside table with a water jug and glass, the bed was unmade with the covers falling over the side onto the cold stone floor, the small potions trolley was tucked in one of the corners and directly in front of him was a food tray, currently overflowing with flowers, cards and gifts from well wishers.

But there was something wrong with this room. From his years of spying, Severus Snape's attuned senses could feel the magic at work. Turning is eyes back to his wand he followed its line of direction; the bedside table. There was definitely strong magic in use.

Picking up his wand he raised it before slicing it through the air. A jolt of white light shot from the tip towards the bedside table. Between the table and the screen, a huddled form began to emerge, dressed in hideous white and pink stripped pyjamas, the face hidden by a riot of chocolate frizz and wand tightly clutched in hand.

Stepping forward the head shot up revealing the terrorised face of Hermione Granger. A second later her wand was moving, but the Professors lightning reflexes were faster and she was disarmed. Grabbing her wand, Snape pocketed as he stepped forward towards her. That was when she started to panic. Sheer terror engulfed her face as she pressed herself fully against the stone wall, as far back as she could go, her glassy eyes trained on the unseeable figure's every move.

Taking another step forward, her ragged breathing became shallower and she began edging along the wall away from the wooden table, shaking her head. Another step and her edging became scrambling before he swooped down grabbing her shoulders.

The effect was immediate. Her hands flew up, swiping at his arms, her legs kicking into empty space, trying to reach him. As her thrashings became more violent, she was endangering of cracking her scull open on the stone wall behind her and Snape was aware of this. Grabbing her wrists, he pulled her up and away from the possible danger. Swinging her around, he trapped her arms across her chest with his own. Picking the struggling girl up, he moved back towards the bed. Sliding down to the ground, he rested against bed side on the ruffled covers.

It was sitting there he noticed the noise, or the lack of. Any other time he had known she would be making her point heard very vocally but now she was sitting there, squirming in his arms, her mouth moving but no sound coming out.

By now her actions were calmer and she was only squirming slightly in his arms, unsure if he wanted to hurt her or not. Rocking her back and forward slightly in the universal gesture of comfort, she brought her knees up to her chest and bowed her head forward to her knees and began to rock on her own accord bringing a calm to herself.

ooOOoo

Two minutes later Madam Pomfrey walked into the room, Ron on her heel. Hermione knew their presence instantly, stiffening in his arms, her arms tightening around her torso.

"We haven't…" she started but stopped at the sight before her. Turning she pushed the gawping Ron out with her, drawing the curtains closed on the two figures, one light the other dark, one black the other white, both injured in their own ways. 'Perhaps this would be a good thing for Severus,' she mused.

ooOOoo

After the two intruders had left the room, Hermione began to relax again, shaking in silent tears in the arms of the one who cared for her, the one who came for her and held her when she willed no one to and she was thankful.

Several minutes later Severus emerged, stopping only briefly to speak with Madam Pomfrey, "Sorry Poppy. I'm afraid I don't have time to discuss the matter previous mentioned. I have classes to prepare for." And with that he swooped out the door. "Ten points from Hufflepuff for running in the hallway, Mister Yates," he called disappearing around the corner.

ooOOoo

"Gosh, Hermione, slow down, I can't understand a word you're trying to say," pleaded Ron to an oblivious Hermione, her hands moving at lightning speed. Freezing mid-sign Hermione's head swung to the doorway, her wand flying into her a second later from under her pillow.

A voice from behind broke the silence, "Knock, knock. Can I come in?"

"Yeah, we're decent Harry," joked Ron. "Just be careful. Hermione's in a right fit at the moment."

"Righto," he said stepping in and moving towards his usual side of the bed. Stepping up to the bed he placed a hand on Hermione's forearm in greetings but she pulled away bringing arms closer to her body.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked sitting back in his chair.

After a moment his friend replied. "Dunno. It was strange. She disappeared this morning. Madam Pomfrey was frantic."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you would be too if you lost a patient. Anyway, I came to see her and she was gone. Then Madam Pomfrey turned up with guess who?"

"McGonagall?" asked Harry hopefully.

"Nah…Snape," he said distastefully.

"You're joking."

"Nope. Anyway, I don't know where he got to, but me and Madam Pomfrey searched the entire wing. Then we go back to her room to see if we missed something and there the two of them are."

"Who?" asked Harry, not quite following his friend.

"Snape and Hermione. Just sitting on the floor, Hermione in his greasy arms!"

"What? NO WAY!" protested Harry.

Turing in his seat to watch Hermione curled up at the top of the bed, hugging her knees. "Well anyway, Pomfrey dragged me out and sends me off to class. I came straight after first class and she was like this. I think he did something to her."

"Too right. Hermione?" Harry asked moving forward to hold her hand but as soon as he touched her she swatted him away.

"I think it'd be best to just leave her alone. Do you mind staying her with her? I've got to go," asked the redhead getting to his feet.

"Yeah you go. I'll stay and finish the Potions Essay," he answered pulling over his bag and dragging some parchment, quill and ink.

"See ya. Bye Hermione."