Chapter 10
Finally they pair reached Professor Hepel's office. Banging the door open he threw her in before him causing her to fall onto the floor.
"Get Up," he growled. When she didn't move he grabbed her arm pulling her to a standing position. "Sit," he commanded pointing to the rickety chair standing in front of his desk. Getting the idea, she slowly backed away from him taking a seat in the chair. As soon as she was seated she felt a tingle in her throat, the tell-tale sign of regaining her voice. A great use that would be.
Hermione was scared, really scared. She was here with a man who raised his wand to her friends. He muted her not even taking into consideration that she was deaf. Where did he think she had been for the past week? He just had to have known. She was also defenceless in the face of this…this…madman! She didn't blame Harry and Ron for backing away. No teacher had ever pointed their wand threateningly at a student. God, she hoped that the boys got someone soon. What else was he going to do to her? She knew she had bruises on her arms. If he was capable of doing that what else was he capable of? Was he going to hurt her? 'God, please don't let him hurt me,' she thought. 'I don't want this again.'
She could feel him standing there, towering over her. Her walls were slipping and she couldn't help it. She was vulnerable. Every syllable he spoke thundered through her in waves. She was at his mercy and there was nothing she could do.
"You will be cleaning my classroom until it shines! Is that clear," he spat. Getting no response other than a scared look he grabbed her shoulder giving it a shake in an attempt to prompt her to speak
He was towering over her in an attempt to intimidate her and through body language along was doing quite well.
BANG! The Professors head shot up as his wand came up. Evaluating there was no danger he lowered his wand back to his side. Standing tall he addressed the intruder.
"Professor, nice to see you, but I am a little busy at the moment," he said conversationally gesturing to the cowering student.
"What the hell do you think you are doing, Garron?" Professor Snape thundered advancing on his former student.
"Disciplining a wayward student who does not turn up for my classes, fights in the hallway and ignores direct orders from her superiors," he answered assertively.
"Disciplining? Miss Granger here as been in the Hospital Wing for the past week which may account for her absence. It may actually help if you paid attention to the current situation of your students and the goings on in the rest of the castle rather than just you classroom," he spat.
"How am I suppose to know about the goings on of students?" he retorted.
"By attending staff meetings you idiot. As a member of staff you are obligated to," he spoke, his voice suddenly dangerously low.
"Come, Miss Granger," he signed.
"What is this nonsense?" the young teacher asked.
"Nonsense? This nonsense is called sign language. As Miss Granger here can't hear, it is the only form of communication she has. But you didn't know that did you?" Garron paled slightly.
Jumping from her chair Hermione moved towards her Potions Master, her back to Professor Hepel.
"Miss Granger's wand?" he asked, hand outstretched. Reaching into the folds of his robes he pulled out the slender piece of wood, placing it in the hand of his co-worker.
Swooping towards the door Hermione swiftly followed him nodding her thanks when he held open the door. Ducking outside she didn't look back. Stepping outside he slammed the door with such force several third years down the hall nearly jumped out of their skins. Gratefully accepting her wand back, she followed her Professor down the hall. Whilst her stride was slightly wobbly, his was steady, long and even, like fluid.
Hermione wasn't sure what had just happened. All she knew was that she was just saved, yet again by the Head of Slytherin, by Severus Snape. The thoughts were racing through her mind too many for her to comprehend or second guess at this time. She did the only thing she could think at the moment and that was to keep following the mass of black.
ooOOoo
The pair finally stopped in front a painting of an early Alchemist. A few whispered words and they slipped inside the room.
Stepping in through the portrait hole, Hermione stopped to take in the room as the door shut behind her.
There was a closed wooden door to her left. A straight wall ran along from the corner to the other side of the room where there was an open doorway to what appeared to be a kitchen. The rest of the wall was circular creating a semi-circle room. To her right were four doors spaced evenly around the wall, all identical. The centre of the room was depressed. A magnificent marble fireplace stood in the centre of the flat stone wall. Two plump recliners and a sofa circled around the warming fire and behind the sofa was a desk covered by papers, stationary and vials. That was clearly the Professor's desk. In front of the sofa stood Hermione's trunk and cat.
Catching her attention the Professor said, "Welcome my rooms, and for the next few weeks, yours as well. So in that case, welcome home."
Still too shocked from her experience with the DADA teacher Hermione just stood there as the Professor levitated her luggage in through the second door to her right. Following, she was met with the sight of what appeared to be a guest bedroom. A four poster King single bed stood proudly in the centre of the room, covered by a dark green comforter. The floor was, like much of the castle, stone but was covered with a large rug which covered nearly the whole room. The only other furniture was a small wooded beside table, and a wardrobe beside the door. There was also another room which appeared to be a bathroom from the visible white tiles.
Eventually her attention travelled back to the dark man setting down her trunk and cat cage at the end of the bed.
"I suggest that you clean up and get some rest. The house elves have brought up some dinner." Gesturing to the bedside table Hermione suddenly realised that there was a dinner tray she had some how missed when first taking in the room. "The bathroom is through that door. If you should need anything I will be marking papers just outside."
Before she could form any sort of reply he was at the door behind her. "Good Evening, Miss Granger." Shutting the door he disappeared, leaving Hermione alone with her cat.
Breathing deeply she took in her situation. She had just seen her Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher threaten her best friends, drag her off to an uncertain fate and nearly be hexed by her Potions Master.
She needed to think, and a soothing bath would certainly help in that endeavour. Letting her cat out, he twisted between her legs, and although she could hear him, she was sure he was purring from the gentle vibrations and look of happiness over his catty features. Eventually he jumped up the bed making himself at home on the pillows.
Shaking her head at her silly cat she found her favourite pyjamas, stripped cotton pants, light pink singlet top and a short sleeved shirt matching her pants and white slippers. Together with her toiletries she bundled them up and headed to the bathroom.
After removing her cloak and top she moved to her pants before stopping, remembering the last time she bathed. She had two options, undress or not bathe. Looking longingly at the steamy, lavender scented bath she pushed down her jeans, careful not to look at herself. Removing her bra and underwear she slipped into the bath, her wand within arms reach. Tipping her head back she relaxed into the water, letting the smells of the bath invade her.
ooOOoo
When she eventually returned from the bathroom, feeling much more relaxed, refreshed and certain of herself she, she nudged Crookshanks over as she took her seat on the bed and began her supper. It consisted of pumpkin soup, a main meal of roast beef and vegetables and a refreshing glass of water. Sharing with her cat she finished off a small portion of the meal, unable to eat the rest before slipping down in the covers in an attempt to sleep.
Although this was the nicest bed she had slept in, in a long while, Hermione tossed and turned. Eventually giving up she pulled on dressing gown and slipped out into what she could only describe as the living room.
ooOOoo
Hearing the door behind him click open, followed by the soft padding of feet, Severus looked up from his work. Hermione was standing just outside her door dressed in a lovely white floral kimono, her chocolate coloured hair pulled back lightly in a French braid.
"I just wanted to come and sit by the fire if that is alright?" she asked tentatively. Seeing his questioning glance she added, "I can't sleep." With a slight nod of his head she made her way down the stairs as he turned back towards his work.
Sitting down on the sofa she slipped out of her slippers before curling up and staring off into the flames of the flickering fire.
Severus Snape lifted his eyes from the terrible essay before him to the goddess like creature sitting on the sofa before him. Beauty was the only word he could use to describe her as she sat there, loose cures falling out to frame her face. Her petit frame curled into an incredibly small ball. She was beautiful and pure to him; her face, her body, her mind, her intentions. They were what made her Hermione. A student unlike he had ever seen before.
Breaking that chain of though he turned back to his task at hand, her scent lingering every so slightly.
As the hours drew by, the clock above the fireplace eventually chimed midnight. Shuffling his papers, Severus stacked the marked essays in a neat pile before standing and rolling his head to release the tension woven into the muscles in his neck. His eyes drifting back to the suede sofa he moved back around to the front. A hand moving forward to her shoulder, intending to shake her awake and order her back to her room he stopped, hand mid-air. By the look on her face she was having what might have been the best night, the most restful night she had had in weeks. Sighing he moved forward gathering her in his arms, one supporting her back the other tightly under her knees, just how he had carried her the night she was found. Standing, her head rolled back into the hollow between his neck and shoulder, a small sigh escaping her lips as her fragrance invaded his nostrils once again. Moving carefully around her slippers he made his way to his guest room opening the door with his will.
Gently he placed her on the white linen of her bed, slipping her out of her dressing gown with ease and placing it on a hanger on the back of the door. Once he had moved away she had begun to weakly protest in her sleep but upon his return she calmed, becoming perfectly still once more, comfortably curled up on her side. Pulling the blankets around her shoulders he did what he could to make her comfortable as her troublesome cat curled-up behind her knees. Raising his wand, he called her slippers to her bedside before disappearing out the door with a quite 'Nox'.