Ch 12 Hogsmeade
Author's Note: Mention of torture. No S.A.
Severus POV
Severus was currently in the potion's lab. Despite no longer being Hogwarts Potions' professor he was still required and expected to stock up the infirmary on the occasion. Mainly when asked by Dumbledore or Madam Pomphrey. Slughorn was not interested in retaining some of his old duties. Though when Severus was a student he was often the one to do this job anyway. He was thankful that most of the students were out of the castle. He enjoyed potion making but only when it was in solace and not disturbed by questions and supervising the dunderheads. He hadn't had much time to brew lately and he was thankful for the respite.
He had just finished a batch of Pepper-up potion and was putting the used ingredients away before grabbing the ones he would need for a calming draught.
He heard the door to the lab closed. Well, now his good mood was ruined. He didn't even have to look to see who it was. There weren't many individuals who would voluntarily walk into his domain. Unless for an emergency. And since there was no squeaky plea for help, he could rule out the students. And since Dumbledore had left the school once again. There was only a limited amount of choices. "What are you doing here Black?"
Severus turned to find the man leaning up against the door. He had his arms crossed which seemed impossible due to the tight leather jacket he was wearing. He was looking around. "Is Hermione here?"
There were never any pleasantries between the pair, straight down to business. And he said the only word that would draw his attention. The two men may have put aside their differences but they both knew if it wasn't for her they wouldn't be here playing nice. She was the only reason Black would have come so far just to see him. And now his curiosity was piqued. "Why should I know? I am not her keeper." He turned around and went back to putting his jars away.
"I was supposed to meet her in Hogsmeade." He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. He was very much aware of their meeting. And it didn't take an idiot to figure out that was where they were going to meet up. It was the perfect location, the town would be crowded today and no one would notice the pair talking. No doubt planning for the holidays. It was better than Black walking down the halls of Hogwarts drawing attention to himself. Which he no doubt did by coming here. "But she didn't show."
Severus stopped in his tracks. He turned around and really took notice of the man. His arms were crossed over his chest and despite his supposed lax position of leaning, he was tense. Severus could see a vein protruding out of his forehead. His eyes were worried. Now that raised a red flag in Severus' mind. "Maybe she is running late."
"I waited for over an hour for her. She is never that late." Black explained.
Severus took a drawing breath. "She left here two hours ago to go meet up with you."
"So if she is not here then where the hell is she?" Black asked and Severus could feel his blood start to run cold.
Severus apparated to the edge of the property of Malfoy Manor. It didn't take him long to figure out where she was being held.
After some waiting and arguing with Black. The portraits did a sweep of the castle and revealed she was not present. Instead, they revealed that a couple of Slytherins met up with a couple of Death Eaters who included Bellatrix Lestrange. The students didn't mention anything about Granger nor did Severus believe they had anything to do with her disappearance. But he knew that Bellatrix had her. He told Black to go back to Grimmauld Place and he would inform him if he had any news. And after several minutes of arguing, Black finally left and so did he.
His first stop was the home of the Lestranges. He went under the pretense of requiring a book from their library. That Hogwarts didn't have sufficient books in the dark arts that he required for some potions he needed to brew for the Dark Lord. Bellatrix was not present but her husband was. And told him that she was at her sister's with a new toy.
He knew he should have altered the Order of her disappearance. But with her already missing for over an hour he didn't want to waste any more time. So he went after her himself. The thought never occurred to him that this could be a bad idea.
The blood rushed through his veins. He could feel his heart beating fast in his chest. He could feel as his muscles tensed, both panic and the cold seeping into his bones. He could visibly see his breath in the air. The falling snow pricked his bare skin.
Shouts shook him out of his head. And he quickly cast an invisibility charm on himself. He couldn't make out all of the words. They were distorted as the wind carried them through the forest. But he could make out the words 'Find her." loud and clear.
He couldn't help but sigh in relief. Unless they had another female prisoner here. Which in all honesty was a possibility. Though he had a feeling that if anyone were able to escape it would be her.
His senses were on high alert. He closed his eyes and listened carefully. Hoping to hear anything to indicate where she was. She hadn't completed her apparition lessons yet and even if she did it wouldn't work unless she was on the edge of the property like he was. But not much was distinguishable from the howls of the wind.
He made his way through the snow. Quietly and carefully stepping over branches.
He moved in the direction of the Manor and closer to the shouts. He hoped that he would be able to intercept her before they reached her. If they got to her before he did. He didn't know what he would do. He wouldn't be able to break her out of the Manor. And he didn't know if he could kill them all with no witnesses. And that's assuming she won't be killed on sight.
The forest was dense with thick spruce trees all covered in a layer of white. The only good thing about all of the snow was that it left behind shoe prints. And that was what Severus found after a few minutes. These weren't several shoe indentations of various sizes and distances between strides. It was a singly line. These prints were coming towards his general direction but veered more to the east. He began to follow them, slightly backtracking the distance he covered.
His blood grew thicker as he saw in the visible distance the tracks ended behind a large tree.
He withdrew the charm protecting him and slowly walked toward it. He didn't dare call her name in case any Death Eaters were nearby and in hearing range. It was already risky for him to be so visible but he didn't want to spook her and cause her to scream in fright.
As soon as he moved around the edge and the fabric of a sweater was made visible he quickly had to duck as a branch came swinging at his head. He could feel the air move above his head. He had just missed the sudden attack.
He looked up and made eye contact with wide brown eyes before she attempted to swing at him again. Hermione was holding a broken branch in both of her hands and was winding up as if she was holding a bat. Her skin was pink from the biting cold and she was sweating. After she realized it was him she dropped the branch and wrapped her arms around herself as her teeth chattered. She wasn't wearing a coat, though she still had her sweater and jeans on. Which was a good sign. He could see red staining her left sleeve and a red angry line dripping down her neck. Any other injuries would have to be accessed later. But right now she looked mostly okay. And that would have to do for the time being. Right now they needed to get out there.
He pulled up a finger to his lips indicating for her to be silent. And then beckoned her to follow him.
He cast a charm and covered their footprints to hide where they were going.
He remained completely and utterly in control. He moved with precision and his step never faltered. Though for some reason his mind was racing. She was fine. She was alive and well and whatever injuries she may have she would eventually heal. And yet he felt himself concerned.
He immediately apparated her to Grimmauld Place. Not even stopping to think that he should take her back to the castle. He noticed that she immediately started to look around. Panic was in her eyes until she recognized the hallway. She was jumpy and on edge. But she was still alert and not clouded by her fear.
She was very quiet and withdrawn. Never once questioning how he found her. She didn't seem to want reassurance. He didn't know what she wanted. He didn't know if she wanted him to comfort her. Though he was hesitant to do so. Until he had a full list of the extent of her injuries he didn't want to touch her. She was breathing quite heavily though that could have been due to her being out of breath and in the cold. She also wasn't crying. She hasn't reacted at all since he found her. The shock was starting to take over now that her adrenaline was wearing off and she knew that she was safe. With him.
He noticed the shadows of Black pacing back and forth from down the hall at the entryway. He stepped into the kitchen first.
Sirius immediately stopped his pacing and frantically moved towards him. "Snape, any news?" The concern was visible in his eyes and voice as he demanded an answer.
Severus felt a presence brush up beside him. He could see the various emotions flicker in Black's eyes. Relief, happiness, disbelief and finally settling on concern. "Kitten?" He asked almost hesitantly. He didn't even move. Almost afraid that he was just seeing things.
"Hey Sirius," she croaked out.
He moved closer to cup her face to get a better look at her injuries. "Are you al-
Hermione interrupted him. "I just really want to take a shower right now. It would be easier for my arm." Her voice sounded raw and she looked exhausted. She looked towards Snape for guidance. Almost as if she was asking for permission. She was hesitant and timid, almost afraid of making a decision.
"Yes, of course, whatever you want." Sirius immediately said. He lowered his hands, afraid to touch her. He visibly gulped and put on a fake smile. "Do you need some help up the stairs?
"I can do it." She smiled sadly. She was grateful for the offer but it was clear she wanted a moment alone to compose herself before the questions started. And unlike Black. Snape wasn't going to hound her. He was going to take this at her pace. He realized what a delicate situation this was. And he knew that right now she couldn't be pushed. She was holding her arm as she left the kitchen. There was a trail of melted snow following after her.
Once she was out of earshot Black rounded on him.
"Snape, what the hell happened?"
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He hesitantly said, "I don't know exactly." And he truly didn't. He could hazard a guess. He recognized how she tried to prevent herself from trembling and how her hands shook. It was the same thing she told him months ago. But other than that he wasn't sure. But considering she was alive and managed to walk on her own without stumbling too much he knew that it could have been a lot worse. She tried to stay strong even after being safe. So it was hard to determine how much pain she was in. "But she got lucky."
Black lowered himself into one of the chairs. He practically collapsed. He was clearly struggling with what to do. He wasn't prepared for this in the slightest. He didn't know how to help. And that was exactly how Severus felt. But he knew that he had to keep his composure. Someone had to. But it was just as much for his sake as for hers.
"Where was she?" Black asked after a moment of contemplation. His head was being propped up by both of his hands.
Snape continued to stand by the entrance. He stood straight and rigid. He couldn't allow himself to move to sit. He knew that if he relaxed all of his shields holding him up would crumble. "Malfoy Manor."
Black's eyes snapped up to meet his. "Bellatrix?" Anger and trepidation were laced in his voice.
"Yes," Severus said simply. They both knew what that meant.
He sighed trying to get control of his anger. "Fucking hell. How did you get her out of there?"
"I didn't.," Severus admitted. "I found her on the edge of the property during her escape."
He looked up when he suddenly heard the pipes making noise. He breathed steadily through his nose. Black noticed the noise too and looked at him wearily. "How long does she need to be in there for us to be concerned." As if neither one of them weren't already concerned.
"If she is in there for longer than 20 we should be concerned. If it hits an hour you will need to go check on her." He didn't volunteer himself. If she was in there for too long she could be non-responsive and standing in complete shock. She would need to be coerced out of there. And that would require patience, kindness and a soothing voice. None of which Severus thought he was capable of especially right now. He could feel his blood boiling underneath the surface.
"How the hell did this happen?"
"I don't know. But I plan to find out." He could hear the anger beginning to seep through his voice. And he knew he had to reign it in. There was time for that latter.
"Merlin, this is a mess." Yes, it was. And it was only going to get messier once he checks her over and determines the extent of torture done to her. He had no clue how she would react. If she would react at all. She could be spaced out for the entire process or break down crying. He did know that he would have to ask her some questions that she would most likely be uncomfortable answering. But it was essential in order for him to help her heal. And he didn't want to make this harder than it needed to be.
That is why he needed to do this alone. "I don't want you in the room when I check her over."
"What? Why not?" Black immediately protested loudly. Inadvertly proving his point.
"You're too invested. You care for her too much."
"And you don't," Black retorted.
Severus felt the back of his shoulders pinch and he had to control himself from reeling at the accusation. "I can remain impassive. You can not." He spoke much more calmly than he felt. "You will only stress her out more than she already is." He would just end up riling her up. In the end, he was the one who had medical experience and Black did not. And for his own sake of mind, he needed to know what happened to her.
She came back down to the kitchen after approximately 25 minutes and Black reluctantly made himself scarce. She was wearing a black sleeveless top and sleep shorts. She pulled her hair back though it wasn't wet. She held a towel pressed against her left arm. He could see red seeping into the white fabric.
She looked so small and slightly dazed when she came in, though she tried to hide it. But it was clear that exhaustion was starting to set in. Even though she managed to prop herself up onto the counter.
Her eyes kept coming in and out of focus. As if she didn't know what to focus on. She was responsive for the most part and was able to comply with his directions. But she only spoke when spoken to. He could see the gears turning in her head. She was trying to collect her thoughts and make sense of all that had happened in the past few hours.
The cut on her neck had already stopped bleeding and it didn't appear too deep. If it had been she could have damaged her vocal cords. Though currently they were strained and she sounded hoarse when speaking it was more so to do with overuse when screaming than from physical damage.
She bit her lip when he removed the towel from her arm and revealed the word Mudblood carved in her skin. He had to stop himself from reeling back and hissing at the sight. It was the same way with how people reacted when they saw his dark mark. It was bleeding profusely through and after a more examination, it didn't appear as if any veins were damaged. He wasn't squeamish by any means. But this did cause his stomach to turn.
He tried to swallow the bile building in his throat and focused on assessing her injuries. Starting from the top "Your throat will still be a bit raw tomorrow."
"It won't heal will it?" He found her staring at her arm. She didn't look at it in disgust or horror. She was completely impassive and not even tears welled up in her eyes from the pain.
"No, it won't. It will scar." She nodded her head in understanding and didn't say anything else.
He pulled out his wand and began running the tip gently up and down her arm. Watched as the bleeding stopped and the skin began to stitch itself together. Leaving behind thick and puckered pink lines. Eventually, the swelling will recede and the skin will feel smooth to the touch.
Him using his wand made him think of something else they would need to address. Every person was attached to their wand. It fits their body, soul and magic. And to lose or have one broken was heart wrenching and sad to replace. "Where's your wand? "
"I got it back during my escape." Good. It was one less thing to deal with. It would not be a good idea for her to be wand shopping. Most likely the shops were being monitored after her escape.
It made sense why she picked up a branch instead of using her wand. Despite how he had taught his students, including her included, to use nonverbal spells, she was too exhausted to do so. And her casting spells would have been too loud and drawn attention to her.
She was lucky that he was able to get to her before they did. He did not doubt that she would keep running no matter how cold and exhausted she was. But he knew that eventually her body would give out and they would have eventually found her. She didn't even know which direction to head in. She would have gotten lost and possibly frozen to death.
He made his way down her body casting diagnostic spells as he went. She was dehydrated and should probably take a nourishment potion. She would need to take a pain potion, all of her muscles were tense and many were strained. He kept making a mental note of all of his findings until he moved down to her legs.
He stopped suddenly in his tracks. And had to use every occlumency technique he had to keep his mind calm. But that didn't seem to help ease his frantic heartbeat.
He didn't want to look. But he needed to assess if there was any bleeding. There was none. But there were bruises on her inner thighs. Already turning various shades of blues and purples. They looked distinctly like handprints. Someone had tried to force her legs open. And he could easily hazard a guess on what their intention was. But the question was did he succeed.
She didn't act as many victims did. She didn't shy away at his touch nor flinch automatically. She didn't have any trouble walking once she was out of the cold. And though she was staring off into space. She didn't avoid eye contact with him or Black. And though she was dressed when he found her in the woods. It was possible she redressed herself. And that her current behavior was easily explained by her not really accepting the trauma which just occurred.
He didn't want to know if the answer was yes. But he would need to give her different healing potions along with anti-conception potions if the answer was yes. He would also need to ensure both he and Black didn't make her uncomfortable with their presence. "Did he hurt you?"
She seemed startled by his question. She looked into his eyes and he could see the confusion mixed in with the shades of brown. "Hmm"
"Do you have any other injuries?"
Her eyes narrowed as she tried to understand what he was asking. But they slowly got bigger and then she immediately shook her head. "No. no. It was just Bellatrix."
He couldn't help but feel relieved. He didn't even know how stiff he had gotten until he relaxed.
That means she was on and off under the crutioutus for almost an hour. No wonder she was so dazed and confused. She was lucky that she didn't suffer severe memory loss or even loss of her basic functions from nerve damage. But at least she didn't have to deal with surviving sexual assault on top of her other injuries. It would make her recovery much easier.
She got lucky. Most of the Death Eater victims weren't. Hell, he didn't even know it was possible to escape once captured. He always believed that once a person was imprisoned by the Death Eaters it was a death sentence and it wasn't long before death followed. But she proved him wrong. "How did you escape?"
"I fought off Greyback when he tried to get on top of me." That explained the bruises. There will probably still be some psychological issues to deal with from the attempted rape. But it will be easier for her to process and move forward since it wasn't completed. She was somehow able to fight him off. Not everyone was so lucky. And for many even when they do fight it doesn't always help. "I guess those lessons you have been giving me came in handy," she said with a wry smile before becoming serious again.
"Bellatrix already left the room by that point. She had her fun. And was frustrated that I didn't tell her anything useful. So she decided to give me to Greyback." He had to suppress the urge to gulp at her explanation. She said it so impassively and matter-of-factly that she was given to the monster as if she was a piece of property simply passed along from one homeowner to the next. It should have made her angry. She should have been visibly upset by the notion itself and its connection to toxic patriarchy but instead, she didn't even bat an eye. The thought made him furious.
"I think I knocked him out and I ran like hell," She hesitated for a moment as if the details were fuzzy in her mind but he didn't question it. "I wasn't entirely sure which way I was going. But I ended up outside. It was then that I heard the screams. They figured out I had escaped."
She looked as if she was lost in a trance. "I just told myself to not stop running no matter what I heard. Don't stop." She was replaying the moment over and over again. "I ran until I was out of breath. But I still heard them shouting. I hid behind a tree and grabbed a branch. Then you found me."
She was incredibly thankful though she didn't say it. She didn't have to. She swallowed heavily from the thought of what would happen if he wasn't there. And Severus didn't dare to entertain the thought.
It only took him a few more minutes to continue examining her health. He would give her the potions after she slept. It wasn't wise to give her so many sedatives with her mind still jumbled from the crutiotus. And though he wrapped her arm in new bandages in case she ripped open the fresh skin, he wasn't too concerned by the state of her health. He feared the worst. And though he wasn't pleasantly surprised by her current state he was relieved.
She hopped off the counter with a little more enthusiasm than he would have liked. And he waited for her to stumble. Keeping a hand on her waist to help stable her. But her legs had given out more than he had expected. She crumbled underneath herself and he quickly had to scoop her up before she hit the floor.
She could barely keep her eyes open and she only responded with a quiet murmur when he called her name. It was clear she was too far gone. She had held out for as long as she could but sleep was finally taking over.
He had one arm under her legs and the other was supporting her back. Her arm was hanging loosely by her side. He tried not to think about the feel of her smooth skin against his hands.
He carried her out of the room and found Black leaning against the railing heading up the stairs. When he took notice of them he immediately jumped into action. "Bloody hell. What happened?"
"She is exhausted and the adrenaline has worn off. What room is hers?"
He only deflated a little. But was still covered in worry. His eyes didn't stray from Hermione's face. "Third-floor first door."
"I can carry her," he offered, when Severus went to pass him.
He felt as if he drew her closer to his chest reflectively. "I got her." For some reason, he didn't like the idea of someone else touching her. Not while she was in her current state.
She wasn't heavy. Not in the slightest. He only struggled when he had to carry her up the stairs. But he had a secure grip on her and held her securely to his chest.
When he brought her to her bed. He didn't have the time to pull back the covers. He placed her on top of the blankets. He didn't have much time to look around her room. Only taking the time to find a blanket folded on a chair to drape over her.
She seemed to be waking up. She turned on her side and her face shifted and burrowed into the pillow her head rested on. She started to mumble. Though Severus couldn't make out her words at first. Eventually, they became clearer. "Please. Please Don't tell the others." Her eyes never opened. And eventually, her words faded. She stopped shifting and her breathing evened out. She was finally asleep.
He continued to watch her for a lot longer than he should have.
She looked so peaceful. As if the ordeal from the past several hours never happened. Her eyelashes seemed so long and dark against her skin. There was a strand of hair lying on her cheek. He didn't even think when he moved his hand to push it off her face. His knuckles trailed along her skin. Her skin was still flushed with coldness but it was soft.
He pulled his fingers away as if he was burned and hastily exited the room. He didn't bother closing her door. It would be better for the sound to travel if she needed help.
He wasn't too surprised to find Black in the kitchen with a glass of whiskey in his hand. Nor did he refuse when he silently lifted a second empty glass in offering. The two of them somehow chose to remain standing. He had a feeling Black was too anxious to sit and would soon be pacing back and forth in front of her room as Padfoot.
He found his hand not as steady as it usually was when he grabbed the glass. And quickly downed it so he could put the weight down. He didn't even feel the burn of the liquor in his throat. "How is she?"
He found Black to be nursing his glass. And staring at it intently. As if he thought looking at him will show him answers he doesn't want to see. "She will live."
"How bad?"
Severus found himself not wanting to answer. At least vocally. To say the words out loud somehow made what happened to her seem so final. Right now he liked to pretend that he could have prevented all of this. As if not thinking about it made it all fade away. He knew it was stupid. And that it did happen and that nothing he would say or do could change that. But he liked to think that would ease the guilt he found himself drowning in. At least Black had the right idea of switching out his guilt for the bottle. Though it was debatable which one would cause them more harm in the long run. "I thought you quit."
"I need this" And so did he. If he had to remember all of the details.
It wasn't as if it was hard. The memory of her in this very room with him cradling her arm was etched into his mind permanently. "An hour under the crutiotus. Her arm was cut up. She will always have the word Mudblood carved into her.
"That's it?" Most people would think by his words that he was insensitive to her injuries. But he was just hoping that there weren't more. There wasn't any physically. But mentally there might be other things she will have to deal with.
He felt his throat tighten before even saying it. "She also has bruises on her thighs."
At Black's confused look he clarified, "Her inner thighs."
His mouth was parted and his eyes were wide. He gulped loudly before asking shakingly, "Was she?"
There was no need to say those words. "No. But it was close. "
He sighed in relief before burying his head in his hands. "If she starts having nightmares in the next couple of days don't grab her to wake her up. Stay in your animagus form if you can't wake her up when calling her name."
"Did she say anything else?" Black sounded tired. It was clear that this whole ordeal emotionally and mentally drained him. Severus could relate to that.
"Not much. She is trying to process what happened." Black's head was still buried but Severus could see him nodding along.
"She also doesn't want anyone else to know what happened. Not the Order, not Dumbledore, not her teachers. Not even Potter and Weasley."
Black finally looked up. "What? Why?"
"I can't say for sure." Though he could hazard a few guesses. But he would settle for the easiest one. "I suspect she doesn't want people to worry for her."
This does complicate things lightly. He would have to come up with a cover story for her absence. And her recovery would need a plausible excuse. Luckily he was used to coming up with lies and covers on the spot. This should be relatively easy. He had been doing it for himself for years. And yet he found that it was harder to do for her. But eventually, a plan sorted itself out in his head. "She will stay here. There are only two days left until the holidays. I will have Madam Pomphrey cover for her."
Black was in no mood to argue and easily agreed to his plan. Though there were still some things they needed to sort out. "What do we do now?"
He wasn't quite fond of the answer. But it was the only one he had. "We wait."
He didn't know how to help her. Emotionally that is. Black was taking on the role of a worried mother. And right now that's what she needed from him. But he didn't know what she needed from him. Or even wanted. She knew about his experience with torture. She knew he could relate to her. But he wasn't sure if she wanted him to. Her words to not tell anyone would have been concerning for anyone else. But he understood better than anyone else.
He knew that the Order and Dumbledore should have been informed about the breach in security at Hogsmeade. It would have been the smart thing to do to prevent this from ever happening again. But the way she begged him not to. The way her eyes searched his for a promise he didn't have time to make. He couldn't say no to her. He couldn't refuse the one thing she had asked of him.
He would come up with a story. He would tell Dumbledore that the Death Eaters are planning to make a move in Hogsmeade. He would increase the Auror and Order's presence without betraying Hermione's confidence.
But why was he going to such extremes for her? It would make things harder for him. But right now he didn't even care. It didn't matter/ she was what was important. And yet a silent voice in his head asked him why. She wasn't like Potter. She wasn't vital to this war effort. He could find and destroy the Horcruxes on his own if he had to. So why was she so important? To him?
By the time he returned back to the castle it was late in the evening. And it was only a matter of time before Potter and Weasley noticed her disappearance. Black may not have understood why she wanted to keep this a secret. But he understood better than anyone what it feels like to be tortured. And the need to keep it to themselves.
As he walked through the empty halls illuminated by the moonlight. He was conflicted on whether or not he was making the right decision. But as he walked into the infirmary he knew he couldn't change his mind.
"Madam Pomphrey," He called out.
She came bustling out of her office. Luckily there were no students present. "Severus you're here offlay late. Is everything alright? Are you hurt?"
"I am fine." He realized that he was using the same words that Hermione did. And he wasn't sure if either one of them was right.
"Miss Granger fell violently ill while she was visiting her guardian in Hogsmeade, he decided to take her home" She gave him a scrutinizing look for a moment. Severus was a master manipulator and liar but she always seemed to know when he was lying. Even when he was a boy. Nonetheless, he kept his face impassive and stuck with his story.
After a moment her face relaxed. "I see. It's probably for the best, there are only two days left of school and we wouldn't want an outbreak on our hands."
Yes, that would work as a good excuse. "You should pass on the information to her head of house." He knew he couldn't do it. Minerva was too protective of her lions and would be glaring daggers at him while interrogating him on why he knew this before she did.
Madam Pomphrey may not understand what was happening but she was smart enough to follow his lead without questioning him. "I will."
"And Severus." She said, stopping him in his tracks. "Is she okay?"
He didn't turn around to look at her when he said "She will be."
By the time he made it back to his room he realized he was shaking with suppressed anger. The first thing he did was punch the wall. He could feel the skin on his knuckles crack and start to bleed. He was lucky that he didn't break his hand off of the brick.
He didn't know why this had such an effect on him. He had seen and watched as people were tortured and killed in front of him. He wasn't subjected to watch as Hermione lay screaming in pain as she convulsed on the ground. He didn't have to watch as the light left her eyes as it did with so many before her and will with many after. She was still alive. And to be quite frank compared to what has happened to the other muggleborns and especially the females she was considerably lucky.
He had seen and experienced much worse than this and yet his hands were shaking and he could feel himself getting choked up. He didn't understand why she was causing such a reaction out of him. She was just his student. And yet when did he start referring to her as Hermione even in his mind.
No.
She was Miss Granger. And always will be to him.
Now was not the time for him to allow someone to get close to him. All it did was result in pain.
