Title: Hermione's Helping Hand

Severus Free

November ended and December started with the students getting even more excited about the coming of the end of term. Hermione once again was left with mountains of homework, along with grading the work that her Herbology students had to do. The other Professors told her to take it easy, which she did, but sometimes she felt if she did something a little further that she would get close to having the job done. Two days later, she got a letter from the Ministry. She opened it and read:

Dear Mrs. Snape,

I'm pleased to inform you that Severus six-months is up. He's free to go about his business and do whatever he wants. However due to the nature of his condition, we've sent several bottles of our potion. Please make sure that Madam Pomfrey gets them.

Sincerely,

John Flupheart,

Department of Potions Experimentation

Ministry of Magic

Hermione felt her heart leap. They were sending her a Mandrake Restorative Draught and her husband was now able to move about without anyone telling him that he couldn't. Life was getting indeed sweet. That night, Hermione visited Harry and Ron in the Gryffindor common room. She told them about the Ministry saying that Severus was free to move about and that they were sending her several bottles of the Mandrake Restorative Draught. Both thought this was very good.

" I wonder what he's going to do when he finds out that Luna was the cause of him being in the hospital wing?" Harry asked.

" I don't think I want to know!" Ron answered, shivering.

Hermione left the common room and quickly headed back to her quarters. As she passed by Luna, she noticed that the girl was crying. At once she walked over and sat down next to Luna, who had crouched to the floor.

" What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

" I don't know!" Luna answered. " I'm really ill and Madam Pomfrey can't help me because she's busy with other things, as she called it. I don't know what to do."

" Want me to help?" Hermione asked.

Luna nodded.

Hermione thought this one over and then decided to take care of the matter right here. She had Luna lay on the floor, while she used her wand to find out what was going on. However something was blocking her wand and she had no idea what it could be.

" So?"

" I don't know!" Hermione said. " I'm going to have to tell Remus this. Maybe he might have an answer."

Luna looked at her with fear, but Hermione knew, that she knew, it had to be done. Hermione got up and helping her up, they headed for the Headmaster's office.

Remus wasn't in a good mood when they entered. It was clear that something had happened to make him sour, though Hermione didn't know what. He didn't ask them to sit, but as soon as he opened his mouth, they knew that it was connected to Draco.

" Malfoy is going around and asking Muggleborn Witches to bare his children, and giving them loads of gold," he told them. " Now why are you both here?"

" We were just wondering how your wife is doing?" Hermione said, knowing that he wasn't in the mood to hear about Luna's illness being undetectable.

Remus's face softened.

" She's doing very well!" he told her. " Six children, three boys and three girls!"

" That's great to hear," Luna said.

" Thanks!"

Hermione decided that was the best time to leave.

" What's the matter with him?" Luna asked.

Hermione let out a small sigh, and then told her about what had happened in the Malfoy family. She didn't tell Luna that she was pregnant and that she had done it because she wanted to spite Pansy, but at this point it no longer mattered. She loved her husband, couldn't live without him, and wanted more children by him. When she was finished, they were back to the same floor that Hermione knew led to the Ravenclaw common room.

" Thanks for trying to help me out," Luna said. " You're a true friend!"

Hermione grinned at her.

" Well goodnight."

" Goodnight!"

She turned to leave when someone called her name. Hermione turned to see Ron and Ginny running towards her. They both had worried looks on their faces, like something had happened.

" What's wrong?"

" Well me and Ron were practicing for the match against Hufflepuff, and something happened with Harry."

" What, what happened?" Hermione asked, fear flooding every part of her body.

" Someone knocked him out, I don't know who it was because the figure was cloaked in darkness, but he was hit."

" With what?"

" A Bludger!" Ron answered.

" Well lets go," Hermione said.

She ran after Ginny, not noticing that Ron wasn't following them. It was only after they reached the wing did both girls notice that he wasn't there. They looked around, but he was absent.

" Where did my brother go?"

" No idea lets see if Harry's okay."

When they entered the hospital wing, they saw that Harry's head was wrapped in bandages, his glasses on the table next to him. Hermione felt the tears well up, but she hid them just as Madam Pomfrey appeared.

" He's going to live!" the Matron told them. " Don't worry!"

" But we do!" Ginny said.

" Will he be able to leave the school when term ends?"

The Matron shook her head.