Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my thoughts of AU and OC, the rest all belong to J K Rowling. Moonvale worked her magic in this chapter. :)

Chapter 6

St. Mungo's was an eerie place to be at 3 am. A waiting room beside the Spell Damaged Ward, supervised by Head Healer Astrid Norman, was presently occupied by Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Draco Malfoy, and Harry Potter. It continued to rain outside mercilessly. Healer Norman was on her rounds so her assistant Fred Mason, a former Ravenclaw, had politely asked the group to wait for the time being.

When the four apparated to the back alley which led to the less frequented back entrance of the prestigious hospital, the guards, presumably two former students of Hogwarts, jumped out of their skin at the sight of their formidable potions master. A series of shocked yelps and stuttering persisted as they made their way through the nearly deserted hospital.

Snape, with his ever- billowing robes, continued to march forward as the other three trailed behind him. Minerva kept giving the man disapproving looks, muttering under her breath, "Will these dramatics ever end?"

Harry elbowed Malfoy and jested, "I get it why you snakes would stomp around like peacocks." A station nurse ran off in the other direction at the sight of the approaching Headmaster Snape.

Draco smirked and jabbed back at his childhood nemesis, "Shut it, Potter."

When they finally made their way to the entrance of the Spell Damage Ward, the awaiting guard, Robin Goldrang nodded and smiled at Snape.

"Good evening, Sir. It has been a while. We were expecting you tonight."

"Good evening Mr. Goldrang."

"Sir, I must thank you for providing those much-needed portions for my daughter. I couldn't have afforded…"

"Think nothing of it."

Noticing the group gaping at them in complete surprise, Goldrang, in good spirits, provided, "Professor Snape is a frequent visitor to this ward. And he has been helping each one of the patients for a long time. He is indeed a blessed soul…"

Growing uncomfortable, Snape walked past the guard giving him a curt nod and opened the door. He gestured for the rest of the party to follow.

As Minerva walked past, a silky baritone whispered, "It is not everywhere I am regarded as the bat of the dungeon."

Harry and Malfoy sniggered but had the decency to control themselves. A cold glare from Professor Snape still got their insides rolling.

In response, the dour man just muttered, "Dunderheads."

As he sat there beside Minerva, Snape could feel the growing anxiety within him. For the last couple of years, the Prophet had run many colorful stories about the Golden Trio. Hermione Granger always managed to wiggle her way out of them being mentioned only in passing in the latter articles. He could recall The Prophet, later on, published older photographs of the witch.

Yes, she did return to complete her education as an 8th year back in 1999 but that was quite expected of her. Snape had been reinstated as the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Minerva, Flitwick, and Sprout were glad to help him recover in any way they could. Slughorn had agreed to continue as the Potions Master while Snape had approached Lupin to take up the vacant post of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Everyone was surprised by Hermione's uncanny silence. She had turned down the honorary Head Girl duties and instead of following in the celebrating spirit of the general masses, she preferred shutting herself up in the library buried behind ancient books. She conversed very little with her returning classmates. He did remember having seen Neville talk with her at times. Even Draco shared a table with her in the library. But not once did he see those two acknowledge each other's presence.

Severus felt remorseful for not having apologized for his behavior to the girl. He had reacted like he always did. Ignore. He had ignored her as a person and as a student during that year. Adapting to his tendencies, Granger had chosen to avoid him too. She never once came asking for his counsel. He was rather proud when she had perfect scores on all her NEWTS. He had declared, to the portraits in the Headmaster's office, that she was a fitting protégée.

The last time he saw her, the girl was leaving the castle for the last time?. She was walking away, alone and with shoulders drooping in defeat. Even from the battlements at the pinnacle of the highest tower, Severus could make out her lack of exuberance. He wouldn't lie; his heart had clenched at that. The Slytherins were his responsibility but Granger seemed to have become a different conundrum altogether. Often he would find her mirroring his pursuit of endless knowledge. However, seeing a shadow of the brain of the Golden Trio was disturbing. In the confines of his mind while sitting with Minerva at the eerie hospital, Severus Snape was battling with the thought, 'did my silence tip the girl off the edge?' Potter's revelations with Draco's observations, a few hours back, had made it clear to both professors that Hermione Granger was indeed in peril.

Draco began, "I was aware Granger was working in the Archives of the Ministry of Magic most evenings because I would go there to research my present thesis. As you know, my present subject is on the Cruciatus Curse and its after-effects. I was quite surprised to learn that Granger was working on it voluntarily since the war had ended. We often compared notes but the arrangement was quite unnerving."

Leaning forward, the potion apprentice propped his elbows on his knees and steepled his fingers. Severus noticed the young man was trying to regroup which was a habit thoroughly frowned upon by Lucius.

Seeing his godfather glancing at Potter and Minerva, Malfoy explained, "Granger would send me reading materials or reference manuals. She was never up for a discussion face to face, her only condition. I was never to approach her in person. Though it sounded odd, I agreed thinking we had too much history. Not to mention the unspeakable things I did and said to her over the years were too hard to forget and forgive. Those months before the Battle and the mutually agreed upon truce, between Granger and Potter after I succeeded in helping them escape from the Manor, was too formal. We had a common agenda and were jointly working to get the Dark Lord killed at the end of it. After the war though, Potter and I started being somewhat civil but Granger had retreated into a shell."

Granger had retreated into a shell! Snape sighed. He was unable to imagine the feisty insufferable know-it-all refusing to engage in real conversations with anyone and avoiding human contact like a pariah. Gulping down the rising bile, he did something quite akin to praying in his mind as he watched it rain through the window in the waiting room, 'Merlin, please help. She cannot end up as an Obscurus!"