Chapter 27: Attack's Aftermath
{A/N: Don't really like this chapter but...I had to get it done...}
My thanks to all my readers and reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
The Corridors, Hogwarts, Wizarding World...
Severus Snape had taken the walk down the lengthy corridor toward the infirmary many times. Sometimes he would venture there on his own power as a Potions Master, bringing what needs to be used for healing and soothing the many sick or injured students or staff. Other times he was the one in need of healing or soothing. This time had been different. This time he was on his way to see his young wife who had only recently admitted that she was in love with him. Him of all people. A man who's life had not been his own the moment he took the dark mark, who's passed mistakes were responsible for so much suffering in the present and would be for more in the future.
She had loved HIM.
It was the only crime in which a young beautiful witch like Hermione Granger could be universally punished.
She had loved the unlovable and sought to make a life with him.
As Snape continued down the corridor, the sound of his black dragon-hide boots beat against the stone echoing his usually quiet steps all around. His black robes billowing angrily behind him as his lengthy raven locks rose and fell at his shoulders. There was a coldness that filled him. A coldness that had been a result of so many years being robbed of everything that made life worth living.
When Snape got to the doors of the infirmary he had not been surprised to find Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley waiting for news on their friend. The green eyed young wizard walked over toward him, the hate so evident in his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" asked Harry irate.
Snape simply looked at him coldly. Not a shred of emotion went through the dour wizard as he pushed passed the small wall of students. He had been in no mood for their nonsense. Still, Ron Weasley continued to push his buttons. The red haired wizard had been quite enraged that Snape managed to get to Hermione long before he could.
"You won't get away with this Snape." he said bitterly. "Someday soon you'll have to answer for what you did to Hermione."
The Infirmary, Hogwarts...
Snape continued to ignore Ron and made his way down the long row of empty beds with plain white dressing. She had been in the middle row, he back toward the door and no visible sign of pain had been seen but he could feel the coldness radiating off her in waves. As he stepped closer he noted how her amber eyes were swollen and red from all the tears, her complexion usually fair when normal had been ghastly pale and her eyes had dark circles around them.
Snape continued toward her in his usual long strides, though he had not known what it would be that he would say to her. He had been in this predicament before, but then he was merely a boy not yet out of Hogwarts, he was yet to discover the way things worked in the real world let alone the wizarding one.
Obsidian eyes ran over the thin frame of Hermione Granger-Snape as she layed on her side, a crisp white sheet draped over her waste and her hands flat on her sides. Her bushy hair had been pressed against a pillow and there seemed to be no change in her swallowed breaths. Snape had stood inches from his young wife almost close enough to touch her with his long pale finger.
"Severus." said the voice of Madam Pomfrey startling the dour wizard.
He stepped away from the sleeping witch.
"I am glad that you could make it." said Madam Pomfrey with a sorrowful expression.
Without warning she walked over and encompassed the dour man into a hug.
"I am well and truly sorry about your daughter." she said softly. "I think you would have made a wonderful father dear boy."
Snape had hardly processed what she had told him.
"A-A girl?" he asked stunned.
"She would have been quite a formidable young witch as it were." said Pomfrey.
Snape could hardly believe what he was hearing.
He looked back over toward Hermione.
"I-Is she...?" he started.
"She's going to be fine." said Madam Pomfrey. "Given time she'll make a full recovery."
Snape nodded. That was at least good to hear.
He sighed and made his way over toward Hermione. Getting right down to business, the Potions Master looked the sleeping witch over and mentally tallied which potions to administer to her for her recovery. Once he had finished he had not been surprised to see Albus Dumbledore standing at the door watching him.
"Severus." said the Headmaster sympathetic. "I am so very sorry about your daughter."
Snape nodded to acknowledge him.
He had showed no outward signs of grief choosing instead to focus his attentions on his ailing young wife. She had been through quite the ordeal and losing their child had taken a great deal out of the young witch.
"If there is anything that you need..." started Dumbledore.
"I would like some time alone with her if that is okay with the two of you." said Snape emotionless.
Both Poppy and Dumbledore understood his request and left them in a bid to leave Mr. and Mrs. Snape to themselves for a time. With everyone else gone, Snape sighed as he sat next to Hermione. Unable to help himself he touched her cheek with his long pale finger and her amber eyes fluttered open.
"Severus?" she said in a soft tone.
He nodded giving her a half-hearted smile.
Tears filled up the wells of her amber eyes and streamed down her newly paled cheeks.
"I'm so sorry." she said. "I-I've lost our baby."
Snape said nothing as he ran his hand along her belly. It only served to increase her tears. He proceeded to raise her sheet and gown examining the damage from the outside. Poppy had done a good job of healing her alright but there was a nasty scar that lingered across the front of her belly. Upon seeing the scar Snape's obsidian eyes had been filled with instant rage.
He had known the magical signature of this particular attacker well.
"Dolohov." he said bitterly.
Hermione had not known what to make of her husband's strange demeanor. The icy cool that radiated off him had been replaced by an nearly palpable and intense heat that seemed to come from the very core of him.
Catching himself, Snape managed to quell his temper and sit beside the young witch in a bid to offer her comfort. It was the least he could do since he had been absent during the attack.
"I cannot imagine what you must think of me." said Snape in an emotionless tone. "I should have been there."
Hermione looked into his sorrowful obsidian eyes.
"I-I should have stayed in the Inn." she said. "But I was feeling so sick with Ron's terrible eating and I just couldn't take it..."
"This was not your fault." he told her plainly. "I was the one that should have been there...I should have known he would try something..."
"He?" asked Hermione thinking the worst.
Snape seemed to gather that she had been thinking about the dark lord and shook his head.
"Rudolphus." he spat bitterly.
Hermione had not understood.
"W-What does he have to do with anything?" asked the bushy haired witch.
Snape sighed and sat back in his chair. His ebony clad arms folded against his chest. He had loathed to speak of this but decided that she had a right to know given the circumstances. Still, he had loathed to speak of it.
"Look at me." he said.
Hermione looked into Snape's obsidian eyes. She felt herself falling into her memories as he sifted through them at a rapid pace. He saw her at Hogsmeade with her friends, saw her leave the Inn in favor of fresh air to stave off her nausea, saw the cowardly attack by Dolohov and how Draco's quick thinking had saved her life.
He saw the blood that had come from her like a river signaling the death of their unborn child. When her last memory faded she woke up in the hospital and he saw himself as she watched him. Her amber eyes filled with tears.
Snape pulled out of her mind.
It seemed that she had indeed been through quite an ordeal. Even so she had been an amazingly strong witch, and brilliant as well. Had she not cast that silencing charm, Dolohov's curse would have surely killed her on impact. The Potions Master found himself more or less in awe of the young Gryffindor witch.
As he found himself given over to thoughts of admiration, the young witch sat up and reached out for her husband. Snape seemed as if he would allow her this small measure of comfort when Ron Weasley's voice broke the moment.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY GIRL YOU SLIMY GIT!" he shouted clear across the infirmary.
Upon hearing this Snape backed away from Hermione causing her to lean too close toward the edge of the bed and fall unceremoniously to the floor. Instead of helping her up and placing her back in bed Snape simply glared at her.
"Consider this your punishment for giving in to foolish sentiment." he said in an icy tone and walked away from her.
Hermione had not known what had just happened. Ron scrambled over to help Hermione glaring at the retreating form of Snape as his robes billowed angrily behind him.
Harry and Ginny entered the infirmary at that moment rushing over to Hermione and Ron with inquisitive looks upon their faces.
"What just happened?" asked Harry with his eyes still narrowed from seeing Snape.
"I was having a talk with my husband and Ronald interfered." replied Hermione pulling away from the red head as soon as she was placed back in bed.
The stunned red head wizard narrowed his eyes at her.
"What were you doing talking to that git?" he asked. "For all we know he's the reason you ended up in here in the first place."
"Shut it Ron." said Ginny. "We all know Dolohov was responsible for the attack...Draco and Hermione both said so."
Ron curled his lip in disgust.
"Like Snape couldn't have sent him just to make Mione lose the baby." he said.
Upon hearing the word "baby", Hermione burst into tears.
The image of Dolohov's attack and the subsequent loss of her unborn daughter had flooded her already taxed mind.
"I-I think I need some rest." she said trying in a pleasant way to get Ron out of the infirmary.
"I'm not leaving you here alone." said Ron not at all understanding. "What if that Git comes back?"
"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I want my husband to come back?" asked Hermione. "I wasn't the only one who suffered a loss here today."
Harry and Ron were both speechless. Ginny had been the only understanding one out of the group. She had hoped that Snape would come back and comfort Hermione, it was clear that she needed him.
Snape's Quarters, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...
Snape made his way back to his quarters. He fixed himself a firewhiskey and sat down on in his favorite arm chair. The brief thought of returning to the infirmary with his wife had crossed his mind but he settled into a long night of staring at the fire place. He couldn't have comforted the witch even if he wanted to. There was not telling when her friends would show up or when the dark lord would summon him. He was expected to go to her, to ease her pain but he knew it would only make the dark lord suspicious.
So he decided to keep all his muggle card close to his chest.
He would stay away.
Any sign of weakness would just make his job that much harder.
No.
He would stay away and do what must be done.
The loss of his daughter only served to illustrate just how much the dark lord needed to be defeated and this little stunt only proved to the dour wizard why he had agreed to become a spy in the first place. No. Severus Snape had no time to grieve but he would spend every ounce of his energy bringing the despot and all who side with him to their knees. It was all he could hope to do to avenge both his murdered children and those others from his distant past.