Disclaimer: Fanfiction, Hello? Think that is enough to prove that it's not mine.
Ch. 20 Thought you were my protection
When Hermione was done eating enough to please both the overly obnoxious mediwitch and her rather bossy grandmother, she was lead into a little side room with the white twin sized bed that Severus Snape was laid on. He was sleeping with loud snores escaping from his large nose.
Hermione stood at the doorframe for a moment, as she hugged her arms around herself. Once she was left alone in the tiny room, she took a step closer to the slumbering figure. She watched and waited for a long time, organizing the thoughts in her head, finally an urge of wanting to do nothing more than to approach the sleeping figure and slap his crooked nose straight washed over her. She barged forward, allowing her hand to swing back for a hard impact as she approached Severus, when her wrist was caught. Behind her was the one person she should have expected.
"Headmaster!"
"Maybe now is not the time for violence, Miss Granger. I know that losing your parents was very hard, that is something no child should ever have to experience. But Fate has smiled upon you, Hermione. Fate has given you back a parent, even though you may not be happy with whom you are given back. Give him a chance, he may just surprise you."
Hermione crunched up her face. "Why? No, as a matter of fact, why are you defending him? Who's side are you on?"
"This isn't about sides, Miss Granger. It never has been. But look at it like this," Dumbledore placed his hands on her shoulders. "You're one of the luck ones. Atleast you get back a parent, whereas someone like Harry never will."
How so few and simple words could make such an impact on a heart, Hermione was unsure. But Dumbledore was right, she was lucky. Not knowing what else she should do, Hermione crumbled to the floor next to Severus' bed as Dumbledore patted the top of her head.
Later that afternoon while Hermione sat next to Severus' bed, the Potion's master finally woke. One eye opened, the blue iris hidden under the eyelid had lost it's luster, and moved side to side. Finally that one blue iris landed on Hermione's face, and after a minute of focusing, the other eye opened as well. Hermione had never seen Snape look so normal with his lazy eyes, messy hair, and facial features not set into a severe scowl. "Hermione?" Severus breathed.
Hermione put her book on the nightstand and moved onto the bed, sitting on one foot next to him. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, allowing her to look Severus in the eye. She gave a small smile as Severus moved his hand and gripped hers. "Do you need anything,...I can go get someone?"
Severus shook his head and gripped her hand alittle harder. The corners of his mouth began to turn upwards. "No, I have everything I need right now."
Hermione slowly took her hand away from his. Just as she was about to ask Severus a question, the door to the Infirmary burst open. Hermione slid off the bed and peered through the door and into the Infirmary, seeing who had come in since Poppy and Grams had left her alone with her father all day. Two boys had walked into the Infirmary with two more bursting in after them. Here we go again, Hermione thought.
Draco and Blaise had just made it to the Infirmary for their quidditch physicals when the Golden Boy and his side-kick, the Weasel, burst through the doors. With no sign of Madam Pomfrey or anyone for that matter, all four boys felt that now would be a good time for an argument.
"Scarhead! My new buddy, how's it going?" Blaise smirked.
"Blow me, Zabini!" Harry growled at the caramel haired boy, before turning to Draco. "Look Malfoy, we've got to call off this bet."
"Why?" Draco asked just to annoy him.
"You know why! Just call off the bet."
"What's this? Can't say it, Potter." Blaise laughed.
"You told Zabini? Hermione's gonna kill you!"
Ron turned to Harry, "What's going on?"
"Who cares about that mudblood." Blaise replied as Ron launched himself on Blaise, leaving Harry and Draco to face off.
"Let's finish this without using Hermione." Harry said, just before Draco threw a punch at Harry's eye.
Harry kicked Draco's ankle sideways as hard as he could, causing the boy to fall. As Harry advanced on the fallen boy, Ron's body was rammed into Harry. Blaise had given Draco enough time to get up. Blaise and Draco both kicked the two boys on the ground, hitting their stomachs and ribs with the tips of their shoes. After the fifth kick, Hermione felt that Draco and Blaise weren't going to stop. She ran from the door hiding her from view, and into sight behind the two Slytherins. Hermione could see that Harry and Ron were backed into a corner. Without thinking twice,
Hermione ran to her friends. She made it to the four boys, just as Ron grabbed Draco's foot and knocked him to the ground. Hermione reached for Blaise, only to be grabbed by the wrist and be shoved into the wall face first.
Draco, Ron, and Harry watched as Hermione was grabbed by Blaise and shoved forward into the wall. A loud thump was heard as Hermione's head collided with the wall. Harry was the first to react when Blaise suddenly stopped after he shoved her then turned with a smirk of pleasure. Harry wanted to make sure that Zabini never smirked again. Harry pushed Ron into a roll as hard as he could to knock over Blaise like a bowling pin as Draco watched in horror as Hermione crumbled to the floor. Harry got up and quickly pulled Ron up as well, both advancing on Blaise as Draco slid across the floor to Hermione's side. Aside from alittle bit of blood trailing down from her eyebrow, Draco decided that she looked alright.
She accepted his arm to be helped off the floor, her hand gingerly touching where her skin had split open. Draco knew that she was definitely okay when she screamed out, "OH HELL NO!" And attempted to join her boys in bashing Blaise for his actions.
Draco struggled to keep Hermione away from where Ron and Harry were beating on Blaise. It only took a second for Harry to turn around as Hermione cried out his name. Hermione was struggling and crying as Draco Malfoy, king of all ferrets, had a death grip around her waist to keep her still. Ron turned around a second later. By the looks of it, both boys had given up on the fallen body of Blaise Zabini and now turned their attention on the foul being that would restrain their fragile female counterpart. Draco immediately let go of Hermione as Harry and Ron walked towards him in an intimidating way, more or less because of Harry than Ron. Draco knew that the Weasel had an explosive temper that no one wanted to be on the receiving end of, but the Scarhead? Hogwart's Golden Boy was never known as a bully but Draco knew that he had never seen the full extent of Harry's anger and that sort of scared Draco (even though he'd never admit it.).
The second that Hermione felt Malfoy's hands let go of her, she ran to the first place she could. The open arms of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Draco felt that now would be a good time to leave, ducking out before anyone noticed that he was still there. Had he stayed for just one minute longer, what he would have experienced would have cost him any chance he ever had with Hermione.
For some reason unknown to her, Hermione waited to pull herself from her beloved boys until she heard the soft click of the Infirmary door shutting. Then she slowly pulled herself out of her friends' hugs, walking over to where Blaise Zabini was twisting and turning on the floor, groaning as he moved. Hermione stooped down beside him, debating on weather to hit him, when he started laughing.
"Haven't you had enough?"
"I should be asking you that, Zabini. You're the one that's all bloody and bruised, not me."
"Atleast I'm more than a mere prize." He said, spitting red salvia next to Hermione's shoe.
Whatever else Blaise could have said to make Hermione suspicious of any bet between Harry and Draco, was never said as Hermione drew back her fist and threw a hard punch into Zabini's face. Ron held out his hand to help her off the floor, but she refused. An ackward silence followed,
until Hermione set a fierce gaze on her friends. "What do you think he meant?"
"Bout what, Herms? We didn't hear him say anything." Ron said, confused.
Hermione shrugged off what Blaise said, letting her friends; her protectors; her brothers take her away from the Infirmary to the comfort of the Lion's Den. As the portrait of the Fat Lady opened, Gryffindors of all years merrily greeted them. Ginny was especially excited as she ran up, flaming hair bouncing wildly around her, with a magazine flapping in her hand. She tossed it to Harry as she walked to the closest couch with Hermione, immediately fussing about the blood that trickled down onto her cheek. As Harry opened the magazine, Hermione squealed.
"Ron! Look on the cover!" Hermione pushed Ginny's busy hands away from her face and leaned over and plucked the magazine out of Harry's hands, earning her a 'Hey!' from Harry. She closed the magazine and held up the cover to show them. It was the newest edition of Witch Weekly, featuring Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, and Harry as the cover story.
Ron grabbed the magazine, flipping to the featured story and cleared his throat. "For the last four months every news paper and tabloid have covered the fall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the victorious teens that brought about his downfall. This story, however, wants to applaud the youth of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Chief editor,
Peru Madeze, commented 'I have never met such a group of teenagers that were hell bent on saving the world and not wanting to receive praise for their valiant efforts! It's as if they want no part of fame. These children, I'm sorry, adults have shown the wizarding world that not all people seem as they appear. For instance, Ginerva and Ronald Weasley,
who are of pure blood and of low social standing wanted nothing to do with the press, swearing that everyone believed that they wanted fame to pull their family out of the slums. Neville Longbottom, another of pure blood with a grandmother of good social standing, hid from reporters for weeks following his release from St. Mungo's.
But by far, the two that surprised everyone was Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. A halfblooded wizard and muggleborn witch addressed reporters with a simple request to speak briefly and have no questions asked.' ".
Ron stopped. He looked over to his closest friends, unsure if he should continue. The unshed tears building in his eye's plead for either of them to ask him not to read another word, but it seemed that both didn't mind the article. Not wanting to finish, he handed over the magazine to Ginny and left the Common Room. Without having anyone else to help Harry emotionally support Hermione, he pulled her into his lap as Ginny began to finish the page.
"Harry Potter stood in the midst of reporters that hungered for the story of this lifetime, of how a handful of teenage students became legends through the downfall of a ruthless murdered that craved domination over both the wizarding and muggle world, no longer a boy but as a man who clearly stated that he was happy that the war was over so that he could attempt a normal life. As he expressed his request, he comforted his friend who wept silently on his shoulder. Whispering in her ear, a teary eyed Hermione Granger turned around and began her short speech of loss and heartache. Never has a girl so young rendered a congregation speechless. Her harsh words of making herself and her friends public targets just after each had suffered severely, she shouted "We're kids! Can't you just leave us alone?". That was the last time I believe that any reporter has come into contact with any one of the Hogwart's students. So I'm sure everyone at Witch Weekly is joining me when I say that we welcome this fine youths into our history books, no matter how vile the circumstances. It is an honor that everyone should remember these people, being as they have saved us from a worse fate. Best of luck to any of them that come across this article.' "
Everyone in the Common Room had stopped what they were doing to listen to Ginny as she read. But just as to be expected, all eyes slowly turned to the featured boy and girl. Hermione felt herself snuggling deeper into Harry's chest to try and block out the feel of stares that her housemates were giving them. Luckily, everyone went back to what they were doing, only to be disrupted by a green faced Hermione, who was running at full force to the closest bathroom to throw up all the food that was forced into her body earlier that day. When she returned to the couch next to Harry, still breathing hard as she laid her head in Harry's lap
"Hey, Herms?" he whispered. "Have you reconsidered my offer?"
Hermione shook her head. "I'm sorry, Harry. I can't do that to you."
"Do what, exactly? Take care of you and a baby?"
"No Harry, I won't let you waste your life on helping me with mine. It's not fair." She whispered back.
"Who will help you if I don't? We're a family, you and me." Anger boiled within his veins as he shouted out, "And your pregnant!"
Looks of shock spread through the room, people dashing for safety and muttering to others that this was a matter for the two to deal with telling the third party of their group. Hermione looked up in time to see a look of jealousy and envy in Ginny's face, before the younger girl ran for the dorm rooms.
.
A/N: Dun Dun Dun! Oh, how will our Mr. Weasley take this? Should he be told, overhear it, or wait on that happening? I want to hear what you think
Hogwarts Angel: Yes, sweetie, the agony will end. As for the pairing, if I told that then there is no point in finishing this fic. But the main characters are DM and HG. It could really go either way, but I know who she will end up with! The bet is what inspired this fic, but the ending has inspired a sequel. I wanted Hermione to remain some-what still in character and I couldn't see her calmly taking in the news that the man that raised her wasn't her father and the greasy bastard that has been a thorn in her side since she started Hogwarts to be the one who shares her blood. But as for Gram's, she is meant for showing Hermione how to be a Snape. How to be a half blood amongst the purest of bloods. To never back down or feel inferior, she is just as good. Gram's is the type of woman that can do everything, be a mom; a businesswoman; the backbone of the family. Yes, she serves as a crying shoulder, but her purpose is yet to come.
HalfBloodPrince15: Oh yeah! You liked that? I did say that once it was established that Hermione was pregnant that I would be moving the chapters along at a fast pace, so if I don't update as fast it's because I am working on moving the fic along. Blaise has served half of his purpose so far, but this isn't all for Blaise. I promise that Hermione's secret boyfriend will be introduced at the quidditch match. Yes, she loves him, but she couldn't bring herself to ask him to help her care for another man's child. That is why she refused Harry. Also, yes, I have decided to make a sequel to this fic. And it was all your fault! Well, you know what I mean? I can do it for you. After this one is done,
of course.
AJ01: Heyheyhey! It's okay, I forgive you. I read The Protectors. It's good, sorry I haven't reviewed yet, but it's been so crazy lately. Yeah, I like my cat's name too. I am getting another for him to play with. If it's a boy then I'll name him Vladamir and a girl name her Chimaira.
OrgnlAmagic: I really thought about him doing something. But hey, if she can't remember, why would he want to incriminate himself? The bet is coming. They are in mid-October. As for Harry's map, that will be explained.
Aelwren: Oh my God! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated sooner than I did. I'm not too impressed with this chapter, but I didn't know what else to do with with. In about two or three chapters will be the bet, I hope.
k847: I'm glad that you found the last chapter to be better. Now as for the mystery man, he will probably make his grand appearance in the next few chapters. Hope that makes you feel better. It will cure your curiousity.
TomFeltonsDancer: If you tell me what's so confusing, I'd be glad to fill you in. As I said in, I think, the end of two chapters ago, that I will be moving this fic fast in the actually story. But my updating skills have been slacking.
PeanutButterOreoCookieGirl: Yay! OMG! I love your name! I'm soooo sorry that you had to wait this long for me to update, but I didn't knkow what to do this this chapter. But the fun will begin soon. You're the first to ever offer me a virtual plushie, even though it was a joke.
Michelle Felton: Request granted! Here is more, want more than this, rub my lamp and make a wish (actually all you have to do is review but I watched Alladin last night.).
Hugs from a fruit,
Cherry.