Lemon Drops solve everything.
Thank you all very much for the reviews, I suppose someone had to write a story like this!
Hermione was in shock, she didn't know what to do. Professor Snape was lying on his back, ghostly white and barely breathing. His blood surrounded him on the ground and had soaked into the hem of Hermione's robes. His hair was tangled with blood from his head. Blood was dripping from his nose and mouth. He looked as though he had just gone twelve rounds with the womping willow. His hands were stained a brilliant shade of crimson, and lay motionless by his sides.
Hermione tried all the healing spells she knew on him, and none worked. Tears were welling up in her eyes, she wanted to help him and there was nothing she could do, she was so frustrated with herself. In a last bid for help, she sent red sparks in every direction; up the grand staircase and along corridors, until she heard hurried footsteps and a rather loud 'what the-'.
It was McGonagall. She looked as though she was going to deduct thousands of house points from the culprit until she laid eyes on the scene before her. She froze in horror before running over to Hermione's side.
''Severus!'' She exclaimed. Quickly, she tried to heal his wounds with every spell she knew, but none worked.
''I have already tried.'' Said Hermione solemnly. McGonagall turned to Hermione.
''This is very powerful Dark magic we are dealing with. Even if you wanted to, there is nothing you can do to help him. Only Albus can...'' She said the last sentence more to herself than anyone else. She cast her patronus and sent it to Dumbledore before levitating Severus to the Hospital wing, signalling Hermione to follow.
''I will need to know what you saw, my dear.'' She said as they hurried to the hospital wing. As they got there, they burst through the doors, giving Madam Pomfrey the fright of her life. McGonagall gently dropped Severus onto a nearby bed and Madam Pomfrey bustled forward with an armful of potions and ointments.
Dumbledore appeared out of nowhere, as if he had just flew to the Hospital wing. McGonagall and Hermione stood in silence as Pomfrey removed what was left of the torn robes to reveal a scarred and bloody body. The Dark Mark was black as ever.
''Severus?'' Said Dumbledore as he bent over the unconscious potions master. The rest of his words were inaudible as he bent closer and began whispering in an unknown language. He ran his wand up and down Severus's body, with no reply. After a few seconds, Dumbledore turned to Hermione, the old spark in his eye was gone.
''There is nothing you can do Madam Pomfrey, he will wake soon, and not in the best of moods.'' Said Dumbledore over his shoulder.
''When is he ever in a good mood?'' She said, applying bandages and ointments to Severus's body. She removed his trousers and threw them into a waste bin at the side of the bed, leaving him quite undignified in his underwear. She dripped a potion onto his stomach, emitting smoke from his wound and closing the skin. She then bandaged it along with the Dark Mark on his left arm, in case anyone was to see it.
Hermione looked at Dumbledore to find him looking straight into her eyes, reading her mind. She looked at him as if he was crazy. He then clapped a rather large hand on her shoulder.
''Lemon drop?'' He offered. Hermione was certainly confused. The look in her eyes told Dumbledore that he had some explaining to do.
''My dear, what you have seen tonight must not be discussed in a room full of people, I trust you understand?'' He said in a friendly way.
''Of course.'' Hermione wasn't stupid. ''His Dark Mark was paining him in potions, I saw it.'' Realisation played across Dumbledore's face. It had been hurting him during the lesson... and he couldn't simply walk out...
''It seems Severus has merely been punished for being late. Voldemort never has had much patience.'' The Dark Lord punished death eaters for being late?
A groan pierced the silence and everybody turned around to see the potions master remove himself from the wretched bed. He sat in the side with his bare feet on the cold floor. Hermione could see scars scattered all over his body; large long ones, and even burns.
He took one large hand and pinched the bridge of his nose.
''Why do I always end up in this bloody place? And where are my clothes?!'' He grumbled. Looking up, he saw Dumbledore, with an annoying twinkle in his eye, McGonagall with a furrowed brow and between them, a brown eyed, bushy haired Gryffindor. His expression softened the tiniest bit as they looked at each other.
''That was quick.'' Said Dumbledore, talking about the potions masters' recovery. ''Lemon drop, m'boy?'' He asked, offering a small bag of the sweets. Severus looked as though he wanted to hex Dumbledore into next week. Dumbledore got the message, and slapped Severus on the back, earning a grimace. He then left the Hospital wing with McGonagall and walked back to their quarters.
''He could have been caught Albus.'' Said McGonagall in a concerned tone. ''He needs to tell us when he is going to a meeting. What if one day he goes, and doesn't come back? Albus, it has to stop!''
''Minerva.'' He replied in a rather serious tone. ''If Voldemort suspected Severus, would he still be here? He is a grown man now, he can take care of himself.'' He added with a twinkle.
''If only your words of wisdom would reassure me.'' She replied as their robes swished round a corner.
''Don't they? Why Minerva my dear, you have changed over the years.'' He joked.
''In more ways than one, and so has Severus. His punctuality was never this bad when he was a boy.'' She replied, rubbing a stitch in her side. They soon reached McGonagall's quarters.
''Here we are my dear.'' Said Dumbledore, stopping at the door. McGonagall still looked unconvinced about Severus. ''I can assure you that while I am headmaster at this school, no harm will come to anyone within it.'' McGonagall smiled in reply.
''Lemon drop?'' Asked Dumbledore. MgGonagall slammed the door in his face and he walked away with the twinkle shining brightly in his eye.
In the Hospital wing Severus was being fussed over by Madam Pomfrey. She was swabbing all the patches of dry blood and trying to remove debris from Severus's hair when he held up one large hand.
''Cut it off.'' There was a pause. ''Not all of it, just the... these bits'' He said as he felt around for a particularly bloody clump of hair. Cutting off 'these bits' meant cutting off most of his hair, which Madam Pomfrey then cleansed with a wave of her wand. His hair was now short and untidy like Harry's, much to Severus's displeasure. He neatened it out with a wave of his own wand.
Why the devil is she still here? He asked himself. I suppose I better thank her...
Hermione was beginning to wonder the same thing herself, why was she still there? Why was she gaping at the potions master like a bloody trout? She shook her head at herself and made to leave for the door when a deep voice stopped her.
''Wait.'' Said Professor Snape. He went behind a screen to dress into clean robes (that Madam Pomfrey seemed to keep for him) before emerging, looking as menacing as ever as he sorted his cuffs.
''Allow me to escort you to Gryffindor tower.'' He said. Hermione waited until he reached the door and held it open for her. There was an awkward silence as they walked through the corridors, Severus's robes billowing behind him. With shorter hair, Hermione could see the darkness of his eyes, and the severe lines on his face. His eyebrows seemed permanently placed in a slight frown.
Hermione inwardly sighed in relief as they reached the portrait hole. The Fat Lady was snoring loudly in her picture. Severus rapped on it with his knuckles, waking her up and spilling her wine all down herself.
''What in bloody Merlin's name are you playing at?!'' She said before noticing Severus.
''Ah, Professor Snape, such a pleasant surprise!'' She sang, batting her eyelashes wildly. Severus rolled his eyes without Hermione noticing and inclined his head. He waited before Hermione had given the Fat Lady the password and was halfway inside before saying;
''Miss Granger.'' Hermione turned around quickly. ''Thank you.'' And he strode off. The words hit Hermione square in the face like an out of control bludger and the portrait hole closed.
She made her way slowly to the girl's dormitory and closed the curtains around her bed before changing out of her blood covered robes and into her pink jammies.
Review? I would have put more into this one, but it would fit better in another chapter :)
