Hermione woke up the next morning as feel as rough as ever. She'd had nightmares of her potions master being brutally beaten and bullied by The Maraurders. She sat up and looked at Crookshanks, stroking his fur as she looked around at the girls in their beds who were all still sleeping. She was up half an hour early than what they all usually woke up at to start getting ready. Hermione rested her head back against the head-board on her bed and sighed to herself quietly, closing her eyes as she tried to avoid thinking about everything she'd learned about Professor Snape's life so far. She opened her eyes slowly and looked a the book on her bed-side cabinet, it was Snape's medical records that Madam Pomfrey had given to her. There's no chance I'm ready to read that yet. I can only just about manage to come to terms with it... let alone once I've learned the detail. She shuddered for a second thinking about what could be in the contents of those medical records. She was a kind person and would try to always avoid putting anyone in any sort of pain. She'd always want to help people who were in pain also. Even if it was Professor Snape, maybe his behaviour and personality could be completely different underneath those high walls he'd built around himself. She wasn't sure and at the moment she wasn't ready to find out. Her thoughts were stopped by a sudden whisper coming from the picture frame behind her. "Miss Granger" Dilys whispered; startled, Hermione turned to face the portrait without saying anything as the portrait began to speak; "Poppy didn't tell you last night because she had her hands full, but we've both decided that perhaps it's for the best that you don't tell Professor Snape that you were there last night or anything about you learning healing... he doesn't need any more stress either" she added. Hermione nodded, understanding that Professor Snape was so closed away from everyone and would be horrifyingly angry if he found out that the so-called 'know-it-all' Hermione Granger had seen him in so much pain. She shivered as she remembered the state he had been in the night before. "I understand" she said calmly, forcing those images to the back of her head. "I'll be in touch Hermione" the portrait said, she disappeared from her frame before Hermione had the chance to even open her mouth. Hermione moved off her bed and went to get ready, she had potions first thing. This isn't going to be easy.
Hermione entered the potions classroom and couldn't resist looking at the potions master. He looks... just like normal. She found it hard to believe that it was only the only the night before when she had seen him in so much pain, he was unconscious and unable to move and now he was moving fine as his hands prepared the ingredients for the potion he was now making, he didn't lift his head once away from the potion he'd just told them all to revise. She caught herself watching him for what had been half of the lesson now, she was amazed by his movements. He was clearly way too over-skilled for his job. He made every touch look so effortless, his long and thin fingers moved so quickly as he chopped and peeled and poured his ingredients. It was only until Seamus had managed to blow up his potion that her gaze on him had broken, she turned her head to face him and helped him clear up, holding back a laugh. Snape looked up and sighed, muttering something under his breath and then continued with making his potion. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all looked over at Seamus and smirked. "Pathetic half-blood" Malfoy said in disgust, Snape flinched at the use of the word but remained calm and continued to make his potion, ignoring what had been said. Sometimes he forgot that there were very few people who knew his blood status, it was unusual for a Slytherin to be a half-blood, let alone the head of Slytherin house. Seamus shrugged it off not seeming too bothered with what Malfoy had said, Hermione however reacted in an unusual way to what she normally would've done. It shouldn't have bothered her and wouldn't have done if she'd had more sleep, but under these circumstances she clearly wasn't one to mess with. "Oh shut up Malfoy!" she snapped and they snickered back at her, looking at her as if she was something unpleasant from off the floor. "And who are you? To tell me to shut up?" his eyes narrowed and his two friends laughed repeating what he said in a rather pathetic way. "Need I remind you of your own blood status, Granger." The whole class fell silent as they all nervously awaited a reply from Hermione, who was raging inside and fighting tears back from her eyes, Don't you dare you little prick. If you use that word I will NOT be responsible for my actions. They all jumped out of their skin when the table in front of them was slammed, they turned around to see what had caused the noise. "I told you to revise, not bicker with each other about your blood types" the potions master barked his eyes were fixed on Draco as if he was only talking to him, his hands were on the table still and the potions they'd been practising were still swaying in their cauldrons. Hermione caught herself watching Snape again, looking at his hands that were not so far away from her own, she quickly stared at Draco hoping that Snape hadn't noticed her looking at him. Draco went almost bright-red, he hated being in trouble with his head of house. He turned back to his cauldron and ignored the slight smirk that Seamus had given him afterwards. Snape was already back in his seat focusing on his own potion again when Hermione had turned back around, did Professor Snape just stick up for me? Why was he only staring at Draco?. She doubted it and concluded his behaviour to him being tired and in pain and just generally wishing he was elsewhere right now. Seamus smiled at Hermione, "you didn't have to do that for me" he whispered. Hermione returned his smile then turned back to her book to study some ingredients for the current potion she was learning.
Severus was sat in his room, he hadn't bothered showing up for dinner as he really couldn't stomach anything. It had taken a lot of occlumency for him to be able to at least look normal, but he was far away from being able to keep any food down him. His presence wouldn't have been missed anyway as he wasn't exactly popular among the staff at Hogwarts. Instead Severus had been trying to work out why Dilys, Poppy and Phineas had been acting strange with him. He was far from stupid, he knew that something was going on and had a good idea that he wasn't going to like it. He wasn't worried about it as such, he didn't feel that things could get much worse for him right now, and was just feeling grateful to be back at school just because the Dark Lord wouldn't summon him as much. As much as he hated teaching, he would rather be here teaching the students than sitting around at home almost lifeless awaiting for his next summon. No, Severus really didn't have much to live for and thought that his time would soon be up anyway however as sad as it seems he would greet death with a warm welcome right now, he wasn't scared of it one bit. Another thought crossed his mind; why on earth had Miss Granger spent half an hour staring at him? He'd felt her eyes on him all the time but didn't feel the need to look up, he was used to being stared at but Granger wasn't usually the one who did it. Perhaps Potter has been up to his old tricks and has accused me of something else? Or maybe she was just being nosey and wondered what potion it was I was making? Yes that sounds about right. Severus' thinking was brought to a stop when there was a knock at his door. Muttering to himself and rolling his eyes he moved over to the door and opened it only to find Minerva stood staring at him. He was about to moan about how late it was and how he really wasn't in the mood when he noticed something in her eyes, she looked terrified. It was as if she had just seen a ghost, or maybe something worse like the Dark Lord himself. He slightly cocked his head to the side "What is it?" he asked coldly but somewhat sort of 'caring' as caring as Professor Snape went anyway. "Please Severus, can I come in?" she asked. This really worried him, her voice was shaky and croaky. He stood aside as she walked in and closed the door behind her then summoned a chair for her to sit on as he rested against the wall opposite her. "Oh Severus" she cried sitting down on the chair and looking at him as if she needed some serious help. "Albus has gone AWOL Severus... And Dolores has taken over. She's in charge of all of us now" she looked very close to tears yet angry and scared at the same time. Severus twitched a sort of smile, "is that it?" he barked softly laughing a little, she didn't look impressed with his reaction. "Minerva, Albus will be back when the time's right, this is perfect" he said almost sounding excited. "I'm sorry Severus, but I fail to see what the bloody hell is so exciting about this" she said sounding annoyed. "We can absolutely torture this woman until she can't take anymore and runs for it" he said with the excitement still in his tone. "The students hate her and with Dumbledore gone, they're bound to give her as much stick as she bloody well deserves, we will let them all run riot and only insist that we thought she could cope if she asks why we aren't helping" he made that almost smile again. "We're going to drive this woman far away Minerva, trust me. I've spent years listening to all the messed up stuff that the students come up with and if they even use half of that on her, she'll be long gone" he said trying to sound reassuring to her now. She smiled at him, finally reassured that it was all going to be fine. "I hope you're right Severus" she said, standing up. Severus snorted, "I think I'm rather going to enjoy this Minerva". She laughed "me too" agreeing with him. "So we just stand by and do nothing?" she asked. "Why not?" Severus replied; "she's so certain that she can do this all on her own, she's going to get a big surprise" he said. On that note Minerva stood by the door and opened it, "I think we can all, as staff, get away with pulling a few stunts of our own too" she said, smirking. "You read my mind" he replied. "Goodnight Severus" she said closing the door behind her, knowing full well that she wasn't going to get one back but not minding as such, her mind was now at rest. Severus seemed a little more relaxed too, and went to bed, managing to get a few hours of sleep.