Author's Note: I'm sorry I didn't get this chapter up sooner, like I said I would. I ended up just not being happy with it and completely rewriting it, just to continue being unhappy with it. I'm going to stop giving posting time estimates since they never seem to quite work out. In my defense (for this chapter), I had one part of my national board exams last weekend. But now it's up! Anyway, sorry about the wait. Oh, and reviews are greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series; it is the property of J.K. Rowling.
Snape glanced at the clock while chopping the lettuce; it was 6:15. The girl had said she'd be back by six. What could she be doing?, he wondered. He finished making the salad and set the table. As the oven timer went off, he pulled the Shepard's Pie out of the oven and set it on the stove to cool. He looked at the clock again: 6:30.
"Her watch had better've stopped," he growled softly to himself. He cut the bread and laid it on a plate before putting the butter on the table. He put the Shepard's Pie on a trivet on the table, placing a spatula next to it. He glanced at the clock again as he put the salad down. 6:40.
He felt a vaguely familiar ripple of fear pass through him momentarily before the wave of anger broke over him. I hope—for her sake—she's in her room reading and just didn't tell me she was back. Snape strode over to her bedroom door and knocked sharply, opening the door without waiting for a reply. The room was empty.
Snape's heart jumped into his throat, but was quickly repositioned when anger flooded his body again. The girl cannot be unaware that dinner has been at 6:45 since she's been here. She said she'd be back by six...Dammit! Now I have to go look for the little wench!
Snape stormed out of his quarters. How dare she!, he thought to himself. Ten minutes later, he stood outside the library. He threw the doors open and stepped in, letting them slam behind him. He glanced away as Madame Pince glared at him with a fierceness to rival his own.
"Excuse me, Madame Pince," he said, forcing an apologetic tone into his voice and avoiding eye contact, attempting to appear contrite.
"What is it?" she snapped, despite her glare softening a bit.
"Has Miss Granger been here recently? She's a bit late getting back."
"No, I haven't seen her for a few days. But you're welcome to look around…quietly."
"Thank you." Snape nodded to her and stalked off to the hidden corners of the library. But the girl was nowhere to be found.
He remembered the girl had said she was going to have tea with Hagrid, and he left the library, closing the door behind him, quietly this time. He advanced down the path toward Hagrid's hut. They've probably just lost track of time, his reasonable side told him. He snorted angrily. She's probably drinking tea while I'm out looking for her. His anger forged an invisible force field around him. He thundered so quickly down the path that he almost missed the figure lying in the grass.
Fortunately, however, he spared the figure a second glance. She's napping?, he thought wildly. I'm out looking for her and she's napping?
He took a step over toward her face, his back blocking the sun. He let his shadow fall over the girl. She didn't stir. "Miss Granger!" he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. She didn't move. "Miss Granger!" he shouted. She lay still where she was. Snape was surprised; she didn't seem the type to be a heavy sleeper. Maybe Weasley or Potter…
He knelt down and shook her shoulder roughly, yelling, "Miss Granger!" She remained motionless. "Hermione!" he bellowed. No response.
He pulled his wand out and pointed it at her. "Ennervate." She didn't stir. The fear crept back into Snape's throat. He gathered the girl up in his arms and started sprinting back to the castle.
He burst into the Hospital Wing. "Madame Pomfrey!" he barked. There was no response. "Madame Pomfrey!"
"Severus?" Professor McGonagall said from the door. "What are you bellowing about?"
"Where's Poppy?" he growled at her.
She raised her eyebrows at his tone. "She's on vacation. What's the matter?"
He turned around, the girl still in his arms.
Minerva paled. "What happened? What did you do?"
He stared at her, mouth agape. "What did I do? I took the girl in! I didn't do this!" He stared, shocked and hurt, at his colleague and former professor's implied accusation; she couldn't truly think that lowly of him.
"I'm sorry, Severus. Lay her down on the bed. I'll call Poppy. He laid her down and removed her outer sweater, the bruises on her arms shocking him. The covered almost every inch of her arms, some a fading yellow, others a new dark purple and red. More were forming before his eyes.
A few minutes later the mediwitch stepped through the fire, dusting herself off. "Where's the patient?" she asked curtly. Snape stepped aside. "What happened here? Why is she covered in bruises?" She looked from Severus to Minerva.
"I don't know!" Snape snapped. "I didn't see the bruises until I took her sweater off! I found her lying on the ground unconscious!"
"Did she take a potion?"
Snape shook his head. "No. I only gave her a Dreamless Sleep potion last night after she had a nightmare." Both women stared at Snape, their mouths slightly open. "Dreamless Sleep can't cause this!" he snapped, gesturing to the bruises.
"What can?" Professor McGonagall asked, recovering from her shock.
"The obvious," Madame Pomfrey said, "a severe beating or more likely multiple beatings, judging by the colors of the bruises. But some muggle medicines and blood thinning potions can. And in theory Blood Replenishing Potion…"
"That's it!" Snape interrupted.
"What's it?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"We were talking about Blood Replenishing Potion a few days ago. In theory, Blood Replenishing Potion can cause bruises if too much is used without a clotting potion. She had to have taken it!"
"But I didn't request any Blood Replenishing Potion from you," Madame Pomfrey said, confused. "We have enough of it."
"She must have made it…" Snape trailed off, realizing what had happened. Oh, if she's all right once this is over, she'll rue the day…
"Is she capable of making it?"
"Yes," Snape and Professor McGonagall replied together without hesitation.
"More than capable," Snape continued.
"Then let's assume that's what she did," Madame Pomfrey said. "Give me two clotting potions." Professor McGonagall handed them to her, and Madame Pomfrey charmed them into Hermione's blood vessels. Almost immediately, the bruises stopped forming before their eyes.
They stayed by Hermione for another hour until Madame Pomfrey was satisfied she was stable. "You can take her back to your quarters now, Severus," Madame Pomfrey said. She handed him two vials of clotting potion. "If she's not awake by noon tomorrow, give her another vial and call me."
"You don't want to keep her here?" he asked the mediwitch in disbelief.
"No. With everything that's gone on in her life recently, she needs to wake up somewhere familiar. It'll be best if she wakes up in her own room."
"But…"
"No. She needs to be in a familiar place. Like I said, if she doesn't wake up by noon tomorrow, give her another vial and call me." With that, Madame Pomfrey threw some floo powder into the fire and stepped in, leaving Snape standing there, his mouth agape and expression worried.