Hermione stood shocked as Snape lay crumpled at her feet. She knelt down beside him and tried to get his attention by shaking his shoulder.
She got an inch from his huddled form when the man exploded away from her.
Hermione almost shrieked, but was able to contain herself and try to figure out what was going on.
"Snape?" She had addressed him so disrespectfully on purpose hoping it would garner a more productive reaction.
"Granger," Hermione had to really concentrate to hear Snape's pain filled whisper.
"Help me up," She felt shocked he was willingly asking her for help; although technically it wasn't very willing if he was in immense pain.
Hermione moved closer to him and slid her slender arms underneath him and began to lift.
As she struggled to get her former professor upright Hermione became aware of the fact that he was shaking violently.
If Hermione had to guess she'd say that Snape was suffering from some sort of shock. Wether his condition was due to their binding or from being in Azkaban for so long Hermione couldn't tell.
Finally Hermione was able to get Snape up and on his feet.
"Now, Granger I need you to help me to the lavatory," Hermione saw that Snape seemed ashamed to be asking her help and especially ashamed that he needed help to simply get to the bathroom.
Hermione didn't comment and simply helped her guest to the loo.
As She pushed the door open Snape began to shake harder sagging in her supporting embrace.
"Lower me into the tub," his voice was so hoarse and small Hermione couldn't recognize it at all; if he hadn't been the only one in the room with her she would have sworn the words were uttered by someone else entirely.
Hermione didn't question his request and lowered him into the tub.
He still had his filthy prison garb on and Hermione wasn't bold enough to suggest he rid himself of it.
"Good," Snape breathed a tiny sigh of relieve and looked up at Hermione.
His eyes started out thankful and then turned to annoyed as Hermione stood there looking at him with her mouth slightly agape.
"Granger, the water if you would," Hermione cringed as his voice regained its infamous steel.
"Sorry sir." She leaned over and began to fiddle with the temperature knobs on the tub.
Hermione finally got the water at an acceptable temperature and was preparing to leave when a small cough from Snape brought her up short.
"It isn't hot enough." Hermione turned around to glare at the man. She hadn't forgotten her anger and was ready to unleash one of the longest reprimands Severus
Snape had ever received when a small shiver shook his frame.
Hermione shoved her anger back down and settled herself beside the tub. She turned the gleaming brass knob with a small H inscribed on it to the right.
"Just say when," Hermione murmured.
She waited a moment then turned the knob a little more.
After yet another silence filled moment Hermione turned the knob sharply. She could feel the heat radiating off of the stream of water that was cascading over his black and white stripped legs.
She heard Snape's contented sigh and looked back over at him.
She wanted to say something but no words were forth coming.
"What?" his question was out of character for him, she would have expected something more fluent and cutting.
"Nothing sir," Snape nodded and allowed his body to slide down into the scalding hot water nothing but his large nose remaining above water.
Hermione should have left him in his peace but her over active mind had finally caught up with her.
"Actually, sir I do have a question or two," Hermione wasn't sure he'd heard her under the water, but after a moment his head lifted enough that he could glare at her.
"Umm...well you see, I'm still uncertain what our binding entails exactly," she started to fidget as he stared at her a murderous gleam in his eye.
"You finally asked," he sneered at her. "Well, the answer to the question you should have asked before joining this useless endeavor is; that we are bound together bodily and magically until the end of my rehabilitation." Hermione kept her face neutral but
Snape could still see her confusion.
"It seems little-miss-know-it-all doesn't know something, hold on while I enjoy this historic moment." Snape closed his eyes in mock ecstasy.
Hermione wrinkled her nose and growled at him.
"Really, must you be so cruel?" Snape's eyes snapped open and locked onto hers their stare piercing.
"Yes, I must," He leaned back again and waved a hand at her 'dismissed.'
Hermione balled her hands into fists to keep from pummeling the horrible man.
She still didn't know why she decided to save him, that arrogant, selfish, undeserving, snarky ass. Hermione continued to fume as she slammed into her bedroom and flopped onto the bed.
She stayed like that content to continue silently berating the man soaking in her tub down the hall.
Eventually Hermione calmed down enough to leave her room and venture to her personal library.
Hermione loved her library; because of her new position as Hogwart's librarian Hermione was able to request any text in the entirety of Hogwarts, restricted section included, and have it in her personal library before she could blink.
Right now though Hermione was more content to curl up in front of the fire blazing before her and read a little Dickens.
She hadn't realized she was nodding off until Snape startled her awake.
"Dickens? Really Miss Granger Muggle literature?" Hermione nearly fell off her chair when she heard him behind her.
She could have sworn she heard him chuckle darkly at her as she composed herself.
"You know it is really quite rude to sneak up on someone like that," She turned to glare at him.
"Yes, well I have had such little entertainment as of late. I do apologize Miss Granger," She didn't hear even the faintest note of apology in his voice as he spoke.
"Even so, it is still rude," Hermione saw that he was standing in her precious library absolutely soaking wet.
She nearly screeched at him but was able to catch herself in time and calmly spoke.
"Why are you still wearing those horrible wet clothes?" He must've heard the venom in her voice as she asked because she could almost see his mask that must've been loosened by his first bath, in god knows when, cement back into place.
"This set of clothing is the only thing I have," he looked at her as if she had seriously deficient mental faculties.
"Oh," Hermione closed her book and darted to the door. She stopped before leaving and turned to him.
"Sorry, don't move!" She even put out a hand to emphasize her point.
Hermione then flew out into the hall and went into the room that was meant to be his.
She'd went to Madame Malkin's before she'd gone to visit him and had ordered him a full wardrobe.
Minerva was beside herself, not wanting to discourage Hermione's hope but also not wanting to hope also.
Right now Hermione was very happy she'd ignored Minerva's protests.
Hermione grabbed a full set of comfortable sleeping garments -all black- and rushed back out into the hall.
Hermione was sure only a couple of seconds had passed between when she'd left him in the library and; when she came hurtling back into the room, black clothes in hand.
Despite this it seemed Snape had enough time to settle his, still very wet, self into her chair and was reading her copy of A Tale of Two Cities.
"Here," She shoved the clothes at him. She had to hold back laughter as he jumped in surprise.
He probably looked exactly like she had moments ago.
"Thank you, Miss Granger," he took the stack of neatly folded clothes almost reverently.
Hermione looked at him and realized that this was the first time she'd heard him sound so appreciative.
He turned and walked away from her facing one of the many bookshelves; she could hear him pulling out books and replacing them, far too quickly to be even looking at the cover.
"For everything you've done," Snape's tone almost sounded defeated, his silky baritone marred by the feeble human emotions he was allowing it to carry.
"It really is no problem, sir," Hermione wanted to take a step towards him but she didn't want to break the spell he seemed caught in.
"It is a problem, wether you've realized it yet or not," with that he swept out of the room leaving
Hermione remained rooted to the spot eyes fixed on where the dark and enigmatic man had uttered a phrase that baffled Hermione to no end.