Chapter Thirteen
"And written very long ago"- Peter Gabriel
Hermione watched as Snape got up from his chair and went to the staff exit, he turned right before leaving and Hermione made eye contact with him. He nodded ever so slightly to her then left. Hermione quickly looked to Professor Dumbledore who smiled at her, which did nothing to ease the brick in her stomach. She found that she couldn't finish her dinner and excused herself from the table and told Harry and Ron that she'd see them in the common room later. She went to the Infirmary to make sure that everything was prepared for Professor Snape tonight, she wasn't sure what he would need to have done but she was sure he'd be in bad shape.
Hermione was surprised to find a note addressed to her waiting on the desk. She recongnized the Headmaster's handwriting. Ms. Granger, be assured that Professor Snape will be just fine. He usually returns around 1 to 2 A.M. so please don't wait in the Infirmary until then he returns. Enjoy your evening and focus on Professor Snape only when he needs it.
Signed;
Professor Dumbledore
The note did little to calm Hermione's nerves. She made the bed in the corner for him, unfortunately she didn't know what she would be facing tonight so she couldn't get on potions ready. She didn't want to over clutter her work space though. She figured it could wait until he returned.
Hermione waited in the Infirmary until 10 when she decided to head up to Gryffindor tower. There was a Halloween party happening in the common room, which she avoided at all costs, sneaking around the wall of the room until she reached the stairs. She took the stairs two by two until she reached the Sixth year dorm. She was glad to see that her roommates were downstairs as she hid herself behind her bed curtains. Crookshanks joined her soon after and Hermione spent at least an hour playing with him, he enjoyed chasing sparks that came from her wand.
Hermione startled awake, not realizing that she had fallen asleep. She cast a quick time charm, 12:35 A.M. She got up and made her way to the Infirmary, her hands were shaking and she wasn't sure what she would be facing when Professor Snape returned. She sat down in one of the bedside chairs and pulled out a book and settled down, dreading when Professor Snape returned.
~*HGSS*~
Severus stumbled through the gates, his legs shaking. He clutched his left side as he hobbled towards the entrance, he only needed to make to the door, just to the door. He was wheezing hard, his vision was blurring, and he was sure that the smell of blood was going to permanently be a part of him at this point.
He pushed the doors open and leaned against the wood, he breathed deeply for a minute before doing something he only did in dire circumstances, he called for help. Quietly, but still, he called for the portraits. A young girl in a nightgown answered his plee.
"Who do you need me to get, sir?" She asked in a small voice
"Hermione Granger." He wheezed. "She should be in the infirmary."
The girl nodded and made her way towards the infirmary. Severus sank to the floor and leaned his head back against the wall. Several minutes later he could hear the padding a feet and a shocked gasp. "Professor!" She yelled as she ran to him.
"You have to help me walk to the Infirmary." He said breathlessly
"Ok, ok." She said frantically as she bent down. Hermione pulled her Professors arm over her shoulder and wrapped her other arm around his waist then she slowly stood up, doing her best to pull him with her. Hermione was happy to find that this method worked and that her Professor wasn't that heavy. As awkward as it was to be holding the Bat of the Dungeons this way, she knew that they needed to take it slow. "Ok sir, lets take this one step at a time." Hermione told him, he grunted in response and the started towards the infirmary.
It took them at least fifteen minutes to get up the stairs to the infirmary. Hermione quickly brought him to the bed she had set up for him. Severus laid back on the bed and closed his eyes, fighting the urge to pass out. He heard Hermione bustling around behind him, and he tried to open his eyes when she came back over to the bedside. "Ok sir, you're bleeding a lot out of you side, I have to take your clothes off to see what's wrong." She told him.
"Do you know how to vanish clothes without vanishing everything?" He asked her
"Yes." She responded with a nod as she pulled her wand out and vanished him down to his boxers. She fought the blush that was creeping up at the sight of her Professor half naked in front of her. The scent of blood hit her like a ton of bricks and the large wound on his side was exposed, along with several smaller ones. It was a lot of lacerations, too many for her to take care of by herself.
"Were you put under the Cruciatus tonight?" She asked as she examined the wounds.
"Not for very long, but long enough that magical healing will do harm." He told her through clenched teeth.
"This is a lot of cuts. I can't do this by myself." She told him
Severus nodded, he rolled to his side and spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor.
"Lottie!" He called with as much strength as he could muster. A tiny house elf appeared in front of Hermione, who was surprised when the elf was not shocked by the state of her Professor. The elf just shook her head and turned to Hermione.
"Hermione, this is my personal elf Lottie. She's going to help you, use her." He said with that edge to his voice that he was known for. "We don't have time for your S.P.E.W bullshit right now." Hermione blushed deeply and turned to the elf.
"Lottie I need two bowls of water, two rags, a Numbing Solution, Calming Drought, Blood Replenishing Potion, and a Pain Reliever." Hermione listed and a second later everything popped in front of her. She dumped a bit of the Numbing Solution into both bowls and passed one to Lottie.
"Start cleaning the wounds on that side." She said and Lottie nodded and started cleaning. Hermione dosed out the Calming Drought, Blood Replenishing potion, and Pain Reliever.
"Ok Professor, I need you to take three potions for me ok?" Hermione asked, Severus nodded in response and Hermione helped him hold his head up as he downed each dose. After the potions were in his system Hermione grabbed the Stitching Salve and started applying it the smaller cuts and made her way up to the larger ones. Every so often he would hiss in pain and she would apologize. At certain point the noises stopped,
"Sir?" Hermione asked
"Hermione." He responded.
"Just checking." She said
Minutes ticked on as she kept stitching spots. Hermione decided that the blade used for his torture must have been cursed because the wounds weren't stitching the way they should be. More minutes went on, "Sir?" She asked again
"Stop." He said shortly.
Hermione blushed and looked down and the cut she was working on. "Sorry." She said quietly.
"No, I meant with the formalities." He said through clenched teeth as she moved to the next cut. "You're treating me after what is considered the worst night for Death Eaters, while I lay in front of you almost completely naked, with the help of my personal house elf." He explained. "The time for Sir and Professor are past. At least while I'm your patient, you may call me Severus." Hermione was shocked by this, as far as she knew he'd never let a student refer to him by his first name before. "Ok." Was all she could say at that point in time.
Several hours passed and Hermione finally finished stitching all the lacerations. "Severus?" Hermione asked quietly, still slightly afraid to use his name. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Would you like to take Dreamless Sleep?" She asked him, he nodded in response and Hermione fetched it from the cabinet. She double dosed it, knowing he had a slight resistance to it. He down the frothy potion and laid back on the bed. He made eye contact with her, "Thank you, Hermione." He said as he fell asleep. "You're welcome, Severus." She responded.
After she was sure he was completely asleep she sat in the chair next to his bed and just stared at him. The little pink scars stood out on his pale skin, and Hermione was surprised to see just how much muscle her Professor had. She spent at least five minutes looking over his body, not really sure why. She turned her attention to his face, she noted his prominent cheek bones, the infamous hooked nose, and his eyes that were beautiful. Hermione startled at that thought. Did she really just think that? She got up quickly, thankful that he was asleep because she knew she was bright red. No, that's not a thing that could happen, absolutely not. She fought the feeling with all her might but she still turned and looked back at him and felt her heart thrum fast in her chest before quickly shutting herself in the office, declaring that this was not happening before going to sleep on the cot that was always in the room. She was not developing a crush on her Professor that thought she was a know it all and hated Gryffindors, and was a Death Eater. But, her pounding heart shouted otherwise.
A/N Holy crap! Two chapters in on week? What?! Also this is probably the first chapter that I can say I'm proud of. I'm really happy the way this one turned out. Hope you guys liked it! Please review and let me know what you guys thought. Especially of the ending.