What an obvious and ridiculous cliffhanger! Thank you for your patience these past two weeks! I took some time to finalize the outline of the story, and now I feel much more up to finishing it. I love all the comments and predictions! Please keep them coming
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Severus waited at the entrance of the Great Hall for Hermione to join him on patrols. Ever since her rooms had been vandalized, they'd had to double up for safety, meaning twice as many shifts per week for each of them. Severus found that he didn't mind, Merlin knew he rarely slept anyway.
Rowland met with Madam Hooch, smiling and carrying on his jovial way. Did Professor Granger know that he smiled at all women like that? He knew Rolanda to be a lesbian, so what was the point of his over-the-top charm he seemed to vomit everywhere he went? Severus watched with disdain as Rowland and Hooch walked off to the Herbology lab to start their patrol.
When the witch in question did not arrive by 8:06, Severus huffed internally, a familiar scowl brewed within him.
When 8:15 came and went, Severus began to worry. He stepped into the reception hall and scanned the area, looking for a mass of unruly hair. He saw none. Hermione Granger was an annoyingly on-time person, the type to arrive 15 minutes early "just in case". So if she weren't here…
Severus glanced at the grandfather clock that stood on the wall across the entry to the great hall. It was 8:23.
Severus walked through to the Entrance Hall and scanned the courtyard. Just as he decided that he should send a patronus her way, those familiar curls entered his view. She walked through the courtyard, looking upwards, her brows drawn together in mild confusion.
He sighed, annoyed that he had been made to worry; she was clearly fine.
Severus watched Professor Granger wander into the entrance of the school, looking around. She was wearing the same jacket as she had earlier, a blue woolen thing that set off her chestnut hair, though it looked a bit rumpled. Severus also observed that she didn't have her charmed purple bag slung on her shoulder, as she always did.
He stepped into her view and was about to speak when her eyes scanned over his face and past him, as she kept walking. Severus cleared his throat and spoke to her back. "Professor? Are you ready for patrols?"
She spun suddenly, her locks swinging as she jerked in surprise. "Professor?" She repeated.
Ah, she means to punish me for calling her Miss Granger. It's not like I don't deserve it. "Yes."
"No, you called me 'Professor'." She repeated back to him slowly, as if he were the one who had gone funny.
"I did," Severus tilted his head a bit to the side, "because that is what you are."
"Really? Me?" Hermione asked, smiling a bit. "What do I teach? Maths?"
Snape stepped closer and lowered his voice, wary of eavesdropping students. "Professor, are you feeling alright?"
"I'm…not sure."
Severus scanned the witch from head to toe and back up again, assessing her. She wore loose pants that looked slightly damp and a fitted tee shirt under her blue coat. She had her sneakers on, but they were covered in mud. Where had she been?
Hermione was looking up again, her eyes taking in the smooth marble columns and gold-foiled wallpaper around her. "This place is amazing. Is this a University?"
He waved his wand over her and muttered something. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked down to where her stomach emitted a soft blue glow before it disappeared. "Professor, what is the last thing you remember?"
She shot him a confused look. "I don't know, why?"
"Where were you before you arrived here?"
"I…don't know." She repeated.
"You have no memory before this moment?"
She suddenly gasped, as if understanding her predicament for the first time. "I have no memory. Of anything."
"Just as I feared." Severus lifted his wand to his throat and muttered into it. "Minerva, Granger's been likely drugged or jinxed. I'm taking her to Poppy. Cover our patrols and meet us at the Hospital Wing."
A silver doe shot out of his wand, he gasped, the form and outline of the doe was much fainter than he had remembered, although it had been some time since he'd even needed to cast a patronus. Not only that, but its edges seemed frayed almost, as though the patronus floudered to keep its shape. Severus frowned at the creature as it disappeared through the walls; was there something wrong with him? Was his patronus weaker because he was, perhaps, weaker?
He glanced back to the witch in front of him. Those were questions for another time, Hermione needed him. "This way, Professor."
"What's my name?" She asked, spinning slowly to take in the portraits, the subjects of which were all whispering scandalously.
"Your name is Hermione," Snape said softly as if speaking to a first-year. "I need you to follow me."
"A very odd name. Do you know what it means?" She was staring at her hands now as if the answers might be written in the lines of her palms. She side-stepped his attempts to corral her towards the corridor. He intended to guide her to the Hospital Wing discreetly, so no students would see her in this state, but it seemed Professor Granger refused to be herded.
His eyes landed on a boy he recognized as a fifth year. He gruffly ordered the lanky boy off to bed and then turned back to Hermione. "It means 'She who asks many questions'."
She frowned at him. "You don't seem very nice."
He took in a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. She was right, of course, he was being quite rude, and she had every right and reason to ask as many questions as she liked.
"Please excuse my manners, Professor. I did not intend to cause offense. I believe you may be under the effects of a charm or a jinx. You need to be looked at by a healer." He gestured towards the corridor that would take them to the Grand Staircase. "The Hospital Wing is this way."
Hermione crossed her arms and gave him a shrewd look. "I can't go off down some dark corridor with you. We don't even know each other."
He nodded, indulging her. "You would be quite right, except that we do know each other. I am Severus."
He could hear the unease in her strong voice. "Are we friends, Severus?" He felt the challenge in her question.
Severus flushed at the memory of his abominable behavior the day before, heat rose from beneath his collar. The way he had rejected her offer of friendship…how could he have said those things? Of course they were friends, he had just been a jealous sod.
His chest tightened just a little as he took in her eyes. Pools of hope and fear swirled up at him. Beautiful.
Her cheeks turned a bit pink, even as her eyes flickered in confusion. It would indeed be terrifying to lose one's memory, to not know who you were or why you were there, to not know the dangers that awaited you. He should not have been sarcastic with her; sincerity was what she needed and deserved.
Severus allowed his face to soften and took her small hand up gently into both of his. He stared at the freckles that dotted her fingers while he gathered his thoughts. "Yes, Hermione. I am your friend. We have trusted each other…implicitly…for many years now."
He saw the battle on her face, saw fear give way to hope, his words of comfort having their intended effect. Worry seemed to roll off of her as she nodded, allowing Severus to guide her out of the hall with a gentle hand on the middle of her back.
As they walked, he was keenly aware of the way his fingers tingled as they brushed against her coat, the warmth of her skin seemed to take over his senses.
A memory charm was a very serious offense, since the chances of reversing it were slim to none. His stomach dropped at the thought of her being carted away to St Mungo's, never to teach again, like Lockhart. What was the point of obliviating her or otherwise wiping her memory just to let her wander around? Was it a prank, or perhaps an accident? Silently, he fumed. Someone had harmed Hermione, someone had tried to - to what?
He was suddenly hyperaware that he had still not removed his hand from Hermione's back. Merlin, now it feels too late to move it. Did I really intend to lead her there by hand like a child? I could move it now, but that might be even more awkward….especially since she doesn't seem to mind…?
Her lips had twisted into a smile. "What is it?"
"So, we're…friends." She said slowly.
Severus kept his face neutral. "That has indeed been established."
"Then why do you call me 'Professor"? Why do you not call me Hermione, since we are friends?"
Severus thought about it. Finally, he answered, "Because I know that my calling you Professor pleases you." …and because I am afraid. Severus finished as her eyes lit up with interest.
"Why should that please me?"
"Because I know that you have dreamed of becoming a Hogwarts Professor since you were eleven years old."
"I told you that?"
"In a manner of speaking."
The young witch had stopped walking and turned to face him, blocking his path. "Are we…more than friends?"
Severus felt the air crackle between them as he fought for words, aware of the complete silence of the abandoned corridor. "I'm…not sure how to answer that."
Hermione gave him a look as if she already knew the answer, and Severus suddenly felt very naked under her scrutiny. He was fully prepared to give her a vague, nonanswer and keep walking, but his eyes, of their own accord, glanced very briefly down to her lips.
He cursed himself. Of course, they were more than friends. When he was next to her, the air seemed to smell cleaner, the tension in his neck and shoulders seemed to vanish, and the blood rushed through his body. He hadn't felt like this since before he had been under the thumb of both Voldemort and Dumbledore, since before he had begun to sour against the world.
Under the flickering glow of torchlight, Hermione's eyes roamed his face. And it hit him - she made him feel unburdened. When she looked at him, he felt like nothing and no one existed beyond her. His voice came out lower than he'd intended, "What makes you ask me that?"
Severus longed to lean into the feeling, to thrust his hand into her hair and kiss her wildly until they could scarcely breathe. He even teetered slightly on his feet, considering it, when she spoke again.
"It's the feeling I get." She was gazing into his eyes, "When you look at me…like that."
He shook her gaze off. "Let's get you to the hospital wing."
"You seem very familiar with me," She glanced down at his hand wrapped loosely around her.
He dropped his arm like it had been burned, turning away from her. "Professor, I am only here to help you."
"I wasn't complaining."
Severus flushed. "Hospital wing. Now." He turned and swept down a side corridor, leaving her to catch up. She hurriedly ran after him.
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The hospital wing was empty, Snape was relieved to see, that not even Madam Pomfrey was there. Severus began to rummage through her supply cabinet as Hermione took in the pristine white room.
"Do you live here?"
"Where? Hogwarts?" He said, pulling out rolls of gauze, to clear his path. "Yes, we both live here."
Hermione giggled a tinkling laugh that carried down the ward. "Hog Warts? Now I know you are making things up." She blinked at him, "Do you also know my surname?"
"It is Granger."
"Do I have parents?"
"I'm sure that you do." Severus called over his shoulder. "I'm sure you have just temporarily forgotten them."
"Can I see them when I'm better?"
Severus sorted through another box, tossing gauze onto the bed next to him. "You are a grown witch, you can do whatever you like."
Hermione brightened at that.
Madam Pomfrey strode in at that moment, followed closely by Minerva, who stopped at the sight of them. "Hermione? Severus? What has happened?"
Severus opened his mouth when Hermione spoke. "Are you a healer? Can you help me remember who I am so I can go see my parents?"
Pomfrey hesitated, "Yes…yes, of course dear. My name is Poppy, I am here to take care of you." She turned to the witch on her left, "This is Minerva, she is also here to help."
Minerva's voice shook. "Are you alright, Hermione? Physically?"
Hermione nodded, "I think so."
Poppy looked at Severus."Memory charm or a jinx?"
"Not sure yet, possibly a forgetfulness potion. She does seem to be suffering from confusion beyond what one might normally see with a charm."
"Fever?" Asked McGonnagal, who reached out to touch the girl's cheeks and forehead.
"None that I could tell."
Poppy pulled out her wand to cast a diagnostic charm.
"I did that already, no signs of a spell." Severus added.
She nodded, and cast a few more diagnostic spells that Severus did not recognize. "Luckily no sign of a memory charm, meaning whatever is happening to her will probably pass on it's own."
Snape nodded, "A potion then."
"And no physical harm to be found." Poppy put her wand back in her apron pocket and retrieved a small bottle with a cork stopper from a cabinet in the corner. "Well, this general poison antidote should take care of a forgetfulness potion, and it won't do any harm if we're incorrect."
Poppy measured out a portion into a small cup for Hermione. "Professor Granger, I am here to help. Please take this potion and you will soon understand."
"Severus?" She slipped her hand into his. "What is that?"
He blushed at the contact, but reassured her softly. "It's alright, Hermione. You can trust Poppy and Minerva. They brought me back from the dead."
Hermione whipped her head to look at the two stately women, as if seeing them in a new light. "Really? How?"
"He's exaggerating." Pomprey said, handing her the cup. "He was in bad shape after the final battle, it took days to reach a stable condition."
"Poppy fretted over me day and night."
"And I never got a 'Thank you.' Not to mention thanks for all of the other patch jobs over the years." Poppy said, putting the bottle back.
Severus smirked, "I would have thought you were above needing thanks for doing your job."
Minerva arched her brow. "Why don't you spend 14 straight hours manually extracting Basilisk venom from one man's neck and say that to her again."
"Touché." There had indeed been several occasions that Severus had simply collapsed at her door in the middle of the night in need of stitches after one of the Dark Lord's revels. Poppy had never pried, and only asked him what she needed to know to heal him.
Severus watched Hermione take in this exchange. She seemed to understand that Severus trusted them, and so she decided she would too. Hermione downed the bitter liquid, wincing at the aftertaste, which Severus knew to be quite bitter.
Severus held his breath as he waited for her to remember anything.
Poppy chuckled at him. "Well, she won't come back to us that quickly. Give her some time."
"When can I see my parents?" Hermione chimed in.
"Not long now," Poppy replied kindly.
Minerva was pacing the room in front of the bed, rubbing her chin. "Do you remember anything about before you ran into Severus in the Great Hall?"
"No." Hermione frowned, "Wait, actually…grass."
"Grass?" Severus repeated.
She stared down at her palms again. "I touched it it with my hands." She looked up suddenly, aware of the three sets of eyes on her. "That's all."
Poppy gave her a sympathetic look. "Your memories will come back slowly, recent memories first and then long term. It could take hours, but I believe you will get them all back."
Minerva shot a concerned look Hermione's way. "Professor Granger, I promise you we will get to the bottom of this." She turned to Snape, "Severus, do not let her out of your sight. I need to speak to Kingsly immediately."
Minerva disapparated from the room. Hermione's eyes went wide. "How did she…?"
Severus waved off the feat, "That part will all make sense soon."
"I am going back to bed, let me know if her condition changes." Poppy turned briskly to Hermione and gave her a polite nod. "I have arranged for you to stay here if you wish. There is a bell on your bed table, please ring if you feel any pain at all."
Severus looked shocked, "You're leaving?"
"Severus, we both know that you can manage." Poppy winked at him. "It was lovely to meet you again, Hermione." She added before closing the door behind her.
Alone in the ward, Severus turned back to Hermione sitting on the side of the hospital bed, staring down at her feet. His heart ached at the sight of her, slumped and confused, her face etched in apprehension. How could I have let this happen?
He found himself torn between two opposite impulses; one urged him to pull her to his chest and hold Hermione, to bury his nose in her hair and tell her he would not let anyone hurt her again. The other impulse was to hunt down the piece of shit that attacked her and make him suffer a death worse than anything the Dark Lord had ever dished out. Neither of these actions were appropriate.
He closed the distance between them and sat down next to her on the bed. "I will stay with you until you are feeling well enough to return your quarters."
"I don't even know where my quarters are." She said, sounding dazed and a bit sad.
"Then I will wait with you until you remember, and then we will walk there together."
As they sat in a delicate silence, one thought echoed in his mind: He would not let this woman out of his sight again.