Unlikely Friends

Title: Unlikely Friends Part 2
Author: Shannon
Pairing: Draco/Hermione, Hermione/Snape (friendship)
Rating: R
Warning: Contains Rape, not graphic but it is suggested so if it offends you stop reading now.
Disclaimer: Not mine, If you recognize it, it belongs to J. K. Rowling
Distribution: My site http://hl.shadesofgrey.us/efiction/ Twisting the Hellmouth, Tainted Love, WLS
Spoilers: Going to say anything through OoTP to be safe. Probably nothing really specific.
Summary: Hermione’s attacked and can’t tell her usual friends and ends up finding support in unlikely places.
Author’s Notes: Takes place 6th year. I’m assuming all 6th years are roughly around 16.
**I realize that both Snape and Draco are slightly OOC but it is somewhat necessary for this to work.

Part 2

Snape glared at a group of students that were making their way toward Dumbledore. Dinner was over and the hall was quickly emptying of students, only partly due to the scowling and glaring he did to any student that chose to linger. He needed to get the Headmaster alone, and he needed to do it quickly, there was no guarantee how long Malfoy’s helpfulness would last.

“You needed to speak to me Severus?”

Snape turned and scowled at the man standing behind him now. He hadn’t told him he wanted to see him, hadn’t spoke to him at all, yet here he was standing behind him, smiling as if they had discussed something earlier.

“Yes, Minerva also,” Snape agreed, “Alone.”

“Very well, my office then,” Dumbledore said and headed to the other side of the table where Mcgonagall was talking to Professor Sprout.
*****

“Does this have something to do with Mr. Malfoy taking you away from dinner Severus?” Mcgonagall asked as the door to the Headmaster’s office closed behind her.

“Yes,” Snape replied and quickly explained what Malfoy had told him, Hermione’s injuries, her wishes for no one to find out, and his suspicions about what had occurred.

“Where is Miss Granger now?” Dumbledore asked when Snape had finished his story, the normal smile and twinkle gone.

“My quarters,” Snape explained, “Mr. Malfoy is with her.”

“I’ll go to her,” Mcgonagall said quickly standing up.

“No,” Dumbledore motioned for her to sit. “She doesn’t wish to speak to anyone right now.”

“Albus if she’s been--,” Mcgonagall began pacing the room.

“Forcing her to speak to you right now will not help,” he insisted quietly, “Does she need medical attention?”

“Probably but she won’t agree to it,” Snape answered, “I can get the potions to treat the bruises and cuts from the hospital wing but…”

He was pacing the room, someone wanted to send a message to them or to draw out Potter. They had obviously used Miss Granger to accomplish that, now he had an injured, frightened child in his rooms for who knew how long.

“She needs--,” Mcgonagall crossed her arms over her chest and faced the two men.

“She needs to be kept safe and feel that she can trust someone,” Dumbledore said calmly, “Severus can keep her safe, and if you go down there now, she won’t feel she can trust any of us. Severus will she be willing to return to classes tomorrow?”

“I doubt it,” he sighed, he knew this was coming.

“She can’t return to her rooms if she doesn’t want anyone to know about this,” Dumbledore said quietly, “The hospital wing isn’t an option either.”

“She can stay in my rooms until she’s ready to return to classes.”

“Fine, Minerva please gather the things Miss Granger will need for the next few days and send them to Severus’ rooms. Tell her friends she was called home for a family emergency and will write them to explain soon,” Dumbledore instructed.

Mcgonagall still frowning, unhappy with the arrangement, left to speak to her house and gather Hermione’s belongings. When the door closed behind her Dumbledore turned his attention back to Snape.

“We need to know who did this Severus,” he stated, “And what exactly happened. I agree that is unlikely to be a student. Miss Granger is fast and smart. Few of her fellow students could’ve managed to best her.”

“I’ll speak to her again tomorrow,” Snape agreed before leaving to retrieve a dinner tray for Malfoy and Granger.
*****

Draco was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the door open. He had been mentally forming a list of people that could’ve attacked Hermione. He had ruled out most of the students, not believing they could’ve gotten close enough to hurt her. He was fairly certain it was a Death Eater attack and was trying to come up with as many names as possible.

“Where’s Miss Granger?” Snape asked setting the tray on the desk and looking around the room.

“Shower,” Draco said then noticing the time, “She’s been in there a long time.”

“How long?” Snape asked already heading into the bedroom.

“Since a few minutes after you left,” Draco followed him to the next room.

Snape stopped in front of the bathroom door. He could hear the shower. He knocked on the door and called her name, he called again when he didn’t receive a response.

“She’s still showering?” Draco asked, “No one can have that much dirt on them.”

“She was raped Malfoy,” Snape snapped, “Its not literal dirt she’s trying to remove.”
*****

Hermione was sitting in the corner of the shower, knees pulled to her chest, crying. The water, still hot, beating down on her. The plus side to a wizard shower, hot water stayed hot. She was shaking, she couldn’t wash it off, and no matter what she did she could still feel it, feel him. Snape was pounding on the door now, calling her name. She had to get out, they were getting worried about her. If she didn’t answer soon he might come in anyway.

“I-I’ll be right out,” she called out as she reached through the curtain for a towel and her wand.

“Are you okay?” Dracoled.led.

“I’m fine, I’ll be out in a second.”

She heard them walk away from the door and she began drying herself. She started crying again when she looked up and saw herself in the mirror. Her face was covered in bruises and small cuts. Cuts you could see more clearly with the blood washed away. Her arms, legs and stomach were also covered in cuts and bruises. Every inch of skin that wasn’t bruised was red and raw from the hot water and relentless scrubbing she had submitted herself to since she stepped into the shower.

She picked up the clothing Draco had left on the sink. Obviously they were his, but she wasn’t in a position to be picky. It wasn’t as if he could walk up to Gryffindor Tower and ask for her night clothes. Sighing she quickly pulled the shirt over her head and pulled the shorts on at least it covered some of the bruises. She waved her wand toward her hair, muttering a spell that quickly dried and braided it. She looked at her reflection and frowned, the braid wasn’t as tight as it should have been. She wasn’t going to bother redoing it now though so she pulled open the door and walked into the now empty bedroom. Hearing voices in the next room she quickly walked into the sitting room to face Snape and Draco.

Draco’s eyes widened when he saw her standing in the doorway. He thought she would look better after washing off the dirt and blood but she looked worse. Of course, he could see more of her now in his shorts and t-shirt than he had been able to see in the robes. Snape frowned at Malfoy and turned his attention to Hermione.

“I brought you a tray,” Snape motioned to the tray on the desk. Draco had already declined dinner.

“N-no thank you,” she whispered. “Do I need to return to m-my r-rooms now?”

“No,” Snape motioned for her to sit, “You may stay here until you’re ready to return to your classes. Professor Mcgonagall will send your things in the morning. You should also owl Potter and Weasley. They are being told you went home because of an emergency, however if they try to write you—well, Potter’s owl will be noticed flying down here.”

“Yes sir,” Hermione sat on the far end of the couch, as far as she could from Draco.

“Mr. Malfoy you should return to your common room now,” Snape told the younger Slytherin, “It’s near curfew.”

Malfoy said good-night to Snape and Hermione and left the room. When the door closed Snape stood and walked over to Hermione.

“I need to assess your injuries,” he told her, “I can retrieve the necessary potions from Poppy but I need to know what you need.”

He knelt on the floor in front of Hermione and examined the cuts and bruises first on her face. The cuts weren’t deep and would probably heal on their own but he would bring her something to prevent infection. Her arms and legs the same.

“Miss Granger are there injuries anywhere else?”

“M-my st-stomach and--,” she stopped talking and began crying again.

Snape reached for the edge of her shirt and she jerked away. Biting back a reprimand he pulled his hand away. He should have realized she wouldn’t want to be touched.

“Are they any worse than the one’s I can see?”

“No.”

He looked at ted, ed, raw skin covering every where that wasn’t bruised. It looked like burns, but there had been no sign of it before.

“How hot was the water Miss Granger?”

“Very.”

“Then I’ll be right back,” she was only going to make her injuries worse if she continued to scald her skin, however, there was little point in telling her that now. He left and quickly headed to the hospital wing to retrieve the potions.

Hermione was sitting exactly as he had left her when he returned carrying a small box of vials. He walked over and sat down next to her. Most of the potions were ointments and creams to be applied to her skin, but there were two that she would have to drink.

“If I explain these to you can you apply them yourself?” He asked, not sure that she would even allow him to help her with this. He waited for her to nod her consent before pulling out each vial and explaining it’s use and application. Lastly he pulled out the two oral potions and poured the correct amount into a glass for her, explaining she had to take them every night to prevent infections. After she had taken the potions he offered her a dreamless sleep potion, which she declined.

“You may sleep in the bedroom,” he told her, handing hhe bhe box of potions, “I’ll sleep out here.”

“A-are you sure?” She asked, feeling guilty about putting him out of his own bed.

“Yes Miss Granger,” Snape scowled, “I may be a ‘greasy git’ but I do have some manners and would not ask you to sleep on the couch.”

“Thank you,” she whispered retreating quickly to the bedroom.

He watched her push the door closed and quickly waved his wand over his couch conjuring a blanket and pillow before removing his robes and laying down. He had barely drifted to sleep when he heard a scream coming from his bedroom. Jumping off the couch and grabbing his wand.

Pushing open the door he saw Hermione thrashing on the bed. Realizing there was no danger he lowered his wand and went back to his desk to find the sleeping potion she had refused earlier. Taking it he went to the bed and gently touched her shoulder, calling her name softly. After several tries she opened her eyes.

“You need to take this Miss Granger,” he pressed the glass into her hand, “You’ll sleep better.”

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly and quickly drained the glass.

He stood near the bed until he was sure she was sleeping before returning to the couch to sleep for a few hours before he had to head out to breakfast and his first year potions class.
*****

Draco lay awake for several hours. He couldn’t stop thinking about who could’ve done this to Hermione Granger. The injuries he could see weren’t even the worst part. She hadn’t even protested his help, hadn’t fought him at all. He didn’t like the girl but he had always admired her for standing up for herself, never letting him or any one else get the better of her. Now she just stayed curled up in a ball shivering. He wanted to find the person capable of doing this to her, of destroying one of the strongest people he knew, and hurt them.

There were a couple things both he and Professor Snape were sure of, one was that it wasn’t a student. Hermione was quicker than most every student at this school, she would’ve hexed them before they could touch her. The second was that it was probably a Death Eater attack, or at least a Voldemort Supporter. Hermione still had her wand which implied it was someone confident enough to not take it from her. The only thing that made them question if it was a Death Eater was that she was still alive. Snape seemed to feel that if it was a planned attack on Hermione, and not just a random muggle-born, that it could have been a ploy to draw out Potter.

It didn’t really matter who did it though, as long as they were caught and punished. Something that was going to be hard if Granger wouldn’t talk about it. Snape had told him that there might be a way around her having to talk about it, but they would discuss it more tomorrow. So for now he had to content himself with making lists, first a list of people capable of doing this, then a list of curses and hexes that could be used on that person.