I Will Always Find You

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me.



Chapter 2. What has happened?


Torches burst to life in Snapes\' corridor, and made orange spots in front of Hermiones\' eyes. She blinked rapidly, and then gave up, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light. Her skin welcomed the heat they produced. She was already a bit warmer from being in Snapes arms and under his cloak.
This, however was bringing all the pain to the surface. She rather thought she\'d like to stay numb.


She embarrassedly realized that her hands were knotted into Snapes\' robes. She just couldn\'t seem to let go. Her hands wouldn\'t obey her and she gave up trying because it hurt.


She realized that she didn\'t want to let go anyway. Yes, he was was the mean, dungeon lurking, greasy git of a potions master who had done nothing but belittle her from day one in his classes; but she knew and trusted him. Hell, away from school he was actually polite.


She knew this because she wa a member of the order now. She had been since the summer after fifth year when she\'s gotten her O.W.L. results back. He\'d even grudgingly complimented her on her top scoring potions O.W.L. She\'d nearly fainted in shock.


Thinking about all of this was keeping her from thinking about the pain, and keeping her awake. She wanted to sleep very badly; but knew it was much too dangerous for her to do so in her hypothermic condition.


Snape noticed that Hermione was beginning to tremble. This was a good sign. It meant her temperature was rising back into the safe zone. He manuvered them through the small corridor and stopped in front of the doorway that led to his chambers.


\"Bezoar,\" he stated simply and it opened, sliding back into the wall seamlessly. He strode into the room trying not to jostle the girl in his arms. \'Merlins bloody beard, a Griffindor in my private chambers.\' He thought. \'All because I can\'t stand to hear her cry.\'


He actually hated it when girls cried. He was able to cover it in class when he would make a student weep; but that was entirely different than this situation. She was hurt, and badly. And he had a respect for her intelligence, even if he didn\'t show it. \'Oh admit it, you bastard, you admire her! Even if she IS a Gryffindor!\' He mentally berated himself.


He moved to the couch in his sitting room and gently as he could, deposited her on it. Her hands were still fisted in his robes and she didn\'t let go.


\"Miss Granger, I need to get you some medicine,\" he said irritably.


\"I\'m sorry sir. I can\'t get my hands to work.\" She sounded incredibly embarrassed.


He took one of her hands in both of his and gently squeezed her fingers open, then repeated the process with her other hand.


\"Thank you,\" she said softly, not meeting his eyes.


\"You\'re welcome,\" he replied, and swept off to find his stock of healing potions that hadn\'t made thier way to the hospital wing yet.


Hermione had never felt so terrible in her life. She ached everywhere, escpecially in a very sensitive place. She sniffled and scrubbed at her face, which was itchy from the tears that had dried there. She gasped when she pressed down on the bruise on her cheek.


When the stinging abated, she touched the spot gingerly, probing it to see how big it was. Gods; but he had hit her hard! She\'d seen stars for nearly five minuets in her estimation. When her vision had returned she was lying on the ground, dazed, with a man kneeling in front of her on the ground...


She whimpered, cringing and trying to force away the memory. Fresh tears slowly made their way down her cheeks to splash on her cold hands. She was shivering hard now, her body trying to warm itself back up.


She could hear Professor Snape coming back and tried to controll herself; but she couldn\'t.

He could hear her crying. She was crying again. What was he going to do? She needed attention right away! He couldn\'t leave her in that condition because of his stupid weakness.


He sighed and went to her, handing her the first potion in a long series that she would have to take.


\"This will make sure that nothing is passed on to you,\" he told her quietly while he poured it for her. Luckily all the potions he had could be taken together if one merely waited five minuets in between ingesting them.


The potioin he had just given her would prevent her from becoming pregnant and also protect her from any disease the person might have had. She downed it and he looked at the clock.


\"The pain?\" She inquired hesitantly, biting her lower lip as more tears leaked unbidden onto her round cheeks.


\"In five minuets I will be able to give you something for it,\" he answered her half asked question.


In the meantime, he took out his wand and preformed a charm over her to heat the air in her vicinity. It would only be a few degrees warmer, because she needed to be gradually returned to her normal body temperature.


He was gratified to see, however, that her lips her no longer the alarming shade of purple they had been.


He took a clean white handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped the tears from her face. \"Miss Granger, I need to ask you, Was it a student who....\"


\"No,\" She replied instantly. \"It was a death eater.\" Her eyes were cold as she said it for the first time.


He was shocked, to say the very least. \"Did you see his face?\"


\"No. I saw his eyes,and I heard his voice.\" Her breath hitched. \"I can still smell him.\"

\"Miss Granger, it\'s over. He can\'t hurt you anymore. I understand that you want to be clean again, in more than one way; but you have to accept that it happened, and it was not your fault.\"


She nodded, looking up at him like she\'d never seen him before.


\"Now take your next potion,\" he said, handing it to her.


She did as she was bid, and sighed as the pain receded. \"Thank you, sir.\"

He nodded. \"I\'ll be back soon Miss Granger. I have to go outside for a few minutes and clean up. It wouldn\'t do to have the students finding a pool of blood in the morning.\"


\"Not to mention my underwear,\" Hermione muttered under her breath. But he heard her anyway, and smirked.


\"I should return before you need another potion,\" he told her.


She nodded and he could see in her eyes that she didn\'t want to be left alone. \"You\'ll be safe here. I\'ll put wards up so no one will come close to here allright?\"


He sounded irritated; but for some reason Hermione suspected that he was not. She nodded and watched him place the wards. Soon he was gone and she was left to her thoughts. She wondered why he was being so nice to her. She supposed he felt sorry for her, and she couldn\'t find the energy to care.

Suddenly his fire blazed and the headmaster was looking at her from the flames. \"Severus? Oh! Miss Granger! What on earth are you doing in Professor Snapes sitting room? Where is he?\"

\"Oh Professor Dumbledore!\" Hermione gasped. \"I was attacked by a death eater on the grounds!\"


He jumped. \"A death eater! Here?\"


\"Yes sir. Could you please come? Professor Snape has been taking care of me.\"


Two minutes later Dumbledore was coming out of the fireplace. He brushed himself off hastily and went to Hermione.


\"My dear girl, tell me what has happened.\"

\"Could we wait until Professor Snape gets back? He just went to clean up all the blood,\" she explained. \"He hasn\'t heard what happened either, and I don\'t want to tell it more than once.\"


As she spoke Professor Snape bustled in. \"I expect you\'ll need another potion about now.Oh, Headmaster, you\'re here. Good.\"

AN: Okay I know that was a bad place to leave off; but I\'m tired and I have to get off of here soon. Anyway I hope you liked it.