The Burning Pen

A Looping of the Scales by Ruth Solomon

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence.  Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately.  You are not welcome here.  The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

CHAPTER 63

All recognizable characters belong to JKR. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 63 ~ In the Infirmary

Hermione sat worriedly in a small folding chair in the infirmary, her brown eyes glued to the black privacy curtain drawn around the area where Snape was being treated. She wasn’t allowed in as Poppy examined the injured wizard. Sitting next to her was a slightly green Harry Potter, who had been receiving treatment for an extremely irritated stomach. He had a bottle of stomach calming potion in his pocket. He was to take a spoonful every time he felt nauseous. Despite how horribly he felt, Harry tried to comfort Hermione.

”He’s going to be all right, Hermione,” Harry said to her as she stared at the curtain. They could only hear murmuring. What Hermione would give for a pair of Extendable Ears right now.

”It’s all my fault, Harry. If only I hadn’t insisted on dueling him,” she said tremulously.

”He was perfectly willing to duel you, Hermione. Don’t blame yourself. How were you to know a pack of Chimeras would attack? You couldn’t have known that. There hasn’t been a Chimera attack on humans in ages.”

Hermione’s wet eyes turned toward Harry.

”Still he did it for me, Harry. We were both safely out of the way, but he thought one of the Chimeras had taken me down, and so he tried to save me. He’s not a real animal, Harry. He doesn’t have the same vicious nature.”

”I don’t know about that. He tore two heads off one of them, didn’t he? Chimeras are tough, so that made him tougher.”

”But if it wasn’t for—“

”Miss Granger! I’ve just read the report,” Minerva McGonagall declared, billowing up the medical wing in her Tartan robes, her beady eyes flashing at the witch. “You had no business in the Forbidden Forest! It is still off limits to students, even students that have been through a war! Explain yourself!”

Hermione blinked up at Minerva.

”We, we just wanted a quiet place to—to test our skills,” she said in a small voice.

”Test your skills? You mean to duel! You said nothing about ‘testing skills’ in the report. We have a perfectly good Room of Requirement that could have safely provided a scenario for that kind of activity,” Minerva said imperiously.

”Um—it was occupied,” Harry said, holding his stomach reflexively.

”That doesn’t matter, Mr. Potter. They could have found a place on the grounds of Hogwarts proper,” the Headmistress snapped. “You both could have been killed! Chimeras are nothing to play with! You can expect a loss to Gryffindor of seventy-five points, Miss Granger and this incident will be recorded on your permanent record. Your parents will be notified and you’re quite lucky you’re not being expelled for your—your abject disregard for the rules!”

“I’m nineteen. Past the age of consent. My parents can’t punish me,” Hermione said rather sullenly. Minerva swelled up to nearly twice her size in indignation at her cheek.

”No, they can’t punish you, but they can take you to task for being so irresponsible,” Minerva replied. “Now no more of your cheek or you’ll end up with several weeks of detention as well. The only reason I haven’t assigned them is because of the number of NEWTS you are taking. Be grateful!”

Minerva billowed off and disappeared behind the privacy curtain to check on Snape.

”Wow. McGonagall is really angry at you,” Harry breathed.

”Not as angry as I am at myself, Harry. Severus could have been killed trying to defend me,” she said softly.

Harry studied her.

”It seems Snape really cares about you, Hermione.”

Hermione didn’t say anything about the wizard’s declaration that he would die for her. Actually, she didn’t say anything at all as she continued to stare at the curtain.

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”He’s going to have some scarring,” Poppy told Minerva as she finished wrapping Snape’s mid-section with bandages. “Luckily, the marks on his face, chest and legs will heal cleanly, but his back was badly torn. Still, it will only be a few battle scars. Nothing like the scarring he received from you know who.”

”Voldemort, Poppy. His name was Voldemort. He’s dead now. You can say it,” Minerva replied, looking down at Snape. “Is he asleep?”

”No. I just put him out to make treating him easier. He’s in pain. I’ve given him some potion for it, but he’s going to feel terrible for the next couple of days.”

”Imagine, fighting Chimeras. He’s insane. He should have fled. Both of them should have fled,” Minerva said, frowning down at Snape.

Poppy didn’t know all the details so didn’t say anything. Her job was to keep the students breathing, not to judge how they received their injuries. She pulled a sheet over him.

”I’m going to have to wake him to feed him more healing potion,” she informed Minerva.

”Is he in any condition to talk?” the Headmistress asked.

”I don’t know about talking, but he can listen,” Poppy said, pointing her wand at Snape.

”Ennervate.”

Snape groaned and opened his eyes. He saw a blurry form standing over him.

”Hermione?” he said softly.

”No, I am not Miss Granger,” a curt voice replied. Snape’s vision cleared and he saw Minerva scowling down at him.

He let out another groan, and it wasn’t pain related.

“I’m going to get more healing potion,” Poppy announced, pulling back the curtain and exiting. Minerva looked down at Snape severely.

”Severus, it was very irresponsible for you to take Miss Granger into the Forbidden Forest to duel,” the Headmistress lectured him. “You could have both been killed.”

Snape’s black eyes turned on her.

”Where’s Hermione? Is she all right?” he asked softly.

”She’s fine, Severus. She wasn’t at all injured. You attacked that Chimera for nothing. It had attacked an illusion of Miss Granger. She was never in any danger,” Minerva informed him. An expression of relief washed across his face that the witch didn’t miss.

Was there something more going on here than two young people stupidly risking their lives?

She continued.

”Since you are not technically a student, Severus, you could enter the Forbidden Forest, but Miss Granger is the responsibility of this school and you placed her in very grave danger. You are being held responsible because you flew her there. I have no choice but to issue your first formal warning about your conduct. If you receive two more, you will be removed from Hogwarts immediately. Is that understood?”

Snape nodded slightly, his black eyes meeting Minerva’s. She sighed as she looked down at him.

”But, it was very brave of you to take on three Chimera to try and save a student of Hogwarts, despite how misguided the attempt was, Severus. You still have that selfless quality that made you so invaluable to us as an adult,” she said to him softly.

Snape didn’t say anything but he wasn’t being selfless. He loved Hermione and would do anything to keep her attached to her mortal coil. His so-called “selfless” quality as an adult had been little more than being manipulated into a dangerous situation and having to deal with it. As far as Snape knew, serving Albus and the Order was nothing he would have chosen for himself.

Poppy returned with the healing potion and looked at Minerva furtively.

”Are you finished speaking with him, Minerva?” she asked the Headmistress. Snape was her patient, and she didn’t want him upset.

”Yes, I am, Poppy. Take care of him,” Minerva said, then she looked at Snape severely.

”I expect you to behave yourself for the rest of the term, young man,” she said. Then her lower lips trembled as she thought of the man he used to be. ”Goodbye for now.”

She left quickly.

Hermione popped up immediately, approaching the departing witch. Minerva didn’t slow down.

”How is he?” Hermione inquired as she passed.

”He’s going to be fine, Miss Granger. He needs time to heal up. Mr. Potter, it is after curfew for you. Get back to Gryffindor tower. Miss Granger, I expect you there promptly at eleven,” Minerva ordered as she opened the door and exited.

Harry stood up.

”I’d better go, Hermione, but it’s going to be all right. Tell Snape I said to get better,” Harry told her.

”Thanks, Harry. Bye,” Hermione said.

Harry left the infirmary, and Hermione continued to sit there for several more minutes until Poppy stuck her head out of the privacy curtain.

”Miss Granger, he’s asking for you,” she said softly.

Hermione ran to the curtain and pushed her way through, walking up to the cot and looking down on Snape.

”I’ll just give you a few minutes,” Poppy said, withdrawing discreetly.

Hermione stared down at him. She could see the outline of the bandages beneath the sheet.

”Are you in pain?” she asked him softly.

“No. I’m experiencing nothing but pure pleasure from my wounds,” he responded. “Absolute joy.”

Hermione scowled at him now.

”Even bandaged up, you’re still a sarcastic prat,” she seethed at him, and Snape smiled.

“Remember what I told you about sarcasm. It’s my defense against incredibly stupid questions,” he said.

Hermione couldn’t help smiling back at him.

”Severus, you had me so frightened,” she said softly. “I thought—I thought you might not recover.”

Snape continued to smile at her.

”I imagine you feel a beat cheated,” he said.

”Cheated?”

”Yes, cheated. I was taken out by a Chimera rather than you. There is no winner.”

”I don’t care that there’s no winner. I’m just glad you’re all right.”

”We can reschedule. Have the duel in the ROR,” Snape suggested.

Hermione shook her head.

”No. No more duels, Severus. No more competition.”

”Don’t you want to know which one of us is the best?”

Hermione gave him a soft smile.

”No. I already know you’re the best,” she replied, taking his hand and kissing the palm of it.

Snape’s eyes fluttered at the soft contact of Hermione’s lips and suddenly he caught her shoulder with his other hand and pulled her down into a kiss, just as the privacy curtain drew back and Poppy entered, catching them.

”Miss Granger! Need I remind you that Severus is an injured wizard and in no condition for snogging?” the mediwitch exclaimed as Hermione popped up guiltily.

”But—but it was him—“ she started to say, looking down at Snape, who suddenly looked extremely helpless and weak, one hand flopping back and his eyelids drooping.

”Oh, please,” she muttered.

If Poppy didn’t seem surprised that Snape and Hermione were kissing, it was because she wasn’t. Hermione’s frantic concern about the wizard told her all she needed to know. Actually, she approved. Snape had lived such a lonely, miserable life his first time around and Hermione was a witch that seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. She was very mature for her age and intelligent, if more than a bit bookish. Snape had always been an intelligent individual, so they seemed a good match. He deserved a bit of happiness.

“Miss Granger, do you expect me to believe that—that Severus made a—a pass at you in his condition? Really. Now, out with you. He needs his rest,” the mediwitch said with mirth in her eyes.

She did believe Hermione, but still—Severus needed his rest.

Hermione scowled at Snape, who gave her a small smirk before resuming his “helpless” demeanor.

”All right. Good night, Madam Pomfrey,” Hermione said, then with a scowl, “Good night, Severus.”

”Good night,” he said extremely weakly, and Hermione rolled her eyes before departing.

Poppy smiled down at Severus as she uncorked the healing potion.

”Now, Severus, this is a particularly nasty-tasting brew, but it will do wonders for you. The bitterness comes from Bicorn gall—now, up you go—“

Snape’s choked coughing could be heard clear to the outside corridor.

”You didn’t expect it to taste like pumpkin juice, did you?” Poppy chided the gagging wizard.

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Harry made it to his bedroom, where an excited Ron was waiting for him.

”Harry, I’ve been waiting for you since forever,” the smiling redhead said to Harry, who didn’t look at him as he walked across the room to his bedside. “Where were you? I want to talk to you—about what happened tonight with Susan. It was fantastic!”

Harry groaned a little as he took out his bottle of stomach calmer and set it on the nightstand. Then he pulled his shirt over his head, getting ready for bed.

Ron walked over and picked up the bottle, reading the label.

”Stomach calmer? Have a bit of a sour stomach, Harry?”

”Yeah,” Harry said, sitting down on the bed and removing his trainers and socks.

“Well, this will cheer you up, mate. Details about me and Susan tonight,” Ron said, sitting down on his own bed, his face shining.

”Uh, Ron. I don’t really feel like hearing about that. No offense,” the boy who retched said imploringly.

”Oh come on, Harry. Every red-blooded wizard likes to hear about a good shag,” Ron replied, not about to be thwarted in the telling of the tale.

”Ron, how do you think Susan would feel if she knew you were giving me intimate details about you two having sex?” Harry asked him, hoping guilt would make Ron back off.

”What? Witches do it, too. Don’t think they don’t sit around talking about how big or little a wizard’s Willie is, Harry. Believe me. Besides, you won’t say anything. Now listen. We went to the ROR, right? And when I saw Susan standing next to the bed I just went for it—“

Harry stripped down to his boxers, gave Ron a hang-dog look which he didn’t notice, then took a big swig of the stomach calmer to help him handle the retelling of the dirty deed. He climbed into the bed.

”And she has such a big, juicy arse, Harry—“

Harry’s belly bubbled as he couldn’t shake the images of Ron and Susan going at it out of his mind. Ron's words were reinforcing what he’d witnessed. Gods damn it. He’d never spy on another living soul for as long as he lived.

”Then, she sat on my face, Harry!” Ron exclaimed enthusiastically.

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A/N: lololol. Thanks for reading.

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