Hermione ‘Nightingale’ Granger

Hermione 'Nightingale' Granger

~o0o~

Day 6

Snape woke Hermione up with a loud cough. She'd been dreaming about the events at Malfoy Manor, and in her dream things hadn't gone as well as they had in real life. Not that it had been a pleasant visit to begin with, but in her dream she watched as both Ron and Harry were tortured as well. The three of them had been chained to the floor with magical shackles, and Bellatrix was cursing Ron as Narcissa cursed Harry. Lucius was standing over her, her body nearly stripped and slashed as he loomed over her.

"Miss Granger."

The sound of her name broke through her dream, echoing down the great room in Malfoy Manor. The second time she heard her name it made her open her eyes, pulling Hermione from her half-awake, half-asleep state. "Bad dream, Miss Granger?" Snape asked from his cot.

Hermione sat up, stretching to ease the aches from having slept on the floor yet again. "Yes, sir. I'm sorry if I kept you up."

"You didn't, I've been awake for a while. I need to get up, Miss Granger, and apparently I will need your assistance," he said, waspishly.

Hermione yawned, still stretching. "In your condition, I think it's best you stay in bed, sir." She turned to look at him sitting crossed legged on the floor.

"I'm very well aware of my condition, Miss Granger, however, I need to use the loo," he said, not as a request or a demand but more as a statement of fact. "And I cannot get up, so unfortunately, I need your assistance."

"You are very well aware that I have a kind of diaper on you – not that I'm insinuating anything by it, but it was the only way I could think of to... handle this particular problem." She tried to keep her voice as professionally clinical as possible. So far her parents would've been proud of how clinically professional she'd been able to be around Snape. "You were unconscious for several days, sir."

"This is not a request. I need to go to the loo." He shifted uncomfortably, unable to lift his head, grimacing and then turned to glare at her. "Do you find this comical, Miss Granger?"

"Not in the slightest." She rose to kneel by his bed. "Look," she said, keeping her composure. "I can try levitating you and carrying you to the loo, but I've never done this before, and it will take a while. I think you should know that I've never levitated anyone except in class, and while I can raise you, getting you to the loo will be difficult. If you have to urinate, I have a urinal I made from a cup, or just do what you have to do and I'll clean you up – magically of course. I can simply Scourgify the contents away, just like real Healers do."

He'd been staring at her with disapprobation while she spoke. "That is completely unacceptable, Miss Granger. You are not going to be..." He squirmed uncomfortably, and then continued angrily. "I do not want you fondling my privates."

Hermione successfully suppressed smiling at his comments and managed to maintain a calm, medically professional expression as she faced him. "I assure you I have not. I have, sir, used magic to assist you and simple cleaning spells to clean you up. Please believe me..."

"FINE," He barked. "Give it to me."

Hermione simply nodded and Summoned the urinal, giving it to him. "I'll give you some privacy, then." She knew from some experience that it took him a few minutes to do his business, as her mum would have phrased it, and she knew that he wouldn't want her hovering around the room while he did. She rose and walked to the bookshelf that opened into the hall. "I'll be back in a moment, sir. Call if you need me."

"Just leave me, Miss Granger," he said, obviously disgruntled at the inconvenience.

Hermione shook her head, laughing silently to herself. Oh, he's annoying, cantankerous, demeaning and waspish, but he has a quirky side. I've seen him with the other professors; and he can be funny. I know that he has a sharp intellect; and he's got a sarcastic wit, which he uses cuttingly, but if I could just get him to lighten up... But he won't, so just deal with it.

She started to dig around in the kitchen to figure out what she could give him for breakfast. The sandwiches were nearly gone, as was the fruit. She still had a few desserts magically placed in stasis, but that wouldn't do for breakfast. There were some biscuits left... and a box of muesli in the pantry. Warm muesli it is. She opened the cupboards looking for a clean cooking pot, realizing that she really needed to find dish soap, and her gaze fell on a roasting pot. Oh, this could work! If I can make it big enough I can use this as a bathtub! A real bath! Thank Circe!

*

"I'm quite sure that if I ask your owl nicely, he would be more than happy to take a letter to my friends so that they can send me whatever I need," Hermione said softly, but determinedly. Arimus, Snape's Australian Masked Owl, ruffled his feathers, snapping his beak in annoyance over the argument that had started in the sitting room and continued with her standing in the kitchen and Snape lounging at the dining room table, hollering at each other, then continues back in the sitting room. So, basically, they'd been arguing throughout the morning simply because she'd gone upstairs to retrieve a few things.

Hermione had brought Snape's owl from the upstairs bedroom, because she'd heard him screech and knew that the owl probably wanted food and water. What she hadn't known was that the window upstairs magically opened up for the bird whenever he wanted out to fly.

The second reason they were arguing was because she had brought down some of Snape's things as he slept, namely: a fresh set of clothes, undergarments, some pajama bottoms that apparently had been his dad's, towels, Snape's toothbrush, and linens and pillows from his bed, much to his great annoyance.

"Or you can go and leave me in peace." He lay on the cot, his arms crossed defiantly, clutching his covers to his bare chest, fresh from his bath, which had been in the enlarged roasting pan next to the Floo. Severus did not find this amusing, which he'd told her so repeatedly and in no uncertain terms.

Hermione had placed a Disillusionment Charm over his privates before placing him in the modified roasting pan, but Snape had grumbled and complained the entire time she helped him bathe. Not that he was at all incapable of bathing his front side himself, but he couldn't lean forward or scrub his back, so she'd needed to assist him. The mere fact was still making him unreasonably waspish and surly.

For their second day together, well, the second day with him awake, Severus was still as cantankerous, insulting and irritable as ever, despite the routine that they were establishing with one another.

"Would you stop being so utterly difficult! I had to use the Mobilicorpus Charm just to get you in there and back to your bed! You can't use your loo by yourself, and I'm still ministering the treatment to your neck four times a day," she pleaded, exacerbated. She would never have dreamed of speaking to him like this as his student, and tried not to think of it now. "And if I'd ever remotely considered a career as a Healer, this would certainly change my mind."

Hermione was on her knees, trying to clean the filthy carpet with a scrub brush she'd found to remove the stains from the carpet and floor. She'd managed to clean the hardwood floor as they'd argued and was currently scrubbing away on the rug. The magic cleaning spell she knew hadn't really removed any of the built up grime, so she'd decided it was best to do it the Muggle way. Besides, scrubbing was a good way to vent her anger, and she found that she'd enough pent up to invigorate her efforts and her determination. If I'm going to be stuck in this room, it might as well be cleaner and smell nicer. She was starting to have renewed sympathies for house-elves.

"Well, if you had been tending to my wound four times a day from the beginning, I'd be healed by now!" he said in a huff.

He'd at least stopped reprimanding me for my tone. "How the bloody hell was I to know it needed to be done every six hours!" she said through clenched teeth, dunking the scrub brush into the pan of soapy water and moving forward a bit. "You didn't exactly give me any directions."

"I didn't think you'd be following me home to play mediwitch on me! I don't want you here," he snapped, irritably.

Hermione ignored his comment, sat up and brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. "We need supplies, food, and I want my toiletries!" she said, holding her ground, her Gryffindor courage the only thing that kept her here at his bedside. She turned to look at him, and his gaze snapped toward the window. "I'm not leaving this house until you tell me how and what I need to know to get back in – or until you can function on your own without me." She knew she was just being stubborn, but at this point, Hermione felt committed to helping him, even against his wishes. "It's either me or St. Mungo's. Choose!"

He glared ahead at the bookcase for a while before answering. "We can make your toiletries here," he snapped, almost childishly.

"We?" she asked surprised, raising her eyebrows and staring at him in disbelief as she turned to face him.

His head snapped to look out the window. "Yes, we." He didn't look at her, but continued to stare at the window she had somehow managed to open.

Hermione waved her wand to siphon up the dirty water and soap from the rug. "I'll have to use the Mobilicorpus Charm and Spine-Locker Curse just to get you back into the lab," she said, still not believing that he just offered to allow her to use his potions lab again. "Why we cannot just Transfigure the dining room into a bedroom is beyond me!"

"There is only a half-loo downstairs," he said defensively.

Hermione closed her eyes, inhaling deeply to calm herself. "I'm fully aware of that." She paused to see if he was going to make some retort. He didn't. He just stared at the wall at the foot of his cot. "I was able to Transfigure a roasting pan into a tub in the kitchen, your couch into a reasonable cot, and your chair in the potions lab... So why can't I Transfigure the dining room furniture into bedroom furniture, and ensconce myself here in your sitting room. At least you'd have some privacy."

He turned to glare directly at her, his dark eyes smoldering. "This is my house, and I don't want you changing it around, or adding girly touches like lace and flowers all over the place," he snapped.

"Do I really strike you as a lace and flower kind of girl?" she asked, sitting up and staring at him, stunned. "I was merely thinking about convenience. Yours and mine. Unless you like having me carry you in and out of the sitting room six times a day, and sleeping at your feet, Professor."

He exhaled sharply, once again staring at the window. "I have a bedroom."

"I can't leave you in your bedroom. I'd be running up and down your stairs six to ten times a day – not that I wouldn't appreciate the exercise – but it would be exhausting." She fell back on all fours determined to finish the rug before dinner.

"You may leave at anytime, Miss Granger." He turned to stare at her, watching her scrub his carpet, crossing his arms, waiting for her to answer. She didn't. "What I want is to get dressed and to be left alone."

She didn't even stop scrubbing to answer him. "Your pajama bottoms and clothes are soaking in the kitchen. However, for now, you are going to wear the pajama bottoms and nightshirts because it makes it easier for me to take care of you. I will get to them in an hour, and you'll have those back all nice and clean."

"There are spells for that," he said pointedly.

"I don't know any that take out blood, and a good soaking won't hurt them," she said, finishing a corner of the rug and turning to start the other.

"I meant the rug, Miss Granger."

She looked at him just in time to catch him staring at her bum before he turned his head back to the window. "So you wait until I'm nearly finished to tell me this," she replied with a smirk. Dirty old man.

~o0o~

Day 7

She nearly dropped him twice and banged his shoulder against the doorway going through the concealed door into the hall and again into the wall on their way down to his potions lab. He wasn't heavy with the Mobilicorpus Charm, but he still wanted to be upright and given the semblance of walking, even if he had to hold onto her shoulders with one arm. Hermione had apologized both times, but his mood was ebbing from dreadful to horrid before they even reached the door to the potions lab.

Does he always wake up each morning at dawn? At lest he could tell me which side of the cot is his 'right' side. Maybe then we could start out each morning in a better mood. She silently counted to five with each breath, in order to control her own anger at him. One. He's hurt. Two. He's sick from the venom. Three. He's an independent loner kind of guy. Four. He's used to having his way... Ha! That's a laugh... She nearly chuckled aloud, and he scowled at her. Five...

"What could possibly be so funny, Miss Granger, about ramming me into the wall?" he snapped in irritation.

"Absolutely nothing," she stated. "If we were..."

"Give it a rest."

"Not until you acquiesce to my request to temporarily relocate your boudoir to the dining room and your lavatory to the kitchen, and let me Transfigure the sitting room into a bedchamber..." she said while she supported him as he lowered his wards to the potions lab so they could enter. "Thank you... for myself," she said as she helped him down the few steps and into his chair. "Just to make things easier on both of us. There. Are you comfortable enough?"

"I do not want you redecorating my house," he sneered as she helped him into the chair. "Aqueous extract, laurel, algae, laurenth salts, oils: castor bean, grape seed, wheat germ, hemp seeds, rosemary, citric acid, virgin Demiguise urine, Plimpy secretions," Snape began rattling the list of ingredients without preamble. "That is your base, Miss Granger, or do I have to write this down for you?"

"I thought that, since you always did in class..." she said. Snape looked at her with a scowl, and she turned and hurried to his shelves and store cupboard to collect the ingredients he'd listed. Snape repeated each ingredient slowly as he watched her move about his shelves.

"Jojoba, coltsfoot leaves, nettle leaves, Horsetail. Then, clary, sage, lavender, lemon, ylang ylang, calendula flowers, golden seal, achillea flowers, chamomile root, aloe barbadensis leaf, balm mint leaves, lappa root, wild cherry bark, henna, patchouli ..." he continued as Hermione scrambled to pull the items from his shelves. "And use the copper cauldron."

Hermione set the bottles, jars and boxes of ingredients on the workspace; Snape reached out with his knife and cut off a lock of her hair.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, grabbing her head.

"Needed for the conditioner cream rinse you wanted." He rolled the hair between his fingers and smelled the lock. "Fetch glycerin, farfara oil, jojoba seeds, peasifor beetles, mascula flower extract, paradite beans, lanolin, heilicale slugs, and black river snails... lauramine sap, olive leaf, wasabia and japonica roots," he continued. "Did you not hear me, Miss Granger, or am I wasting my time?"

Hermione went back to the shelves as he repeated his list. "Avocado oil, coconut milk, jojoba oil, soybean oil, rosemary leaves, nettle drops, oil of sandalwood, oil of lavender, geranium oil, dried horse tail, honey and almond oil, citric acid and witch hazel, Shea nut butter, lemon juice..." he continued listing each ingredient more slowly this time.

Neither the shampoo nor the conditioner were difficult potions to create, except that Snape didn't bother writing down the directions, preferring to snap and bark orders for each step from memory. He'd also insisted that Hermione brew both potions at the same time, alternating between cauldrons. Many of the ingredients went into both, but not at the same time.

After they were set aside to cool, he rattled off another list of ingredients for Headache and Muscle Relaxant Potions, setting her to work for him. With a flick of her wand, he made the directions appear on a large white board tacked up on wall in front of the worktable. Afterwards he used her wand again to make the directions for his Regenerative Potion appear, challenging her with a sneer and a cutting remark that if it was too much for her, she could simply take a break. She finished the complicated potion, and he swept the directions from the board, putting up the directions for an Anti-Infection Salve. The directions were simple enough, but the timing was fast, and the ingredients would have to be prepared quickly, precisely and with expert accuracy.

"What's the matter, Miss Granger? Too much of a challenge?" he asked with a cool silky drawl.

"Not at all, professor," she said cheekily and turned to collect the ingredients.

By the time she was through and was setting the cauldron aside to cool, she was sweating and breathing harder than usual, but feeling exhilarated and immensely pleased with herself.

"Lunch, Miss Granger," he said. He was paler, lounging in his chair. Hermione knew he had been doing too much, sitting there, directing her. "And time to change my dressing."

Hermione nodded and efficiently unwrapped his neck, cleaned his wound and applied the last of the potions in the vials and redressed his neck. She carried the vials to the sink to soak in scalding hot water and cleaning solution. She turned to face him, leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. "We are having mystery cans for lunch, I'm afraid. Would you like to rest here as I scavenge through your pantry or do you wish to be carried to the dining room?" she asked, biting her lip nervously.

He narrowed his eyes and his lips twitched irritably. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I am down to three unidentifiable cans in your pantry, and seeing that they do not have labels, I have no idea what's inside them or if they are any good for consumption." He glowered at her menacingly. "Either that or I could make Plimpy soup?" she asked, pointing to the Plimpies she had cleaned to remove their secretions. "Or I could find some other ingredient to create some kind of soup," she said, pointing to the creatures stuffed in a large jars on his shelf. "Your choice."

He sat staring at the potion cooling on the worktable, obviously contemplating her remarks, sighing heavily and refusing to look at her. "Fine. Get Arimus and send him to get food."

"I'll be right back." Hermione said, slipping from the room before he could change his mind to get parchment and quill from her purse and quickly drafted a half scroll note. She couldn't write down where she was, and decided to hold off mentioning who she was with, simply calling him a friend in need. She explained that the house was protected under the Fidelis Charm so she couldn't say where she was and that if she left him alone he'd probably die, since she wouldn't be able to get back or be able to send help. She also added that because of the wards, she couldn't just take him out of the house either so Mrs. Weasley wouldn't wonder why she hadn't just taken Snape to St. Mungo's. She decided to leave out exactly how she got here, hoping that Mrs. Weasley would not consider asking that question either. She then wrote out a list of things she wanted, including her favorite brand of toothpaste and dental floss, hoping that Harry would get it for her. Once done, she ran into the kitchen to see if Snape's owl would agree, or if she could talk him into going for her.

"Arimus, are you awake?" she asked the owl politely. "I really need to make a request of you." Arimus opened his eyes and turned his head in her direction, regarding her serenely. "I need you to carry a message for me. We need food, and I must get a message to my friends. They will be terribly worried about me... and Professor Snape."

Arimus screeched sternly.

"I know that Professor Snape said this morning that he didn't want you to go, but he has changed his mind, really – just now – in the potions lab," she implored. "All I'm asking of you is if you will fly to the Burrow, my friend Ron's house, for me? They're near Ottery St. Catchpole. Mrs. Weasley will pack a care package for us," she pleaded, then added, "including owl treats," as if bribing a small child.

Arimus turned his head, looking toward the door as if hoping that Snape would materialize.

"He's in the potions lab, resting a bit before I bring him in here for lunch," she explained.

Arimus turned to stare at her with is intelligent but unfathomable black eyes.

"If you won't go, I will have nothing to feed us – including you – unless you wish to do the hunting for us as well as yourself. I'm sure Professor Snape will gladly eat whatever you manage to catch." She was sure he stared at her scornfully, apparently indignant at her suggestion. "I suppose I could cook rabbits, but I don't think Professor Snape would think too much of eating rats, squirrels, chipmunks, gophers, beavers or weasels...."

Finally, Arimius ruffled his feathers, stretched his wings, and then extended his leg.

"Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed happily.

She carried Arimus into the sitting room and watched the owl fly out the window, feeling as if she'd won two victories today. One, she was sending a letter to her friends, telling them she was all right. And two, she had spent an entire morning, half a day, receiving private tutelage from Professor Snape on what she knew to be advanced potion making and learning new skills under his watchful eye. Two days... I got to brew eight potions with him... advanced potions... and those knife techniques for slicing the different ingredients... I wonder if I will get to do that again?

Hermione walked back to the dining room, wondering how she was going to feed him. It was hard to prop Snape up on the cot in the sitting room, and he wouldn't be able to sit at the table unless she did something to make it easier for him. She decided to Transfigure one of the chairs into a soft comfortable high back that could be angled to support Snape's body and still allow him to be mostly upright. After several tries, she had managed a suitable looking chair.

She went back to the potions lab and helped Snape 'walk' to the dining room, propping him up in the magically modified chair before she walked into the kitchen to fix something to eat. He sat brooding in his chair as she opened a can of tomato soup, tinned salmon and beans. She also found a tin of crackers and an old crumpled bag of biscuits. Hermione dumped the contents of all three cans into a pot and walked back to the potions lab for spices and herbs.

Snape merely stirred his soup, crumbled his crackers onto the surface, and scooped up a spoonful, grimacing after he swallowed. Hermione ate her soup as quickly as she could, then moved over to help Snape eat, but he adamantly refused her help. She rose to clean up the kitchen. She had finished wiping down the counters and was contemplating cleaning the bay window, when Snape spoke up, startling her. "I've eaten as much of this as I can."

Hermione turned around, and collected his plate and bowl. He'd polished off the biscuits and crackers, and half his soup. "I probably should change your clothes now," she said softly. "Do you want me to do it here, or in the sitting room?"

"Neither. I'm fine how I am. I would like you to brew Dreamless Sleep Potion and an Anti-Inflammatory... and I'll need a healing salve in case the wound becomes infected." Hermione stared at him in disbelief. "Unless you don't feel you are up to making..."

"Oh, no, sir! I mean, if you feel that you need me to make them for you..." she unintentionally interrupted him. She wanted to express her delight, but refrained, lest he changed his mind. "I'd be amenable to your request."

"You will need to assist me back to the lab."

"Of course, sir." She checked that the Mobilicorpus Charm and Spine-Locker Curse still held their effect on him, and then pulled his arm across his shoulders to carry him into the potions lab again. This time she managed to only bang him once as they passed through the doorway of the lab.

"Pull out my copy from Griselda Hardisty's Comprehensive Healing, volume four, and Dilys Derwent's Moste Importante Potions, Draughts and Salves."

She'd just finished the anti-infection salve, setting the cauldron next to the Dreamless Sleep Potion, and an Anti-Inflammatory Salve when a loud screech could be heard. "Arimus is in the sitting room, Miss Granger. Go get him," Snape demanded. "And I need to be changed again."

~o0o~

Day 8

He'd relented, finally. Hermione stood in the large room that made up the dining room and kitchen, deciding where to begin.

The kitchen was very much like the one at Grimmauld Place, only yellow, with old wood cupboards and white tile counters. Crockery sat on the glass shelves in the bay window over the kitchen sink. Probably for growing cooking herbs... I'll see if Mrs. Weasley would send me some herbs from her garden. There was a pantry and a large cupboard on her left. The pantry would work as a bathing area. She easily enlarged the space to accommodate the large roasting pan tub, a chair and small dressing table she'd found upstairs, still leaving plenty of room for the shelves that now stretched out along the back wall. Fine, this will work nicely. I could remove or Transfigure the door to make a screen, she thought as she waved her wand, first turning the door into a screen, then Transfiguring it into a curtain that could be tied back if necessary. Better. The square kitchen area has an island work counter that could be Transfigured into a small table, she reasoned. She opened the cupboards on the island counter, placing the extra cookware in the pantry and then Transfigured the extra counter space into a reasonable table. And I will still have counter space near the sink to prepare food. This will work.

Turning around, she considered the dining room area. It had a large wood table and six chairs, dish cupboard and hutch that were a dark wood of some kind. A wrought-iron candelabrum that hung from the ceiling, and several matching wrought-iron wall sconces were set at even intervals along the walls. Still the best light source was from the bay window in the kitchen. I'll have to request that Harry send me some candles. She jotted down candles on her list of things she still needed on the next letter she was sending to Harry. He'd said he didn't mind, and I feel far less guilty asking him for the items than Mrs. Weasley, although she'd said she was delighted to send me anything I needed in the letter she'd sent with the care package.

Ron's letter had been accusing and whiny, which had irritated her, but Ginny had promised to help research anything Hermione might need in regards to healing spells, or potions, which was sweet. George's letter was deeply concerned for her welfare, and he promised to get her anything she needed as well. She appreciated the deck of Weasleys' cards and Scrabble Runes he sent her. So far, Snape hadn't been in the mood to play the game.

She turned her attention back to the dining room to consider where to begin. She aimed her wand at the chairs, moving them against the wall and as far from the table as she could. "Trabis Mutationis Lectulus," she said, Transfiguring the table into a reasonable sized bed. She selected the two sturdiest chairs and levitated them down to the kitchen. "Cathedrae Mutationis Cervicalis," she said, Transfiguring two of the chairs into pillows. Not bad... and definitely not girly... She made up the bed with the bedding she had pulled from the bedroom upstairs and washed that morning, transforming them to fit the dining table-bed she'd created. She folded back the covers so Snape could be placed in the bed easily. Okay, now the dish cupboard and hutch... I'll need room for his clothes, pajamas and for linen.

The dish cupboard was full of very nice and fairly old china, which she'd expected, and the hutch held most of the serving pieces and silver. Hermione carefully removed the china and carried it into the kitchen. She found enough space for the china in the large cupboard next to the pantry on the bottom shelves.

Once she was all done, Hermione walked into the sitting room to assist Snape into his new bedroom. He sat in a chair she had Transfigured earlier into a more comfortable high-backed chintz chair, which comfortably support his head. He had his feet propped up on the bed that was once his couch. "So are you done rearranging my house?"

"Nearly," she said, standing before him. "You still have the choice you know, the dining room or the sitting room."

"I think I'd prefer the sitting room."

Hermione smiled. "That's fine, I'll just carry you into the kitchen and back three times a day for meals, and each night for your bath. I'll change your dressing at meal times and after you bathe. So, breakfast will be at six, lunch at noon, dinner at six and bath at midnight... That means I'll need to carry you to and from the sitting room four maybe six times a day and whenever you need to use the loo or want to be in the potions lab... Will that work for you?"

Snape glowered. "Fine. I'll sleep in the dining room. But I don't want you making a lot of racket when you cook."

"Okay, I'll try – that's the best I can give you." She pointed her wand at his chest. "So, are you ready to see your new bedroom?"

He huffed.

"I'll take that as a yes. Mobilicorpus," Hermione said, since the Spine-Locker Curse was still on him. She lifted him from the chair and shifted Snape's arm across her shoulders to assist him into the converted dining room. The action was much easier for her now, and she noticed that he was able to move his arms more easily as well. As they entered the dining room, Hermione wished that she had a better view of his face to see his reaction, but his lack of condescending remarks was enough. Gingerly she placed him in his new bed and drew up the covers. "I'd better tend to your neck now," she said as she propped him up with pillows.

"The room looks acceptable," he said as she made sure that she'd placed his potions on the dish cupboard.

Hermione smiled as she walked to the sink to get warm water. "Thank you." She tended his wound as gently as she could and wrapped his neck with a clean cloth. "So will it bother you if I start supper now? I can wait an hour if you need to rest some."

"No, I'm hungry," he said curtly. She rose to go and he caught her wrist, pulling her to sit next to him. "Thank you."

Hermione smiled. "You're welcome."

"I know I have been difficult," he said simply, and his eyes flicked to the wall. Her smile brightened at the simple apology. "I don't want you here, but... thank you for staying."

"Well, you know us Gryffindors: we stand by our friends."

His eyes immediately jumped to her face and he cocked one eye bow. "Friend?"

"Okay. Professor, comrade... fellow Order member, and if you'd ever allow me – yes, friend." His dark eyes held hers, making Hermione slightly nervous under his intent stare.

"Why would you do this – all this? What do you hope to gain?" he asked, staring at her intently.

"I'm doing this because you are hurt, you would have died without help, and because I know you're a good man."

He scoffed at her.

"Don't kid yourself. I know you're surly, irritable and proud, but I've watched you with the other professors and Order members. Among those you consider your equals, you're personable, well liked and well respected – even admired. I know that you're intelligent, very skilled and extremely knowledgeable on many subjects. Get past the roughness and you're an amazing guy."

Snape lay back on his pillows, although he never took his eyes off Hermione's. "Is that how you see me, Miss Granger, as some kind of wizard to look up to?"

"Look, I know you've had to do things, bad things, throughout this war, and I know you've made sacrifices – plenty of them. I wouldn't lie to you and say I'd understand all of them, but I believed Dumbledore when he said you were on our side. He trusted you completely." She looked down at her hands, wishing to phrase her thoughts so as not to anger him. "I don't pretend to know why you did some of the things you did," she said, wishing she had the nerve to ask him why he killed Dumbledore. "There is a lot I'd like to know..."

"I'm sure there is," he said, closing his eyes. "I thought that you were going to fix us something to eat."

Hermione waited, and he opened one eye, then closed it. "Either start cooking or leave my boudoir," he said with a smirk.

She smiled; it was the nicest tone he'd used so far. Maybe things are improving? "Ham sandwiches and soup okay?"

"Better than what you made yesterday for lunch," he said.

*

Hermione had quickly prepared the food, careful to slice the ham in thin enough slices so that it would be easy for Snape to chew, and placed them on a tray with his soup. He ate little of the sandwich but most of the soup, and after she redressed his neck, he laid back on his bed with his eyes closed.

She cleaned up the kitchen and began to replant the small herbs Mrs. Weasley had given her into the ceramic pots on the bay window shelves. After she was done, she filled the tub in the enlarged pantry and took a long soak, reminding herself to ask Ginny to send her some bubble bath. After her bath, Hermione cut several slices of the roast Mrs. Weasley sent her, and set it to simmer in the watered-down, left over soup, with a few onions and carrots. By dinnertime she hoped it would be a soft enough stew for Snape to eat. As she passed his bed to go to the sitting room, he reached out to grab her arm. "Where are you going?"

"The sitting room to read," she replied, surprised.

"Would you bring Vanderkirk's Tales of Wanderous Myths here?" he asked.

"Of course," she answered. "Which shelf is it on?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her with the smallest hint of a smile. "Third shelf on your right from the door – I believe."

She hurried into the sitting room, searched and found the book. It was an old volume and dusty. She quickly cleaned it off with her wand and returned to give him the book. "Read it," he said, without opening his eyes.

"Pardon me?" she asked stunned, not sure she understood him.

Snape opened his eyes and looked at her. "Aloud. Would you read it out loud, please?"

"Sure," she said, walking to the kitchen to retrieve a chair and set herself at his bedside. "Where do you want me to begin?"

"The beginning, of course, Miss Granger."

~o0o~

Day 9

Hermione found a book on the shelves that spoke about owl husbandry and sat down in her chintz chair to read. Snape had been in a fairly foul mood that morning when she woke him for his dressing change and breakfast. He'd barely eaten any of his porridge. Not that Hermione had either. It had come out somewhat lumpy, and she'd burnt the sausages slightly. Even Arimus didn't particularly care for the sausages, screeching angrily to be allowed out to fly. All right, she'd admitted to herself. They were extra crispy. Hermione was tired and a bit cranky herself this morning. The six-hour intervals between dressing changes was making her weary.

She had informed Snape that she was going to take a nap before lunch, and he had chosen to simply ignore her as he lay on his bed with his eyes closed. The extra hour nap had improved her mood, and she felt better, but not yet ready to face Snape.

She was mentally taking notes on the suggested care and feeding of an owl when Arimus flew back in through the window and dropped a rabbit on her lap. Hermione jumped in surprise, and looked up at Arimus in shock. "Ah, thank you. Is this a hint or do you expect me to clean it for you?" She set down the book and examined the rabbit, holding it by its hind feet.

The owl simply screeched softly, watching her with his dark, expectant eyes. "All right then," she said, getting up and offering her arm, waiting for him to perch on her shoulder, before carrying him and his gift into the other room.

As she passed Snape heading into the kitchen, he opened his eyes. "What is that?"

She sidestepped around the kitchenette table. "Which? Your owl or the rabbit."

Arimus simply flew over to his stand and turned around to watch the people he was living with.

"Don't get cheeky with me," he snapped.

Hermione laid the rabbit on the drain board. "Just wanting to clarify your question, sir," she replied, looking down at the dead animal, then up at the owl. "Does, Arimus usually bring you gifts?" she asked, holding up the rabbit. "What does he expect me to do with this?"

"Cook it. He gets the heart and liver when you dress it out. He gets to pick at the ribs and back for dinner." Snape said closing his eyes. "Are you capable of making a decent rabbit stew, Miss Granger?"

"Won't know until I try," she answered cheekily.

"I don't appreciate your cheek."

"Hermione," she corrected him, digging in the drawers for a sharp knife.

"What?"

She found a skinning board next to a cutting board, and pulled it out. "Call me Hermione."

"I don't want to."

"Why?" she asked. He didn't answer. She turned to look at him and he closed his eyes again. Fine. "How do I skin a rabbit?" she asked, not really expecting him to answer her.

"Use a spell like, Frōns-Levicorpus, to hang the rabbit in the air by its two front legs. Make a few cuts, and then peel the skin off like pajamas."

"Excuse me?" she asked, stunned, turning around to face him.

Snape closed his eyes and relaxed against his pillows. "This is not hard, Miss Granger. Either you chop off the front feet, cut the skin in the middle over the animal's stomach and pull the skin off in both directions; the skin will peel off in two pieces," he explained patiently. "Then you chop off the head and hind feet. The other way is to chop off the front feet, cut across both legs and cut the skin around the head, hang the animal up, take hold of the skin in both hands and pull the skin downward. It should come right apart for you, then gut and fix the animal for cooking."

"Which is easier?" she asked, regarding the animal. She wasn't at all squeamish about the task. She'd prepared all kinds of insects and small critters for potions and had done plenty of slimy tasks in his detentions and classes. She'd just never dressed out anything as large as a rabbit before.

Arimus screeched softly, bobbing slightly as if giving his encouragement.

"I've always preferred the second, the skin comes off like wet pajamas in one piece," Snape stated. Arimus clicked his beak, bobbing slightly as if giving his assent to Snape's directions.

Hermione pulled out a cleaver and chopped off the front feet, then carefully sliced the skin as he had directed. It wasn't a neat job, but she now had the skin lose enough to pull it off. "Frōns-Levicorpus," she said softly, and the rabbit hung in the air in front of her. However, pulling the skin off was harder than Snape said it would be. Finally she had the animal skinned, cleaned and ready to cook.

She offered Arimus the heart, impressed by how daintily he ate the organ. "Thank you for the rabbit, Arimus."

He screeched softly, clicking his beak for the liver. She placed the liver on the dish attached to his stand and returned to the rabbit. She started the pot for the rabbit stew, then reheated soup and made sandwiches from the ham and homemade bread Mrs. Weasley had sent. Hermione set his soup and sandwich on a tray, adding an Anti-Spilling Charm on his soup bowl.

"Here's your lunch. Do you wish to eat first? It's nearly time to change your dressing again," she said as she walked over to Snape's bedside, carrying the tray over to him. He simply grunted and closed his eyes. Well at least he was affable enough about the rabbit.

*

Hermione spent the afternoon, first cleaning up the kitchen, until Snape snapped at her to "desist with the racket," then going into the potions lab to clean there. She checked on the rabbit, adding in carrots, onions, celery, and some fresh herbs from Mrs. Weasley's garden. She was walking back to the sitting room to finish her letters when Arimus started clicking his beak.

Snape reached out his hand again to stop her retreat. "Wrap up the rabbit skin and head, and give it to Arimus. He knows where to take it."

Hermione nodded silently, Transfigured a slip of parchment into a large enough sheet and lifted her arm for the owl. He landed on her arm lightly, and she carried him to the sitting room with the package.

"I have a few letters to go to the Burrow. Can you handle both?" Arimus screeched softly and held out his foot. She quickly collected the finished letters, binding them together and tied them to his leg. With a simple click of his beak, he swooped down on the package, grasping it in his claws. "Thank you," she managed to say before he flew out the window.

Hermione selected a book and settled into her chair to read until dinner.

Arimus flew back into the room with two packages tied together, just as the timer went off on the table next to her cot. "Excellent timing," she said, and he hooted softly in response. She quickly untied the packages, noticing that they'd been charmed to be lighter for Arimus to carry. The large package contained candles, her toothpaste and dental floss and more fresh vegetables from Mrs. Weasley's garden. Ginny had sent her an old, worn book on basic Healing Charms, two bottles of bubble bath and a long letter. The other package was for Snape. She had Arimus sit on her shoulder as she carried the packages and Ginny's letter into Snape's boudoir, as he was now calling the Transfigured dining room, to give him his package and to put the food away in the kitchen.

"What's that?" he asked as she set everything down to leave his package on the bed next to him.

She collected up the larger package as Arimus flew over to his perch. "Which, the package or my letter?" she asked casually, walking into the kitchen,

"I don't appreciate your cheek, Miss Granger. What is in the package?" he asked as she deposited her care package on the kitchenette table.

"Stuff from my friends," she answered as she opened Ginny's letter and noticed a couple of articles she'd cut from the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly.

Mrs. Weasley had sent a nice roast beef this time, still hot from the oven and a new loaf of homemade bread. She laughed, considering that she still had plenty from the previous loaf. Mrs. Weasley must go through a loaf of bread a day the way she sends it here for us. I think I've only used sixteen slices and still have half a loaf.

"What, pray tell is so funny this time?" he snarled from across the room.

"Mrs. Weasley sent us a new loaf of bread. We still haven't finished the last one. That's all. I assume she makes fresh bread nearly every day for her family." She turned to face him. "So, for dinner we have ham, pot roast or roast beef. Which would you like?"

*

She sat down and continued reading aloud from Tales of Wanderous Myths until he fell asleep. She wondered why Snape would want her to read this children's book to him. It is interesting, and the stories are clever and well written, humorous, angsty with a touch of romance to the adventures... But it didn't seem like the kind of book she'd associate with someone like Snape. She placed a marker and set the book down on the china cupboard, and pulled his covers up to keep him warm, and then made her way to her own bed. She glanced at the clock she'd set by her bed. Two hours before I have to change him again. I might as well read.

Author's Notes:

Arimus is an Australian Masked Owl. (Tyto novaehollandiae), a type of barn owl from the non-desert areas of Australia. The facial coloring is white with short brown feathers around dark brown, forming the heart-shaped outline around dark brown or black eyes, familiar for the Barn Owl species. The Australian Masked Owl is blackish brown with grey and white spots on the upper body, and the under parts are white with brown spots, giving the resemblance of a dark brown and tan barn owl, instead of the more familiar tawny and cream coloring.

I have a great deal of gratitude for Ladyinthecloak and Machshefa for beta reading this for me. You ladies are great and I really appreciated you doing this. Thank you.