The Hospital Wing

Disclaimer: The characters and settings in this story are lovingly borrowed from J.K. Rowling.

Special thanks to DreamyDragon_73 and AnnieTalbot for their incredible beta work. This story originally posted at the sshg_exchange. I'll be posting new chapters every three days or so.

Bill,

Hermione

~*~

Hermione awoke with a clearer head and brighter outlook than she'd had in days. She liked to think it was the letter to Bill that put the spring in her step rather than the conversation she'd overheard between Severus and Draco.

She had realised after writing Bill's letter that she really ought to propose studying the Room of Requirement for her next project. After all the time she'd invested studying this chamber, it was only logical that she apply her research to the room's cousin. Never mind that the project would keep her close to the castle – and Severus. Perhaps the room could be reconstructed. Such an undertaking, of course, would be a rather long-term project that would certainly require her oversight.

She walked down to the chamber with a ridiculous grin plastered on her face. It had been such a long time since she'd experienced the thrill of a new romance. She'd forgotten how nerve-wracking, exhilarating, and really bloody distracting it could be.

She entered the chamber and forced herself to concentrate. On what, she had no clue. What else could be done while she waited for Bill's reply?

She was close, so close, to figuring out the room. Hopefully Bill's reply would make the last pieces of this puzzle slide into place.

Hermione groaned as her mind returned, for the thousandth time, to Severus. She was worse than Rose had been the summer she'd developed a crush on Teddy Lupin. All longing sighs and 'Mum, do you think Teddy will be at the Burrow for Sunday lunch?' Hermione had been searching for common ground with her teenage daughter, but mutual boy craziness was not at all what she had in mind.

She made a circuit around the room. Nothing stuck out as something she'd missed. She was about to make another round when she heard footsteps in the corridor.

"Hermione," Severus called out, stepping into the room.  

"Severus, excellent! There's a bit over here I'd like you to look at," Hermione said, the echoes of a smile teasing the corners of her mouth. "Severus?"

His face paled.

"Severus, what is it?"

He opened his mouth to reply but slumped to the floor.

She flew across the room, grabbing him just in time to keep his head from crashing onto the floor. "Severus!" A sob strangled her.

She staggered under his weight and guided his body to the floor, cradling his head in her lap. Nausea threatened to strangle her as she saw now-familiar horns emerging from his head. 

Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. She needed to marshal a happy thought. It was cruel that one needed to conjure a happy moment when it was least likely to appear. Closing her eyes, she scrambled for a memory. Any memory but the sight of Severus crumpling to the floor. She ran through her mind, finally grabbing the moment that she'd read Hugo's owl about his Ravenclaw sorting.

"Expecto Patronum!" she cast at last, sending her otter skittering off to Minerva. 

That bit of business complete, she opened her eyes. The colour was beginning to return to Severus's ashen face. She smoothed his hair.

How? How was it that this had happened to him? If there was doubt before, it was erased. The room had done this. The room had attacked. Spells flew from her wand. Was there an invisible enemy? Had something triggered the wards? Her heart raced.

She wanted to move Severus, but the din of students rampaging through the corridors told her they were in between classes. She couldn't move him to the Hospital Wing until the break was over. The sight of their Headmaster floating unconscious through the halls... no. It couldn't happen. She didn't trust that any Disillusionment Charm would hold. Not with her emotions blundering about like a troll.

"Severus, can you hear me?"

This was stupid. Of course he couldn't hear her. He was unconscious. She continued anyway. It wasn't as if there were anything else to do. "Severus, I've sent for Minerva and Poppy. Once we get you settled in the Hospital Wing, I'll alert Draco."

She cast another set of nervous detection spells. 

Still nothing.

"I'll figure out what's going on... I'm so sorry this happened. If I'd had any idea..."

Poppy came scurrying in. She stared at Severus, flicking her wand with a series of Diagnostic Charms. "Same as Scorpius, then? Well, let's get him up to a bed. The students should be behind closed doors now. You take the front. I'll take the rear."

Hermione took her appointed spot, barely containing her nausea as Poppy levitated Severus so that he hovered mid-air, placing his arms over his chest and charming them to stay put.

Their journey seemed to take ages. Minerva was pacing in between the beds when they arrived.

"Does he have any indications that differ from Mr Malfoy?"

"No, Minerva. There's nothing different at all. Just the wizard. Here, Hermione, let's put him in one of the more private beds over here." Poppy walked towards a section of the wing with tall curtains surrounding the beds. Scorpius's bed sat across the aisle.

"Come, Hermione. We need to call Mr Malfoy. I'll spare you the task of telling the tale twice. He'll want to know precisely what happened in the dungeons. I owled him earlier, and I expect him in the Headmaster's office shortly."

She followed Minerva, her throat tight as she climbed the familiar staircase.  She walked woodenly to the conference room, absently flicking her wand to shelve the books she'd left spread across the table the night before.

Her shaking hand poured a glass of water. She sat the glass on the table, grasping at the edges of control, trying to keep things together. She sank into the chair, forcing herself to take deep breaths.

"Weasley. What the hell happened?"

She jumped as Draco entered the room.

After taking another deep breath, she explained, "I was working on translating the northern wall of the room. I was stuck on a particular section, and Severus offered to come take a look."

"Because he's an expert in runes..."

She blushed. "Of course he isn't, but he recognized one from the Slytherin common room."

"Fine, Weasley. So Severus was coming to take a look at your runes. What happened?"

"He walked into the room and collapsed. The horns began sprouting once he hit the ground."

"That's it?"

She nodded, realising how very weak the explanation sounded. No wonder Severus hadn't quite believed Rose and Hugo.

Minerva coughed. "I believe we need to address the issue of student safety."

"The wards Severus sat are keeping students out of the area. They should be perfectly safe."

"Have you ruled out the ghost of your husband?"

"Mr Malfoy, that is quite uncalled for," Minerva scolded.

"I'm just making sure all the possibilities have been covered. There have been incidents of protective ghosts. And it's rather a coincidence that the only people attacked were Slytherin males in the presence of a Weasley."

She grit her teeth and reminded herself that Malfoy's son and godfather were both unconscious. He had every right to be mad at someone, and she was the most convenient target. "None of the spells indicated recent spectral activity. The evidence points towards the runes."

"And how close are you to figuring out what's happened? When will you be able to reverse it? My son's been in the hospital for a week, Granger."

Hermione flinched at Malfoy's slip.

"I'm expecting an owl from Bill Weasley with some resources about the road block I've encountered. I expect his sources will lead to a breakthrough."

Minerva interjected, "Hermione, we can only keep Severus's absence quiet for a day, maybe two at most. We've already been skirting the edges of proper procedure by not alerting all of the Governors about the incident with Scorpius. If you haven't figured something out by Wednesday, we'll need to take more drastic measures."

Hermione nodded and watched as Minerva left the room. Draco stopped at the doorway. "Do keep an eye on Severus, will you, Weasley?"

When the last of Draco's footsteps faded away, she cradled her face in her hands. Please, please let Bill's resources provide the key. The image of Severus's pale form slipping to the ground sprang to mind. 

"Mosey?"

The house-elf appeared, wringing her hands.

"Have any letters arrived?"

"No, Hermione. I is to be finding you when they do. I is knowing they is important." She choked back a sniffle.

"Thank you, Mosey. They're even more important now."

"Headmaster Snape, he is going to be okay?"

"Yes." He had to be. She would figure out that stupid room no matter how long it took.

"I is bringing you tea and biscuits and a flannel so you is refreshing."

Hermione's answering smile was watery.

Mosey Disapparated, leaving Hermione to stare at the table. She wondered if Dumbledore had left his Pensieve. Replaying the memory could... no, she was grasping at straws. There were no details she'd missed. No flashes of spells. No triggering of wards. No ghosts. Nothing.

She picked up the copy of Michelson and began pacing the room, flipping through the pages. No, nothing. Still nothing. She closed the book, resisting the unfamiliar urge to hurl it across the room. The books were failing her. Fickle things. 

There was simply nothing to do until Bill's owl arrived. She grabbed her notes and continued transliterating to pass the time. And when she'd finished that she began translating. Absolutely nothing jumped out. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. And still no word from Bill.

She looked up, surprised to see that the windows were completely dark. A covered dish sat several feet away. When had Mosey left that? She lifted the cover, nearly tempted by the sight of bangers and mash. She forced a couple of bites, smiling that Mosey had thought to bring her comfort food.

She pushed back from the table, knowing where her feet would take her.

The moonlight filtered into the Hospital Wing. She could see the light in Poppy's room. It flickered out as she made her way down the aisle. The curtains were drawn around Severus's bed. She swallowed the rising lump in her throat and pushed the curtains aside. She conjured a chair and sat next to the bed, pulling his hand into hers. For all his pallor, his hand was still warm. 

She watched the rise and fall of his chest, keeping time, marching on as if nothing was awry. "Severus... Bill's owl should arrive at any moment. I promise I'll figure something out."

Her thumb ran across the top of his knuckles. "I think we have some unfinished business to attend to when you recover."

Her eyes flickered to his horns. Unlike Scorpius's fawn-like nubs, Severus's horns were black. Sleek. They glistened in the moonlight. After glancing behind her to make sure Poppy hadn't decided to check on her patient, she reached out her hand, running her fingers across the ebony. She bit her lower lip and smoothed his hair back.

She jumped as she heard a sob, not realising for a moment that the sound was not hers. She jerked her hand away from Severus, her head whipping around. There was still no one behind her.

Her eyes darted to Scorpius's curtains. Was there someone with him? Surely Malfoy wasn't sobbing over his son. Astoria perhaps?

Without a noise, she rose from her chair and crossed the aisle. She drew back Scorpius's curtain and bit back a gasp. "Rose! What are you doing here!" she whispered.

Rose jumped, rubbing her sleeve across her eyes. "Mum, I'm... Scorpius... I..." Rose crossed the room and hurled herself into Hermione's arms. 

Hermione clutched her daughter, allowing herself a moment to relish the first genuine embrace she'd got from Rose in months. Rose's sobs got louder, and Hermione pulled her closer.

As the sobs began to die down, she stroked Rose's hair before softly asking, "Rose, why are you up here? Surely it's after curfew."

She sniffled again. "I just had to see him, Mum."

Hermione couldn't quite understand why Rose had been sneaking up to the Hospital Wing to see a boy she barely knew. She ignored the pit in her stomach which suggested that perhaps she knew him a little better than Hermione was aware. "This is why you've been so tired, isn't it? Have you been up here every night?"

Rose sniffled and nodded into her shoulder. Every night. Hermione winced.

"Wait, why are you here?" Rose pushed back and looked at Hermione.

While Hermione fumbled for an answer, Rose craned her neck. "Headmaster Snape!"

Hermione shushed her.

"Mum, what's going on? Why is this happening?" she asked, sitting on the chair next to Scorpius's bed.

"I don't know yet, Rose. Your Uncle Bill is sending me some recommendations that I hope will point me in the right direction again. But you still haven't answered my question. Why did you just have to see Scorpius?"

"We've been going out," Rose mumbled.

"You have?" Hermione stared for a moment. Well, there was no way that Rose had told Harry about this in her letters. Hermione made every effort to keep her voice even as she asked, "And how long have you been seeing him?"

"He asked me out while we were studying for O.W.L.s."

Hermione fought to keep her jaw from dropping. Everything slid into place. The crankiness since she'd arrived at the castle. The temper tantrum about Christmas holidays. Some of Rose's reticence this summer. "When were you going to tell me, Rose? And why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't tell you because you and dad have always had something to say about Scorpius. And it was never good. You don't even know him! I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to freak out."

Hermione spluttered.

"And now you're freaking out."

"Rose, I'm not freaking out. Well, perhaps a bit, but more about you hiding this from me for six months than about it being Scorpius. I wish you'd told me sooner."

Rose eyed her with scepticism. "So you're okay with me dating Scorpius?"

"I haven't met Scorpius." Rose's posture stiffened. "But I trust your judgement, so it's quite likely I will. I'd like to meet him when all this is over." And see his father's reaction when he finds out, she added mentally.

"Mum, is Scorpius going to be okay? Is that what you've been researching?"

"He'll be fine, Rose. And yes, that's why I've been here."

"Did... did the same thing happen to Headmaster Snape?"

Hermione nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

She put her arm around Rose. "Come on. Let's walk back to your dormitory. I'll talk with Poppy about letting you come sit with Scorpius. You must promise not to tell anyone about Professor Snape."

Rose nodded and stood. "I won't tell anyone, Mum. I haven't said a word about Scorpius. How long... until you figure out what's wrong?" Rose said, her voice wobbly again.

She sighed. "I've got two days to figure things out. Let's hope that Bill's texts are helpful."

Hermione stood next to her daughter and wrapped her arm around her. "It'll be fine," she said, guiding Rose into the Hospital Wing corridor. Rose cast a glance at Scorpius as she left.

They spent several minutes in silence as they walked. It wasn't until they reached the first staircase that Rose spoke. "I'm sorry if I was rude to you the other day, Mum. This week has been really hard."

Hermione grabbed Rose's hand. "It's fine, Rose. And I promise to never ask you painfully obvious Quidditch questions again."

Rose laughed. "I suppose that means you'll stop asking Quidditch questions completely, then."

"Right in one."

They jumped as Mosey appeared in front of them. "I is having your letter, Missus Weasley. It is being heavy."

"Rose, I trust you can make it back to your dormitory?"

"Yes, Mum, will you let me know when you've got it all figured out?"

"Absolutely, Rose." She hugged her daughter one last time. "Now good night. I've got some research to do."

She watched Rose disappear down the corridor. "Mosey, could you deliver a pot of really strong coffee to the conference room?"

Mosey nodded and disappeared.

Hermione unfolded the letter, reading as she walked. She exhaled. Bill laid out two possible scenarios based on what she'd reported to him. One would require tracking down seven additional texts. The other just one book. She blinked back tears of relief. The answer rested in her hand. She just needed to dig back through a few sources Bill had mentioned to determine which scenario was lurking in the dungeon and track down the answer. Bless Bill, he'd even listed individuals who likely owned copies copy of the resources she would need. The majority were in private collections.

She arrived in the conference room to find Mosey, a pot of coffee, and a plate of sandwiches. "You is eating, Hermione. You will be needing energy to save the Headmaster."

There was no point in resisting. "Thank you, Mosey." She grabbed a sandwich and headed to her bookshelf to grab her books.

Bill had sent two tables of runes and three examples of rooms with rune carvings. She spread them out on the table, finishing her first sandwich and grabbing another. She settled in for a long night of reviewing notes.