Poisoned Love: A Snanoine Romance

Chapter Twelve

Ron walked in front of the heavy oak door... again. He had been pacing in front of the door for the last fifteen minutes in unprecedented angst. Hermoine had not spoken to him since the day she had woken up from her coma, and that had been weeks ago!

She had to be trapped with that greasy git of the dungeons against her will he was sure, but Professor McGonagall would not do so much as let him slip a toe toward Snape's quarters without telling him off. He has only been able to slip down to the Potion Masters door today because McGonagall had retired a bit early with a large bottle of fire whiskey and an old Auror "friend" in town to help rebuild the castle.

Ron finally knocked, an audible gulp in the air as he awaited an answer. By his best guess Snape was still out mending the castle's grounds and would be far away from here. No answer. He knocked again, face reddening as he sternly waited for Hermoine to open the door.

Several minutes went by, impatience an old friend resulted in him kicking the door open, wards alarming - the vibrations of the magic tickling his skin. "Why the hell has the bat produced wards? He has trapped her!" Ron mumbled, searching the dark rooms for his Gryffindor princess. 

A mass of curly hair caught his gaze and in an instant he rushed to the young witch's side.

"Hermoine? Bloody hell love can you hear me? Hermoine!" He shook her vigorously, shocked to find her completely unconscious. Wand in hand, he briefly surveyed the room. His anger had risen to a fever pitch, he had to get her out of here!

"Love, I'm taking you to Madam Pomfrey. Just hang on." He scooped the little witch up, her frizzy hair getting stuck in his mouth but he didn't care. Ron ran from the room, swearing under his breath - Snape would pay for this.

Outside the castle, Snape was exhausted. He had spent the majority of the day with a group of Ravenclaws, painstakingly restoring part of the castle's outer wall boulder by boulder. Even with magic, it was a slow process and Snape was thankful that the group he supervised were adept to the task. All he wanted was to crawl in bed with a glass of fire whiskey and his lovely witch. No one knew they were together of course, no one except Minerva - but he relished in his new found love and a smirk fell over his broad features.

Hermoine had agreed to go public with their relationship just this morning over breakfast, just as soon as she's fully healed. Her eyes had sparkled as she laughed, saying she needed to be 100% to hex anyone who disagreed with her choice in wizard. Only a few more days and she would be right as rain and the world would know her as his witch. Snape's mind wandered to the ring secured in the writing desk of his library, hopefully soon she would be more than just his girlfriend.

His revery was broken suddenly by the tingle of magic through him, his wards were broken! No one was allowed in his rooms, not with Hermoine not fully healed. He rushed toward the main entrance of the castle, leaving a host of Ravenclaws confused in his wake.

A tuft of red hair came into view as Snape ran through front doors of the castle, a sleeping Hermoine draped over his arms. The dark wizard instantly drew his wand, mouth set in a thin line as he surveyed the scene before him. McGonagall and  Madam Pomfrey came bursting out of the Great Hall at the commotion, stunned to see the two wizards in dueling positions and an unconscious witch in Ron's grasp.

"Stop it! STOP IT THIS INSTANT!" Snape and Ron both flew back against opposite stone walls, Hermoine left hovering a few feet above the floor as Madam Pomfrey floated her gently to the hospital ward, not waiting on an explanation as to how her young charge had gotten in this state. Minerva shook from her position between the fallen pair, visibly angry at the happenings before her. She waved her wand, Ron and Snape sliding involuntarily across the floor from opposing sides to meet in a piled jumble at her feet.

"What is going on here? Why in heavens is young Ms. Granger unconscious? Mr. Weasley! Professor Snape! Explain yourselves!" She huffed, eyebrows drawn in fury.

Ron spoke first, ears red in frustration. "Professor, it was him! Snape! I found her unconscious in his rooms, he's hurt her!"