Hope For Better

4. Body Issues

The next few days went on without a hitch. Snape tried to feign disdain but remained quite civil towards the student invading his space. They found a good routine which consisted mostly of reading or silently studying. 

Hermione was growing stronger each day. She was able to function properly now as long as they were in the same room. Still they stayed comfortably close. 

Snape was able to sleep alone in his bed now with Hermione on a cott opposite the foot of his bed. As inappropriate as it was, the pair grew used to each other and found the breaths of their opposite comforting when falling asleep. 

The two didn't talk much in the three days hermione had been awake aside from a couple impromptu potion lessons. Hermione hated to admit it but she was too embarrassed to ask for anything she needed, so she waited until he offered or told her she could help herself. She was beginning to smell having not showered for two weeks due to being unconscious most of it, and he had not offered her use of his shower. 

How would that work anyway. He can't walk two feet into the kitchen without her becoming sick. She’d need at least 15 minutes to get clean, probably more as her hair was more unruly than usual. The couple times she'd seen herself in the mirror she had wondered how the man didn't wretch at the sight of her. Her face was still pale though slowly gaining color, and her eyes were sunken in with deep purple circles underneath them. Her hair was a tangled mess and she wore the same clothes she had when Malfoy had thrown the curse. They would have to figure something out because she was completely disgusting.

“Professor?” He looked up from his book in acknowledgment. “I um- I think- Uhh umm- im- ah-” She couldn't find her words until he calmly yet rather rudely interrupted,

“Miss granger, please just spit it out.”

“I'm utterly disgusting!” She blurted out before a tint of red spread across her cheeks. 

“That you are,” he snickered. “Would you like a shower?”

“Yes please, but how.” She asked. She was relieved he was taking this lightheartedly.

She followed professor snape to his bed chambers where he brought out a towel and some of his own sleep clothes.

“I'll send someone for your things in the morning. I'd take you up myself, but no one knows where you are.” He stated. 

“They don't?”

“No. They believe us both to be stuck in a hospital trying to figure out what we were cursed with. We wouldn't want any rumors of a student staying in a teachers private chambers now would we?” He smirked at her. She understood what he was getting at.

“No we certainly would not.” She smiled. 

Severus sat in the open doorway of the bathroom facing his bed chambers while Hermione took a shower. It felt amazing to finally wash all the dirt from her body and his soap smelled fantastic. She pulled the soap through her hair in an attempt to untangle it without luck. 

“Damned stupid hair! Ugh!” She grumbled to herself. 

Snape chuckled as he listened to her struggle. “Might be wise to give up on that one.” he teased from the doorway.

She felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she realized he could hear her. “Sorry professor.”

“No need for that miss granger.”he grinned though she couldn't see it. This was quite entertaining for him.

She finally gave up on her curls and turned off the water. She pulled back the curtain and quickly wrapped herself in the towel he gave her. 

‘He could easily turn around and see me’ She worried silently. ‘That would be mortifying’

He smirked having read her thoughts. He was surprised however that the reason it would be so embarrassing for her would not be because he's a greasy old git, but because she was embarrassed of her own body. He wondered why. He had never actually paid attention to how she looked, but no he was curious. 

‘No! Eyes to yourself Severus. Even after she's dressed, eyes to yourself.’

He fought the urge to look back and see for himself what was so bad about the girl's body, and he hated himself for even considering it. Snape mentally willed the girl to dress herself faster lest he give in to his temptations. It wasn't sexual, no, it was strictly curiosity. But he doubted she'd see it that way. 

After what felt like an agonizingly long time she tapped his shoulder. He looked up at her questioningly relieved to see her fully dressed in extremely baggy clothes… His clothes. He actually blushed at the sight. 

“Would you like me to fix supper tonight professor?” she offered kindly. He nodded and followed her into the kitchen.

Her thoughts were so loud he didn't even have to try too hard to hear them. He thought it must be part of the bond.

‘ I look terrible. My breasts are too small, like Draco said a few weeks ago.’

He sneered at the mention of Malfoy commenting on her chest.

‘My hair is too big, my arse is too flat.’

She was right about her hair, but it suited her. He wondered if she was right about her bottom as well but he didn't dare look. He kept his eyes on the random book he had picked up to distract himself.

‘And i'm so pale. I haven't seen the sun in weeks. My ribs are showing too much, I'm too skinny. Any man would cringe at the sight of my naked body. Especially an older more sophisticated man such as professor snape. Ugh.’

He blushed a dangerous shade of red at the mention of his name.

‘Why do I even think like that. He would never even think to look at me, nor should I want him to… do I want him to?’

Does she? He couldn't help but wonder.

‘That's so unlike me, It must be the bond.’

“Yes, Miss Granger it must be.” He replied to her thoughts without thinking… oops

“Excuse me?” had she been thinking out loud.

“Your thoughts are particularly loud this evening.”