8

Chapter 8: Forbidden Forest

Hermione Apparated out of her apartment as the end of the morning was approaching. She wanted to stop by her office before meeting Harry and Ginny for lunch. Hermione had some data to collect at the Muggle university where she worked as a professor and researcher. Even on a Saturday, the grounds of the campus were filled with young students enjoying the nice day, reading, playing or just hanging out.

She crossed the grounds from the hidden place she used for Apparition and entered the Chemistry Building, heading for her laboratory. The image of the students under the trees reminded her of the weekends at Hogwarts. She always liked the atmosphere of the castle, especially the grounds - the lake, the trees, the gardens.

She walked through the corridors of the university, but her mind was on the corridors of the castle where she had lived for almost seven years, and on Nathan, too. She received a letter from him earlier that morning, and again the main topic was Severus Snape. She was starting to get worried about Nathan's interest in Severus. Of course, her intentions were for Nathan not to hate his father, but she didn't think Nathan would get so… so obsessed with him. That was the word: obsessed.

Nathan was always devoted to everything he puts his heart to. His favorite subject while he was still at Muggle school was chemistry, so it was only logical he would like Potions so much. He used to help Hermione to prepare some simple potions at home, and she could see Nathan was talented for the art, even then. Maybe that was just it, an aptitude for Potions.

Her mind went back to data collection when she reached the laboratory. She took some notes, increased the hydrogen pressure of the complex system on the workbench, and when she was sure everything was fine, left the building to Apparate again. It was now time to meet her friends.

Arriving at the backyard of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, Hermione found young Lily on her broom. "Hello, Lily. I see you're practicing your Quidditch maneuvers. Very good!" she praised.

"Thanks, Aunt 'Mione," the girl yelled from her position up in the sky.

Hermione entered the house through the kitchen door and met Ginny, who greeted her with a hug, "Hermione! You arrived already!"

"Hi, Ginny. I'm a little early, I know. I had to stop by the university before coming here and I guess I overestimated the time I would spend there. Is Harry home already?" Hermione inquired.

"Yes, he just arrived. He's with Ron in the Drawing Room," Ginny offered and, after giving some other instructions to Dobby, led Hermione from the kitchen to meet Harry and her brother.

The women entered the room and were greeted enthusiastically by the men. "Oy, 'Mione! I thought I wouldn't see the day you'd visit us again," Ron said, hugging her.

Harry came next. "She will come more often now that Nathan is in the Wizarding world, right, 'Mione?" he said, hugging her as well.

They sat on the couch and chairs near the fireplace and Hermione answered, "You're probably right, Harry. Now that Nathan is at Hogwarts I think I should be more involved with the Wizarding world again."

"Good, because I was just convincing Harry here to come to my next Quidditch match," Ron said, and the animated conversation filled the room until Dobby announced that lunch was ready.

Hermione helped Ginny with the kids and they were soon eating in the basement kitchen. They talked about the many activities they were involved with until Harry commented on a case of contaminated potion he was working last week. That brought the topic of the hated Potions master into the conversation. "Are you sure Snape wasn't involved?" Ron teased Harry, who glared.

"He was among my suspects," Harry answered with a smirk and everybody started laughing, but Hermione.

"Talking about Snape, how did Nathan go with his detention?" Ron asked Hermione.

"What detention?" she asked back.

"Oops! I guess you just got Nathan into trouble, Ron," Harry said.

"What detention?" asked Hermione again, eying both men in turn.

"Well…" hesitated Ron and then added under Hermione's deadly glare, "Nathan served a detention with Snape. I thought you knew."

"When? What for?" Hermione kept asking, now very irritated with Nathan, the Potions master, and the two men at the table as well. "How do you know of it when I don't?" she asked, now with a pained expression. Why would Nathan hide this from me? What else is he hiding? Her mind was rushing with doubts.

"Take it easy, 'Mione. It's nothing like the things we received detentions for, I'm sure. We just found out because Nathan owled us asking what Snape's detentions were like. It's been a while now, so just calm down," Harry assured her.

"When?" Hermione asked again, in a more controlled tone of voice this time.

"Second week," Ron answered, without a second thought.

"What?" exclaimed Hermione, losing the little control she'd managed before. "He got into trouble after just a week there! What on earth did he do?" She was almost screaming in her indignation and rage now.

"Calm down, Hermione," Harry tried again, glaring at Ron.

"You're overreacting, 'Mione. Harry and I served detention in our first week one year - if you remember the flying car incident - and we were never expelled," Ron said between bites, ignoring Hermione's reaction to his words, and added, "It was probably Snape trying to make the life of a Gryffindor miserable, and it just happened to be Nathan's this time."

"Ron is probably right, Hermione," Ginny agreed.

"Why would Nathan hide this from me, then?" Hermione inquired with that pained look again. "What did he do, anyway? It must have been something really wrong, if he didn't even bother telling me - his mother!" she added.

"It's nothing of the sorts, Hermione. He must have said something Snape didn't like, and you know how nasty the bastard is," Harry said with a pointed look.

"I don't know, Harry," Hermione said shaking her head in refutation. "I thought Nathan was getting along with Professor Snape. He seems to even like his classes," she commented, and added as an afterthought, "Maybe he likes it too much for his own good. Nathan is always writing about Professor Snape's classes and assignments. I just thought it was because he likes Potions so much, but now…" she broke off, shaking her head again.

She wasn't sure of anything, anymore. Nathan wasn't telling her everything, and it was a disturbing revelation. What if Severus discovered the truth about Nathan and didn't look for me? And what if he told Nathan of it and Nathan was hiding it from me? What if Nathan discovers somehow that Severus is his father? Her mind was filling her heart with uncertainties. Her desire was to leave everyone here and race to Hogwarts. She needed to know what was going on there!

The lunch came to an end and they adjourned once again to the Drawing Room, but Hermione kept her mind with the two men of her life, back at Hogwarts: Nathan and Severus. Harry brought her mind back, realizing she wasn't paying attention to their conversation. "Hermione, you shouldn't be so worried about the detention."

"It's not the detention that's making me worried, Harry," she admitted with a sigh. "It's the fact that my son is hiding things from me that is making me worry. He knows he can trust me. We have a very open relationship, at least I thought we did, but now…" she broke off.

"He probably didn't tell you because he knew you would be disappointed. I don't think he would hide things from you, Hermione, if they were important," said Harry, patting her on the shoulder.

"You're right, Harry. I'm just overreacting. We've never lived apart before, and not knowing every single detail of his life is hard for me," she admitted, revealing only part of her feelings. She wasn't going to say a word about Severus.

"It's all right, Hermione. I think I can understand what you're feeling. I don't know how I'll react when Lily and Sirius leave for Hogwarts as well," Harry said sympathetically, and added, "Let me tell you this: I'll be at Hogwarts to cover for Remus, and I promise I'll clear up this whole detention thing and tell you everything afterwards. What do you say?"

"Thank you, Harry. I'd appreciate that," Hermione answered with a sad smile, and then frowned, adding, "Please tell Nathan that he'll have to answer to me for that omission, will you?"

"I will," Harry assured her.

The full moon was approaching and it was time for another Defense substitute professor to appear at Hogwarts. True to the student's predictions, Headmistress McGonagall stood from her seat during dinner and announced, "As you can see, Professor Lupin is indisposed. He'll be back after the full moon, but until then the Gryffindors may come to me if in need of their Head of House, and the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes will be covered by Mr. Harry Potter."

That piece of information brought some noise back to the Great Hall. At every table, students turned to each other to comment on the famous wizard with excitement. Nathan was happy about the news that his godfather would be at Hogwarts, of course, but his reaction didn't compare to the boys and girls around him. The Gryffindors were cheering wildly.

Professor Snape was rolling his eyes at the excitement of the students. Every year it was the same. It just took an announcement that Harry bloody Potter would be coming to Hogwarts for the students to show the full power of their hormones, even his Slytherins. But the worst were the Gryffindors.

At lunch the next day, Harry Potter entered the Great Hall through a side door accompanied by Headmistress McGonagall, chatting animatedly. He took the seat at her left and tried to ignore the excitement of the students over his presence. Severus was already occupying the place at Professor McGonagall's right, as usual, when they arrived.

"Won't you greet your fans, Potter?" Snape said sarcastically, "I'm sure they would be delighted with a wave from the hero."

"If you want to see the students cheering, Snape, maybe I should take you with me to the Ministry so I can change their minds and put you in Azkaban. I'm sure the students would celebrate for a week," Harry retorted.

"Enough! Stop this nonsense right now!" McGonagall said from between them, "I won't tolerate you sniping at each other for the duration of Mr. Potter's stay."

They were still glaring daggers at each other but said nothing else. Harry took his eyes from the Potions master to take in the hall. As always, the students were looking at him with admiration and, after that exchange with Snape, curiosity as well. Harry found Nathan in the sea of Gryffindors and beamed at him. Nathan beamed back and both started eating.

Lunch was over but the Great Hall was still crowded. Even on a nice Sunday, the students didn't want to leave before Harry Potter. Every once in a while they eyed the Chosen One, until Harry got up from his chair to leave. He didn't take the side door, though. He descended the platform on which the Head Table stood and crossed the room towards the Gryffindor table.

He stopped by Nathan and put a hand on his godson's shoulder, "How are you, Nathan? Everything all right?" he asked.

"Everything is fine, Uncle Harry. I'm glad you're here," Nathan answered with a smile.

Nathan jerked when an elbow hit him on the left side of his rib; it was Kevin. Harry smiled.

"Uncle Harry, these are my friends Kevin Brown and Andy Wood. They've been driveling over their meals since you arrived," Nathan said, glaring over said friends. Harry laughed.

"Nice to meet you, boys," Harry said, still smiling, "Are you related to Oliver Wood, Andy?"

"Do you remember my father?" Andy asked in awe.

"Of course I do. He was captain of the Quidditch Team when I joined," Harry said.

"I know! My father told me everything about it," Andy said.

"Well, send him my best," Harry said and then, taking his attention back to Nathan, said, "I was thinking you might like to join me and Hagrid for some tea later."

"Sure. What time?" Nathan asked.

"At three, at the Entrance Hall?" Harry asked.

"Okay," Nathan agreed.

"See you then," Harry said, squeezing Nathan's shoulder in a show of affection. "See you in class tomorrow," he added to the other boys and left.

"Harry Potter remembers my father. How cool is that?" Andy said. Nathan rolled his eyes at his cheerful friends. They left the Great Hall shortly after Harry and headed back to Gryffindor Tower.

Nathan met Hagrid by the Entrance Hall at the appointed time. Harry wasn't there yet. He greeted the Care of Magical Creatures teacher, "Hi, Hagrid."

"'Ello, Nathan. Are yeh comin' for tea as well?" the half-giant asked with a smile.

"Yes, Uncle Harry invited me," Nathan answered.

At that moment, Professor Snape entered the hall, coming from the dungeons, and headed to where they were waiting for Harry.

"Good afternoon, Hagrid," Snape greeted. "I'm in need of your services. My supply of unicorn hair has run out and I'll need it refilled for my classes this week," Snape said, totally ignoring Nathan's presence.

"Sure, Prof'ssor Snape. I'll get yeh some tomorrow evening," Hagrid answered.

"That will be too late for tomorrow morning's classes. Can't you fetch some tonight?" Professor Snape insisted.

"I'm sorry, Prof'ssor, but I have some school business to run in London," Hagrid said.

"Well, I'll just change the schedule of tomorrow's classes, then," Snape said and with a slight inclination of his head, left the hall for the dungeons just as Harry arrived.

"Hey, Nathan, Hagrid," he greeted. "Sorry I'm late. Minerva kept me a little longer than I expected," he added.

"No problem, Harry," the half-giant assured him, and they left for the castle grounds and Hagrid's Hut.

"How was tea with Harry Potter?" Josephina asked as soon as Nathan entered the common room. Everybody in the room turned their attention to him at that.

Nathan paused and then, with a frown, answered, "It was okay, not that it concerns any of you." His glare made the staring Gryffindors go back to their business. Even as a first-year, Nathan was respected among his Gryffindor fellows for his connections with the Golden Trio; he was the famous Hermione Granger's son, after all. Nathan spotted his friends in a corner of the room and went to join them.

"Hey, Nathan. You'll tell us, right?" Andy asked.

"Of course he will, Andy. We're his best friends, right, Nathan?" Kevin completed.

"Okay," Nathan sighed, resigned to his fate. "What do you want to know?"

"What did you talk about?" Andy asked, bringing his chair closer to listen.

"First, Uncle Harry and Hagrid were talking about Ministry things. Really boring," Nathan said, trying to discourage his friends' interest.

"And after that?" Kevin asked.

It failed.

"Well, he wanted to talk to me about my detention. My mother discovered it and she was really mad at me," Nathan said, still reflecting over his godfather's words. He had disappointed his mother.

"That's it?" Kevin asked, disappointed.

"Yeah, pretty much it," Nathan answered.

The boys went back to their homework but Nathan had already finished his, leaving him time to think about what his godfather had said. He had to fix things with his mother. He had disappointed her and now had to come up with something to make her proud of him again. His mind was racing. That was when he remembered a conversation he had listened to earlier. He looked through the window, the sun is setting, perfect! He stood up abruptly, which called his friends' attention back to him.

"Where are you going?" Andy asked.

"I need to get some potions ingredients. I'll see you later," he answered, already reaching for the Fat Lady to leave the common room.

He met only a few students wandering the school on his way to the Entrance Hall, but nobody seemed interested in the boy rushing past them, not even when he opened the big front door that led to the grounds. He left the safety of the castle and strode directly to the borders of the Forbidden Forest.

Nathan wasn't lying to his friends back in the common room. He was there to fetch some potions ingredients. What he didn't tell them was that said ingredients weren't for him, but for Professor Snape. He would find a unicorn herd and take some of their hair back with him. That's a brilliant idea! I'll make Professor Snape give me house points and my mother will be very proud of me for getting points from Professor Snape, no doubt! And with that in mind, he entered the woods.

Finding the unicorns wasn't supposed to be hard. They could be found in clearings, they lived in herds and their white hair shone in the moon light. Nathan had read all about it. Walking in the woods was proving a little harder than he expected, though. The trees were getting closer and closer together as he advanced deeper into the forest. The shorter branches were scratching him and the shadows the trees made were blocking most of the light provided by the full moon shining on that early evening.

He didn't stop, though. He kept advancing until he found the first clearing, but no unicorns were there. Not to be deterred, he walked even deeper into the forest, looking for the creatures, until he finally found them resting in the third clearing he reached.

Nathan was mesmerized by the unicorns. He had never seen such beauty before. Read about, yes, but not seen. He stood there for some time, admiring the creatures, until a sudden movement scared them away from the clearing. Nathan was startled from his stupor then and looked around, searching for the source of what had frightened the unicorns, but saw nothing. He fully entered the clearing then, wanting to pursue the creatures, and that was when he saw it. Three giant spiders appeared, entering the clearing from the opposite side to which the unicorns had left it.

Nathan didn't have time to scream. He took off in the same direction the white creatures had gone. He ran as fast as he could through the thick, tangled trees. The spiders were behind him and he kept running, not wondering where he was going, not caring if the branches of the trees were hurting his skin, until a branch cut his leg deeply and he fell to the ground. The spiders were still coming his way; he could hear them. He got up and resumed his running, even limping and bleeding as he was.

Nathan was just managing to keep ahead of the giant spiders until he stumbled on a salient root and hurt his left ankle. He screamed from the pain, fell and lay there in the bed of decomposing leaves, all his strength gone, breathing hard. That's it, he thought, a tear leaving his eye. He was fighting to stay conscious as weakness abated him after all the blood he'd lost.

Kevin and Andy were in the Great Hall finishing their dinner. They got tired of waiting for Nathan to come back and had left the common room in the hope of finding him in the library, but didn't. They entered the Great Hall thinking they would find him there already, but he wasn't there either. Supper had ended and there was still no sign of Nathan.

"Where do you think he is?" Andy asked.

"I don't know. He said something about potions ingredients. I thought he had gone to the dungeons or something, but now…" Kevin answered.

"Maybe Snape killed him. I don't think he likes Nathan very much," mused Andy with a horrified look.

"Don't be silly, Andy," was Kevin retort, his voice not very convincing.

They decided to approach the Head Table and tell Professor McGonagall they didn't know where Nathan was.

"Hello, boys. Is there something you need?" the Headmistress asked the approaching Gryffindors.

"Yes, Headmistress. Nathan didn't appear for dinner and we can't find him anywhere," Kevin informed.

That called the attention of the man seated at McGonagall's left.

"Did you look for him in the library?" asked Harry.

"Yes, we did, Mr. Potter," Andy answered.

"I was with him earlier this afternoon. I saw him entering the castle." Harry was now talking to the Headmistress.

"Well, did you see him this afternoon, Mr. Wood, Mr. Brown?" she asked the boys.

"Yes, he was back from his meeting with Mr. Potter, but then he left again saying he needed some potions ingredients, and we haven't seen him since," Kevin said.

That piece of information brought the man on McGonagall's right into the conversation. Previously he had only been listening, feigning disinterest.

"I didn't see him in the dungeons today," Snape stated.

"Where did he go, then?" asked Harry, somewhat rhetorically.

That was when Professor Snape stood up and addressed the Headmistress. "We need to start a search through the grounds and the forest."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, "Do you know where he is?"

"I think the stupid boy got winded by his foolish Gryffindor bravery and went to the forest to fetch unicorn hair," Snape said and cursed under his breath.

"How can you know that for sure?" Professor McGonagall asked, nervous now.

"He heard a conversation I had with Hagrid earlier today. I didn't know the stupid boy would want to get the blasted stuff himself," the Potions master answered, already leaving the Great Hall. Right behind him was Harry Potter, who didn't want to waste any more time with whys and hows, either. They would have time for that later.

They were in the grounds in an instant, and at the borders of the forest in another. "I'll take this trail that leads to the right, you can take that one to the left," Harry said, and was gone before Snape could come up with a retort.

Snape growled after Potter's demand, but obliged, taking the track he had pointed out. He illuminated his path with the light from his wand tip. With whispered words, Snape performed a locating charm that pointed deep into the forest. "Why, I'm not surprised," he murmured, irritated, before starting to follow it. Soon he reached the clearing where Nathan had met the unicorns. He frowned. The locating charm wasn't pointing to a trail, but to a close-knit thicket of trees. Something is not right, he thought and followed that direction with more urgency.

The boy had definitely gone that way. The broken branches were enough evidence. Snape stopped in his tracks when he spotted something in the ground. Blood, he realized, confirming that the Granger boy was indeed in trouble. Snape was almost running now.

He followed the blood trail, which was longer than he expected. When the amount of blood was increasing, Snape heard a scream. Granger, he acknowledged, and began running flat out in the direction from which the sound had come. Soon he found who he was looking for, and then he saw the reason for the boy's scream. Three giant spiders were trying to get to the boy on the ground. Snape flicked his wand and aimed it at the spider closest to the fallen body, but no words escaped his mouth. A red light filled the darkness and hit one of the spiders, which started to contort helplessly. The other two were hit with the same mute hex from subsequent flicks of Severus' wand.

With the spiders now subdued and harmless, Snape passed by them and knelt by the boy on the ground. He cursed the boy's stupidity once more as he eyed Nathan, measuring the extent of his injuries. The boy had only minor scratches and cuts, but for an ugly one on his right leg; it was bleeding hard. "Mr. Granger!" Snape said in his strong voice. He got no answer and tried again, now shaking the boy's shoulders, "Mr. Granger!" Nathan slightly opened his eyes, but closed them again almost immediately. "Damn Gryffindor!" Snape cursed under his breath before calling the boy once again, this time by his first name, "Nathan!"

Nathan opened his eyes again and found himself conscious enough to acknowledge, with a weak voice, "Professor Snape," and then added, after a sharp intake of breath, "I knew… you would come."

Nathan's words were not lost on Snape. He was expecting me to come for him, he realized, with a flicker of something in his chest. Mastering his emotions, he asked, "Can you stand?" The biting tone of his voice all but absent. He noticed and frowned at himself.

"No," was Nathan whined response. "My ankle…"

Snape put his arms around the boy and lifted him from the ground as he stood from his kneeling position. Nathan let a pained sound escape at the sudden movement. Snape started walking back to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, carrying Nathan. The boy wrapped his arms around Snape's neck and rested his forehead on Snape's shoulder. "Stay awake, Granger! You lost too much blood," Snape said when he realized that the boy in his arms was closing his eyes yet again. He increased his pace.

Halfway to the edge of the forest, they met a very worried Harry Potter. "I heard the scream. Is he okay?" he asked, catching his breath.

"He has injured his leg and lost a great deal of blood," Snape answered, not breaking stride to address the other man.

"Let me take him," Harry said.

"It's not necessary, Potter. I've got him," Snape answered.

"I'll take him from here," Harry insisted, reaching to take Nathan from Snape's arms.

"It's all right… Uncle Harry," a weak voice said. "Professor Snape… saved me," Nathan added and closed his eyes once again.

"Stay awake, boy!" Snape snapped once more. Nathan opened his eyes again and tightened his grip on Snape's shoulders.

The three of them kept walking towards the school. When they reached the edge of the forest, Snape turned to Harry. "Potter, alert the others that I found him. I'll take him to the Hospital Wing."

Harry hesitated for a moment, but then complied. Snape reached the front door and walked straight to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey was already waiting for them. "Put him in that bed, Severus," she instructed.

Snape did as he was told, ever so gently, and stood aside. "He has lost a great deal of blood. He's falling in a hypothermic state," he informed the mediwitch.

"Thank you, Severus. Now give me some space so I can work properly," Poppy snapped.

He complied, but didn't leave the ward. His mind was on the boy lying on the bed. He preferred me over Potter. Why? I saved him, yes! But still… he couldn't rationalize on the boy's reasons. He was lost for words and seemingly for thoughts as well. He walked even farther away from the bed when Harry came in with McGonagall; Snape was now standing in a shadowed corner of the ward, observing the mediwitch work.

"How is he?" Harry asked.

"He'll be just fine, Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey assured him. "He has lost some blood and fractured his ankle. I've fixed it already," she added and tipped the contents of a potions vial into Nathan's mouth.

"What's that for?" Harry asked.

"It's the Blood-Replenishing Potion. Now let me do my work!" the mediwitch snapped.

At that moment, the fire on the hearth flashed green and a woman swirled out of it. "Where's my son?" Hermione asked, and didn't need an answer. "Nathan!" She spotted him on the only occupied bed of the ward and walked to it, not even Madam Pomfrey could stop Hermione. "What's wrong with him?" she asked with tears in her eyes, brushing Nathan's black hair back from his forehead.

"He'll be fine, Hermione," Harry said wrapping an arm around her and taking her out of Madam Pomfrey's way.

"What happened? I received a message saying my son was injured. How did this happen?" she asked, watching the mediwitch work on Nathan.

"He was found in the Forbidden Forest," McGonagall spoke up. "We don't know yet what he was doing there."

"Who found him?" Hermione asked, looking at Harry.

"Snape," Harry answered, averting his eyes from Hermione's.

Silence fell upon the ward.

The tall figure with blood stained black robes who remained unnoticed in a shadowed corner of the room didn't say anything either. Snape was watching the woman that had surged from the fireplace with curiosity. She was physically changed; a mature woman, he noticed. Frightened for her son, and fiercely protective. Of course, he concluded, she's a Gryffindor, after all.

"Where is he?" Hermione broke the awkward silence.

"I don't know. Probably back in the dungeons," Harry said.

"I want to see him," Hermione stated.

That declaration made Snape's body stiffen. He didn't want to meet her. He couldn't face her.

"What for?" Harry asked.

"To thank him, of course," she answered.

Snape's heart was aching. The last thing he wanted was Hermione Granger thanking him for anything. I don't deserve your kindness, Miss. Granger, he thought, or anyone's for that matter, but especially not yours. He closed his eyes, trying to get some control of his emotions.

"I could call him," McGonagall offered.

"I'd like that," Hermione said gratefully. Madam Pomfrey had finished healing Nathan's superficial injures, and Hermione approached the bed once again, "He's saved you more than once now," she told the unconscious boy in a low voice, stroking his face with the back of her hand.

It wasn't low enough, though. Snape had heard and was now frowning. When did I save the boy before? He couldn't recall. I didn't even know she had a son until this term started, he mused.

Professor McGonagall approached the fireplace and threw in a fistful of Floo Powder, calling the Potions classroom, but got no answer. She tried Severus' office to no avail. At last, she called for his private quarters, but no one answered there, either. The Headmistress turned Hermione's way and said, "I can't find Professor Snape; maybe he's patrolling the corridors."

Hermione nodded. Severus released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Visiting time is over," Madam Pomfrey said, returning to the ward some time later. "Mr. Granger needs to rest and he won't wake until tomorrow, when the effects of the mild Sleeping Draught have worn off," she added.

"I'm not going anywhere," Hermione said. Poppy glared daggers at her.

Harry knew that look from the mediwitch all too well. "Come on, 'Mione, we'll be back first thing in the morning. You heard Madam Pomfrey, he'll be sleeping the whole night," he said, taking his friend by the shoulders.

"You can have a room here for the night, Hermione," McGonagall added, and the three left the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey retreated to her office at the end of the ward. The only ones left in the room were Snape and the sleeping boy.

Severus approached the bed and stood there for a moment. "What does your mother mean?" he asked the sleeping figure. "I never saved you before."

He stayed there some time yet, observing Nathan's chest rise and fall with each breath, before leaving the ward as well.

He didn't take the corridor that led to the dungeons, though; he didn't want to be found. Instead, he decided to truly patrol the corridors. He had too much on his mind to even think about sleeping tonight. His feet took him to the only place he hadn't entered since he had returned to Hogwarts after the war: the Astronomy Tower.

A/N: Yeah, I know! I've already been told it's a cliffhanger, but I'm sure you can wait until my next update, right? Friday is just there already. :0)

I want to know what you think of the story so far, just leave me a review! I'll be answering all of them on my LJ (the link is on my profile page) next Wednesday.

FerPotter :0)

Coming next… Snape is for a day of unpleasant meetings and someone finally discovers Hermione's secret.

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