All I Want For Christmas

Disclaimer:: I don't own any of this, JKR has all claims to Harry Potter and it's characters, and I am unfortunately not getting paid; not that I write well enough to receive money for this story or any others I happen to write.
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Severus awoke in the middle of the night, screaming. The fire in his new room flared, revealing Madame Pomfrey. "What is it?"
Snape gulped in mouthfuls of air, calming himself. "Miss Granger. I-"
"Oh no, Severus. I'm sorry, but you know what the Headmaster said-"
"Then get me, Albus!"
The witch disappeared with a glare. A moment later, his door swung open admitting the medi-witch, Dumbledore following her, the twinkle absent from his usually brilliant eyes. The witch was mumbling something about just gotten out of the hospital wing that morning and already a grouchy, demanding arse. Dumbledore had been amazingly quick in getting the room ready for him. He slept in the infirmary one night after being placed on sabbatical, this morning being levitated under an invisibility cloak to his room. "Severus."
"Sir...I remember! I...oh Gods! Sir, I was forced to watch Lucius...he." He sighed, "I have reason to believe her parents are dead."
"I will tell her the news that her mother may be dead."
"Sir?"
"Her father was sent back with you. We found the two of you at the gates, unconscious. We thought he was dead; however, he lived. He is staying with Miss. Granger."
"Why didn't anyone tell me? Does he remember anything?"
"No. I suppose they will be most grave when I give them the news."
"Perhaps, I should-"
"No, you mustn't see her." he was calm, but the tone in his voice told the Potions master that the decision was final. "I will inform her in the morning of your returning memory. If she does have questions, I will be the messenger. Understand?"
"Yes, sir." Dumbledore nodded and retreated from the room. Severus rolled to his side and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He was going crazy, he could feel it. Though he missed Hermione, he realized how relieved he was that they couldn't be together. He loved her so much and would rather never come in contact with her again than see her end up in the grasp of the likes of Lucius Malfoy. Severus sighed, he wasn't going crazy, he was in hell.
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Hermione woke the next morning and skulked down to the Great Hall. On any normal school day she knew she wouldn't be allowed to see Severus anyway, but the knowledge that she was forbidden to merely look at him killed her. She sat down heavily across from Ron and Harry. They both gave her an odd frown laced with worry and pity. She artfully rolled her eyes and laid her head on the table. Of course she hadn't told them her situation. The idea was unimaginable. "Hermione?" Came Ron's voice. She shivered, remembering the day....Severus had been so...she sighed, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"Yes, Ronald?" Her eyes cast down to the table, on which sat her empty plate. Ron glanced at Harry, who shrugged.
"Are you...you feeling well? You've been kinda...down."
"Fine, Ron." She looked up, an odd smile in place. She was thankful neither of them could read her mind; that and they were dense enough to not pay attention to the fact that her "down" mood coincided with the Potions Master's absence. Before they could ask her any more on it, she stood up and walked away as quickly as she could. She felt sick and wanted to go to the hospital wing but for all she knew they wouldn't allow her. After a few minutes, she realized she didn't care if she would be allowed in the infirmary as she fell to her knees retching hard the few objects she had eaten since the night before. Mostly stomach acids, of course. "Hermione!" came a wavering voice from behind her. Recognizing Ron's voice she let out a sob. She felt cold hands on her warm neck as her hair was pulled away from her sweaty face. When the horrible ache in her stomach had subsided and the burn in her throat gave way to the water she was handed, Hermione leaned back into her ex-boyfriend's chest. Harry stood in front of her, staring as if she was going to die. The vomit had been cleaned up and the boys were unsure of what was next. "Hermione?" That was Ron, she realized again. She grunted her acknowledgement. "Hermione, we're going to take you up to the hospital wing. Okay?" She gave a soft whimper, which the boys took as a sign to hurry. 'The infirmary?' She thought. It was so weird...the whole way up, she could only think, 'Severus is there.'
Reaching the hospital wing, Harry and Ron began shouting for assistance, "Madame Pomfrey! Please, help!"
She was there before they could reach a bed. "What is it?" For once she didn't sound annoyed. Seeing the girl, Hermione's expectations were proved wrong as the medi-witch helped support her to the bed.
"Madame, please," came Harry's reply. "We found her on the stairs, she was vomiting." Pomfrey stopped for a moment, deep in thought. They heard a near-by bed groan, startling the older witch. "Into my office. Now," she further shooed them. Once the door was shut, the medi-witch prepared a bed by her office at the front of the room and pulled the curtain closed around it. She'd be damned if Snape would see the girl. She hadn't a clue why Dumbledore had insisted on their separation, but didn't think twice about it. "Not like they would have wanted to see each other anyway," she thought to herself. The headmaster was a strange one, but most assuredly brilliant. Hermione was taken quietly from the eyes of her friends and changed into a hospital gown with the help of Pomfrey. After she was settled, the boys were allowed in. "Five minutes," the witch announced and went to another patient.
"Five minutes? Why give us any time at all!" Ron whined, worry written on his features.
"Ron, she knows what she's doing." Harry wasn't much better. Hermione remained quiet, wishing more than anything she might get a glance of Severus. The five minutes were quickly up and the boys left to occupy themselves while their worry mounted.
The medi-witch reappeared, when they had gone, with a clipboard and a rather amusing quill_it actually had the magical doctor symbol of "snakes on a wand" somehow on the otherwise black feather. Pomfrey muttered the first answers to herself as she sat in the chair next to the bed. "Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall. Now then, Granger, tell me...your symptoms."
"Uh..." she murmured, her throat raw and aching.”Well, I don't know. I threw up. I haven't been feeling well."
"Okay. Age?"
"Seventeen."
"Ooh," Pomfrey began, "studying hard for those NEWTS, Miss Granger?" Hermione's head shot up, she had forgotten about the tests. Pomfrey smiled. "Right, well, with your age I have to ask this question. Are you sexually active?" The blush on Hermione's face gave the older witch the disappointing answer, but added, "Come on. Yes or No?"
"Yes," was her whispered answer. Pomfrey nodded and checked a box.
"Okay. With your signature, your permission, I would like to run some tests. Also, if you see anything on that sheet that you can fill out, please, do so."
Handing back the clipboard, Pomfrey unhooked the paper and took out her wand. She tossed the paper in the air and quickly made two full circles around it with the said wand. The paper disappeared! Hermione let out a surprised gasp. "Shh," the witch said," its okay. Just stay calm. This won't hurt a bit." Hermione was reassured as the medi-witch merely passed her wand over her body, starting above her head moving toward her feet. Then, quite suddenly, there was a loud BANG and the paper reappeared, floating to rest softly on Hermione. "Let's see what we have here, Miss Granger." Pomfrey looked over the paper. Her lips drew into a tight line and Hermione felt her own face fall into a frown.
"Is everything okay? Is there something wrong with me?"
"Fine. Fine. You'll excuse me, won't you, Miss Granger. Try to get some rest." Hermione was surprised to hear, almost as soon as Pomfrey left securing her curtain to hear the witch hiss at someone, "back to bed, you!" She chuckled to herself and let herself drift off to sleep.
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"Madame Pomfrey! Please, help!" Snape jerked awake and rolled to his back. "Why doesn't it surprise me that they would start yelling in a hospital wing?" Snape thought. After last night's episode, Pomfrey had insisted that he come up for a check up. He had apparently fallen asleep as he waited for her to finish with these boys. "Madame, please, we found her on the stairs, she was vomiting." They were quiet for a moment and Snape's attempt to get out of bed was ineffective, because as he stood the bed groaned. The sound resulted in a whispered curse from the Potions master and a quick response of "into my office. Now," from Pomfrey.
Severus watched the boys assist Hermione into the office, as the older witch prepared a bed across from his own. He hurried back into his bed after she was taken to her close-curtained area. Hermione was certainly quieter than usual and he listened to the boys trying to involve her in a conversation. "She obviously doesn't want to talk, you dunderheads, " he thought, annoyed at the sound of their voices. Soon, the boys were told to leave and their questions were replaced by those of Pomfrey. Severus listened quietly, awaiting the results of the testing. He heard the BANG and prayed to whatever Gods he believed in that she was okay. When Pomfrey didn't immediately answer Hermione's nervous questions "is everything okay? Is there something wrong with me?" Snape eased off his bed and made his way slowly by her bed.
"Fine. Fine. You'll excuse me, won't you, Miss Granger. Try to get some rest." came the warning to get back. The curtain flew back and Snape rushed back by his bed. "Back to bed, you!"
Quietly, so he wouldn't upset Hermione, he asked, "May I at least go to the loo?"
"Yes, but that's on the other side of the room. Not behind Miss Granger's curtain."
"How right you are. But you were over there and I needed to ask you a question."
"Severus Snape," she hissed for same reasons as he. "You know better. Next time, call for me, ring a bloody bell. Stay behind you curtain."
"Well fine. May I go to the rest room? Hold on, what's that say?" He noticed the paper in Pomfrey's hand, the one with Hermione's information had his name on it. He quickly grabbed it away and held her out of reach as he read : symptoms_vomiting. 'flu maybe," he thought reading on: illness/diagnosis..."Are you sure this is correct?"
"Well of course it’s correct! When are my tests ever wrong?" He nodded.
"So she's..she-Hermione!" He gasped running out of his curtained area. He was suddenly tied up and on the floor. "I have the right to see her!" He hissed.
"Not until I tell Dumbledore. It’s his decision." She took the paper from him and shook her head. "Shame on you, Snape. To think, you're a teacher."
His voice was a dangerous low," Pomfrey. I am the father of the life growing in that young woman's womb. They are both my responsibility, I have the right to see her."
"Severus, back to bed, now," came that stern voice of the headmaster. The ropes immediately disappeared and after giving Hermione's curtains another glance, Snape sat within his own. "Now, Poppy, you go make sure Miss Granger is still asleep, then." He sighed, "we talk."