Chapter 2

Fading: Chapter Two

A/N: As always, I own nothing. Rowling is the genius. The story at this point is AU. DH compliant only through the Shrieking Shack scene. Enjoy!

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He looked so vulnerable, lying there on the cot in the makeshift infirmary. He was paler than normal, if that was even possible. It was such a contrast from the intimidating Potions professor she had grown to know in her seven years at school.

Hermione checked his pulse again. It was still faint, but present. The anti-venom, or whatever had been in the little glass vial, had been in his system for two hours now, and all she could do was wait and watch for any signs of improvement. So far, there had been none.

But he isn’t getting worse, she thought, letting herself hope that he would live.

Three hours ago, she hadn’t had much hope at all. She had gone back to the Shrieking Shack after seeing the memories with Harry and Ron. She had been beside herself with hopelessness, not knowing what to do to save the man who had risked everything to save them all.

She had been able to stop the bleeding with a few quick Healing spells, but that did nothing to stop Nagini’s venom running through what little blood Snape had left in his slowly dying body. She had dug through her magically enlarged handbag and finally had retrieved the Blood-Replenishing Potion she had carried with them the entire year. She had quickly forced the liquid down her former professor’s throat. And then the hopelessness, again, washed over her body.

Think, Granger! There must be something! She started to dump the contents of her bag onto the wooden floor, ransacking through all of the books, vials, and parchment. Nothing. She felt the tears of fear and frustration start to flow. Suddenly, as if the thought had come from somewhere else in the room, she started digging through the many pockets and compartments of Professor Snape’s voluminous, black robes. Just as she was about to give up hope, she felt a hard lump under his ribcage. She tore at the buttons of his frock coat to find a small pocket on the underside with a slender vial inside of it. Written along the side in his spidery handwriting were the words For Nagini.

So he had seen this coming, she thought. She quickly uncorked the vial and dumped the contents of the potion inside of his mouth. The pained expression that had marked his pinched face faded slowly. She allowed herself a sigh of relief, however short-lived.

She had decided that it was probably safest to stay in the shack until she heard word that Voldemort was defeated. Ron and Harry knew where to find her.

As long as they both survive, that is. She shook her head. She couldn’t let herself think that way. She waited for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality, was only an hour, before Ron came bursting into the room, declaring that Harry had triumphed. The Dark Lord was vanquished and the wizarding world was safe once again.

Together, she and Ron had levitated Snape’s body through the wreckage outside of the castle. Once he was assured that Hermione was unharmed and that Snape was safe, Ron left the infirmary to grieve the loss of his brother with his family. That left Hermione alone to grieve for the deaths of her friends. But, caring for Professor Snape kept her mind distracted from the hurt and depression.

He had risked everything to deliver the world from Voldemort’s grasp, and he deserved to live as a free man for the first time in his life. And she would do everything in her power to make sure it happened.

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So this is what it feels like to be dead, Severus thought. His entire body ached as if he had been trampled by one of Hagrid’s monsters. His throat felt raw and dry, and there was a throbbing in his neck. Surely, death would have brought relief. Perhaps this is Purgatory? Unless…

I’m not dead. I survived. He listened around him and heard murmurs of conversations. He heard crying. For a second, his mind reeled with the possibility that Voldemort had won. That Dumbledore’s perfectly intricate plan had not worked. Or, that, as unthinkable as it was, Potter had run to save his own life. But then he heard the unmistakable sound of laughter.

It wasn’t the harsh, cold laughter he had heard so often in the presence of the Death Eaters. It was a very innocent laugh. And he knew immediately that Lily’s son had succeeded. The War was over and he was free.

He allowed himself to slip back into an easy slumber.

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A/N: Thank you so much to ks51689 for beta reading for me! Also much thanks to my Morgan, for all of her support and cheerleading. You ladies are awesome!