Dawning Comprehension

The next morning dawned cold, damp, and stormy. Severus woke feeling so stiff and achy, he could barely breathe, let alone move. He fumbled for his wand to Accio potions, blankets, and a hot water bottle, but only managed to knock it off the nightstand and onto the floor. Bugger. He couldn't reach it there, not as stiff as he was.

Hermione was not in the best of moods. The weather didn't help any with her cramps, the house was so quiet that the stormy weather felt depressing rather than cozy, and once again there was no sign that any cooking had taken place. It seemed she would have to play house-elf to him if she wanted food.

"Breakfast is in the kitchen." She turned and walked away from his room briskly. Damned if she'd be waiting on him again! But as she left he called her back.

"Hermione, wait a minute." She wouldn't have stopped if she hadn't been so surprised to hear him use her given name. "Could you please see if there are any more vials of dark purple potion? If they're not in the suite bathroom, check the pantry and the lab."

There was no dark purple potion, not in any sort of container in any of the places. It didn't escape her notice that he nearly whimpered when she told him, or that he was paler than usual. "It's medicine, isn't it?" she guessed. "What is it? How are you feeling? Maybe there's something to do to relieve your symptoms while I brew you more of it."

"Essence of Willow Pain Elixir."

She noticed that his breathing was shallow.

"Everything hurts. Moving feels like ripping open cuts. I ache all over, every inch of me. I would have Summoned blankets and a hot water bottle, but I dropped my wand and I can't reach it."

She retrieved his wand and Summoned the items.

She had missed brewing while living in a tiny flat with no place to do it. It was a calming activity, and for the first time since the end of the war, she felt needed. Nor was she still mad at her new housemate. He was genuinely unwell, and he needed her assistance. He probably hated needing it, but he did, and she was able to help and that felt good.

"When did this start?" She handed him a vial of the fresh batch of potion. "There must be something to be done for it besides just managing the pain."

He gulped it down with some relief. "While recovering from the snakebite. The pains aren't new. Everywhere I've been injured in the past hurts now."

"I'll do some research. In the meantime, is there any pattern you've noticed to how bad the pain is? Is it worse after spending time in a certain position? Does the weather have any effect? What about different foods?"

"Still at it with the questions, I see. Yes, damp weather makes it worse."

"Have you seen a Healer about it? What did they say?"

"I have no Floo connection, and I'm not about to attempt travel when I'm not feeling well." He had taken on an expression like a sulky little boy. She ignored it.

"Hold still a moment." She cast a diagnostic spell and surveyed the rainbow of colors glowing across his skin. "I've never used that before, but it looks like it worked. Do those red spots correspond to where it hurts?"

He looked down. "Yes."

"Well, according to what I've read about this spell, it looks to me like something is attacking all the scar tissue in your body. That sounds vaguely familiar. There has to be something about it in the literature." She lifted the spell, already distracted by the prospect of research. "I'm off to run an errand, and then I'll be in the library doing research if you need anything."