13. The Wake of War

Chapter Thirteen: The Wake of War

The light hurt her eyes after being asleep for so long. Everything was too white. Sounds were too loud. Smells were too strong. There was an overpowering scent of gardenia and roses. For a while, she thought she was dreaming. A few times, she found herself wondering if perhaps she had died.

However, as she regained consciousness, and the dull ache in her body became unmanageable, she realised that she was very much alive. It took an eternity before she felt strong enough to open her eyes, and then she did, but only to see if someone could alleviate the pain.

"Hermione," a familiar voice called to her, urging her out of her stupor. She turned her head toward the sound.

"Harry," she whispered as his face came into focus. "Where am I? Where's Severus?"

Harry reached out and pushed a lock of hair out of her face. "You're at St. Mungo's. So is Severus."

"You're okay? What happened? Did we win?" There were a thousand questions she wanted to ask, but no breath with which to ask them.

Harry looked somber. "Yes, we won, if you can call over a score of dead Aurors and Order members winning. Voldemort is dead, in any case, thanks to you."

Hermione smiled, or at least it felt like she was smiling. "Can I see Severus? Where is he?"

"Hermione..." The tone of Harry's voice betrayed his uncertainty. He would not meet her eyes.

"What? You said he was here, Harry. I want to see him." Suddenly, she was very alert. Adrenaline pumped through her system, giving her a false sense of strength. The pain, which was so intense only a moment before, no longer mattered. She tried to get out of bed.

"No, Hermione. You can't. They won't let you see him. He's...he's on the fourth floor." Harry urged her to stay where she was, plumping up her pillows so that she could sit.

She let him pamper her while the news sank in. The fourth floor. The same ward Neville's parents were being kept in. The same ward as Lockhart.

"Is he conscious?" she whispered.

"No," Harry answered. "His eyes are open, but he responds to nobody. They say that four Death Eaters had him under the Cruciatus Curse before they were able to be stopped. I think their goal was to make him a vegetable like the Longbottoms. He hasn't moved since they brought him here."

Tears coursed down her cheeks. She needed to see him. She needed to go to him, to be with him. She needed to tell him...to tell him that she loved him, that she was there for him, that she would never leave his side.

"I need to be with him, Harry. Tell the Healers that I need to see him," she pleaded. If she could have, she would have crawled up the stairs to his bedside. As it was, the boost of adrenaline was short-lived, and she didn't have the energy to wipe away her own tears.

"They know already, Hermione. I told them it would be difficult to keep you here once you found out." Harry gently dabbed her cheeks and wiped her nose. "I'll take you tomorrow. Right now, you need to sleep and build your energy. You'll need it."

Of that, she had no doubt. She already felt the heaviness in her lids. Even the need for sleep was overpowering her need to see Severus.

"Harry?" she whispered, one last thought breaking through her stupor. "The Redwood potion. It's in my robe..."

She never heard his response, because she was already fast asleep.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

When she awoke the next morning, her head felt clearer. Her muscles seemed stronger, and she found that she could even make it to the loo without assistance. A vague memory of Harry wiping her nose the night before haunted her, and she was awfully glad to have the energy to use the bathroom and wash by herself.

Refreshed, she exited and saw her belongings lying on a chair. Rummaging through the pockets of her mud-encrusted robes, she found the vial of the Redwood potion. It was cracked, and the potion had dried the pocket stiff. She grabbed at her throat. Where was the vial she had worn about her neck?

"Is this what you're looking for?" Harry spoke from the doorway.

She spun on her heel to face him, wobbling slightly. In his hand was the vial, unbroken and hanging from a chain.

He smiled at her. "Feeling better today?" he asked.

"Much, thanks," she answered, walking over and taking the vial from his hand. "Can I see him now?"

"The Healer said you can if I go with you. They don't think you're strong enough, but I told them you'd probably walk all the way to Scotland if you had to." Harry held out his arm for her to take.

The words 'Spell Damage' stared at her in looming red letters as they approached the landing. It brought reality crashing down upon her. She felt like she had failed Severus somehow. They had done so well up to the point the Polyjuice wore off. He hadn't wanted to use the Redwood-enhanced version of the potion, arguing that he couldn't fight very effectively as Penelope. She gave in, admitting that he had a point.

If only she had been paying attention. If only she had kept her eyes on Severus instead of the Dark Lord. If only...

Sniffling, she pushed open the great doors and found herself face to face with the Healer in charge of the ward. The slightly plump witch looked her over and then over at Harry, realising who they were immediately.

"The professor is in the corner, next to the window, dear. I'm afraid there hasn't been any improvement since they brought him in. If you need anything, my name is Healer Pickwick." The smile was forced, but the sympathy was genuine. Hermione knew that smile well, having apprenticed at St. Mungo's for over a year and having faced similar situations. She thanked the woman as Harry led her in the direction they were pointed.

Severus was near the window, reclining in a chair. His hair had been pulled back at the nape of his neck, the way she liked it. If one did not know better, one would have thought that he was merely resting, enjoying the view. Except his eyes did not blink, and his expression...well, he had no expression. She would have given her right arm to see even a hint of a sneer curl his upper lip.

Hermione turned. "Harry, I'm going to be here for a while, and I didn't have any breakfast. Would you mind bringing some tea and biscuits from the tearoom?"

"I wouldn't mind at all," Harry whispered, as if anything louder might disturb the silent occupants of the ward. "I'll be right back."

She watched as Harry left through the giant doors they had just entered. When he was gone, she made sure the Healer was occupied and closed the curtain for privacy.

Searching Severus' face, she called to him. "Severus?" He made no move to look at her. Her heart fell into her stomach. Even the Longbottoms responded somewhat to their surroundings, though she supposed it had taken years to reach that level of consciousness. She spoke again, hoping that he could hear her. "Severus, listen to me. Remember our promise to each other? You have to come back to me."

Wiping away a tear that had escaped unnoticed, she removed her robe and stood before him in her hospital-issued pyjamas. Quickly, she drank the Redwood potion and took out her wand. "Levamentum," she whispered, pointing first at her left hand and then her right.

Looking at Severus, she whispered, "We don't have much time before Harry gets back, Severus. Let's make the most of it."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

When Harry returned from the tearoom, he found Hermione curled up in Severus' lap, sound asleep. He gently sat the tea and biscuits down on the nearest table and hurried to her side.

"Don't worry, Mister Potter, she's fine," said a weak and barely audible voice.

Harry nearly fell over backwards in shock. To his utter amazement, Severus Snape was looking directly at him. Granted, he looked even weaker than Hermione had the day before, but he was indeed looking at him.

"Prof...Professor?" he asked incredulously. How could it be? Only the day before, the Healers were telling him there was no hope.

"If you are done gaping like a fish out of water, I would like some of that tea." Snape's words were all bark and no bite and certainly very welcome.

Harry grinned widely. "Right away, Professor. Would you like me to place Hermione on the bed first?"

"No," Snape whispered. "I think I would like to hold her for a while. But, I don't think I can hold a teacup at the moment. If you wouldn't mind?"

"Anything, Professor." Harry held the teacup up to Severus' mouth so he could drink. Seeing the professor like this, even though he needed help to do such a simple task, was the best thing he had seen in over a week. Smiling, he put the empty cup on the table.

"Best cup of tea I ever had." The man sighed and stared down at the girl in his arms. He didn't move for so long that Harry thought he had fallen asleep. That is, until he heard the question he was dreading to hear. "Tell me, Potter. Who did we lose?"

Harry sighed. "Albus is gone. Voldemort killed him right before Hermione's spell took effect." He paused, unable to continue.

Severus looked at the boy and felt a little sorry for him, "I think Albus knew he wasn't going to come back. I think he was ready to go."

With a shuddering breath, Harry nodded and continued, "About fifteen Aurors were taken. Kingsley and Tonks are still unconscious; they're not sure Kingsley will make it. Moody lost his other eye. Ron was wounded, too, but he'll be all right. Five members of the Ministry were killed. M...Madam Hooch died two nights ago. Professors McGonagall and Sprout were released to Madam Pomfrey yesterday." He stopped to regain his composure. It was hard to list off the casualties so...casually. "As for the other side, we killed twenty-five Death Eaters by last count and eleven were taken into custody. The rest...well, the rest managed to Apparate away before we began taking prisoners. I imagine we'll never know who most of them even were."

"And Lucius Malfoy?" Severus asked hesitantly.

"Lucius was never found. Actually, Malfoy Manor burnt to the ground this morning. The Daily Prophet blamed it on vandals, but we have evidence it was probably Malfoy who set it to cover his tracks."

Hermione stirred in his arms. "Severus," she moaned sleepily.

"Hush. I'll be all right. Go back to sleep," he whispered and watched as she settled once more in his arms. "Potter? Go tell the Healers that I'm awake and that they need to bring in a larger bed. I am not letting her leave my sight."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"So what did Professor McGonagall say, Severus?" Hermione asked, watching Severus enter their quarters through the mirror's reflection.

"She said, my dear, that she would be more than happy to perform the ceremony. In fact, if I hadn't asked her, she was going to place a specific hex upon my person that would make it impossible for me to father children. I believe those were her exact words."

Hermione giggled. "That's wonderful! That she agreed, Severus, not the threat to your manhood," she added quickly. Picking up her comb, she sighed. "Do you think we're doing the right thing, having the ceremony at Stonehenge?"

"I think, my dear, it is what Albus would have wanted. If we can't have him with us in person, it is only fitting that he be there in spirit." Severus took a few steps forward to stand directly behind her. Removing the comb from her fingers, he lifted the next section of curls and began to gently comb out the snarls.

"Mmmm, that feels so good," she purred as he finished and ran his fingers over her scalp and through her hair. She turned in her seat to face him. He knelt before her and took her face in his hands, running his thumb over her bottom lip.

"I remember a time...it feels like ages ago now...in a situation very similar to this, when I pledged my love to you," he whispered.

"Yes, I remember it well. That's a day I will never forget." She took his face in her hands and ran her thumbs over his brow, gently massaging the lines between his eyes. He allowed himself to relax, albeit slightly, into her caress.

"Thank you, Hermione," he whispered.

"For what?" She shook her head slightly, wondering what he could mean.

"For bringing me back. For making sure I came to no harm," he answered simply. "For loving me."

"Oh, I do love you," she whispered, now close to tears, "and I promise to love you forever. Do you hear me, Severus Snape? I swear it on my life."

~~~o fin o~~~

A/N: Compared to some, I suppose that this story rather hastily traipsed through its plot. I am generally in favor of writing short pieces of fanfic. This is the longest piece of fanfiction I ever wrote, and it nearly wasn't completed. I finished this the day before HBP hit the bookshelves. *whew!* Somehow, I knew that if I didn't finish it then, I never would. And with the events that unfolded in HBP, it turns out I was right: my muse would have high-tailed it and ran. I hope you enjoyed.