First Days

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~o 33 o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First Days

~H~

Hermione arrived in time for dinner on Sunday. Professor McGonagall had agreed to allow her one more day with Severus before she had to take the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade. Auror Loraine Matsuno had ridden in the compartment with her, and Aurors Fairday and Duncan had patrolled the corridors as guards. Hagrid and Professor Dawlish had met her at the gate and escorted her to the castle. Hermione sat down next to Ginny and Dean at the Gryffindor table, pointedly ignoring the murmurs and whispers around her.

"How's Professor Snape?" Ginny asked, passing her the chipped beef.

"He's doing much better, thank you. He'll be back in a few days," Hermione answered as she filled her plate. She saw Luna wave at her from the Ravenclaw table and waved back.

"I'm sorry he missed Luna and Neville's wedding," Ginny said, scowling at Wendlynne Warwick and Veronica Jameson, who were blatantly staring at Hermione across the table from them. "I think you should know, everyone is speculating as to what happened to him. Rumors are he was hit with everything from the Killing Curse to the Jelly-Brains Curse."

Hermione leaned close to her. "And let them wonder. If he'd been hit with the Killing Curse, Professor McGonagall would've been instated as Headmaster, and they'd have announced a new Deputy Head by now. No, they're all being silly. Besides, it will be in the paper soon enough, I suppose, since it hasn't been exposed yet. Severus said I should write up my notes, and he'd see I get published," Hermione said quietly.

"You're kidding! Really!" Ginny exclaimed, setting her goblet down forcefully. "Hermione that's fantastic!"

Others were looking at them now, most quite openly.

Hermione leaned close to Ginny and said softly, "Well, it would really help other victims, you know, in case someone else is hit with it. Healer Cadwallader and I helped reverse the curse on three other patients suffering under the Inferius Curse in St. Mungo's on the Spell Damage Ward." She still felt elated from watching the patients wake up from the comatose-like state the same way Severus had. "The Healers were at a loss as to what ailed the victims – no one thought that you could use the Inferius on a living person without killing them in the process. Apparently MacTavish, or one of his friends, had used it a number of times."

"I can't believe that you solved it, and in only a week!" Ginny said as Professor McGonagall approached them.

"Five days actually." Hermione looked up as Professor McGonagall stopped beside her.

"Mrs. Snape, if you're finished eating, I'd like a word with you."

"Sure, Professor," she said quickly and shoved the last of her beef into her mouth. She followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall.

"Hermione," she said softly, drawing her to the side of the hall. "Since the Headmaster hasn't made it clear where you were to be housed, I've taken the liberty to have you placed in the seventh-year dorm with your friends. You are still a Gryffindor prefect, although that gives us two seventh-year girls this year. I'm sure that you know Alestra Blackpoole; you'll share the duties with her. I saw no reason to take away her prefect status. Also, as per your request, Professor Avoian is delighted to have you in his class." She pulled Hermione's class schedule from her pocket. "Should you need anything, let me know."

"Thank you, Professor," she replied, smiling at her schedule.

"How is Severus?" Professor McGonagall asked, her expression showing she was deeply concerned. "I heard that he'd been nearly killed."

"He was hit with the Inferius Curse," Hermione stated. The doors opened, and the students were beginning to file out on their way to their common rooms.

The Deputy Headmistress glanced at the students emerging into the Entrance Hall and back to Hermione. "Would you have a cup of tea with me and tell me what happened at St Mungo's and how you saved Severus?" she asked, indicating the staff room.

Hermione saw Professors Sprout, Reynolds, and Flitwick approaching. "I'd be happy to."

An hour later, Hermione entered the Gryffindor common room. All the professors had wanted to hear about Severus, and they'd been amazed by the counter spells she'd devised. Even Professors Flitwick and Brandstone had insisted that she write up her discovery for publication, and Professor Avoian had requested that he be allowed to submit her paper to the Prussian publications as well. He'd even offered to do the translations himself.

The few students in the common room watched Hermione as she walked across the room for the girl's dorm. She heard whispers and mumblings behind her as well as a few curious mutterings, but she ignored them. She figured it either had to do with her relationship with Severus, or possibly her appearance as a student, considering she'd arrived a week late.

Before she reached the stairs, she overheard one girl among a small cluster of second- and third-years say, "I heard she rode a Gringotts' dragon to the castle for the final battle and burned half of the Death Eaters."

"Yeah! It was in all the papers," a third girl said softly, but loud enough for Hermione to hear.

"So she, Harry, and Ron really did break into Gringotts? What did they steal?" another girl asked, astonished.

"Nothin' my mum said," the first girl stated. "You can't steal anything because the carts only allow Goblins to drive them. Then there's the doors to the vaults; they close on you so you can't ever get out, and you can't use a glamour or Polyjuice 'cause the Thief's Downfall Curse makes disguises impossible, and there's Gemino and Flagrante Curses on the treasure so if it's not yours you can't touch it, and the track moves so you can't follow it out either – loads of stuff to make stealing impossible."

Hermione shook her head and climbed the stairs, knowing that there'd be loads of questions to answer someday. She walked into her new dorm room with a bit of trepidation. It wasn't that she didn't know Ginny's dorm mates, but as of today they'd be hers as well. In the past years they had kept their distance from her, or only sought her out to ask a question as a house prefect or regarding schoolwork. As Ginny and Hermione prepared for bed, Deborah Smythe, Alestra Blackpoole, Wendlynne Warwick, and Veronica Jameson were all sitting with Nadine Graham on her bed across the room, talking in quiet whispers among themselves. However, every now and again, Hermione caught snippets of their conversation, and it made her grind her teeth in annoyance.

Finally, Hermione turned and faced them and, as patiently as she could muster, given how frustrated she felt, answered their questions: "Yes, we broke into Gringotts, took Helga Hufflepuff's cup from a vault, and rode a dragon out to escape. Yes, Harry, Ron, and I were hunting down the founder's artifacts, stolen by Voldemort, in order to kill him once and for all. Yes, I have always believed Harry. Yes, Ron and I helped him defeat Voldemort from getting the Philosopher's Stone, and I did solve the mystery of Slytherin's monster – it was a Basilisk, by the way, not a dragon. Yes, Harry and I rode a hippogriff to set Sirius Black free. Yes, Ron and I helped Harry with his tasks so he could win the Triwizard Tournament, and yes, my friends and I fought Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries. Yes, I did see Voldemort – twice, and, yes, he really was that revolting."

The girls all gasped at the name in shock, and Ginny quickly held up her hand. "Hermione..." Ginny started to say but was cut off as Hermione continued ranting, undaunted.

"Yes, I was part of the secret order led by Dumbledore, and yes, Severus Snape was in the Order too. Yes, he was Dumbledore's spy, and yes, he killed a dying man, ending his agonizing pain from a curse that was slowly eating him alive. And just so you know, Dumbledore had consumed a potion that day that had weakened him and strengthened the curse so that it had, by then, destroyed his entire arm – all the way up to his shoulder and neck, so it was only a matter of time anyway. That's why Dumbledore wanted Severus to kill him – to kill him quickly – so that the Death Eaters who'd cornered him that night wouldn't torture him or turn him over to Voldemort. So if that about covers it, or you have any other questions please, by all means, be afraid to ask me."

Ginny swept her hand in the direction of her – now their – dorm mates as she pleaded, "Hermione, they're just–"

"I'm not deaf! I'm right here!" Hermione exclaimed as she tossed a jumper into her trunk and slammed the lid of her trunk. She sat on it and buried her head in her hands. "I'm just a normal girl!"

Ginny walked over and sat down next to her, placing a hand on her back. "You have to admit, you've had a rather adventurous and exciting life, Hermione. You're not exactly... normal. You're exceptional."

"What's exceptional about trying to destroy a Dark Lord? Mostly it was simply dumb luck and quick thinking," Hermione said sarcastically against her palms, then peeked at Ginny through her fingers and frowned. "You know that, right?"

Alestra walked forward and looked at Hermione, her cheeks pink and her eyes downcast, apparently ashamed. "It's just that with all the gossip and all the stuff written about you and Harry – you're a little... er... intimidating."

Hermione sat up, dropping her left hand on her knee. "But I'm the same person you knew before," she implored, holding her right hand, palm up, toward the girl.

"And you were always doing things! You helped saved the school – twice! You stood up to Umbridge, and fought You-Know-Who and Death Eaters right here in the castle! I mean...," Veronica said, looking at her friends, then back to Hermione and Ginny. "You're a war hero. You've done so much, and you – you fought him."

"They even wrote dozens of articles and several books about you – well about the three of you," Deborah said shyly. "The things they say you've done and can do – and you're still only in school!"

"But I'm still just a girl – like you, only I went through some remarkable adventures," Hermione said. "But please, don't be afraid of me or talk behind my back. Talk to me. Ask me. I'll tell you."

"All of it?" Nadine asked, stepping forward.

"Well, I do reserve the right to not answer personal questions – but yes, all of it," Hermione said, smiling, and Nadine giggled.

"Are you really Bonded to Severus Snape?" Wendlynne asked, curling a strand of hair around her finger. "I mean, you are his wife, right? The Prophet said you'd left him."

Hermione closed her eyes and turned her head, knowing that the Daily Prophet had printed yet another article about her and Severus' rocky relationship and the fact she'd been dancing with Ron and Dean at the wedding. "Yes, sort of – we're not separated – it's complicated. Ron and I were paired in the wedding party since I was a bridesmaid and he was an usher, and Dean was Neville's best man considering they were best mates." She exhaled forcefully. "I was not Ron's date nor was I Dean's. Ron and Dean just wanted to see that I got home all right, that's all. The Prophet is not always right. Headmaster Snape, my Bonded mate," Hermione said, not really ready to use his given name around the girls yet, "is still recuperating at St. Mungo's and was therefore unable to attend Luna and Neville's wedding."

"So it's true!"

"Really?"

"Him? How?"

"Ew!" Were all said at once.

"Guys! She's going to be living with us. We'll have loads of time to hear her tell you everything. But maybe tonight you could just get to know her a bit, and let her get to know you, before you start judging or idolizing her," Ginny said, sounding exasperated but smirking all the same.

"Sure."

"All right."

"Sorry."

"Okay," were mumbled as the girls all turned to ready themselves for bed.

"Thanks, Gin," Hermione said as she stood up. She collected her things, and they walked from the room to head to the loo.

They bumped into Sunita Gupta, another of their dorm mates, in the hall. Sunita recoiled into the wall and tried to flatten herself into the wallpaper, her eyes going round as saucers. "Oh my. It's you! Sorry, I didn't..."

"It's all right, I'm sorry to have bumped into you," Hermione said with a smile that faded as the girl stared at her as if she were a celebrity.

Ginny pulled her arm and dragged Hermione with her. "Give them time. They just have to come to grips with it all. You do have to admit, whether you want to or not, that you're a bit larger than life to them because of all the stuff in the Daily Prophet, Sorcerer's Sun, Witch Weekly, Teen Witch, Magical Star, Inquisitive Witch, and The Quibbler. Even Witch's Home Journal and Better Magical Homes and Gardens had articles on you, Ron and Harry," she said, smiling. "Besides, I've got a feeling you're going to be seen in a whole new way this year."

"Great!" Hermione exclaimed. "Now, I know what Harry went through."

"Exactly," Ginny said, her grin straining even wider.

~S~

Severus lay on his bed and wondered what in the blazing horntails his Healer was up to now. The first few days since waking up, Severus had felt as if he was abiding in the wrong body. It wasn't like inhabiting it, because the sensation was more like he was using it as a shell, simply for the fact that while he was able to make it move, the movements left him feeling numb and... not exactly prickly like the first three days – tingly, which was not a word Severus liked to use. However, Healer Cadwallader had been elated by the use of the word as if Severus had imparted some valuable secret to the universe.

The Healers routinely stimulated his motor reflexes, and he could swallow his potions and feed himself, but he felt weak. Thurston, a large wizard that came in every day for his muscle treatments, helped Severus move his arms and legs, but the first few times exertion always left him exhausted. But the worst was the bed baths. Healer Cadwallader firmly believed he needed cleaning daily after his exercises.

"Hello, Mr. Snape."

Speak of the devil. "Hello."

"How are you this morning?"

Severus hated this part of the morning routine. "The same. Just get on with it and drown me with your potions and start your poking," he growled.

"Let's have you sit up, shall we?"

Severus rolled his eyes in the direction of the Healer in indignation; however, he managed to push himself up into a sitting position with only the slightest assistance of the Healer. Severus drank the first potion, exchanging the small dosing cup for the next one and swallowed that one, refusing to react to the taste.

Healer Cadwallader simply smiled and handed him the next potion. When Severus handed it back, the Healer gave him a glass containing a vegetable and fruit blend that tasted of carrots, grass, pineapple and apple juice.

"So let's see how you're doing." The Healer slowly swept his wand over Severus, making little nods when the diagnostic spell changed colors. "Internal organs and digestive tract are doing well, your heart is good and strong, lungs clear... How do you feel when you move – any different?" Beside him, his quill jotted down his findings on the chart.

"I still don't feel like it's my own body," Severus admitted. If he didn't, the Healer simply used a Fides-veritatis, or Truthfulness Charm, to read his thoughts and impressions. While not as accurate as Legilimency nor as long acting as Veritaserum, it was legal for Healers since the spell only worked in close proximity and until the Healer broke their concentration, effectively ending the spell.

"It's your nerves, they're apparently regenerating. Muscle-skeletal control will come naturally with exercise, and you were in reasonable condition prior to the curse, but there is something in your system... something that's inhibiting your healing." The Healer lowered his wand. "I can't place it – but it's like... were you recently... poisoned. Were you?"

Severus' brows furrowed. "Last May. I was bitten by Tom Riddle's snake." Cadwallader frowned as he checked over his previous notes, deep creases appearing between his brows. "The Dark Lord's familiar, Nagini, You-Know-Who's..."

"Snake, yes I – you were bit by the snake in May?" he asked, looking up. "Who healed you?"

"Narcissa Malfoy tended to my needs, but the potions were ones I'd made myself – just in case," Severus admitted. "I'm sure Healer Hippocrates Smethwyck would remember the potions – I created them for Arthur Weasley in December of 1995."

Healer Cadwallader smiled as the set down his chart. "I'll ask him, but why don't you enlighten me. What type of snake was his familiar? What were the properties of its venom? Did the antivenin have active antigens and neurotoxins? I mean, it's possible that a snake poisoning could be the reason you're not reacting as favorably as the other patients we've revitalized from the curse. I'd like to rule it out."

Severus sighed and indicated for the Healer to give him a glass of water first. "One question at a time." He took a long drink of water and held the cup in his lap. "Nagini was a very rare hybrid, magically crossed with an anaconda and an Australian Taipan or Asian Krait, but her venom was very much like an immature basilisk. Her venom toxicity was both a neurotoxin and hemotoxin, affecting the nervous system, brain, heart and cardiovascular system at the same time, and causing respiratory paralysis, coagulation of the blood, and clotting of the pulmonary arteries..."

~H~

The first week of school seemed to fly by in a blur. Hermione managed to get through her first week without too much difficulty. After attending the first day of each of her classes, she approached each professor to collect her assignments as well as the material she missed during her absence, and many of her professors granted her an extension on the essays they'd already assigned. Hermione then went to the owlery to send a request and signed payment voucher to Flourish and Blotts for the books she'd need for her History of Magic class.

Hermione buried herself into her schoolwork to catch up, spending all her free time either in the library or on her bed. So far, her dorm mates simply avoided her, although she could see them slyly glancing or trying to coyly stare at her whenever they were around.

More than once she caught Ginny saying, "You know how she is about her studies and her marks, just give her time – she's like this when she isn't five months ahead with her reading and finished with all her assignments," which made Hermione sigh.

She wasn't being antisocial – she was behind, a feeling that made her edgy and nervous. She was never behind – well, not counting her second year when she'd been petrified, or her fifth year when she'd been recovering from that curse...

She shook her head and tapped her wand on her homework planner that kept reminding her of the impending due dates of her current essays. Hermione was determined to get them in on time even though she'd been granted a few extra days. She still had three essays from the previous week to finish, and there were only so many hours in the day. That, and Ginny insisted that she attend meals, even taking away her quill if she tried to write while eating.

Hermione's finger stopped on the page for Friday. Has it really been that long? She had hoped that Severus would have returned to school by now. She turned to glance out the window. But he had been fine... Madam Pomfrey held students over night and sometimes for weeks, but Severus had seemed all right. Maybe something is wrong? Hermione pulled out a piece of note parchment and drafted a letter to David, inquiring after Severus' condition.

Reading the letter over, she decided to write Harry for good measure and ask him to check in on Severus as well. Oh that will make Severus' day – but I really want to know. Signing and sealing it, she packed her things to go up to the owlery.

Saturday morning at breakfast, Ginny had once again dragged her away from working on her bed to go to the Great Hall to eat, and then refused to simply let her simply grab some toast and go to the library. When the owls arrived with the post, a screech owl landed in front of Hermione with a note from Professor McGonagall, asking her to join her in her office when she'd finished eating. Hermione fervently hoped it wasn't bad news about Severus.

"What's that about?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shrugged, forcing herself not to assume the worst. "Doesn't say. So I won't know until I go, apparently." Hermione finished her pumpkin juice and ate her last sausage, jutting her chin toward the staff table. "She's leaving."

"So, I'll see you out on the pitch afterwards?" Ginny asked and the bit into her toast as Hermione stood up.

"Gin, I can't," Hermione said, hanging her head. "I have a whole week's worth of revision and my essays to catch up, plus finishing my current assignments... I can't possibly."

"Which you'll have caught up by Monday," Ginny said and waved her off. "Go on, I know where to find you. I'll drag you and your books to the pitch later. You need some sunshine and fresh air, not more smelly books and candlelight."

"Gin..."

"Go on. But you can revise on the benches of the pitch this morning. It'll be good for you."

Hermione sighed as she grabbed her bag and hurried up to Professor McGonagall's office, knowing full well she was not going to win this argument.

Professor McGonagall simply wanted to go over Hermione's prefect schedule. She also granted Hermione's personal request to learn how to become an Animagus. Hermione explained how, unbeknownst to Harry, she had tried several times to learn how to transform with Tonks when they'd been at Grimmauld Place, and she'd even tried it a few times with Ron when Harry had been on guard duty during last year, almost managing to accomplish the transformation. But she'd been uncomfortable trying it without having someone to assist her if she'd didn't do the change correctly. So, Professor McGonagall happily consented, and Hermione squeezed in the dates for private lessons in her revision planner, which would begin in two months once Hermione settled into her workload.

Just as she'd threatened, Ginny and two of the guys from the Gryffindor team arrived to escort her to the Quidditch pitch. Harold and Burt, it turned out, were the team's Beaters, and had been brought to physically carry her if Hermione had refused to come. Hermione spent the time perched up in the stands, books balanced beside her and a board on her lap as she worked on one of her essays in the sunshine. However several of the other Gryffindors who'd come to watch the team practice spent as much time gawking at her as the team players.

Afterwards, Hermione had ensconced herself in the library among a pile of books, catching up on the schoolwork she'd missed, when an owl swooped in with a note from Hagrid inviting her to have tea with him on Sunday. Hermione had quickly written a reply that she'd love to see him, but offered to pick up sandwiches and cakes from the kitchen to save her teeth from his cooking.

Looking back, afternoon tea with Hagrid had been the highlight of her weekend. At least Hagrid had treated her like he'd always done.

Many of the students in the castle were still staring at her, whispers and murmurs buzzing around her as if she were deaf to the noise. When she walked the corridors, she received awed looks and furtive glances, and on a few occasions, she'd been asked to pose for a photograph or sign one of the pictures of herself in a magazine.

~MoM~

Maggie Whitmier was absolutely fed up with the Snapes. First the register indicated the man was 'practically dead' from a curse, then by the next morning he'd been registered as an 'Inferi,' which was as good as dead, but then five days later the quill wrote that Severus Snape had been revived right after declaring him dead! That was three times she'd had to fill out the required forms on that man! And one didn't just go from Inferi to alive without having to have proof of life forms and his consciousness confirmed by a qualified Healer. But to be reinstated as alive – that required four forms in triplicate! It was bad enough that the wizard was on the restricted Auror's ward. In addition, Minister Shacklebolt was personally involved in the man's case, so everything had to be copied for him as well.

At least that young Healer, David Cadwallader, had been cooperative, even if Healer Calvin Lansing had been a bit curt and rude to her. Something about untried spells and not testing properly... Well that wasn't Maggie's business, but Rita had been thrilled with what little Maggie had remembered.

Maggie had been called down to the Wizengamot office to answer questions regarding all the forms – not even for a proper hearing, oh no. Oswald Grunthyme, Rolf VanBuren, and Griselda Marchbanks of the Wizengamot were present, as were Elsa Deers and Marvin Boatright representing the Hogwarts School Governors, and Elaine Prevatt, Clerk to the Governing Body. You'd have thought that with such distinguished people this would have been a formal meeting, not just an informal inquiry in a conference room. And as an added insult, they'd had the audacity to insist that she make a Fides Troth of Confidentiality Charm! Of all the nerve.

Maggie picked up the growing file on the Snapes. Never had she had a simple Bonding file grow so thick. Three months, three weeks, and five days and still the couple refused to acknowledge the Bonding. Maggie opened the file and picked up the Failure of Obligation form she'd filled out a month ago when Rita had informed her that the couple were not even living together. In fact right under the form were the Declaration of Infidelity forms that the Minister had refused to allow Allyson Richardson in the MLE to sign, citing that Mr. Potter, who was Bonded to Ginevra Weasley-Potter, was like a brother to Mrs. Granger-Snape and therefore not culpable as a adulterer.

My arse! He's a man, and she's a girl, and they are living together! Maggie set the two forms aside. The Minister had also blocked the other two times she'd filed infidelity on Mrs. Granger-Snape. He'd insisted that Mrs. Granger-Snape was not having an affair with her ex-boyfriend Ronald Weasley or with George Weasley, even though Rita had clearly sighted her with them on more than one occasion looking positively chummy, so both those Declaration of Infidelity forms had been returned stamped 'unfounded' as well.

The Failure of Confirmation and the Failure of Registration lay underneath. Both properly filled out and submitted to the MLE and Wizengamot, twice – both times returned as having been too 'hastily filled' and marked 'pending Minister's approval.' Minister's approval! At this rate they will never be registered properly.

Now, even though Maggie had sent Mrs. Granger-Snape the confirmation forms, again, the couple still hadn't signed them. She shoved the file among the pending files on her desk. There were only seven others currently in the rack, and six of those were all recent unions.

Maggie pulled out the Potter's file. The copy of her Declaration of Infidelity was stamped 'Unsupported' in bright red ink as was the Failure of Obligation form. The Minister himself had delivered these to her, stating that any more harassment of the Potter's from her office would mean her dismissal. Maggie huffed in annoyance. I suppose it's reasonable. I mean, the girl should finish school at the very lest.

However, the other May Bonding was finally finalized. Neville and Luna Longbottom were properly married, and even though he was apparently going on an expedition and she was finishing her last year of school, the file was thankfully complete. Yes, the Longbottoms were a very respectable family, ensuring that everything was done according to procedure.

Maggie would have loved to see the wedding, but neither the bride's family nor the groom's had thought to invite her. But then even the Good Tidings columnist of the Daily Prophet had been excluded as well.

Nevertheless, a lovely picture of the wedding party and one of the couple had managed to be published. Then there were the shocking photos of Mrs. Granger-Snape consorting with her ex-lover Mr. Ronald Weasley and ex-class mate Mr. Dean Thomas. Maggie shook her head. The witch simply has no shame and no sense of proper decorum. But then she is a Muggle-born and young. Still, Maggie wished that the Snapes would make a decision so she could put the file away. She was tired of dealing with it.

~S~

Healers Hippocrates Smethwyck and Augustus Pye made a visit to Severus' room first thing in the morning to discuss his progress with his Healers. Severus feigned sleeping, hoping that the wizards would discuss his case more openly if they thought him asleep. After the diagnostic charms had been completed and documented, the wizards moved to stand outside of his room. However, the door was halfway open, so Severus could hear them quite clearly.

"...I've conferred with Mrs. Malfoy in regards to his treatment and progress following the snake bite," Healer Cadwallader was saying as he gave report to the senior Healers. "Apparently the potions took about eighteen days for the wound to completely heal, although he remained nonresponsive for another four. According to Mrs. Malfoy, he simply woke up on the eleventh of May, and his recovery was swift afterwards."

Of course, the night Hermione performed that blasted spell, he grumbled to himself. Narcissa had even commented on it being a full moon that night.

Even though Healer Calvin Lansing was his primary Healer, Severus still felt that the younger Healers, Galen Cavallaro and David Cadwallader were more intelligent, although Healer Cadwallader did like to ramble a bit about Quidditch scores and Aethonan races and was overly impressed with Hermione and Potter.

"Mr. Weasley was sufficiently recovered after eighteen days," Healer Smethwyck stated. "We may have to consider that Mr. Snape's neuro-network might not fully recover."

Severus was aware that both Healer Yashar Javidan, Healer-in-Charge of Auror Spell Damage ward, and Healer Lansing were of the same mind and wanted to simply keep Severus in bed, following the normal potions régime. Healers Cavallaro and, of course, Cadwallader both wanted to continue with the adaptation of Muggle therapy along with the healing and regenerative potions. Healer Pye was simply too over enthusiastic about anything Muggle and reminded Severus of Arthur Weasley.

"The patient had the antivenin in his system prior to the bite, and a second dose was administered when he was found," Healer Lansing stated. "With the combined regenerative strengthening potions, he should recover eventually."

"But there is a possibility that the Inferi Curse caused a relapse of his synapse functions, which is why there is reduced responsiveness in his peripheral nervous system," Healer Cadwallader replied. "By stimulating the sensory neurons with therapy, we are actively encouraging the stimuli of transmute neural signals to the brain."

"But progress hasn't been any more promising than conventional treatments," Healer Smethwyck stated.

"Not so," Healer Cavallaro said. "According to both the patient and the Malfoys, the snake was a very unusual hybrid, whose venom was similar to that of an immature basilisk. Mr. Snape, a Master of Potions himself, identified the snake's unique physiology and the biological toxin proteins. I read over Arthur Weasley's records, and even though he had sufficient recovery to go home in eighteen days after treatment with Professor Snape's potions, there was still a significant recovery time before Mr. Weasley was able to resume normal daily activities without magical assistance charms."

"So how soon do we release him?" Healer Javidan asked.

Severus strained to hear the response, exhaling the breath he hadn't realized he'd held until Healer Cadwallader said, "A week, maybe two. He's Headmaster of Hogwarts; I'd like to see a bit more recovery before sending him back to the school."

"Agreed," Healer Javidan stated. "We'll reevaluate him in five days. Good day, gentlemen."

Severus crossed his arms and sighed. A week – maybe two more of this?

"Oh good, you're awake!" Healer Cavallaro said as he entered the room, followed by Healer Cadwallader.

"So, I take it you overheard your prognosis?" Healer Cadwallader asked, smiling. "Don't you worry; we should have you out of here by the end of next week." He set his chart on the bedside table and placed his quoting quill in place. "Let's test your range of motion and motor strength today, and then see how you fare with your wand, shall we?"

"By all means," Severus replied as he pulled himself up into a seated position.

~H~

Hermione was in an herb garden, pruning and pulling up weeds. She was on her knees, tugging on a particularity stubborn weed. Without a sound someone had come up behind her, his hands sliding on her back and grasping her waist. She sat up quickly, finding herself pressed against his body. His hand toyed with her braid, freeing her hair easily as his other hand slid to her groin and held her firmly. Her heartbeat had quickened from the surprise of his presence, and her breathing became deeper as he'd leaned forward, kissing her bare shoulder and neck.

He lowered her to the ground easily, their bodies a perfect fit as he entered her, filling her and making her moan from the feel of him moving in and out of her in long strong thrusts...

Hermione woke up from the frustration of nearing climax, the tantalizing arousal that wouldn't let her peak, her whole body throbbing with need. She turned her head, comprehension dawning slowly that she was alone in her bed. Her first thought was that Severus had reached out to her, connected them like she'd done with the Moon-Song Spell, but the dream was so different. Yes, he'd made love to her, but it wasn't as vivid as the dreams she'd had under the influence of the spell, or curse as she was beginning to think of it, but just as arousing.

She fell back onto the bed with an exasperated sigh and closed her eyes, willing herself back to sleep.

Sleep finally came, but a restless sleep. She was roused again from a similar dream as the first, although in another location – this time Dr. Myers back garden on one of the lounge chairs. The big difference was that this time, she was wearing her bikini for Severus, and he'd taken an extremely long time removing the thing as he'd caressed and kissed every inch of her.

Try as she might, her arousal grew to frustration because her body just couldn't climax. The closest she could achieve, even with assistance, was a soft ripple and rolling sensation that came in waves. She opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling, and balanced her forearm on her forehead.

Hermione checked the clock by her bedside. Ten minutes after four. She would be up and dressing in two hours anyway to get ready for class. Giving up on being able to sleep, she went to the loo to have a long, hot shower, planning on spending the morning with a thick book.

Hermione closed her eyes and thought of Severus. He plagued her thoughts frequently in her quiet times and haunted her dreams. It had been over a week and a half since she'd seen him, and Hermione was desperate for news. Her letter from David had been vague and not at all encouraging. Harry said he'd stopped by a few times, but Severus had been asleep, and the Healers wouldn't tell him much other than he was improving. As Hermione turned off the taps, she decided to go ask Professor McGonagall for a pass to go see Severus and find out how he was doing. She simply needed to see him for herself.

~ T B C ~>

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Author's notes:

I want to thank my betas, EverMystique and to DuchessOfArcadia, for giving this a read and helping me clean up all my mistakes. I really appreciate it very much.