Chapter 4

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

---

A/N: All praise and much thanks to my betas, Alienor and Septentrion, for their kind words, hard work and input.

---

Pain. Excruciating pain. Too much...

The onslaught of conflicting images...some real, some planted...was more than Hermione's brain could handle. Stomach churning, the nausea and dizziness intensified, but Severus' voice called to her through the fog, cutting through the cacophony of sound and guiding her home like a beacon.

'Listen to me, Hermione,' he commanded. 'Focus on the sound of my voice. Start at the beginning, at the Battle of Hogwarts. Relive the events as they happened, one at a time. It is the easiest way to reabsorb the memories...'

She was back in the Great Hall. A pristine image of the scene, as vivid and clear as the day it happened, lay before her: the chaos, the devastation, the smell, the noise... Smell...

'Oh, Harry.' Ginny threw her arms around Harry's neck and started weeping, but Hermione barely registered it.

Smell...

Ron was drawn to his grieving family like a magnet.

Smell... What was that smell?

It came to her in a flash. Asphodel...? No, he couldn't possibly have. Could he...?

Hermione was vaguely aware of her two friends drifting away from her but didn't attempt to stop them. Should she bother one of the Healers...or Madam Pomfrey? They were all working flat out to attend to the wounded, and if she were wrong, someone else might die... Mind made up, Hermione spun around and marched determinedly towards the doors.

'Tell them not to worry,' she said to Neville on the way out. 'If anyone asks, that is.'

Hermione broke into a trot. Time. How much time did she have? She was unsure of the answer to that question, but if Snape had taken the Draught of Living Death as she suspected, there would hopefully be enough. Think, Hermione. Think. He had bought himself, what, hours? Days? But administering the antidote wouldn't be enough; he would die from his wounds for certain if she did that. Firstly, she had to heal the damage done by the snakebite, replace the blood he had lost and...what about the poison? Had he taken any anti-venom? While Hermione's brain had been calculating the permutations, her feet had made a good independent decision and taken her to the winding staircase that led to the headmaster's office. Yes, it was a reasonable enough assumption to make...that Snape had kept a personal supply of medicinal potions close to hand.

The stone gargoyle barely gave Hermione a glance as she ran past it and ascended the spiral staircase. Panting, she pushed the door open and stepped into the office. The portraits stopped their excited chatter at the sight of a slightly sweaty and out of breath Hermione Granger.

'Hello again, my dear,' said Albus Dumbledore. 'Have you forgotten something?'

'No,' Hermione replied. 'Actually, I've just remembered something.' She tried to catch her breath while she looked around the portraits again to double check. 'Where's Headmaster Snape?'

Dumbledore looked confused. 'He's dead, Miss Granger.'

'Then why isn't he here...with you lot?'

'Damned impertinence,' muttered Phineas Black.

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. 'I expect it's because he deserted his post.'

'Rubbish!' Hermione exclaimed. 'If it weren't for him, we'd all be dead.'

'Calm yourself, Miss Granger...'

'I don't have time, Professor Dumbledore,' Hermione snapped. 'Can you tell me, please, if Professor Snape had a first-aid box, and if so, where did he keep it?'

Phineas Black snorted. 'I expect he kept it in his bathroom like everyone else.'

The others sniggered.

Hermione rolled her eyes and counted to ten. 'And where is that?' she persisted.

'The Headmaster's quarters are through there.' Dumbledore pointed to a blank wall.

'Can you give me the password, please?'

'I'm afraid there isn't one.' Dumbledore smiled condescendingly. 'The door responds only to the touch of the incumbent headmaster. Until a new one is appointed, no one may enter.'

Hermione sucked in a breath and considered calling for a house-elf. But, knowing what they thought of her, Hermione didn't think one would answer the summons. Instead, she decided to appeal to the castle's better nature. She walked over to the wall and placed her hands on it.

'I know you're hurting,' she began, 'but the worst is over, repairs will be made, and soon everything will be back as it was.' Hermione rested her forehead on the cool stones and whispered, 'The thing is, I think Headmaster Snape is still alive...just. But he's terribly injured and alone, and I think what I need to help him is behind this wall. Please. Let me in so that I can try to save him.'

For a few seconds, nothing happened, then the castle seemed to heave a sigh, and an archway shimmered into view.

Hermione smiled. 'Thank you.'

Dilys Derwent was outraged. 'You can't go rummaging through the Headmaster's personal belongings. It-it's unseemly...'

Hermione didn't stop to listen. Passing over the threshold, she looked around the sumptuous apartments and approached the door nearest to her. Opening it, she discovered a small study/library in which, under normal circumstances, she would have loved to have lingered.

Regretfully, she closed the door and walked to the next one. This turned out to be the Headmaster's bedroom, which was dominated by a huge, ornately carved four-poster bed, resplendent in Slytherin green and grey. Hermione's attention was drawn to the simple, freshly laundered linen nightshirt laid out upon the quilt. It seemed out of place somehow, lost and small amid all the surrounding opulence. But there was no time to dwell on that now. Noticing another door in the corner, she made her way over to it.

Result, Hermione thought, gazing at the sunken, black marble bath that was the size of a small swimming pool. Glancing to her left, Hermione saw the washbasin, and to the right of that was a tall cabinet.

Again, she was struck by the simplicity of Snape's personal belongings: his razor, shaving brush and soap wouldn't have looked out of place in her parents' bathroom. He's just a man, she told herself, and he'll be a dead one, if I don't get a move on.

Luckily, there were no wards on the cabinet, and behind the talcum powder, toothpaste and (rather worn) toothbrush, she found what she was looking for. The box made an encouraging tinkling noise as Hermione took it off the shelf. She opened the lid carefully, afraid that she might damage the contents, but each phial was set in its own velvet-lined compartment. The only snag was, none of them were labelled.

Sighing in frustration, Hermione looked for somewhere convenient to put the box while she investigated further. It looked like she was going to have to do it the hard way. Deciding the best place for this was the floor, Hermione grabbed some towels and knelt down, arranging them so that they provided some cushioning on the hard surface. If she was going to have to use a Summoning Charm, she reasoned, they would provide a softer landing if she missed the catch.

Removing the lid completely, Hermione quickly examined the phials. Some were easy to identify: Blood-Replenishing Potion (two doses), Pepper Up, draughts for pain relief, Strengthening Solution...all of which could come in handy. She picked up a tiny bottle with some pearlescent liquid in it, and she felt a flood of excitement...and relief. Phoenix tears. How fresh they were was unknown as was their potency, but this...and the dittany...were both excellent finds. There were three phials left which Hermione could not identify. She pulled out the drawer that was at the base of the box, thinking she might find an inventory, but it was empty.

Hermione was also starting to consider the problem of administering the potions, seeing as Snape would be unable to swallow them of his own accord. 'Have to get them down his throat...' she muttered to herself. 'I need some sort of tubing...' As she spoke, the drawer clicked open to reveal exactly what she required. 'Now, that is handy.' She tried again. 'I need a bezoar.' Once more, the drawer came up with the goods. Wondering if it would work on the potions, Hermione said, 'I need the Wiggenweld Potion.' She held her breath as one of the unidentified phials rose up an inch above the others, then let out a huge sigh of relief. She had found the antidote.

'Yes!' She tried again, checked that the phoenix tears were indeed just that and then asked for snake anti-venom. Unfortunately, there wasn't any. That was a blow, but there was still the bezoar, the phoenix tears and, Hermione hoped, there was a reasonable chance that Snape had already dosed himself with anti-venom as a precaution beforehand.

Armed with the box, Hermione prepared to leave, but on last minute impulse gathered some of Snape's toiletries together and put them in her bag. On her way through the bedroom, she noticed a thick winter cloak hanging up and decided to take that, too. She would likely need something to wrap him in once she'd revived him. Now, was there anything else that might come in useful lying around? Candles. She would need more that the light of her wand to work by. Half a dozen ended up in her bag.

Casting her eyes over the room one last time, Hermione walked over to the fireplace. Luck was on her side; there was a small pot of Floo powder on the mantelpiece...at least she wouldn't have to go through that bloody tunnel again. There was nothing else she could think of and time was getting on. Gathering her courage for what was ahead of her, Hermione Flooed to the Shrieking Shack.

~ * ~

Hermione found Snape as they had left him: lying motionless in his own blood on the floor. It was as much as she could do not to retch at the sight. Shakily, Hermione fished the candles out of her bag and lit them while she steeled herself to touch the very dead-looking body in front of her. The flickering candlelight lent an even more eerie atmosphere to the proceedings as she opened the box of potions and prepared to administer them.

Rather than work on the floor, Hermione Transfigured a battered old chair into a bed and levitated Snape onto the mattress. Pushing some of his matted hair out of the way, she performed a cleansing charm to sterilise the wound. The puncture marks on his throat were now clearly visible. Gingerly, she touched his skin for the first time, turning his head to get a better look. No Rigor Mortis! I was right. I was right!

She worked quickly; the precious phoenix tears took no time at all to seal the torn flesh on his neck. With the utmost care, Hermione turned Severus' head gently back to centre, tipped it back and opened his mouth. This was the tricky part. Only too aware of her lack of medical knowledge, Hermione asked the box specifically to supply her with a tube for the stomach as she didn't want the potions to end up in his wind-pipe. The box obliged. As soon as the tube touched Snape's lips, it slid inside his mouth and down his gullet effortlessly. Relieved the procedure had been successful, Hermione poured one dose of Blood-Replenishing Potion into the tube, gave it a moment to work, then followed it with the Wiggenweld Potion. She slowly removed the tube and waited for something to happen.

She didn't have to wait long. Snape's body gave a sudden, violent shudder, scaring Hermione half to death. She tried to hold his shoulders down as he convulsed uncontrollably, but he was too strong for her. Severus took in a huge lungful of air and coughed up some vile black substance. Hermione cleaned it up quickly.

'Where...?'

'You're still in the Shrieking Shack, Professor.' Hermione tried to sound reassuring even though she was shaking. 'Everything's going to be all right. I've just revived you.'

'Who's there? I can't see...'

Hermione waved her hand in front of his eyes. He didn't flinch. 'It's Hermione Granger, sir. Can you see my hand?'

'No... I...'

'Concentrate, sir,' she said, hoping he couldn't hear the panic in her voice. 'Have you taken any anti-venom recently?'

Severus swallowed, struggling to calm his breathing. 'Hurts...'

Hermione immediately reached for a pain relief potion and removed the cork. 'I'm going to help you to lift your head, and then you're going to swallow this.'

Severus took the potion without arguing. 'I can't feel... my legs...'

'I think you're suffering from the residual effects of the venom, but all I have is a bezoar. Do you think you can swallow it?'

'Ye-es.'

Sitting on the bed, Hermione conjured a glass of water, slipped the bezoar into Severus' mouth and cradled his head while she held the glass for him to sip from it. 'When you're ready, I've another dose of Blood-Replenishing Potion and some Strengthening Solution for you to take.'

'Stop fussing, girl.'

Hermione almost sobbed with relief. 'I see you're on the mend,' she said, grinning.

Severus' lips twitched slightly, and he blinked. 'You do not appear to have permanently damaged my vision with your amateur mediwizardry.'

'I still think you should take...'

'Potter! How long...' Severus tried to sit up but collapsed back on the bed, groaning.

'It's all over, sir.' Hermione put her hand gently on his chest. 'We won. Harry killed Voldemort and survived. Neville decapitated Nagini...the last Horcrux. He's gone for good this time.'

Severus flailed his right arm across his body and uselessly clawed at his left sleeve, his fingers failing to grasp the material.

'It may take a little while to get full control... Oh...' Realising what Severus was trying to do, Hermione pushed up the left sleeve of his robe. With one hand supporting his elbow and the other at his wrist, she lifted and turned his forearm so that he could see the unblemished skin for himself.

'It's gone, sir.'

Severus inhaled sharply, closed his eyes and shuddered.

Gods, now what? 'Sir? Are you...?'

Severus rolled slowly over onto his side and curled up into a ball, turning his back on her. 'Leave me.'

It was only the shake in his voice that clued her in to what was happening. 'Don't be embarrassed, sir. I won't tell anyone.'

'Fuck off and leave me ALONE!'

Hermione did not take it personally. 'And leave you defenceless?' She got up and shook out his winter cloak before covering his trembling body with it. 'It'll take more than a few tears...'

'I am n-not crying. I NEVER cry.'

'Of course you don't, sir,' Hermione said, busying herself with the empty phials. 'It must be a bugger, though, not having any tear ducts.'

There was a choking noise from under the cloak, and Severus turned onto his back, wiping his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but then he noticed his makeshift blanket. He sniffed. 'Where did you get this?'

'It was hanging up...'

'You have been in my bedroom?' Severus pushed himself up onto one elbow. 'That's my medicine chest!'

'Your quarters seemed the most logical place to look for the antidote.' Hermione shrugged. 'Now, are you going to take these potions or am I going to have to stretcher you down the tunnel?'

Severus looked daggers at her. 'Don't ever become a Healer, Miss Granger. Your bedside manner is appalling.'

'You're alive, aren't you?' Hermione retorted, uncorking the potions. 'What more do you want?' She held the phials to his lips and carefully tipped the contents into his mouth. Severus grimaced at the foul taste.

Hermione let him rest a moment, taking the opportunity to cast some much needed cleaning charms. She ran her hand through his hair, raking his scalp, checking that all the congealed blood had gone. 'There. I hope that feels better. It should do until you can bathe, anyway.'

Severus stared at her. 'Why did you do that?'

'To make you more comfortable, of course.' Hermione could feel a blush coming on. 'Do you think you can sit up, now?'

Nodding grimly, Severus gritted his teeth and swung his legs over the side of the bed, managing to sit up with some effort. Hermione tried to help, but he swatted her hands out of the way. 'I do not need you to assist me, Miss Granger.'

Perching on the edge of the mattress, Severus experimentally flexed and clenched his hands, but his fingers were numb, and they barely responded.

'Feeling still not back?' Hermione asked gently.

Severus shook his head. 'No, and it should have returned by now.' He wiggled his feet. 'I cannot feel my toes, either.'

'You need a Healer.'

'I need a nerve regenerating potion.'

'Sir, you really should be checked over...'

'Miss Granger, the world thinks I'm dead, and that is the way I should like it to remain.' Severus fumbled for his wand but dropped it on the floor.

'Were you thinking of Obliviating me?' Hermione asked, picking it up.

'Give that to me, girl,' he snarled.

'Very well.' She handed the wand back to him, only for it to clatter to the floor once more.

'Nerve regenerating potion,' Hermione murmured, bending to retrieve the wand yet again. 'Do you have any?'

'Not on my person, no. But I can brew some.'

Hermione placed his wand on the bed. 'And how are you going to manage that when you can't hold your wand?'

'I do not need a wand...'

'No, but you need to be able to hold a knife.'

Severus rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. 'You are right, of course. I wasn't thinking...'

'I can do it.' Hermione sat down next to him. 'If you want me to...'

'Why?' he asked. 'Why would you bother? Why did you come back here, for that matter?'

Hermione shrugged. 'Well, for one thing, Harry told me about the memories, and... You risked so much to keep us safe. Besides, there have been enough senseless deaths... Moody, Remus, Tonks, Fred Weasley...'

Severus inhaled sharply.

'Oh, I'm sorry, sir. That was insensitive...'

'No.' He swallowed hard. 'You must tell me everything later, but first...if your offer of assistance is a genuine one...we must go to my home.'

'Do you think you can Apparate, sir?' Hermione asked.

'Not without Splinching myself...if I cannot feel my extremities, I am likely to leave them behind.'

Hermione nodded. 'Then how...?'

'Can you Side-Along, Miss Granger.'

'Yes, but...'

'Look into my eyes. I will cast Legilimens and show you our destination.'

A moment later, and Hermione had the picture in her mind that she needed.

Endeavouring to balance on his partially deadened feet, Severus cautiously stood and glanced around the room. 'Return everything to its former state, Miss Granger. We must leave no clues.'

Hermione nodded and complied with his request. Working quickly, she removed all trace of her ever being there. 'I think that's everything...' She looked around. 'Are you ready?'

'Just one more thing.' Severus gestured towards his wand. 'Snap it.'

'Sir? I can't...'

'Do it, Miss Granger. A registered wand is of no use to me. I have another at home.'

'If you're sure...'

'I am.'

'Very well.' Holding the wand with both hands, Hermione quickly broke it over her knee.

Severus let out a low keening sound and swayed on his feet. Alarmed, Hermione dropped the pieces and rushed to steady him but had the sense not to ask him how he felt. She slipped her arm around his waist. 'Now, sir?'

'I am in your capable hands, Miss Granger.'

Hermione pressed herself against him and Disapparated.

~* ~

Appearing in Severus' living room with a pop, they promptly fell in an undignified heap onto the sofa.

Hermione scrambled off him, hastily straightening her clothing. 'Sorry, sir. Are you all right?'

'I appear to be in one piece,' Severus replied drily, struggling to right himself. 'Although your Apparating technique leaves a lot to be desired.' He waved a hand to illuminate the candle sconces.

'I've never Side-Alonged over such a long distance before...' Hermione admitted, trailing off as she noticed the bookcases that were lining the room for the first time.

Severus followed her gaze. 'Medical potions texts are over there,' he said, gesturing towards the shelves nearest the window. 'Poynter's "Physick" should be on the third shelf down, nearest the door.'

Hermione negotiated the furniture in the cramped living space, squeezing between the dining table and the shelving. She found the book easily enough, just where Severus said it would be. Returning to the sofa, she sat down, perching on the edge with the book on her lap, and asked his permission to open it.

'You may proceed, Miss Granger,' he replied, nodding towards the clasp. 'It is not a particularly dangerous work. It won't bite.'

Reassured the book would not attack her, Hermione found the appropriate page quickly and scanned over the instructions. It looked simple enough to brew.

'Do you have all the ingredients here?' she asked.

'Yes,' Severus replied. 'And other than the preparation of the coca leaves, and the second stage where you need to add the salamander blood, it is a relatively straightforward potion.' He smirked. 'Even you should be able to manage it.'

Hermione ignored the barb and smirked back. 'Thank you for the vote of confidence.' Her smile faded as she noted his pallor once more. 'But, first things first. Is there any food in the house?'

'Miss Granger...'

'When did you eat last, sir?' she insisted. 'I don't think it would be wise for you to take any more potions until you have something in your stomach. And besides which, I'm ravenously hungry.'

'I-this morning.' He sighed. 'The kitchen is through there. You might find some tins in the cupboard next to the cooker.'

'Fine. I'll see what I can rustle up.' Rubbing her arms, she stood up. 'It's a bit chilly in here, isn't it? I'll light the fire, too, shall I?'

Tiredly, Severus rested his head on the back of the settee. 'You may.'

A quick flick of her wand, and the room was soon warm and cosy. Satisfied that Severus was comfortable, Hermione left in search of something to eat.

She opened the door onto a small, square, but surprisingly well equipped kitchen. Other than the row of cauldrons hanging over the sink and the old-fashioned units, there was no real difference from an ordinary Muggle kitchen, as far as Hermione could tell. The cupboard next to the cooker contained a selection of tinned goods, just as Severus had described. Hermione rummaged through them (there seemed to be an awful lot of baked beans and sausages) until she found some vegetable soup right at the back. Not ideal, but it was bland, fairly nourishing and unlikely to upset Severus' stomach.

A moment later and Hermione had two steaming bowls of soup on the worktop. She opened the drawer next to the sink in search of some cutlery, but changed her mind, thinking that the last thing Professor Snape would want would be her spoon-feeding him. Instead, she levitated one of the bowls and directed it towards the living room, following behind with her own meal.

'Here you...' Hermione stopped dead at the sight of Severus fast asleep on the couch...or at least, she hoped he was sleeping. His hair had fallen over the side of his face, so all she could see was his nose, and he was breathing very quietly.

'Professor, sir?' she whispered.

'Wha-where...? Oh, it's you.' He sniffed. 'Soup?'

'Yes. Vegetable.' Hermione moved his bowl closer to him as he dug the heels of his hands into the sofa to sit upright. 'I'll keep this here for you. Do you think you can manage to sip from it?'

'I will try.' Gingerly, Severus cupped the bowl with the palms of his hands and tilted it towards his lips. He wrinkled his nose up. 'Hot.'

'Would you like me to blow on it?... Sir.'

Severus choked. 'That will not be necessary, Miss Granger.'

'Good.' Hermione smiled to herself, noticing the suggestion of a smirk, even though he was trying his best to hide it. She watched him a moment, making sure he was able to drink the soup without spilling it, before hungrily turning her attention to her own bowl.

Hermione had never found soup to be particularly filling, but after the day she'd had, she doubted she could have coped with anything more. It was warm, calming and she felt a lot better for eating it. She glanced at Severus, who seemed to be relishing the soup, too...if the slurping was anything to go by. Peculiarly, she felt strangely indulgent towards his appalling manners...Ron would have been given short shrift for making such disgusting noises...but Hermione could only feel happy that Severus was able to eat unaided. Other than that, they ate in silence.

Alone with her thoughts, Hermione concentrated on all the positive things that had happened over the past twenty-four hours. Against all the odds, Harry had survived, and they had won. That was the main thing, she told herself firmly. But she had also done her bit by saving a brave man from certain death and by helping him recover from his ordeal. This filled her with a sense of achievement, a sense of usefulness, far removed from the terror and helplessness she had felt earlier on in the day when everything seemed to be falling apart around her. Keeping busy and focusing her efforts on helping Professor Snape, she realised, was infinitely preferable to dwelling on the memories of all the carnage and devastation she had recently witnessed.

Severus gave a contented sigh. 'Thank you,' he said, releasing the bowl. 'I have finished.' He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. 'When you are ready...'

'Of course.' Smiling, Hermione grasped the bowl and removed the spell. 'Do you normally brew in the kitchen? Only, I saw the cauldrons and...'

'Yes, Miss Granger,' Severus interrupted. 'Your observational skills are as acute as ever.' He tried to stand up.

'I can manage it on my own, sir,' said Hermione. 'You don't have to...'

'But I insist,' Severus replied, still struggling to get to his feet. 'It's not that I doubt your ability as a brewer, but I do not have unlimited resources...I only have sufficient ingredients for one attempt. Therefore, I will supervise.'

'Okay.' Hermione sighed, knowing it was pointless arguing. Instead, she tried to think of a means of helping him get to the kitchen under his own steam. 'Just a minute.' She dragged one of the high-backed dining chairs over. 'Try using this for support.'

Severus raised his eyebrows, inclining his head slightly. Although he did not voice his approval of her idea, Hermione could see that he was pleased. She smiled. 'I'll steady it while you stand up.'

With some effort, Severus wrapped his arms around the back of the chair, gripping it with his elbows and pulled himself upright while Hermione knelt on the seat to counterbalance his weight. Once he had steadied himself, Severus leant over the chair slightly and experimentally tried moving by inching it forward with his body and taking careful steps behind on his heels. It was a laborious process; Severus' balance was unstable, and Hermione had to grab him a few times when both chair and Severus threatened to topple over. She wondered if she should offer to levitate him on the chair, but decided that would only injure his pride further. Instead, they took their time, making it to the kitchen without any major disasters.

'There,' said Hermione, helping Severus to sit down at the table. 'We did it. Now, can I get you anything else...a cup of tea, glass of water...?'

'Water... Please.'

Hermione quickly produced a glass of water and added a straw to it.

Severus looked at her keenly. 'Your ingenuity knows no bounds, Miss Granger.' He smirked, pointing towards the scullery. 'You should find everything you need in there.'

Hermione giggled and went to fetch the potions book.

~ * ~

'Well... That seems to be everything,' Hermione said, mentally checking the potions ingredients she had laid out on the kitchen table. Satisfied all was present and correct, she reached towards the cauldrons: a standard, size-two pewter should do the trick...

'Not that one!' Severus cried.

Hermione pulled her hand back as if she had been scalded. 'Sorry.'

'The bottom has almost worn through,' he said, folding his arms and scowling. 'The one next to it would be more suitable for our purposes.'

'Fine.' Hermione took down the cauldron and placed it on the table. She consulted the book again. 'Hmm... Strength and dosage. Full limb... no... Back... no... Ah, here we go... Fingers, toes and miscellaneous.'

Severus sighed impatiently. 'What does it say?'

'Um... "Cause of injury: curse, poison, other...",' Hermione read. 'Well, we know the answer to that one.'

'Yes, yes. Get on with it.'

She turned the page. '"Condition of skin: discolouration, blackening, etc...".'

Severus held his hands out. 'None.'

'What about your feet?' Hermione asked.

'The distribution of the venom will be the same,' Severus replied.

'Shouldn't you check?'

He pursed his lips and glared at her. 'The same. Take my word for it.'

'Very well.' She checked the book again, resisting the temptation to sigh. They're your feet. 'How far down the fingers does the numbness extend?'

Severus looked at his hands. 'That is... difficult to ascertain.'

'Let me see.'

Hesitantly, Severus held the palms of his hands out towards her. Grasping his left hand, Hermione began to firmly prod the flesh of his palm with her thumbs, starting near the wrist and methodically working her way up to the base of his fingers. She couldn't help noticing how warm his skin was.

'Any pins and needles?' Hermione asked. 'Or is there a definite line between sensation and numbness.'

Severus swallowed and cleared his throat. 'No,' he replied gruffly. 'No pins and needles. The loss of sensation appears to be from the third knuckle up.'

'Okay... But just to make sure...' Not letting go of his hand, Hermione reached into her hair and pulled out the slide that was holding it back. As it sprang from its confines and tumbled around her shoulders, Hermione heard Severus gasp. She looked up in concern and found herself staring into a pair of dark, fathomless eyes. Oh, God. Her stomach clenched, and she looked away quickly, hoping he hadn't been using Legilimency at the moment when she had felt such an unmistakable physical response to him. Simultaneously, the frightening thought struck her that she was alone, in an unknown location, with a dangerous man...a known Death Eater, in fact...and that no one else was aware of her whereabouts.

'Close your eyes or look away, please.' Hermione hoped her voice didn't betray how nervous she had suddenly become. She began to press the metal point of the hairgrip around the base of his thumb. 'Can you feel anything?'

'Yes.'

She couldn't look at him. 'How about now?'

'No.'

Hermione repeated the procedure around the base of each finger, establishing the extent of the damage. 'I think that's it,' she said finally. 'It should be easy to work out the potency needed. The instructions are quite precise for regenerating nerves in digits.' Self-consciously, she gathered her hair into a ponytail, twisted it into a bun and fixed it into place with the slide. She took a deep breath, picked up a knife and started to prepare the ingredients.

~ * ~

An hour later, Hermione sat down wearily and wiped her brow with her sleeve. Under Severus' critical eye, the three drops of Salamander blood had been added at the precise time and temperature, and the potion, a pale, lustrous mother-of-pearl concoction, was now simmering gently on a low heat. Hermione yawned and looked at her watch, trying to work out how long she had gone without sleep and being too tired to calculate. She had been running on adrenalin for hours now, and it appeared her reserves of energy were not going to last for much longer.

Severus seemed to read her mind. 'You are tired. There is a phial of Invigoration Draught in the storeroom, if you would like some.'

Gratefully, Hermione accepted. She walked into the converted scullery, rubbing her aching back, marvelling at how well-stocked Professor Snape managed to keep it. Spotting the phial, she swallowed its contents in one gulp. Seconds later, Hermione felt completely revitalised.

'The potion is almost ready, Miss Granger,' Severus called from the kitchen.

'Coming, Professor.' Hermione returned to the cauldron and extinguished the flame. 'It should be cool enough to take in five minutes or so.'

'Agreed.' Severus shifted uncomfortably in his chair. 'Miss Granger, I would... appreciate it if you did not call me "Professor" any longer since my teaching days are well and truly over. Professor Snape died in the Shrieking Shack, and that is where I would like to leave him.'

'All-all right,' Hermione stammered. 'In that case, what would you like me to call you?' She wiped her hands nervously on her robe.

'My name is Severus, Miss Granger.'

'Okay... Severus.' Hermione blushed. 'But please call me, "Hermione".'

Severus inclined his head, smirking slightly. 'Hermione.'

There was that clenching again. Knowing she must be as red as a beetroot, Hermione began clearing away to take her mind off her embarrassment while they waited for the potion to cool down. 'I couldn't help noticing,' she said, breaking the awkward silence that seemed to have descended, 'you have quite a few phoenix feathers stored in there.'

'Indeed,' Severus replied. 'Fawkes was very generous. The tears you found were his last gift to me after I...'

If she had been embarrassed before, she was mortified now. 'Oh God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean...'

'Don't be,' Severus spat out. 'I did what the old bastard asked me to do...like I always did.' He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. 'Attend to the potion. It should be cool enough for me to take.'

Hermione checked the temperature before picking up a small ladle and carefully spooning a measured dose into a glass tumbler. She held it to Severus' lips, and he swallowed it without complaint.

'You'll need to take another one in twenty-four hours.'

Severus nodded and sipped some water to take away the taste.

Silently, Hermione bottled the remainder of the potion into measured phials and carried the cauldron over to the sink. She turned the tap on and started scrubbing.

'There is no need for you to do that, Miss Granger. You may leave now.'

'Leave?' She turned around abruptly, splashing water over the front of her robe. 'But... It could be two days before you get the full use of your hands back. How will you cope on your own?'

'I am still capable of wandless magic,' he sneered. 'I am more than capable of taking care of myself.'

'Really,' Hermione said, drying herself with a flick of her wand. 'Prove it. Summon a glass of water and drink it.'

Severus growled in protest but silently conjured a glass of water. It crashed to the floor.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and cast Reparo. 'What if someone goes to recover your "body" and suspects you're alive? This is the first place the Aurors will look. You won't be able to defend yourself if they hex first and ask questions later.'

His face was like thunder. 'That is a chance I will have to take.'

Hermione sat down at the table, a plan forming in her head. 'Look,' she said. 'This is no time for bravado. I have somewhere you could go... Somewhere no one would think of looking for you.'

Severus raised an eyebrow. 'And where might that be?'

'Ireland,' she replied. 'My Granny's old house. You'd be safe there, and you could stay until you recover...or as long as you like.'

'Are you serious?'

'Perfectly.' She smiled, warming to the idea. 'I've been meaning to take a trip anyway to check the place is all right. It's fairly remote; there are no neighbours close by, and the nearest magical community is thirty miles away.'

Severus looked at her quizzically. 'I am a wanted criminal, Hermione. You should have turned me over to the Aurors yourself...I would have been powerless to stop you. Yet, once again, you are going out of your way to help me, offering me shelter and risking your own liberty in the process. I'm still at a loss as to why.'

'In all honesty, I'm not completely sure.' She stared at the floor and picked at her robe, unable to return his steady gaze. 'I just know you're a good man who sacrificed a lot of his life to keep my best friend alive. You deserve another chance, and if you want a fresh start somewhere else with a new identity, I'll do whatever I can to help...' Startled, Hermione's head shot up as she felt Severus cover her hand with his own, his eyes burning with some emotion that stole her breath away.

'In that case,' Severus said, 'we should hurry. There is much to be done before we can leave, and I will need your assistance to pack.'