This story is the beginning of something I hope you all like. It is a little sad ok a lot sad, but very romantic, and will get very sappy, but please keep reading it and review it please. Also I own nothing.
Chapter one
She walked into St. Mungos hospital, and every head seemed to turn in her direction, everyone knew who she was. She was Hermione Granger to some the girl who had helped bring down the dark lord though she hadn't been Granger in years. Now she was Hermione Snape, everyone knew she was here to see her husband. Taking the lift she arrived on his floor, and then walking down the hall, next she found herself outside his hospital room. Hermione closed her eyes breathing a sign before going inside where she found the doctor in with Severus.
"Hello love "whispered Hermione as she kissed Severus ever so briefly on the lips, taking a seat in the chair next to the bed.
" Mrs. Snape I'm glad you're here maybe you can talk some sense into your husband…we were just discussing the next thing to do at this current stage…the only thing that will keep him alive a little longer than the current treatment will " said the doctor angrily while avoiding his patents glare. Hermione looked at Severus silently telling him to stop glaring at the doctor, and to listen. Part of her had a feeling this new treatment was a muggle treatment, and that's most likely why Severus was being so stubborn.
" We can continue the current treatment, but it isn't doing much because of the damage the body suffered because of the crusiartus curse…the only other choice is to operate on his heart " explained the doctor looking at Hermione who was looking at Severus.
"Without the operation your heart could shut down at any time because the current treatment isn't doing anything for it… the operation would keep you alive for another few months and would have to be performed again after that time, but it would give you more time with your family Mr. Snape…it would give you time to say goodbye…to make your final arrangements "said the doctor looking at the floor now.
"Leave now "barked Severus glaring at the doctor as if he were one of his students. The doctor left with no argument, and Severus and Hermione looked at each other for a long time neither saying a word.
"Severus please "whispered Hermione taking his hand, and kissing his wedding ring. Severus suddenly pulled her next to him on the bed putting his face in her hair, and breathing in her sent, the scent of vanilla and honey.
"Hermione it won't keep me alive forever "Severus whispered in her ear.
" Severus I know that, but it would keep you here just a little bit longer…it would keep your heart from giving out…please have the operation " pleaded Hermione taking his face in her hands, and holding back the tears she knew he didn't want to see.
" I'm not sure it's not full proof…my heart could still give out sooner than expected " muttered Severus taking her hands away from his face, and holding her ever so gently in his arms.
"Yes Severus that's true, but if it works you wouldn't have to have those treatments like you do now…you could come home "pleaded Hermione.
"Please Severus have the operation I…I don't want to lose you…I'm not ready to tell our kids that your gone…I need you please "cried Hermione.
"I'm never going to leave you…I'll think about having the operation that's doesn't mean I'm saying yes just that I'll think about it "promised Severus hugging her. Severus and Hermione had been married for over twenty years, and together they had seven children. They had four daughters Jasmine, Minerva, Scarlet, and Elizabeth. They also had three sons Severus Jr, Andrew, and Albas.
"The thought of going home does sound good "mused Severus as he drifted off the sleep, the treatment he was on now made him very sleepy sometimes. He had been in and out of the hospital over the past year, and had been sick for a long time before that.
"I love you Severus "whispered Hermione as she watched him fall asleep.
"I love you too Hermione "breathed Severus, and in seconds he was asleep, snoring loudly. Hermione was there every day, and usually the mediwitch had to force her to leave, but they were nice enough to wait till after he had fallen asleep.
Later when he woke up again Hermione was still there, and from the window he could see the sun going down.
"I brought everything you asked for "whispered Hermione presenting him with the books and tomes he had asked for. Hermione much to Severus's disgust began to put pictures and flowers and cards up around the room saying the room needed to look homier while he was here. Severus had been potions master and headmaster at Hogwarts for many years, but since getting sick Severus was now officially retired, and had been for three years.
"What would my life have been like if I'd never married you "mused Hermione as she noticed Severus was asleep again, and in that moment she began to go through the memories in her head of their life together. Looking at her husband Hermione couldn't help, but see the change in him, the sickness was slowly killing him, and she hated that there was nothing she could do.
" Your still the handsomest man in my book " breathed Hermione as she watched his sleeping form thinking about how Severus now hated his salt and pepper hair, and the fact that he was so skinny he could see his own bones. Hermione didn't mind any of this, except his eyes, they had changed, they were no longer deep dark pits that she could fall into, but instead lifeless almost, and this scared her. Sometimes Hermione couldn't believe this was her husband, that this man had once scared the lights out of every student at Hogwarts. Severus didn't like to eat because of his treatments, anything he ate came back up, but the mediwitch forced him so after a while he ate just to get rid of her. Although Severus wanted to see the kids, Hermione wouldn't let them visit, she didn't want them to remember him like this, and she knew he was angry at her for that, but he didn't show it.
Severus was still asleep when the mediwitch came in to fix his IV, adding a bottle of pain potion to the solution.
"How much more has the dosage of pain potion been upped "asked Hermione alarmed when she added two bottles to the solution instead of one, they only did that to the patents that didn't have a chance who were dying no matter what. The mediwitch walked out without answering her, and Hermione felt a sense of dread fill her heart, but she hid so that Severus wouldn't see. It hurt her so much to see him in pain, to see him sick, part of her wished they could go home right now, and put this all behind them, but they couldn't do that, not yet all she had to do now was prey she didn't lose him.
"Hermione "whispered Severus shaking her from her thoughts, and for a moment to Hermione it felt like they were at home not in a hospital, he was speaking to her in the same tone he did whenever she worried too much about the kids, that tone told her to not worry that everything would be alright, but this time Hermione wasn't so sure. Hermione couldn't help, but smile when he scolded her for staring at him as if he were a goldfish and it felt like old times before they were married.
"I'm sorry Severus I didn't realize I was staring "muttered Hermione.
"Here's your dinner "said the mediwitch setting a tray with his dinner on it in front of him. The food looked disgusting, and Hermione could tell from the way Severus looked at it that he missed the food at Hogwarts.
"I hate this hospital food…if this sickness doesn't kill me this will "growled Severus beginning to eat something that looked like mashed potatoes.
"I'm sure my cooking's worse that the stuff on that tray "laughed Hermione as she took a small lunchbox that had once belonged to one of the kids out of her purse.
Severus laughed and took the lunchbox, it was good to see him laugh, even when he was healthy it was rare, but now it almost never happened.
"Your cooking isn't bad "muttered Severus kissing her ever so briefly on the lips. Severus was delighted with the food in the lunch box, practically scarfing it down as if he hadn't eaten in months. After he ate the contents Hermione miniaturized the lunchbox, and hid it away in her purse, she wouldn't be allowed to see him anymore if the mediwitch found out so Severus also had to eat the trash on the tray. The tray disappeared as soon as it was empty, and Severus was soon asleep again.
" I got to leave now Severus, but I'll be back I promise " whispered Hermione kissing him on the cheek as he lay sleeping, looking up she saw the mediwitch standing in the doorway silently telling her she had to leave.
"Home "muttered Hermione as she apparated to an alley a few blocks away from their house, she began to walk home feeling lonesome without Severus. Hermione stopped in front of their house; it seemed so empty without him there. The house was a red brick house with green grass in the front, and from the outside it was very plain, that was what they had liked about it when they had first bought it. Their kids were all gone, most of them were at Hogwarts, but some were on their own now to Hermione it was weird she never expected to ever have to live here alone.
Hermione turned on all the lights in the house, going into the living room with a bottle of wine and an empty glass. Sitting alone in the room Hermione filled her glass, and then she refilled it each time she found it empty. Soon she found the bottle empty, and that meant there was nothing to keep the tears away.
"Why, why, why…why is this happening to us "sobbed Hermione finally breaking down and crying, her head in her hands. Her husband was dying Hermione couldn't deny it anymore; those bottles of pain potion said it all.
" I love him, we're happy…why is this all happening now when everything seemed to be going so well " Hermione asked herself her chest beginning to hurt as it always did when she cried. A few hours later Hermione found herself in their room lying on their four poster bed, and she didn't remember how she got there, but she was glad she was there, she felt safe in this room.
"Our wedding "mused Hermione as she turned over to see the picture of that happy day so many years ago sitting on their night table. She allowed herself to be absorbed by that memory, she had been twenty, Severus had proposed the day after her birthday, and it was obvious from where she was now that she said yes. They were married October 31st, Halloween; it was the only date they could agree on.
"The best day of my life "laughed Hermione as she remembered the ceremony at Hogwarts in the great hall, and all the beautiful décor that had been put up for the occasion.
" Severus looked so handsome " whispered Hermione letting a finger caress the picture of Severus in his black suit, and even now to her surprise he was smiling in the picture, but she didn't remember seeing him smile, but he must of it was in the picture, and it was their wedding day. Hermione remembered she wore her hair in her usual curly mess, her wedding dress was a strapless gown with tiny pearl sown in, and a veil made out of lace, and it was beautiful. All their friends and family were there, and it felt good to be surrounded by them on that day.
" I wish daddy could have been there " cried Hermione remembering as she walked down the aisle alone because he father had died a year before of a heart attack.
Severus didn't want to go to the reception, he wanted to get straight to the good part as he called it, but she had forced him to go, and to show his distaste he had been especially snarky to everyone, but her.
"No honeymoon "laughed Hermione remembering how they spent their first night as husband and wife in his quarters. They hadn't moved into this house till after Jasmine was born, and they had lived here ever since, and it was nice to have a place of their own. Ever since then they had been happy, watching their family get bigger and bigger. Now though things were not fine, Severus was sick, he was dying, and it was not something Hermione had prepared herself for.
"Headmistress Snape "muttered Hermione hating her new title, she was now headmistress at Hogwarts, taking over for Severus when he retired.
" Maybe I should go back to work " mused Hermione currently she was on a leave of absence, she planned on going back when Severus got better, but now it felt like that wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't get better, even that operation wouldn't make him better; there was no chance that she wouldn't be burying him, and she didn't even want to think of that.
"The crusio disease "seethed Hermione, which was the name of the sickness Severus had, it was caused by being crusioed to the point of near death.
" If only he hadn't been a death eater or if they could find some sort of cure " said Hermione wishfully, thinking of the pen sieves she had seen of him being tortured with the curse, and now this is what was happening, he was dying because they curse was now targeting his heart.
" God damn you Severus why'd you have to be so stupid and become a death eater in the first place…none of this would be happening I hate you for doing this to me " screamed Hermione hating herself the minute the words escaped her lips, but sometimes she got angry, and she wanted someone to blame it on.
"I'm sorry Severus if you hadn't of become what you did the dark lord would be ruling us all now "cried Hermione feeling bad for saying such things, and feeling stupid for talking to her. Hermione prayed for strength, strength for not only her but their kids, but she sometimes felt like praying was hopeless because it didn't seem to be working.
"Maybe gods not on my side anymore "whispered Hermione wishing for a sign that he was, but not getting any answer. She tried to hide her pain about everything that was happening, but Hermione knew he could see through her.
Severus had always been able to see through her, it was like she was a ghost sometimes, he was always seeing right through her.
" No secrets " Hermione yawned starting to finally feel sleepy, looking at the clock she realized it was four in the morning, she had to be up at seven thirty she needed some sleep. Hermione allowed herself to sleep for about two to three hours before waking up to find it still dark. She took a shower then she got dressed, using makeup to cover the dark circles under her eyes. She planned on going to see their daughter Jasmine today, it was her birthday, and she had asked to see her father so Hermione would take her with her to the hospital, though she didn't want to.
"It's her birthday it's the least I can do "signed Hermione smiling just a little bit, she was looking forward to seeing her oldest daughter, she was the transfiguration teachers apprentice. Hermione walked to the alleyway a block away, and with a pop she appeared outside the gates of Hogwarts.