His vision blurred. Severus could barely see the three young people before him. It was too exhausting to keep his eyes open and Severus let his eyelids fall close. His mission was accomplished and Potter had all the information he needed. His debt was repaid.

Cold crept through him and his senses seemed to sharpen. He could feel his heart slowing down. He could sense every single part of his body slowly going numb when he had anticipated he would not feel anything when his time had come. The pain in his throat was severe but it didn't weaken any other senses. I can smell my own blood. My blood is flowing more slowly every second. Death doesn't seem so bad after all. Then everything went black.

"Oh my God," Hermione cried out aloud. Harry, Ron and Hermione stared down at Severus Snape shell- shocked. His eyes were closed and all life seemed to have left him, his body had collapsed and he didn't move one bit. Blood flowed down his neck and his clothes and he was white as a sheet. Had they really just watched him die? They were still trying to understand what had happened moments ago, when Nagini had attacked him so violently on Voldemort's orders.
Hermione, however, was the first to recover from her shock.
The last look Snape had given Harry had shown so much raw emotion that Hermione could not just let him die, that look had deeply unsettled her and she had to make sure there was nothing left she could have done for him. And this last sentence about Harry's mothers eyes… had made her think of Snape as a human being again.
She knelt down beside Snape and put down her fingers on the left side of his neck in search for a pulse. It hadn't been her conscious decision to do so, it just seemed the right thing in this moment. I just have to be sure.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" Harry asked. "He's dead."
"Are you sure, Harry?" she asked him back.
She slowly removed her hand from his neck and put it back again to be sure. There was a very tiny flutter in his veins and a pretty weak pulse seemed to be left. "Merlin, he's still alive, but only just," she breathed. They were acutely aware they really had to get out of the Shack as soon as possible, but Harry and Ron were still frozen in shock as Hermione now knelt down on Snape's other side.
She looked up at Harry, both of her hands were now pressing against the gaping wound on Snape's neck. In the last few seconds, some inner voice had told her to help Snape. She didn't hesitate further.
"Harry, you have to take that vial and leave," Hermione said forcefully, "you have only one hour left. Whatever he wanted you to see, it has to be important."
Harry hesitated. "Go!" Hermione cried again. Harry slowly started towards the door.
"Ron, you try to help me with Snape. Come here."
"What?" For a moment, Ron was speechless. "Are you mental? You really want to try to save the life of that bloody traitor? He killed Dumbledore, he doesn't deserve to be saved!" Ron shouted at her.
Harry hesitated again when he heard Ron yelling at Hermione. He still wasn't sure whose side he was on here after he had heard Voldemort ordering the attack on Snape.
"Yes, I am going to help him because right now I can't understand how Voldemort could order his death without hesitation. And who are we to judge him and let him die here without understanding the whole picture? Without a proper trial? If he really proves to be guilty in the end, leave him to the Wizengamot, but for now, I'll try to save his life. So either help me or leave. We have to hurry or he'll die anyway," Hermione said matter of factly. Damnit, must he always be that stubborn, Hermione wondered.
Harry now was sure she did the right thing and finally left.

She reached for her beaded bag and produced a vial of blood replenishing potion and a bezoar. "I'm not even sure if we can do anything to help at all but I just have to try."
Ron still stared at her but finally knelt down beside her and asked "What should I do?" and muttered under his breath "I still can't believe I'm doing this." Hermione had of course heard it and just rolled her eyes.
"Here, take these bandages and try to press them as hard as you can against his neck so that he doesn't lose any more blood. I'll try to make him swallow the bezoar and the potion."
She tried to open his mouth with her fingers a little further and shoved the bezoar inside. Desperately she tried to suppress the thought this was Snape's mouth she was trying to slip the bezoar in. With Snape being unconscious and the damage in his throat she had to find a way to make him swallow and tried to recall the right spell she had read about in one of her basic healing books she had carried around during the last year.

Absorbet naturalis seemed the right one and she waved her wand. Nothing happened. She tried once more concentrating heavily on the correct wand movement and finally the bezoar went slowly down his damaged throat and hopefully began to drain Nagini's venom out of his system. If only this is enough for first aid.
Hermione applied the blood replenisher in the same way and looked up at Ron. He looked into her eyes and still looked apprehensive but at least did everything necessary without further complaining. Snape still bled but finally it seemed to get a little less. She just hoped it was because of the bandages and not because his heart had stopped beating.
When no new blood seemed to emerge his wounds, Hermione tried to close them with Snape's own spell after Ron had taken his hands away and before the blood replenisher began to work. "Vulnera Sanentur," she chanted gently, "Vulnera Sanentur."
Additionally she applied the rest of their Dittany potion she had with her. The wounds knitted themselves together and were bright red. "I think this is all we can do, he needs a real healer now," Hermione said.
She was astounded that his heart still beat at this point. Once again she wondered if it had been right to help him. What if I'm wrong? But it was too late for regrets now.

"I don't think we can bring him up to the infirmary, it will already be overcrowded. We should apparate directly into St. Mungo's," Hermione decided aloud. "Ron, please take his other side and we side-along him, okay?" she asked Ron, sounding a bit unsure all of a sudden. She hadn't thought this far when she had decided to save him, perhaps they wouldn't even accept him in St. Mungo's as a patient. Too late for that now, Hermione.
"Okay, he does seem strong enough at the moment," Ron acknowledged.
At least he was breathing more regular now, although there were still far too much gurgling noises in between his breaths, Hermione thought anxiously. Hermione checked for apparition wards but found none.
"Come on, it's now or never. Hold on to my hand. Now concentrate on the reception desk in St. Mungo's on three-two-one.. now!" And they disappeared from the Shack with a loud crack, leaving only a big blood stain on the floor.

They reappeared in St. Mungo's and the reception room was totally cramped with injured people from Hogwarts that could not be taken care of by Poppy Pomfrey alone.
Hermione shouted out loud "A healer, NOW!" and looked around, trying to keep up with Snape's weight. A Healer made his way through all the waiting people and immediately conjured a stretcher and levitated Snape onto it. "I'm Healer Jason Harris. Who are you bringing in and what happened to him?" He looked at the person on the stretcher them and his eyes widened. Before Hermione could answer he had recognized the man on the stretcher. "Isn't this Severus Snape? Why would you bring him here, I don't understand," he asked Hermione, the question and also disgust of the person before him visible in his eyes.
"We understand you have reservations," Hermione said with a steady voice, "but I have reasonable doubts about his true allegiance and we couldn't just let him die. He was attacked by Voldemort's snake on his very orders. That is enough to doubt his true allegiance for me. You weren't there Sir, but I am sure I did the right thing." Hermione sounded more certain than she felt. What am I going to do if they refuse to help him?

Healer Harris did not answer her and brought Snape into what it seemed the last empty healing room on the floor. In his eyes, this young lady certainly had courage and her confidence alone had persuaded him to help Snape.
Ron had just followed without saying a word and he and Hermione now watched the healer doing his work and running some diagnostic spells. "Using a bezoar was very clever," he said aloud but Hermione stayed silent.
After a couple of minutes Ron turned to Hermione and tugged on her sleeve. "We have to return to Hogwarts and help Harry, the hour has almost run out. Snape is nowhere near important as Harry and we can't do anything here anyway. I'm leaving, are you coming?" he said, sounding almost angry. "Yes, you're right, we should leave," Hermione admitted aloud. Why do I want to stay here, though? She had to ask herself.

"Healer Harris, we are going back to Hogwarts but we will return as soon as possible and see how he is. Do you think he will survive?" Hermione asked quietly.
"I don't know yet, young lady, but I'll try. We won't be sure for a couple of days if he'll live I think. And I will make sure nobody knows he is here until you return, that is all I can do for now. At least we don't have to worry that he'll escape. But I want your word that you talk to the ministry that he's here and is dealt with as soon as he is better. You are responsible for him, I am only responsible for his health, regardless of who he is." Merlin, Hermione thought, what have I gotten myself into. But now it was too late for regrets, they had to get going. "Yes, Sir," she answered and exited the room.

Hermione and Ron apparated back to the grounds of Hogwarts just in time to see a dead Harry carried back to the castle by Hagrid.

Two days after the final battle Hermione, Harry and Ron returned to St. Mungo's together. Their own injuries had been cared for and Hermione felt anxious the check up on Snape.
After she had learned what Harry had seen in the pensieve she was relieved she had made the right decision in the Shrieking Shack. Harry had immediately shown the memories to Kingsley and explained that Hermione and Ron had saved Snape's life after he was attacked by Nagini on Voldemort's orders. Kingsley had contacted Healer Harris to confirm that Snape was allowed to stay in St. Mungo's and that the very fact he was in the wizarding hospital should be kept quiet. It was better the public didn't know about Snape yet. Besides, Kingsley still had to decide if Severus Snape had to withstand a trial or be amnestied for his deeds. Of course, this was not his decision alone to make, but before he presented the facts to the Wizengamot and the public, he had to be sure what he wanted to go for.
Snape was now protected by Ministry wards in front of his room in a secluded area of St. Mungo's.
The fact that Severus Snape was a hero and shouldn't have died being killed by Nagini was what counted for Hermione in the end. She still had some mixed feelings about him as well as Harry and Ron; after all they had suffered from his strictness and viciousness as a teacher, but this that was for sure no reason to just let him die two days ago. The relief she felt that her decision had been right almost made her feel lightheaded.
At the reception desk, Hermione asked for Healer Harris. Fifteen minutes later he appeared in the waiting area to talk to the three of them. "Hello Miss Granger, Mister Weasley, Mister Potter. At first, my congratulations on…finishing off Voldemort for good." He held out his hand to Harry.
"It is an honour, Mr. Potter, and thank you for everything you did. " Harry went bright red but managed a "Thank you."
"You know, " Healer Harris continued talking, "I am very thankful to your friend Miss Granger here who stood up for Mr. Snape. Minister Kingsley made sure I did everything I could to help him survive the day after you've brought him here. After all I have seen here in the last few days and months I am still having a hard time to believe that everything is all over now and that Mr. Snape seemed to have played a major part in helping you defeat Voldemort. Also I am still struggling to understand that you, Miss Granger, had the right feeling about him. To be honest - when I first saw him when you brought him here, I just wanted to let him die simply because he was one of "them", but you were so very sure about him that I changed my mind." He took Hermione's hand in his and held it for a moment. Looking in her eyes he said "Thank you for being so insistent, just… Thank you."
Now it was time for Hermione to turn bright red. Once again, tears welled up in her eyes and once again, she couldn't even say why. I should be happy about this and not sad, shouldn't I ? And I wasn't so sure when I brought him in as I am now…
As she didn't trust her voice, she just gave Healer Harris a small smile and nodded.
Healer Harris cleared his throat and the emotion that had just shown on his face vanished.
"Now back to our patient. Severus Snape is barely alive and you brought him here in the very last minute, so to speak. The blood loss was so extraordinary that the blood replenisher wasn't able to help much. We had to give him a blood transfusion. He will recover very slowly and has to stay here for at least six weeks I think. He still has to regain consciousness and we still don't know what effect the snake venom will have to his nervous system. That we can only find out after he awakes. I still wonder if you two also applied the first aid or just brought him in?" he said, looking questioningly at Hermione and Ron. Hermione blushed and looked at the Healer. "I felt a weak pulse after he was injured although we thought him dead at first. But after I felt this small flutter in his veins I started to think what I could do. I fortunately had a bezoar and the blood replenisher with me. It was sheer luck, I guess…" Hermione trailed off pensively.

"That was luck, indeed. But you also did the exact right things, don't underrate what you did here, you definitely saved his life," Healer Harris assured. "If you want to see him now, you are welcome to do so. He is unconscious as I said and most likely won't notice that you're there. You can stay as long as you like, he has had no other visitors yet."

After having passed the two ministry assigned guards, they entered the darkened room, Hermione holding Ron's hand and Harry following them inside. Severus Snape still was as white as the sheets he was lying in and hardly seemed to breathe. He had some large bandages around his neck and a little sweat trickled on his forehead as if he had a fever. Hermione went to his bed and looked at him, Harry had taken the other side and both of them looked at him. "Who would have thought…," said Harry and trailed off. Hermione felt the same way. Ron stepped up beside her and retook her hand. "I'm sorry." Hermione said gently, facing Snape. "I'm sorry we did not trust you. I think we were not supposed to anyway. You did a good job making sure of that." Suddenly tears welled up in her eyes again which she couldn't explain. She hadn't even seen what had been in the memories he had given to Harry and Harry hadn't told them very much, only, that some of the memories had been very personal. Why the hell do I feel so sorry for him?

Hermione took a deep breath and squeezed Ron's hand. "Let's leave, there's nothing more we can do for him today. But we should visit him regularly, don't you think? As Healer Harris said, no one else is visiting him and that's the least we could do for him - provide company," Hermione suggested after she had fought down her tears. She also had to fight the urge to just run out the room because at this very moment she couldn't stand the sight of Snape suffering this much any more. Tugging almost violently at Ron's hand they all followed her outside.

Severus felt that he was not alone in the room he was in. Was death like that? Lying in a way too bright room with his whole body in pain? Perhaps he had landed in hell after all. Well, he certainly deserved it. He was able to hear muffled voices but he wasn't able to follow the words. Most of all, Severus felt sad, sadder than he had ever felt in the last twenty years. The feeling hit him with such intensity that he had to ask himself how he could have forgotten it.

The three friends left the room together. "Why should we visit him, Hermione?" Ron said as soon as they had closed the door. "He still is an ill-tempered and vicious person. OK, he's a hero for what he's done, but that doesn't make him a nicer person worth visiting, does it?"
Hermione glared at him. "How could you say something like that? We don't know all the facts and I'm sure he just had to act like he did. Yes, he was an arse to us most of the time, but we can't just judge him by his actions that we remember of our time in Hogwarts. He has done much more than what we are aware of and Dumbledore isn't here to tell us anything. I think he's the only one who can do that. And like the healer just told us, he had no other visitors yet and I doubt there will be people lining up in front his door in the future. He has no friends left and as it seems, no living relatives, living in both worlds as a spy, just think about it. People on both sides didn't trust him anymore." Ron didn't reply at once but looked understanding. "Just don't expect me to come with you every time."
The Ministry wards looked at Hermione astounded but didn't utter a word.

Harry, Hermione and sometimes Ron went to visit Snape regularly during the next two weeks, but Snape remained unconscious although he started to look better and was not that pale any more. The scars on his neck were large and still red and visible but they at least seemed to heal very slowly. Healer Harris kept telling them that he was recovering and everything was as it was supposed to be. Hermione still had to force herself to look at Snape's face because he always seemed to look sad and lost, the visits weren't easy for her and every day, she had to struggle more to leave to St. Mungo's.

One evening, Harry and Hermione returned to The Burrow and Hermione let out a frustrated sigh.
"I start to think he is never going to wake up. I still feel so bad that we suspected him all those years and I just want to apologize, although I doubt he's interested in that at all." Harry had very similar thoughts but was still doubting his own temper once he was able to speak to Snape again. So many things had happened in the past. After dinner Hermione went up to her's and Ginny's room at The Burrow and went to bed immediately.
She was still exhausted form the last year physically as well as emotionally and the events two weeks ago and the ever present guilt about her parents went through her thoughts. Now that the war was over she was desperate to have them back and just be able to bury herself in her mother's arm for comfort. But she hadn't thought of finding a backdoor to regain her parent's memories after she had obliviated them. There simply hadn't been enough time. What if I'm never able to bring their memories back? Will they hate me for it? She turned around those two thoughts in her head over and over again.

Hermione had serious trouble sleeping but kept this to herself and didn't tell anyone, not even Ron. Ginny must have noticed but she didn't say anything. Somehow, she felt more depressed now than before the final battle and she couldn't put a finger on it. The dark circles under her eyes became more prominent every day but she didn't notice. Ron did, though.
Ginny had naturally left for Harry's Room around bedtime, she only let him out of sight very reluctantly and had taken up sleeping next to his side. Hermione suspected Molly was aware of it but hadn't it in her heart to separate the two for the night.

Hermione lay alone in the large bed and turned her thoughts around. She and Ron had kissed in the chamber of secrets but not much more had happened since then. Other things had been more important and neither of them had taken another step into that direction. That only added to her depression, she knew it was pathetic but she desperately wanted to be held in his arms. There was a knock on the door and outside Ron said, "It's me, Mione, can I come in?"
Hermione let out a happy sigh and sat up. "Of course, come in, Ron."

"Hey", she said as Ron entered the room, "how are you doing?" Ron sat down next to her on her bed and took her hands. "I don't know", he answered after a while, "I still can't believe that Voldemort is gone for good and everything's finally over. I also still try to understand how many people we lost in that final battle and try to realize I will never see them again… like Fred." He sat silent for a minute stroking Hermione's fingers and his silent tears fell on Hermione's hands.
"The only thing from keeping me fall apart is you, really," he added quietly, looking up and into her eyes.
"All we need is time to recover, I guess. And rest." she added after some moments. She had to take a deep breath before she could continue. "I still can't manage to sleep more than 1 or 2 hours, it's all nightmares and I don't want to use some bloody potion. Do you think you could stay until I have fallen asleep? I think this could help me ... But only if this is really OK with you," she added silently.
"Hermione, why would I not be OK with this? I love you, you know, I am here for you, too. Of course I'll stay. And I think your presence will help me sleeping, too."
"I love you too, Ron, and thank you." Hermione replied without hesitating. Although she hadn't thought about it before, she was sure she loved him back as soon as he had said it. She felt a little better at once and lay back on her bed. Ron lay down beside her and wrapped his arms around her. A feeling of warmth spread through her she hadn't felt in months. Ron bent down to kiss her cheek. "Goodnight, Hermione".

For the first night in months, Hermione slept without one single nightmare and woke up refreshed the next morning.

Harry and Hermione and on most days Ron continued to visit Snape daily. They sat down next to his bed and just kept him silent company. Sometimes he stirred in his healing sleep but even those small movements seemed to be exhausting for him and he always grimaced in pain.
Kingsley had finally decided to avoid a trial for Snape and had pleaded for a complete pardon at the Wizengamot. Dumbledore's portrait, which had conviently woken up after the final battle, had also spoken in favour of Snape and things were looking good. The final decision was only a couple of weeks away now. The fact that Snape was alive was all over the press now and the public didn't seem to share Kingsley's approach, Snape was still the most hated man after Voldemort now for killing Dumbledore, whatever his reasons had been. Perhaps if Dumbledore's testimony was published the public opinion would change.
On Friday, Harry and Hermione went alone to see him, Ron had refused to accompany them the fifth time this week and wanted to stay with George.
Hermione just couldn't bring herself to not visit him and it seemed the same for Harry, although he had almost never left Ginny's side since the final battle.
They talked quietly while watching Snape.
"Can you sleep at all, Hermione? I barely sleep at all, most times I find myself back in the veil and when I awake I'm not sure if I'm dead or alive until I feel Ginny beside me. I don't know how to get over all this. Sometimes I dream of my parents like in the Forbidden Forest and I wish I would not have to wake up at all. I just cannot stop thinking about everything. This whole thing with Snape, it confuses me so much. I always hated him and now I don't think I do anymore and this feels so strange. I am relieved all accusations were dropped but what if he doesn't wake up and doesn't even know he's being pardoned and free? I'm turning those thoughts round and round, Hermione," Harry ended sounding desperate.
"I have trouble sleeping, too, Harry. I see Hagrid carrying you dead back to Hogwarts and I even cry for you in my sleep. And when I wake up and fall asleep again, the other thing I dream of is Nagini attacking Snape and not being able to save him. I am always too slow. Since Ron started sleeping at my side it is getting better but sometimes the dreams keep coming back with a vengeance." Hermione sighed deeply, tears welling up her eyes. "And I am always crying, and I hate crying," she added with a small sad voice.

She looked at Snape again to avert Harry's eves.
"Harry, look - he's crying in his sleep." Silent tears fell down Snape's pale cheeks and he looked sadder than she had ever seen him. He looked like a lost soul.
"Please tell Kingsley he must lock these memories away, no one except you or him should know what was in them. He will be furious anyway when he learns you showed them to somebody else…if he ever wakes up," she said quietly fighting down her own tears. Why does he affect me so much?
Harry just nodded and they both fell silent again and while watching Snape shedding silent tears in his sleep. After some minutes, Hermione could not bear the sight anymore and reached out and took his left hand into hers.
She just could not leave him alone in whatever he was going through at the moment. She still felt bad at how they misjudged him for murdering Dumbledore. Just why hadn't Dumbledore bothered to at least tell someone from the order like Minerva why Snape had done what he had. She grew angrier with Dumbledore for that every day and that also added to her sleeplessness at night. Hermione just could not understand the man's motives anymore when she had always trusted him before. How could he leave this world and let one of his bravest fighters against Voldemort all alone without anyone to support him. The last year must have been hellish for Snape.
At some point during the last few minutes the very man had stopped crying without her noticing.

"Hermione, we should go, it's nearly 7 and he stopped crying a while ago", Harry said and brought her out of her thoughts. "You still look exhausted," he added.
"I guess you're right. Let's go home to the Burrow." At the same moment she wondered when she had come to think of the Burrow as her home.