Author's Note: Thanks to Liza for betaing :)
Written for...
OTP Prompt List Challenge. Prompt: [Scenario] I was watching that hot jogger while driving out of the neighborhood but got distracted and crashed but i just woke up in a hospital room and said hot jogger is at my bedside because apparently they're the one who called the ambulance
Last Ship Sailing Competition II. Prompts: sunlight, direction, chair
Doctor's Orders
1,011 words
"What are you wearing? Are those … sweatpants?"
Severus ignored his neighbor as he fiddled with his new fitness tracker, making sure it was set properly. He didn't feel that he needed to explain his clothing choices to Lucius, who didn't seem to know the meaning of casual. And yet Severus knew the man would only take up more of his morning, pestering him.
"I'm going for a run." He left out that the jogging attire had been buried at the bottom of his drawer since his university days. It was a little tight, but there was no way he was spending money on new sweats.
"Really? You hate running, yet that's exactly what you're about to do."
'I hate small talk more,' Severus thought. He didn't want to get into his recent heart attack that had prompted his doctor had insisted that he get at least thirty minutes of exercise every day.
"Doctor's orders," he said quietly and then took off at a slow jog before Lucius could say anything more.
Severus regretted the decision to start running almost immediately. His lungs were burning by the time he reached the end of his street. Not to mention the sunshine beating down on his pale skin; he just knew he would be burnt by the end of the day.
He didn't think much of the car heading in his direction at first. It was still early in the morning and everyone was on their way to work. He lowered his eyes back to the ground and kept his focus on his breathing, until the sound of tires screeching and metal colliding drowned out his footfalls.
"Take it easy," his doctor had said. "Don't go too fast."
For some reason Severus thought of this as he called for an ambulance while running toward a smoking car wrapped around a fire hydrant.
:-:
The first thing Hermione noticed upon waking up in the hospital was the stranger sitting in the chair across from her. She couldn't remember how she had gotten there, nor anything after she left the house that morning, but there was something about this man that seemed familiar somehow.
He head was bent over his phone, completely oblivious to her staring, but she could still make out his handsome features that did nothing to jog her memory.
Jog.
Her eyes moved down his body slowly, taking in the tight grey sweats and black runners. She let out an undignified squeak as she finally remembered where she had seen him last and why she was in the hospital in the first place.
The stranger looked up at the noise and, seeing Hermione was awake, hurried to her bedside.
"It's alright, Ms. Granger, you're safe. My name is Severus Snape, I was there when your car crashed."
"Crashed?" She couldn't meet his eyes.
"Into a fire hydrant," he offered.
"I don't remember." It was partially true. She really couldn't remember crashing her car, but she figured what caused it.
"Are you feeling alright? I should call a nurse." His hand reached for the call button.
"No, please. I'm fine. I just need a minute."
Unless it was common for people to die of embarrassment, Hermione knew she was perfectly healthy aside from a slight headache. But the nurse would want to know what happened, why she'd crashed, and she couldn't very well admit that she'd been paying more attention to a jogger than the road.
She didn't need a mirror to know that she was blushing. It was only a matter of time before Severus figured out why, and she couldn't have that.
"I really appreciate you helping me," she began calmly, forcing herself to look him in the eyes. "But you don't have to stay. I'm okay."
Severus frowned. "I think I'd better wait until your parents get here."
"My parents?"
"I looked through your phone to call your husband-"
"I'm single." Why was she telling him this?
"But I found your parents and left them a message."
"They're on holiday in Australia. They'll get the message in about two weeks."
"Oh."
She smiled at him. "It was really sweet of you to try and help. I think I'll just call a friend to pick me up when I'm finished here."
He sighed. "I would offer to take you home, but I came here in the ambulance. You're sure you're alright?"
"I'm positive. Thank you again, Mr. Snape."
She watched him go and groaned, falling back against the pillows. "Stupid girl," she muttered, pressing the call button.
:-:
Despite the incident during his first attempt at jogging, Severus had been very good about staying on track with his fitness regime for the rest of the week, running for precisely thirty minutes each day. He was exhausted by the weekend but refused to take even a day off for fear of what Doctor Pomfrey would say.
He was surprised to find himself enjoying the peace and solitude of running. He'd been afraid initially of having to deal with other people and dogs on the trails, but his neighborhood was relatively quiet during the day. So it surprised him to find a woman jogging on his route that particular Saturday morning.
He intended to ignore her at first. She was going rather slow and he figured he could outrun her easily, but as he approached her the woman turned and he stopped, recognizing her immediately.
"Ms. Granger?"
Hermione stopped, smiling shyly at him. "Hello, Mr. Snape."
"What … what are you doing here?"
"I live just down the street. Saturdays are normally my gym day, but I'm without a car at the moment, as you know." She looked away, blushing, and not for the first time Severus thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
"You're welcome to run with me," he offered, already excited by the prospect of seeing her more. He had been so disappointed at having left her in the hospital without any promise of seeing her again.
She smiled brightly at him. "I would like that very much."