The Worst Patient
SUMMARY: Why Severus Snape hates being sick.
DISCLAIMER: JKR still owns all
A/N: This story is AU. It is not HBP or DH compliant.
Albus Dumbledore is at the Ministry of Magic, leaving Minerva and Remus to hold the fort. Angsty fluff. Fluffy angst. It's what I do :)
Chapter 1
"Severus?" Remus Lupin called as he banged loudly on the door of Snape's rooms in the dungeons, "Please open up. I really need to get my potion".
Although Severus was still a bit put out that he had to make Lupin's potion he never forgot to bring it to him. Remus had to admit that he was a little worried.
"Professor Lupin. Is there a problem?" the crisp voice of Minerva McGonagall broke through his thoughts. Lupin indicated to the locked door.
"I saw Professor Snape at dinner today", McGonagall said, "He ate nothing and he looked more pale than usual. I came down to see if he was all right. You know how Albus likes us to keep an eye on him when he's away".
"Don't ever tell Severus that," Remus warned, "It might be the last thing you say to him".
"Indeed," said the deputy headmistress with a half smile, "Let's open this door. He has probably started brewing some potion or other and is in a world of his own".
She raised her wand and unlocked the door, cracking it open carefully.
The first thing they noticed was that the room was pitch black. Professor Snape was not given to having a lot of bright light in his chambers but he usually had a few candles lit.
McGonagall waved on some candles and they were greeted with the scene of Severus lying face down on the sofa. The wolfsbane potion was sitting on the table beside him. It looked as though he had been intending to bring it to Lupin but had been unable to.
"Drink your potion, Remus," McGonagall handed him the goblet and went over to inspect the potions master. She brushed back the dark hair, immediately feeling the heat radiating from him.
"He's boiling," she said, "Severus? Can you hear me? It's Minerva". She received no response.
"Get Madame Pomfrey quickly," she directed. Lupin went to the fire to contact the nurse. That done, he called Dobby and asked him to check if the Headmaster had returned.
The Mediwitch arrived with a lot of bottles and cool cloths. She enlisted their help to turn Severus over and coaxed some fever reducing potion into him.
The Potions Master remained unconscious through the procedure and only stirred when Poppy used magic to change him into pyjamas. He pulled away sharply and dove off the couch, pushing himself back into the corner.
"No!" he tried to shout but his voice was hoarse, "Leave me alone!"
"Severus," Madame Pomfrey admonished, "Do not be foolish. Let me bring you to the hospital wing. You are very unwell".
She advanced slowly upon him with a blanket that McGonagall had found. Severus pulled away in fright and covered his face with his hands.
"No, Mother, Please don't hurt me?" he begged, "I'll be good. I promise!"
Pomfrey stepped back. She was only a little shocked. She had suspected ever since Severus was a student that he did not have a happy childhood.
"Severus, dear," she said softly, "You are at Hogwarts with Poppy, Remus and Minerva. Your mother is not here. We want to help you feel better. Why don't you let us take you to the hospital wing?"
Severus merely whimpered.
"He is very ill," Pomfrey told the shocked professors, "If we cannot get him to cooperate I will have to put him to sleep and take him to the hospital wing. I do not want to do that, however, as he will only be more upset when he wakes.
Remus stepped forward and crouched down so that he was at eye level with Snape but not too close. He had been taken aback by Snape's outburst but suddenly things began to make sense to him. The way Snape generally preferred to stay in the background, the way he took jokes so personally (though in the case of Sirius and James, they generally were) and had never been able to laugh at himself. He had always been so pale, thin and unhappy. Now, at last, Remus knew why and hoped he could help.
"Severus?" he said quietly, "You are shivering. You must be cold with no fire here. Do you want a blanket? I have one here".
He waited for long minutes until he saw a tiny, almost imperceptible nod. With the utmost care, he crawled closer to the other wizard and wrapped the blanket around him. Severus pulled it tightly around him and hid his face in it.
"Good, Severus," Remus smiled, "Now why don't you come with us to the hospital wing. You must be tired. You can sleep there and get better".
Severus shook his head violently and from that point on, nothing any of them said made any difference.
Madame Pomfrey had just made up her mind to cast a sleeping charm on the potions master when they heard footsteps at the door.
Dumbledore strode into the room, his face full of concern. He surveyed the scene and did some quick calculations.
"I take it he will not respond to you?" he asked
"He responded briefly to Remus," Minerva supplied, "But then he clammed up again".
"His temperature is far too high," said Poppy "Even after the potion I gave him. He seems to be hallucinating. He thinks he is at home with his mother. I do not know if he has taken any other potions. If so, they may also be contributing to the problem. I need to get him to the hospital wing to examine him fully. I was just about to put him to sleep and take him on a stretcher".
"Lets not be hasty," said the Headmaster calmly, "Why don't you all sit down. I think we will seem less threatening to him if we are at his level, like Remus".
Professor Lupin moved back and let Albus take his place in front of Snape.
"Hello, Severus," Said Dumbledore warmly, "I see you are not well, my dear boy".
To the surprise of the other three, Severus lifted his head and looked dully at the old wizard.
"Why don't we get you a bit more comfortable, Severus," Albus gently suggested, "I do not think the floor is the best place to be, do you?"
"Please don't get mother," Severus pleaded, "I will be good. I won't let you down again".
"Child," Dumbledore's voice was ever more gentle, "It is all right. You are at Hogwarts. Your parents are gone. They can never hurt you again. You are perfectly safe with us. Why don't you let me help you, hmm?"
Severus blinked and looked at his mentor as if realising suddenly that he was there.
"Albus?" he asked.
"Yes, my boy," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "I am glad you have joined us again".
"I feel sick, Albus," the Potion's Master sounded exhausted.
"Yes, I know you do, child," Dumbledore answered tenderly, Moving closer, he placed a gentle arm around the thin shoulders and drew Severus close, allowing the man to rest a weary head on his shoulder.
"Why don't we get you onto the stretcher, hmm?" he asked softly after a few minutes of comforting.
Very carefully, Snape was levitated on to the awaiting stretcher. Dumbledore tucked the blankets around him carefully but Snape freed one hand and reached it out to him. He was desperate to keep his one line to reality. Albus smiled and squeezed the hand gently.
They used a secret passage and soon arrived in the hospital wing. They took Severus to a private room where Albus and Poppy transferred him to the bed. The nurse quickly began her examination. This was hindered only slightly by Snape's refusal to relinquish the headmaster's hand. After a while his grip slackened and they suspected that he was sleeping.
"My back hurts," Severus spoke so softly they had to strain to hear
him.
They turned him onto his stomach and Dumbledore gently massaged the aching muscles, pouring in soothing energy.
"Does that feel better, dear child," the old man's voice was full of concern.
"Mmm," was the only response.
"I don't like the hospital wing," Snape mumbled.
Dumbledore chuckled, "Yes, I know that, my boy. You just concentrate on getting better and then you will not have to stay here for very long".
"I am fine," muttered Snape, "Don't make such a fuss".
At this, they all laughed and Severus was startled. He had not been aware of the others until then. He began to tremble and Pomfrey shooed Remus and Minerva out.
"Shh, child," Dumbledore soothed, "It was only Professors Lupin and McGonagall. They are gone now. You are still at Hogwarts, do you remember? No one will harm you."
He ran his hand over the man's back and stroked his hair. Hot tears scalded the potions master's cheeks. Now that awareness was returning to him he felt embarrassed for showing such weakness in front of his other colleagues. Dumbledore and Pomfrey had seen him like this before but he had generally managed to keep a stoic façade with his colleagues.
Sensing his despair, Dumbledore turned him over and carefully gathered him into his arms. He rocked the man gently as he whispered soft platitudes into his ear.
"Shh, there there, now," he crooned, "There is no need to be upset. We have all been sick at one time or another. There is no shame in asking for help, my dear".
"Can't be weak," whispered Severus, "Have to be strong or Mother and Father will be angry".
"He is hallucinating again," Said Pomfrey, "Let me try a spell to reduce his fever. I cannot give him another potion yet".
They managed to cool Severus down and he stayed close to Dumbledore, allowing all the coddling and fussing he would normally refuse. The old wizard rocked and soothed him and he fell asleep in his arms. They lay him carefully on the pillow and tucked him in.
"You knew, didn't you?" Madame Pomfrey asked. Dumbledore nodded, "Sadly, though. I had little proof. Severus would never tell me about his home life, especially after the Shrieking Shack incident. I certainly gave him no reason to trust me then".
He sighed and ran his hand over the dark hair, "My poor child," he murmured, "How you have been failed. So many have let you down and hurt you, myself most of all".
Madame Pomfrey placed a hand on Dumbledore's shoulder.
"He must trust you now, Headmaster," she said, "He would not let us help him. You were the only one who could get through".
She watched as Dumbledore leaned forward and kissed Snape's forehead.
"I shall stay with him tonight," he told the nurse.
"You shall stay in a bed beside him then," Madame Pomfrey's stern demeanour had returned, "I will not have you sleeping in a chair any more. It is not good for you, especially at your age. I shall bring you some night clothes if you'd like".
Dumbledore chuckled as she crossed the ward to her office.
Soon, the headmaster was in the bed next to Snape. He had moved it as close as possible to the ill man in case he had any problems during the night. The old man let sleep claim him. No doubt Severus would be on the mend soon. He hated being sick.
TBC - one more chapter to go.