Chapter Two: The Return

Hermione was terrified. Dumbledore had said that they needed Professor Snape to figure out what was wrong with her. What about the other healers? Where were they? Why was it up to Madam Pomfrey, a portrait, and a dying man to save her?

Hermione was angry, but she soon realized that Snape must be the only person who was not dead or in Azkaban who knew enough about dark magic to help her. He simply could not die when they still needed him! She knew that she was being unfair and possibly ungrateful, but she wanted to live. What if she was trapped in this state forever? What if she spent the rest of her life in a bed, unable to speak to anyone?

After a while, her friends would forget about her and her parents would remain blissfully unaware that their only daughter was a prisoner in her own body. She would spend the rest of her life in St. Mungo's with Neville's parents. Whatever it was she had started with Ron while hunting horcruxes would never become a real relationship. Hermione wished she was able to cry, or somehow relieve her raging emotions.

After a while it occurred to Hermione that perhaps 'gone' did not mean dead, and she could only hope that was the case. However, she had no reason to believe that Snape would stick around long enough to help her. While it appeared he had been loyal to Dumbledore after all, nobody alive truly knew him or his motivations.

Hermione was alone until nightfall. Healers came and went, checking her periodically for signs of change. She overheard them saying that in a few days anyone who needed further treatment would be moved to St. Mungo's, which sent her into a deep spiral of despair.

There was no change in Hermione's status. She continued to feel fine, great even, except for the fact that she could not move. Once, Hermione had to sneeze, but her body refused. She lay there for what seemed like an eternity while her nose itched and burned and thought she might prefer a little pain.

Finally, she heard whispers and approaching footsteps.

"You go on," said Harry. "I guess you might want to be alone for a bit."

"Yeah – uh, thanks, Harry. Just watch out for mum, if she sees me out of bed she'll-"

"I will, Ron. Go on."

Cautious steps came nearer to her bed and stopped. She felt him fall into a chair that she had not realized was there. He sighed a few times before he spoke, and when he did his voice cracked.

"Her-mione," said Ron unsteadily, "you've got to be ok. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too-"

He drew a loud breath and stopped for a while.

"I'm sorry I was so stupid before this year," he said, "for all the times I was stupid, and for wasting time I could have been with you this year. You shouldn't have waited for me. Probably should've stayed with Krum."

Hermione was smiling at him in her mind. She wanted to tell him to shut up. She knew he didn't really believe what he was saying.

"You were amazing, Hermione, you're the bravest person I know. Even Harry doesn't think he could have done what you did."

WHAT DID I DO?!

Hermione wanted to scream at him. Why did everyone keep saying that she was so brave?

"Ron!" Harry's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Snape's coming!"

Hermione's heart leapt. Snape was miraculously alive and well! But if Harry could survive the killing curse twice, why couldn't Snape be walking down the hall now, after being at death's door?

Hermione was joyous; she would have been beaming if she had been able to move her face. Professor Snape was alive. He was going to help her!

"Well, Miss Granger certainly seems to be enjoying your company, Weasley, though I can't imagine why."

Professor Snape's voice was the same as ever but it had probably never filled anybody with as much happiness as it did Hermione at that moment.

"WHAT?"

"Is that your idea of a joke, Severus? Shame on you!"

A chorus of indignant voices alerted Hermione that Madam Pomfrey, McGonagall, and Mrs. Weasley had arrived as well.

"I am perfectly serious, Madam. Do I look like I'm joking?"

Snape let his disgust hang in the air for a moment.

"Miss Granger, do not misunderstand me – you are in grave danger, no matter what nonsense Weasley might whisper in your ear."

There was silence. Hermione imagined Mrs. Weasley was ready to explode with protective anger, but Hermione could not be angry with Snape because she was so happy that he was alive.

"You mean, she's – awake? She can hear us?"

McGonagall sounded frightened.

"Yes," he replied calmly. "At the moment she is extremely – happy - about something. I attempted to enter her mind as I stood in the doorway, to see if she responded to anything Weasley said. I was immediately assaulted with her emotion. She is very much awake."

"Oh!" Mrs. Weasley cried. "Hermione! How terrible! Of course it's wonderful that you're still with us, but to be trapped in there! Oh-"

Hermione felt her body enveloped in a bear hug. She could hear them all calling to her, telling her they were there and how happy they were. Ginny and Luna were there as well, but soon she could not tell what anyone was saying because they were all talking at once.

"Perhaps- "

Snape's voice rang out above the din. Everyone grew quiet and he continued.

"Perhaps Miss Granger might like to have her eyes open for this... occasion?"

"Oh yes, I didn't even think-" said Madam Pomfrey quickly. Hermione heard people shuffling out of the way and then a cool hand rested on her forehead and fingers gently touched her eyelids. She felt a slight tingle of magic and desperately hoped they would open.

She could not wince at the light that flooded in and could not refocus her eyes, so she stared up at a blurry ceiling. Apparently she had been looking at something rather close to her face when she was frozen. She expected the urge to blink to irritate her, but it did not come.

"Sit her up," Snape commanded.

Hermione unwillingly stared at her legs under the sheets while she was pulled forward and propped up with pillows. Finally Madam Pomfrey leaned her back and rearranged Hermione's arms neatly in her lap. She was in Hogwarts infirmary, but her bed was curtained off with white sheets and she had quite a spacious section to herself.

"Hi Hermione," said Ginny sweetly, leaning into her view from the side of the bed.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and her face was bruised, but she was smiling. The rest of them began to lean over the bed and greet her all over again. She was very glad to see everyone, but not being able to greet them back really put a damper on the excitement. They stood there smiling and telling her how brave she was for a while and she grew more and more frustrated that she could not ask them why.

"Madam."

Snape was speaking in a low voice to the left of the bed.

"Severus?"

"I must begin immediately."

"Yes, of course... of course, but how are you feeling? You were so weak before, I hope you are not hiding anything from us."

"I'm fine."

"I'm not sure I believe that,"

"Believe it," he said, "or don't, but if you don't soon get these people out of here, this little reunion might end unpleasantly."

Madam Pomfrey complied.

"Come on everyone, Professor Snape needs to get to work and you all need to get back to your own beds. I'm sure Hermione will be glad to see you in the morning."

Hermione heard them telling her goodbye and leaving together.

Meanwhile, Snape was checking the meticulous notes by the bedside. Hermione knew they all said the same thing – she had heard a healer say so. No change, no change, that's what they all said.

Suddenly, she realized that Professor Snape was seated on the bed in front of her. He was stared at her for a while, looking thoughtful. Finally, he spoke.

"Miss Granger, I am going to attempt to use Legilimency to communicate with you. Do not be frightened... and do not fight it."

Hermione waited, not knowing what to expect. Legilimency sounded fascinating, but from how Harry had described it was not a pleasant experience.

Nothing happened. Snape spoke again.

"I am going to ask you some questions. Say your answer as forcefully in your mind as you can. Direct it toward me, imagine it leaving your head and flying at me. If you want to show me something you remember, picture it in your mind and concentrate on it. Let it take up your whole mind."

Then he was silent again and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he looked straight into hers and she saw his lips move. She could not look away. It felt like there was empty space in her head and she could only describe the other sensation as humming or buzzing. She waited for something else to happen.

"Can you still hear me?" he asked.

YES!

Hermione thought as loudly as she could and imagined it hitting him between the eyes.

He kept staring into her eyes without speaking, making Hermione wish she had the ability to look away. She was about to try again, when he spoke.

"Good," he said, which he had never said to Hermione before. "That was very clear. However, if you continue assaulting me with your thoughts I'm going need a headache potion."

Hermione was amazed – she had never heard of anyone using Legilimency this way. Generally, the other person either did not know what was happening, or was resisting. She was also amazed that Snape sounded so – kind – when he spoke to her. Well, almost kind, anyway. Sounding almost kind was not something Professor Snape did. Perhaps being cursed had its advantages.

Better? Hermione asked cautiously, still concentrating on his forehead, where she imagined she was sending her thoughts.

Yes.

Hermione was startled by the sensation of his answer in her head. It did not sound like anything, of course, but it was distinctly his voice. She did not like it. It made her head feel crowded and intruded upon.

Don't!

He blinked and the empty, buzzing sensation left her head.

"If you prefer, I will speak aloud," he conceded.

He met her eyes once more and in a moment was listening to her thoughts again.

"Do you have any pain?" he asked immediately.

No, she answered, relieved to finally be able to explain, but sometimes my nose itches. I can't sneeze. But I don't have to blink. I can't stop breathing, I tried, but-

"Miss Granger," Snape interrupted her. His voice was uncharacteristically calm, perhaps because he was trying not to break the connection between them.

"I cannot understand you when you chatter that way. You must think slowly and forcefully each word. Only bother with the important ones."

Hermione was glad that she could not laugh, because he sounded like he had been hypnotized.

"Focus," he intoned, sounding more himself.

Hermione tried.

No, she thought carefully. Can't sneeze – don't need - blinking.

She realized that she was embellishing her words with images of herself doing those things. She wondered if that was helpful.

Can't – stop – my breathing, she finished.

Snape seemed to ponder this for a while.

"Think about when the curse hit you" he finally said. "Do you remember anything about it – what it felt like, the incantation, the color?"

Hermione tried to remember, but it was hard to concentrate while he was making her head buzz like that.

Can you – stop?

He did and waited, looking away. She turned her thoughts inward and tried to remember. She remembered seeing Harry fall. Then . . . she had been surrounded by Death Eaters! Three of them. She had lost her wand.

"Are you ready?"

He was back.

Don't – remember – curse. There were – Death Eaters - three. Lost my wand.

"That happened moments before you were hit," he said quickly. "You remember nothing else?"

No. You – saw?

"Some of it," he said, looking away and leaving her alone in her head.

"I was... distracted when the curse was cast. I did not hear it. It may have been non-verbal. You must try to remember."

Snape started to get up, then paused and said awkwardly, "I will shut your eyes so you can sleep."

The last thing she saw was his hand when it hesitated in front of her face, nothing but a large pale blur. Her eyes stubbornly focused on his face beyond it, and then with the cool tingle of faint magic, he was gone. She listened for his receding footsteps, but heard only the rustle of the hanging sheets when he left.

Hermione did not sleep much that night. She went over and over her memories of the battle. She remembered Professor Snape, Nagini, Harry dead, the Death Eaters closing in and her wand flying out of her hand, but nothing more. She replayed the scenes in her mind until she accidentally fell asleep. She saw Professor Snape's face in her dreams, staring straight into her eyes and woke up wondering if he had really been there at all.