She lay in the prison that had become her mind. She could see the light, feel the light but she couldn't get to it. She had felt the arms wrap around her and lift her up, but where she was now was a complete mystery and one that she wanted to get to the bottom of.
She felt a pudgy clammy hand grasp hold of hers, it could only be Ron's. This had to be bad, if Ron was in the infirmary and not with his family. She tried desperately to reach the light, but it was like moving through treacle. Something was always holding her back. Maybe it was because she didn't have anything to go back for.
"Why won't she wake up?" Ron asked quietly.
"Because her mind has been bent so far that it almost snapped,"
"Well bend it back, wake her up," Ron shouted.
Madam Pomfrey looked at with those pitying eyes, and Ron almost recoiled under them. He had never been one for pity, self-pitying but never from anyone else.
"I still say we should let nature run it's course and see if she wakes up on her own," Professor McGonagall replied.
"Severus-"
He was sat in a chair, with his eyes half closed, dreading this exact moment. He opened them to see Madam Pomfrey stood over him. He knew exactly what she wanted from him. A potion that would force Granger to awake, but could leave a part of her behind.
"Explain the risks," he said, firmly.
"There is a potion, one which Severus here is capable of drawing up for us,"
"And it would wake her?"
"Yes Harry, but there is something you need to know," Poppy said, trembling. "It forces Hermione's mind back into the world, and with that forceful movement, it can mean parts of her psyche and magic splinter off. She might not be the same girl she was when she was attacked."
Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"What are the chances of her waking up on her own?"
"What does it matter, there's a chance, why risk her mind and her personality if there's another way around it?" Mcgonagall chirped in.
"Madam Pomfrey, what is the chance she'll come out of this on her own?"
"Looking at the fact that she hasn't begun to stir and her life signs are faltering slightly, I wouldn't place my money on it,"
"Well give her the potion then," Ron said, decidedly.
"Mr Weasley,"
"No, she has to have it. I should have been there, I should have protected her,"
He didn't cry, he just stopped talking as though there were no more tears to be had. Snape rose from his seat and walked towards the door, with no acknowledgement, only turned when Harry shouted for him.
"I'm going to get the blasted potion, the sooner she drinks it the better her chance,"
As he walked down the hall, McGonagall rounded on Harry.
"You told me he was dead,"
"He was Professor, I saw the light go out of his eyes myself,"
"Well how Mr Potter is he walking around,"
"I don't know! Maybe you should ask him,"
He clapped a hand over his mouth, not believing he could have said such a thing. He respected McGonagall more than most. She just sank down in a chair and rubbed her hand over her face. The war had taken a toll on everyone involved and the weariness of everything was beginning to set in. They all stood around Hermione's bed, in silence.
Snape walked down the hall feeling the glares and the waves of anger flying at him. He felt empty. He thought of Lily and the way that it was supposed to go, he was supposed to be dead. He wanted to be dead.
He reached his office, everything was exactly the way it had been left, as though nothing had happened in the past year. He ran his finger over his belongings, and almost forgot his purpose. He grabbed a little silver flask, and wrapped his hand around it and looked back at his office with a sense of yearning. All he wanted was to be a normal person, to go back, and change the decisions he made.
He walked back into the hospital wing and before anyone could resist he administered the potion. Immediately Miss Granger began to awaken and only time would tell how badly the spell had affected her.
AN; I'm SO sorry that this took so long. I got caught up on life and work... but I am BACK!