Hi everyone, I just got back from New York, and it was so wonderful! I love
the city with all my heart…..okay, okay I'll cut out the mushy crud, but I
really do love it there! Go there, you'll love it.
Chapter 2: Confusion
I woke, tangled in black sheets, the fire had gone out, but a faint trace of dawn came through the windows in Severus' room. I rubbed my cheek against his pillow, wondering how I had gotten here, and then remembered him bringing me in here last night. There might have been some type of conversation, but it was lost to my memory. A faint cough came from the study, and I slowly set up, dizzy from not feeling well. I pushed the blankets back and swung my legs around till they were resting on the old stone floor. Tiny shivers ran up my back, and I gingerly got up. My skirt was slightly wrinkled, and my blouse, well lets just not comment on my blouse.
I wrapped my arms around my waist, and walked into Severus' study, and there he was sitting in a chair sleeping. My hand went instantly over my mouth as I gasped, and tears filled my eyes. Oh, he looked awful. A white bandage was around his forehead, he looked so very pail, deep black bruises covered his skin, and his cloths were torn. What had they done to him?
I quickly walked over to him, forgetting the pain in my head, and gently touched his arm. He instantly woke, I think startled from me waking him from his uneasy sleep.
"Oh, Severus," I whispered, my hand reaching for his. He latched onto me with a surprising force, his eyes glazed. And it hurt really badly. I don't think he knew who I was.
"Severus, you're hurting me, let go," I said calmly brushing my other hand across is cheek, "please, its Hermione." I barely remembered last night when he came in, just that he had been bleeding, and that he had tucked me in. his hand slowly let go of mine, and he looked up at me.
"There we go, just calm down," he gradually shook his head and mumbled sorry.
I realized then he had slept out here, and given me the bed, even when he was in this condition.
"What are you doing here," he looked around the room, " shouldn't you be in class?" I shook my head.
"Its Saturday, he was struggling to stand up, but I lightly pushed him back into the chair.
"But, then I missed cl…" is words trailed off, and I knew he was confused about why it wasn't Friday.
"Severus, what did they do," I crouched down in front of him, scanning his face, but stopping on his eyes. There was some unwritten terror there, something I would never understand. I played my fingers over his bandage, and smoothed them across his cheek.
'I can't tell you, Hermione, I can't, " he was desperately trying to hide his emotions, and doing a rotten job at it. His cold complexion and out steal was dropping, and I was catching the glimpse of a frightened child.
"Severus, I.." he cut me off sharply.
"Don't Hermione, just drop it." I bit my bottom lip, and looked away. He never liked showing his emotions; I think I might have been the only one who saw the gentle, almost soft side of him. And it was those times when I though I might be able to love him. He wanted it to appear that he didn't care for a soul, but I knew he cared for me. He proved it in so many small gestures. Like last night for instance when he let me have the bed though he was badly injured. He respected me, and even after all this time had never taken advantage of me, though I really wasn't anything to look at.
Dumbledore knew about our secret friendship, he even approved of it. I think he thought of us allies, from time to time he called me into his office, asking reports on how Severus was handling being a death eater, but living in out world.
"Alright, but come to bed, you look exhausted." I helped him up when he made no protest. I bared most of his weight to the bedroom, staggering from time to time, it was a very long process.
After I got him settled in and comfortable, I went to his bathroom, and washed up. A few streaks of blood were on my cloths, but I really didn't care. I filled a small bowl with water and got a soft rag, and carried them into his room.
I pulled a chair up to the side of his bed and set the bowl on his nightstand. I slowly unwrapped the bandage around his head and cringed at the ugly gash that was still steadily leaking blood. Why hadn't he gone to Madam Pomfrey? I wet the rag and dabbed his forehead, and squeezed my eyes shut when he moaned in pain. I got my wand out and did a simple healing spell, not sure if it would work.
After I was done and Severus had fallen into an uneasy sleep again, I washed out the rag, and washed my hands. How had I stayed calm all day? When I went back in the bedroom I saw the sun wad setting, where had the day gone? I went into the study and skimmed the shelves till I came to an interesting book, then I took it back into his room and set by the bed and began to read it.
Chapter 2: Confusion
I woke, tangled in black sheets, the fire had gone out, but a faint trace of dawn came through the windows in Severus' room. I rubbed my cheek against his pillow, wondering how I had gotten here, and then remembered him bringing me in here last night. There might have been some type of conversation, but it was lost to my memory. A faint cough came from the study, and I slowly set up, dizzy from not feeling well. I pushed the blankets back and swung my legs around till they were resting on the old stone floor. Tiny shivers ran up my back, and I gingerly got up. My skirt was slightly wrinkled, and my blouse, well lets just not comment on my blouse.
I wrapped my arms around my waist, and walked into Severus' study, and there he was sitting in a chair sleeping. My hand went instantly over my mouth as I gasped, and tears filled my eyes. Oh, he looked awful. A white bandage was around his forehead, he looked so very pail, deep black bruises covered his skin, and his cloths were torn. What had they done to him?
I quickly walked over to him, forgetting the pain in my head, and gently touched his arm. He instantly woke, I think startled from me waking him from his uneasy sleep.
"Oh, Severus," I whispered, my hand reaching for his. He latched onto me with a surprising force, his eyes glazed. And it hurt really badly. I don't think he knew who I was.
"Severus, you're hurting me, let go," I said calmly brushing my other hand across is cheek, "please, its Hermione." I barely remembered last night when he came in, just that he had been bleeding, and that he had tucked me in. his hand slowly let go of mine, and he looked up at me.
"There we go, just calm down," he gradually shook his head and mumbled sorry.
I realized then he had slept out here, and given me the bed, even when he was in this condition.
"What are you doing here," he looked around the room, " shouldn't you be in class?" I shook my head.
"Its Saturday, he was struggling to stand up, but I lightly pushed him back into the chair.
"But, then I missed cl…" is words trailed off, and I knew he was confused about why it wasn't Friday.
"Severus, what did they do," I crouched down in front of him, scanning his face, but stopping on his eyes. There was some unwritten terror there, something I would never understand. I played my fingers over his bandage, and smoothed them across his cheek.
'I can't tell you, Hermione, I can't, " he was desperately trying to hide his emotions, and doing a rotten job at it. His cold complexion and out steal was dropping, and I was catching the glimpse of a frightened child.
"Severus, I.." he cut me off sharply.
"Don't Hermione, just drop it." I bit my bottom lip, and looked away. He never liked showing his emotions; I think I might have been the only one who saw the gentle, almost soft side of him. And it was those times when I though I might be able to love him. He wanted it to appear that he didn't care for a soul, but I knew he cared for me. He proved it in so many small gestures. Like last night for instance when he let me have the bed though he was badly injured. He respected me, and even after all this time had never taken advantage of me, though I really wasn't anything to look at.
Dumbledore knew about our secret friendship, he even approved of it. I think he thought of us allies, from time to time he called me into his office, asking reports on how Severus was handling being a death eater, but living in out world.
"Alright, but come to bed, you look exhausted." I helped him up when he made no protest. I bared most of his weight to the bedroom, staggering from time to time, it was a very long process.
After I got him settled in and comfortable, I went to his bathroom, and washed up. A few streaks of blood were on my cloths, but I really didn't care. I filled a small bowl with water and got a soft rag, and carried them into his room.
I pulled a chair up to the side of his bed and set the bowl on his nightstand. I slowly unwrapped the bandage around his head and cringed at the ugly gash that was still steadily leaking blood. Why hadn't he gone to Madam Pomfrey? I wet the rag and dabbed his forehead, and squeezed my eyes shut when he moaned in pain. I got my wand out and did a simple healing spell, not sure if it would work.
After I was done and Severus had fallen into an uneasy sleep again, I washed out the rag, and washed my hands. How had I stayed calm all day? When I went back in the bedroom I saw the sun wad setting, where had the day gone? I went into the study and skimmed the shelves till I came to an interesting book, then I took it back into his room and set by the bed and began to read it.
