Oh the places we'll go
Chapter IV
Solution
Granger left and Severus felt empty. The sort of empty that consumes you whole, leaving you tired and sad. And so Severus closed his eyes to sleep. A dreamless sleep, for once.
The next day, she was back, at the crack of dawn.
She came in, dressed in an old blue t-shirt and jeans and walked briskly to his bed, holding a plate with some food. Since they were the only ones in the room, except for Miss Brown in her comatose state, Granger didn't take any care to whisper.
'I brought you some breakfast.' That was it, no introduction, no exchange of pleasantries or small talk. Direct and to the point. Nevertheless, Severus couldn't detect any anger left over from yesterday's fiasco. Nodding to her, he took the plate and started onhis breakfast. She had brought him two slices of toast with peanut butter and some apple slices. While he ate, very slowly as he'd been doing the last few days since his stomach was still getting used to solid food, Granger busied herself around the room. His cold eyes followed her smoothly, analyzing her every move. She went to check-up on Miss Brown, performing some basic diagnostic spells and tucking the covers snugly around the body. Then, she proceeded to the medication pantry and was in there for quite some time before she emerged, holding a glass. She came back to his bed and offered him the glass.
'Drink.' She didn't explain because she didn't need to: Severus had been drinking the same concoction for the past days, a mixture of medicinal herbs and healing potions. Conjuring a chair, Granger sat as she watched him swallow the drink in one smooth gulp. Dabbing at his mouth with a napkin in precise quick strokes, Severus fixed the woman with his hard gaze.
She gazed back equally, unaffected.
This lasted for roughly six seconds before Granger sighed and looked up. She then gestured to his unfinished breakfast.
'Eat up, then we'll walk.' She rose and left, heading for the medication pantry again.
Severus ate, mind devoid of thought as he concentrated on the food. He'd forgotten how tasty a ripe apple could be and marveled for a second in that small pleasure. Then he scowled. He shouldn't be eating.
One of the first things he'd noticed during the morning that after his awakening, was how much weight he'd gained. An observer would still describe him as thin but to Severus, he felt too healthy. He had gotten used to his skin being translucent from lack of nutrients and sunlight, gotten used to being very underweight. His body during that war had slimmed out to a point that he had even lost most of his muscle mass. Luckily, a wizard took his strength elsewhere than food intake, because otherwise, Severus wouldn't have been able to perform the simplest of spells. During the war, Severus had punished himself each time one of his fellow teachers had punished a student. The Dark Lord had sent in Death Eaters to keep Severus company and to teach the students the Dark Arts. The Carrows had been merciless with their torture of the students. Severus had tried to spare the young but couldn't do the same with the fifth, sixth and seventh years without raising suspicion. And so he deprived himself of food, eating only the bare minimum to function. He'd grown used to the constant pang of hunger, a pain that never seemed to fade, and the effects that came with being underfed. Consequently, he'd lost so much weight that at the dawn of the Final Battle his body resembled one of a corpse.
Granger was back. She came to the left side of his bed and waited, arms crossed. Severus took off his covers and rose steadily. His bare feet felt rather cold against the Infirmary's stone floors and he briefly wished for a pair of soft woolen socks.
'You need socks.' Granger said and with a flourish of her wand, they appeared on his feet.
Green and silver woolen socks.
Severus didn't say anything about the choice of colors but he knew, by the quirk in her small smile, that she'd chosen those two for him. He scowled.
And so they went around the room, her holding him steady and him trying to forget the embarrassment. They repeated the exercise two other times that day, once at lunch and once before dinner, increasing the distance each time. They did that for two more days until Severus was able to walk fully on his own. During that time, they only exchanged short sentences that concerned the task at hand.
By the second day that Severus was able to walk on his own, he was allowed to take a bath. Not a shower, for Granger still hadn't taken off the bandage on his neck. Severus scrubbed himself clean in the warm waters of the tub. Having put a water repellent spell on the bandage on his neck, Severus then took the time to wash his hair. He got out of the tub, dried himself and then glanced quickly at the mirror hanging in the bathroom. He was greeted by the all too familiar portrait. He didn't look at himself again as he changed into the robes Granger had brought him.
He felt refreshed and ready when he re-entered the Infirmary. He sat on the chair next to his bed and waited for her to come, legs crossed and looking very relaxed.
Granger came and asked him to lie down so she could take off the bandage. She did just that in a meticulous fashion, leaving no margin for error. Severus didn't take his eyes off her face, a face that showed her every emotion, during the whole process. Once she was done, she handed Severus a mirror and stood back.
He rose in his bed, took one look at his neck and set the mirror down.
'It healed remarkably well, considering it was Nagini's doing.' Granger had started to speak and so Severus looked up at her. 'Honestly, it came out better than I thought and it really isn't that noticeable.'
'Not that noticeable? Granger, spare me your attempts to defuse the situation.' She was right, though. It wasn't at all grotesque like some other scars Severus had on his body. It was slightly pinkish from the newly healed skin and quite smooth. It was rather long, though, starting at the base of his chin to just above the hollow of his left collarbone.
Even so, Severus didn't really care. Another scar on a corpse wasn't very important. Not that anyone would ever find his body, anyways.
Granger spoke up again. 'No, I'm serious. It doesn't show and even if it did, it adds character.' Severus raised an eyebrow, confused. The woman blushed.
'Well, it does! It an excellent conversation starter, you can invent any story you want to the fool that points it out and it will also ward off people because it makes you more…' Here, she hesitated, biting her lip as a wide grin tore across her features. Severus couldn't help it. Her good mood at the reveal of his new scar was contagious.
'Granger...' He said, careful not to let any curiosity show in his tone.
'Make you more Snape.' Here, Severus raised his eyebrow even more. 'Yes, more dark, dangerous, imposing. More Snape.' She moved forward to sit on his bedside as she said this, head tilted to one side as if lost in thought. 'Plus, it's not like many will see, since you always hide your neck with you black collar.' At that she reached out to touch his neck, her whole body moving forward in the process so that their chests were rather close. When Severus felt the feather-light touch of her fingertips on his neck, he flinched. She flinched too, seconds after him, her arm jerking back as her face lost the look of serenity it had harbored. An uneasy silence befell them, both consumed in their own thoughts while they remained engaged in a staring battle.
Once again, Granger broke the silence.
'What shall you do once you are out of here?' She asked, her eyes not leaving his. Severus began readjusting the pillow behind his back as he answered.
'I plan on traveling before setting up a potion shop somewhere quiet.'
Lies.
'Oh! I plan on traveling soon also!' Granger seemed all too happy about Severus' plan. 'A few weeks sabbatical, so to say, before I come back to finish my seventh year.' Severus continued to stare at the woman, not quite sure why she was telling him this and why he was still listening. 'I talked to Minerva about it and-' Severus was surprised when she used the Headmistress' first name and cocked his head to the side. She blushed delicately before continuing. 'She thinks my trip is a good idea but she wants me to be chaperoned.' This made sense: there was still a good number of Death Eaters about and she'd be a prime target.
Severus was about to quiet Granger, with a well-placed comment illustrating how much he couldn't care less of her plans after she was done taking care of him, when it dawned on him.
Minerva thought it would be a good idea for her to have a chaperone.
Annoying, meddling Minerva who had then obviously declined the girl's invite for she was too busy.
Minerva who reminded him every single time they saw each other that he owed Granger.
Oh for fuck's sake.
He owed her.
'I'll go.'
The look on Granger's face was priceless. Severus would have chuckled if it hadn't been for the enormous feeling of dread that hit him. Still in shock, she opened her mouth and closed it several times.
'Are you sure?' Surprisingly enough, she didn't fight him. That was unexpected. Severus was certain she didn't want his company either.
'Yes, Miss Granger. I wouldn't have offered if I hadn't been certain.' Dumb, predictable question gets a predictable answer.
Then, the woman began talking and Severus chose to tune her out. If he was to be chained to her for the time of this trip, he'd arrange for it to be as short as possible.
Maybe it wouldn't be that bad.
But Severus owed her and there was no way he would die before paying her back. Even if paying her back included spending time, even traveling, with the Know-it-all.
She hadn't stopped talking and Severus was already fed up with the chit.
'For seven days only.' That stopped her rambling. She was about to respond when he held up a hand, effectively silencing her. 'Fine then, six days.'
'Oh no, please sir, that isn't enough-'
'No Granger. Six days is my final offer. Now, leave me.' And he turned away, pulling up the covers and closing his eyes.
He heard the shuffle of the chair as she rose, felt her pause, then heard the quiet steps that indicated she was leaving.
Well, fuck.
…
..
.
Author's note: So now he's going on a trip with her! What do you guys think? I know it's not incredibly believable but bear with me ;) Ahhh I have so many fun stuff planned! But before all that, reviews, please!
purplehedgehog13: Thank you! And yes, Hermione is a strong woman now :)
RhodaBush: Here you go ;)