Part Eleven: Cold Comfort
It was a miracle. The Order came through, the deaths were numerous but my closest and long time friends were no more than a little shaken and scarred. She was distraught. I was world weary and yet alive. I felt so removed from everything and yet I was in the very middle of it.
…………
"Severus? Severus!" Her voice cried out into the darkness. McGonagall was with her, holding her hand, Promfry was administering spells. I was propped up by a rock and healing my own wounds, having previously rejected all outside help. I wanted sleep more than anything, and knew that I would actually sleep if given the chance.
Slowly I made my way over to her. I could make out the tears shining on her face in the moonlight. Promfry took me aside and told me that she would be fine but was extremely weak. McGonagall gave me a rather tight hug, kissed my cheek, and went off to join Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic.
"Severus?" She was quiet now, a result of the calming draught that was no doubt circling her system.
"Yes?" We hadn't seen each other for months until she showed up at Grimmauld Place one day and commenced the lessons Dumbledore had started. I was too busy rushing in and out to pay much attention to her arrival, so it was rather tragic that tonight was the first time we got a chance to see each other properly.
She held her hand out to me. It was bloodied and scarred. It seemed so pale and thin. I took it, also noticing how soft it was. She was cold. So very cold. I wrapped my cloak around her shoulders.
We sat together for a while, while chaos reigned around us. It was odd to find some kind of warmth amongst the bitter cold.
Hermione cried softly into my cloak and shivered until I was able to restore warmth to her limbs. Was it wrong of me to want that part, just that part, never to end? It would be the only time I would be allowed to be so close to her. I didn't like the cold chill that came with that thought. No, I didn't want to lose her. I hadn't lost her in the war, but that didn't hold any assurance for the future.
There was a future now, one that we could all be proud of. And yet, what lay ahead? I was no good with planning for the future, having never believed it would come.
However, old habits die hard. I was accustomed to only ever being confident in the present. So it came to pass that I made the most of the strangeness of the hour and drunk in every sweet second that I was on the dew-wet grass, Hermione curled up against my chest.
……………
To say something would break the mood.
anya: Your wish has been granted. :)