XI - Somnus

"Severus, shall I put her into an induced coma?" Poppy questioned as the dark wizard sat with the slumbering witch curled in his lap. He had settled into his favorite chair and allowed several items of furniture to be transfigured for those who now occupied his chambers- in the middle of the bloody night.

"We cannot be certain of the effect it will have on her to do such a thing," Albus spoke up and Poppy opened her mouth to object, Severus held up the hand that did not cradle the witch to his chest.

"Albus is correct in this instance Poppy, I will tolerate this trespass with the stipulation that we formulate a plan of action. The girl cannot carry on as she is now," his persona was every bit the cold, calculating wizard he always portrayed to the world. No matter if he had a petite witch sleeping on him, it mattered not. They would see him as they always did.

All eyes turned to Draco who sat, sipping tea and looking increasingly uncomfortable.

"I believe it is time to tell us a story, Mr. Malfoy," Albus was the first to speak this time and the boy gulped once more before settling his tea on the low table in the center of the room and taking a deep breath.

"She's been having the fits since she came to stay in S- Professor Snape's chambers. She asked that I not tell him and we have been doing research on our own in an attempt to discover the name of the curse that ails her. The fits have increased in frequency and severity slowly since her release from the hospital wing and, I believe it was three days ago that she began having difficulty sleeping. She hasn't slept since she complained to me of an inability to fall asleep. So far she's tried draughts and alcohol," he looked apologetically to Severus who fixed him in a dark glare.

"We will speak of this later, Draco. For now if that is all the information you have to give you should find your way to your bed. I dare say the number of detentions you will serve will be quite exhausting," the blonde scampered from the room as quickly as possible and Severus smirked at his retreating form before turning to Albus and Poppy.

Granger pressed her face closer to his chest and sighed in her sleep. It made his skin feel strangely odd on his body and he shifted to try to regain the comfort he seemingly lost.

"Tom will know what it is she was hit with, will he not?" Albus questioned, Poppy looked interested between the two of them. Severus took a breath but gave a short nod.

"Yes, it was Bellatrix specifically who cursed her and I'm certain she knows exactly what she used and the counter curse." Severus answered flatly and turned his black gaze to Poppy. "I highly doubt you will be of any use this evening, go, rest. I will come to you tomorrow evening should I require your help in breaking this curse."

The matron looked as though she wanted to argue but a yawn broke her typically stern lips and she gave a sharp nod.

"You'll call upon me sooner should you need me," it wasn't a question, or a request, it was a demand and Severus gave her his own stiff nod of agreement before turning back to Albus.

"I trust you can see yourself out," he didn't look at her to see her response and listened for the door to close before he spoke again. "You realize of course that if I go seeking answers about her condition I could be found out."

"Do not go too deep, we cannot risk the war for her health. We will only be able to hope that she recovers should Bellatrix die, or that she survives long enough for us to win," Severus sneered, this was the answer he'd expected. Even having status as the best friend of the boy-who-refused-to-die was not enough to save the girl from a lifetime of suffering or a young death.

Albus stood, "you'll be able to care for her for the moment?"

The black look on Severus' face was ignored by the old man as he stared him down. "Will you truly be so callous as to allow this girl to suffer? Do you know what she asked of me when she was still conscious?"

The elder wizard gave him a curious look but said nothing, "She asked me to kill her, Albus, to kill her. Eighteen years old and begging to die. Is your light not good enough to see fit to help her?"

"I will do what I can for the girl Severus. You know as well as any that we must make sacrifices for this war," the younger wizard's glare didn't falter as the elder moved toward the door. When he exited the dark wizard slumped back into his seat and stared down at the relaxed face of the witch curled against his arms.

He risked running his fingers through her growing hair, his curiosity about the texture finally being sated as he took the liberty. Her beast of a cat meowed from the other side of the room and watched him with flashing yellow eyes.

"What? It isn't as if she is awake to know," he grumbled at the beast before turning his attention back to the witch in his arms. Her familiar hadn't attacked him so he really had no interest in the damned thing.

She'd been incredibly protective of the beast regardless and he frankly had no desire to raise her temper when she awoke in the event that it had an impact on her fits. The image of her mouth open in a near silent scream of pain flashed in his mind's eye. His eyes pinched closed for a moment in hopes of dispelling the image but it seemed to be to no avail.

How could he not have noticed? How could she have hidden such serious spells from him, right under his oversized nose?

Merlin, his role in the war was causing him to slip.

Hermione woke, warm and content, feeling the best she had in ages. When she moved to stretch she realized she was not in her bed and that there was something hard beneath her. Her eyes opened and snapped up above her to see the slack face of one Severus Snape.

She froze in place, her eyes wide as she stared up at his sleeping face, her own cheek pressed against his chest. His black hair created a curtain around them as she stared horrified, his head was leaning forward and he'd fallen asleep sitting up with her on top of him.

She reached deep into her brain, pulling and tugging at her memories in an attempt to remember the night before.

She'd had an episode, in the sitting room. Her breathing grew panicked when black eyes snapped open and she immediately felt tears fill her own eyes.

"Oh please! Please don't send me to St. Mungo's! I swear I won't let the episodes be a problem for you again! Please let me stay!" She burst, pleading despite the rawness of her throat and the scratchiness in her voice. He watched her with blank eyes for a long moment and grasped her more tightly when she tried to scramble from her perch atop his lap.

"Salazar, calm down you insufferable Gryffindor!" He growled out, voice still heavy with sleep as he held her in tight fingers and rolled his neck, cracking it. She was still babbling and pleading, tears spilling down her face and she couldn't catch her breath.

Crookshanks gave a concerned mewl from across the room but she couldn't focus on anything but the firm fingers holding her against the warm chest of the increasingly agitated wizard.

"St. Mungo's cannot help you girl! Now calm yourself before I use force to calm you myself," her squirming ceased and she stared up at him with wide eyes, taking in at once his exhausted features. He'd held her? The entire night?

Had he done it so she could sleep? Had he been the key to her sleeping at all?

"Now, if you're calm we can speak of this like rational adults and come to a decision on our course of action. Does this sound agreeable?" She nodded softly, staring up at him with tear tracks rapidly drying on her face. She was stunned.

"Good, now, stand and make your way to the kitchen. I require coffee before I so much as attempt this conversation," he helped her carefully to her feet and stood after her. He stretched and she realized he was wearing a black dressing gown. She could see his muscular calves, the outline of his wiry form was incredibly visible with the clinging silk. "Kindly cease this gawping Madam, I will join you shortly."

He strode away, she couldn't help but stare at his back as he went, completely dumbfounded.

What in the name of Circe had happened the night before?