A/N: Hello all! Sorry it's been a minute. I quit my job, got a new position that doesn't start until August. I'm at the less than 2 year mark until my degree is finished. My kiddos will both be in school this year. We've started American football and cheerleading this year. Needless to say I've been busy. Enjoy!

Hermione paced the hospital wing. Severus was resting and she was wired. She looked down at her husband, then at Harry and Remus who were asleep on other beds. They'd offered to stay while she waited on Severus to wake.

Remus levitated the limp potions master into the infirmary. Hermione bit her lip, trying not to sob. He was alive. She knew that because she was still breathing.

"Lay him down here Remus," Madame Pomfrey said, she grabbed Hermione's hand. The older witch's eyes holding sorrow. " I need you to listen to me. I'll walk you through this. First a diagnostic spell. He'll most likely have nerve damage. I don't see any visual wounds. That means everything is internal. Hermione I need you to focus. He'll be okay."

Hermione looked down at him, stroking his cheek. "Just stay with me please."

"Follow my wand movements," Pomfrey said as she showed her the diagnostic spell.

Hermione cast the spell over Severus. It came back instantly, nerve damage, four fractured ribs, bruised heart, and bruised liver. She looked at Pomfrey, "What next?"

Two hours and several potions later, Severus was stable. His ribs were healing, and the bruised internal organs were on their way to functioning properly.

Hermione sighed, she was drained, and wired, and emotional. Harry had stood by her side the entire time. He'd given up and gone to sleep. Remus had watched silently, he knew his being there was enough for Hermione. Unlike Harry he had grown comfortable with his new dynamic with the young witch. She knew Harry was still unsure of how to treat another man's wife. She had changed subtilely and Harry was still learning how to process it. She didn't fault him, knowing he more than likely felt he was responsible in some way for her condition.

She rested her hip at the end of Severus' bed, she ran her hand over his arm. He was healing she could feel it, she didn't know how, but's mostly attributed it to her bonds side effects. "I'm here," she whispered, "I'll be here always. Just don't scare me like that again."

Severus shifted in his sleep, wincing some. Hermione smiled, he was reaching for something. Her. His sleeping form knew something- someone was missing. Hermione exhales before sliding into the tiny cot with her husband. She kissed his lips softly, as he pulled her tighter to him, letting out a small hum of approval.

"Mine," he murmured.

Hermione nodded, tucking her head deeper into his chest.

…

Harry woke first, the next morning. He put on his glasses, a slight panic courses through him when he didn't immediately see Hermione. He bolted upright and looked over at the bed to his left. A smile graced the young man's face. The professor was curled around Hermione. Protecting her, from the world. He'd never noticed how small Hermione was, until that very moment. How could he have missed it? What else had she given up? What else had he missed about his best friend? In that moment he vowed to make a better effort for her, and by extension Severus. Harry smiled as he watched the pair for another few moments, before summoning parchment and leaving Hermione a note. He slipped out quietly.

Hermione nuzzled deeper into Severus' chest. Half awake she ran her hand through his hair, and down his arm. He was nearly healed. The nerve damage was still there. She knew that would take longer to heal because of residual damage from previous curses. Her heart broke, this kind man had gone quite literally through hell to make the world safer, and still had more to go through before it was well and truly over.

She kissed his cheek lightly, before slipping out of his arms. Remus was still asleep a few cots down. Harry was gone, a note sitting on the table between Severus' bed and Harry's. She picked it up.

Food run, we forgot to eat last night. -H

She smiled, before looking at Severus once again. At least he was safe. For now. She thought of the prophecy once again, feeling sympathy for the seer. The very seer who had once said her heart was as shriveled as an old maids. Hermione exhaled, fate was a fickle friend, and nothing ever went according to plan.

Poppy came into the infirmary, "How did he do last night?"

"He slept the whole night. I finally caved around three am. I paced waiting for him to need something, or to end up dead. And all was well," she murmured.

"Dear girl that's only four hours," Poppy chided.

"I know. I just didn't want to not wake up. Which sounds terrible, but knowing what he does and how much"-

Poppy held up a hand to silence her, "I understand. Knowing part of our only hope lays on your table is… frightening. Knowing your actions might cause that vile creature to win." Poppy shook her head. "Say no more Hermione." She placed a hand on the young witches shoulder, "At least he has you. Take care of him dear girl." Poppy smiled slightly before busying herself with a menial task, leaving Hermione alone with her husband.

Hermione sat on the edge of his bed, playing with his dark locks. She loved his hair, it was always so soft. Nothing like the mess she often dealt with. She studied his face, often she was the one sleeping. An unguarded Severus was a sight to behold. His strong square shaped jaw, Roman nose, strong cheek bones. In another time women would have been all over him. She frowned she couldn't imagine Severus with anyone but her, he was hers in a way she never could have imagined. She belonged to him in the same way. There wasn't just a piece of her that belonged to him. It was the whole of her. Her entire being belonged to him, and him her. That absolute feeling of need, made her ache.

Her hand dropped from his face. "Please don't die on me Sev. There's still so much. And it's right here." She put her fist to her chest. "I care so much."

She placed a tender kiss to his brow. "You deserve a future, Sev." She kissed his temple. "I'm not ready to loose you."

"You won't," he growled, his voice thick from the potion caused sleep.

"You can't promise me that," she murmured, as he pulled her to him tightly.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we come out of this alive," he said.

…

Severus was resting on the couch, while Hermione was puttering around the kitchenette in their quarters. She was focused on making tea. A blend of his own to help ease the pain from nerve damage. He watched her, she hadn't said much since he was released from Poppy's care.

She sat the tea in front of him. He grabbed her hand, "Sit…please."

She took the seat beside him, watching him curiously. He steeled himself for this conversation, "Hermione I can't promise you I won't come home in worse shape. I won't promise you that. But I do promise, we're not going to die. I'm sorry I worried you."

She kissed his knuckles, "I didn't know how much I cared. My thoughts weren't on my life Severus, but on yours. I care deeply for you. Your companionship, means the world to me."

He leaned into her, kissing her lightly. She smiled, snuggling deeper into him. She knew one thing, Severus was a man of his word. Maybe just maybe the future she wanted wasn't as far out of sight as she once believed.