Thank you to wonderful Beta of this chapter, SongOfStars

Chapter Eight – Awake At Last

Three days, three long agonizing days: seventy-two hours, four thousand three hundred and twenty minutes and two hundred fifty-nine thousand and two hundred seconds. That's how long it's been since Hermione and Ron made their appearance in Severus chambers and a lot has changed since then. During the past three days, Severus kept himself busy with research, trying to figure out how Remus changed when it wasn't a full moon. So far, he came up with nothing. He couldn't find a single thing that could explain what happened. Severus had gone through all the dark magic texts he had and surprisingly, he had very little on werewolves. Meanwhile, Remus has been banned from the school until this problem would be solved, with Minerva taking over his classes for the time being. And by Severus' deep displeasure, Hermione managed to be excused from all of her classes and spent all of her time next to Harry doing her own research. She had grabbed every book she could in the library that had to do with werewolves and the wizarding laws.

Harry spent the three days in a blissful sleep, filled up on so many pain relief potions that Severus couldn't keep track of. Occasionally, Harry would open up his eyes and mumble some words of nonsense before going back to sleep, getting Hermione's hopes up each time. The one good thing that Severus counted as a blessing was that Harry's fever broke just a couple of hours ago and the child was starting to become more stable with each passing minute with the werewolf venom finally running its course.

For the moment, Severus took advantage of the quiet afternoon, sitting at his kitchen table with a cup of coffee as he wrote down a list of books he wanted to get at Diagon alley in hopes of finding an answer. Every so often, he would flick his eyes over towards his living room, watching as Hermione fussed over Harry as she did her own research.

Severus did allow the girl access to his private library knowing that Hermione was reluctant to leave Harry more than she had to. It did cross Severus' mind a couple of times, wondering if the two of them were involved, only to roll his eyes a moment later at the stupid teenage love affairs that went on at this school.

The only reason Severus allowed Hermione to stay in his chambers was because Dumbledore said it would be nice for Harry to wake up with a friend by his side, basically overruling him on anything else he had to say about it. But after the first day, Severus soon found out that it was helpful having the girl in his chambers. The only time she talked was to Harry, she kept everything tidy and she helped out with Harry when Severus needed to leave his chambers.

Watching Hermione rub her thumb gently over Harry's hand as she read one of her many books she had stacked by his bedside, he couldn't help but wonder how their friendship was going to change. Hermione made it clear that she was going to stick by Harry's side. Severus even noticed that she wrote home to her parents and to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. He could only imagine what she wrote. Hermione was still waiting for a reply back from both her parents and the Weasley's. At least three times a day, she would get restless and go over to the window only to let out a small sigh moments later as she went back over to Harry.

Not putting any more thought into the girl, Severus got up from his seat and grabbed his cloak off the back of his chair. "I need to leave for a few hours," Severus said, quickly grabbing Hermione's attention. "Madam Pomfrey will be arriving in an hour to change Potter's bandages. If you need anything before then, call a house elf. They are able to enter my chambers freely," Severus explained before exciting his chambers, trusting Hermione not to burn his chambers to the ground when he was gone.

Once the chamber doors slammed shut, Hermione turned back to Harry with a small smile. "Looks like we are alone," she said with a little bit of nervous laughter. "As you know, I have been doing a lot of reading, actually that's all I've been doing. I think for the first time I would admit, I have been spending too much time with my head shoved into books. But I've been trying to find something that can help you when you wake up and you will wake up," Hermione explained as she forced her tears back. "I haven't been able to find anything yet, but I'm not going to give up. I don't give up that easy. I am going to find something that is going to help you with this. There has to be something out there and I'm going to find it."

For the next hour, Hermione talked to Harry about what she has been reading, pausing every now and again as if waiting for a reply until Madam Pomfrey entered Severus' chambers, greeting Hermione with a small hello and a smile.

"Afternoon," Hermione greeted back, marking her page before closing her book and setting it down on the pile. "Harry's fever broke this morning and he's doing much better," Hermione explained hopefully. "I...I was hoping that I could stay? Harry could be waking at any time now and I don't want him waking up alone," Hermione asked hesitantly.

Every time that Harry's bandages needed to be changed, Hermione was asked to leave. Poppy didn't want the young girl to see the damage that had been done to her friend.

Poppy pondered the request, wondering if it was a good idea to allow the girl to stay. "I'm only changing the bandages on his back today so I don't see why not. I will be needing some help since Severus isn't here," Poppy replied.

"Help? Help with what?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Don't worry dear," Poppy said with a reassuring smile. "I just need you to be the support, something for Harry to lean against as I sit him up. You won't have to do anything," Poppy explained.

Hermione nodded before sliding over to the bed, afraid that she may hurt Harry at the slightest of movements. She nodded to Poppy, letting her know that she was ready. Hermione held her breath as she watched Poppy carefully lift Harry up into a sitting position. Holding out her arms, Hermione allowed Poppy to place Harry on her chest as if she was going to give her friend a hug.

"You alright, dear?" Poppy inquired.

"...Ya...I'm alright," Hermione answered as she shifted herself into a more comfortable position as she closed her eyes, not wanting to watch the progress. To Hermione's disgust, she still had a hard time looking at Harry, her eyes going to the stitches that laid across his face and neck.

She remembered when she was a little girl, after begging her parents and saying that she was old enough and could handle it she was allowed to watch Frankenstein. Hermione remembered the nightmares she had for weeks afterwards. The stitches that the monster had were the most scariest for Hermione. The horror imagery that came to mind, skin being pulled back together and sewn together in a bloody mess, never leaving the person the same way again. She never watched another scary movie after that but now, as she looked at Harry all she could see was Frankenstein's monster and it sickened her that she thought of it.

Harry wasn't some monster doomed to stay hidden for the rest of his life, he was her friend, a friend that would need her by his side and she may be his only friend left. Hermione hadn't heard from Ron since she threw him out of Severus' chambers. In fact, she didn't even see him when she went back to the Gryffindor dormitory at night. It was almost like he disappeared.

Hermione was quickly pulled out of her thoughts when she felt a breath of hot air on her neck. "Harry?" Hermione asked hopefully, pulling away slightly as she pulled Harry's head up to see the molten gold eyes looking at her. Hermione still felt a shiver go down her spine as she looked into Harry's eyes, not used to not seeing the bright green her friend used to have.

"Harry? You with me?" Hermione questioned.

"He..Her...Hermioneeee" Harry spoke softly, taking in a deep shaky breath.

"Yes. It's me. It's Hermione" Hermione almost cried in relief at the fact that Harry recognized her. For the past three days, Harry had called her many different things but none of those were her name.

"Madam Pomfrey," Hermione called out with a smile as she brushed Harry's bangs out of his eyes.

"Keep talking to him, I'm almost done," Poppy instructed before dripping a potion into Harry's wounds that made him hiss in pain, shifting in Hermione's arms in an effort to get away from the stinging.

"It's alright Harry, it's alright. It's almost done, then you can rest, ok?" Hermione said soothingly, reaching down and taking Harry's hand in hers, giving it a small squeeze. "You're going to be alright," Hermione said, not sure if she was trying to convince Harry or herself.

"...My...my...glasses," Harry let out a breath, struggling with each word, feeling as if a hippogriff was sitting on his chest.

"Oh...your glasses were crushed, but I'm here and Madam Pomfrey is here. You're not at the hospital wing but in Professor Snape's chambers, in his living room," Hermione explained, knowing how bad Harry's eyesight was without his glasses.

"...no...you're not...blurry...I can...see you...you clear..." Harry tried to explain, each breath more painful than the last "I...I...I can...see" "I...can...I can..." But before Harry could get out what he wanted to say, he fell back into darkness.

"Pomfrey" Hermione said in a panic as Harry slumped against her.

"It's alright, dear. He's just sleeping because of the potions he's on, but it's a good sign that he woke up as much as he did," Poppy explained before gently lying Harry back down. "If he keeps improving the way he is, I have no doubt he will be up and about in no time," Poppy tried to reassure.

"His eyes, he said that he could see clearly?"

Poppy frowned a little as she explained. "Werewolves have heightened senses. The transformation must have fixed Harry's eyes. No doubt, in the next couple of days, Harry will find out that he can see better, smell, hear and even taste better!"

Hermione nodded in understanding but even with Poppy's words, she still had faith because when Harry woke up, he wasn't some monster, he wasn't some animal who attacked her, he was Harry, her friend. Ron was wrong. She could tell that Harry still had his humanity and if he had that, then he could never be a monster.