Chapter 3:

"Severus! What on earth has happened?" Madame Pomfrey came bustling over when she heard the door to the hospital wing fly open. Severus laid down her limp body onto the first empty bed that came into view.

"I don't know Poppy, she stood up, wobbled and then fell to the floor. I think she also hit her head. I've noticed she hasn't been eating much lately in the hall, she didn't even bother to come to lunch today." Poppy immediately started checking her over and gathering potions from her office.

After a few minutes of medical attention Poppy turned round to face Severus "Well, I think she'll be alright. Are you going to be staying with her tonight or will you be going down to the dungeons?"

"I think I will stay up here and keep a watch on her, my lessons have all been sorted for tomorrow." She handed a chair and a blanket to Severus. "Thank you and goodnight Poppy."

"Good night Severus and come to get me straight away if any thing is the matter." He placed the chair right next to her bed and placed the blanket over his legs. Severus looked at the pale sleeping woman lying in front of him; he reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Sitting there he took time to study her face. She was pale and fresh looking, but her troubled past showed itself with deep shadows lurking under her closed eyes. Her rosy lips, slightly parted, revealed a small glimpse of pearly white teeth.

Severus sighed and took a hold of her hand; it was so smooth and soft. Her slender fingers and long scarlet painted nails were so elegant. Whilst rubbing his thumb on the top of her hand he looked at the slim lithe figure. He realised that she was beautiful. She stirred, slightly moving her head to face him.

"Severus?" Honor sounded weak and tired, her eyelids fluttered.

"Yes? Are you OK?" he leapt off the chair and hovered above her.

"Water, can you pass me some water?"

"Yes, yes of course." without hesitation he reached for a glass and a pitcher of water. Honor sat up slowly in the bed, wincing at the pain from her head.

"Thank you." She drank the contents gradually but she didn't remove the glass from her lips. After placing the glass back on the bedside cabinet, she looked Severus in the eye.

"Feeling better?" Severus glanced at her worriedly.

"A lot better actually, but by head really hurts."

"I thought it would, if you hadn't have fallen so fast I could have caught you."

"Well excuse me for rushing!"

"Only this once then." He smiled at her.

"You really should smile more often, it looks nice."

"I would but it could ruin my tough annoying attitude, don't you think?"

"That's true. Shouldn't you be in the dungeons or at least some where dark and gloomy?"

"Well it is quite dark in here so at least that's half of it."

"Yeah, I guess so." Honor yawned and slumped back down into the sheets.

"Sleepy?"

"Yep. G'night!" she turned over and instantly fell into a dream filled sleep. Severus leaned back in his chair and pulled the blanket up to his chest, eventually he too fell asleep.

*In Honor's dreamland*

Honor walked towards an old wooden door with the letters S.S inscribed in gold. She unhooked the latch and pushed it open. The room it revealed was black and green with a large four-poster bed at the far end, a few shelves containing books and an unused, unlit fireplace at the other end. Honor walked in, the cold grey flagstone floor under foot. The bed had black silk sheets and black muslin curtains. Turning round she looked at the fireplace, a dark figure stood beside it. The figure was whispering her name repeatedly.

*Out of dreamland*

"Honor? Honor wake up. Honor?" Severus gently shook her shoulder.

"Hmm?" she blinked slowly and sat up.

"It's time to go down to breakfast."

"I'm not that hungry, I'll just go up to my chambers and rest until first lesson." Severus shook his head.

"No, I promised Madame Pomfrey I would personally escort you to the hall and make sure you eat something." She smiled.

"OK then, I'll just go to my chambers and get some clean robes." Honor started to get out of her bed.

"You don't need to go to your chambers, I got these this morning." He handed the new robes to her and left the room.

"It's OK I'm finished!" she eventually called through the curtains "Aren't you going to change?"

"I already have, I got up at around five this morning and went down to my chambers."

"Well aren't you the early riser!" they walked down to the hall, Severus occasionally looked at her making sure she was still OK.

Once in the hall they sat down and even Honor started immediately eating.

"So then Honor you are over last night I hope?"

"Albus too many things happened last night, but yes, I seemed to have recovered slightly." Dumbledore smiled knowingly as he tucked into his bacon and eggs.

As soon as she had got through her last piece of toast Honor asked Severus to wait for her in the teachers lounge at 11 o'clock.

Honor's first lesson was with the third year Gryffindors, it would be an easy start because the third years had not had any divination lessons yet. Once the group was settled she began.

"Now, this will be your first divination lesson. Divination needs skill and concentration at all times, so that means that you need to focus on your work. I am professor Blissett and for today we will start with tea leave readings. Miss Townsend could you please pass me the largest tea pot on that shelve over there." A tallish girl with dark brown hair stood up and scurried over to the shelves and picked a large pot "No dear, the other one, that's it." Honor magically filled it with boiling water and then added the tealeaves. "OK every one get a cup and find a partner. Oh and Mr Adams you can go in a three." Again every one settled and Honor poured out the tea into every ones cups. "Every one drink up and when you get down to the leaves hold the cup firmly and swirl the leaves around three times in a clockwise direction. Then tip the teacup over onto your saucer of a few seconds and then give the cup to your partner for them to read. You will find the interpretations on pages five and six of your textbooks. If anyone needs any help at all don't be afraid to ask."

"Er, professor Blissett can you help me? I can't make out this shape." A small boy with mousy hair looked up with an expression of bewilderment on his face. She went over and took the cup out of his hands, staring in she revealed the shapes to him.

"There is a circle which means great success, the letter M that can refer to the names of friends or relatives and an open book which means an answer to a question." Handing the cup back to him she looked around the room, almost every one seemed to be enjoying themselves, that was until a girl burst out in tears. Honor rushed over to see what the matter was.

"She said she saw a G-grim!" the girl bawled.

"I did professor, look!" another girl handed her the cup and Honor laughed.

"You have no reason to worry, it's only a dog! Read what it says."

"Dog: a new friend." The girl immediately stopped crying when her partner read the sentence.

"Don't worry, it's a very easy mistake to make."

"Professor it's time for our Transfiguration lesson!"

"Alright then, leave your cups on the tables." The students filed out of the room, Honor waved her wand and all of the cups were cleaned and back on the shelves. She had a free period next so Honor decided to stay in the teachers lounge until Severus turned up.



Disclaimer: no one but Honor belongs to me (You have NO idea what I'd do to Severus if he was mine!!!)