Author's Note:

Content Warning: Rape, non-con

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This story was written for A_LoveUnlaced's Danger Fest. They created a beautiful NSFW piece of art for this story. If you wish to see it, you can find it in chapter 3 of this story on AO3. In this version, I excluded one scene from chapter 5 that was particularly graphic. I left all other mature scenes in. This story is very dark and contains rape, sexual assault.

Now on a much lighter note: You can follow me on Facebook to get updates and such. My profile name is Ghanima SeventySeven.

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The last thing he saw in his life was Lily's eyes. The first thing he saw when he was reborn, was Hermione's, and it was a revelation. She was a miracle, his miracle. She had pulled him back from death by sheer force alone, and he would never cease to be thankful for the second chance to live. To live a life that he chose. She'd graced him with life and freedom in one fell swoop. His angel, his Hermione.

It had been impossible not to fall in love with her, not only for the gifts she'd given him, but for the amazing woman that she was. He'd asked her once how she had managed to save him. She had only shrugged and said that she just didn't give up.

Severus didn't fault himself for not seeing her beauty before his demise. He'd only seen her as a child then, which was appropriate. She wasn't a child now. She was a lovely woman, working her way up the ladder at the Ministry. Not even thirty and already there were whispers of her becoming Minister of Magic one day. He had no doubt that she could do it.

She seemed to have an active social life as well based on the articles and pictures he saw in the papers. If she wasn't out with her friends, she was out networking at Ministry events. She also did extensive charity work. She was a wonder.

But that was the problem. She was so busy, and their paths rarely crossed. When he did happen to see her, she was polite and always seemed happy to speak with him. It wouldn't be long though before she was pulled away into another conversation or to give a speech or to accept an award. He barely had an opportunity to talk with her let alone woo her.

He had almost given up hope of ever having a chance, when something changed. Hermione changed. She started slowing down. She was seen less and less in public and thus, less and less in the paper. Severus was almost out of his mind with worry. Desperate for any news of his angel. He took to haunting the Leaky Cauldron hoping to pick up tidbits of information. When they started to trickle in, it wasn't good.

Hermione was ill, deathly so. What had started out as slight fatigue, slowly grew into a soul consuming exhaustion. Then the sleeping spells began. Sometimes they came on rather suddenly and only lasted a few minutes, other times they came to her slowly and she slept for hours. There was a rumor that the witch would sometime sleep for days. She could never be roused during these spells. She just woke when she woke.

The woman believed it to be a muggle illness called Nareco Lespy, but the wizarding world knew she was wrong. They tutted and whispered behind their hand that the foolish girl thought muggles could cure what was so clearly a curse. No doubt it happened during the war, poor thing, had such a bright future ahead of her.

At that, he could bare to hear no more. He had been neglectful of the woman he professed to love. How complacent he had become. He vowed then and there that he would rectify that error. He would make Hermione whole.

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Severus owled Hermione, and it was over two weeks later before he received a response. He'd begun to think that she had dismissed his offer out of hand. She did respond though. He was surprised when he was asked to meet her at Grimmauld Place. He didn't think even Potter lived there anymore, let alone Hermione. He was even more surprised when Molly Weasley opened the door.

"Severus, dear. Do come in," she said. Taking in his confused expression, she added, "Hermione is upstairs in the library. I wanted to speak with you first. Mind joining me for a cup of tea?" she asked. He wanted to brush the woman off and race to Hermione's side, but he felt it was wiser to accept Molly's offer. He took one longing look up the stairs before agreeing and following the older witch down to the kitchen.

The tea was waiting for them. Snape sat at the long dinner table as the woman bustled about. "What's going on, Molly?" he asked as soon as she sat.

The woman sighed. "We've tried to keep it quiet, but of course there are rumors. I'm sure you've heard that Hermione is ill." She looked at the man and he nodded. "Sleeping Sickness?" he nodded again. "Well, that's partially true. It's like a weaponized sleep. It slowly destroys the victim," she said softly, looking away to dab a tear from her eye.

"So, it isn't narcolepsy?" Snape asked.

Molly shook her head, "Merlin no, we tried Muggle Medicine. Harry took her to hospitals and doctors, muggle and magic, all over the world. All it got her was more debt and months of illness from those potions and muggle drugs they gave her," she stopped. This time she didn't even try to hide her tears. "We take turns staying with her, helping her, watching over her. Whatever is needed. At this point, we're just trying to keep her as comfortable as possible."

"What? Are you saying…" the potions master started.

Molly pushed herself up from the table. "That you'll need to discuss with her," she said. "You remember where the library is?"

Severus nodded. "Well, she's waiting in there for you."

He turned to leave when a thought occurred to him. "If her condition is so serious, why did it take weeks for her to reply to me?" he asked.

Molly sighed wearily, "Because you were offering her something she knew she wouldn't survive losing again."

"And that?," Severus asked.

The older woman smiled sadly at the man, "Hope." She turned away from him, tidying the already immaculate kitchen.

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Severus took the familiar route to the Grimmauld Place library. He knocked tentatively and was instantly greeted by his angel's voice.

"Please, come in," it urged, and he entered. Snape was instantly taken aback when he set eyes on the frail witch. He schooled his features as he recovered from the shock of seeing her. She was thin, frighteningly so. He'd seen her after the war while she was recovering from malnutrition, but this was worse.

"I know," she said quietly. "It's a bit of a surprise the first time." She lay on the couch, a mountain of pillows propping her up, covered in blankets and a book propped open in her lap.

"I apologize…" the potions master started, but the witch waved him off.

"You don't have to apologize. Please, sit," she gestured to an armchair across from her. She waited until he was seated to continue. "So, you think you can help?" she asked skeptically.

"I hope to," he replied honestly. "I have a vast knowledge in potions, the dark arts, spell creation and more. I spent decades around dark wizards and was privy to many misdeeds. If any of my knowledge and skill can help you, Miss Granger, it would be an honor to provide it. You saved me once, then made sure I had the freedom to enjoy it. If I can do the same for you, then I will do it gladly."

Hermione was taken aback by the earnest supplication from the man before her. She respected him greatly and admired his knowledge, but she didn't want him to help her out of a sense of obligation. He owed her nothing. She would not rob the man of his freedom like so many others. "Professor, you owe me nothing. I did what I did, because it was the right thing to do. Please, I.."

"I know, Miss Granger," Snape interrupted. "I am doing this of my own free will."

He sighed, "To be completely honest, I want to do this for you. It would make me happy. I have a good life, Miss Granger. I am content, but…." Severus tried to looked sheepish as he continued, "I'm a bit bored. I have nothing to challenge me and this, forgive me, seems very interesting."

Hermione laughed. "Oh, Professor, I love it. Well, let me tell you what I'm dealing with, and then we'll see if you're still interested."

Over the next few hours, Hermione detailed her condition, from its slow start two years ago to its more recent aggressive progression. She told him about all the doctors and healers from around the world, all the treatments, all the medications. She told him how it affected her physical condition. At first she lost a little weight here and there as her sleeping spells caused her to skip a meal or two. But as the sleep came more frequently and longer, the weight loss became more pronounced. Then her muscles started to atrophy and she grew ever weary.

"That's when we discovered it had started attacking my magical core, and we knew it was over," she concluded. "So, still interested," she asked.

"Immensely," he replied earnestly and Hermione laughed. "Would you mind if I ask a few questions," he said.

"Of course, I'm your new distraction," she said with a smile. "Your new riddle to solve. Ask away," she laughed.

He spent the next few hours learning all he could. Later, he took blood and hair samples to analyze, and with that he took his leave with promises that he would return in a few days.

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A new routine started. Severus would work furiously to craft new potions then deliver them to Grimmauld. Sometimes Hermione was awake, sometimes she slept. He spoke to every one of her rotating caretakers gleaming any information he could of his witch's condition and her reaction to her current regimen.

Her condition always improved however slightly after each new potion. The curse though, would always rally and viciously adapt to whatever she'd been given. Severus could be vicious too, and he was willing to work just as hard if not more to counter it.

This pace, though, was unsustainable for both the potion master and his angel, and after three months she called a meeting with her caretakers. They all gathered around the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place to discuss her future.

"Professor, you have placed your life on hold. I so appreciate your help, and I am grateful for the good days you gave me, but this can't go on forever," Hermione reasoned.

"Mione," Potter said from where he sat next to his pregnant wife. "He's helping, isn't he? You said you had more energy and more of an appetite. That's improvement. Don't give up now." The assembled looked to the frail witch for her response, which she apparently had no intention of giving.

"I have a proposal," Snape interrupted the silence. "Forgive me if I'm being too forward, Miss Granger, but perhaps you could stay at Spinners End. My lab there is fully equipped. You would have the advantage of quicker adjustments to your potions regimen, and since you would be close, I'll have more time left available for myself. I have the room, and the house has been extensively renovated since the end of the war."

The group seemed surprised by his offer, but he also saw hope in a few faces. Hermione's though was set, and Snape knew this would be a hard sell. He knew this was the right and only solution.

"Thank you, but, I'm sorry. I won't invade your home. I'm…..I've accepted what is to come. I'm grateful to all of you, but this has to stop. Harry, you and Ginny need to focus on your own family now. Ron, you're never going to find the girl of your dreams when you spend half your time with me…"

"No," Ron interrupted. "No, don't you dare do this for me. I'm a grown wizard, Mione. We may not be together anymore, but I still care about you. You're still my best friend, and I won't have you giving up."

"I'm not giving up!" Hermione shouted, slamming her hands on the table causing everyone to jump. "I'm being realistic," she added quietly. "You are wasting your lives on me. I-I can't have that." She took a ragged breath, and her voice broke as she said, "I'm tired. I'm so bloody tired."

Tears started falling from the witch's eyes and Ron rushed from his seat to kneel in front of her. He carefully took her into his arms. "I'm tired, Ron. I'm tired of the ups and downs. I'm tired of feeling helpless. I'm tired of being a witch with no magic. I'm tired of being strong."

"Then don't be," Ron responded as he held the sobbing woman. "You don't have to be strong for us, Mione. It's ok to fall apart from time to time. I'm sure that gloomy fuck behind me wouldn't mind if you went to pieces for a bit."

Hermione laughed and so did Severus to everyone's surprise. "No, I wouldn't mind at all," he said

"Six months, Mione, please give us six months," Ron pleaded.

Hermione shook her head and started, "Ron…"

The wizard pulled her close again. "I know, I know it seems like a long time, but it really isn't. Please, baby, I know I'm asking a lot, but please try. Snape's potions have helped, give it six more months, and if you still want to, we'll let you rest. Six more months, please, Mione," he begged.

The woman in his arms sobbed harder, then nodded her head. Ron gave a relieved sigh, and Severus echoed it. He had six more months to save her.