For the following week, there was a whirlwind of activity buzzing between Spinners End and Grimmauld Place getting ready for Hermione's move. The witch in question was little help as she fell unconscious for five days straight. Her caregivers, used to her frequent absences, bustled on about her. Severus had, of course, seen to Hermione's accommodation months ago. He'd known early on that this would likely be the best solution for everyone involved.
After the war, he had gutted the house. He had left Hogwarts with a generous severance and a tidy sum that he'd been saving for years. Between that and his monetary award from his Order of Merlin, he was able to turn Spinners End into a respectable home.
Severus had originally contemplated tearing the hovel down and starting fresh, but he knew his mother would have appreciated his effort. The fact that his father would have hated it, just sweetened the pot. Oh, he took great pleasure in erasing his father from his own home.
He'd purchased the plots both beside and behind him. He expanded the house and added a proper third floor. Gardens were laid out around the entire structure. Soon the dower house started to lighten and become a home. Severus was quite pleased with the work he'd had done. His angel's caretakers were certainly impressed with the improvements. He'd created a gleaming diamond in the midst of the filth of this town.
Hermione's suite would be on the third floor along with his. Although his lay on the opposite end of the hall to allow for privacy. He very much wanted her to feel at home here. The suite opened to a sitting room with views of the front gardens. Beyond was a spacious bedroom with an en suite. It was tastefully, if generically decorated in creams and a light shade of purple he knew she was fond of. He wanted to give her room to make the space her own.
It was in that very room that his angel woke the day after she had moved in. Molly had come to stay for a few days while Hermione got settled. Severus had not been looking forward to having the pushy woman take over his house but had been pleasantly surprised to find the witch quite agreeable. While she certainly mothered and fussed, she also had an uncanny instinct that told her when someone needed to be left alone.
It was after they had caught Hermione up on what she'd missed, helped her attend to her needs and given her a meal, they left the witch to herself. They sat, later that night in Severus's white, modern kitchen sharing a cup of tea.
"Now I'll be out of your hair just as soon as our girl is settled, but I think she's going to be happy here," the older witch said.
Severus's eyebrows shot up at the statement. "Do you think so?"
"Yes," she responded, "I just have a feeling". She looked to the potions master, scrutinizing him for a moment. "You're going to save our girl, aren't you?" she asked.
Snape stared back at her as he vowed, "As long as there is breath in this body, I will never stop fighting for that woman."
Molly smiled at the man and patted his cheek and said, "You're a good man Severus."
The man sat silently as his very being reverberated with the intensity of his pledge as the matron got up from the table and made her way up to her room.
*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*
Molly left a week after Hermione first woke in Spinners End, leaving Severus with his charge. There was some concern about how Hermione would use the restroom when the potions master was brewing. The young woman suggested a bed pan, but Snape dismissed that out of hand. The following day, he left and came home with a simple electric wheelchair. If the witch could get in and out of it, the chair could ferry her to the facilities.
Hermione was beyond thrilled at the freedom it gave her. Since her magical core started to degrade she was unable to use a magical wheel chair and her arms had grown too weak for a manual one. She couldn't leave the floor, but she had the ability to roam like she hadn't in over a year. Severus had put a smile on his angel's face and that had made him happy.
Once by themselves, they fell into an easy companionship. Severus was amazed by their quick connection. Never had anything come to him so easily. It was just one more sign that they were meant for each other. They regularly shared breakfast in her sitting room. He would then go down to his lab to work. Sometimes the witch went with him, sometimes she staid in her rooms. Of course, she often slept. Severus found that to be of no real hardship for him, and always used her down time to his advantage. He was able to get much done at these times.
They typically ate supper together in the dining room downstairs and would often retire to his study to read and have a night cap before bed. Well, he had a nightcap and she had a hot chocolate. He found that Hermione preferred having company before she slept naturally. He sensed it was because she was afraid she wouldn't wake in the morning. She felt very alone at those times and craved companionship. Severus was more than happy to oblige.
It was on one of these occasions that Hermione was unexpectedly pulled into sleep. Severus quickly raised his wand and was able to rescue her hot chocolate before it hit the ground. He got up and frowned down at the witch in her slumber. He'd thought that the sleep would come over her later. It didn't much matter. He carefully scooped the small woman up to return her to her room.
As he walked the hall, he held her close, burying his nose in her hair. He was in awe of the woman in his arms. He still couldn't believe that he was finally with her. He gently lay her in her bed and tucked her in. He kissed her forehead reverently and left her to the darkness.
*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*S*
Snape knew that Hermione's weight had to be his primary focus. While she had added a few much-needed pounds since he'd started helping her, she was still painfully thin. He was always afraid that he was going to break her, snap her bones like twigs. He made sure she ate frequently, but she just couldn't keep up.
He spent most of the next two days in his lab as Hermione slept. The potions master worked diligently to create a series of serums to strengthen and fortify his witch. He needed her to be strong. The curse was much more brutal than he'd anticipated, and she had to be strong in order to get through this. Severus was not willing to have worked so damned hard to get her here, only to lose her now.
