Chapter Twelve
In which the long night passes
Ginny collapsed in front of the couch by the fire, making a hiccuping sound as she tried to stop crying. Remus sat down next to her and rested his head against her shoulder. It was unfortunate that werewolves could not cry, or this one might have wept with her. He whined softly and touched her hand with his paw.
Ginny was very fragile, he knew. Harry and Hermione had filled him in on the events of her first year. And she had been through a lot since then too. She had helped defend her classmates during the first battle with Voldemort. Ginny could be quite brave at times, but she was still only human.
"I'm sorry, Remus. I just ... I never saw anyone torn up like that. And ... and I don't want him to die." Ginny explained. "He may not be a very nice person, but he's one of ours."
The werewolf seemed to chuckle. Remus tried to give her a reassuring look, but that was no easy accomplishment for a werewolf. She sniffled a little less and put her arms around him.
"Thank you, Remus." she whispered.
He sighed as it became apparent that she wasn't going to let him go and prepared to spend the rest of the night like that as Ginny closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him.
Hermione was having trouble keeping her eyes open as she sat watching Severus. The healing spells had taken a lot out of her. She wasn't accustomed to the strain of using so much magic at once. Madam Pomfrey had years of advanced training and practice behind her. Hermione had precious little of either experience or advanced classes. As the sleepiness became unbearable and she rubbed her eyes to stay awake, Hermione considered taking more classes and volunteering in the hospital wing.
"Who knows, after all, how long the war might last and what I might be called upon to do." she thought, smoothing the covers absently and watching Severus breath in and out slowly.
The pallor had not left his skin nor had warmth returned to him. Hermione cautiously lifted his hand from time to time, felt his pulse, and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. She had forced herself to blink away tears more than once. She had glimpsed the Dark Mark on his forearm earlier and turned his left arm so that the ugly reminder of his past was no longer so visible. It had felt eerily hot beneath her fingertips as they had grazed it. But it had not frightened her. She had known for sometime that he bore the Mark, but this was the first time that she had seen it close up and it saddened her somehow.
"Because you are seeing more of a man in him now than a monster." her rather sleepy mind told her quite pointedly.
She blushed slightly as she released his hand. There were hidden depths within that thought that Hermione did not wish to consider. They were too embarrassing. If she had begun to develop feelings for Severus Snape, the greasy git that had made her friends miserable for just short of seven years ... Her stomach flip-flopped slightly.
"I'm tired. That's all. Maybe if I just close my eyes for a few minutes ..." she thought.
When Hermione opened her eyes again, something was tickling her arm ever-so-slightly. She had fallen asleep. Reprimanding herself for her inattentiveness, she turned her head to see what was touching her arm and suddenly found herself staring into coal black eyes. She inhaled sharply as she realized that she was lying next to Severus. She had managed to move closer to him in her sleep.
His fingertips barely touched her arm as he tried to get her attention. He could scarcely move because of the pain. He whimpered pathetically as she sat up and moved away. He continued to reach weakly toward her. His lips moved soundlessly. The pit of her stomach felt icy as she reached toward him and took his hand.
"Hurts." he finally managed.
"I know." she said, shushing him and squeezing his hand between both of her own before reaching for a light blue healing potion on the night stand. She had been afraid to give him anything orally the night before. She was afraid that he would have choked on it. "Here." she said, slipping a hand behind him to help him drink.
Severus drank the potion without complaint. His dark eyes, full of pain when he had first awakened her, seemed slowly to fill with calm. The pain had dulled and receded. Hermione replaced the stopper and returned the bottle to the night stand. She hushed him again as he struggled to speak.
"You shouldn't. You should just lie still." she cautioned him.
"What happened?" he asked, ignoring her advice.
"Do you remember the attack?"
"Yes, but how did I get back here ... alive?"
"Ginny and I managed it."
He was silent as his eyes drifted toward the blanket that covered him. He was too weak to cast it aside, but he had the fierce and burning desire to see what the creature had done to him. He had the feeling that he had not injured it at all in their struggle, but he could remember the sharp claws that rent his flesh to the bone.
"I want to see." he demanded.
"It doesn't look all that bad." said Hermione.
He looked at her quizzically and tried to ask a question, but couldn't. He wasn't sure what to say to her. She seemed rather pale and worn, not to mention worried.
She peeled the blanket back for him so that he could see the deep, jagged red lines, all that remained of the savage injuries that had been inflicted upon him hardly eight hours earlier. He marveled. Her level of skill was greater than he had thought.
"I imagine that Madam Pomfrey will be able to finish what Ginny and I started." said Hermione, replacing the covers.
"You did well, Hermione." said Severus, closing his eyes.
"Severus?" she questioned.
He opened his eyes again.
"The wards are weaker now. I believe that they will hold, but I will need to strengthen them ... when I can." he told her.
"Let me. I know I can figure out how and ..."
"No, Hermione, you have already done more than is good for you I think."
"I'll be all right."
"And so will I, thanks to you." he said.
"And Ginny. She managed to keep up with her books this time too. She wanted to make sure that ... that all this wasn't in vain." said Hermione.
"Good of her." commented Severus.
"Are you tired?"
"Very much so, but I don't want to close my eyes." he admitted hesitantly.
"Why?"
He was silent. Hermione could see some great debate going on in the very depths of his dark eyes. He was very private, very secretive, Hermione knew. He looked away from her with a soft, almost inaudible sigh.
"Because I am afraid." he said in a low voice.
"I will be here with you. You don't have to be afraid." she said.
Severus smiled softly at her and nodded, "I know, Hermione, but ..."
"None of that, Severus!" she admonished. "We can't go talking like that if we expect to get out of this mess."
"You really believe that we will?" he questioned, touching her hand.
Hermione suddenly seemed very grown-up for her years, wise and hopeful at the same time, and very much like stern and determined Minerva McGonagall. A smile played upon his lips for the second time.
"I have every confidence in our abilities." she said firmly, giving his hand a squeeze. "Now can you perhaps try to rest?" Hermione asked, feigning annoyance, though there was a spark of laughter in her eyes that very nearly concealed the worry and doubt that she felt. She knew as well as anyone that their chances were not exceedingly good.
"I can try."
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A/N: I think Minerva and Hermione are a lot alike. I don't know if there are any comparisons in the books, but it's just something I see from time to time.
JoeBob1379: You're welcome! I definitely would say that the wards are weaker, but so long as Severus is alive and Remus is cool, I think they should be fine. And, no, there was no Albus and Minerva group at yahoo. Operative word being 'was'. Thank you for reviewing!
Michelle: I have read "A Wrinkle in Time", but never "The Wind in the Door". I'll try to remember that the next time I am looking for a book to read. I honestly don't know what a healing potion would look like. A shot in the dark. Blue maybe? I hope the stuff wouldn't be clumpy and gross like Polyjuice Potions. As much as I like Potions class (because of Severus), making up potions is liking pulling teeth to me. I didn't think anyone would care either. And could Severus hear Hermione? Urg, people have been debating stuff like that for years. I don't want to touch that question myself as I generally, honestly believe that he would be able to hear her. Thanks for all the questions and insight!
Mercurial: I don't think it would be like a werewolf bite, but I bet such a bite would be prone to infection. Gross. I don't think Snape will do an out of body experience, but that might be fun to try writing some other time. The Albus and Minerva story is probably going to be called "Another Time" (because I have resolved never to spend two or three days searching for a title again). Thanks for the thought and the review!
Helen: I always image Hermione as being strong. I don't know exactly why. Thank you for the review!
lil pixie: I am almost an equal fan of Severus and Remus. Thanks for the review!
Multiple Lilys: Thank you for the compliments!
Aine Deande: I'm glad you're enjoying the story and find the characterizations acceptable, although I think Severus might be a little too nice in this chapter. The secret to writing Severus is the Professor Snape action figure on my desk. Thank you for all the compliments *blushes*!
Aqua Child: The kissing might come a little later ... Thanks for reviewing!
Witchy-grrl: No one is ever safe in my stories. I imagine that in the proper circumstances that Ginny could probably run very fast (brothers, athletic family, so forth). But these are sneaky creatures too, you know. Thank you for the review!
Notice: I decided to start an Albus/Minerva group at yahoo because I do impulsive things sometimes. Here is the address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlbusandMinerva/
Anyone and everyone is welcome to join! Thanks!
In which the long night passes
Ginny collapsed in front of the couch by the fire, making a hiccuping sound as she tried to stop crying. Remus sat down next to her and rested his head against her shoulder. It was unfortunate that werewolves could not cry, or this one might have wept with her. He whined softly and touched her hand with his paw.
Ginny was very fragile, he knew. Harry and Hermione had filled him in on the events of her first year. And she had been through a lot since then too. She had helped defend her classmates during the first battle with Voldemort. Ginny could be quite brave at times, but she was still only human.
"I'm sorry, Remus. I just ... I never saw anyone torn up like that. And ... and I don't want him to die." Ginny explained. "He may not be a very nice person, but he's one of ours."
The werewolf seemed to chuckle. Remus tried to give her a reassuring look, but that was no easy accomplishment for a werewolf. She sniffled a little less and put her arms around him.
"Thank you, Remus." she whispered.
He sighed as it became apparent that she wasn't going to let him go and prepared to spend the rest of the night like that as Ginny closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him.
Hermione was having trouble keeping her eyes open as she sat watching Severus. The healing spells had taken a lot out of her. She wasn't accustomed to the strain of using so much magic at once. Madam Pomfrey had years of advanced training and practice behind her. Hermione had precious little of either experience or advanced classes. As the sleepiness became unbearable and she rubbed her eyes to stay awake, Hermione considered taking more classes and volunteering in the hospital wing.
"Who knows, after all, how long the war might last and what I might be called upon to do." she thought, smoothing the covers absently and watching Severus breath in and out slowly.
The pallor had not left his skin nor had warmth returned to him. Hermione cautiously lifted his hand from time to time, felt his pulse, and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. She had forced herself to blink away tears more than once. She had glimpsed the Dark Mark on his forearm earlier and turned his left arm so that the ugly reminder of his past was no longer so visible. It had felt eerily hot beneath her fingertips as they had grazed it. But it had not frightened her. She had known for sometime that he bore the Mark, but this was the first time that she had seen it close up and it saddened her somehow.
"Because you are seeing more of a man in him now than a monster." her rather sleepy mind told her quite pointedly.
She blushed slightly as she released his hand. There were hidden depths within that thought that Hermione did not wish to consider. They were too embarrassing. If she had begun to develop feelings for Severus Snape, the greasy git that had made her friends miserable for just short of seven years ... Her stomach flip-flopped slightly.
"I'm tired. That's all. Maybe if I just close my eyes for a few minutes ..." she thought.
When Hermione opened her eyes again, something was tickling her arm ever-so-slightly. She had fallen asleep. Reprimanding herself for her inattentiveness, she turned her head to see what was touching her arm and suddenly found herself staring into coal black eyes. She inhaled sharply as she realized that she was lying next to Severus. She had managed to move closer to him in her sleep.
His fingertips barely touched her arm as he tried to get her attention. He could scarcely move because of the pain. He whimpered pathetically as she sat up and moved away. He continued to reach weakly toward her. His lips moved soundlessly. The pit of her stomach felt icy as she reached toward him and took his hand.
"Hurts." he finally managed.
"I know." she said, shushing him and squeezing his hand between both of her own before reaching for a light blue healing potion on the night stand. She had been afraid to give him anything orally the night before. She was afraid that he would have choked on it. "Here." she said, slipping a hand behind him to help him drink.
Severus drank the potion without complaint. His dark eyes, full of pain when he had first awakened her, seemed slowly to fill with calm. The pain had dulled and receded. Hermione replaced the stopper and returned the bottle to the night stand. She hushed him again as he struggled to speak.
"You shouldn't. You should just lie still." she cautioned him.
"What happened?" he asked, ignoring her advice.
"Do you remember the attack?"
"Yes, but how did I get back here ... alive?"
"Ginny and I managed it."
He was silent as his eyes drifted toward the blanket that covered him. He was too weak to cast it aside, but he had the fierce and burning desire to see what the creature had done to him. He had the feeling that he had not injured it at all in their struggle, but he could remember the sharp claws that rent his flesh to the bone.
"I want to see." he demanded.
"It doesn't look all that bad." said Hermione.
He looked at her quizzically and tried to ask a question, but couldn't. He wasn't sure what to say to her. She seemed rather pale and worn, not to mention worried.
She peeled the blanket back for him so that he could see the deep, jagged red lines, all that remained of the savage injuries that had been inflicted upon him hardly eight hours earlier. He marveled. Her level of skill was greater than he had thought.
"I imagine that Madam Pomfrey will be able to finish what Ginny and I started." said Hermione, replacing the covers.
"You did well, Hermione." said Severus, closing his eyes.
"Severus?" she questioned.
He opened his eyes again.
"The wards are weaker now. I believe that they will hold, but I will need to strengthen them ... when I can." he told her.
"Let me. I know I can figure out how and ..."
"No, Hermione, you have already done more than is good for you I think."
"I'll be all right."
"And so will I, thanks to you." he said.
"And Ginny. She managed to keep up with her books this time too. She wanted to make sure that ... that all this wasn't in vain." said Hermione.
"Good of her." commented Severus.
"Are you tired?"
"Very much so, but I don't want to close my eyes." he admitted hesitantly.
"Why?"
He was silent. Hermione could see some great debate going on in the very depths of his dark eyes. He was very private, very secretive, Hermione knew. He looked away from her with a soft, almost inaudible sigh.
"Because I am afraid." he said in a low voice.
"I will be here with you. You don't have to be afraid." she said.
Severus smiled softly at her and nodded, "I know, Hermione, but ..."
"None of that, Severus!" she admonished. "We can't go talking like that if we expect to get out of this mess."
"You really believe that we will?" he questioned, touching her hand.
Hermione suddenly seemed very grown-up for her years, wise and hopeful at the same time, and very much like stern and determined Minerva McGonagall. A smile played upon his lips for the second time.
"I have every confidence in our abilities." she said firmly, giving his hand a squeeze. "Now can you perhaps try to rest?" Hermione asked, feigning annoyance, though there was a spark of laughter in her eyes that very nearly concealed the worry and doubt that she felt. She knew as well as anyone that their chances were not exceedingly good.
"I can try."
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A/N: I think Minerva and Hermione are a lot alike. I don't know if there are any comparisons in the books, but it's just something I see from time to time.
JoeBob1379: You're welcome! I definitely would say that the wards are weaker, but so long as Severus is alive and Remus is cool, I think they should be fine. And, no, there was no Albus and Minerva group at yahoo. Operative word being 'was'. Thank you for reviewing!
Michelle: I have read "A Wrinkle in Time", but never "The Wind in the Door". I'll try to remember that the next time I am looking for a book to read. I honestly don't know what a healing potion would look like. A shot in the dark. Blue maybe? I hope the stuff wouldn't be clumpy and gross like Polyjuice Potions. As much as I like Potions class (because of Severus), making up potions is liking pulling teeth to me. I didn't think anyone would care either. And could Severus hear Hermione? Urg, people have been debating stuff like that for years. I don't want to touch that question myself as I generally, honestly believe that he would be able to hear her. Thanks for all the questions and insight!
Mercurial: I don't think it would be like a werewolf bite, but I bet such a bite would be prone to infection. Gross. I don't think Snape will do an out of body experience, but that might be fun to try writing some other time. The Albus and Minerva story is probably going to be called "Another Time" (because I have resolved never to spend two or three days searching for a title again). Thanks for the thought and the review!
Helen: I always image Hermione as being strong. I don't know exactly why. Thank you for the review!
lil pixie: I am almost an equal fan of Severus and Remus. Thanks for the review!
Multiple Lilys: Thank you for the compliments!
Aine Deande: I'm glad you're enjoying the story and find the characterizations acceptable, although I think Severus might be a little too nice in this chapter. The secret to writing Severus is the Professor Snape action figure on my desk. Thank you for all the compliments *blushes*!
Aqua Child: The kissing might come a little later ... Thanks for reviewing!
Witchy-grrl: No one is ever safe in my stories. I imagine that in the proper circumstances that Ginny could probably run very fast (brothers, athletic family, so forth). But these are sneaky creatures too, you know. Thank you for the review!
Notice: I decided to start an Albus/Minerva group at yahoo because I do impulsive things sometimes. Here is the address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlbusandMinerva/
Anyone and everyone is welcome to join! Thanks!