Dreamless Sleep
Chapter Sixteen
Disclaimer: Do I look like a famous author to you??
Severus gently touched her cheek, his feeling of guilt multiplying ten-fold.
"I'm so sorry, Virginia. This is all my fault. If I had just stayed here…."
He undid the clasp on his cloak and shrugged it off his shoulders, letting the coarse black material pool at his feet.
"She wouldn't blame you, you know."
Dumbledore stood behind them. He didn't step any closer, because just by watching them he felt as if he were intruding on…. something. He didn't think there was a name for what he was witnessing. A former Deatheater turned professor, worrying over Tom Riddle's former toy.
He turned and pulled the thin curtain separating her bed from the rest of the room closed. The Headmaster knew that Severus wouldn't want anyone seeing him in his current state.
He looked down at Madame Pomfrey, who was walking towards them with a bowl of cool water in her hands. Since they had no idea what had been slipped into her food, they didn't want to try any magical cures on her for fear they would worsen her condition.
"Poppy," he said gently. "Leave them alone for now. You know he won't let anything
happen to her."
The Mediwitch frowned; she didn't like the sound of that. Maybe Severus wasn't as loyal to the side of good as the Headmaster thought he was. If he was then why was he worrying so much about a Deatheater? She really didn't want to care for the girl; for all that it matters to her the girl could rot in the dungeons with Snape. She turned and took the gray stone bowl over to a table on the far side of the room, walking slowly so she wouldn't spill any of the water on herself.
As Dumbledore left the Hospital Wing, he spared one last glance at the light blue curtain. He could barely make out Severus's shadow, bending over the girl's bed. He may have been wrong. Maybe Severus cared for the girl more than he had previously thought…
()~()~()~()~()~()
Severus barely heard the Headmaster's words, nothing else was important right now. Only her.
He was sorely tempted to pick her up and remove her from this room. He didn't want to share her with anyone, for any reason. Severus knew that he was being too wishful for his own good. She would never feel the same way about him; he was old enough to be her father, for goodness's sake! She may view him as a friend, but that's all it could ever be.
Severus would never forget the way he felt as he ran towards the Hospital Wing. He felt as though his heart had stopped. She would pull through, he knew it. She was tough; she had to be to survive the childhood she had.
The faded cotton nightgown she wore was already soaked in her sweat. It was painfully obvious to him that she had a fever when he had lay his hand on her face.
He reached out and gently slid his hand over hers. It may have just been his imagination, but he thought she relaxed at his touch. Her hair was damp and it clung to her face instead of gently falling over her thin shoulders like it had everyday he had seen her. Severus brushed the wet clumps of hair away from her face, and leaned up to gently brush his lips against her forehead.
"I'm so sorry." His heartfelt apologies could be heard echoing in the empty stone room long into the night…
A/N- Ohhhhhh, I like the way that ended. It came out the way I wanted it to (kinda), YEAH!!!! :)
