Chapter Five

"Mr. Snape hit his head and his brain is swelling…"

"…not likely that he will come out of this…"

"I am sorry, Miss Snape. I wish there was more we could do for your father…"

"You can," Treasure yelled at the voices and the faces swarming around her in the darkness, "You are doctors! You have to do something!"

"…we cant. Its hopeless…"

"No," she yelled, "This is my father! I can't lose him!"

"It will be a miracle if he comes out of this, but it would be in your best interest not to hope for one."

"My father is a fighter," Treasure exclaimed, "He will get through this!"

"…we are so, terribly sorry, Miss Snape…"

Treasure awoke with a start. The far off, taunting voices of the mediwitches and mediwizards at St. Mungo's echoed through her head. She wanted to ignore them all…or better, kill them. She, Remus and her mum were in the carriage, on their way to St. Mungo's. Treasure hadn't told her mother about the message in the tealeaves. She had no idea whether she was doing her harm by not telling her what she knew or if she was doing her a favor by letting her wonder. Nonetheless, she kept her mouth shut and kept the burden to herself.

There was no conversation during the ride there. Remus kept giving Treasure looks; he knew about the prediction. Treasure just shook her head at him, and nothing was said.

Soon, the large hospital came into view and Treasure grabbed the cushions of her seat so tightly that her knuckles began turning white. The pain kept her from thinking about her father in that room, lying on that bed with no life running through his body. She looked into her mother's face. Her expressions were incomplex to read. Hermione hoped for the best, but expected the worse. She was prepared – or, at least, she made herself believe she was.

The carriage pulled up to the front of the hospital. With a trembling hand, Hermione opened the door and stepped out. Remus followed her, but Treasure did not budge.

"Come on, Treasure," Hermione urged.

She took a deep breath and, with one stride, was out of the carriage. Just like a few weeks ago, Hermione took Treasure's hand and led her like a small child into the hospital. Once at the front desk, Hermione released her hand and pulled the letter that she had received out of her robe pocket.

"I received this just a few hours ago," she told the nurse, "I am Hermione Snape."

The nurse nodded, "Yes, Mrs. Snape. I will get Doctor Robinson. She sent you this letter and I believe she could best explain the situation concerning your husband to you."

Treasure blinked back tears, the situation. He is dead – what situation is there to explain?

Hermione led her children to a waiting area. Treasure took a seat in one of the plush chairs and leaned back, waiting for the doctor. The seconds went by like hours, the minutes like days. Her hands were shaking like mad and a knot the size of Buckingham Palace was in her stomach. Nothing, at that point, could calm her down.

"Mrs. Snape," a soft voice asked.

Treasure opened her eyes and looked at the doctor standing over her mother. She was tall with soft, brown hair in locks and gray eyes. She was smiling…how could she be smiling? Hermione looked up at her and returned her smile, though, rather weakly.

"Yes," Hermione asked, standing up.

"May I speak to you in my office?"

Hermione followed Doctor Roberts and Treasure closed her yes. She was about to get the news – everything was about to change. If she knew nothing more, it was that she was in for the toughest loss of her life.

It was nearly thirty minutes before her mum came back out into the waiting room. Tears were streaming down the sides of her face and Treasure fought back the urge to scream.

"Remus, Treasure," she began softly, "come with me."

Treasure stood slowly, but her knees felt as though they were going to give way. She was shaking all over. Slowly, she followed her mother up to the second story of the hospital, down the hallway and to her father's room. The door was closed and the lights were off. Hermione opened the door and stepped inside. Treasure was close behind and Remus followed her. The moment Treasure saw her father she burst into tears. Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw.

He was alive.

Severus was sitting up in bed, his black eyes sparkling. Hermione ran to him and embraced him. Severus pulled her into his lap and whispered sweet things that only she could hear. Hermione was crying so hard that she couldn't respond. Once the couple had calmed down a little, Severus beckoned his children forward. Remus went first. After an exchange of words, Treasure stepped up.

"Treasure," he said, "Come here, my daughter."

Through the river of tears, Treasure smiled and jumped into her father's arms. Hermione and Remus left the room so Treasure and Severus could talk.

"Treasure," Severus said again.

"Yes, daddy?"

"I want you to know that I heard you speaking to me a couple of weeks ago. I could hear everything that the nurses and doctors were saying and they brought me down until I heard you begging me not to leave. I fought the coma and I fought death. I want to thank you for that and I forgive you. I don't expect you to never argue with me again, because I know it will happen, but I will always forgive you, no matter whether I tell you or not."

Treasure hugged her father tighter, "Thank you, daddy."

Severus smiled and wiped the tears from her face, "Now, what do you say we go home?"

Treasure nodded enthusiastically and left the room so he could get dressed. Treasure was walking on air. Her dad was back, she wasn't fighting with her mother nor brother – nothing could have been better. Though, there was one question left unanswered: who was Trelawney's prediction talking about? ~+~