Chapter 27:
The next time I open my eyes there is a dark-haired figure slumped, asleep, in the chair next to my bed. I turn my stiff neck slightly. It is Harry Potter. Giving a small snort, I raise myself up to sitting and push on his shoulder gently to wake him.
Slowly he rouses himself, flashing me a brilliantly wry smile when he sees I am awake. "None of us thought you would make it."
I cannot think of anything to say, as I had thought the same thing. "Dumbledore asked me to sit with you until Snape...Professor Snape," he corrects himself, "gets back."
I furrow my brow. "Where is he?" I have not seen Severus since the bubble burst on the steps. I realize I still do not know how long it has been since that moment. Not waiting for his answer to my first question, "Harry, how long has it been since I, since the attack?"
He looks quite surprised. "You don't know?" He straightens himself in the chair.
"Ah, no. Albus and I never got around to discussing it earlier." I admit.
"It's only been about ten hours. You woke up straight away on the steps, and then the Headmaster said you woke a few hours after that. It's midnight, or close to it."
I nod, indicating I've heard. "How did Severus come to me on the steps? I locked him in his rooms, very securely."
Harry looks at me. I can see him struggle with his dislike of Severus and his like of me. I win out, most likely because I am looking pathetic and forlorn in my hospital bed. "He wasn't in his rooms. He was out on the grounds. Gathering things, I guess. After you fell, Voldemort and the others left immediately. They looked almost scared. Dumbledore called Snape in from outside. You, Snape, I, I just don't understand what happened, Bena." He finishes, his hands in the air.
"Either do I, Harry. But, you were raised by muggles, am I right?" I ask, desperate for someone other than Albus to discuss this with. He nods.
I continue "Albus said it was a miracle, of the muggle variety." He stays quiet, regarding me carefully.
"I still don't understand." He confesses.
"I don't either, Harry. But, that is what Albus says. And I must admit I'm at a loss, so, for right now, that remains the explanation."
"Do you believe in God?" he asks me. I cock my head, thinking carefully before I answer.
"No. But neither do I not believe in him. I was raised by wizards. Muggles, Christians specifically, find magic from their god and we, I mean I, find magic everywhere. I don't think I qualify as a pagan either. Witchcraft is not a religion to me. It is not something I practice. It is not something I follow. It is what I am. I am a witch. Does that make sense to you?" I ask, peering very carefully at him.
He nods. Changing subjects, as the discomfort is obvious to us both, he asks, "How do you feel?"
I take a moment to consider. "I don't know." Another brilliant smile. Ah, when he has the time to devote to girls, he will be a heartbreaker, as his father and godfather before him. "I feel fine, Harry. But, yet, not. I feel very weak. I will probably fall asleep again soon enough."
"Would you like some water? Madame Pomfrey left out a pitcher. She also said if you were hungry to summon a house elf." He smiles again. I am surprised the young man can have this much energy after this afternoon's events.
"Where are Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley?" I know it is odd for him to be without his companions.
"Asleep. I couldn't settle down—too much energy pulsing through me, so I've been up all night. I came in here, to check on you, and Snape- Professor Snape-asked me to sit with you for awhile." He shrugs his shoulders.
I hear a small scraping of the door at the far end opening; Harry does not, so I make no notice of it. "Did he seem agitated?" I ask.
"No more than usual." Seeing my small grin, he continues, "He's always annoyed to see me, but he seemed to be trying to be pleasant. He loves you." Harry says sharply.
I nod mutely. "He cried when he saw you on the steps. We all just froze and watched. He crumpled to the ground and wept. I didn't think, I mean, I never thought..." Harry waves his hands uselessly.
Unfortunately, Severus takes this moment to jump in, "You never thought the greasy git could have feeling, eh, Potter?" I shake my head, recognizing the moment of reconciliation between the two of them has again fled.
I cough, hoping to draw their attention back to me. It works. Harry looks down at his feet and mumbles that he ought go, but, before turning to leave, he leans down and gives me a chaste kiss on my cheek. Stunned by this gesture, he is nearly out the door before I can recover enough to call out a thank you.
Severus sits at my side. I contemplate ignoring him, but there is too much to discuss. So much in fact, that, faced with one another, we are at a loss to begin.
"Thank you." I say, inadequately.
Severus nods. "I didn't try to do anything."
"I know. Thank you just the same."
"Albus told me about the saint. Do you think that explains it?"
"I can think of nothing else that comes close." I admit.
"It doesn't make sense." Severus reasons.
"I don't think it's supposed to." I offer.
We sit in silence a while longer, the quiet sounds of the castle filling the cavernous expanses of the hospital wing. Finally, Severus exits the chair and joins me in my too small bed. A quiet swish of his wand and it expanded. We fall asleep, entwined together, both of us looking for answers, neither of us getting them.
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Author's Notes:
Thanks for all the lovely reviews and I ask for your patience until mid- June...I'll be working 60-70 hours a week, 7 days a week until then. I attempt to update once a week, never longer than a week and a half, so bear with me. Thank you thank you. Less than a month to PoA in the US!!!!!
The next time I open my eyes there is a dark-haired figure slumped, asleep, in the chair next to my bed. I turn my stiff neck slightly. It is Harry Potter. Giving a small snort, I raise myself up to sitting and push on his shoulder gently to wake him.
Slowly he rouses himself, flashing me a brilliantly wry smile when he sees I am awake. "None of us thought you would make it."
I cannot think of anything to say, as I had thought the same thing. "Dumbledore asked me to sit with you until Snape...Professor Snape," he corrects himself, "gets back."
I furrow my brow. "Where is he?" I have not seen Severus since the bubble burst on the steps. I realize I still do not know how long it has been since that moment. Not waiting for his answer to my first question, "Harry, how long has it been since I, since the attack?"
He looks quite surprised. "You don't know?" He straightens himself in the chair.
"Ah, no. Albus and I never got around to discussing it earlier." I admit.
"It's only been about ten hours. You woke up straight away on the steps, and then the Headmaster said you woke a few hours after that. It's midnight, or close to it."
I nod, indicating I've heard. "How did Severus come to me on the steps? I locked him in his rooms, very securely."
Harry looks at me. I can see him struggle with his dislike of Severus and his like of me. I win out, most likely because I am looking pathetic and forlorn in my hospital bed. "He wasn't in his rooms. He was out on the grounds. Gathering things, I guess. After you fell, Voldemort and the others left immediately. They looked almost scared. Dumbledore called Snape in from outside. You, Snape, I, I just don't understand what happened, Bena." He finishes, his hands in the air.
"Either do I, Harry. But, you were raised by muggles, am I right?" I ask, desperate for someone other than Albus to discuss this with. He nods.
I continue "Albus said it was a miracle, of the muggle variety." He stays quiet, regarding me carefully.
"I still don't understand." He confesses.
"I don't either, Harry. But, that is what Albus says. And I must admit I'm at a loss, so, for right now, that remains the explanation."
"Do you believe in God?" he asks me. I cock my head, thinking carefully before I answer.
"No. But neither do I not believe in him. I was raised by wizards. Muggles, Christians specifically, find magic from their god and we, I mean I, find magic everywhere. I don't think I qualify as a pagan either. Witchcraft is not a religion to me. It is not something I practice. It is not something I follow. It is what I am. I am a witch. Does that make sense to you?" I ask, peering very carefully at him.
He nods. Changing subjects, as the discomfort is obvious to us both, he asks, "How do you feel?"
I take a moment to consider. "I don't know." Another brilliant smile. Ah, when he has the time to devote to girls, he will be a heartbreaker, as his father and godfather before him. "I feel fine, Harry. But, yet, not. I feel very weak. I will probably fall asleep again soon enough."
"Would you like some water? Madame Pomfrey left out a pitcher. She also said if you were hungry to summon a house elf." He smiles again. I am surprised the young man can have this much energy after this afternoon's events.
"Where are Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley?" I know it is odd for him to be without his companions.
"Asleep. I couldn't settle down—too much energy pulsing through me, so I've been up all night. I came in here, to check on you, and Snape- Professor Snape-asked me to sit with you for awhile." He shrugs his shoulders.
I hear a small scraping of the door at the far end opening; Harry does not, so I make no notice of it. "Did he seem agitated?" I ask.
"No more than usual." Seeing my small grin, he continues, "He's always annoyed to see me, but he seemed to be trying to be pleasant. He loves you." Harry says sharply.
I nod mutely. "He cried when he saw you on the steps. We all just froze and watched. He crumpled to the ground and wept. I didn't think, I mean, I never thought..." Harry waves his hands uselessly.
Unfortunately, Severus takes this moment to jump in, "You never thought the greasy git could have feeling, eh, Potter?" I shake my head, recognizing the moment of reconciliation between the two of them has again fled.
I cough, hoping to draw their attention back to me. It works. Harry looks down at his feet and mumbles that he ought go, but, before turning to leave, he leans down and gives me a chaste kiss on my cheek. Stunned by this gesture, he is nearly out the door before I can recover enough to call out a thank you.
Severus sits at my side. I contemplate ignoring him, but there is too much to discuss. So much in fact, that, faced with one another, we are at a loss to begin.
"Thank you." I say, inadequately.
Severus nods. "I didn't try to do anything."
"I know. Thank you just the same."
"Albus told me about the saint. Do you think that explains it?"
"I can think of nothing else that comes close." I admit.
"It doesn't make sense." Severus reasons.
"I don't think it's supposed to." I offer.
We sit in silence a while longer, the quiet sounds of the castle filling the cavernous expanses of the hospital wing. Finally, Severus exits the chair and joins me in my too small bed. A quiet swish of his wand and it expanded. We fall asleep, entwined together, both of us looking for answers, neither of us getting them.
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Author's Notes:
Thanks for all the lovely reviews and I ask for your patience until mid- June...I'll be working 60-70 hours a week, 7 days a week until then. I attempt to update once a week, never longer than a week and a half, so bear with me. Thank you thank you. Less than a month to PoA in the US!!!!!