Legal bullocks: I don't own most these people... wouldn't it be nifty if I did though? Speciallly Snape... Or would that be considered slavery? And if it was, would he really mind? ;-) Hmm... I'll have to look into that.

Chapter 8

Severus was abruptly woken out of the deep sleep he finally managed, but screams that could have only belonged to Andraste. Terrified, he ran out of his room and the short distance down the hall to hers. "Allamora!" he shouted at the door, the panic in his voice clear now. When the door swung violently open he saw her, body bowed, screaming but still sound asleep. He ran to her side, gathering her up in his arms. "Andi... Andi... WAKE UP ANDI!" Not only could he not wake her, but her body was burning up with fever. He needed help, and now. Picking her up the rest of the way, he ran as quickly as he could to the infirmary, intending on waking up Madam Pomfry. When he ran through the double doors, however, he discovered that was not necessary. The room was filled with the sound of identical screams, coming from the bed that Albus, Minerva, Remus, and the school nurse were gathered around; coming from the bed of Harry Potter. Dumbledore and Pomfry both rushed to Severus, who had laid Andraste down in the bed next to the Potter boys. Madam Pomfry quickly took her vitals, and then turned to professors. "There is nothing I can do for either of them until they wake up."

"What's happening to her?" Severus demanded. "How could she possibly have the same link to Voldemort as Potter?" He looked at the boy writhing in the bed next to Andraste's, resisting the urge to blame him for what was happening to her.

"She doesn't, Severus," Albus softly responded. "Although I can't say I hadn't wondered if this would happen. Because of the strength of what Harry was feeling, her mind, in its relaxed state, formed a like with him. I suspect that she can see everything he's seeing, as it is obvious that she can feel what he feels."

All at once the screams that had filled the room silenced, and Severus looked on with horror as Harry's face calmed, but Andraste began to seize. Madam Pomfry rushed to her side, helpless to do anything but keep her from injuring herself further.

"I believe she cut the link that Potter had to Voldemort," Albus said in response to the question in the eyes of those around him, "but at great personal cost."

The minutes seemed like hours to Severus as he watched Andraste's body convulse. He was the only one in the room that hadn't noticed the few tears that were now streaming down his face. 'Dear God, how can she handle this?' he thought to himself. 'Her body is going to break in half.' As much as he wanted to blame Potter, part of him couldn't help but think this was somehow his own fault. Finally, after what Severus was sure was at least 30 minutes, the seizures stopped and Andraste laid there quietly, her breaths shallow and her pulse weak.

Shortly after, Harry regained consciousness and sat up as the adults rushed to his side. He had tears flowing freely down his face, and pushed away the potions the nurse had attempted to thrust into his hand. "For once," he said, his voice struggling to be calm, "I feel fine."

Dumbledore was the first to speak. "It's okay Madam Pomfry. He would know if he needed the potions. Now, Harry, do you think you can tell us what you remember?"

"Yeah," Harry said, still oblivious to the woman laying in the bed next to him. "It was Voldemort, he was torturing muggles. The entire family. And then it was just gone. I don't know what happened. I don't understand, why do I feel okay?"

"My best guess," Dumbledore responded, "is that when Andraste cut the link you had with Voldemort, she also took away all of the effects of what you were feeling... and took them on herself." Harry sat up straighter, now seeing the professor laying in the next bed. "Is she okay?"

"We don't know," Dumbledore said matter-of-factly. "Now since you are feeling fine, I think we should all get a bit of sleep while we can. Madam Pomfry, if you could notify me of any change in Miss Andraste's condition."

McGonagall, Dumbledore, Lupin, and Harry filed out, heading back to their respective rooms. "Severus," Albus said as he was leaving, there's nothing you can do... get some sleep." If Professor Snape heard him, he made no sign of it. Dumbledore gently closed the door behind him, leaving his Potions Master sitting deathly still at the end of Andraste's bed.

Severus stayed where he was for hours, praying to whatever god might listen that she would be okay. Eventually his stomach reminded him that he had missed dinner the previous night, and it was past his usual breakfast time. With a final glance towards Andraste, he cursed the powers that be and headed for the Great Hall.

By the time he arrived, the hall was filled with the happy buzz of students anxiously awaiting Friday. People began to file out, towards classes, as Professor Snape picked at what little food he could manage to eat. Severus managed through his potions classes by ignoring his students for the most part. At some point, during his second class he decided to attempt something the muggle way. He went to the stock of Elkhorn Draught had finally set from the day before, (dear God, they wouldn't even have it if he hadn't tried to find a potion Andraste wouldn't know) and found the vial made by Hermione Granger – hers was certainly going to be the best.

After his final class he floo'd a friend at St. Mungo's Hospital, and soon he had all that he needed to set up an I.V. Severus walked into the infirmary to find Harry, Ron, and Hermione talking around Andraste's bed with Dumbledore. "This is my fault," Harry was saying.

"It most certainly is not Mr. Potter," Professor Snape interrupted, the students looking up in shock at the words of comfort coming from the Potions teacher. "Professor Andraste knew what she was getting herself into when she came to Hogwarts."

"But she would be..."

"She will be fine," he said. "Now, unless you've finished you assignments I believe you all have better things to do that being in my way." The students took that as the dismissal it was intended to be, and left. Dumbledore watched quietly as Professor Snape set to work, moving only to silence Madam Pomfry when she started to object. Severus walked to Andraste's bedside and took her pulse. It was weak, but thankfully somewhat regular. Tying a strip of rubber around her forearm, he silently hope that his friend had explained this procedure well enough. Finding a vein, he took the thin needle he was given and inserted it into Andraste's arm. He then inserted the large vial of Elkhorn Draught that he had thinned in the other end, and slowly forced the liquid through the long tube and into the girl laying quiet before him.

When the last of the potion had emptied into her body, he gently took a piece of gauze and removed the needle from her arm. Still holding pressure against the small hole that was seeping blood, he silently waited and watched, praying for any sign of improvement.

Hours passed as people came and went around him, and he found himself grateful for the privacy curtain Madam Pomfry had drawn around Andraste's bed. The last thing he needed was students gaping at him, wondering what he had done to her. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Lupin visited more than once, talking in hushed tones to the school nurse. "How is she?"

"Her pulse is much stronger, and her breathing isn't erratic anymore, but I'm not sure when she'll wake up – if she wakes up. I've ran every test I can think of, and I can't figure out why she still seems to be in a coma."

"How is he?" McGonagall asked, obviously referring to Severus.

"He hasn't moved in ages, and he needs to eat something." Professor Snape looked up as Dumbledore drew back the curtain that had separated him and Andraste from the rest of the world.

"Severus, she'll be fine. Why don't you go down to the Great Hall and get some food? You not eating isn't helping her."

"Send the elves with something then," Severus replied, the exhaustion clear in his voice.

"Get me some too" they heard come weakly from the bed.

"Andraste!" Severus rushed from the chair he had been in to her side, ignoring all pretence of composure. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got hit by a semi," she said, letting out a little laugh at the look of confusion in their eyes. "I'm sore, very sore... and I really am hungry."

"Then I shall get you both some food." Dumbledore said, leaving and drawing the curtain closed behind him. "She's awake," they heard him whisper, "but give them a bit before you go in. I'll be back with dinner for them both."

Andraste was the first to speak, tears welling up in her eyes. "He murdered an entire family, Severus. He made the parents watch while he tortured their children, and then he killed them too." A flash of panic crossed her face. "Where's Harry? Is he okay?"

"He's fine Andraste, you managed to sever the link he had with Voldemort. He wok up feeling better than he ever does after these episodes."

"Severus, you need rest," she said, seeing his weariness through her own half closed eyes.

"I'm not leaving you."

"You need to sleep."

"I'm not leaving you, Andraste," he said firmly.

"Fine, then I'll go with you." He watched as she tried to get up from the bed, obviously still in immense pain.

"Okay," he said, thinking that he'd be able to rest easier with her in the next room. "But you're in no condition to walk." He stood up from the bed, picking her up at the same time; and walked out into the infirmary.

"What do you think you're doing?!?" Madam Pomfry demanded, seeing the sick girl almost limp in his arms.

"Taking her back to my quarters. She needs more sleep, and so do I."

"You most certainly are not!" she retorted, matching his glare. They both looked up as Dumbledore strode back through the door. "It's quite alright, Madam Pomfry. He saved her life, I'm sure he's quite capable of taking care of her. Severus, I have taken the liberty of having you dinner delivered downstairs." With that, Professor Snape strode to the back of the room, disappearing behind a painting that concealed a direct route to the potions classroom. It would not be good if the students saw him carrying their new professor through the hall.

When they arrived back at his room, he laid her down gently on the bed, propping her up with pillows. "I'm going to go get the food. I'll be right back." He left, and re-emerged a moment later carrying two trays. "Professor Dumbledore has sent chicken noodle soup," Severus said, gently setting on of the trays on her lap. He sat at the foot of the bed, putting the second tray down in front of himself. They ate in silence, both finishing the food before them. Soon Severus cleared the trays, and came back to say goodnight. He found Andraste laying back in the bed, tears streaming down her face. Not knowing what else to do, he pulled her up into his arms and quietly held her while she cried.

"I can't get their faces out of my mind."

"I know, Andi, but you need to rest," he said, taking the dreamless sleep potion he had grabbed out of his pocket. "Here, take this."

"Please don't go." Andraste almost pleaded, downing the potion in one drink.

"I need to get some sleep. I'll just be in the other room."

"No, stay here... please."

Unable to tell her no, and more so not wanting to, he laid down beside her and pulled her close to him. Without another word they both fell into a much needed sleep.