Disclaimer: I don't own anything. JK Rowling and Warner Bros do.

A/N: Sorry for the delay in writing. Really busy with writing essays for school and stuff. Well, enjoy, read and review please!

Part 8

Severus abruptly broke away from the kiss and instead just held Minerva. "No Minerva, I can't… I can't do this, it's not right." He whispered. But she didn't seem to hear him. He felt her head fall against his shoulder with a soft thud.

He glanced down at her, a small smile forming on the corner of his lips. She had fallen asleep when she was trying to kiss him. For some reason he found that slightly amusing. He carefully lowered her back down against the mattress.

"Severus," she murmured, not opening her eyes. She grasped some of his black hair in her hands and gripped the strands tightly as he laid her back against the pillows. She was currently in that state between sleep and being awake, not recognizing what was going on yet, but still somehow aware of her surroundings.

"Severus, I'm tired," she whispered, her voice week and hoarse.

"I know, it's alright, just sleep." He said softly. Her hand moved down from his hair and rested on his cheek, running down to his chin and over his lips. Her fingers caressed at his lips, playing with them, then slowly slid down his chin, tracing a soft line down his jaw line.

Severus shivered as he felt her fingers slide under his chin and down the front of his throat. He tilted his head back and arched his neck in pleasure, releasing a gasp as heat ran through his body. She moved her hand up his throat and played with his earlobe.

He was about to hesitantly remove her hand and tell her to go to sleep when he felt the hand slip from its place and fall at her side. She had returned to her deep sleep.

"Goodnight Minerva," he whispered, smiling, kissing her softly on the forehead.

He stood up just as the door creaked open and Remus and Sirius walked though it. Severus nodded to them, mumbling something about needing to get the potion finished right away, and telling them they better take care of her, before he burst out the door.

Sirius glanced at Minerva's sleeping form, relieved that she was sleeping and wasn't panicky at the moment. In fact, to him she appeared to much better. Although she did possess the tell-tale signs of sleep deprivation.

"Hello, Minerva," Remus whispered quietly.

"Shh!" Sirius hissed, "You'll wake her!"

"Sorry," Remus apologized, looking at Minerva, and lighting at bedside candle with his wand. He sat in the chair beside the bed and opened a book. Sirius walked over to the window and sat in the large sill that was layered with cushions. He curled up and stared out into the early morning sky.

He listened to Minerva's soft breathing, something that would have put him to sleep immediately if he had not slept all day.

The next hour was pretty much uneventful, until there was a sudden gasp from the bed.

Remus snapped his booked shut and leaned forward in his chair. He placed a hand on Minerva's arm, staring into her face which yielded wide green eyes.

"Minerva, are you ok—" He was interrupted as Minerva choked loudly, wheezing and taking in sharp breaths. Or, at least, she was trying to take in breaths.

Sirius nearly fell out of his windowsill and flew to the side of the bed opposite Remus.

Minerva sat up in bed with her hand gripping at her chest, her eyes filled with pain. She let out one loud painful cough after another, her body shaking and threatening to collapse under the pressure. Remus sat beside her and wrapped and arm around her, supporting her weight against his side. "Just try to cough it all out, Minerva. That will get rid of it."

Tears spilled down her cheeks as sobs intertwined with her coughs. Sirius reached out and took her hand. He hated to see her cry, or be in pain. It wasn't fair—why did this happen to her? It should have been him who suffered though this. His heart broke, and he felt all he should do now was hold her. He pulled her into his arms and her hands immediately gripped at his thread barren clothes. She coughed violently against him for several minutes.

He was just beginning to think the spell was subsiding when she let out another cough. He thought nothing of it, until he felt something warm and moist seep though into his undershirt. He smiled, almost laughing at he stared down at her still form. "Minerva? Did you drool on me?" He reached down and patted at the wet spot, and went to wipe his hand on another dry part of his clothes when he saw a bright flash of red. His hand was covered in blood. Sirius gasped. He looked down again in alarm, grasping Minerva by the shoulders and hastily pushing her away from him.

"Oh, Merlin, no... Minerva, please baby, no…" His chest was covered in blood, the crimson color also staining her mouth.

Remus looked up, his face contorting in horror as he saw the blood. He barely registered Sirius screaming at him that she was coughing up blood.

"Quick, get her into that chair!" Remus ordered, lifting Minerva off the bed with Sirius's help. They lowered her into the chair carefully. She moaned and rolled her head to the side, choking weakly, more blood coming from her mouth and trickling down her white blouse that was stained crimson.

"What can we do Remus!" Sirius cried.

Remus shook his head sadly. Nothing, there's nothing we can do, not until Severus brings the potion.

Remus stroked the side of Minerva's face. "Just breathe slowly, Minerva, if you need to cough, cough. It will be over soon."

"Severus," she choked. "Please, come back. Severus, I need you."