Chapter 5: "I Can Do This Myself!"
Morning brought Dobby with breakfast for Hermione and Snape. Hermione got to indulge in bacon and other goodies while Snape was fed dry toast and weak ginger tea. Madam Pomfrey prescribed a very light meal lest her patient become sick to his stomach on top of all his other injuries. Besides Snape was not much of a breakfast eater to begin with. So he nibbled at the bland toast and sipped a spot of tea before curling back up to sleep some more. Hermione drafted a cryptic note for Madam Pomfrey on his condition and gave it to Dobby. His instructions were to be exceptionally careful when giving Madam Pomfrey the note – no one should be anywhere near.
"Would you like something to read, sir?" Hermione offered him a book when he awakened again midmorning. "Here, let me see if I can prop you up into a more comfortable position."
Snape was still quite weak and in pain, but a book was better than the alternative of listening to Hermione prattle on about something…anything. The young woman seemed determined to fill the air with sound. They could both read in relative quiet. He found his eyes grew heavy and he dozed off and on.
Dobby brought up lunch and a note from the mediwitch to get Snape on his feet. Hermione was to walk him about the room at least twice before dinner – protests or not. After a short nap following lunch, that was exactly what Hermione attempted to make happen.
"Professor…sorry, Severus," she started, "Madam Pomfrey wants you up a bit today. She wants you to regain your strength."
"Grumf," Snape grumbled with a sneer.
Hermione pulled back the covers.
"What do you think you are doing, Girl!" he protested loudly.
"I am a woman, thank you very much, old man," she shot back. "And I am doing what the mediwitch has ordered. And so are you."
He reached to retrieve the covers, "I'm cold."
"I don't care. You are getting up and getting up now," she demanded.
He stared at her incredulously. Nobody ever spoke to him that way. And yet, she just had.
Carefully, she lifted his legs over the edge as he gently swatted at her.
"I can do this myself," he groused.
His first attempt to stand proved ineffective. He tumbled back into the bed, striking his head on the nightstand next to it, "Yow!"
"Oh my! Professor, are you okay?"
He rubbed the back of his head, "No blood…" he said with a deep scowl.
"I'm so sorry, sir," Hermione continued. "Let me see."
She moved around behind him to look at the knot that was beginning to form where his scalp had made contact with the corner of the wood. She used her wand to take it back down. A soft cloth was chilled and placed over it soothing the spot. Snape draped his legs back over the side and held his head in his hands as Hermione kept the cold cloth on the fresh injury.
After a few moments, he declared, "All right, I think I'm ready to go for that walk you and Madam Pomfrey have proposed."
"Will you let me assist you this time?" Hermione insisted.
He nodded with a sneer, "If you like."
She tucked her shoulder under his and steadied him into an upright position. He wavered at first, not being able to find his balance very well at all.
"Easy, Severus," she held him in place. "Let's take this slow and easy."
He grunted his assent as his knees wobbled below him. It was like that first cruciatas curse he'd experienced decades ago. This time, nobody was laughing at him. Hermione seemed genuinely helpful.
Carefully, he shuffled one foot forward as Hermione kept her arms wrapped around him for support. He made one lap around the room in twenty minutes. A nap followed. Around four in the afternoon, they made another lap around the room. Another nap followed. Hermione found herself getting used to his presence. He did not seem quite as snarky as usual, and she was sure that would not last forever. For his part, he was trying to be nice to her since his life did depend on her care at the moment. Mostly he was too exhausted to be combative. Fawkes stayed with them just in case his tears were needed. Every other day, McGonagall would visit late in the night to see how things were going. Mostly she did not want Severus taking out his frustrations on Hermione. She was nearly always surprised to find it was tranquil. Severus did seem to be minding his manners, per her orders.
"I am sorry for locking you up here, Severus," Minerva offered. "You do understand it is for your own protection."
"Of course, I do, Minerva," he replied quietly. "It's not as if I'm ready to go into a fight. I can barely circumnavigate this room. And that is only with Miss Granger's assistance."
"Have you given up those suicidal thoughts, then?" Minerva inquired.
Snape nodded, "Yes. I may not be pleased with my life, but I'm not going to take it or give it up so readily. You caught me at a bad moment. I was not myself," he said with half a smile.
"As soon as we can move you back to the infirmary, I will do so. The Ministry is still debating what to do with you. You-Know-Who is still out there as well," she told him.
"And you my dear," she addressed Hermione, "Are you keeping up with your studies?"
"I am doing my best," Hermione replied.
"Minerva! It's not as if she does not have a competent teacher right here," Snape mentioned, trying to sound off-hand about it all.
"Yes…well…" Minerva frowned. "A personal tutor does not take the place of interactions with fellow students and classroom experiences."
Snape raised his eyebrow, "Are you implying that I am less than…"
"Oh no, of course not, Severus," Minerva quickly responded. "Let's not get our knickers in a twist now. Your ego will survive… Well, if everything up here is fine, I'll be leaving for now. Send Dobby or Fawkes if you need anything the room cannot supply."
"Thank you Headmistress," Hermione pressed her hand in McGonagall's. "We're doing just fine. And I promise to keep up my studies."
McGonagall smiled at Hermione and glanced over at Snape who was trying to look as innocent as he possibly could. With one last look, McGonagall swept from the room.