Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot and characters

A/N: sniffle. and no! It's not cliche...just cute.

Chapter 39: Snakes Don't Cry

"Draco! Hurry quick! Snape's waken up!" Gwen shot through the Defense Against the Dark Arts doors like a bullet who's lost its way. She was determined to tell Hermione and Ron as quickly too, but soon found out that the news had already traveled to them.

In the Hospital Wing, Gilderoy tapped his foot against the tiled floor while he pretended to comfort his colleague.

"So, I see you're awake now. I'm glad you're healthy." Lockhart glanced at Maranda's neck, "That's a nice necklace. I wonder where she got it."

Severus was not in the mood. He got up, faced Lockhart, and scolded him, "You have no right to bring that up! She may be dying and all you care about is some foolish teachers' rules. So what I gave her a necklace? It's more than you've ever given a woman. As far as your concerned, you aren't concerned! Is it your business who I am friends with? Or who I fancy? At least I don't sleep with a blow-up witch doll!"

"Gilderoy Lockhart does not sleep with a blow-up witch doll.." Lockhart tried not to blush, "and even if it were true, it still doesn't break a rule like you do! She is still your student."

Hermione, Ron, Draco, and Gwen entered the Hospital Wing and walked straight into Gilderoy and Severus' fight.

Taking his wand out, Snape shouted irritably, "Even if she is technically my student, she doesn't have much longer until the term is over and she's off to college. So, you can take your rule book and shove it up your a-"

"Sir!" Hermione wasn't in the mood to hear swearing, "Please... Albus would support you, not Lockhart. Think about it; All the rulebook says is that a professor must not have relations other than professional with a student from years upon entering until graduation. It says nothing about the Extra Year Program because it is new. I know Albus supports and believes in real love. You can't tell me he's never loved in his life. So obviously he wouldn't shun you and Maranda's feelings. Am I right?"

In his mind, Gilderoy knew Miss Granger was right. He left silently, pushing through Ron and Draco to reach the way out.

"Miss Granger," Severus looked at her with a slight smirk, "I have underestimated you. I'm sure Maranda would be happy right now if she were awake."

"I'm just hoping she'll be healthy. I want to keep my best friend, sir. I don't want..." Mione choked on her words and lowered her head.

Ron nodded his head with a sad smirk on his face as Snape looked at him. "I'm sorry. This is the first time we're all together like this.. The friends and the lover. It's quite odd."

"Excuse me, Ronald Weasley, but do not call me her lover. It sounds degrading to the both of us."

Draco brought up an interesting subject, "Should one of us contact Harry, Seamus, and Neville?"

"Oh Merlin," Ron sighed, "I had almost forgotten about them being out of the loop all year. I'm sure they'd want to know about Maranda and Sna...Sev...Professor Snape too."

A bit surprised at Ron's bluntness, Snape commented, "You have a big enough mouth to tell them from here. I'm sure they would hear you across time itself."

"Boys!" Hermione accidentally referred to Snape as a boy, "I'm sorry...But please...We need to figure this out. An owl will travel fast enough, but how long will it actually take to get a letter to Harry, Seamus, and Neville?"

Gwen counted on her fingers and then raised her head, "With my owl, it would take three days."

"Mine would take a week." Ron said as he became frustrated with the topic.

Draco forced a small laugh, "Mine's gone. I would love to help, but obviously I can't. Mortifer was a fast owl, too."

"I don't get it," Gwen scratched her head, "Why would Mr. Malfoy go through all that trouble of buying and tending to an owl that he was just going to use as a portkey afterwards? It's so..."

"Dumb." Severus added his two cents to the conversation.

Hermione suggested, "Maybe he was under the control of an unforgiveable." She thought her words over and corrected herself, "Or maybe not."

Madame Pomfrey came into view with another potion flask. She placed it on an end table to Maranda's bed and declared, "This one's for her. Let me know if anything else happens. Severus," She turned to face him, "Albus wants to talk to you in his office."

"Alright.." He glanced over the group of friends and mumbled, "Take care of her. I'll be back soon."

Severus left the room and took a long and slow walk up to Dumbledore's office. He thought, This is surely about Maranda and I. That Dunderhead Lockhart ratted us out. But then again, Hermione did make a good point. None of the rules apply to the Extra Year Program.

"Come in, Severus." Called Dumbledore with his usual firm voice.

Sitting down and folding his arms, Snape waited to hear the words from his boss' mind.

"So I see..." Albus started unusually, but pressed on, "You love Miss Maguire. It is apparent by now. I did not need Gilderoy telling me it to confirm my guess. I can imagine she loves you back, since she did jump in front of that spell for you. I just have one question to ask you, Severus."

The black-robed man lowered his arms to his lap and parted his lips, "What might that be, Albus?"

"Are you willing to first confess all your love to her one year, and then let her go her own way, knowing she might not come back?"

"Sir," Snape didn't have to consider the question, "I am aware that I might even lose her now, so of course I am prepared. However, I hope you understand that if she is or is going to pass on, that I can no longer work here with the same enthusiasm for teaching as when I first started my job."

Dumbledore nodded his head. He added, "I also expect you to comfort her friends if need be. Love may be important in life, but friendship is one of the most precious gifts. And when both shatter at the same time due to a death, the only thing friends can count on is support from the loved one, and vice-versa."

"Please, sir, don't talk as if she is already dead." Snakes couldn't cry, but torn and broken-hearted men could. Snape was on the verge of letting the pools of pain run from his eyes, but he pushed the feeling back by swallowing the lump in his throat.

"You are free to leave now. Ignore Gilderoy, he's a bit jealous. She is not your student. She is working for you, that is all."

0o0o0o0o

Meanwhile in the Hospital Wing, a group of depressed friends were arguing over how to send a letter to Harry, Seamus, and Neville to update them on unfortunate events. Ron had already begun writing a letter on a piece of paper Madame Pomfrey supplied him with. While this was going on, Draco was reading over Ron's shoulder, making sure he included everything from Maranda's birthday to the recent events.

"Well, my owl is faster than any of yours," Gwen went on, "so why not use her? As long as you feed her before she flies, then she's perfectly dependable."

Ron scoffed, "Why don't you just use Ringo? At least we know where that pet is."

"I never said I lost Ginger!" Gwen was referring to her owl, "I said she went out last week and never came back. I sent a care package to my parents because my Mom had a cold."

"Yeah, but no owl is no good. How can we send a letter with an owl who's not even here?" It seemed as if Ron liked taking his anger out on everyone else, but he really didn't notice.

Draco jumped in on the argument, "You want to complain about owls not being here? What about mine? Mortifer was a very dependable owl. The only one left to use now is yours, Ron, and that bird is the slowest. I thought you were getting a new one."

"No money. I couldn't this year." Ron answered and then went back to writing.

"Damn it all..." Hermione stomped her foot, "Maybe Snape has an owl. He probably won't let us use it though."

"Why don't you ask him?"

"I'm not asking him," Ron put the pen down, "Damn thing is out of ink!"

"I wouldn't see why you would want an owl anyways..."

Hermione turned to Gwen, "Are you that thick? Have you not been paying attention to anything we're saying?"

"I didn't say anything! It was Draco!" Gwen backed up from Hermione and leaned against the wall.

Draco stopped looking over Ron's shoulder, "I didn't do anything.. Whatever it is you are fighting about now, blame Ron."

"Of course, I must have missed a lot."

"Maranda!" Hermione screamed and leapt over to Maranda's bed.

She was, indeed, alive and awake. This caused everyone to huddle around the bed and squeeze her with hugs.

"I thought you were never going to escape that coma." Gwen commented.

With a short giggle, Maranda sat up and retorted, "No one could have a decent nap, let alone coma, with you guys arguing like that. You could wake the dead.."

Normally, this joke would have been funny. However, seeing as they almost lost their best friend, no one even broke a smile.

"What? You guys look like you've seen a ghost...And not the ones we usually see around this castle." One thing for sure, Maranda had not lost her ability to joke.

Ron half-smiled and stated, "You know what? I'm really glad you're alive."

"Thank you.. Coming from you that's a real compliment." With a broad smile on her face, Maranda gave her friends another hug.

And then it dawned on her, "Holy crap! What about Sev? Is he alright? Where is he?"

"Relax," Mione gave her a comforting grin, "He's fine. He had a little run in with Lockhart earlier, but it's settled."

Maranda stood up just as a familiar male voice entered the Hospital Wing.

"You know," the voice began in annoyance, "I would think one of you would walk into the dungeons and check on the poor kitten, but no. Start arguing about owls and whatnot, but don't feed Serenity. And that's another thing, if you were all in a coma, Mara-"

Snape stopped speaking as he stood in front of the group in the Hospital Wing. There she was, Maranda, standing up, smiling that heavenly smile. She was dirty from the Lucius fight, but that didn't stop Severus from thinking she was beautiful. Hermione silently motioned for Ron, Draco, and Gwen to move out of the area to give Snape privacy.

"If you had...left us..." Severus began, but couldn't finish.

Maranda approached him slowly, "Then you could have said I died for you."

"What possessed you to...take that hit?"

"I'm not really sure, but it might have been instinct on love. I...don't know if you realize this, but I love you." She started to twiddle her thumbs.

Severus was an inch away from Maranda, "After everything, you still twiddle your damned thumbs." He gently lowered her hands.

In one swift movement, Snape wrapped his arms around Maranda, taking her in for a well deserved hug. She wrapped her arms around him too, and began to cry.

"Maranda, don't ever do that again.." His words were muffled, but Snape still went on courageously, "Damn it all! I love you!"

They were both in tears now, with no one around to witness. Backing up a little, Maranda giggled.

"What?" Snape wondered what was so funny.

She still chuckled through her tears and stated in a southern accent, "Why, Mr. Snape, I didn't know snakes could cry."

"No," He smiled sweetly, "but I hear Snapes can."

Maranda ditched the accent and said, "I'm so glad you're alright. But I have to know: How many times do I have to almost die to be able to fully live?"

He let go of her and stared her straight in the eyes, "I have no idea. Hopefully that was the end."

"I have a feeling it was..."