Wednesday Morning

The bed was in the middle of the room illuminated by some unseen spotlight. The area around the bed was dim. On the bed was a solitary figure dressed in black with a mood to match.

"Go to her, man!" a masculine voice urged him.

"Did I not?" Severus sat in the middle of his bed Indian style with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped together. His chin rested on his hands. "The wench was occupied you see. To my regret twas not with me."

"Surely, you did avow thou art repentant?" asked the voice.

"Nay, priceless pride, unhindered spite, all conspired to tie my tongue too tight."

"Of what thou found to say, could one not find favor?" It was another voice - a feminine one.

"I said nothing to turn her sweet but found to leave only vinegar to taste and treat."

"For shame, thou art a worldly man but mark a lonely one!" exclaimed the male voice.

"Too true, my friends. Do advise me well. For I cannot abide long in this pit I dwell."

"If advice we give, you willful ox, thou wilt follow it?" asked the female.

"You beggar promises from a desperate man. I shall in faithful obedience honor thy plan."

"Then hear now of what thou must do."

Severus leaned over to hear better.

The voice was shaky but clear. It said, "To have this lie reversed, you must brew a potion first."

Another voice intruded into his consciousness. It was a louder voice heavy with authority that could not be ignored.

"Wake up! What have you done to yourself now?" Dumbledore shook Severus awake.

By the bed, the Bloody Baron hovered. The potions master was abed fully clothed clutching a scarlet pillow to his chest.

"Severus! Wake up!"

"Can't you see I've died? Show some respect," mumbled Severus not bothering to move a muscle. He did not relinquish the pillow. "Nightmares and jests, hopeless rhymes no less."

"I don't see any bottles about." Minerva positioned pillows as Dumbledore raised Severus to a sitting position.

Severus' voice was slightly slurred but coherent. "Did you think me a lush, my dear? To woo my love I must think clear."

Dumbledore held Severus' face still. Snape's eyes were far too glassy but not at all bloodshot. It was obvious he had imbibed but not of alcohol. Dumbledore was afraid to confirm his suspicions. In the hands of a master of words like Severus, the possibility was too horrible to contemplate. Yet, he had to ask. "By any chance, did you make and take a Bard's Voice potion?"

"Isn't that illegal, Albus?"

"Only some of the ingredients, my dear," said Albus. "Did you take the Bard's Voice potion? Answer me!"

"I did, I did, once then twice. To Nod I bowed before the thrice."

"Two doses! Goodness, Severus, only one is required," Minerva exclaimed.

"Winning my true lady's heart is all. No price too high or task too small." Severus brought the pillow to his lips and gave it a kiss. It was Hermione's pillow.

"Too much and the condition can become permanent," Minerva said. "Why would you do something so foolish?"

"As you say, a stubborn hide have I. Too fond I was and let it go awry." Severus held his tongue on the reason why. He had stripped the library of every book with any shred of romantic knowledge - courtship, romance, relationship issues, everything. He had succumbed to devouring the latest self help volume titled Wizards are from Mars, Witches are from Everywhere.

He went so far as to attempt mending the pillow the hard way. He looked down at his fingers. They were still bleeding a little from the needle marks.

"Thank you, Baron, of informing us of his condition. Please go and prepare Poppy for our arrival," Dumbledore said.

The Slytherin ghost disappeared. Between Albus and Minerva, they got Snape to his feet and shuffling towards the door.

On their way to the infirmary, they met Harry Potter coming down the hall. Severus hailed him with, "Here he be the world's last chance. Through this hero will my suit advance."

"Suit?" Harry looked at Snape suspiciously.

"The professor is not feeling well, Harry," Dumbledore informed him with a small smile. "You're looking well."

"I would think you'd be on top of the world, professor. Congratulations on your engagement." Harry extended his hand out.

Instead of shaking the proffered hand, Severus put both hands on Harry's shoulders. He looked grave and serious. "You are close to my heart's folly, my earnest fool. Thou must help mend this lie so cruel."

Before Harry could respond, Professor McGonagall took over. "Severus, keep on your way to the infirmary. You, Harry, need to talk to Dobby. It's Slytherin house's turn to cook lunch today. I would much prefer to avoid that if at all possible."

"Come Severus. Pomfrey awaits." Dumbledore and Snape headed in the opposite direction.

Harry began, "What's really going on, Professor? Does this have anything to do with his engagement and-"

"It's a long story but talk some sense into Dobby first. I'll tell you about Hermione and Severus' romantic problems later," Professor McGonagall replied.

Harry's exclamation of "What!? Romantic?!" reverberated down the hallway.

A few of the portraits held on to their frames as they rattled and vibrated violently.

"Hermione didn't tell him," Dumbledore mused.

Severus murmured, "No one knew save but a few."

A few minutes later they reached the infirmary. The Bloody Baron disappeared once he saw they had arrived. Nurse Pomfrey shepherded them into an inner room.

Poppy motioned him to sit on an examination table. His long legs dangled not touching the floor. "Severus, love potions and related paraphernalia are the most potent around. You should have known better than to overdose."

"All I sought was my own heart's truth. But jealousy blinded me, hang the brute!" Severus looked appropriately contrite. He swung his legs uselessly. His hands gripped the edge of the table.

"Albus, can't we keep him this way? He's delightful."

"Oh, perchance kill me now, fore my sanity at last must take its bow." Severus spat the words out his disdain evident. "Delightful indeed!"

"He cannot stay this way, Poppy. If he does, he'll have to change his standard speech. Imagine his quandary trying to find a rhyme for 'ensnaring the senses'," said Albus.

"I hadn't considered that. He'll drive the rest of us mad with the trying." Poppy opened some cupboards taking out and inspecting several bottles. "Didn't it take you nearly two years to get that speech just right, Severus?"

Snape glared at them. "What to me are bits of sorry verse, to others I promise a lingering curse."

"Poppy, hurry please," Dumbledore insisted. "He's getting worse. Is it contagious? Hurry!"

"Here it is," Pomfrey handed Severus a small vial. Severus removed the stopper and downed the whole thing. He slowly collapsed on the table all the tension gone from his body. Snape drifted off to the first restful sleep he had had in days.

Dumbledore shook his head ruefully. "He's taken this whole thing so very hard especially after he got the full story from one of her roommates. More than half the school owls are currently waiting at Glastonbury for a response from her. He's been sending letter after letter to her. He probably took the potion intending to send her poetry or something of that fashion."

"She has returned to school. Why doesn't he just go see her?" asked Pomfrey placing a pillow under Snape's head.

"He tried several times. Hermione has warded her actual person from accepting or recognizing his presence within 100 meters of her. Quite an ingenious spell when I chanced a look at it. I'm thinking of making something similar for Hogwarts."

"A rather extreme measure, Albus."

"Extreme passion evokes extreme reactions, Poppy. What is between Severus and Hermione is more intense than they believe or let on. I thought that with the game done, their attraction to each other would lessen but I was wrong. The game was simply a conduit for their real emotions."

"Well, how long is this going to go on?" Poppy arranged a blanket around Snape.

"Oh, not long. The instrument of their reunification has just arrived."

Poppy crossed her arms and looked inquiringly at him. "What is it?"

"Harry Potter has already saved the world. With some help from the rest of us saving this relationship should be child's play."

"I think we've helped enough, Albus."

"Perhaps, but what are friends for, Poppy?" With that said the two left to go to dinner leaving the dozing potions master blissfully unaware of what was to come.