CHAPTER EIGHT

Severus stepped into their living quarters and carried Hermione to his bed, ignoring the bed she'd made herself in the armchair. He set her down and carefully began undressing her, being very careful not to look at her or touch her unnecessarily. He plucked a pair of her pajamas – her favorites, he was sure, based on how often she wore them – and, being just as careful, redressed her and put her uniform in the base of the wardrobe to be laundered. Once he'd tended to all of that, he turned back to the girl and uncorked the bottle of potion that would make her hungry. He gently opened her mouth and poured a few drops into her mouth. Once he'd done that, he pointed his wand at her chest. "Rennervate."

Hermione's eyelids fluttered as she woke, and Severus had to keep himself from sighing in relief. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Why do you care?" she snapped angrily. "Let go of me!"

"Stop fighting me!" Severus snapped back. "I'm not hurting you! If anything, you're hurting yourself! You need to eat. Do you know what Madam Pomfrey said to me when I took you to the hospital wing after finding you unconscious? She said that if you do not start eating, and now, you will die."

"I have been eating," Hermione grumbled.

"Not enough to properly fuel your body. Now you are going to stay in this bed until you start eating and put on some weight."

"Leave me alone," Hermione said, trying to push him aside.

Severus took out his wand. "I do not want to use magic to force you to stay in bed, but I will if I must. Now are you going to stay in bed of your own volition, or do I need to use a long-term impediment jinx on you?"

"You wouldn't dare," Hermione snarled. She tried to stand.

"Try me," Severus said, pointing the wand at her.

Hermione stared at him for a moment, then sat back down in the bed, pouting. "I'm hungry," she said begrudgingly.

Severus pocketed his wand, trying not to laugh at the look on her face. Her forehead was creased in the middle and her eyebrows pulled together. He found it oddly enchanting. "Stay here," he said. "I'll make some tea for you to have while I get you some food."

Severus went to the main room and filled a kettle with water, tapping it with his wand to set the water boiling. He poured the water into a teacup and set it on a tray along with a box of teabags, not knowing what she would want.

He turned to bring the tray to the bedroom. He jumped when he saw that she was standing right there, dropping the tray in shock.

He swore under his breath as the water spilled over the carpet and the teacup shattered with an unpleasant tinkling sound.

"Why are you out of bed?" he demanded. "I told you to stay there!"

"You're not in charge of me!" Hermione shouted. "I'll get out of bed if I want to! You don't own me!"

"You are sick and weak, and you need rest! You are my fiancée, and I will not have you injuring yourself!"

"Why the hell can't you just leave me alone?" she demanded.

"Because if I don't, you'll keep going the way you've been going!"

"Why do you even care?!" she screamed, getting into his face, her previously lifeless eyes blazing.

Suddenly, Severus took her face in his hands and kissed her.