This cycle of care went on for four more days. As she kept up with his feeding schedule, the pain episodes were less frequent and intense, but he still didn't seem to be able to take the milk first, only after Hermione. Though his fever went down, Snape showed no evidence of knowing what was happening.

On the 6th day, after she had just crawled on to his other side, and was beginning to feed him, he opened his eyes. He smiled up at her sleepily, and although surprised, she smiled back. Then he closed his eyes, and kept sucking, suddenly they flew open and he let go.

"Miss Granger, what is going on?" He sounded like the old Professor finding her out after curfew.

'Here it comes', thought Hermione doing up her shirt.

"First do you remember the patch?" He nodded. "I tried everything, everything and then I remembered a book I read, and I said this spell." She pointed to her chest. " Well, first I put the milk into a cup putting pain potion with it and you didn't vomit. I wanted to give you bezoar and more pain potion, but I couldn't really get enough in a glass, so …", she shrugged.

He looked straight up at the canopy of the bed

Hermione pressed on out of nerves, "I would do the bezoar and pain potion after … I have kept trying milk and water though, and just yesterday, you took some milk without …me first, (her voice brightened, then fell slightly) but it wasn't very much, so I fed you anyway. In addition, you have a cut on your leg. You ran a fever, but you're fine now."

There was silence.

"Miss Granger" Snape tried to get as much control with the least amount of venom he could, "I appreciate what you have done for me, but I am now awake, and will have none of it. Please remove yourself from my bed."

Hermione rolled out and left. Severus tried to move, but he was weak, and he needed to pee. How had she been, … he saw the urinal; could he sink any lower, breast feeding from a 19 year old, who has used a urinal on him, and now having to use one him-self.

Severus groaned, reaching over, this simple task cost him everything.

He fell asleep, but woke up starving. He saw the milk and drank it down, thinking 'I don't need her.'

In minutes he was in pain, but refused to vomit. 'I just need something more,' he thought.

"Granger!"

A few minutes passed before she entered the room, arms folded over her chest

"Yes sir." Hermione tried to keep her voice neutral; she had prepared herself for this, but the actuality was different.

"I think I would do better with toast."

She went and got him dry toast.

He grabbed it from her and took two bites, promptly vomiting.

"I think you would do better …" Hermione started.

"Don't say it." He looked at the ceiling and then at her in disgust, "Haven't you done a finite incantatem?"

Hermione looked at the floor, "Yes, but it won't go away, I started a natural process." She began to mumble, " I need to wean…" and then in a flash of defiance said, "and, if I may be so bold, so do you!" She looked at the toast and then at him pointedly.

"Get out!" He yelled and turned away.

He fell asleep again, but two hours later woke up painfully hungry. It was dark.

'Damn!' he thought.

He could hear crying from the other room. "Granger what is it?" He bellowed in concerned irritation.

"Nothing," she called back in a hiccup.

"That's impossible, come here."

She entered the room, "Fine, you want to know?" She was wiping away her tears with the heel of her hand, while trying to keep both arms covering her chest, " I'm huge, my breasts are as hard as rocks, and I'm in pain!"

There was silence.

Snape spoke clinically, "Do not talk. Just come over here, lie down, and put out the lights, … my magic is weak."

"Nox," she whispered.

They lay there in the dark for a few minutes.

"Now I am going to do this, just don't talk."

"I may make a sound of relief sir"

"OK, but that's it!"

He reached over and found her breast. This alone was odd to Hermione, she was used to being in control.

Severus was amazed it was like a rock; she was leaking.

He closed his mouth around the nipple and began to suck.

"Ouch"

He stiffened.

"Put my whole areola in your mouth," she said irritated. Then she took her breast, and shoved it in his mouth. He choked, and pushed back, feeling suffocated.

"Get out, this isn't going to work"

Hermione didn't move.

"Get out!"

"I won't! It will work, it has worked for six days!"

"But now I'm awake."

"Yes." Hermione went on; " I learned a lot these last days and one of the first things was, if you didn't have as much of my breast in your mouth as you could comfortably, I would be sore after and/or in pain during."

" Well, just now I was ANYTHING but comfortable!"

"Ok, I'm sorry. Why don't we try again; this time though, put as much in your mouth as you can. Usually I am not this hard and it's easier, but that should change quickly."

Just then, Snape's stomach growled, and simultaneously they both swore. Severus turned quickly to see why she had exclaimed as well. She was furiously stuffing a towel that was beside the bed under her breasts. The fact that his hunger affected her this way stunned him. Emboldened by her need he said, "I'm ready."

"Thank God"

"No extra talking"

"Ok"

Snape scooted towards her less tentatively and grabbed the rock hard thing with both hands; he really had to open his mouth. Then he sucked with the sides of his mouth not just the front. He could feel the milking squirting into the back of his throat and naturally swallowed, but he stopped to see if he was hurting her. There was no sound and so he continued, getting into a rhythm. All of a sudden, he heard her sigh and there was a gush, the milk was pouring in almost faster than he could swallow. He kept up as best he could. He felt some leak from his lips and down his chin; he wiped it off with his hand.

Snape noticed four things, first that his arm closest to her other breast was soaking wet, second the consistency of the milk had become more rich less watery, third his hunger was less painful, and finally the breast wasn't even close to empty.

A towel was wiping off his arm now and he heard her take a breath. "Umm, I'm sorry about that, I am not sure what happens, but I feel a tingling and you always start gulping, and the other breast always leaks a lot…sorry…. I'll shut up."

After that, they settled into a comfortable silence, and even though it seemed like a long time to both, it was less than ten minutes.

Severus realized there was another change. Her breast was soft now, the milk had slowed but it was now like drinking thick cream. He naturally began to suck harder enjoying the taste and texture. Then it slowed to a stop and he really wasn't getting anymore, but he was still hungry. Then he remembered, he had another one, and in spite of himself, he looked forward to more, but realized his present position wasn't as accommodating.

"I know I said I wouldn't talk, but I usually climb over you to the other side. I can just get out and get back in over there."

Hermione got up and went over to the other side scooting under the sheets. He moved over toward her, which amazed her, and then, to her surprise, he grabbed her without ceremony and began to suck hard. She almost immediately began having a second let down; she could have sworn Snape made a slight noise.

Severus had found a rhythm, a zone; he realized the less thought the better the experience. He knew what to expect and was a lot more in control. The breast was softening quickly.

He sucked until there was almost nothing left; again, the last bits seemed to be creamier, buttery. It was over; he had a strange disappointment and found himself still sucking, even when he was sure there was nothing left. He broke off, relieved they didn't have to look at each other.

"Sir, now try the toast and milk."

Snape turned. He ate and drank without a problem.

"Good night." She got up, and trying to make it easier for him said, "Thank you for helping me sir."

Silence