They both slept for about eight hours.

Snape waited as long as his pride would allow, then called, "Granger, I need assistance."

Hermione came in; Severus noticed that the minute she looked at him, wet spots formed on her shirt.

Practically carrying him to the toilet, Hermione sat him down; he was very pale.

"Leave."

"No … Sir, I have cleaned you and helped you pee. It's fine."

"I have to do more than pee." Snape said as if she was dense.

"That's good!" she said with a bright voice.

"Its not when someone else is in the room."

"Sir, you'll fall over if I am not here. You're shaking already."

His head was at her waist, her shirt was wet, and he could smell the milk, which involuntarily made him hungry. Consequently, his bowels moved. It wasn't much and surprisingly didn't smell.

"Stand up, Sir."

He did, he wanted this over. She waived her hand over his bottom, "Enavesco."

'Clever,' he thought.

She got him back into bed. "Let me get you some more milk, and if that holds we'll see later about toast and broth."

She returned from the kitchen.

"Sir," putting it on herself, "if you would help me," she pointed to her wet shirt.

He nodded, while quietly ordering her, "Keep your eyes closed or on the ceiling."

"I understand, Sir."

Hermione got down into place, turned toward him, putting her arm underneath the pillow his head was on; he began. Snape tended both sides, decreasing the dripping. Then he settled in on her left. She made a sound at let down and his swallowing became quicker. It seemed that the memories of five to six feedings a day were coming back.

This new feeding style continued every six hours for the next two days, and by the end of the second day, he had even kept an egg down. There had been a silent agreement that sleeping together in the same bed was ok, for practicality sake. That night both drifted off peacefully at the end of the feeding, her breast still in his mouth.

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Things had become generally more relaxed, yet Snape protested with every step that Hermione made to push him towards wellness. Often, just when she was ready to loose it, Hermione saw Snape quirk a smile; he liked to push her buttons, and she knew it.

On the morning of the third day, Hermione was ready to feed, but Severus was still asleep.

She got up, went to the bathroom and got back into bed. Then he turned over sleepily, took her breast in both hands, and began suckling lazily, getting more vigorous when she let down.

Something was changing for Hermione. He was stronger now and could even help in the manipulation, so he could nurse on the other breast without having both of them turn over. She had never felt sexual when he was sicker, but now the way he approached her, he was much more in control; it was different. She told herself she had to stay clinical, an approach that had worked until now. When he was done, she said breezily, "It is time to go to the bathroom, you need a shower …"

"I assure you, madam, that your cleaning spells have been more than sufficient."

"Is that so? Well you don't have to smell you."

"I beg your -"

"Oh don't pull that with me. I bought it the first day, and let you get by with it the second, but today is the day … up!"

Snape turned to scoot out, growling through his teeth defeated, "Yes, Mistress Granger."

"Oh, and after that, it's downstairs for breakfast." Hermione said authoritatively, coming around to the side of the bed on which he sat.

Snape looked at her sideways with a pout, "You're enjoying this tyranny aren't you?"

"I am rather." She looked at him cheekily. Then she slipped her arm under his, stood and said, " I learned from the best."

"Indeed."

"You always have to have the last word."

"Indeed."

"I should have known that was coming."

"Indeed."

She just groaned as they walked through the bathroom door.

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Hermione started the shower, while Severus undressed. They had maintained modesty between them in a respectful sense, casually looking away, busying with other tasks, but both had given up on the practical side.

Snape began to take off his pajamas, Hermione assisted, but then turned to put his clean things down and get his toiletries together. Severus stepped into the shower, but within a few seconds, a cold sweat came over him. He felt weak, the room began to spin and he grabbed onto the sill of the shower window.

"Granger…" it came out in a whisper.

Hermione turned and whipped back the curtain, "Sir!"

She quickly climbed in the tub, turning off the water and lowering him down. He was as pale as a ghost, and passed out. She grabbed a towel and covered him.

She quick stripped down, put the plug in the tub, and turned on the water. She then climbed in behind him, pulled him back, and propped him up on her chest. Hermione kept them both covered in the towel until the hot water came up around them. She turned off the water with a sweep of her hand.

He began to come to, "Sorry about that," he said groggily.

"No, I'm sorry. I just didn't give everything a lot of thought."

"The first time in history, and it had to be to my detriment," he said, quirking a smile that she couldn't see, but heard.

"Martyr," she snapped.

"Sadist."

"I'd be careful if I were you, the washing could get quite rough."

"Promises, promises," he mumbled weakly.

"Humph." She grabbed the soap and began the bath.

She washed all available non-private surfaces and then nudged him, giving him the soap. Then she busied herself with his hair, giving him a vigorous scalp massage, and rinsing it with a cup. She was tired. She leaned back enjoying the warmth of his body.

Severus had drifted off to sleep on her chest. The fact that they were naked together in the bath only registered with him on a level of warmth and comfort.

They dozed that way until the water went cold.

"Granger?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I can get up," he said as he started to move, making her acutely aware of what his body had blocked. The water was cold.

"Oh good," she began to move. "Can you lean forward? I'll get out and help you."

She got out, and he pulled the plug with his toe, finding the grout on the wall quite interesting.

Hermione wrapped herself with a towel and handed him his. She assisted him to sit on the edge of the tub. After about a minute Hermione helped Severus stand. When he was steady, she let go and made to straighten the bathroom while he wrapped his towel around his waist. Then she handed him underwear and pajama pants. Sitting on the toilet, he leaned on her and put them on.

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"Ok, let me do this. Don't panic."

"I assure you Granger, if I have not panicked after being half drowned, I will not panic now."

"You're not going to let me forget that, are you?"

"No, I think not. Your reactions are my only source of entertainment."

"I think respect, even if false, would be the order of the day, for someone about to lower you down a flight of stairs without a wand."

"Touché."

"Mobilicorpus."

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She settled him on the couch. They were both tired; all the activity had taken about two hours. After taking a breath, Hermione headed upstairs, still in her towel.

She came down in her day dress. The shrimp can had returned in the transformation, and she had put it back in the toilet tank.

Snape ate a good breakfast, and Hermione read to him through the morning. She tried to stretch their time downstairs to six hours in an effort to get them to three feedings a day.

"How are you feeling? Do you need to go back to bed?" She said concerned.

"I think so." He said, sounding somewhat discouraged with his stamina.

"You've done well."

He gave a tired half smile.

While Hermione was quickly making her way into the kitchen, she was also mentally kicking herself, 'I should have made him go up an hour ago.'

She made cheese sandwiches and poured a pitcher of milk.

She moved him up the stairs and into bed.

Severus sat up and grabbed the urinal. "Can I have some privacy?"

She put down the food. "Sure." Hermione went to her bedroom and changed into his pajamas that she had been wearing; there was usually a nap in the middle of the day.

When she came back into the room, he looked straight at her chest. 'Of course,' Hermione thought, 'I'd look there too if it was my main source of nutrition.'

Methodically and without discussion, Hermione emptied the urinal, rinsed it, and washed her hands. Wrapping a towel around the handle of the urinal, she carried it out. Then she got the food and milk and put it on both sides of the bed. Severus sat silently amazed.

Hermione had not buttoned her top, so when she got in position, he began to feed. She would look down at him occasionally; he had his eyes closed almost the whole time. When he moved to the other breast, his hair fell in his face. Without thought, she brushed it out of his way. He suddenly stopped. She held her breath, but he continued.

They were both sleepy, but she made him eat half of his sandwich; she did the same. Hermione was trying to keep up her strength as well; she was loosing weight with all the nursing.

When they were finished eating, Hermione curled towards the wall and began to drift. Her last awareness was of Snape turning and snuggling up slightly behind her.

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Thanks so much everyone for the reviews, keep it up ;-) Will update soon ...