A/N: I apologise for the gap between this chapter and the last one posted. Life has been busy and I have been sick. You may not like this chapter, but it needed to be written to serve the purpose of the story. I have tried to keep some situations to a minimum. Hermione only sees Ron as her friend in this story, her love for him as a friend and only that influences her decisions in this chapter. Severus's reactions to what happens are on the basis that when it comes to emotional attachments he is rather inexperienced.
An Unexpected Gift – Chapter 11
Tea Roses and Tears
By the time Severus returned to Hogwarts and had time to settle back in, the staff room was ablaze with the news of the attack on Ron Weasley. Minerva greeted him anxiously as he entered the room, sitting down in his customary chair. A cursory perusal of the area told him that Hermione was not present. He felt a pang of disappointment in the region of his chest. She had been on his mind almost singularly since leaving the school. He had been eager to see her again with an interest that he rarely felt for anything. Perhaps absence did make the heart grow fonder? Severus mused, before his darker inner voice also reminded him that familiarity breeds contempt. He frowned, opening up a copy of the evening edition of The Daily Prophet, going straight for the Potions section. The idle chatter of his fellow members of staff was of little importance to him, as he blanked it out. Since he was no longer a double agent he had become more selective to what he felt deserved his attention. With a certain young woman on his brain he had great difficulty in focusing on what he was reading.
It was then that he became aware of a presence standing in front of his chair. "What is it Minerva?" he asked, looking over the top of the paper before refolding it. He noted that the room had fallen silent and all eyes were turned to him with a mixture of expectancy and surprisingly, some with tears.
"Have you not heard, Severus?"
"Heard what?" Snape arched an eyebrow and steepled his fingers together.
"We sent you an Owl."
"I didn't get it, just tell me...now." He replied impatiently.
"Mr Ronald Weasley was attacked by Death Eaters. He is in a critical condition and has been taken to St Mungo's."
Severus's already sallow skin, paled further and his hands lowered to grip the armrests of his chair. "Was Miss Granger with him when the attack happened?"
"No, thank goodness, but Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived at the Three Broomsticks and took her away with them."
"Them?"
"Mr Potter and the Minister." She replied.
His first impulse was to apparate to London. He looked at Minerva, noting a strange expression on her face as she looked back at him. Had he given too much away in his reactions and the concern for Hermione's safety? He should never have gone away! He tried not to dwell on what might have happened if Death Eaters had been bold enough to attack Hogsmeade. It seemed that without Voldemort they had become even more out of control and disorganised, or had they? Maybe Kingsley Shacklebolt should be worrying more about the possibility of Augustus Rookwood becoming the next Voldemort, not he. Augustus had always been ferociously ambitious within the ranks and jealous that he had had Voldemort's ear.
Severus got out of his chair with an economy of movement and pulled himself up to his full height. A deluge of thoughts ran through his head as he wondered how to proceed in the circumstances, but none seemed right. From the composed expression on his face, none would guess at his inner turmoil. Hermione might need him, but he was not going to go Apparating into a situation where he was not wanted or perhaps even required. It would leave him too defenceless emotionally, but more to the point he could not see how being there would help anyone, even if Hermione wanted it. It was too late to play the compassionate headmaster now, a role that Dumbledore had always been better at anyway. He would wait for word from her and follow her lead. He hated feeling so powerless.
"How did it happen?" Severus asked quietly.
"Mr Weasley decided to fly here on his broomstick that he uses with his team, something about trying to impress Miss Granger with the latest Nimbus."
Severus shook his head. "Foolish boy, he should have Apparated! It would have been much safer, even with his track record. I am sure Kingsley would have overlooked that fact that he is not licensed, in the circumstances."
"Have you never done anything foolish for love Severus?" Minerva looked at him pointedly.
There was no escaping that gaze. She knew all too well how he had adored Lily Evans, grieved after losing her friendship and while still a schoolboy here. She had seen the state he had been in not long after Lily had died too.
"That is not the issue Minerva." He replied coldly. "We will go in to dinner as usual and await further news."
He did not want to go in to dinner; he wanted to be with Hermione. The thought of food nauseated him, but he had to maintain the facade. As they sat around the high table in the Great hall, all his thoughts were for Hermione and to his surprise, pity for the unfortunate Mr Weasley. Severus knew he did not have the right to go to Hermione in her hour of need; as far as the world was concerned she belonged at Mr Weasley's side, not his. Besides, no matter how she felt about him, she still loved her friend. However, the burn of jealousy attacked his insecurities as well as not knowing what was happening many miles from here...
Hermione sat by the bedside holding the hand of the young man who had been her friend since her first year at Hogwarts. How many hours they had been here, she did not know, time had ceased to mean anything anymore. She looked at her engagement ring, hastily replaced before arriving in the ward. It winked at her accusingly and she heard the words liar, deceiver, ringing clearly through her head. Molly Weasley sat at the other side of him, her face white and eyes red with unshed tears. Mr Weasley stood behind his wife, his hands on her shoulders, openly weeping.
Hermione watched as Molly stroked the cheek of her youngest son.
"Ronald, you have to get well. You have to live." Whispered his mother. "Don't leave us. I have lost too much already..."
Harry came into the room and leaned down to Hermione's ear. "Come on, you have been sitting here six hours solid, you need a break."
Hermione looked at Harry with remorse filled eyes. "I don't want to leave him."
"Hermione, he has been given a sleeping draught. It is unlikely he will wake for awhile...you go with Harry." Mr Weasley said, as he wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.
Harry took Hermione's free hand and pulled her up from the chair. Her legs had stiffened from sitting in one position for so long, but it had been nothing compared to Ron's discomfort. He had had several seizures during the course of her being here. One had almost carried him off. If it had not been for the skill of the healers he might already be dead. However, they were under no illusions that he was on the mend. Even as he laid asleep, Dolohov's Curse was eating through his internal organs like a cancer.
As Harry led Hermione from the room, Charlie and Percy passed them to take their place by their brother's bedside. Ginny was pacing the corridor with Fleur and Bill. George was sitting in one of the chairs, staring at the tiled floor, his face devoid of all expression. Ron, mortally injured by death eaters, was like Fred all over again for the family who had already lost so much.
"Any change?" Asked Ginny, hopefully.
Harry shook his head. "I am just taking Hermione out for some air. Will you be okay?"
"I've got her Harry," Said Bill, as he put a comforting arm around his sister.
Harry led Hermione downstairs towards the exit. The welcome Witch was eyeing them both while they stood by the doors, waiting for the coast to be clear so they could leave the building. Although the hospital was disguised as a condemned department store, they still had to make sure they were discreet. With a final check that the street outside was empty; they went out into the air. Hermione took great gasping lungfuls as if she had been suffocating.
"Harry, Ron is really going to die! There are no last minute miracles at hand, we are not going to come in and save the day with a clever spell, this is it." She turned away from Harry and what contents were left in her stomach, splashed onto the pavement.
Harry gave Hermione a moment to compose herself, before he handed her a handkerchief. "Come on, let's get away from here. I know a nice little cafe."
"Harry the thought of food right now..."
"They do a good, strong coffee."
Trembling, Hermione allowed Harry to guide her away from the building and soon they were sitting in a tiny, but clean, coffee shop with moulded plastic seats and an outdated decor that looked like a throwback to the nineteen eighties. A tired looking waitress shuffled over to them to take their order. Hermione just stared at the table when asked what she wanted, so Harry ordered for them.
Ten minutes later they were still sitting at the table, both now furnished with a black coffee, which was steadily growing colder by the second. Every so often Hermione's eyes would stray to the garish red plastic clock on the wall.
"Every minute, every second that ticks away is one less for Ron."
Harry put a hand across the table to grasp one of Hermione's as it nervously fiddled with the edge of the tablecloth. "I want to say all the right things, like it is going to be okay, Ron is going to get better, but he's not and it's not, is it?" He asked bitterly.
Hermione looked up at him. "No, it's not Harry. I naively began to believe that we three had gotten through this that we had beaten Voldemort, but even beyond the grave he is still spreading his poison."
Harry sighed raggedly. "And what about your bloke, Hermione? The other one."
Hermione began to laugh almost hysterically. "If only you knew. Don't worry, he won't come here. He has the sense and intelligence to stay away...but I don't know if I want him to. I am ashamed to admit that I want him here, even though I know it's the wrong time and place."
"What are you going to do?" He asked.
"Whatever makes this whole thing easier for the Weasleys right now and I have been selfish enough, following my own feelings..."
Harry squeezed her hand tighter. "It is not a sin to care for someone, Hermione. The greater wrong would be to deny it and pretend something you don't feel. Whether it's right or wrong you cannot dictate to your heart who it will love."
Hermione's eyes misted over, threatening to spill tears. She reached for her lukewarm coffee and sipped it distastefully. "I think we should be getting back." She said replacing the cup on the saucer.
Harry got up and walked to the counter to pay the bill. Fortunately, he always carried a bit of Muggle money around with him for emergencies. The waitress was clearing away all signs that that had ever been there before the door even closed on them. They walked arm in arm back in the direction of the hospital and turned a corner to see George pacing about outside the building.
"There you are!" George strode over to them. "We have been looking for you everywhere; Ron is awake and wants to talk to you, Hermione."
Hermione rushed past the pair of them and stepped in through the window of the outwardly derelict building of Purge & Dowse. George and Harry followed, closely on her heels. She ran past the disapproving Welcome Witch who tutted loudly at her haste, but she carried on up the stairs, regardless. Hermione found most of the Weasley tribe standing around in the corridor; only Molly was not in attendance. She assumed the formidable matriarch of the family was still in Ron's room, with him.
Arthur Weasley came up to Hermione and took her hand. "You know you are a daughter to me already, so terrible are the circumstances of this day that you will be my daughter in law in reality and a widow in the same breath."
She frowned; none of what he was saying was making any sense to her. Before she could speak, the door to Ron's room opened and a teary eyed Molly poked her head around it.
"You're here! We searched half the hospital looking for you, only to be told by the Welcome Witch that you and Harry had gone for a walk!" She ushered her into the room. "Never mind, you are here now and Ron is eager to speak to you."
Hermione walked over to the bed. Ron looked worse than when she had seen him only an hour ago. His skin was almost as white as the sheets and he looked like he had bruises under his eyes. She swallowed down her emotions, knowing the last thing he would want to see was her weeping all over him.
"Ron?"
"Hermione...so...glad...you're...here." He replied.
"Of course I am, where else would I be?" She smiled at him. "Tell me what happened, Ron."
"Death Eaters caught us by surprise. I got hit a couple of times, but I think I took one down. Lost my wand though."
"You don't have much luck with wands do you Ronald." She said teasingly; he gave a weak smile in response.
"Well, where I am going, I won't need one anymore anyway, will I?"
Hermione looked away for a moment, trying to compose herself. "Of course you will. You are going to get better and become a Quidditch champion, more famous than Viktor Krum, you'll see!"
"Hermione, you always were crap at lying. I might not be the smartest one of our trio, but I know when I am beaten." He squeezed her hand.
She couldn't hold back the tears any longer; they fell silently down her cheeks. Ron grimaced in pain, and Molly who sat on the other side of him lifted his head and got him to sip from one of the many potions bottles and his pain eased. He gave a grateful sigh of relief as it worked through him.
"Your father said something outside...it didn't make a lot of sense to me."
Ron smiled at her, looking at her engagement ring. "I want to marry you Hermione."
The breath caught in her throat. It was several moments before she could speak. "Of course Ron, when you are well we can talk about it some more..."
His brows knitted together. "Hermione I don't have long, let's end all pretence that I am going to get bloody better. I am not. Through my own foolishness, I am going to die." As if to illustrate his point, he started coughing, bright flecks of blood stained his lips.
Molly wiped them away with a cloth. "Don't get yourself all worked up Ronald."
"Marry me Hermione; I can be at peace knowing we were together even if for an hour or whatever time I have left. I want to make you Mrs Weasley like we dreamed."
Merlin help her. She wanted more than anything to grant Ron's wish, at the same time the lie sickened her, but she might just have to go through with it. She could never tell him that she didn't love him like that. She looked down at Ron's face, although emaciated, the glow of hope was behind his eyes and she knew she could not take that away from him, not now. Harry had told her it would be wrong to pretend something she didn't feel, but what purpose would it serve in their current situation?
She took a deep breath, feeling a tightness creep round her chest like a steel band. "Yes, Ron I will marry you."
It was all that she needed to see the joy spread across his features at her words. Tears continued to fall down her face, tears for Ron, tears for Severus, and a few for herself. Severus would never understand and think it the worst kind of betrayal. She knew he was only starting to trust her and their feelings for each other. It didn't take a genius to realise how inexperienced Severus was in emotional relationships, especially a reciprocated one. It would be like Lily all over again, a woman that he cared about, preferring another man to him. He would never believe that she had had no choice.
But what did she do? Whatever decision she made she would be sacrificing one for the other. One would win and one would lose and she knew she could not do it to Ron, no matter how she felt about Severus and the more time she spent away from Severus, she knew her feelings were becoming precariously close to a whole lot more than caring. It was almost an insipid word when used to sum up how Severus made her feel. Harry had mentioned love in the coffee shop and she had not denied it.
"That's wonderful Hermione." Molly spoke for the first time. She smiled warmly at her future daughter in law. "I will go and find a healer licensed to perform the ceremony. Oh and we'll need flowers..."
Molly left the room and they were alone together. "Love you Hermione." Ron muttered before closing his eyes and drifting back to sleep.
Hermione leaned over and kissed the top of his head, as platonically as she might if it had been Harry laying there. She then drew her legs up on the chair and hugged them, rocking slightly. She felt very small and alone. "Severus." She whispered.
Then all time for thinking passed as the rest of the Weasleys came back into the room, sweeping her up in incessant hugs and congratulations.
Severus looked out across the grounds of Hogwarts from the top of the Astronomy tower. The night was clear and cool and the stars were twinkling in the heavens, and his thoughts were turned to his old friend, Albus. They had had a rather heated discussion only a few hours previously in his office, before Severus had grown tired of it and decided to prowl the school corridors instead. His feet had brought him to here of all places.
Albus had tried to push him into going to St Mungo's and seeing Hermione, although what business of it was the former headmaster's; he would have liked to know. The portraits had obviously been gossiping about him and Miss Granger and had them in the throes of a passionate love affair. If it is not that Severus, what is it? His inner voice asked him. He held on to the railing and looked down; the ground was invisible from this height. A sickening jolt hit him in his stomach as he relived Albus falling from this very tower, dead at his own hands. Damn the man and his impossible demands! No matter the reason, he would carry the stain of Dumbledore's death on his heart till he drew his last breath...again.
There had been little news from London, only that Mr Weasley was still alive, but by a thread. He supposed he could use his position as Weasley's former teacher to travel down on that pretence, but to all appearances there had been little love lost between any of the three and their former Potions Master. Why would he even care? This was exactly what he could imagine some of them saying. The truth of the matter was that he did care, and more than he wished to. As one of the teaching staff of Hogwarts it had always been his duty to help protect all who had lived here, and even though Ron was no longer a student, he felt sadness that another life, another potential, had been destroyed by Voldemort's minions.
How many years had he had to smile in the face of that reptilian bastard for the Order? When all he had really wanted to do was kill him slowly and watch him suffer. He thumped the railing with his fist, imagining it was his former master's face. He made up his mind there and then that if there was no further news from St Mungo's then he would go tomorrow at first light, whether he was wanted or not.
An icy gust of wind blew through the tower, causing him to shiver. A ghostlike voice, carried on the same breeze, whispered in his ear. "Severus." He felt his blood run cold. It sounded like Hermione's voice, pleading.
He shook his head and drew his robes more tightly around him. She was hundreds of miles away in London. To hear a cry like that they would have to be magically connected in some way. He was hearing things in his desperation to see her again. Severus turned and looked around the tower. He was totally alone. Probably one of the more mischievous ghosts playing tricks on him, he reasoned. He took the steps apace and returned to his quarters. After some pacing up and down the length of his office he decided he would travel to London tonight and watch things from a distance and be back before anyone knew he had left at all.
There was one person he had to inform before he left though, by rights. He threw some Floo Powder into the fire to contact Minerva.
"What is it Severus?" Asked a sleepy voice, from the fireplace.
"I am going away again." He replied.
"So soon? You have barely been back five minutes!" She protested.
"I feel as Mr Weasley is a former pupil of the school that it is only right that someone should go... and represent the school." Severus lied smoothly. "Albus would have gone." He added.
There was a pregnant pause.
"Are you sure you are going for Mr Weasley's sake, Severus or for a more selfish interest in the Granger girl?"
Severus was glad he had not decided to visit Minerva's quarters in person and have this discussion face to face. It gave him the advantage to be able to compose himself in his reply, which dripped with ice and scorn. "I do not know what fancies you have been spinning in your head Minerva, but even suggesting it you make yourself ridiculous. Why would a beautiful young witch even look twice at someone with my history?" He sneered.
There was another pause.
"I have seen the way you react around one another, I may be old, but I am no fool. The fact that you, a moment ago, called her beautiful has only confirmed my suspicions. Have a care Severus." She warned.
Severus broke off the connection abruptly. Minerva had bested him yet again. He took his overnight luggage and Apparated to Diagon Alley.
Lucius Malfoy sat, huddled beside a blazing fire. The architecture of Malfoy Manor ensured the place was glacially cold, as well as aesthetically cold, come winter or summer. He watched the play of the flames through his brandy glass. The decanter on the table at the side of his chair was already half empty. He found drink helped him forget recent events very satisfactorily. Draco and Narcissa were still barely speaking to him, it gave him an excuse to retreat to his study for most of the day and sleep elsewhere when nightfall came upon them. Narcissa had not missed his presence in their marital bed, not that he had been able to perform for months. Serving under Voldemort had almost emasculated him. He could hear the mournful cries of the white peacocks in the grounds, like ghosts who had lost their way, not unlike himself.
He took another sip of the amber liquid, letting it slide slowly down his throat and warm him. The glass fell from his hand, shattering into a thousand pieces as the study door burst open. Lucius's face turned white as he saw his visitor. Augustus Rookwood pulled down the hood of his cape, and sneered at Lucius.
"How have you been?" Augustus enquired, looking over Lucius's unshaven face and rumpled clothing. "You have been rather reclusive of late."
"Get out of my house; I want nothing to do with you." Lucius got up from the chair, looking a former shadow of his haughty self.
August strode over to Lucius. "Calm yourself, I have only come for some items that were left here in safe keeping."
"There is nothing here that belongs to you. Leave or I will..."
"You will what? Do you even know how pathetic you have become? Those of us that are left, laugh at you, you coward. You are a joke, nothing more. You know the Dark Lord was going to kill you once he got the Potter boy out of the way?" Jibed, Rookwood.
"No! He promised me..."
Rookwood laughed at him, an ugly sound. "He said what you wanted to hear. Look what he did to Severus Snape! His most trusted Death Eater, although he might have done worse to him if he had known he was helping that old fool Dumbledore. I never trusted him myself."
Lucius slumped back down in his chair, reaching for a fresh glass and pouring more brandy into it. "Take what you came for and leave me and my family in peace."
Augustus snorted. "You think you will find calm in the bottom of a brandy glass?"
"I neither know nor care." Replied Lucius, turning his back on Rookwood.
Rookwood dismissed Lucius with the contempt he felt he deserved and pulled up the rug covering the stone floor. He muttered an incantation over the stones with his wand and several of them rose up to reveal a cavity under the floor. Lucius let curiosity get the better of him as he glanced over his shoulder at what Augustus was doing. There were two large black leather cases sitting in the hollow space. His eyes widened at the sight of them. The Ministry had been through the manor with a fine toothcomb, they had to have been protected by a strong concealment spell to withstand their investigations.
Rookwood chuckled and looked over at Lucius who shrank back in his chair. "You didn't know about this lot, did you? Voldemort had McNair and me working on a project for him. I think it's time to resurrect that little project and give a Mudblood Witch and her Wizard a little payback."
Rookwood shrank the cases, concealed them within his cloak and closed up the floor again.
"Who?" asked Lucius. "Surely not the Granger girl and that poor excuse for a Wizard that she is engaged to? From what I hear, he's at death's door already."
"No one you would know." Lied Augustus, smoothly. "Besides, it is none of your business; you just go back to your brandy and forget you ever saw any of this."
"Gladly." Mumbled Lucius as he looked away, again.
The door opened again and Draco strode angrily into the room. "What's he doing here? You said you had done with him and his kind, father!" Draco accused his parent.
He got out his wand and pointed it at the Death Eater. "Get out of our house and whatever you want my father to do for you, he is not interested!"
Augustus looked Draco up and down. "Well, I must say you have finally grown a pair of balls on you. Don't fret young pup, I would be hard up to want your wreck of a parent for anything."
Draco pressed his wand to Augustus's throat. The man grinned evilly at him and Disapparated. Draco cast a contemptuous look in the direction of his father. "I won't tell mother about this, this time, but if it happens again..." He marched from the room, slamming the study door behind him.
Hermione's dress had been Transfigured temporarily into a simple ivory gown. In her hand she held a loose bunch of tea roses. She had chosen the colour, finding the idea of red roses, distasteful. At least the tea roses only promised I'll Remember Always rather than an avowal of romantic love. She stood outside the door to Ron's room, hardly able to breathe, she was trembling, but numb at the same time. Her courage almost failed her, she thought about turning heel and running away, but at that moment, the door opened. Harry came out and closed it behind him.
""People were starting to wonder where you were." He smiled at her.
"Harry, I can't do this."
Harry grasped one of her hands in his. "You can and you will. I'd marry Ron right now if he asked me."
Hermione let out a hysterical giggle. "I don't think Ginny..."
He interrupted her. "That is our best friend in there and he is dying. Although we have never said it, we would give our lives for each other; such is the bond between us. Be the brave and brilliant young woman that I know you can."
She nodded, taking strength from his words. "Harry, before we go in, I have to tell you something."
"Make it quick, the Minister is getting agitated. It is quite an honour to have Kingsley here to marry you considering how busy he is at the moment."
"The other man...Harry...the other man is...Severus Snape." She forced his name past her lips on a whisper.
Harry paled. His mouth formed a perfect O of astonishment and shock at her words. Before he could react, or say anything, the door opened again. Kingsley Shacklebolt emerged from the room. "We have to do this now. I have a meeting back at the Ministry at nine."
Harry seemed to have lost the use of his legs, Hermione had to pull him along with her, resting her hand on the crook of his arm as the initial shock started to wear off. He led her in, to Ron's bedside in lieu of her father. Candles lit the bland hospital room, the light bounced off the shadows, giving it a golden glow. Flowers had been conjured through a series of spells and were dotted about the place.
Molly took out a comb from her handbag and hastily tried to tame the tangle that was Ron's hair, seeing Molly's look of love as she looked down at her son was too much for Hermione, she looked at Harry who was still looking at her like she had grown an extra head. Hermione's hand was icy cold as she and Ron's hands were placed together. It was fortunate for her that due to the hastiness of the union that there was no time to perform the lengthier binding spells that were traditional at many weddings.
It seemed like hardly any time had passed before Ron, with help, slipped Molly's borrowed ring on Hermione's finger, and they were declared husband and wife. Ron smiled at her tiredly, the ceremony had taken much out of him as his eyes closed and he drifted into a fitful sleep.
Arthur drew her into his arms. "Welcome into the family Hermione as its newest member."
Molly hugged her warmly. "I now have three daughters." She looked across to Fleur and Ginny as she said it. "Come on you lot, let's go to the waiting room for a bit and leave the newlyweds alone." Molly ushered everyone out of the room, giving her son one last look as she closed the door behind her.
And I have just sold my soul. Hermione thought to herself, bleakly. She sat down by Ron's bedside. The door opened again, waking Ron up. It was a Healer. She came in, asked Ron a couple of questions and got him to swallow some more potions. The Healer looked at her compassionately before leaving, giving a little shake of her had.
Hermione finally noticed she was still holding her flowers, so she placed them on the bedside cabinet and looked down at her friend. Instinctively she knew he did not have long left and the healer had confirmed it with her looks. He had a rattle in his chest as he drew each laboured breath.
"You should try and get some more rest Ron."
He smiled weakly at her. "I have infinity for that." He studied her for a moment as if memorising her features. "Thank you Hermione."
"For what?" She asked.
"Marrying me. You didn't have to do it. It was a lot to ask." He wheezed.
"Not for my best friend." She replied. Harry was right; she would go through hell or high water for both of them, for Severus too. She acknowledged.
"Hermione..." There was a pause as he struggled to get air into his lungs and he looked over her shoulder. "How long has Fred been standing in the corner?"
Hermione paled and looked over to where Ron's eyes rested; she saw nothing but empty space. "There's nothing there Ron, it must be the potions playing tricks with your mind. I had better go and get someone."
A hand shot out, surprisingly strong, as Ron stalled her. "No, the others, my family...we said out goodbyes before you came in. This is our time...I don't have long now, so don't interrupt me, okay?"
"Okay." She nodded, unshed tears burned her eyes.
"Find someone else Hermione, when I am gone. Don't live your life alone. I hate the idea of you with some other bugger, but..." He looked past her shoulder again. "Bloody well shut up Fred, I will be as soppy as I like, it's my death; you already had your moment!"
Hermione looked behind her again, seeing nothing.
"As I was trying to say. Don't forget about me too soon." He smiled. "But do the things you dreamed of. You will make a marvellous teacher Hermione; don't ever let anyone tell you any differently."
"I promise." She managed to choke out.
"Best friends?" He whispered.
"For all time."
The breath hitched in his throat. Ron looked into her eyes, one last time. He exhaled a long breath and his hand went limp in hers. Hermione continued to stare at his lifeless face, her brilliant mind finding it hard to comprehend that he was gone. They had been through so much together, the three of them.
She finally came to her senses as time passed and his hand began to grow cold in hers, still too shocked to free the tears banked up behind her eyes. Hermione gently replaced his hand on the covers and closed his eyes.
She looked around the sterile room; the candles still burned brightly flickering for a moment before going out as the door opened and Molly Weasley rushed in.
"My son?" She looked at Hermione before looking to the still white figure on the bed.
There was no way to sugar coat the situation. Hermione nodded. "He is gone Molly."
The cry that tore through Molly echoed around the room, penetrating the self-protective numbness that Hermione had sunk into. She shuddered with pain. Harry and the rest of the Weasleys followed close behind Molly. All wore differing expressions of shock and grief. It was like the days after Fred died, all over again and, she felt the intruder even though by law she was now a member of this family. She looked across to Harry who walked over to her and held her tight in his arms, now only allowing her tears free rein as they wept together. He drew her from the room, sensing her need to leave before she worded it. Once outside the door, Hermione felt her legs go out from under her and Harry caught her just as she would have fallen to the floor.
A Medi-Wizard came rushing to their assistance and Harry quickly explained the situation. The Medi-Wizard ushered Hermione and Harry into a private cubicle. He gave the silent Witch a brief examination and disappeared for a moment, returning with a purple vial of some unknown potion. He handed it to Harry.
"What is this for?" He asked.
"It's for the pain."
Harry looked confused.
The Medi-Wizard looked at Harry with impatience. "It's for the emotional pain." He held a hand up at Harry's look of concern. "It is only a mild Quies Quietus potion, it does nothing more than take the edge off your grief. Its effects only last a few hours. Just make sure she doesn't drink any alcohol."
Harry got Hermione to open her mouth and he poured the potion past her lips. For all the notice she took, he could have been feeding her pure Aconite with a side order of Hemlock and he doubted she would have noticed. He watched as her pinched features started to relax slightly.
"Hermione, I have to nip to the loo, will you be okay for a moment?"
"Yes," She replied vaguely, watching as Harry disappeared around the curtain. As soon as he was out of sight she got up from the chair and ran from the ward, taking the door to the stairs.
Severus cautiously stepped through the broken window of Purge & Dowse and entered the hospital. The Welcome Witch looked up from her magazine and smiled with feigned pleasure at the sight of the darkly scowling Professor Severus Snape coming through the door. He could tell by the nervous twitch of her hand as it grasped her wand that she expected him to attack her at any moment. He sighed inwardly. The stigma of who he had been or had appeared to have been would follow him for the rest of his days no matter how many Orders of Merlin the Ministry threatened to heap upon him.
"Mr Ronald Weasley." He snapped out in a perfunctory manner.
The Witch quickly told him the room and floor number and watched as he strode past her. "But Professor Snape, I don't think they are seeing anyone at the moment. Their son just got married..."
Snape stopped mid stride and turned on his heel. "Mr Weasley just got married...to whom?" He asked silkily.
The Welcome Witch's hand tightened more securely about her wand. His look had turned almost murderous. "His Fiancée I guess, Hermione Granger."
Hermione had married Mr Weasley. After all she had said about what he meant to her, pursued him ruthlessly and still she had chosen to marry the boy? Severus felt like he had just been punched in the gut. He was dim-witted for one so supposedly intelligent. He had let his heart rule his head again and had fallen like an idiot school boy, so desperate to be loved. A few flowery words and caresses and he had swallowed it hook, line and sinker. You are pathetic, he told himself bleakly. No wonder the girl had not wanted to lie with him and had probably only used him as a means to rid her of cold feet about getting married. Well, that day had certainly been brought forward!
Think Severus, his inner voice told him. She let you inside her mind. There is no way she could have feigned those feelings and emotions without you detecting a lie.
He reached for the handrail to steady himself, refusing to listen to the voice inside. Severus utterly closed his mind to its reason. The Welcome Witch watched as he continued up the stairs, his back, ramrod stiff and proud, and his robes billowing out behind him like a black shroud.
He turned the corner blindly, about to climb another flight of stairs, when he bumped into something solid and female. He put out his hands to steady the annoying unknown person, not even really seeing her as anything other than an irritation.
"Severus?"
His hands tightened on her shoulders, his fingers biting into the soft flesh as he lowered his eyes and looked down into the honey brown eyes of Hermione Granger. No! Hermione Weasley! He corrected himself bitterly. He loosened his grip on her; one of his hands dropped to her left hand and picked it up. He wordlessly examined her engagement ring as it rested on her third finger along with Molly's borrowed ring.
"So, it is true." He sneered at her, removing his hand from her shoulder and dropping her other hand as if it burned him.
Hermione drew in a breath. How on earth had the news of her deathbed marriage travelled so far and so soon? She wondered. She looked at him with pleading eyes, begging him to understand, but there was a coldness which had crept into his face as he looked back at her. She had seen it before; it was an expression that he usually reserved for someone he particularly loathed.
"Severus...I"
He narrowed his eyes. "I think the use of my first name highly inappropriate in the circumstances...Madam Weasley." He spat at her accusingly.
She swallowed hard. "Professor Snape...Ron is d-dead. He died a couple of hours ago." The Medi-Wizard's potion guarded her against tears as she looked up at the Dark Wizard.
He examined her face, uncaringly. "No tears for your young husband? My God woman are you some kind of emotionless Succubus?" Severus's lip curled, hiding his pain in anger.
"I didn't want..." She had trouble forming the words she wanted to say, the medicine had dulled her senses a little more than she would have liked.
He didn't leave her time to finish, cutting across her words with his own. "You didn't want me? Is that what you are trying to tell me?" He grabbed her shoulders again, his cruel fingers hurting her. He leaned forward, whispering in her ear. "Perhaps, you are just a little Gryffindor whore at heart that got wet at the idea of making me want her? I believe the Muggles have a word for it...cock tease."
"Severus, that is not..."
He placed a finger on her lips. "No more lies. I believe Madam Weasley that it is your wedding night. I would hate for you to be left so unsatisfied."
"What do you mean?" She asked unsteadily.
"The teasing is over, I can only imagine what kind of tortures you put on the unfortunate Mr Weasley."
"Severus?"
"No more games, is what I mean. I am going to fuck you until can't walk straight and then perhaps I can get you out of my system.
Hermione felt a lurch, deep in her belly. She should be fighting this more, trying to explain. She was not sure if it was the potion or that she was tired of fighting anymore that she did not struggle as he led her away.
He cast a quick Disillusionment spell over the both of them and marched her back down the stairs and out of the hospital. The Welcome Witch was completely unaware that anyone has passed her.
TBC