Snape spent the next two months at St. Mungo's receiving treatment for the multiple curses that Bellatrix had hit him with. Hermione would read to him out of the most recent potions journals. He continued to help her improve her game of wizard chess. While both desired the intimacy of the abandoned castle or even the Shrieking Shack, there simply was no place away from prying eyes to deepen the relationship. To protect both their reputations from gossip, they elected to say nothing. However, Hermione's daily visits did prompt mild curiosity from her friends.
One evening after she returned from hospital, Ginny wanted to know, "What do you see in Snape that we've all apparently missed?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked as she brushed out her hair.
"You and Snape are seeing an awfully lot of one another. You are sweet on him, aren't you?" Ginny said as she sat on the end of her bed.
"Maybe I am," Hermione confided carefully. "And if I am?"
"We all know that he's brilliant and so are you. Are you in love with him or just his mind? Is that it?" Ginny probed further.
"I never said I was in love with him, Ginny," Hermione countered.
"You don't have to. I've seen how you look at him. We've all seen how much he depends on you and trusts you. He never has trusted anyone but Professor Dumbledore, and he killed him! Nobody can reason with Snape except you. He's always been so snarky; he's a hard man to be around," Ginny continued.
"He's still snarky," Hermione laughed. "He's nearly gotten himself thrown out of St. Mungo's half a dozen times already for bad behaviour."
Ginny let go a deep breath and laughed with her dear friend, "Would not surprise me in the least."
"But when he wants to be, he can be quite kind and devoted," Hermione teased her best friend. "He just has to want to."
"Is he a good kisser?" Ginny pried.
"I'll never tell," Hermione shot back. "Time for bed and no more questions."
"Okay, but he better treat you well, or he'll have my whole family to deal with, you know that, don't you!" Ginny declared. "I guess I can live with you loving Snape, if that's what you really, really want. I had wanted you as a sister, married to Ron one day…"
"Deep down, Severus is a good man…mostly," Hermione slipped under the covers. "He's just really terribly defensive and a touch paranoid, and that makes him seem cold. He hides behind that cold exterior. But really he's not. Mind you, he's no softie, but he is kind and gentle when he feels safe enough to be himself. Oh, I could never marry Ron or Harry, for that matter. They are too much like brothers to me!"
About one month into his treatment, word leaked out that Snape was at St. Mungo's. Voldemort sent Death Eaters after him to recapture him or kill him in place if need be. Even a sightless Snape was more than a match for three Death Eaters. He literally smelled Crabbe, Goyle, and Padgett. Snape had stuffed his wand under his pillow and thus was able to pull it out and cast several protective spells before aurors came and finished the job.
His offensive spells had hits and misses. The misses blew walls out. The Chief Healer nearly put him out for that transgression. Padgett and Goyle died in the fight while Crabbe surrendered and was taken to Azkaban. The fight lasted an interminable five minutes. When Molly and Hermione found out what had occurred, they voted for moving Snape to headquarters where he'd be safer. The rest of the healers vetoed the idea, so the Ministry provided more aurors to protect him.
However over time, Snape had become so belligerent that the healers threatened to dismiss him without a cure. He nearly took them up on the offer several times until Hermione interceded. A wee bit more inconvenience for him was worth his sight, she decided as he acquiesced gritting his teeth as he did. Despite all those weeks, hundreds of treatments, and hoped-for cures, nothing concrete developed. Snape could see only the brightest of light. Only the colour had returned to his eyes but not sight. So, the healers finally decided to release him for a respite…their own relief as well as his.
The Order assembled at breakfast; fresh from hospital, Snape joined them for a change of pace. He was pleasantly surprised to find that they were genuinely happy to have him back. He had expected a chilly reception after the Astronomy Tower incident even though he had fed them information about horcrux locations. He wondered if Hermione had anything to do with it. He'd investigate the matter later in the day.