Note: I have used Bold text for signed dialog

Chapter 19:

It was impossible to tell if he was freezing or burning to death. Either way, the pain was too much to bear. Severus cried out—or at least he thought he did—as a wet rag was thrust against his cheek. His eyes would not obey his command to open, nor could he lift his arms to swat away the offending cloth. He could only lie there and hope that his agony would end soon. Severus body began to shake violently, and then a calm darkness over took him.

Harry was so beautiful that the mere sight of him turned Severus' cock hard as stone. Pale shoulders were bared to the light of the moon as the young man shrugged of his shirt, and Harry cast Severus an enticing smile.

"I've missed you, Harry," Severus told him earnestly as he caressed the boy's cheek. "I can't quite say why, but I need you in my life. I need to hear you say that you need me. Please, tell me, just once."

Harry leaned in and kissed Severus passionately.

"You're dreaming, Severus. You need to wake up."

The voice was wrong. No, Harry couldn't speak, but someone was talking to him. "Severus, open your eyes. We need you here," the voice said. In his hazy mind, Severus could recall that voice, but not its owner.

"Severus, you can't abandon Harry like this!" another voice challenged him.

Managing to crack an eye open, Severus could see the dim light of candles. He groaned as a shard of pain ripped down his spine. The room seemed to spin. Forcing his way through his discomfort, he finally opened both eyes and stared up at the faces hovering over him.

"Thank God," Remus murmured fervently.

Miss Granger brought up a cup to Severus' parched lips. "Try just a bit of water," she urged him. Severus didn't have the strength to turn away the offered drink, but could only hold down a little.

"I feel like I've been through hell and back," Severus croaked as his wits began to return to him.

"You nearly were. You've been in and out of consciousness for nearly four days," Remus told him as he lifted a hand to the lord's brow. "Your fever is much lower, my lord. What do you remember?"

Severus tried to think back. A rush of memory flooded his half addled mind. Daniel's pain ravaged face came to mind. In that moment, all of the steadiness that Severus had gained failed him. "Does the boy still live?" he asked quietly.

"Daniel has already begun to heal nicely," Remus said with a sigh. "You've been the one to give us a fright."

Leaning back on an unfamiliar bed, Severus eyed the pale blue walls around him. "Where am I?"

"The Weasley estate," Hermione told him. "We brought you here after we found you unconscious alongside the road. Do remember what happened to you?"

The lord nodded. How could he forget? After all, Severus had killed a man. He could still feel the weight of the pistol in his hand and hear the shot ring in his ears. Tom Riddle hadn't expected Severus to be armed. How smartly he had brandished that blade! He seemed too enthralled with the prospect of mutilating them to imagine that Severus would not go down easily. In fact, Riddle had already started listing off the ways he wanted to cut them when Severus moved for the trigger. Severus was no marksman. The wound did not kill Riddle immediately. Riddle had staggered for a moment with his hand over the gaping hole at his stomach and blood dripping from his scarred lips. He'd smiled at Severus and drew his own weapon.

As if to affirm the realness of the memory, a sharp pain sliced through Severus' side. "The bastard shot me," he ground out. "I hope you left his corpse for the crows."

Hermione and Remus shared a look. "Whose corpse?" Remus asked.

"Riddle—the man who killed the Potters. Surely you found his body," Severus demanded. "I blew a hole in the man's stomach. I highly doubt he ran off."

"Perhaps one of his men took him away," Miss Granger suggested.

Severus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Perhaps."

The absence of a body did not sit well with Severus. Though he logically knew a man could not survive the sort of wound he had inflicted upon Riddle, he had a feeling that the man was out there somewhere. Like a hound from hell on his prey, Severus could easily believe the killer would haunt them still.

"Hermione, why don't you go let everyone know that the lord has awakened and have a bowl of porridge sent up," Lupin requested as he came to Severus' bedside.

When the two were alone, Remus let out a weary sigh. "I truly was worried for you, Severus," the doctor said with emotion deepening his voice.

"Hell wouldn't have me so soon," the lord replied. He did not miss the way the physician used his Christian name, but he saw no reason to comment on it.

"And for that we are all very glad, my lord," Remus said with a half smile. "I would like to take a look at your wound, if you wouldn't mind?"

The examination was mercifully quick, and the doctor was satisfied with what he saw. Severus could not deny that Remus truly did have a healer's hands. For the first time in years, he could honestly say that he was glad to know the man. He realized just how gifted and compassionate Remus was—though he would never give voice to such thoughts.

Not a moment after Severus was once again dressed, the door opened and a matronly woman with red hair appeared with a tray. "It is so good to see you awake, my lord," she told him without preamble.

"Lord Snape, may I introduce you to Lady Weasley," Remus said.

"Thank you for your concern and your hospitality, my lady," Severus told her trying to hide his surprise. He had not realized that William Weasley came from a titled family, and it was quite unconventional that the lady of the household should bring him his meal.

Lady Weasley set the tray on the bedside table. "You are most welcome, my lord. From what my son has told me both you and your ward have been through quite the ordeal, and I am most glad to be of assistance—my husband and I both are."

"Still, I will do my best to repay your kindness."

"Oh, I'll hear nothing of it," she insisted. "The world would be a sorry place if we all stopped helping each other. Now I'll leave you to rest. Young Harry will no doubt want to see you in the morning and you will need your strength."

After her departure, Severus eyed Remus curiously. "Just how much does she know?"

"Mostly everything," the physician admitted. He sighed. "You were on death's doorstep nearly, and Daniel wasn't far behind when we arrived. We couldn't very well barge in with two injured men and not offer an explanation. Sir Arthur and his wife have been nothing if not helpful."

"This supposed secret is not very well guarded, it seems," Severus muttered. Though he could not deny that Remus had a point, he wasn't about to say so. "How is Harry coping with this all?"

Remus shook his head. "Not very well at all, my lord. Mr. Weasley nearly had to drag him from your bedside to make him rest this evening. Even when we managed to keep him from the room, he paced in the hall outside. Poor boy nearly ended up making himself sick with exhaustion. He will be quite angry for not waking him, but I think he needs his rest almost as much as you do."

Severus closed his eyes. "Let him sleep."

After a meal and a night's rest, Severus woke the next morning feeling a great deal better than he had before. He rubbed a hand across his brow as he contemplated trying to hoist himself upright. Eventually, the pain in his side convinced him that it would not be a wise decision, and instead he simply stared at the room around him.

His surroundings were modest, but well kept. The walls were painted a pale blue with white trim and the furniture looked as though it had survived quite a bit of nicks despite the fresh polished shine. Faded blue curtains were drawn back to reveal the sun shining through clean windows. From his bed, Severus spied several amateurish water color paintings depicting red haired children hanging on the wall. He wondered if Lady Weasley had painted them herself. Somehow, he believed that she had.

Not long after he had awakened, the door opened slowly and Harry's head peaked through. Despite his better instincts, Severus smiled. "I knew I would see you sooner or later," Severus muttered.

Obviously believing he had been invited in, Harry strode over to the chair beside the bed and dropped himself haphazardly into it. Relief spread over the boy's otherwise worn features. Just as Remus had told him, Harry had been quite worried for him. The thought was oddly humbling and almost welcome. What had he really done to earn such adoration from Harry? True enough he had taken the boy in, but he had all but pushed Harry away over the time that followed. Others had stepped in to care for him in the lord's absence. Why did Harry care so much for Severus' well being? It was quite baffling.

Suddenly, Severus' throat became quite tight, and he felt the overwhelming urge to thank the boy for giving a damn. Instead, Severus lifted shaky hands. "Good morning," he said using both speech and sign.

At first, Harry's eyes merely widened, and Severus wondered if he had muddled the sign so badly. Harry's smile was more brilliant than anything Severus had seen before. Tears formed in the boy's eyes as he signed, good morning.