~ 6 ~

"Only a few sips. Ye need somethin' ter drink."

The fever returned, and Severus lies in bed apathetically, refusing to eat or drink. What's the point? Nobody would miss him.

Hagrid won't give up, though, and finally, as always, Severus complies just to be left in peace. Hagrid never quite seems to take him seriously, the way he insists on knowing better than Severus what he needs and doesn't. Does he see him as one of his pets, Severus wonders. A strange Magical Creature to take care of?

"You're insufferable," he croaks once the cup is empty.

Hagrid is unimpressed.

~ 7 ~

Fang can't grasp that the bed is no longer his. Each morning he settles down next to Severus, staying glued to his side until Hagrid makes him leave at night.

At first, it annoyed Severus – the snoring and wheezing, the tongue licking his hand while he was too weak to protest, smearing drool all over it. But the day comes when he is relieved to find the warm body next to him as he jerks awake, when he is comforted by the feeling of soft fur under his fingers.

Severus never liked pets, but maybe he can make an exception.

~ 8 ~

Severus still isn't sure why he should want to live. There's nothing left for him but more fighting, more rejection. Most of the time, he feels too tried to even try.

But Hagrid never rushes him to do anything, appearing content to take care of him and wait for whatever Severus might decide. He heals his body, but more than that, he's there without judging, listening to Severus rant during the day, holding him at night after he wakes from nightmares of guilt and death, feverish and desperately hurting.

"Ye need it." Another simple answer to Severus's question of "Why?"

~ 9 ~

"Look at ye standin' up! Soon, ye'll be up and about for real."

"And what for?" Severus slumps back down on the bed heavily. "I've got nothing and nobody left. I don't even know how I'll feed myself – provided they don't throw me into Azkaban."

Hagrid looks at him as if he had said something incredibly foolish. "Ye have a home, and ye have a friend."

"I don't want your charity!"

The bed creaks as Hagrid sits down next to him. Thick fingers brush against his cheek. Severus shudders, but he doesn't resist when he's pulled close against Hagrid's chest.

~ 10 ~

Hagrid's voice is rumbling in his chest, deep and soothing as it guides Severus out of another nightmare.

Somewhere along the way Severus has given up being quite so ashamed – he doesn't mind being held anymore, doesn't mind the way he clings to Hagrid, hiding his face in the enormous beard as if it were the one place that's safe, where nobody can find him.

He knows better now than to believe Hagrid would use it against him, would ever breathe a word about it to anyone.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he's being taken more seriously than ever before.