Managed to get out another chapter,

just got my book up on

check it out, maybe buy a copy (nudge nudge)

Thanks for reading my junk

Enjoy

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling groggy, and tired still. She turned to look at Severus and saw that he was sleeping soundly. Hermione sighed, she was glad he was getting some rest. She got up and crept downstairs she hadn't eaten since Severus had arrived, and her stomach was beginning to protest.

Hermione was rooting through the pantry when she heard someone in her living room.

She nearly screamed as she crept into the living room, wand in hand, and found Minerva standing there.

"Oh hello dear, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you." Minerva said as she noticed Hermione's wand.

"It's fine, just glad you weren't an intruder, I'm not on top of my game right now," Hermione said relieved.

"I can imagine, how is he doing?" Minerva asked taking a seat and folding her hands in her lap.

"As well as can be expected I suppose." Hermione said also taking a seat.

"I received some disturbing information recently," Minerva said looking down at her folded hands. "Apparently there was a guard posted at Azkaban who before used to beat Severus," Minerva started.

Hermione nodded her head, "I'm aware." She said.

"Well apparently he was caught beating him again, only this time there was evidence of, well..." Minerva said.

Hermione nodded sadly. "I think I understand you."

"Anyway that guard was found dead this morning," Minerva said in a grave tone.

"What?" Hermione asked confused.

"I'm not sure if Severus could have anything to do with it, but he died this morning of a ruptured gastrointestinal tract, they say it was death from natural causes, but I wanted to let you know in case anything comes back to him." Minerva said, she did seem genuinely concerned.

Hermione nodded her head.

"Could I see him?" Minerva asked hopeful.

"I don't think that's such a good idea yet." Hermione said, she felt bad denying Minerva but she knew that Severus wouldn't want anyone to see him as he is now, he probably didn't even truly want Hermione here, but he really had no choice there.

"Alright, I guess I'll head back to the school, I'll visit in a week?" Minerva said standing up.

"That should be fine. Thank you Minerva." Hermione said.

Minerva then left and Hermione was left alone still hungry.

"Riles?" Hermione asked the quiet living room.

"Yes miss?" He asked instantly appearing.

"Could I have something to eat please?" Hermione asked.

He bobbed his head and disappeared. A second later a plate of sandwiches appeared on the coffee table.

Hermione started to cry, she felt stupid crying over sandwiches, but it so strongly reminded her of before this nightmare, when Severus was snarky and grumpy, but would talk and turn away her help. She sobbed quietly until she heard a footstep on the stairs.

Hermione gasped and looked up.

"What's wrong?" Severus croaked quietly from the bottom of the stairs. He was tightly gripping the railing and obviously trying very hard not to fall.

"Nothing, I'm being stupid. Why are you out of bed?" Hermione said trying to sound like her bossy self and failing. She got up to go help him, and he waved her away with a hand.

Severus slowly descended the last stair and made his way to the couch.

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"I heard you talking to Minerva," Severus said after he'd caught his breath.

"Yea she was seeing how you were doing." Hermione said trying to wipe away the tear stains on her face.

"How am I doing?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"I said you were doing as well as can be expected." Hermione said he seemed a little more like his old self, but this made Hermione worried.

He laughed once softly, "I suppose that could be considered true."

Hermione nodded.

"I heard her talking about a guard dying." Severus said again.

Hermione now understood why he'd suddenly appeared.

"Yes, she said that the one burly guard died recently of intestinal issues." Hermione said lightly.

Severus hummed and let his head fall back against the couch.

Hermione watched as a small satisfied smile crawled over Severus's lips.

"Didn't have anything to do with that did you?" Hermione asked him.

His head instantly snapped up and his dark eyes looked at her with fear. Was he afraid she'd turn him in?

"Because if you had I'd suggest we request some cake to celebrate." Hermione said her tone smug.

His eyes bugged a bit as he understood her.

"Would you like chocolate or vanilla?" Hermione asked crossing her legs and looking at Severus right in the eyes.

"You are a bag or surprises," He said, his voice scratchy. "And I've been dying for some red velvet cake."

Hermione grinned savagely. "Riles," The house elf appeared. "Could we have two slices of red velvet cake please?"

The house elf nodded and popped away, reappearing with two plates of cake.

Hermione took both plates, nodded her head in thanks to the elf. He left, and Hermione stood up. She walked over to the couch handed Severus his cake then sat beside him.

"I have no idea how you are handling this so well," Severus said, he looked like a lost child sitting there with his cake.

"Well it's quite simple, if you didn't kill him I would have." Hermione said smiling, and taking a large bite of the red cake.

Severus sat quietly for a second staring at his cake.

Hermione was nearly finished before he'd even taken a bite.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked. She figured he'd have been happy she approved of his homicidal actions.

"I don't know how to feel about you saying you'd have killed someone for me," Severus said, he still sounded like a lost child.

Hermione patted his arm, "I would brutally murder anyone who did such horrible things to you."

Severus nodded his head slowly taking another bite of his cake.

Hermione started a fire in the fireplace and got up to get a blanket.

She came back with a large green throw. Severus had finished his cake by now and was staring into the flames.

"Cold?" Hermione asked him.

He nodded his head not really paying attention.

Hermione took the throw and draped it over him, then sat down beside him wrapping the rest of it around her.

He looked down at her surprised.

"You said you were cold," she said smiling softly.

Severus looked at her then relaxed into the couch cushions.

"Can I sit closer?" Hermione asked. She didn't want to push him, not after what happened before.

He looked down at her for a second, then she felt his arm snake around her blanket clad shoulders. He pulled her in and rested his head on top of hers. They sat in silence like that until the fire died down.

"Would you like to go to bed now?" Hermione asked.

Severus nodded his head groggily.

She got up and helped him back upstairs to the master bedroom.

"Goodnight," Hermione said after Severus had settled down under the covers.

He looked at her sadly, "will you sleep here?" He asked.

"I'd love to, truly. But I don't think it's such a good idea," Hermione said regret in her tone. She wouldn't cave though, she was resolved to help him with his night terrors before she'd put him at risk.

Severus nodded, then settled down, turning away from her to face to wall.

Hermione sighed and shut the door, it was for the best. She went down stairs and curled up in the green blanket, that now smelled like him, and slowly drifted off to sleep.