Mistakes of the Weary

He was sitting up, his feet hanging over the bed letting the cool air flow over them – for what felt like the first time in ages. He had never wanted to admit that not walking was ever a possibility; but the fear was there just the same. Shutting his eyes, he fully expected to see the faces of the dead in the dark but instead…. a set of big brown eyes on a face he knew as well as his own – the sight drew a smile to his lips.

"Oh you are up." The healer said as she stepped in, and he forced the smile away and opened his eyes. "Would you like to go for a walk today?"

"I am not a child, Sophie Hinkle." He drawled, eyeing her like he had when she had made an explosion in his classroom.

"Ah but I'm not a Hinkle now am I." The healer replied easily, pulling out a device that absurdly muggle, making him scowl. "Come now, you have to take this slowly. You know very well that even a potion can't cure a would as severe as yours."

"You were never very skilled at potion making." He grumbled and Sophie put the walker in front of him with great pleasure.

"If you aren't nice to me, I don't do your gown up at the back." Sophie chuckled and Severus grasped the thing with an incredibly dark expression. Putting his feet slowly on the floor, he felt is muscles spasm and contract alone his spine; and he curled his toes to withstand the dizziness that came often with lying in a bed for three weeks. "Severus, you alright – we can postpone your walk till later, you do look a little pale."

"I am always pale." He growled, moving the walker forward before taking a step.

/

Hermione was just returning from a trip to the school - helping them rebuild was not the easiest task but it was well worth it – when she decided to come pay her favorite patient a visit. It had become a habit, an immensely enjoyable one. They had moved on from Jane Eyre to Sense and Sensibility, to an American novel called Gone with the Wind. Most of the time her old potions master would lay there with his eyes closed, hands by his side like he was preparing for a funeral. Other times, his hand would touch her leg lightly – and it would warm her spirit.

Just the thought of it brought a smile to her face, to think! - she knew a side of him that no one else did.

As she walked down the corridor, she thought of the last time she had come to read him; he had smiled at her – not that he suspected she had seen it, she had seen him in the glass of window that was inlaid by the door. It had been something she had never seen – well not directed towards her in any case.

"'Mione!" A voice called, and she stopped – her train of thought breaking as did the absent minded smile. Looking over, she saw Ron and Neville headed toward her.

"Hello Neville, Ron – what are you two doing here?" Hermione asked, tucking the book back into her bag before they saw it.

"Just checking in on Mum and Dad." Neville said softly, smiling softly as he looked down.

"Neville has been suppling the hospital with fresh herbs from all over the country for potions and tonics." Ron said with pride, putting a hand on his friend's shoulders as a grin spread on his features.

"That's excellent work Neville." Hermione stated, branding a smile befitting of that achievement. "I am sure your mum and dad would be proud."

"Thanks Hermione." Neville replied, his voice soft – watching as Ron gave a signal and Neville's eyes widened and nodded. "I had better go – I have to bring some – uh – gillyweed to someone." He turned abruptly and walked away, leaving Hermione giving Ron a chastising look.

"Don't give me that look." Ron whispered to her, and she huffed in reply as he took her arm and moved her to a different area of the hospital - an offshoot of the current corridor they were in.

"Why?"

"You and I both know what happens when you give me that look and now is not the time." Ron stated as he pulled her close, much to her surprise, and kissed her. When he came up for air, she just blinked, startled and caught off guard. Somewhere in her mind, she knew she should have expected this – they had barely seen one another in the whirlwind of repairing the school, getting the Ministry of Magic back on track – and tending to survivors that were coming out of the woodwork. But still – this was a hospital.

As he bent back down to kiss her," Ron, stop." She said softly, and his eyes reflected the words she did not have to say as something made her pause - she was frozen in place as a voice seemed to echo within her mind.

"Are you alright Severus?" Hermione turned her head to see their old professor standing – leaning on a contraption with his hospital gown on and the healer by his side. "Perhaps we have walked too long today." She offered softly, and the man offered no rebuttal; no words spoken – he merely turned with the healer's help – and Hermione felt the world so silent for a moment as she caught the hurt that flashed in the older man's eyes; and it bothered her.

"Bloody hell." Ron chuckled as he watched the man walk away. "That is a sight I never thought I would see."

"And what might that be Ron?" She asked, separating herself from him as she felt guilt rushing through her.

"You didn't see - blimey Hermione is gown was open at the back." Ron stated and Hermione scoffed.

"Give the man some privacy Ron, for heaven's sake." Turning, she walked hastily to his room; trying to understand why she felt so badly.

"We should talk about this Hermione." Ron offered and she paused to look back at him with a sad expression of Do we?

She continued walking, not stopping until she reached his room – bumping into the healer, moving to go around her. "Oh he isn't receiving visitors." Sophie stated, blocking the entrance.

"Don't be ridiculous." Hermione replied, and the healer shook her head.

"He asked to be left alone, Miss Granger." The healer repeated, her voice serious as Hermione saw his silhouette through the glass. Stepping back, Hermione nodded – reluctantly turning and heading towards the children's ward – slipping around a corner and waiting for the healer to leave, moving back to his room and waving her wand at the lock and letting the door swing inwards.

Snape was certainly not expecting company, least of all Hermione – that was obvious from the way he looked at her in his current state of dress – or…undress as the case may be. He was in the middle of changing his gown, or more accurately – bending over to pick up the fresh gown the had been laid out on his bed.

If anyone had ever told her that Severus Snape was capable of blushing – she would have called them a liar.

If anyone had ever said she would have seen him naked - very naked – she would have jinxed them.

"Let me help you with that." She said, walking to the bed as Severus picked up the garment and held it over himself with a glare to his eye.

"Desist." He growled, turning his face away from hers. "Leave." He growled, embarrassment clearly expressed within his features.

"You think I haven't seen a naked man before?" She giggled, setting her bag down, approaching him still - taking the garment from his clenched hands; finding resistance where she expected weakness. "I helped my father after his knee surgery –

"I am not your father." He growled, still not looking at her as she tried to pry the garment from his fingers.

"I know that." She replied.

"Do not toy with me, Miss Granger – go back to Weasley and have yourself a brood." He snarled, facing her with eyes of steel and Hermione gaped at him.

"Are you jealous?" She blurted, and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"I want you to leave." He repeated, watching as a smile curled across her lips as she finally pried the gown away from him; her eyes never leaving his face as she fluffed it, moving slightly so he could place is arm inside the sleeve.

He did so in silence, very aware of her as she aided his left arm into the second sleeve – to when she glided the fabric up over his shoulders, her fingers brushing against his unclothes shoulders as she tied the knot, moving her hands down to tie the second knots at his lower back. When she was finished, he started to move away, but she stopped him, sliding his left arm into the sleeve of the housecoat that had been nearby – then the right. Bringing herself around to face him, pulling the housecoat over his shoulders - holding him firmly as she raised herself onto her tip toes, gently pressing her lips to his.

She didn't expect him to put his arm around her, pressing her closer to him – deepening the kiss ever so slightly. Pulling back, Hermione smiled and let out the breath she had been holding, as he did the same.

"Now, can we get back to chapter 12?" She questioned, putting an arm around him as she helped him sit on the bed.

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure." He drawled, sitting back against the pillows as she retrieved the book from her bag. Coming back to the bed, she went to her normal position when he extended his hand to her, and she took it – pressing his fingers to her lips as she opened the book to the chapter.