Chapter 27: Awkward Awakening
{A/N: Here's another update...}
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
The Infirmary, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Delirious and utterly exhausted, Severus Snape had a difficult time adjusting to his surroundings. He knew little about his circumstances aside from the fact that he was confined to a bed in a sterile room and at the mercy of shadowy figures speaking over him as if he had not been there while a fever ravaged his bruised and broken body and sweat poured off him in waves. Chills went through him and he found himself overtaken by a sense of fear.
"We're going to get you well again." said a familiar voice.
It wasn't the harsh tone he'd been use to whenever he ventured out into the world of cutthroats and thieves. There was a bit of innocence just below the surface and a warmth more comforting than anything draped over his shiver prone body.
"I...did you...did I...?" he attempted to speak.
The worried amber eyed witch whom had only recently become his wife did her best to put his weary mind at ease.
"Yes." she said assuming that he meant that they had succeeded in not only marrying but consummating said marriage despite the odds and the rushed timing.
"D...did I hurt you?" asked Snape with a look of absolute fear filed across his sallow pale face.
"No." replied Hermione honestly attempting to keep the tears from streaming down her cheeks in case he got the wrong idea about them. "You were...quite good and thoughtful despite everything."
She was grateful that he was alive despite his condition and the apparent onset of delirium in the wake of whatever the vile despot had done to him. Three days of no word had truly shaken her to her very core when she was warring with assuming the worst and trying to remain optimistic in the wake of the interminable waiting.
"We have to get your fever down." she said softly stroking his pale cheek without a care as to how she'd be perceived because of it. "Madam Pomfrey is going to take good care of you sir."
"D-don't go." said Snape nearly falling off the bed as Hermione attempted to do the dutiful thing and leave the med-witch to her work in restoring the cranky wizard to his usual dour self.
He gripped her hand and pulled it close to his chest. More fear made itself known as she began to note just how human the Potions Master had been in the wake of his trauma.
"Okay." she said attempting to get him to calm himself. "I'll stay as long as you need me to."
Snape seemed to settle down as Madam Pomfrey made the journey toward the ailing wizard questioning why a student was being so familiar with her Professor but never saying a word as she guessed the younger witch was merely offering a bit of compassion for the badly injured man whom had not seemed in the least capable of deciphering where he was or how he had gotten there.
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The Infirmary, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Snape's obsidian eyes opened to find he'd been in the familiar setting of the Hogwarts Infirmary. He could tell by the aches and pains that lingered from his most horrific of journeys from the dark lord's inner sanctum that he was fortunate to be alive. Across from him had been a sleeping witch with auburn hair wearing Gryffindor school robes. Her hand had been resting comfortably on his chest as he seemed to have been gripping it for dear life.
Shocked by this, Snape let the witch's hand drop but it remained pressed against his chest as he attempted to get as far away from it as possible. This only served to awaken the sleeping witch whom had been more than a bit uncomfortable dozing in the nearby chair.
"Kindly take your hand off my person." said Snape narrowing his eyes at the young witch.
If Hermione needed confirmation as to wither or not her dour husband was recovered or at least coherent, she had not needed to look no further than his usual sunny deposition.
"You're alright." she said pleased despite his manner that he'd been well enough to be enraged by her showing of affection.
"I'm just peachy." replied Snape in further annoyance. "Your services or lack there of are no longer required...I can see my way to my quarters alone."
Hermione had not known what to say and simply sighed.
"Alright." she said not wishing to press him due to his ordeal and the injuries he suffered because of it, because of her. "See you next Potions Class Professor."
"Oh joy." muttered Snape as he attempted to sit up only to find that his battered and now heavily bandaged body was much too heavy for such an attempt.
"Do be careful." said Hermione turning her concern on him once more. "We were pretty badly injured and it will take some time for the healing to completely take effect."
"What are you my nurse-maid?" growled Snape still attempting to sit up despite the pain.
"No." replied Hermione narrowing her eyes at him. "But I am your wife."
Snape did his best to resist hexing the mouthy chit right then and there as she took of leave of him knowing all too well how furious the comment had made him. Despite their lack of communication and vast number of disagreements, Hermione had been pleased to have him back and to know that he'd make a full recovery.
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The Infirmary, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Snape rolled his eyes as the young cheeky Gryffindor witch disappeared into the corridor with a smug expression on her face. How he wanted so badly to hex her but his wand arm was much too heavy to move. It hadn't taken long before word reached the headmaster that he'd been awakened and of course the old coot came through the doors dismissing the staff of the infirmary and conversing as always.
"Good morning Severus my boy." said Dumbledore in a pleasant tone. "Did you sleep well?"
Snape rolled his eyes once again at the question neither of them cared little for.
"If you call being delirious with fever and pain sleeping then yes, Headmaster I slept like a nonvocal baby." he grumbled.
"It seems that things between you and Miss Granger are well in hand." said the elder wizard with a hint of pleasantness in his tone. "You know she speaks very highly of you."
"Being introduced to her first cock will do that." said Snape not pulling any punches in his current mood.
"Severus." said Dumbledore none too thrilled about his choice in words.
"You expected me to romanticize what you forced me to do?" he asked with an arched brow. "This may come as a shock to you old man but I am not fond of bedding my students no matter how little you think of me."
"I suppose you think so little of me as to assume that I would accuse you of such a thing?" said Dumbledore with an arched brow of his own. "You saved Miss Granger's life and by extension Harry Potter's, was that not our agreement?"
"I don't recall making any agreements with you." growled Snape folding his arms across his chest. "As you are so fond of saying, you do not negotiate with me...I am simply given an assignment and I do it due to you having dragged me from Azkaban."
"Either way, I am pleased with how you've handled the situation with Miss Granger." continued Dumbledore. "She would have been doomed if I had to rely on anyone else."
"You don't have anyone else." growled Snape. "If you did I wouldn't be here."
"True." replied Dumbledore with a pleasant smile despite the circumstances. "I expect you to treat the girl with care and consideration...but do not forget entirely what you are suppose to be doing."
"Have I ever needed reminding of how to do my job?" asked Snape still very much annoyed. "I assure you I have no interest in the little Gryffindor chit outside of marital duty."
"See to it that it remains that way." replied Dumbledore giving the younger wizard a stern look for a moment. "Do not forget that you are expected to comply with the marriage law decree until it is repelled."
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" asked Snape with an arched brow.
"The decree demands that you bed your new wife at least once per week in a bid to help increase the wizarding population." said Dumbledore. "As with the night of your wedding, you are not allowed to use magic or potions that could disrupt the charm in place to monitor your "marital activities."
"So I have to actually play husband beyond that one night...I'd rather let the dark lord finish me off." growled the Potions Professor.
"You must play the part Severus as you have so many times before." replied Dumbledore. "It is the only way to ensure that..."
"If you mentioned the greater good one more time I just might defect." said Snape rolling his eyes once more.
"In any case, it's good to have you back." said Dumbledore. "I'm sure the students will appreciate having actual Potions lessons in place of whatever I could scramble to pass for a class in your absence."
"I can only imagine." replied Snape still in a foul mood ever since he wakened. "Now if you do not mind I need to return to my quarters before Poppy gets back with the notion to shove her Merlin awful gruel down my throat."
Dumbledore laughed in amusement before taking his leave of the Potions Professor. Dare he say it, he had missed him and of course he knew that Miss Granger had as well.