Hogwarts, Hospital Wing

Severus stood in the small hospital wing restroom, staring at himself in the mirror. He looked... familiar. When Mary-Anne first took him in, he was young, having just lost his father four months prior, and then his mother shortly after.

The trauma of watching both his parents die in front of his own eyes had done a number on his body when he was younger. He wouldn't eat, never left his room, and all of it combined had made him sickly pale and skinny.

Even after Mary-Anne helped him come out of his shell around her, he still had trouble eating, and it only got worse when he came to Hogwarts. The bullying made eating harder, the constant worry of his food being spiked always at the back of his mind, ensuring he rarely ate.

Now, looking at his reflection, he saw the same haunted eyes, the same gaunt cheeks. After training with Rocky, Severus had undergone a transformation. He put more meat on his bones and even gained slight muscles. Everything was going well until that fucking duel.

He glanced down at the angry red scar on his chest. It was a harsh reminder of the spell that had put him in the hospital wing. The pain of the wound was nothing compared to what he felt just from looking at himself. It was as if all the progress he had made had been stripped away in an instant.

Severus traced the outline of the scar with his fingers, his mind filled with a mix of anger and pain. He wasn't going to let this setback define him. He had come too far to be dragged down again.

He sighed, his eyes landing on the pair of scissors on the counter, probably left by Madam Pomfrey, and an idea popped into his head.

Before he could change his mind, he picked up the scissors. His hand trembled slightly as he held them up, looking at his reflection once more. He needed to reclaim some control over his life, to make a statement, even if it was just to himself.

With a determined expression, he lifted a lock of his hair and snipped it off. The strands fell into the sink, and he watched them for a moment before cutting another piece. He continued until his hair was shorter, uneven but purposeful. It was a small act of defiance, a way to mark a new beginning.

As he finished, Severus put the scissors down and looked at his reflection again. The new hairstyle made him look different, but it was still him. He took a deep breath, feeling a strange sense of relief.

He turned away from the mirror, ready to face Madam Pomfrey's questions when the restroom door slammed open and he was almost knocked over by the force of another body hugging him. It didn't take him long to figure out who it was as he knew that perfume all too well.

"Bellatrix..." he whispered, his voice breaking slightly.

Bellatrix pulled back just enough to look at him. "Sevy... you gave me a bloody heart attack with that waking-up stunt," she said, her voice trembling. "I thought I lost you."

Severus managed a small, reassuring smile. "I'm still here, Bella. Just a bit... different."

She touched his cheek gently, her eyes narrowing as she noticed the change in his appearance. "What happened to your hair?"

Severus shrugged, trying to play it off. "Just needed a change."

Her hands immediately went to his hair, running her fingers through it as she got upset. "Why did you cut it? You know how much I loved your long hair," she said, her voice breaking slightly. "Sev...it suited you."

He looked down, feeling a mix of guilt and relief. "I needed a change, even if it was just my hair."

Bellatrix sighed, pulling him close again. "I understand, Sevy. Just promise me you'll inform me before making big hair decisions."

Severus closed his eyes, letting himself be comforted by her embrace. For a moment, he allowed himself to feel safe, knowing that despite everything, he had people who cared about him. "I promise," he whispered, feeling a warmth spread through him at her words. "Thank you for being here."

"Always," she replied, her voice firm. "Now, let's get you back to bed. Madam Pomfrey will have my head if she finds you up and about."

Severus nodded, letting her guide him back to his bed. As she pulled the curtain closed behind her, he saw a glint in her eyes as she turned and climbed into the narrow bed with him.

"Bella, what are you doing?" Severus asked, a mixture of amusement and confusion in his voice.

She settled beside him, wrapping her arms around him gently. "Keeping you company, Sevy. You need rest, but you also need to know I'm never leaving your side no matter what, not even a hospital bed can stop me."

He sighed, feeling the warmth of her body next to his. "You're impossible, you know that?"

She smirked softly, her finger playing with the buttons on his hospital shirt. "I prefer 'determined.' Now, shut up and rest."

Severus smiled, closing his eyes and letting himself relax. The steady rhythm of her breathing was soothing, and for the first time since he awoke, he felt a sense of peace.

Hogwarts, Slytherin Common Room

"Oi, Mulciber? Do you know where Emma went?"

Bruce looked up from his trunk as Avery looked around the room for Emma. "Why would she be in here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Emma was the girl Avery had been trying to take out on another date, as their last one ended with her in the Great Lake.

Avery sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Well, Smartass, I'm trying to make up for that fiasco at the lake. I thought maybe she came by here looking for you or Severus."

Bruce shrugged, ignoring Avery's name-calling, closing his trunk with a thud. "Haven't seen her, mate. And Severus is still in the hospital wing. Maybe try the library? She spends a lot of time there."

Avery nodded, a determined look on his face as he rushed out of the room. Bruce shook his head and reached under his bed, pulling out his bong. He was really in the mood for a smoke but was all out of the drug. Knowing Severus kept a stash under his bed, he made his way over to Severus' bed and stuck his head under.

Just as he spotted the little baggie, the sound of the door slamming open and his name being shouted made him yelp, slamming his head against the bed frame. "Damn it!" he cursed, rubbing the sore spot as he pulled himself out from under the bed.

"Mulciber!" the voice called again, and Bruce turned to see Wilkes standing in the doorway, looking frantic.

"What the hell, Wilkes?" Bruce snapped, still rubbing his head. "What's got you all worked up?"

Wilkes rushed over, eyes wide with excitement. "It's Snape. Madam Pomfrey sent word that he's awake."

Bruce's annoyance quickly turned to shock, his bong now lay forgotten under Severus's bed. "Wha...He's awake?" Wilkes nodded like crazy, a big goofy smile plastered on his face.

"Mhm, Regulus was there when he woke up."

Bruce's mind raced as he processed the news. "That's... that's brilliant. We need to get to the hospital wing."

Wilkes grabbed Bruce's arm, practically dragging him toward the door. "Come on, let's go before Pomfrey kicks us out for being too loud."

They hurried through the corridors, students and portraits alike giving them curious looks as they passed. Bruce's heart pounded with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Severus had been in a coma for days, and the uncertainty of his condition had been a heavy weight on all of them.

But one thought was in Bruce's mind...He got his brother back.