You Know What They Say about Necessity...

You Know What They Say about Necessity

A/N: I wanted to do a HG/SS romance that also includes friendship elements of trying to reconcile Severus and Harry (yes, I know that’s a daunting task but I really want it to be done) and that’s what this story is. Love and friendship. I hope everyone enjoys. This will be a long story, so I ask in advance for patience. Thanks!

Disclaimer: JRK owns it all; I am making no money and claiming no ownership of any of it except this story. The characters are hers, which is good, because if I had Snape who knows what I’d do with him!


“Try to see it my way:
Only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong”

“We Can Work it Out” by the Beatles

Prologue

Dumbledore’s eyes hadn’t been twinkling. Well, not like normal. If she’d stopped to think about it, that alone should have made Hermione afraid, or at least apprehensive. But she wasn’t about to let that stop her from helping with… well, whatever exactly he needed help with. She had racked her brain all the way to the infirmary, trying to puzzle out why he’d asked for her, of all people. True, she had been training as a mediwitch, but she wasn’t finished yet: she had exams to go. That had been put on hold like so many other things as the final battle happened and the last of the Death Eaters were being hunted. Voldemort was gone, Harry was alive, and most of the Order had survived. Even Professor Snape had…

A frown marred her face. She hadn’t seen him in several days, had heard no one discussing him. Could Dumbledore’s request have something to do with her former potions professor?

She had no more time to ponder it, however, as she had now reached the infirmary. Harry stood a few feet away from the door, which was closed. Odd. He wore his auror’s robes and was rubbing tiredly at his wide green eyes. When he caught sight of her he smiled, his glasses slipping back down on his face.

She returned his smile wite ofe of her own, quickly closing the distance between them to wrap him up in a fierce hug.

“Hey, hot shot,” she whispered jokingly.

She felt him grin against her cheek. “Can I help it if, um, certain circumstances made the Ministry decide to make me a full fledged auror a year ahead of schedule?”

She stepped back, rolling her eyes. “As if there was ever any doubt.”

“And what about you? Almost finished with mediwitch training a good TWO years ahead of where most would be. I’d say that’s just as impressive.”

She blushed. Smart though she knew she was, she had outgrown her know-it-all tendencies. She took a quiet pride in her achievements, true. But she no longer played the teacher’s pet as she once did.

She shook her head, reminding herself of why she was here. “Harry, what’s this all about? Why are you here, and why did Dumbledore ask for me?”

His features darkened. “It’s Snape, Mione. He’s been hit.”

Her breath caught in a sharp gasp. “Who? How?”

“Need you ask?”

“Malfoy.” She spat the name as though it were poisonous.

Harry nodded. “Right before he got caught.”

“Is he… is he…” she couldn’t bring herself to finish the question.

“I assure you, Hermione, that Severus is very much alive,” came a calm voice from around the corridor.

Both of them turned to see Dumbledore walking sedately up the hall. He stopped beside Harry. He smiled, though his eyes still did not shine. “However, there are some rather pressing problems that must be dealt with.”

“What’s happened to him?” Hermione asked.

“Malfoy hit him with a very powerful curse. Not an Unforgivable, but just as bad. Letum Savium.”

“A Kiss of Death?” she didn’t know of the curse, but the name implied very bad things. Yes.Yes.” Dumbledore nodded. “This spell causes a most terrible deterioration. Thankfully we got to Severus in time to keep it from progressing further. But some damage has already been done, and it cannot currently be undone by magical means.”

“Why not?” Hermione was confused. What couldn’t be helped by a spell?

“Severus has lost his powers. He can no longer perform magic, nor can magic be used on him.”

Hermione felt as though she’d been struck. “He’s lost his magic?”

“Yes.” Dumbledore nodded.

“But… can you…” her voice faltered and failed her as she felt a tear sting her eye. For all that she might dislike certain things about Professor Snape, she would not have wished this on anyone. Well, MOST anyone. If Lucius Malfoy had gotten his own curse bounced back on him, she wouldn’t have felt bad about THAT.

“Oh, yes, he can be helped,” Dumbledore said softly. “But it will not be quick. Nor will it be without cost.”

“What do you mean, sir?” Harry spoke.

“There is a cure for this curse,” Dumbledore said softly. “However, it will take three months to brew the potions. And another three months for them to take effect.”

“Six months? He’s going to be without magic for six months?” Harry shivered. As much as he loathed Snape, he HAD done a lot for the Order. It was an awful thing to happen to him.

“Yes, Harry. Six months. Which is why I have sent for you and Hermione.”

“How can we help, sir?” Hermione asked.

“Until he regains use of magic, and magic can have an affect on him, well... I must continue my explanation first, I think.” He took off his glasses and sighed, then put them back on.

“Lucius Malfoy did not content himself with merely casting the curse. Before the aurors arrived, while Severus lay helpless, Lucius Malfoy tortured him. Both his legs are broken and he has suffered whatelieelieve muggles call “trauma” as the result of Lucius violating Severus’ mind before casting the Kiss of Death.”

Hermione gasped. Harry turned pale.

“So you see, my dears, he is going to have to be treated by muggle means to help restore his body until the potions can return him to his former self. I’ve procured a cottage in the country not very far from here. He will have to have: oh, what is that term… physical therapy, I believe? For the broken legs, and will need muggle medicines for the pain. As for his mental state… time, support, and the restoration of his magic will heal that. In the meantime, he will no doubt be most unpleasant to deal with.”

“That’s not new,” Harry muttered, earning him a nudge in the ribs from Hermione.

“So, sir, where do Harry and I fit into all this?” Hermione asked, though she had a feeling she knew at least part of the answer already.

A faint gleam resurfaced in Dumbledore’s gentle blue eyes. “Ah, Hermione, I’m glad you asked. You see… Severus will need someone to stay with him in the cottage. Someone familiar with the muggle world who can navigate him to the doctors and talk with the therapist, as well as handle day-to-day muggle living. Someone who is a member of the Order, with a background in medicine, particularly potions. Someone who can be a companion of sorts: help him with daily tasks and be a sympathetic listener.”

“Punching bag, you mean,” Harry grumbled.

Dumbledore did not respond to this, though his eyes twinkled a bit. “You, Hermione, are the perfect candidate for this… if you will accept.”

“Of course, sir,” she answered, though she secretly thought that Harry might not be too far off the mark. Professor Snape’s temper was legendary before all this happened. He was now likely to be a force so volatile that Hermione wasn’t so sure she wouldn’t rather be stuck in a cottage with a Dementor. But the man needed help, and as a healer-to-be and out of respect for him she wanted to provide it.

“Excuse me, Professor,” Harry said quietly. “I understand why yout Het Hermione, but… what about me? I’m no mediwizard; I’m an auror. And Sn… Professor Snape will certainly not want MY company.” Harry was gracious enough not to add that he equally did not want the Potion Master’s company, either.

“Be that as it may, Harry, you are just as essential to this plan as Hermione is. There are still Death Eaters unaccounted for, as I’m sure you know. It is possible that they might attempt to finish what Lucius Malfoy started.”

Harry gulped. Now he was all too certain he knew where Dumbledore was going, and he did not like it one bit. “But, sir, there are many other aurors, ones in the Order, even…”

“Indeed there are, Harry. A number of whom I know and trust. But none that I know and trust as much as you. Whatever your personal feelings are towards Professor Snape, I know that you will protect him even at the possible expense of your life. Just as your father did.”

Harry’s eyes flared for a moment. “That was a cheap shot, sir.”

“It is the truth, Harry: nothing more, nothing less. You are, of course, free to decline: I cannot and will not force this task upon you. But I am asking you as a friend… be Severus’ guardian.”

Harry sighed, turning away for a moment from the slightly pleading intensity of the Headmaster’s gaze. When he turned back and spoke his voice was flat, but resolute. “If you think it’s that important, sir… I’ll do it.”

“Wonderful.” Dumbledore beamed at them as they glanced at each other uneasily. “I shall go and tell Severus the good news. Can you both be ready to leave within an hour?”

“Yes,” they said in unison.

“The cottage is fairly large: there are three bedrooms and two baths. There will be no house elves there, mind you: Severus doesn’t care for them, and it is necessary to keep a muggle appearance to things at any rate. Thus you will find that it is a regular muggle abode, complete with electricity and appliances.”

“I can handle that, sir,” Hermione said with a smile. Harry nodded his agreement. Having been raised in muggle homes they knew perfectly well how to live in one without the means of magic.

“Good. Now, there is one last thing I must advise you of,” Dumbledore said, and his face turned serious again. “Please do not perform magic in front of Severus unless it is a necessity.”

“Why? Will it make him sick?” Hermione asked with a frown.

“No, my dear, not in a literal sense. But to see os dos doing even a simple Reparo spell where he cannot…” Dumbledore trailed off with another sigh.

“I understand, sir.” This came from Harry. “Only if necessary.”

“Yes, sir,” Hermione added.

“Professor…” Harry began.

“Yes, Harry?”

“Will it be all right if we have visitors? Ron, I mean, and Ginny?”

Hermione smiled. So, it was as she’d suspected. It seemed that Harry had started to notice Ginny at last, judging from the slight blush on his cheeks as he said her name.

“Of course. You may have whatever company you like, as long as it doesn’t disturb Severus. Miss Lovegood and Remus, too, will no doubt wish to drop in, as well as Molly andhur.hur. They are all welcome.”

Harry looked relieved. Hermione had to admit she was glad to hear that herself. It would be good to see Ginny, and Ron and Luna had been inseparable for a while now. It had seemed an odd match at first, but Hermione had come to see over the past few months that he and Luna were good for each other. Her own relationship with Ron had ended seventh year, and they were still very close friends. She was happy for them. Maybe someday she would have what they did.

“Since everything is settled for now, I’ll leave you two to get ready.” Dumbledore opened the door to the infirmary, closing it behind him.

As Harry and Hermione slowly walked away, she couldn’t resist teasing him a bit. “Ginny, eh, Harry?”

“Well, YOU won’t take me up on my offers, so I figured it was time to expand my horizons,” he grinned.

“Prat!” She playfully smacked him. “The only offers YOU make to me are for us to get into mischief!”

Harry suddenly turned serious. “Hermione… do you really think this can work? You, me, and Snape living together for six months without killing each other?”

She shook her head. “I won’t pretend it’ll be easy, because we both know it won’t. But surely we can manage…”

“YOU WANT ME T WHA WHAT?!”

They both jumped and reflexively looked back towards the infirmary. The indignant shout had unmistakably come from Snape.

“You were saying?” Harry asked dryly.

Hermione sighed.