Wandering

Severus surveyed the room with a sinking heart. Flowers adorned the bleak room from the floor up, cards of well wishes sat along her bedside table and balloons wafted languidly across the ceiling.

‘I wish I could see you…’

He closed his eyes and rested his head on her arm, leaning forward in the stiff chair beside her bed.

‘When will the pain stop?’

He looked up as a healer walked in, smiling at him sadly and reached for Hermione’s arm.

‘I…I love you S…Severus.’

He fell back into the chair and rubbed pinched the bridge of his nose, scowling as the scar burned at his touch. The healer asked if he needed anything, he shook his head and waved her off.

‘Shhh, don’t be sad,’ her hand ran down his cheek and brushed away a tear. He took her hand as she hissed in pain. Her body jerked and she gnashed her teeth, arching her back with the pain of it. Alarms sounded and he fought as Healers pulled him from her side, rushing about with vials of potions and various implements to aide her. They pushed him past the doors and he moved to push back through, to be by her side, when a firm hand grasped his shoulder and pulled him back. ‘Let them help her, you can’t do anything for her right now.’ He turned to meet brilliant green eyes and slumped his shoulders, leaning his forehead against the glass window and watching the frenzy of activity around her.

“Severus, how are you?” He raised his dark eyes to see Minerva enter the room, hand over her heart as she looked at her former student. He smoothed the sheet over Hermione’s arm and rose to greet her. She hugged him firmly; he stood with his back rigid and he placed one hand between her shoulder blades. She sniffed and pulled away from him, conjuring a chair for herself and sitting beside Hermione’s bed. Severus was about to join her when she scowled at his chair and transfigured it to a leather wingback.

“Honestly Severus, a little comfort at least.”

He sank beside her and looked at Hermione again. “She’s lost weight,” Minerva absently commented. He said nothing but took the cup of coffee she offered. “What are the healers telling you?”

Severus rose and set the coffee down before starting his pace. He knew the route well, to the window, along the wall past the door, circle in the corner by her bed and repeat. He still walked with a limp, though now it did little to hamper his fluid movements.

“It appears, the curse that is afflicting her is slowly shutting down her body. They are working on a cure, though I doubt anyone in this place is competent enough to find one. I have attempted to assist them, though it is no surprise that my efforts have been…unwelcome.”

Minerva pursed her lips and stood as well, going to the head of Hermione’s bed and gently stroked her hair. “Come to Hogwarts Severus, use the Potions room.”

Severus stopped pacing and stared at her. “Minerva the Ministry…”

She waved him off angrily.

“Damn the Ministry and their fear of you! I do not care if you have been banned from the school, go there and find something to cure her!”

Fire glinted in Minerva’s eyes. Not only did she fear for Hermione, but for Severus as well. How would he go on if Miss Granger were to die? Their story, most of it, was shared in front of the whole Wizengamot, just before he was cleared of all aforementioned charges. Later, Minerva in the hospital and she managed to pull the whole of the tale from Hermione, who spoke without hearing, without knowing he had been cleared. She spoke out of desperation to see him well and to reserve his rights to her should something happen.

Severus nodded and she rose to leave, offering him a moment with Hermione before he left. He watched the door close behind her before taking Hermione’s hand in his. He leaned forward to kiss her hair and spoke against the locks, “Hold tight, I will find something for you. Do not leave me, I will find something for you.”

He stood, kissed her hand, and turned from her in a swirl of black.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

“DAMN!”

Glass shattered against the wall and Severus stormed across the room, swishing his wand and whisking the mess away. Seven days he toiled over a cure for her, seven useless days and he had nothing of value to show for it.

A house elf popped in with a plate of food and timidly set it down at his desk before vanishing again. Severus stalked the Potions Room with his hands in his hair. What had he forgotten? What was he overlooking?


“Severus…”

His fire roared and he looked away, unwilling to let anyone see him in this frustrated state.

“Not now Minerva.”

She stepped through the flames and he felt her hand on his shoulder. He stiffened and whirled around, her face was long and sad, tears played at her eyes.

“What is it?” He asked, holding his breath against her answer.

She tried to touch his face but he pushed her away, striding in full lengths to the fireplace. He tossed in a handful of Floo powder and shouted his destination.

He pushed through the crowds in St. Mungo’s, shoving various witches and wizards out of his way. He reached her rooms and met a small crowd of people outside her door, reporters included. Potter and Weasley came out looking sullen, Potter met his eye and then looked at the ground, skirting around him.

He pushed the door open with a shaking hand and steeled himself, he went swiftly to the head of her bed and breathed a small sigh of relief; she was still breathing. She stirred and grimaced. He took her hand and placed it over his heart as he sank onto the bed beside her.

“I\'m sorry.” Was all she muttered. He bent and took her lips with his gently. She, with a great amount of effort, put her arms around his back and pulled her to him, returning his kiss and savoring his weight. He held her to him, trying to save her from whatever evil pulled at her, whatever curse was trying to take her from him.

Hours passed, he shifted at some point so that he was sitting beside her, with her head resting against his chest so she could feel his heart beating. He ran his fingers through her hair and sometimes down her arm, trying to comfort her in times of pain where here body seized up and she twitched with discomfort. Somewhere just before midnight she jerked and clutched his robes, something was very different in her reaction.

“…Love…you…” She whispered and her body jerked again, eliciting a cry. He held her close and rocked her gently, pressing her hand again to his heart as her body fought against its failing systems. Alarms sounded, but this time no staff came rushing to her side. They came in slowly and stood to the side. Severus’s breath hitched and a hard lump formed in his throat as their lack of response confirmed what he knew. She jerked again and he kept her hand pressed over his heart, her body stilled and a small smile flashed over her lips just before she slumped in his arms.

The world stopped, time stopped, nothing was right and everything was wrong. He fiercely kissed her head and let her lifeless hand slide off his chest. Someone collected her from him and laid her in the bed, pulling the sheet over her head. He pushed through the doors and past the gathered crowd in a daze, slowly making his way back to the Floo.

The Potions room was littered with his notes, his vain and failed attempt to save her. He fell into a chair and gazed at the fire, unable to breath it seemed. He looked down at his robes and pulled a long, brown curly hair off the front. His heart unclenched and he doubled over in sorrow, his sobs echoing off the empty dungeon walls. There was nothing left for him now.

He stood from his chair and went to his stores, pulling ingredients from the shelves as tears streamed down his face. He threw them haphazardly into a cauldron and lit the fire, watching it numbly as the potion simmered. He sat down, pulled a parchment and quill from the desk, and began to write.

When the scratching of his quill died away he stood and looked at the completed potion, swiftly collecting it in a vial and in the same motion bringing it to his lips, grimacing at the taste.

Her skin glistened in the moonlight flooding in through the ocean window. Softly her fingers played down his face, her eyes shining and a smile on her lips…

His legs gave out and he crashed against the desk, sending empty vials and papers scattering. He held on with his forearms.

Her lips were near his ear, her body beneath his as their passion rose, ‘I love you Severus,’

His vision swam and he fell from the desk, landing in an awkward position on the stone floor.

‘Shhh, don’t be sad…”

Warmth flooded out of him as he closed his eyes, resting his hand over his heart until it beat no more.

o0o

Minerva,
The passing of Miss Granger was the final light in the darkness of my world. I know my actions will disappoint you, forgive me my only friend. I have no greater accomplishment from this life then loving her, and it can never be topped or matched. Your efforts in making my existence better have never gone unnoticed and I thank you. Live Well Minerva,
Severus Snape

A/N
I\'m sorry, I\'m sorry. I warned in the beginning it is a darkfic. Nevertheless, they are together now. Let me know what you think, I may write another one a little less sad at the end. Thank you.
the end. Thank you.