The Healing

CHAPTER THREE


Hermione awoke to the sound of the wind howling outside the cabin. The storms had been coming more and more frequently as they neared the end of November. She opened her eyes, and frowned. Somehow, in the course of the night, she and Severus had both strayed from their appointed sides of the bed, and were now huddled in the center.

He had his head under the pillow, one arm tossed haphazardly over her torso, the other thrown across the bed with his hand dangling from the edge. Obviously without the pain draught helping him rest easy, Severus Snape was a bed hog. His long legs were stretched out, and at an angle across the bottom of the bed, and had left her no choice but to sleep with her legs resting over his hips.

Thank Merlin he was still asleep. No doubt he would be completely horrified at the odd tangle they had ended up in. She lifted his arm and slid from beneath it, careful not to disturb him as she tried to crawl over his sprawled form. Only her feet became tangled in the sheet and she ended up tumbling out of the bed and landing on the floor with a loud thump.

Severus stirred slightly, shifting his head to peer out at her from beneath the pillow.

“What on earth are you doing?” He asked through half opened eyes. She was sitting on the floor, leaning back on her hands, her knees bent and slightly apart, giving him an eyeful of pretty green underpants. He groaned and shoved his head back under the pillow, thankful he was lying on his stomach.

“You certainly are a grouch in the mornings.” She huffed as she climbed to her feet. “And for your information I was trying to get out of bed without waking you, silly me, I thought you might like to sleep a bit longer. Unfortunately I fell.” She got a muffled grunt for a response.

She went to the fireplace and stoked the dying flames. She grabbed clean clothes from the dresser and headed into the bathroom. Severus shifted uncomfortably in the bed as he listened the shower running. How long had it been since he was attracted to a woman? Actually desired a woman sexually? He wasn’t sure, but he did know it had been a long time. Why in the hell had is long lost libido decided to reappear now and show such an…inconvenient interest in a witch half his age? He would, just once, like for things to be uncomplicated.


Hermione showered and dressed in a pair of loose fitting black yoga pants and a snug, long sleeved, light blue t-shirt . She pulled all of her unruly curls back and plaited it in a long rope that hung down her back. She brushed her teeth and left the bathroom to prepare breakfast.

She heard him stumble across the room to gather some clothing for himself, then make his way to the bathroom. While he readied himself for the day, Hermione made the bed, and set the table. When Severus exited it was to find a plate ready for him, piled high with fluffy scrambled eggs, slices of ham and wheat toast. She was standing at the counter with her back to him as she poured juice into glasses.

“Coffee or tea?” She asked when she heard him enter. It made her smile somewhat, he had always been so surefooted and silent on his feet, frequently sneaking up on students and scaring the hell out of them. Not that it was his fault, he couldn’t help his injury or the after effects, and she was sure he would once again regain his strength and lightness of foot.

“Coffee please, I think I need the energy boost.” He reached around her and picked up the glasses of juice and set them on the table.

“I know you want to help Severus, but you need to regain your strength, you just woke up from almost a month in that bed, take it slow. Besides, the way things are going at the ministry, we could be here awhile.” She smiled softly and set his coffee on the table. “Cream or sugar?”

“Black is fine. Thank you, for breakfast.” He said. “For everything, I’m sorry that I didn’t thank you yesterday, I was just…I suppose I just wasn’t sure I wanted to be saved.” He said, eating slowly.

“I suppose I understand that. I can’t imagine what you have lived through; I would assume that death just seemed….simpler.” She reached across the table and gave his hand a quick squeeze. “But it’s the coward’s way out Severus, and we both know that you are anything but a coward.”

She made him nervous. He frowned when he recognized the feeling. He had faced death in any number of ways, lived the life of a spy for over half his life, and not once had he ever been nervous. Why was a simple touch from this…girl, affecting him so?

Neither spoke again for the remainder of breakfast, though Severus sat in the chair, feeling utterly useless as he watched her flitter about and clean up. He made his way to one of the large chairs by the fire and decided to read as she went about baking dozens of chocolate chip biscuits. He looked up just as she pulled yet another sheet of treats from the oven and began sliding them onto a spatula and moving them to a rack to cool.

“Why did you make so many?” He asked from across the room.

“Hagrid comes tomorrow and you know how he eats. If you need anything, let me know, I need to owl him with a list soon.” She said as she wiped her hands on a pink and white striped dish towel.

“I wouldn’t mind something more to read. Not to impugn your taste, but I don’t think I can stomach….Loving The Dark Wizard?” He asked as he picked up the paperback novel she had left on the side table. He was looking at it as though he had picked up a slug. She smiled when he noted the picture on the cover, of a long haired blonde wizard was passionately kissing a little brunette while the wind blew in his hair. “Why would such an intelligent woman, read something like this?” He asked, dropping it back to the table.

“Sometimes I need an escape.” She said, walking across the room to sit in the chair opposite him. “I need something other than text books on occasion. These are for fun.” She said as she reached for the book and curled her feet beneath her.

“That man looks like Lucius Malfoy.” He said, curling his nose as though he could not see the appeal.

“Cant deny Lucius is an attractive man, at least in looks. But the whole murdering deatheater thing just ruins it.” She said as she opened the book.

“You know, I wasn’t always a double agent Hermione, I didn’t start out that way. In the beginning, I followed him willingly.” Severus said quietly. Hermione lowered her book and stared at him for a moment.

“People make mistakes when they are young, but hopefully they learn from them. I would say, though your lesson was harsh, you learned it. You made good in the end.” She smiled.

“How is it one so young is so wise? You act like no eighteen year old I have ever met. You seem far older.” He said.

“I’ll be nineteen soon.” She smiled cheekily. “My parents say I was born thirty years old. Besides, with Harry and Ron as my best friends, I needed to be more mature. How old are you?” She asked, surprising him with the question. No one cared how old he was.

“Older than you can imagine.” He said.

“When is your birthday?” She asked.

“Christmas Eve.” He said after a long pause.

“Oh, so did you get double the presents when you were little?”


“No, we didn’t celebrate the holidays, or my birthday. We didn’t celebrate much of anything to be honest.” He said.

“You and Harry have a lot in common then. His family celebrated, they just didn’t include him. They made him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs until Dumbledore appeared in their lives; he got a small room then.” She told him.


“I was basically ignored. No one noticed me, could have cared less truthfully. I often didn’t get fed properly, or clothed properly for that matter.” She could see the wheels turning in his head as he thought back. “I was born to a couple who should not have been allowed to have children.”

“You’ll do better by your own children.” She said, smiling encouragingly.

“What makes you think I want children? I’m far too old to consider having a family.”


“You can’t be too old, maybe fifty?”

“Close.” Severus replied with a smirk.

“Well, there you go, not even middle age in our world, you are very much a young man Severus, and can still have a family.” She said brightly.

“No, not me. When things are settled I will probably return to the school, to teach, I never wanted to be headmaster anyhow, McGonagall is better suited for that position.” He said.


“That sounds like a wonderful idea. Despite being rather snarky, you are a very good teacher.” She said, smiling as she redirected her attention to her book.


They spent almost the entire morning, and most of the afternoon simply sitting with one another and reading. It was comfortable, and to his amazement quite enjoyable. Neither felt the need to fill the air with pointless chatter, they simply enjoyed the silence, the peace they both longed for.