"Unanswered Prayers"
6
“We should pack.”
“I am not in agreement with this decision.”
“Severus, in a month the weather here will get severe — we are in Iceland. You require a milder climate over the next four months, not to mention you should have more than 3 hours of daily sunlight.”
“I’ve grown quite comfortable here and, as I am not fully healed, any undue stress will delay my full recovery. Regarding the lack of sunlight, you do remember I lived in a dungeon at Hogwarts? Sunlight has been overrated for centuries.”
These comments came more easily; making her laugh became part of his recovery.“In all seriousness, Hermione, you have been trapped with a near-invalid for almost five straight months. Other than occasional trips for supplies and books, you’ve been a bloody nuisance in caring for me. I would guess you must be missing your friends and the life of a normal 20 year old.”“18 —“
“You’re only 18?”
Agedness descended and not from his injuries.“Don’t you miss your life, Hermione? I would presume you’d like to get back to it. I am capable of looking after myself now. I promise not to run away and get myself killed by any fugitive Death Eaters or Fenrir.”“Please don’t make light of it. Voldemort may be dead but the war certainly isn’t over. I have no desire to return to the fighting or the attention or the misuse of my reputation by the press.”
The tears surprised and bothered him; he’d caused them.“I see no reason to leave as I am not yet healed. This place suits me, especially now that I know that most everyone else will be leaving the island for the winter. Let Minerva know I will be laying in supplies and remaining here. Poppy can make her usual weekly visits. I taught Potions for many years; I am certain I can produce whatever she prescribes. You should go back to the living, Hermione.”She pondered this for the better part of an hour.“As I can see you’re tired of having me here, I propose this: we will stock the cottage for a winter-over and when I am satisfied that it’s safe for you to be here, I will leave you to your solitude. Otherwise I stay.”“You are stubborn, a typical Grffindor.”
“And you, Severus, should not be alone until you’re healed.”
“When’s the latest date for moving?”
“Mid-December — and that’s risky.”
“Then I shall —”
“We —”
“We shall prepare my cave for hibernation and you can return to the land of the living.”
“I’ll let Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey know.”
“You should have been in Slytherin.”
“I have one more year to complete,” she chuckled, “after the year I’ve had, I may just get resorted.”
“Hermione?…”
Weak and breathy, Hermione heard Severus call for her. He’d overdone the efforts to prepare for a winter-over in Flatley. A minor nick from the edge of a cardboard box led to a raging infection; it’d been difficult to spot in the rawness of his cursed wounds. The fever roared in three nights ago and he’d been delirious until 30 seconds ago. She’d notified Poppy Pomfrey who’d sent a recipe for a potion and told her to hang in; Severus had to struggle with this or he’d never be able to return to a normal life full of normal germs.“I’m here…”“Where am I?…”
So weak… He’d never sounded like this, even when he’d first come out of the coma.“Still in Iceland. You have an infection of some kind. It’s not safe for you to be around others; you could get worse.”The bat’s hearing noted her quavering voice.“Why are you crying?…”“You almost died! If I hadn’t been here, Madame Pomfrey wouldn’t have known and wouldn’t have come in time to save you. You can’t stay here alone, Severus. You’re not healed yet.”
“I can’t trap you here. You have a different life to live, Gryffindor. One you fought to create.”
“Don’t call me that. You do that to keep me from being your friend, to create differences between us.”
“You are a Gryffindor. That is a fact…”
“I am Hermione and you should be sleeping.”
“How long have you been awake?”
“A day…” she lied.
“You’re a true Gryffindor — you lie badly, unlike a true Slytherin.”
As relief and humor replaced fear and worry, she laughed and his improvement from this setback was palpable.