Life on the edge

Chapter 6

Hermione had never seen Ron so confirmed as after they told him how they had found Snape earlier that morning.

"But... He's alive? Does Dumbledore know who has done that? But... how is that possible? I mean... I never thought that he'll be discovered."

"No one of us did that but it has happened. Now, can we do anything to help him?"

Harry and Ron looked at her in suprise.

"Don't you think he's in best hands with Poppy?" Harry asked.

"Sure, but I want to do something. I just can't sit here and wait of something to happen. And..."

Hermione wasn't sure if she really should tell that her best friends; but otherwise, they would understand her and why she felt so miserable. She sighed, and looked at her waiting friends. "Well, you know; Snape has somehow... got closer to me, with this accident last Wednesday... I'll tell you later about it. I don't know why, but I trust him. And he respects my abilities. Will you still speak with me now?", she asked with a loop-sided grin. Ron looked at her unbelievingly, but sighed then and smiled. Harry pulled her in an one-arm embrace and smiled at her, too.

"No, you know, we will ban you on the highest tower and starve you!", he laughed.

"Perhaps Poppy will let you visit him tomorrow. At least she should tell you how he is. Do you want us to accompany you?"

Hermione smiled at Ron; that he took it so easy meant a lot to her.

"Yeah. Hey, thank you boys. You're great help!" She pulled them both in an embrace, laughing.

"Alright. Now come, we can at least attend the afternoon-classes!" She already was up and dragged both boys with her. Harry rolled his eyes at Ron:

"Can you believe that?! This woman won't take a single chance to relax in her hole life! But don't forget that story you want to tell us!" Together they made their way back to the classrooms.

At dinner, Dubledore announced to the school that Professor Snape had been the victim of a Death Eater attack ("Not really a lie, though!", Ron whispered to Hermione) and that his constitution was critical but stable. A murmur of shock spread through the Hall, and the Slytherin students shouted question over question to the staff table, raising from their seats. "Look at Malfoy!" Harry said.

Hermione and Ron turned and searched the silvery blonde boy at his House table. He wore a face that showed shock and concern but Hermione couldn't help the impression that he was faking.

"Do you think he knew it right from the beginning? His father could have told him..." Ron turned to Harry.

"Maybe... But that would mean..."

"Right", Hermione cut in, "that means Draco will tell his father that Snape is still alive."

The trio looked at each other.

"Fine, we'll have an eye on that bastard! When he's going near to the hospital wing, we'll watch and disturb him if neccesary." Harry responded grimly.

In the meantime Dumbledore had told the nervous students that he himself would take over Snape's position as Head of Slytherin, and that a pharmacist from St. Mungos' Hospital would be the substitutional potions teacher. Hermione still watched Draco; it seemed to her that he tried hard to hide a malice grin while he whispered something to Crabbe. With disgust she turned round. The Gryffindor students were discussing excitedly the newest information and hardly watched her leaving the Great Hall. Ron followed her.

"Hermione? What's on? Where are you going?"

" I just can't simply sit there and watch the others buzzing around, spreading rumours about what has happened. I want to know. I'll try to visit him."

"But where is the point of visiting Snape when he's unconscious? He won't know that you're there."

"Oh Ron, that's stupid! You never know, perhaps he can hear everything around him! See, there are some Muggle studies with people who have been in coma, and some of those people tell that they heard their relatives and the doctors who were with them. So if Snape hears that there is someone, maybe he..."

Ron eyed her suspiciously: "Hermione? D'you know what I think?"

Suddenly Hermione felt her hands becoming wet; "He doesn't think that I have... have a crush on Snape, does he?! That's so ridiculous... I'm just... well..."

"I think you are just too concerned because you found him, and now you feel responsible. But he's in best hands, you can't do anything to help now. Just calm down, he'll be fine."

"Ron, you haven't seen him; it was so - frightening. He has always been strong and superior, and the thought that something like that can happen to him... Really, it terrifies me."

Ron smiled softly, then strolled ahead.

"I see; so what's now, you want to visit him or not?"

She was surprised; had Ron just shown a real kind of sensibility? Smiling she followed him to the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey shot a suspicious glare at them, and Hermione felt the well-known, inevitable sensation of shrinking back to a six-year old girl that always went ahead with that glare.

"So - may we?", she tried with her best puppy-like glance.

"No. Professor Snape needs tranquility to recover."

"But I helped you yesterday, you just can't me send away! I simply want to know how he is!" Hermione nearly cried, an odd feeling of panic in her stomach. Poppys expressions softened a bit.

"I understand, child, but he really needs rest. You two would be just too much trouble for him now."

Hermione shot a quick glance at Ron, who nodded slightly.

"And... if only I visit him?", she asked, daring her luck. Poppy just opened her mouth as the large doors behind her opened as well, and the headmaster appeared.

"I think that is a wonderful suggestion, Miss Granger. Don't worry, Poppy, some more and different company than me won't do him damage. Just remember to be quiet, right? In you go!"

Glad Hermione took the offer and hushed in. Ron winked at her and sat down on a chair outside to wait for her. Through the now closed doors Hermione could hear the nurse arguing with Dumbledore and his calming

"Not now, Poppy, later. I'll explain, but later."

"Hm? Explain? What?" Hermione wondered, but then her attention was drawn to the half-lit room on her left. Softly she approached the door and risked a shy look. Now that she was alone with the unconscious Snape, she felt embarrased. Certainly Snape would have kicked her out to remain unwatched; suddenly Hermione was sure he would not have wanted to be seen in this state. But otherwise, he couldn't complain at the moment, right? And she only wanted to look after him, she had done before, so where was the problem? Well, her hands became wet again and her pulse knocked hard in her temples, but that didn't mean anything - did it? She supressed the imagination that had came up when Ron looked at her meaningful some minutes before... With a start she shook off the thoughts and glimpsed in the shadowy room.

Snape laid on his back, breathing regularly. A bandage covered half of his face, another the stump of his left arm. This and his other arm laid on top of the blankets, with a bottle of medication hovering in the air for an infusion. Someone (Poppy, or, as Hermione suspected, the headmaster himself) had cut off his burned hair right below his ears. Bandages covered his neck and his shoulders as well and reached even further down below the blankets. Softly Hermione stepped closer. He still looked exhausted, and a thin film of sweat on his forehead proofed her impression right that he was still on the edge. Hermione raised a hand and brushed some strains of hair out of his face. Like Wednesday evening she kept stroking his cheek, hoping helplessly that it would help as it had once before. After some minutes she settled herself cautiously next to Snape on the edge of the bed, not interrupting the contact. She noticed a large bottle on the bedside table and identified it as an advanced version of Skele-Grow. Obviously Poppy tried to re-grow Snape's arm, as well as his eye. Absently Hermione brushed through Snape's shortened hair. A short shiver from him made her start. Hastily she bend closer to him and watched his eyebrows contracting slightly. Suddenly his eyes flew open, focused on her, and then Hermione let slip a small squeak when his hand grasped her at the collar of her robes. Forcely he drew himself up to her, fresh pain flashing in his eyes. Hermione was paralysed by his burning stare, and suddenly recognised that he tried to tell her something. She leaned even closer to catch his hoarse whisper.

"Hän suunitee... Harry - pimeät...eliöt... hän kerää heidän valtaa..."**

Snape's eyes rolled to the white, and he sunk back. Shaken Hermione rearranged his blankets, confused about what she had heard. The language Snape had spoken was completely foreign to her, and she hadn't understood a single word. Wait - something about Harry. But that was it. She tried to remember the foreign words, but the throaty vowels and rolled r's got all mixed up in her memory. It struck her that she had to inform Madame Pomfrey about Snape's sudden and short awakening. Luckily his breath was steady and regular as before, but surely the nurse wanted to check him after that again. After a last stroke through his hair with a shivering hand, Hermione tore out of the room to find Madame Pomfrey.