Longing for Lethe

Longing for Lethe

By: pandorabox82

AKA: Steph

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I am not anywhere near JKR’s writing style because I am not her. I just happen to be borrowing her characters for a little bit so I can get this story out of me. Don’t sue, because I am a typical college student, and have nothing.

Author's Note: This might be the last chapter for a month or so. Other stories are demanding my attention, or rather, Sarah and Lynne are demanding that I finish my "A Tangled Web" series, and that just takes up too much time to focus on any other stories. Believe me, I tried! Anyways, in chapter 4: Severus gets his orders; Minerva finds out about Severus; Sybill Knows, you know; the teachers conspire; and Ron and Harry get suspicious. Enjoy the chapter!

It was early in the morning when Albus showed up in the infirmary. "How's our patient?" he asked when Poppy opened the door.

Glaring at him for waking her up so early, she answered him with a curt "She's fine," before turning and going to their bedside, gently shaking Hermione awake.

Hermione woke slowly, her eyes opening and closing as she stretched her arms. Disentangling herself from Severus' embrace, she gave Poppy a tired smile. "Is it morning already?"

"Some would call it that. I prefer to call this time Albus' way of torturing me. He knows I cannot abide waking up early. Now, help me wake Severus up."

He woke the moment she shook his shoulder. Looking at where he was, he sat up quickly and pushed himself away from Hermione. Albus walked in about then, not giving the sleeping arrangement a second glance.

"Good morning Severus, Hermione. I trust you both are well?"

"Very well, Professor Dumbledore," Hermione replied, while Severus merely nodded his head.

"Excellent! As you're probably wondering about your injury and how you will be going about getting better, I will have Poppy give you the technical details. When she's finished, I'll be telling you about your treatment. Poppy?"

"Right, Albus. Hermione, when you hit the ground, as close as I can figure, you pinched a nerve, and bruised your spine. That's why you were unable to feel your legs. The bruising should heal in another week or so, and by that time, you should be able to walk again."

"That's where your treatment comes in. Every day, you'll be working with Poppy for an hour, doing exercises to help you get your strength back. After that, I want you to talk with Severus for an hour - until you tell us who the attacker was. I really don't care what you talk about, as long as you do so for an hour, minimum." Severus looked like he was going to protest this proclamation, but he thought better of it.

"What time are you thinking of, Albus?"

"Oh, right after dinner - about 7:00. Does that work?"

"Yes, Professor. That's perfect," Hermione's voice piped in. They looked at her, and she gave a small smile, happy at the way events were going. Albus gave her a small wink, and she understood that he was setting them up to be together.

"Well, since you've decided my fate, I must be off to see what the classes have done in my absence. I suppose I'll see you this evening, Miss Granger?" The wall between his emotions and the world had come up again, and his voice had taken on its hard, glittering tone once more. Standing up, he shook out his robes, gave Hermione a long look, and then swept out of the room.

Hermione gave a small sigh as she watched him leave.

"It's not easy to change your ways in so short a time, child," Poppy said, laying a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"I should have known it was too much for him. Well, if he's hell-bent on putting back on his old self, then I'll just have to work harder. He won't know what to do with me." She gave Albus and Poppy a bright smile. "Now, how do I get there tonight? I certainly cannot walk there, for now at least. Are you sure you can't do something?"

"In this case, it would be better if we just let nature take her course. We know you'll be fine, but if we were to use magic, you might not fully heal. Now, until you get back on your feet you'll be staying here. All of your teachers have agreed to bring you any work you have and will miss. I'll be sure to send Severus up here after dinner tonight."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."

"You're welcome, Hermione. Now, get better soon," he replied before turning and exiting the room. A sharp knock at the door a few minutes later startled Hermione from her thoughts. Poppy bustled into Hermione's enclave a mere matter of seconds later, a bemused Minerva following behind her.

"You have a visitor, dear. Minerva, try to keep short, she's had a rough time."

"I understand, Poppy. Please, leave us alone so we may talk." Minerva turned her face to Poppy, a pleading look on her face.

"I'll be back in thirty minutes."

Turning back to Hermione, Minerva gave a small gasp. "Oh, dear, how are you? I've been so worried."

"I'll be fine, in time. Professor Dumbledore has Madam Pomfrey working on my rehabilitation, and Professor Snape will be talking with me. They can't accept the fact that I can't remember who attacked me."

"Do you want to talk with Severus? I'm sure I can fill in for him, if you'd rather."

Quickly, Hermione replied. "Oh, no! Sev- I mean Professor Snape will be a nice change. Did you know he stayed with me this entire time? Well, at least up until twenty minutes ago."

Another knock at the door caused both women to look toward the entrance of Hermione's enclave. Poppy appeared a short while later, Neville and Ginny trailing her. "You're quite popular this morning, dear. Two more visitors for you."

"I'll be going then, you'll enjoy your friends company a sight more than mine. Take care, dear," Minerva said as she bent and gave Hermione a slight hug. Turning, she said as she exited, "I'll have Harry and Ron bring you some of the work you missed."

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall."

As she left the room, Neville and Ginny brought from behind their backs a bouquet of yellow roses, white lilacs, and a single Calla lily; and a box of Chocolate Frogs.

"You're awake! I thought you'd never get up!" Ginny exclaimed as she set the box of Frogs on the table and flung herself into Hermione's arms. "There's been no one to talk to, with you gone!"

"Oy! What about me, Ginny?" Neville asked.

"You don't count. You're a guy. Certain things are only talked about between girls," Ginny shot back, a smile playing on her lips.

Setting the flowers next to the chocolate, he went to Hermione's other side and placed a friendly kiss on her cheek. "I hope you're feeling better."

"Much, now that my friends have come to see me. I feel so loved," Hermione gently said. "Now, you must get down to breakfast. Eat for me, too, okay?"

"Right Hermione! We'll come back later, okay?"

"Okay. I'll look forward to it." As the pair turned to leave, Hermione called out, "And be nice to Professor Snape! He returns to his classes today!"

Neville gave a small shudder. "Thanks, Hermione, you've just made my day!"

She gave a short trill of laughter. "I try."

The day passed quickly, with Hermione getting visits from most everyone she knew. Even Professor Trelawney was in to see her, which greatly shocked Hermione. However, it was her words with Hermione that shocked the young woman even more.

"I know, you know."

"Know what, Professor?"

"About you and Severus."

"What about Professor Snape and I?"

"That you and he are destined to be. You must tread carefully though, for he has many reasons to flee and deny his love. That would not be good, Fate doesn't like to be thwarted."

"How do you know what Lethe told me?"

"The Sight can be fickle sometimes. Seems I get better results when I try to See happy things. But predicting death is much more fun! It keeps the one who's going to "die" in line more so than telling them to behave."

Hermione stared at Professor Trelawney, trying to comprehend this facet of her she'd never seen. "So, all the doom and gloom was to keep us in line? That's brilliant!"

"I thought you'd agree. Now, dear, I must be off. Remember, keep him close, don't give up on him. He needs you more than he yet realises." She then left, humming to herself.

Poppy bustled back into the section of room Hermione occupied. "Ready for your first round of therapy? Now, this will most likely hurt, as I will be ending the pain-killing spell." As the spell wore off, Hermione first winced, and then cried out as a dull pain invaded her senses. But under the pain was something that filled Hermione with hope. Feeling was there - she could lightly feel Poppy's fingers on the sole of her right foot. She tried to wiggle her toes, but gave a sharp cry as a burst of pain fired its way up her spine.

"Are you okay? What happened, dear?"

"I tried to wiggle my toes, to see if they worked, but there was too much pain," she replied, wiping away the tears that had accompanied the pain. "Will it always be like this?"

"Hopefully, no. That's what I'm here for. Now, let's try bending your leg."

"Albus, did you know who was with Hermione while she was in her coma?"

"Why, yes, Minerva. I asked him to be there until she woke up."

"Did you have a reason for it?"

"Not then. Have you any familiarity with Japanese mythology?"

"No, why?"

"Fascinating stuff, especially their take on how to find true love."

"And what does that have to do with Hermione?"

"While she was in her coma, she became attached to someone."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yes, and only Hermione has managed to realise it. Her mind wrapped around the idea much sooner than I would have thought. Do you think that yourself and the other professors are up for a bit of a game?"

"Harry, Ron, do you think you could run this up to Hermione before you go down to dinner?"

"Sure, Professor McGonagall," Harry replied as he took the box from her arms. "Oh, this is heavy! What's in here?"

"Just some work for Hermione to catch up on."

They parted to go their separate ways, and Harry and Ron had not gone far when they ran into Professor Sprout.

"Oh, boys, are you running that up to Miss Granger?"

"Yes, Professor Sprout, Professor McGonagall asked us to."

"Good, good. Can I have you run this up to her as well?" she asked as she handed a rather large envelope to Ron.

"Let me guess, more school work for Hermione to do while she's getting better?" Ron drolly asked.

"Why yes, I thought she might be bored up there all day, all alone. Oh, Filius! Over here, the boys are running up our stuff to Hermione! Add yours to the pile."

"Very good! Thank you boys," Professor Flitwick said as he handed a small box to Ron, then followed it with a heavy tome. "She might need this to do some of the things I assigned."

"Sir, the title of this book is in Latin. I'm quite certain that Hermione is not a fluent reader of it. How is she supposed to do her work if she can't read the material?"

"I'm sure she'll find a way. Now, hurry along! It's almost time for dinner, and I heard that Professor Dumbledore has something important to tell the school tonight." The professors made their way towards the Great Hall, with Ron and Harry staring after them.

"How is she supposed to do all this work? I don't remember us getting this much to do," Harry said as they turned and continued on to the infirmary.

"Maybe it's to catch her up and get her ahead of us. Who knows how long Hermione is going to have to stay in the infirmary. It's a wonder we haven't seen Professor Snape so he could pile on the work too."

Trudging up the final set of stairs, Ron hesitantly knocked on the door, while Harry stood behind him, trying to balance all that the three professors had given Hermione to do. It took a moment for Madam Pomfrey to open the door, and when she did, she looked very flustered.

"Yes boys, what is it?"

"We just stopped by to see Hermione before dinner. On the way up, some of her professors gave us some work for her. Is she still receiving visitors?" Harry asked.

"Not right now, I'm sorry but she just got through with her first physical therapy session. She's not really up to it. When you get to the Great Hall, could you tell Albus to amend the times to visit Hermione to after breakfast until about two hours before dinner?"

"No problem, Madam Pomfrey. Is there anything else you need?"

"Not right now, thank you. If you'll just set her things on the table here, I'll be sure to see that she gets them."

Doing so, the boys then turned and left to go to dinner. Once they reached the Great Hall, Ron told Harry, "I'll go up and give Dumbledore the news from Madam Pomfrey." As Harry made his way to their seats, Ron walked up to where the professors were all seated. Coming up to stand by Professor Dumbledore, he waited until the professor was finished speaking with Professor Sprout before telling him about what Madam Pomfrey had said.

"Thank you, Ron. Now run along and get some food," Dumbledore said when Ron had finished.

Ron did so, and dinner progressed normally. Just before dessert, Albus stood and addressed the students. "As by now, I'm sure many of you have heard that Miss Granger is awake. Given this, she is able to receive visitors, as I'm sure many of you found out today. However, Madam Pomfrey has asked that you visist with Miss Granger after breakfast, and that you leave her alone about two hours before dinner. This is to make sure Miss Granger gets enough rest to ensure a speedy recovery. And now - dessert!" Albus once more took his seat. "No, Severus, that doesn't apply to you as well," he stated before Severus could even form the words.

"But, Albus, it sounded like Poppy was quite insistent."

"You're not getting out of this, Severus. Right now, it looks like you're the only one she trusts enough to tell about what happened to her. Minerva tried getting her to talk, but got nowhere. You're our only option."

"All right, Albus. I'll go talk with her now, since I'm not really up for dessert today."

"Thank you, Severus. And remember - one hour, at the very least," Albus replied, a knowing smile on his lips.

Severus stood from the table, and began his solitary trek up to the infirmary. As he passed by the Gryffindor table, Harry and Ron heard him muttering about how he had done the deed, and now just wanted to be left alone again. Their eyes followed him as he began his assent up the stairs. When he was out of sight, Ron turned to Harry.

"Wonder what he meant, wanting to be left alone. Where do you think he's off to?"

"Looks like the infirmary. I wonder why, though."

"Maybe Madam Pomfrey needs some potions brewed for her store."

"Why would he be bothered by that, though? He loves to brew potions."

"With Snape, it's hard to tell. C'mon, Harry, let's finish so we can make 'Mione a present."

They both turned back to their desserts, their thoughts a million miles apart.