Snape In Love

Chapter 11

When I awoke, it was dark in the infirmary and someone was tapping my shoulder gently. I turned groggily, but could see no one there. I was startled to hear a voice whisper,

"Please don't scream, Madam Pomfrey will hear you, and we aren't supposed to be here!" and then Harry and Hermione were standing next to me.

"An invisibility cloak!" I breathed. "But- what are you doing here?"

Hermione answered, "We needed to see Professor Snape for ourselves. Remus- I mean, Professor Lupin- told us that Voldemort has cursed him, and that no one can stop the curse from spreading. Is it really true?"

I nodded mutely.

"I bet Harry could help!"

"What?" I said, looking from one to the other.

"It's my wand," said Harry. "It's the brother to Voldemort's. Mr Ollivander told me. It's why I got away from Voldemort after Cedric died."

"If you think you can help, go to tell Dumbledore!"

"We've sent Ron already. We need Fawkes too," replied Hermione, matter-of-factly. "And we've been in the library today looking up the possible counter-spells."

"In the Restricted section? Remus and Sirius have already looked, they couldn't find anything."

"It wasn't in there," she said smugly. "I don't think they know about the book I found it in. It's mentioned in the unabridged version of "Hogwarts; A History". I sometimes wonder whether I'm the only person ever to have read that book!"

Harry rolled his eyes, and then became serious.

"How is he anyway?" he asked, looking at his Potions master over my shoulder. I turned back to Severus and touched his shoulder gently.

"Not good," I replied. "I- I appreciate your doing this for him. He hasn't exactly been nice to you these last few years.

Harry smiled ruefully.

"I know. But he has helped save my life a couple of times. I should try and return the favour! And he made me work so hard in Potions, I got brilliant O.W.L.S. in that subject. Besides," he continued soberly, "I think he...cared for my mother."

"He loved her, Harry. Even after she and your dad got together. I'm surprised Sirius hasn't told you before now."

"I wasn't supposed to know, apparently. But as soon as I found out, it all started to make sense."

Ron, Dumbledore and Fawkes, who was looking threadbare and forlorn, soon joined us.

"We must hurry, Harry, if this is to work. Fawkes is beginning to smoulder, and once he combusts will not provide the tear we need for the spell," Dumbledore said.

Reluctantly I left the bedside and went to stand outside the closed curtain with Ron and Hermione, and the newly arrived Lupin, Black and Madam Pomfrey. Harry and Dumbledore remained within, and I heard them both cry,

"Facere bonus contra mortis!"

There was a blinding flash of violet light, followed by a crackle, and then a low, guttural cry from Severus. I started towards the curtain, but Sirius stopped me, holding my arm, and I let him hold me close, comforting me silently.

At last, Dumbledore opened the curtains and I saw Severus still on the bed, exactly as before.

"Did it work?" I asked breathlessly, my heart pounding.

"I believe it did, yes. Look, the lividity is receding slowly."

And sure enough, the ugly purple bruising had stopped its relentless march up his neck and across his chest, and was in retreat.

Sinking on to the chair with relief. I hid my face in my hands and breathed a deep, shuddering breath. Hermione knelt beside me and I hugged her tightly, looking up at Harry at last.

"Thanks, Harry," I said, his face beaming.

A short time later, when everyone else had been shooed away by Madam Pomfrey, and she had carried out her checks on Severus and pronounced herself satisfied, I climbed back on to the bed and propped myself up on my left elbow. He was warm to my touch now, and although he was still unconscious, I could tell he was going to be alright. I allowed myself an ironic smile as I realised how the tables were turned now. Now, he was being watched over by me instead of the other way round. Covering his face and chest with kisses, I curled up beside him, my arm holding him close, my fingers entangled in his hair.

He woke sometime the following afternoon. I had been standing at the window, watching broomstick practice on the front lawn. I heard him move, and groan softly. Moving quickly to his bedside, I leaned over him and said his name. He opened his eyes, frowning at me, and I began to laugh with relief.

"What, no smile for me, Severus?"

His frown deepened, and, licking his lips, he said, "Thirsty." I put a glass of water to his lips and he drank greedily before letting his head flop back onto the pillow.

"Have you been here all the time?" he asked. I stroked his cheek.

"Where else would I go?"

He sighed heavily, and drew me down to him so that he could enfold me in his arms, my head resting on his chest.

"I heard your voice, but I couldn't answer you," he said, his voice rasping and wheezy. "It was you, wasn't it, all the time? No-one else?"

"It was me."

"Hmm," he coughed. "You talk too much, then."

I laughed delightedly, my mouth pressed against his skin, his chest hair tickling my nose.

"You are aware of my feelings for you by now, I suppose?" he asked awkwardly, obviously unused to verbal declarations of love. I lifted my head so that I could look into his fathomless eyes.

"Very well aware, my love," I replied, kissing him tenderly. His arms gripped me tightly, crushing me to him, and I was amazed at his strength as he returned my kiss with a sweetness that took my breath away. Waves of love swept through me and I thought I would surely burst with joy and relief. At last, we broke apart and he said,

"I need to talk to Albus urgently."