Trying Harder
The morning of the Christmas dinner, Dahlia knocked gently on the door to Severus’s room. She’d been tending to a student who had gotten into a Potions accident when she glanced up and noticed that it was already eleven in the morning and she hadn’t seen Severus at all that morning.
“Tilly,” she called, and a house-elf appeared, startling the student nearly out of his chair.
“Yes, Master Skydancer?”
She curtsied and beamed at her.
“Could you check on Professor Snape, please? He’s in the spare bedroom in my quarters. If he’s awake, could you come back and tell me?”
“Yes, Master Skydancer!” With a pop, Tilly Disapparated.
Moments later, Dahlia sent the student off with warnings not to add porcupine quills into cauldrons without double-checking ingredients first. But of course, she’d already seen the same student three times already. They never learn.
“Madam Skydancer!”
The elf reappeared with wide, frantic eyes.
“Tilly tries to wake up the Professor, Tilly really does, but Professor won’t wake!”
Her heart falling, Dahlia rushed into the room. And her worst fears were confirmed.
Severus was lying on the bed, his mouth slightly open, his breath faint and ragged. His skin was pallid, sickly, and sweaty, and although he was wrapped in a thick blanket, he was shivering. Edging closer, Dahlia could see him spasm. He was moaning in pain, his face pale and taut with agony.
“Tilly! I need Pepper-Up, please, and pain medicine.”
Tilly nodded, left, and returned with the items.
Dahlia
He stirred, stared at her glassily, and then whimpered.
“I know you’re in pain and not feeling well, and I’m sorry. I’m just going to take your temperature, alright?”
She didn’t even know if he registered what she had said. Severus merely coughed wheezily and sank back to sleep. Dahlia quickly took his temperature- 40 degrees Celsius. Her heart dropped. His fever was high, too high.
Dahlia got to work, giving him the Pepper-Up, which made his hair flutter, and the pain medicine. Slowly, Severus stopped twitching and he looked a lot more peaceful. Dahlia spent the rest of the morning next to him, with Tilly there to help.
Around four in the evening, Severus woke, looking delirious and still in some pain.
“How are you feeling?” Dahlia swept his sweaty hair back.
“Everything hurts.”
His voice had been nothing but a wheezy, raspy whisper. And now that he was sick, he sounded even more unintelligible.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Severus.”
“Dinner.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry about that- you haven’t eaten yet. How about some toast?”
“Molly’s dinner?”
“Ah. Severus, I don’t think that we’ll be able to make it, you know?”
“No, no, no.” Severus’s breath rattled, his eyes searching wildly for Dahlia’s. “You go. Tell them I can’t.”
Severus groaned as spasms suddenly attacked his body. His left hand was balled into a fist, his knuckles white. Dahlia glanced at his right hand, the one stuck into a claw-like position. It was trembling, pale, and cold to the touch, and laid limply on his side.
Dahlia reached forward and squeezed her fingers into his hand, offering him silent comfort.
“Severus, you aren’t well enough to go, and I go wherever you go. If you stay, I will stay as well.”
Severus stared at her, his gaze shifting in and out of focus.
“‘Kay.”
Dear Molly,
Severus and I would love to come to dinner, but Severus had an extremely high fever this morning and I’m afraid that we won’t be able to make it. I will send over the Christmas presents for everyone along with some of the Hogwarts’ owls. Please tell everyone our apologies, and our seasons’ greetings!
With all our love, Severus and Dahlia
Dahlia smirked lightly as she imagined Severus’s expression when he would wake and read the sentence “ With all our love”.
Severus was still dozing, but Dahlia had double checked that he was breathing steadily and that the Pepper-Up did the things it was supposed to do. He looked too old for someone that was only forty one, with pallid skin and glassy eyes.
After sending off the packages with five rather fat tawny owls, Dahlia rushed back to Severus’s room to find him sipping on tea and reading.
“Feeling better?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
He lifted his gaze, his working eye brighter than how it was this morning.
Dahlia couldn’t help but stare back, her heart threatening to burst.
Dear Dahlia and Severus,
We missed you during dinner! Thank you so much for the gifts- Teddy really, really loved the candy. We all hope that Severus gets better- when he’s well enough, we’re most definitely throwing a party for him! No arguing, Severus. Also, Kingsley is bringing over something for you that should have been given ages ago. Anyway, we’re sending over our gifts for both of you. Again, we hope Severus gets better!
Happy Holidays, your friends