Healing
AU / Same world as all of my previous stories.
The world and the characters in it belongs to J.K. Rowling
AN: This story will be a multi-chapter one, I don t know how long or how frequently will I update but I will try not to finish on a cliffhanger. If you got any constructive criticism feel free to share it.
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Hermione's heart pounded in her chest as she hurried through the fog, the damp air clinging to her skin. Each step felt like a struggle, her mind racing with fear
and determination. The sight that greeted her as she reached Snape's quarters froze her in place.
There he was, the usually stoic Potions Master, slumped on the ground in a pool of his own blood. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she rushed to his side,
her hands shaking as she checked his pulse. It was weak, but it was there.
With trembling hands, she gently turned him over, her heart breaking at the sight of his pale, drawn face. Snape's eyes fluttered open for a brief moment,
the pain evident in his gaze before they drifted shut again.
"Snape," Hermione whispered urgently, her voice barely above a murmur. "Can you hear me? Snape, you have to stay awake."
She pressed her hands against his wounds, trying to stem the flow of blood as best she could. Panic threatened to overwhelm her, but she forced herself to focus,
drawing upon every bit of medical knowledge she possessed.
As she worked, Hermione's mind raced, trying to piece together what had happened. Voldemort's punishment was no doubt severe, but why had Snape been targeted?
And how had he managed to make it back to his quarters?
But there would be time for questions later. Right now, Hermione's sole focus was on keeping Snape alive. She whispered words of encouragement, her voice trembling with emotion as she fought to keep him conscious.
Minutes stretched into eternity as Hermione worked tirelessly, her hands slick with blood, her heart aching with fear. But finally, just as dawn began to break outside,
Snape's eyelids fluttered open once more, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"
Hermione," he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm here," she said, relief flooding through her as she gently brushed a strand of hair from his forehead. "You're going to be alright, Severus. I promise."
With careful guidance, Hermione helped Severus to his feet, supporting him as they made their way into his private room. His steps were unsteady,
his usually impeccable posture slumped with exhaustion and pain. But Hermione refused to let him falter, her arm wrapped securely around his waist as she guided him to his bed.
Once they reached the room, Hermione gently lowered Severus onto the bed, her hands moving with efficiency.
"Severus," Hermione began, her voice urgent, and full of fear "there's someone who needs help. Should I fetch Madam Pomfrey?"
Snape's expression shifted imperceptibly, a flicker of something crossing his features before his pain returned. He winced slightly, as if the mere mention of the Hogwarts matron caused him discomfort.
"No," Severus winced at the suggestion of bringing Poppy, his expression pained as he shook his head weakly. "No, Poppy cannot know... " he murmured,
his voice strained with discomfort.
Hermione hesitated, concern etched across her features as she watched Severus's reaction. But when he insisted, she nodded reluctantly,
respecting his wishes despite her apprehension.
"Severus, your wounds need proper attention," Hermione insisted gently, her brow furrowing with worry. "I can't just leave them untreated."
Severus sighed softly, his gaze meeting hers with a mix of resignation and gratitude. "I know... but I trust you, Hermione. Please, help me," he murmured,
his voice barely above a whisper.
Hermione's heart twisted with worry, but she nodded, steeling herself for the task ahead. "Alright," she said softly, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her.
"I'll do my best."
With careful movements, Hermione fetched clean bandages and antiseptic, doing her best to remember the basic first aid lessons she had learned at Hogwarts.
As Hermione worked, her movements careful and deliberate, her mind was consumed with a whirlwind of emotions. Tears welled in her eyes as she cleaned Severus's wounds,
each ragged cut a painful reminder of the dangers he faced.
"You're not alone anymore, Severus," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You can trust me. I'll be here for you, no matter what."
Severus watched her silently, his dark eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and disbelief. "What do you mean?" he asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hermione took a shaky breath, meeting Severus's gaze with unwavering determination. "I mean that you don't have to face this alone," she said softly. "I know you've carried so much burden on your own, but you don't have to. You have allies, Severus. You have me."
Severus's expression softened, a flicker of something resembling hope crossing his features. "You would stand by me?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Hermione nodded, her eyes shining with sincerity. "Yes, Severus," she said firmly. "I'll stand by you through whatever comes our way. You can trust me."
And in that moment, as Hermione tended to his wounds with gentle care, Severus felt a glimmer of something he hadn't experienced in a long time: hope.
Hope that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as alone as he had always believed.
She cleaned Severus's wounds as gently as she could, trying to minimize his pain as she worked. But when it came time to bandage them, Hermione hesitated,
her hands shaking with uncertainty. "Severus, I'm not a trained healer," she admitted, her voice tinged with worry. "I don't know if I can do this properly."
Severus reached out and placed a hand over hers, his touch surprisingly gentle despite the pain he was in. "You can, Hermione," he said softly, his eyes meeting hers with unwavering trust. "Just do your best. That's all I ask." Hermione nodding began to work carefully. When she is done she hands Snape a few vials of potion.
Severus swallowed the pain relief potion that he got from her gratefully, the cool liquid offering a brief respite from the throbbing ache in his body.
As Hermione moved to sit beside him on the bed, he shifted slightly, wincing at the pain but grateful for her presence. As Hermione settled beside Severus on the bed,after He laid down she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that hung heavy in the air. She watched him closely, waiting for him to speak, her heart aching at the pain etched across his features.
"Why did Voldemort punish you so severely, Severus? What happened?" she asked gently, her voice barely above a whisper.
Severus took a deep breath, steeling himself before he spoke. "They found out about my apprentice," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "I... I didn't inform the Dark Lord about you."
Hermione's eyes widened in shock at his confession. "About me?" she repeated, her mind racing with questions. "But why would Voldemort care about me?"
Severus sighed heavily, his gaze distant as he recounted the events that had led to his punishment. "Voldemort sees any act of defiance as a threat to his power," he explained wearily. "My decision to take on an apprentice without his knowledge was seen as a betrayal of his trust, a sign that I may have loyalties elsewhere. Also you are close to the Potters"
Hermione's heart sank at the implications of Severus's words. She knew all too well the consequences of defying Voldemort's will, and she couldn't help but fear for Severus's safety in the wake of such a revelation.
"I'm so sorry, Severus," she whispered, her voice laced with sorrow. "You shouldn't have to suffer for trying to teach me."
Severus gave her a faint, tired smile, his eyes reflecting a mixture of pain and gratitude. "Thank you, Hermione, but you did not do anything that warrants an apology" he said softly.
As they are enjoying the comfortable quiet Hermione hears him: "Voldemort has ordered me to gain information about the Potters through you," Severus stated, his voice carrying the weight of a burden too heavy to bear alone.
Hermione's mind raced, trying to make sense of the revelation. The name Voldemort sent shivers down her spine, and the thought of being unwittingly involved in his dark schemes sent a chill through her veins.
"How... how am I involved?" Hermione managed to stammer out, her voice barely above a whisper.
Severus regarded her with a gaze that seemed to penetrate straight to her soul. "You possess knowledge and connections that he seeks.
Your association with Harry Potter and his family has made you a target. By being my apprentice you are an easy target"
Hermione's heart pounded in her chest as the gravity of the situation sank in. She had always known that being close to Harry meant facing danger, but to be used as a pawn in Voldemort's twisted game was a reality she had never anticipated.
"What does he want to know?" Hermione asked, her voice tinged with a mixture of fear and defiance.
Severus hesitated, his eyes betraying a flicker of regret. "He seeks any information that could aid him in his quest to destroy Harry Potter and anyone associated with him.
He believes you may hold secrets that could be of use to him."
Hermione felt a surge of anger rise within her. She refused to be used as a tool for Voldemort's malevolent purposes, regardless of the consequences.
Her breath caught in her throat at Severus's words, her mind reeling with shock and disbelief. "Me?" she whispered, her voice barely audible in the quiet room.
"But why would Voldemort want information about the Potters from me?"
Severus's expression was grim as he met her gaze. "The Dark Lord believes that you may have knowledge of Harry Potter's secrets or activities with his parents" he explained,
his tone heavy with resignation. "He ordered me to gain whatever information I could from you."
Hermione's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to process Severus's words. The thought of being used as a pawn in Voldemort's twisted games filled her with a sense of dread unlike anything she had ever known.
"I had no idea," she murmured, her voice tinged with sorrow. "I would never willingly betray Harry or his family."
Severus reached out and took her hand in his, his touch surprisingly gentle despite the gravity of their situation. "I know, Hermione," he said softly. "And I believe you.
But we must be careful. Voldemort's orders cannot be ignored, and we cannot afford to underestimate his reach."
"We'll talk to the Headmaster in the morning," He said firmly "Together, we'll find a way to give information about Harry and still thwart Voldemort's plans."
Severus looks at her He begins. "Its all can wait till tomorrow, its time to sleep"
Severus's chuckle, though brief, echoed softly in the dimly lit room, followed by a wince of pain that crossed his features.
Hermione couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity at his sudden amusement, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"What's so funny?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
Severus glanced at her, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips despite the pain etched across his face. "I meant your own bed, Hermione" he replied, his tone gentle but teasing.
Realization washed over Hermione, her cheeks flushing crimson with embarrassment. "Oh!" she exclaimed, her embarrassment deepening with every passing second.Ű
"I'm so sorry, Severus. I didn't mean to intrude." After a few moments she began with stuttering "I...I...I just thought maybe y...you will need help during the night." She began.
Severus waved off her apology with a weary sigh, the lines of pain etched into his features softening slightly. And a small smile on his face"No need to apologize, Hermione,"
he said, his tone surprisingly gentle. "I appreciate your concern, but I will manage on my own."
Hermione nodded, her cheeks still burning with embarrassment as she gathered her courage. "Well then, good night, Professor," she said softly,
her voice tinged with sincerity. "Rest well."
With a final nod of acknowledgment, Hermione turned on her heel and made her way to the door, her heart still pounding with embarrassment.
As she stepped into the hallway, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her, grateful for the chance to escape the awkwardness of the moment.
And as she made her way to her own bed, Hermione couldn't shake the memory of Severus's gentle smile, a small glimmer of warmth in the midst of the darkness that surrounded them.