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Torment Completed	By : Kvarta Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 31717 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling. This story is purely for entertainment purposes, no money is being made from it.

Chapter List
- 85
- 86
- 87
A/N: Big thank you, to my beta Loki God of Evil. <3
He felt the bed dip as she slipped onto it. Forcing himself to breathe normally and keep his eyes closed. He didn't want to see her. He didn't want to see anyone. He wasn't ready or inclined to face the reality yet.
The warmth of her hand hovered briefly over his before it withdrew without touching him.
Good.
Apparently, happiness wasn't meant for him, not even a fabricated one. He wanted to return to that place where he existed with her - his Dream Lady. The peaceful, ordinary moments. No magic, at least not the kind of magic one can practise. The magical moments of long conversations and peaceful joined reading times. Even their passion.
He flinched at the soft sound of Hermione's voice.
"I-I can't even say how happy am I to see you again with us Severus. I guess you are not happy to be here…. You looked happy and at peace, wherever you were."
Silence.
"Well, I guess you're not up to talking. Rest, if you need it. I'll see you tomorrow."
He let the air slowly leave his lungs.
~ S ~ S ~ S ~
Hermione's heart tried to rip open her ribcage and jump outside. She was beyond happy, just sitting next to him. Even if he pretended to sleep, ignoring her presence. She slipped off the bed and grabbed a thick bathing robe. Crossing the hallway, she banged on Draco's door, doing her best to suppress her own excitement.
After what seemed like an eternity the door finally opened to reveal Draco wrapped up in a bed sheet, wearing a grumpy look on his face. Seeing her, his features morphed into a smirk with one blonde eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Need something, Granger."
"He' awake!" she squealed, ignoring his jibe.
"What? Who?" Draco's face wore a mask of confusion "Wh-what are you talking about?"
"Severus!" She said, eyes wide. "I… He had a dream, a memory and I saw him opening his eyes."
"Tone it down, Granger, you won't like the consequences if you wake up my parents once again. Besides, he opens his eyes every morning…"
"But this is different. It-it feels different. And through all this time he didn't have memories."
Why can't he understand?
"All right, he had a memory but…" Draco mumbled through tiredness.
"I know you can be thick at times Ferret-face but do try to keep up," she huffed, annoyed at Draco's blase attitude. "It feels different. I can feel him. He's awake. Not willing to talk but…"
"Then how do you know he's awake?" Draco interjected, belligerently.
Rolling her eyes internally. "I told you, it feels like he's…" Flustered with his attitude, Hermione recomposed herself. "Look all these times, it felt like he was using Occlumency to guard himself, maybe from me. He was there and yet he wasn't…."
"You never mentioned that." Draco narrowed his eyes.
"Well, it's private. And I'm telling you now." She snapped. "Look, do you want me to finish explaining or not?" Hermione was aware that she sounded harsh, maybe harsher than she should - after all Draco had been helpful and nice to her earlier.
Can I use the term *nice* to describe Draco?
She frowned at that thought but didn't have much time to dwell on it.
Draco snorted in derision, motioning her to continue. Rather tired, he lost the grip on the bed covers and he fumbled to regain a firm handhold of the slippery material.
Hermione snickered, watching his antics in trying to preserve what little dignity he still had.
"Serves you right. Anyway," continued Hermione, ignoring his glare at her remark. "Now I can feel him fully, his mind...like he is finally at home. You know?"
"I am certain that I do not know," He said cocking his head. "But I'll take your word for it, if that means we can go back to sleep?" He mumbled.
Does he even care? She frowned, glaring at him. Maybe he's right, not like she could do much until the morning came around again.
"Fine. Be sure to bring everything in the room." Finally reaching an agreement with her own flustered mind, she nodded. "We'll give our findings to Poppy in the morning." With that, she turned on her heels and marched in silence back to her room.
~ S ~ S ~ S ~
Draco watched her as she returned to her room. Closing the door quietly behind her, he shook his head. Waddling so wouldn't trip over the bed cover and fall, Draco headed towards one of the high back cushioned chairs in front of the fireplace.
It seemed that Granger was apparently dead set on robbing him of what little rest he could get this night. There was no way in hell, that he could just get back in to bed and fall asleep - not after the information she'd just shared.
It was too big a thing to sleep on.
Running events from this evening, he first focused on Granger's reactions. It seemed that she was lost. That part was to be expected considering the emotional rollercoaster she'd dropped on his entire family.
He wondered how his mother had managed to calm father down in such a way. And on the subject of him, his father looked like he was on the brink of a stroke. Draco was sure that Granger would be soon to face his fathers' wrath and displeasure; no one should have been able to show Lucius at being this vulnerable or to feel shame. Least not without being punished for it.
He wasn't sure how people missed the fact that his mother was the pillar of the family. More so after the war. Even if he was sure that mother never said a word to father about his bad decisions in life, one look from her could tame Lucius into obedience nowadays.
But when they stayed alone Granger was...different. Not scared - she was thoughtful, honest. And that was something he had to get used to. Not many people in his life had a gal to tell him that they hated his father. At least not to his face.
She was - unsettled but determined. And that was so diametrically different from her flustered look, mere moments ago. She was cheeky and snappish, teetering on the edge of happiness.
Was she even aware how happy she was? Draco frowned looking at simmering fire. Why was she so happy?
Surely, she could have waited until morning to tell him or anyone, that Severus had awoken. It might be that she just realised how much Severus meant to him, but he could tell that it wasn't all. It could be the connection, but then again - there was something deeper than that.
Returning to all conversations he had with her, to all that he witnessed. Draco absentmindedly stroked his lower lip with a forefinger. Maybe there was something about fathers' teasing after all. He was sure that his father wasn't thinking that deep but … Grange did seem more…
Is fitting the correct phrase? They do seem to have and share more than a few similarities.
Considering the tramps his father compiled on that list, Granger appeared as shining jewel. But, father had his tactic all backwards - not that he will point out that again to father's face.
Draco leaned towards the dying fire, gazing at the coals in the heart, lost in thought. That bond they shared, it seemed to run deep. Deeper than it should. He did his share of reading, when he first time learned what she did. He infused some of it into his research. But…
For Granger to be attuned so much to Severus was unheard of.
Was that link mutual?
Or was it because she was the initiator?
The main problem was how to dig up how much of that joined attuning Severus felt? The man was known to be an enigma, shrouded in secrecy when he was the most open. Poking around Severus's private life, thoughts and feelings would be like throwing stones and insulting a wild, enraged Hippogriff.
There was always a possibility that he didn't have all the information. Simply because everybody around him seemed to keep secrets.
Draco tossed himself back into the chair with a loud groan.
~ S ~ S ~ S ~
"I do not care about your own petty insecurities, Lucius." The sharp female voice grated on Lucius's nerves.
He paced nervously back and forth, gritting his teeth to fight the never-ending pain. Why did I think this was a good Idea?
"My petty insecurities may very well work in your favour at the end," he hissed, partially in annoyance and pain.
"Does that mean that they are going to move to the Manor, at least?"
"No." He replied, curtly. "And you may threaten and screech as much as you like at me. I am not letting him out of my sight nor vicinity as long as I'm not sure that he is on his way to healing."
"And you are willing to suffer the presence of that little Mudblood in your home, while he's recuperating?" taunted the woman.
"Yes. Yes, I am." Lucius nodded. "For him, bear in mind, most assuredly not for you."
"Your family owes me, not him," She admonished, scathingly. "You never should have…"
"Yes, yes - you and my father told me that time and time again. Well, I did. I do care for him. I do consider him my family."
A dark laugh fell from her mouth, dripping like poison. "And yet, you are going along with my plan for that little Mudblood?" The woman's eyebrow arched in a familiar and mildly irritating manner.
"As I recall correctly, I was the one who suggested her in the first place. If that wasn't the clue…" he left the rest of his jibe to hang in the thick air between the two. Lucius leaned heavily on the ornate oak desk. Crystals and various small objects clinked when the table shook under his not so soft leaning. The woman huffed. He felt a small pang of satisfaction to see her out of balance, even minutely.
"Besides, I am not the one who will suffer her intrusion as keenly as you will. After all, you are after her blood, not me."
"I have nothing against her blood."
"Ah, but can you say that for your entire line? As I do remember, your family wasn't above blood-purity, moreover, they were one of the strongest supporters of the Dark Lord. Shoulder to shoulder with my father." he smirked at the woman "Call it as you like, but her blood is as impure as it may come."
"I'm sure that her blood is a thorn in your side Lucius." the woman said, shooting a cruel mocking smile at him.
"It is, and it will be for as long as she lives… However, I can at least appreciate her skills as a witch. She has power in her core. Power, that can match only a handful of others scattered through history. And, she has a brain, a mind to match his own. And, you, my dear, might find her blood to be a bit too big for you to swallow."
"As long as you fulfil your end of the bargain, Lucius, there is no need for you to worry yourself over what I can or cannot digest. Just see to it that I'm informed of his progress and the moving date regularly." with that the woman vanished from his sight.
Once alone he exhaled deeply, letting his shoulders slump and curl to the front of his body. The pain was exhausting.
~ S ~ S ~ S ~
Draco yawned and moonwalked into the room Severus shared with Granger. He was still unsure whos room was that. It didn't reflect Severus and he doubted that was set to Granger's preferences either.
Colliding with his father's back he stepped backwards and sleepily raised his eyes to fathers painful and angry glare. It seemed like Lucius was about to say something but he just smirked at his son and turned his head towards the bed.
His mother's shoulders were shaking lightly like she was suppressing the sobs.
What was going on?
Stepping around his parents, he glanced at the sofa where Granger was standing. One of her hands balled in a fist over her heart, other covered her mouth. Alarmed, he glanced at the bed.
Severus was sitting in the bed, frowning. His eyes flickered to the spot where Draco stepped in and back towards the window. Poppy was fussing around Severus, and the only indication that the man was aware of his surroundings was an occasional growl.
Draco slowly walked to stand next to the Granger girl, he whispered in her ear, "I have the research with me."
"Good, you will give it to her after she finishes with her check-up?" Granger nodded, her teary eyes not leaving Severus even for a second.
He blinked at her, confused. Why should I give the research to Poppy? And why's she crying?
"Is Severus all right?" He whispered, leaning in to Granger side again.
"Yes, according to Poppy," she replied under her breath. Draco breathed out relaxing his shoulders.
"And, why I have to give…"
"Miss Granger," Poppy's sharp voice interrupted him. "He is well, at least as well as he can be under the circumstances. I will assign him another therapy, to be added to his already existing ones. Each evening, before his bath, I expect you to give him a massage. Arms, legs, back and shoulders - his muscles are tense from atrophy."
"Yes, Matron. Anything else?"
"No, that would be all, I'll send an oil you can use. I believe that you know how to?"
She blushed slightly. "I-I know the basics and a bit of Shiatsu." Hermione stuttered.
Shi-what? What is she going to do to him?
"I'll send you the book as well." nodded Poppy "Well, I'll be on my way. Severus, stop acting like a jackass and snap out of it. Don't force me to bend you over my knees."
Granger giggled nervously, her eyes flickering from Poppy to Severus and back again. Draco's parents had unchanged expressions that contained happiness and Severus smirked, arching his brow. It seemed like he was to say something but instead he just shrugged and gazed out of the window once more.
He stumbled when Granger elbowed him, and glared at her. She motioned him to go to Poppy. He mouthed No, his mouth dry suddenly and his palms sweaty.
"Matron, Fer… Mal… Draco has something to say." Granger called to Poppy.
The Matron turned her eyes to them, but he was just staring at her, mouth dry as a dessert and mute like the words had dried up.
Poppy huffed at him impatiently. "Well, what is it? Speak up boy, I don't have all day."
"Uhm, Granger had an idea and...I…. here," he fumbled over his words, shoving the stack of rolled parchments into Poppy's open and waiting hand. With the corner of his eye he noticed the confused glances of his parents. Suddenly, he was unsure how to explain. What was there to explain, he'd just compiled data based on Granger's instructions.
"What is this?" Matron asked, her tone sharp.
"I noticed the connection between memories and post-cruciatus tremors. I told Draco about it and asked him to do the research. I didn't even read his findings, I know I'm banned…" Granger swallowed, but she was doing much better work with talking than he was. "Anyway, Draco compiled all the data he could, basing them on my observations. If you could - could give it a read or give it to someone at St.Mungo's then maybe they can...well base a new research, one that can help with a cure."
"And if I do, who should I sign under this?" She inquired.
"Well, Draco - he did all the work," Hermione stated.
"Draco but not you?" chuckled Poppy, quirking a brow.
"Well, I wouldn't complain to be signed as a second, but… if that leads to some real help… Well, it doesn't really matters then. Does it? I mean, Malfoy, ummm…. Sorry, Draco and Malfoy's family reputation may benefit from that research, if it turns out to be helpful. I'm not planning on being a medi-witch anyway."
Draco gaped at her, aware that his mouth was hanging open yet completely unable to command his muscles to close it. His mother, in his presence, had a gentle smile on her face. Fathers' face was a clash of emotions under the indifferent and slightly pretentious mask he wore. Snape was gazing through the window, still distant and wholly disinterested.
The sharp pang in his gut warned him that he should keep up his pretences. He was determined more than ever to save Granger form whatever plan his father had cooked up. After all, he wouldn't owe her a thing if he was successful.
"Very well." nodded Poppy with a mild smile, turning towards the fireplace.
- 85
- 86
- 87
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Torment *Completed*

Torment Completed