Saved by Love (Severus Snape / Original Female Character)

Rescuing

October 1997

Severus woke up one Thursday morning and took a moment to just look at his beautiful wife lying beside him on the bed; even in her sleep, Florence looked troubled.

It was clear she wasn't handling well the things she was forced to see at the Ministry; some evenings she could barely stay awake long enough to have dinner, while other nights she had terrible insomnia.

Severus pulled her closer, running a hand down her side and touching his nose to hers.

He had noticed that some days she ate like a starving woman, while others she had nothing but tea; and Dobby told him he had seen her vomiting twice.

Severus caressed her face tenderly; the previous night Florence had already been asleep when he arrived, so they hadn't talked about that Wednesday's events – but he could tell something had happened at the Ministry for, even though she was asleep, she didn't seem to be resting.

Not to mention her father had been a little too happy during the dinner Severus had been called to attend the previous evening.

He kissed her lips, whispering: "Menta spiritus," and kissing her again, "Hey, princess," he massaged her scalp, "You'll be late, my love."

"Hm," she mumbled, enjoying his kisses and caresses, "See if I care," she slowly opened her eyes to look at him, smiling.

"Morning, lov-" Severus stopped, worrying as he saw her smile turn into a sudden grimace, "What's wrong, Flor?"

"I'm just hungry..." she said dismissively, closing her eyes briefly, struggling to ignore the way her stomach churned.

"Are you sure, love? Maybe-"

"Yes, Severus, I'm fine!" she glared at him, changing the subject: "Did you see the pamphlet I left on your desk?"

"Yes," he drawled, knowing he wouldn't convince her to see Pomfrey if he insisted then.

"Who's the mastermind behind that lovely piece of propaganda?" he asked instead, hiding his concern behind sarcasm, a hand in her hair, "You or Umbridge?"

"The thing is titled Mudbloods and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society; who do you think came up with that?" she asked rather cuttingly.

"Her Pinkness."

"Obviously," Florence sighed; then she remembered why she hadn't seen him the previous night: "And how was dinner with my father?"

"Bad," it was Severus' turn to grimace, "He got three new financial donors. And he bought off the rest of the werewolves that weren't following him yet."

"Shit," she exhaled, still struggling to control the strong nausea cramping her stomach, "The Order is not going to win this war, is it, Sev?" she whispered, through the discomfort.

"Honestly? No," Severus shook his head, touching her hair and kissing her lips again, seeing her distress and beginning to seriously consider giving her some sleeping draught and taking her to the infirmary himself, "Your father has money and a larger following. It doesn't matter that we control the Ministry and the school... we don't have enough people to face him in a battlefield any time soon."

"Not to mention the Horcruxes still available for him," she added, "Nagini, Harry and two others we still don't know. And Harry hasn't found a way to destroy the necklace yet," Florence closed her eyes again, and if she had been standing, she'd have fallen.

"The Order got some new members though," Severus said, knowing she'd be happy to hear it: "Neville, Luna and Ginevra have restarted Dumbledore's Army to defy the Carrows."