If You Hear Me

Prologue - 9

Prologue ☽ If You Hear Me

She stared at the prone figure of her former professor. He lay with his eyes closed, his lips slightly parted as he took deep breaths in and out, slender, potions stained fingers were folded across his stomach.

He was sleeping, for all anyone could tell that was all, he was simply sleeping and would awaken whenever he was good and ready.

And didn't that just make perfect sense? Knowing Severus Snape as well as she did, having observed him as his student for more than six years. Yes, it made perfect sense that he wouldn't be waking up until he was ready.

"Ms. Granger, how are you feeling dear?" She was greeted by the mediwitch who had been taking care of Severus for the better part of the last week, she was one of the only ones willing to get anywhere near the wizard. Everyone seemed to be of the opinion that when he woke up it would be with wand blazing, attacking everyone in his general vicinity.

Hermione thought they were silly, it was silly to think a man as stoic, as controlled as Severus Snape would attack anyone without first evaluating the entirety of a situation, even if he was asleep.

"I'm well, thank you Helena, have you heard anything about your sister?" The brunette smiled, amber eyes sparkled as she turned to face the witch who was only a tad older than herself. She'd only just completed her Hogwarts education and gone on to her specialization four years prior. She was a new medic, and Hermione was glad she was such a good one.

"She's had the baby, only just last night! Can you believe it? A healthy little girl!" The witch gushed, her eyes bright and her face tinged red with her excitement. Straight locks of blonde hair escaped her bun and made her look a bit frazzled, Hermione could imagine she must be. She would have been the one to deliver the baby, her sister had insisted.

"Congratulations! And what have they named her?" She grinned at the medic. It was easy to stuff her own unhappiness to the deepest recesses of her mind when she could focus on the happiness of others, and the birth of a baby was indeed the happiest of occasions.

"Her name is, well- I, I hope it does not bother you but..." She trailed, nibbling at her lip and Hermione shook her head.

"Why on earth would the name of a child bother me?" She waved a hand, the other hooking into her curls.

"Well, they've named her Hermione, you see, they want her to grow up to be as influential as you have been." Hermione stopped moving, her stomach flipped over inside her and she couldn't for the life of her remember how to breathe.

She was floored. She never would have expected anyone to name a child after her, her! It was absurd! She wasn't anything special, she was no one in the grand scheme of things.

"Oh, well then, wow." It was all she could manage, her eyes still wide on the mediwitch who gave her a broad smile.

"I told them that I knew you, that I was taking care of your friend and that I was sure you wouldn't mind, but that you may not quite understand why." The blonde came around to the other side of Severus' bed and began to straighten his sheets by hand, her wand forgotten for the moment as the witches were engaged in conversation.
"You are one of the three most important people in saving our world, Ms. Granger, you have to know that so many witches, and even wizards look up to you. The muggleborn witch who used her wits and complex knowledge of magic to save us from the greatest threat we've ever known." The witch looked down at Severus' hand, his fingers twitched, a normal occurrence.

He seemed to be locked in a dream for the better part of his time asleep, twitching, his eyes moving behind their lids, but not waking.

"I understand, do tell your sister how flattered I am." Hermione managed with all the grace of a heffalump- she thought- before she said her goodbyes and watched as the mediwitch left the room.