Mended

Two

July filters through with a blazing heat as Danu realizes that it had now been exactly ten weeks since the war. Ten long, lonely, terrifying weeks she had been cooped up in this hospital room, desperate for Severus to wake. No one had a solid answer for her as to why he was still lying unconscious; some said exhaustion, others believed it to be psychosomatic, Danu, however, had begun to fully blame herself. She panicked and administered the anti-venom too late, or perhaps had given him too many Blood-Replenishing Potions. Whichever it may be, she was certain that she was fully to blame for his current condition. Severus had begun flexing his fingers more frequently, occasionally acting as if he were trying to squeeze her hand but didn't quite have the strength. His mouth would fall open at least once a day, and a deep groan would escape, giving her hope that he would, in fact, speak again someday. His eyes though remained sealed.

Four times a day a healer enters the room for the millionth time to check Severus' vitals and administer strengthening potions, twice daily they preform mobility exercises to prevent his muscles from becoming too atrophied and his joints from seizing up once he wakes. The healers had taught Danu the techniques, and so it became a twice daily ritual for her to massage the muscles and work the joints on his right side, while a healer mirrors her movements on his left as the two of them slowly make their way down his body until they reach his feet, where they each massage the arch of his foot, rolling his ankle in a tight circle, then placing his foot on their shoulder and bending his knees forward towards his chest several times. She had learned how to prop pillows under sections of his body as to move him every hour, had mastered washing his hair in a basin without soaking him, became an expert at sponge bathing him every evening without his skin prickling with goosebumps, and was confident enough to position him to clean his teeth without water and toothpaste sliding down his throat. Three times a week she shaved his face the exact way she had seen him do nearly every morning the two of them were together. While the healers insisted she did not need to be the one to administer this level of care, she knew Severus would not want a stranger performing many of these duties for him. Five weeks in, Danu asked whether she could bring Severus home to Spinner's End and care for him in private where she believed he would be more comfortable, after much debate, the head healer's all agreed that St Mungo's was the best place for him to be until further notice.

Harry still came often, though not as frequently, which meant Ron, Mister Weasley, and Hermione also came less and less. Harry had proposed to his girlfriend, Ginny Weasley, at the end of June, and the two were busy planning the wedding for the following summer. Draco stopped by at least once every two weeks, though his visits had become shorter each time. Danu did not blame any of them, they had their own lives to live and a type of peace and freedom none of them had ever experienced before. McGonagall was the only one who kept up their frequent visitation schedule, though, she still did not speak to him. She would look down at him, a look of pain in her eyes before patting his hand motherly and slowly leaving the room. Even the reporters had stopped showing up outside of his door, and for this, she was thankful.

A brown haired healer named Jean, Danu's favorite of the day-time healers, finishes administering Severus' morning potion and turns slightly to smile at her, her que to begin the massage routine. Danu attempts to stand, when an overwhelming bout of dizziness consumes her, nearly sending her to her knees. She feels herself pale as she begins to sweat profusely and dry heave. Jean was at her side in a flash, she holds her by her elbow and steers her back to her seat before reaching over her and placing a warm, wet rag on her forehead. Danu holds the rag as her hands shake and her heart pounds.

"Oh, deary. Wait here, I'm going to get Madam Rosemarie."

"No, no. I'm all right, really. Just stood up too quickly." Danu tries to assure her, but as she turns towards the door, she finds Jean long gone.