Healing A Broken Heart: Snamione Love Story

Stealing The Gold

Severus' PoV:

I woke to the shadows of people standing around my bed, my eyes blinded by the sun shining into the room. I groaned and rubbed my head as I sat up, recovering from my deep slumber.

"Goodness, Severus! I never thought you were going to wake up! You've slept for a week!" Minerva exclaimed, a tad bit of stress in her voice.

The shadows merged into sillhoutettes of people as my eyes adjusted. I saw Minerva, Alastor, Poppy, Ponoma, and Filius gathered around my bed.

"What the bloody hell? Why are you all gathered about me? What do you want?" My mind raced with questions as the group stared.

Suddenly, everything came rushing back to me. Hermione. Where was she? Was she alright? Had Rumpelstiltskin gotten to her? That no good git! What had he done now?

"Hermione!" I shouted in distress, panic rushing through me. "Where is she?" I turned to McGonagall. She would know where the girl was, she was a mother to the girl.

Without speaking, a few of the group stepped back to reveal a slumbering Hermione in the chair next to my bed. Poor girl, she looked exhausted.

"She hasn't left since the morning after the first night, she refuses to leave. She cares for you, Severus." Minerva spoke up, with a small look of disdain, no...worry, flashing across her features.

"So I have been told." I replied, unsure what to say to make Minerva comfortable. I doubt there was anything I could say.

"Do you, Severus?" She asked quietly. "Do you care about the girl? As much as she cares for you?" She glanced up at me for a second before looking back down at her wringing hands.

"I'm sure you did not being all these people here to discuss my feelings, Minerva. Please tell me the real topic of discussion." I cast her a glance, quickly changing the discussion at hand.

"Yes, very well." Filius stepped forward from the group that was now in a circle enveloping the Hermione and I. "We are really here because we need help. A strange man showed up at the school shortly after you and Hermione arrived last week and threatened you, Hermione, and anyone who tried to help you. He said he was determined to get you and nothing and no one would stand in his way."

"A man with golden brown hair and Scottish decent?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. How did you know?" Alastor asked, stepping forward.

"It's my brother, Rumpelstiltskin. He swore vengeance on me for helping Sirius Black and now he is taking it out on Hermione. This is all my fault." I seethed, my anger increasing with each word that left my mouth.

"You know him?" Alastor raged.

"You never told me you had a brother!" Minerva cried.

"Are you mad, man? Why didn't you tell us this before?" Filus cried.

"I love you, Severus, and no fairytale knockoff is changing that." Hermione's small voice rose above the rest of the chaos as she stepped forward and gingerly took my rough and large hand in her small, smooth one. "I've told you that before and I'll tell you again. I love you...always." She said, making everyone around us uncomfortable.

"Hermione, that's amazing." I replied, nervous as to what the opinions about us were. "But Rumple is not to be underestimated. He is powerful...more powerful than any of us. He can control things we can only dream of controlling, dreams being one of them. He's different than us, better. I care about you too much to lose you for something as worthless as him." I explained, putting as much feeling and as little emotion into it as I could.

"I understand." She said, pulling back. I could see in her eyes she didn't understand, though. I could see she was hurt at my words. I wanted to kiss her endlessly and apologize for not being there for her fully right now, but I couldn't. Not in front of Minerva and the gang. "I-I have to go." She said, rushing out of the room with tears in her eyes.

My chest felt hollow and empty as I realized I had made her cry. What had I done wrong? All I wanted was for us to be happy together, but we never could be for some unknown reason!

"She's not displeased with your plan, Severus. She's upset you didn't say you loved her, too. She thinks you are embarrassed by your love." Minerva spoke up, aftering dismissing the small group to search and bring Hermione back to the hospital wing to continued to be cared for.

I knew they wouldn't find her, hough. Hermione Granger was smart and stubborn, a combination that could be dangerous. If she didn't want to be found by those looking, she wouldn't be. She wouldn't be back here for a while. Plenty of time for me to concoct an average apology.

"We are your friends here, Severus. We know you love her. She loves you. This is no dream, Severus. You finally found someone to be happy with again, don't let some immaturity and fear of judgment ruin that." She said and walked out on me.