A one time thing {Severus Snape}

Chapter 11: Holding

A/N: Usual disclaimer. I owe nothing, not even my "Harry Potter" books, as technically they're my mums!

Meg opened her eyes and moaned as pain shot through her forehead. She frowned, raising her hand to her head. Where was she?

"Megan?" a soft voice came somewhere from her right.

She knew that voice, she struggled to remember why she knew that voice. Then it came to her, everything; all at once, where she was, why she was there.

"Madam Pomfrey?" She tried to pull herself up, but a hand gripped her left shoulder gently and prevented her from getting right up.

"Tim? Is Tim alright?" she gasped.

"Yes, child, he's just fine." Poppy Pomfrey's face came into view.

Meg frowned, unless Poppy was extremely long armed, it wasn't her hand holding her down. She looked at the hand on her shoulder and followed the tight, buttoned black coat sleeve, up into black robes and up to Snapes' face.

"Severus!" She blinked, he was sitting beside her in the chair.

"Megan." He arched an eyebrow. "Glad you decided to join us again."

"How long... where is Tim?" She fought against his hand to sit up.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance; but he helped her to sit up against the headboard.

"Tim is doing just fine, he went back to his common room with nothing more than a chill that we dispatched very quickly." Madam Pomfrey was very cheerful as she stood smiling down at Meg.

A slice of irrational fear shot through her that made her heart beat faster, for a few seconds she had thought he was dead.

"He's not..." she shook her head unable to say the words.

"He's not what?" asked Madam Pomfrey frowning in confusion. But Snape knew what she was trying to say.

"No, Megan, he's not, although he would be if I could get hold of him. Stupid damn trick to pull," he snorted. "Which brings me to your rather fool hardy exploits."

Meg closed her eyes, not wanting to hear the verbal bashing she was sure he was going to give her.

"Please, Severus, just go," she whispered.

Snape's hand left her shoulder instantly and he stood up quickly.

"As you wish," he murmured and clutching his robes to him he swept out of the room.

Meg bit her lip hard. She didn't want him to go she wanted him to pull her close, stroke her hair and tell her that things were okay. She was caught in her nightmare, with no way out.

"Is your head hurting?" asked Poppy softly.

"Yes... no... yes... I sent him away," she groaned, talking more to herself that Poppy.

"Yes, you did." Poppy sat on the edge of her bed. "Severus has been here since you were brought in early this morning. He hasn't left your side once."

Meg stared at the older woman in disbelief.

"I tried to send him away but he wasn't having any of it."

"Why would he do that?"

"I think that's something you should ask him," she smiled and then stood up.

"Let me get you one of your own potions..." She grinned and disappeared out of the ward, leaving Meg still staring at where Snape had sat.

She was struggling with her thoughts and emotions. Half of her wanted to bawl her eyes out, the other half wanted to get out of the bed and go and find him, demand why he had sat with her. She was confused, so confused. He gave no indication that he felt anymore than a mild liking for her. Had never even suggested anything else; so why had he sat with her?