A Chance of Breath. A Severus Snape Fanfiction (Stopped)

Chapter 8: Crossed Lines and Last Times

Minerva was writing calmly at her desk when her fireplace flared up and in walked, or fell, Hermione.
"Miss Granger?" She asked, just as the girl collapsed.
Minerva was up quicker than even she thought possible, sending a Patronus to the Great Hall, calling for Poppy and Miss Weasely. For it was lunchtime and that is where there were likely to be.
She knelt down to the unconscious girl, gently resting a hand to her forehead, discovering her​ to be surprisingly cold, just as both Witches came running to the room. Poppy was immediately by her side, checking over Hermione, whilst Ginny remained by the door.
"What happened?" She asked, as the Headmistress came to stand next to her, looking at her with unhidden concern.
" I don't know, she just got back. Came in through the Floo and just, fainted." They both stepped aside as Poppy levitated Hermione down to the Infirmary, and followed after her.
"What do you think they did to her?" Ginny asked, her voice breaking at the thought of what her best friend must have been through to actually pass out. Minerva just shook her head in response.
"I dread to think." She said gruffly. Ginny let out a long breath, before looking at her Headmistress.
"It must have been pretty bad. She was tortured, and she didn't become unconscious then, yet one trip to the Ministry and she passes out?" She said as they walked into the room, to find Hermione already lying peacefully​ on one of the handful of beds around them.
"Hmm." Minerva said, looking slightly angry, though Ginny knew it was not directed at her. Poppy walked past them and smiled as she poured Potion into Hermione's mouth.
"I wouldn't think to much on it my dears. There is not much we can do. She​ will be okay. She is just exhausted. She needs rest." She said softly. Minerva nodded in response.
"Thank you Poppy, please let me know when she​ is awake. I shall see you later Miss Weasely." She said calmly to the worried Redhead, placing a reassuring hand briefly on her shoulder. Ginny smiled gratefully in return, and, after watching her friend for a little while longer, left to write to her Fiancée.
***
Hermione slowly opened her eyes to a soft light. Opening them fully, she groaned as she realised she was in the Infirmary.
"How do you feel?" A deep voice cut through the silence. She smiled softly and turned to see Snape, looking even paler than he normally did, standing beside the partitions surrounding her bed.
"Like the Ministry has tested every capability I have, and humiliated me in front of people I have never met before." She said weakly. Snape chuckled but winced as pain shot through his temple. He hissed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Hermione watched him with concern, before their encounter a few weeks ago flashed through her mind, causing her​ to blush and look down at her lap. This was the first time they had seen each other outside of class since that moment.
"Look, I'm... I'm sorry about the other week." She said quietly, continuing to stare at her lap.
"Why?" He replied, sounding tired. She looked up in surprise.
"Why what? Why did I do it?"
"Yes that, and also why are you sorry?" He asked, staring at her with dark eyes.
"I. I don't know why. And, because you're​ my teacher. I shouldn't have done it." She explained. Sounding just as unsure as she felt. Snape nodded and coughed as a lump began to form in his throat.
"Well. Now we are being forced to live very different lives." He said, praying Hermione wouldn't hear the pain in his voice. No such luck.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked gently.
"Exactly what I said. You have to live your life and I must live mine. He will be a lucky Wizard Hermione. To have you. I would say the luckiest Wizard." He said, cursing himself for crossing over the line from teacher and student to friendship again. But as Hermione let out a sob, and covered her mouth he couldn't stop himself as he went over to her.
"Professor, I..." She began, but took a deep breath and straightened herself up, looking him directly in the eye. "As she will be a very lucky Witch, whoever she is."
Snape closed his eyes, breathing slightly deeper than he had, as if he was crying. Hermione watched him inquisitively as his eyes opened once more, a look of determination evident across his otherwise pained features. He moved so he was stood directly next to the bed, and, within the blink of an eye, had pulled Hermione to him, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her.
Hermione blinked in shock as his lips met hers. But quickly recovered, and grasped the front of his robes. She swung her legs round, leaving them either side of Snape, as his hand went to her hair, kissing her with such force it took her breath away, but at the same time seemed to give her a different sort of energy. She pulled him closer as his tongue found its way into her mouth, starting a fight for control. She could feel tears fall as she kissed him. Desperation began to take over as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him flush against her, his erection evident through the few layers of clothing that separated their two bodies.
Hermione ran her hands through his hair, the revelation that it would be the only chance she got making her cry even more, even as heat began to coarse through her veins. She was on fire, and, as much as she didn't understand quite was happening to her body, she knew she liked it, and began to kiss him with as much passion as she could muster.
Snape groaned into her mouth, his arm snaking around her waist, the other remained holding her lips to his own.
He shuddered as Hermione ran her hands down his chest, and back up to his neck.
Tearing his own heart in the process, Snape lent away from Hermione, rested his forehead against hers, and closed his eyes. He became aware of her body shaking slightly, and opened his eyes to finds tears streaming down her face. He gently rested his hands on both of her cheeks, using his thumbs to wipe away the offending drops, as she looked up at him with wide, red-rimmed eyes.
"I'm so sorry I missed my chance." He said, mentally slapping himself as he heard his own voice break, and felt the lump in his throat almost choking him. With one last kiss to her forehead, he spun on his heel and stormed away from her bed, out of the Infirmary, and leaving a highly distraught Witch in his wake.
Hermione let her hands fall to her lap, before curling into a ball on the bed, crying harder than she could ever remember doing in the past. Slowly, as sleep began to over take her, she became very aware of a tight pain in her chest. A clenching that made her curl up as much as she could, grasping the edge of the duvet with white knuckles as deep sobs racked her body.
Sure enough, exhaustion soon won, and she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.