Always

Chapter 5

Hey my lovelies!
Felt bad for not updating in a while so I decided to write these three chapters for something to read while I work on the rest. Love you all very much!!!

Hermione's head hurt. She felt groggy. It felt as if she had been asleep for days.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. She blinked slowly a few times to get her vision to focus. She looked around as she focused on her surroundings. White walls covered the room, gold curtains hung from the window where soft, warm sunlight was seeping in. A dresser stood facing her against the wall opposite from her. A chestnut dresser. Her dresser.

She was home. She was back at the castle. She was in her bed.

Hermione stretched slowly, her muscles feeling stiff. She heard a sound coming from the living room. She used her arms to push herself into a sitting position. Her muscles screamed in defiance. She winced as her sore muscles retracted again once comfortable.

"Sev?" She called, managing nothing more than a whisper.
She tried clearing her throat.
"Sev?" Hermione tried again, this time getting a hoarse sound escaping from her mouth.

Silence.

Then two sets of footsteps. One set was slow, relaxed and the other fast and eager.

A little head of black curls bounced through the doorway.

"Momma! Momma!" The little girl shrieked excitedly.

"Bree!" Hermione felt goosebumps raise as she caught her daughter, who had jumped into her arms.

She smiled, laughed and cried in relief as she held her little girl.

"Careful, little one," Severus said as he entered the room carrying a tray.

Hermione beamed up at him.

He set the tray doen in the beside table next to her.

"Hello, my love," he said as he planted a kiss on her forehead, Bree taking up all other parts of her.

"Oh, Sev," Hermione said softly as she kissed him gently.

"Momma, momma, look!" Bree said, demanding her mother's attention.

Hermione looked over at the little toddler as she showed off her pink and purple fluffy boots.

"Very pretty, my princess," Hermione said with a smile.

Bree giggled proudly, convinced she had made a good choice choosing them.

"Momma, I love you." Said the little girl with a smile that lit up the room.

"I love you, too," Hermione said as Bree hugged her tightly before running off to busy herself with her toys.

Severus sat next to her, letting Hermione lean her head against his chest. She breathed in his scent as if it were the first time she were smelling it. The smell of parchment, potions, and spices filled her nostrils.

Hermione breathed heavily, the smell intoxicating after what felt like a decade long slumber.

"How are you feeling?" Severus asked softly.

"Hmm..." Hermione answered.

"Hungry?" He asked as he reached over for the tray.

Hermione smiled.