Redemption II

Chapter 82

The night burned long as both Hermione and Severus struggled to get comfortable on the overstuffed bed. Their injuries had made it nearly impossible to sleep the way they were accustomed to. Hermione had tried and failed to rest herself against Severus in any way and finally had to concede to sleeping flat on her back with her arm around her waist. She'd woken up numerous times during the night in pain before finally taking the potion that Librous had given her, without Severus' knowledge or approval. She'd fallen into a deep sleep after that, her rest filled with beautiful dreams of a castle in it's prime.

Severus too had woken off and on through the night but had chosen his own stores to take. It had eased his body long enough for him to rest, though somewhat uneasily. His dreams too filled with the castle, and its past inhabitants though not as pleasant. His brain had created many a plausible scenario for what might have been lurking in the east wing. He woke at sunrise to find a clean pitcher of water and two more vials of potions. He'd taken note that the one Hermione had been meant to take was empty and nearly felt his heart jump from his chest.

Though when he had turned to check on her condition he found her sleeping peacefully beside him. It had been against his better judgment but he had taken the potion given to him and found his entire body free of any pain and completely relaxed, so much so that he actually fell back into a proper restful sleep.

oOo

Hermione sighed softly shifting from her back onto her side, the pain in her body completely taken away. She could feel Severus breathing beside her and subconsciously reached out to touch him. His response was a soft relaxed groan and a shift of his arm allowing her to move closer and into his side. As Hermione nestled her head into his shoulder, the first rays of the risen sun starting to warm her face. She laid there enjoying the sound of his heart before she remembered exactly where they were.

Her eyes snapped open with a small jolt before she squinted against the light filling the room. Bringing a hand up to shield her eyes from the glare, she was shocked to realize that she was able to move her injured arm with little to no pain. She shifted just a little raising her arm to test her range of movement to find that she was almost back to full strength. Had he put bruise salve on her while she slept? She couldn't smell it and her clothes weren't sticking to her. The only reasonable conclusion was that the potion Librous had given her had done something that no other potion of their time had been able to do.

She turned her eyes towards the bedside table to find a pitcher of water, two golden goblets, two more potions and a small plate of fruits that were in season. She shifted just a bit more to look into Severus' exhausted sleeping face before mother nature came knocking. She let out a small whine leaning up to kiss Severus' jaw before she pulled herself from his side. She was able to put some weight on her shoulder as she climbed off the other side but she was still careful.

Hermione slipped into her shoes to avoid the cold chill of the stone floor before turning her head around the room in search of a door that would possibly lead to the bathroom. She looked back to make sure she hadn't disturbed Severus before moving towards the center of the large space.

Finding something that looked like a hidden door she moved over giving it a gentle push, it released to her and her eyes went wide at the large room inside. Nearly the size of the prefect's bathroom at Hogwarts, Hermione turned her head in awe at beautifully designed stonework of the master bath. It was large enough to fit at least ten people and the stone of which it was made was a beautiful rose pink. The room also held what appeared to be a dressing table, complete with various brushes and what she could assume to be perfumes, laying in various stages of dust and a large partition off to the side. She slipped into the room without a second thought.