The Power of Pain

Chapter 18

Hermione turned slowly holding herself a bit tighter as a small flicker of pain reached her. She could still feel her body but it was odd like everything was dulled. She took in all that was around her. It was the first time she had been in someone else's mind. It felt, weird. She could feel his presence all around her. Though she could see him standing just to her side; it was more than just feeling someone standing next to you. It was like he was completely wrapped around her entire being. It felt...nice.

The place in which they stood slowly grew in depth. A soft blue light coming down from above illuminating door after door. She turned as each one appeared in the layered circles around them. Were these his walls? The things he used to keep others out? She felt an itch to try and open one but quickly stopped herself. She was quite sure, that her lust for information would have been grievously unappreciated given the circumstances. As she turned full circle her eyes landing back on him she felt him speak.

"The pain?"

"Better...it's fading away..." She rubbed her sides a bit.

"You will need to remain strong." The visage in front of her didn't move but a row of doors behind her turned silently in their circle.

"I know..." She felt slightly offended at the statement and even gave him a mild glare. Her focused wavered and she felt herself slipping back into her own mind.

He could have stopped her, but a lesson needed to be learned. He sighed slowly and opened his eyes pulling his hands back from her temples.

The first thing she realized was the fingers on her temples slowly pulling back; the next was that her body felt stronger than before; like it was filled with an energy that wasn't hers, then a very faint headache. She rubbed her head a little pushing herself up more in the lounge.

"That was weird..." She felt him rather than saw him smile just the faintest bit.

"There is a reason skills such as mine are rare and highly sought after." His voice was flat with almost a hint of resentment as he pushed himself up. He took hold of her plate making for the kitchen leaving her with her thoughts.

Hermione couldn't help but pout and rub at her forehead. The final potion he had given her made her feel extremely relaxed; however, after her brief trip, she felt tense again. Was it possibly his tension she was feeling? If it was he seriously needed to relax. She wanted very much to tell him but she had a feeling that would make the already wound man tighter.

She sighed softly as she tried to remember the pull between them. Hearing his thoughts had proven a rather easy endeavor in comparison to being in his mind and actually seeing into it. His mind was exhausting. She tried to picture the small thread that joined them since he had saved her from herself.
She listened to him wash up their breakfast dishes from the kitchen and sighed facing toward the window more; she chewed her thumbnail as she let her mind drift.

Severus finished in no time, pulling his sleeves back and buttoning them up after having dried his hands. He turned towards his china cabinet and pulled the small pensive from the shelf. He took a deep breath and pulled out the three memories the hospital had given him. It was a small step, but he needed to be sure the girl was strong enough to face what was to come. He turned the vials slowly in his palm before slipping all but one into his pocket. He took a breath as he moved to return to the sitting area.