The Power of Pain

Chapter 21

Severus gently closed her eyes and pushed himself up. He saw Draco just standing there, watching them. He narrowed his eyes just a bit at him before deciding it wasn't worth it. 

"You have your temporal reader, I have mine," he tapped his temple with his finger, "She's fine." He lied dismissively, though his voice didn't sound as strong as it should have. He took hold of his chair turning it to face away from the lounge and back to the center of the room, motioning for Draco to join him.

"Right..." Draco glanced down once more before moving to take his seat. He glanced around the corner, he could still see her face but the rest of her body was obscured from view with Severus' own. "Does uh...she do that often?" His words were as clumsy as it felt, falling from his lips and even worse of a question. He shifted awkwardly in his chair, unable to stop looking at her. The image of her bloodied and bruised face overlaying the clean if not thin one before him. His mind was so tired, he just wanted to rest.

"It is not, not a recent affliction," his voice was distant as he leaned down to pick a book from the top of the stack. "You are too tired to apparate home." He didn't look at Draco as he pulled open the book. "Rest now." He glared at him over the edge of the book. He was extremely tired of dealing with the both of them at the moment and just wanted some peace.

Draco nodded his head just a little, his body having already slouched heavily into the comfortable chair. His eyes fluttered closed and he was out in moments.

Severus let out a deep grumble as he wondered just where he'd gone wrong to end up saddled with two young adults that sought to nothing more than his provocation.

oOo

Hermione also eventually fell into a light slumber, her breathing had evened out after she watched Snape leave. She had the answers she was searching for and in the midst of forming a plan to help the man who had so selflessly helped her; she found herself drifting between the void again, falling into a dreamless sleep.

Draco was not as lucky, having seen the girl looking at him so fiercely had left him unbalanced. Though his dreams were more a series of sounds than anything solid, it did cause him to stir slightly in the chair. He didn't make any real noises of discomfort as he slept but it his brow was furrowed with his inner struggle.

Severus had diligently ignored them both for at least an hour. He had a headache growing from the stress of it all. He had glanced to Draco noticing his discomfort but as the boy was in no real danger, he let him be. He also checked behind him as well. Hermione too appeared to be asleep again. She was curled up on her side one hand tucked under her head the other curled into her own shirt against her chest.

With both of his burdens sufficiently out for the count, he pushed himself up to finish his tasks. He wondered if he would be able to make a trip to the store during their rest. He lingered over the thought only briefly before deciding not to risk it.

Draco would be well enough left on his own but he wasn't so sure about Granger. She had made progress yes, but not so much that he would trust her care to another. So instead, he worked on unpacking the trunk Draco had brought him. Taking the years old clothes up to his room setting them to rights in the closet. All the while keeping an ear out for any distress.

As he was hanging one of his old cloaks, one that was just slightly too small for him now, a fire having singed a hole at the one side, something fell from the pocket. It tinged against the wood floor with a high pitched sound before rolling away.