The Power of Pain

Chapter 40

Severus reared backward as he snapped into his mind. The last thing he could recall was the light racing towards him followed by a deep roar. He had braced himself, ready to take whatever it would give him.

As the disorientation started to abate he was suddenly aware of the burning against his arm. He hissed ripping his wand from his sleeve, his eyes catching sight of the girl behind it.

"Granger..." Her eyes were open now staring straight ahead, glassy, like death. He dropped his wand onto the lounge reaching forward. Her skin was still warm, he leaned down pressing his ear to her heart.

"No, don't you dare..." The words left his mouth of their own volition and he scrambled to find his wand.

Suddenly, she took in a great breath, arching off the lounge. He stilled his hand over his wand watching as her eyes slowly came back into focus before sliding closed.

He searched all over her face before finally landing on her ear, his brows furrowing as he leaned in closer. A black liquid was starting to ooze down from inside. It wasn't blood, or at least it wasn't her blood but other than that he was at a loss.

He quickly pulled the vial from his pocket, whispering a cleaning charm before pressing into the black liquid. It went in like tar slowly filling the small vial. His eyes shot back to her face as it filled. She was breathing calmly as if she were merely asleep, he pulled the vial back, stoppering it. He would examine it later.

His breathing was making him light headed as he turned his attention fully back to the woman prone before him. She was alive...or at least some semblance of it.

He took a few deep breaths to keep himself from blacking out, a searing pain echoing through his skull made him grind his teeth.

"Open your eyes..." He whispered ignoring his own pain, he leaned forward gently cradling her head,

The ticking of the clock became deafening as he waited, his heart sinking down with each passing second.

Come back to me...

His sadness was slowly turning to anger. His grip tightened fractionally as the seconds continued to tick by.

"Mmmm...?"

His heart skipped, surely he'd imagined it, his brain was pulsing threatening to tear his skull asunder.

"Se...v'rus...?

Hermione. His jaw was clenched too tight to form her name, though it had bravely attempted to pass through.

A growing smile drew lazily over her lips and her head turned slightly into his hand. Her beautiful honey hued eyes revealed themselves and her smile grew even more.

"You said my name..." Her voice was low as if she'd woken from a deep sleep.

Snape shook his head in denial, a bit taken aback by her sudden spring back into life.

Hermione felt his hands pull back and slowly shifted onto her side her smile never faulting, "Yes you did... I heard you..."

Severus clenched his jaw even tighter. How dare she scare him like that! His lip curled and he gave her a look that would have sent even the Dark Lord fleeing from his presence.