The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 1

The serpent had delivered on his promise but the battle had been hard won and when the pride had realized all that had happened. They took the lioness away, far away to keep her safe from the believed the evil the serpent still had inside.

oOOo

Ginny sighed heavily looking down at Hermione's sleeping form while the Healer checked her vitals. She had been asleep since they had brought her to their home, having quickly converted their meager study into some semblance of a bedroom. They had pushed everything to the walls, the desk was laden with books and other papers with hardly enough room for anything else, it was hardly anything to be proud off but they had done their best.

The bed that Hermione laid on was hardly large enough for her, having been hastily transfigured from the desk chair, its sheets snatched from the upstairs closet and shrunk to fit the frame. The blanket had been one of the gifts Molly had given them as a wedding present and as winter started to come into season, it hardly seemed adequate.

They had stood watch in shifts, neither one able to truly sleep. With Harry slated to return to work tomorrow and nearly two days having already passed, the couple was beyond exhausted.

They had made a promise that one if not both of them would be there when she woke, though as the hours had dragged on, their hope had started to turn sour. The healer came once each day, in the late evening after his shift. They had all agreed, never to reveal what he had done for them as it would most likely send him on a one way trip to Azkaban.

"She's fine, sleeping still, her body is just trying to reorient itself."

Ginny nodded, he had said it could take up to 72 hours before she would come around but all Ginny could see was her wasting away like she had when she had first fallen ill. Even though she looked healthy now, Ginny still held her concerns.

"What about Professor Snape?"

Draco had taken him away, just as they had Hermione, despite the warnings. He was extremely protective of him and refused everyone except the Healer who had fought and urged him to see reason.

"He's coming around..."

Ginny noticed his skittish nature and narrowed her. eyes, "He's ordered you not to say anything hasn't he?"

He gave her a solemn nod. Snape was not a man he dared to cross, even as invalid as he was, there would be a time when he wouldn't be and he very much valued the breath in his lungs.

"I had mentioned the memory loss, yes?" He pulled the blanket back under Hermione's chin before pushing himself up to his feet.

Ginny crossed her arms but nodded her head, "How far back...has he gone?"

"Far enough. I don't think it wise to approach until he's collected all the time he's lost..."

Ginny's eyes turned to Hermione, deeply sad, "Will it happen to her too?"

"It's hard to say...her mind was already damaged before this...I really can't say where she'll wake up..."

"But she will wake up." Harry's voice joined them then as he came into the room having put Albus to bed.

"Undoubtedly, I would guess in the next 12 hours or so." He turned going to his bag, "She'll feel weak, but it will only be temporary. Still, these potions will help with the pain. Her back was very difficult to mend. No doubt she will have discomfort for a while." He pulled out six potions and two salves setting them out on the tiny space the desk had left. As he explained their purpose and their schedule after which his time piece let out a soft chirp.