Senses

Chapter 14

The night had waned and silence had fallen over the castle. The night lamps long having been lit. Midnight was quickly approaching and though most of the inhabitants of the castle had taken refuge in their beds to rest, high up in the tower overlooking it all, another was just waking.

Severus felt as though he'd gained ten stone. His normal tense and spring-tight muscles feeling like nothing but mash. His brain had sparked to sudden life when he was able to register the feeling of small cool hands touching his skin. They were too small to have been Granger's and had thus kicked his brain into overdrive.

He couldn't feel her beside him and even though his brain was heavy he was very certain she had been in his arms when he'd passed out. It took him precious seconds to open his eyes only for his heart to skip at the sight of the empty bed beside him.

He was on his back now, the hands doing something with his shoulder. His eyes rolled under his partially closed lids as he tried to get his brain to stop spinning. It was an admirable effort but one that was ultimately useless. His voice rumbled in the back of his throat before two large soft eyes came into his field of vision.

"It is alright Headmaster, Misty means you no harm. Misty is healing your shoulder." The elderly elf gave the man a soft smile. Dressed in clean white hospital wing attire. She was stationed to help Madame Pomphrey with daily tasks though was more than trained enough to handle his injuries and had even seen to him in the past.

Severus let out a soft grunt, his recognition of the elf only sating his worry for the moment before his tongue finally lifted from his dry mouth to speak. His head turned away to try and see to the side, "The girl?"

"Safe, she is resting." The elf pointed just beyond the large bed where she'd summoned a smaller bed for the girl to rest on while she worked on healing the headmaster. It had bars along the sides like a child's bed to keep her from rolling off as the girl had been more than disoriented when she'd first woken.

Now, Hermione was resting peacefully. Dressed in borrowed pajamas from the hospital wing. She laid curled up in a small ball inside the bed, her rest aided by dreamless sleep that had been a rather difficult challenge for the elf to administer. She had cleaned and washed her bruised frame after she had been put out before starting her work on Severus.

Severus let out a slow groan of pain rolling his head back towards the ceiling. The elf returned to her task in silence, his body more than grateful for her skilled hands. He had suspicions as to whom had summoned her but at present didn't have the capacity to feel grateful. Instead, he closed his eyes again; allowing the elf to work without his constant grumblings; drifting away once more.

oOo

When his body would feel like his own again the peek of the night had fallen, giving way to early morning. He could smell the sterile bandages that wrapped his shoulder in place before he'd even opened his eyes. His body felt strong and his mind clear as he roused himself from the deep clutches of unconsciousness.

A deep breath raised his head from the pillow beneath and he managed to push himself upright with his good arm. The wrap itself came around his bare chest and under his armpit. He could feel the various charms doing their best to keep the injured muscle still so that it would heal. An experimental flex of his hand brought only a dull pulse before his eyes finally opened to bring the dimly lit room into focus.

Immediately, his head turned seeking the girl he had rescued once again. She remained as she had been, swaddled up in a blanket no doubt taken from the hospital wing with clothes to match. Her head was hidden down into the blankets but he could just make out the shallow rise and fall of her side. The harsh breaths that had carried him into darkness had gone, leaving nothing but a soft sighing hum in their wake.