Snape's One Wish

Chapter 14: Summer

Several days had passed since Angelica and Harry were admitted to the hospital wing. The castle had grown quiet and gloomy since the news of the two students was announced a week ago.

Severus and Vanessa waited in anticipation, hanging on to the hope that Angelica would wake soon. Severus was stricter and grumpier than ever, the stress and anxiety getting to him.

Hermione and Ron had been discharged five days ago and visited their friends every day. Telling them what they missed, talking to them as if they were awake and listening to every word.

Severus, going against Madam Pomfry's orders, stayed by Angelica's side every night, terrified something could possibly happen to her. Every night, Poppy would see a figure of a man and jump in fright. She'd quickly recover from her fright, as soon as she laid eyes on the familiar black robes.

Severus's skin had gotten paler and his hair had become greasy. His eyes darted to develop dark circles under them and it was starting to be vaguely obvious he's forgetting take care of himself.

Poppy changed a bed and replaced it with fresh sheets and waved her wand to disregard the old ones. She slowly walked over to Severus and stood beside him, looking at him with sympathy.

"You know, Severus. I haven't seen you so affectionate towards a student until Angelica. It's a nice change, she brings the better out of you." She told him a clam, sweet voice.

Severus looked up from Angelica and looked at the healer with an expression she couldn't identify. She stared at her in silence before turn ring his focus back on his daughter.

"That's kind of you to say. I don't think I even deserve her as my daughter." Severus admitted, giving up his act and opening up to a dear friend.

"What would make you say such a thing, Severus?" Poppy asked him, unsure on where his thought came from.

"You can't pretend like I'm a saint, I've done some terrible things in the past." Severus explained, not taking his eyes off his daughter.

"Severus, I know what happened in the past and you can't continue to blame yourself for it. You need to let go of the past, so you can focus on your future." Poppy stated with her words of wisdom.

"I don't understand how even after all of it, you still being yourself to talk to me." Severus told her.

"You're only human, Severus. And people make mistakes. No one's perfect but, we take our mistakes and learn from them. To prevent them from repeating, it's how we grow." Poppy explained kindly, hoping her words provided him with the comfort he was unknowingly searching for.

"I guess you're right." Severus sighed, looking at his daughter lying lifeless on her bed.

"Severus, you need to take care of yourself. Look at you, you look like a train wreck and I'm only saying that because anything else would be considered unethical. Go spend some time with Vanessa, I'll notify you immediately if there are any changes." Poppy ordered him.

"I'm not leaving her." Severus replied, stubbornly.

"Do my ears deceive me? Because I'm almost certain I didn't start that sentence with if it pleases your highness." Poppy replied back arching her eyebrow at him.

He rolled his eyes at her sass and refused to leave from his seat. Poppy huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, not understanding how a man like Severus, well-spoken and proper mannered, was behaving in such way she'd expect from a student.

"Severus, I'm warning you. If you don't take some time to take care of yourself, I will personally force you too." Poppy told him in a firm voice.