melusin (melusin) wrote in melusin_la_fey, @ 2010-04-26 21:01:00 |
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Entry tags: | bed_rest, ss/hg, what goes around |
Bed Rest
The following takes place after the last scene at the end of my story 'What goes Around' (but before the Epilogue). If you haven't read it, then this won't make a lot of sense.
A smutty little pressie for everyone who kept me going with their encouragement and reviews.
Rating:NC-17
Thanks to Sempra for a prompt and thorough beta.
'Easy, Purdy. Mind his head.'
'Must you fuss so, woman?'
'If you hadn't cast that damned Patronus, I wouldn't have to.'
The worried frown on Hermione's face belied her scolding. She took her anxiety out on the pillows, thumping and re-arranging them, while Purdy gently levitated the drained looking wizard onto her bed. Apart from the acerbic tongue, there was very little fight left in him; the Strengthening Solution she had managed to get down his throat had yet to take effect, and he looked, quite frankly, terrible.
'You didn't have to prove anything, you know that.'
Severus' chest wheezed as he drew breath to answer. 'It was spectacular, though, wasn't it?'
Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.
‘I’m a raven.’
‘You’re delirious.’
'Headmaster Snape is to be doing no more magic,' Purdy squeaked, wagging a spindly finger at him. 'Purdy is telling Nurse Poppy.'
'No, she bloody well isn't.'
'Severus, that's quite enough.' Palming her wand, Hermione removed his boots with the minutest of flicks; they fell to the floor with a muffled thud. 'Purdy is worried about you. We all are. And you know full well you overtaxed yourself. Now, you are going to rest—here or the Hospital Wing—the choice is yours.'
Their patient scowled, but said nothing.
'Good. That's settled, then.' Hermione patted his hand, which earned her another scowl, before turning to the house-elf. 'Fetch some nightclothes, please, Purdy, and then we'll make him more comfy.'
'We?' Severus exclaimed after Purdy had vanished. 'Over my dead body.'
'Look, I know you're feeling helpless…’ Hermione rummaged in her pocket for the medicinal phials Poppy had given her earlier and plonked them on the bedside table. ‘…but there's no need to take it out on Purdy. After all she's done for you, the least you can do is try to be civil.'
Severus just had time to snort before Purdy reappeared clutching a grey nightshirt.
'Thank you, Purdy,' Hermione said, accepting the garment from the house-elf. 'I'll take it from here.'
Purdy opened her mouth to protest, but snapped it shut again when Severus' hand disappeared up his sleeve.
'I shall call you if he needs anything, I promise,' Hermione said hurriedly. 'I shan't let him out of my sight.'
Purdy nodded, looking somewhat placated. 'Elves is concerned, Headmistress. Elves is waiting for news.'
'Then go and tell them. And thank them again. For everything they've done.'
Risking a last look at Severus, who nodded curtly, Purdy bowed and faded from sight.
'About time,' Severus muttered.
'So...' Hermione fingered the soft material in her hand. 'Nightshirt...?'
'What of it?'
'Nothing,' Hermione replied innocently. 'Now, let's get you into it.'
'I'd rather you got me out of it.' Severus smirked as she blushed prettily. 'Tut, tut, Headmistress Granger. Not even sunset and you're trying to get my clothes off. Such scandalous behaviour for a woman of your position.'
'Oh, behave yourself.' Still blushing, Hermione began attacking his buttons around the neck of his robe, being careful not to pinch his skin. 'You've had more than enough excitement for one day, so don't be such an idiot. I can always call Purdy back, if you prefer. I'm sure she'd love to take over.'
Severus gave her the filthiest look he could muster, but let her get on with it without further ado. Once Hermione had managed to loosen his robe, she began tackling the innumerable pearl buttons on his undershirt. Rediscovering the feel of his skin, cool underneath the tips her fingers as she worked her way downwards, made something clench deep inside, and she fought the urge to touch him with more than a detached interest; it had been so long, but now was definitely not the time.
Hermione's discomfort did not go unnoticed. 'Why, Headmistress,' he purred, 'you're hands are trembling. I wonder why that could be.' He chuckled when she didn't reply. 'Here,' he said, delving inside his sleeve. 'Take my wand before you break it.'
'That's enough of that, Professor Snape,' Hermione said in her best don't-push-your-luck-I'm-Headmistress tone of voice. 'Spare me the wand jokes, if you please.' She nevertheless relieved him of it and placed it alongside the potion phials. 'Now, do you think you can sit up a moment to slip these off?'
'I'm not a complete invalid,' he grumbled, pushing himself up.
'No, but you will be unless you rest.' Hermione gave him no time to bemoan his predicament further; she had him out of his clothes and into his nightshirt before he could say 'Dreamless Sleep'. Another deft flick of the wrist, and he was safely tucked up in bed.
'There,' Hermione said, satisfied with her handiwork, though his condition was still giving her cause for concern: his skin was as white as the sheets on which he lay; his lips too, were devoid of colour. In stark contrast, the lank, dark hair spread over the pillows only served to emphasise his pallor and to show just how fatigued he was. 'I'll be back in a moment.'
Severus closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The bed had a comforting familiarity, even though it was many years since he'd lain in it. The curtains and canopy were red and gold now, of course, as befitted a Gryffindor Head. A bit gaudy for his tastes, but at least Hermione hadn't gone overboard with the rest of the decor: there were no rampant lions anywhere to be seen, and she'd chosen a quilt in rather muted, chocolate and cream tones. Bearable, he thought, relaxing into the mattress with a sigh. He had always felt safe in this room, and he knew he'd have no trouble going off to sleep...
'How's the patient?'
'Shh... I think he's sleeping...'
Severus' eyes remained firmly shut while Hermione conversed in hushed tones with the uninvited guest currently occupying the picture over the fireplace.
'... heard his Patronus changed...'
'... too much for him, Minerva...'
'... Salazar was tickled pink... but you know you shouldn't...'
'... I don't care what Dilys thinks. He's staying put...'
'Would you two mind not talking about me as if I weren't here?'
'I'd better be off, dear,' Minerva whispered. 'He's obviously on the mend.'
Severus didn't quite catch Hermione's reply, and he kept his eyes closed as she crossed the room to the bed.
'You can open your eyes,' said Hermione. 'She's gone.'
His eyelids felt very heavy suddenly, but he did as she asked. 'I don't know why you allow a portrait in your bedchamber. I didn't.'
'Only Minerva's allowed in here,' Hermione said, lowering herself carefully onto the edge of the bed once more. 'And she's kept me company on more lonely nights than I care to remember.'
'That may be so, but I hope you make good use of those curtains you've hung around it...' The exhaustion was creeping into his bones. It was as much as he could do to furrow his brow and nod in their general direction. 'I wouldn't put it past Phineas to have a gander at you getting ready for bed if he thought he could get away with it.'
'Takes a Slytherin to know a Slytherin, no doubt.' Hermione smiled, a bit too condescendingly, Severus thought, but making up some caustic riposte required more energy than was available to him at the moment. Better to ignore it. 'Now, get some sleep. I'll wake you to take your next dose of Strengthening Solution in a few hours.'
Severus yawned. 'And where will you be?'
'I have some correspondence to catch up on, which I can do here,' Hermione replied, getting up. 'And plenty of reading to keep me busy afterwards. Just call if you need—'
But Severus was already fast asleep.