The Fountain 14/?
Title: The Fountain 14/? Author: Eriador117 Pairing: Snape/Harry Rating: Adult Warnings: I am not putting warnings as I do not want to give away the plot. Everyone is over 18. Summary: Non-magic AU. Severus Snape is a world renowned archaeologist and needs student volunteers for his new project. What the students and Snape don't know is what it is they are searching for and Lord Thomas Riddle intends to keep it that way... Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Potterverse; I just play in it from time to time Beta'd by Rakina, thanks so much :)
Jennifer Malone waited until she was sure that the professor was gone. After a few moments she went to Harry's door and turned the lock. What she needed to do would only take a few minutes but she needed privacy for it. She bypassed Harry's chart and ignored the beeping machines, they weren't important.
It was almost a foregone conclusion that Jennifer would become a nurse or a doctor. Her mother called it her 'gift', one that had been passed down through countless generations of her family. Her grandmother called it 'the touch' and ever since she'd started her training, Jennifer had used it to help those people that the medical profession had given up on. Even Dr. Bones, normally so optimistic of patients' chances, had seem to give up on Harry. She had already confided in Jennifer that she didn't think Harry was going to wake up.
Well, they'd soon see about that!
Jennifer reached out her hands, palms facing downwards as she traced a path along Harry's body from his feet to his head. She could feel her hands heating up the nearer she got to his head and as she passed over the crown of his head she felt a blister forming on her palm. Her gift didn't come without a price, but it was something she had always been willing to pay. She might need to take a few days' off work after this, for healing took a lot out of her physically. Taking a deep breath, Jennifer placed her hands on either side of Harry's head just above his ears.
It hurt, God, it hurt as she felt the energy leave her body and enter his, but she held her hands there for as long as she could. Her cures never worked instantly, but as the heat left her hands she knew that soon Harry Potter would wake up. As she lifted her hands away, she saw they were red and there were indeed a few more blisters forming around her palms. She swayed on her feet but managed to get to the door and open it before Professor Snape returned. No one knew what she'd done, but it didn't matter whether or not they knew about it. Harry would be fine.
***
Severus splashed cold water on his face and shuddered when he caught a glimpse of his scarred face in the mirror. As soon as he'd left hospital all those years ago, he'd removed every mirror in the house. In his mind he never actually thought of himself as scarred, remembering himself as he had been as a young man, so it was always such a shock when he saw his true face like this. He'd become immune to the stares of other people over the years, ignoring them as something as normal as breathing, but he'd never got used to the reality of how he looked now as he'd never seen his reflection that often.
The door to the men's room opened and he caught the shadow of Remus Lupin over his shoulder. Severus ignored him and reached for a paper towel to dab his face with.
"Severus, I'm sorry about what Sirius said."
Severus turned, livid at the gall of the man. "Don't you dare apologise for him! If he wants to apologise he can do it face to face like a man. Oh, but I forgot, didn't I? He prefers to skulk around in the shadows and do things in secret, rather than face to face. Just like you."
"Severus, it was years ago! We were teenagers, hormones all over the place. It just happened."
"Do you think that excuses what you did? What either of you did?"
"No, and I'm sorry I hurt you. That was never my intention."
"No? You should have thought of that before your spread your legs for Sirius Black!" Severus threw the paper towel in the bin and stormed out, slamming the door behind him for good measure.
When Severus returned to Harry's room Sirius Black was already there, sitting in the chair Severus had been occupying for most of that day. Black was holding Harry's hand and whispering to him but Severus couldn't hear the words. The bedside vigil, the handholding, the whispering, all of it filled Severus with such jealousy that he had never known. Sirius Black may have succeeded in stealing Remus from him, but there was no way Severus was going to allow Sirius Black to come between him and Harry. He was no longer the shy schoolboy who could be bullied by the likes of Black.
Severus marched into the room and sat on the bottom of Harry's bed, for there was only one chair in the room.
Black looked up, his eyes filled with hatred. "Get out," he hissed, his voice low, no doubt not wanting to bring the wrath of the nurse down on him again. "Harry doesn't want you here."
"I'm staying. You have no right to remove me."
"You have no rights to my godson!" Black's voice was starting to rise again.
"On the contrary." Severus smirked at him. "As Harry's lover I have every right to be here."
"You sick freak! Harry doesn't want to be mauled by the likes of you!"
Severus was enjoying the look of abject horror on Black's face, much more than he thought he ought to. "Really? Harry was very... enthusiastic."
"You monster!"
"Stop it, both of you."
"But Harry, he started it - Harry!" Black cried.
"No need to shout, I'm not deaf."
"I'll go and get the doctor," said Black, the first sensible thing he'd said all day. He glowered at Severus on the way out, probably wondering if it was safe to leave the two of them alone. Severus was hardly going to ravish Harry in his hospital bed. At least, not until he was feeling better.
Severus gripped Harry's hand in his, feeling such relief when Harry squeezed back. "How are you feeling?"
"Not sure. Things are a little bit fuzzy."
"I'm so glad you're awake," said Severus, leaning over to kiss Harry's forehead. Harry seemed to anticipate it and angled his head so that the kiss landed on his lips instead.
"Do I still taste of strawberries?" Harry whispered with a smile.
Severus' eyes widened: Harry had heard what had been said.
"Mr. Potter, awake I see. That is good news."
"Hello, Dr. Bones." Harry glanced over Severus' shoulder at the doctor.
Severus stood up and stretched his back, seeing Black scowl at him. Maybe he'd seen their kiss, but Severus didn't particularly care about Sirius Black's sensibilities.
"Can you both wait outside while I examine Harry? There are some tests I need to do."
"Of course, Doctor." Severus gave Harry's hand another comforting squeeze before he headed to the doorway, but Black didn't look as if he was leaving anytime soon.
"Mr. Black, the sooner you leave, the sooner I can examine Harry and the sooner you can see him again."
"I'm not leaving him." Black folded his arms across his chest.
"Mr. Potter, do you want anyone else here for your medical exam?"
Harry shook his head. "No, just go, Sirius. I'll see you both later."
As they both left the room, Remus was heading back from the bathroom. "What's happened?"
"Harry's awake, Dr. Bones is examining him," said Severus.
"Oh, that's wonderful news, Severus!" exclaimed Remus. Seeming to forget the fact that they were in a public corridor and his long-term lover was standing right beside them, Remus wrapped his arms around Severus in a congratulatory hug. It didn't last long. Sirius yanked Remus away before punching Severus in the face. There was a crunch of bone and Severus staggered a little from the force of the blow. Severus wiped his hand across his face; it came away bloody and he recognised the pain for what it was. Black had broken his nose. Again.
"Sirius!" Remus admonished. "What the hell is wrong with you? Harry is lying in a hospital bed and you're going around punching people!"
"What's got into me?" Black snarled. "You're the one who's going around hugging your ex and being all worried about him. Oh, I wonder how Severus is coping? Not an ounce of worry to spare about me or Harry, it's all used up on that useless piece of flesh!"
"Professor Snape, Harry would like to see you," said Dr. Bones, interrupting the argument. She followed Severus back into the room. "Harry said he doesn't mind me telling you about his condition, Professor."
"Are you sure?" Severus asked Harry, his voice coming out sounding very nasal due to his swollen, bleeding nose. Severus noticed with relief that although Harry was still a bit pale, he was sitting up with pillows behind his back rather than lying as still as death.
"I want you to know, Severus. I wouldn't have said it otherwise. Whatever happened to your face? You're bleeding."
"It's nothing you need to worry about."
"It was Sirius, wasn't it?" Harry asked sadly. "How dare he do that to you!"
"Harry, I'm fine, really. Now, how about you? Dr. Bones?"
"Professor Snape, I don't know what to say. I've never seen anything like it!. Even when patients have woken up from comas, they are not suddenly well and may have suffered brain damage. Harry, however, is perfectly fine. There is no sign of any brain damage, memory loss or any other lasting effects. It's almost as if he's just had a long sleep, but make no mistake, he has been in a coma and it is not like sleep at all. I don't know what to make of it."
"But he is all right now?"
"He is, I've arranged for him to have some scans and after a few days' rest I think he'll be able to leave hospital altogether."
***
Out in the corridor, Jennifer Malone, Harry's nurse, gave a secret smile.