Snake in the Grass

I can’t remember what happened very well, actually, I can’t remember what happened at all. The only memory I have is of pain. I can feel a soft bed beneath me and a pillow beneath my head. I try and open my eyes and find that no mater how hard I try, I can't. I try to move my body but I find that I am unable to. What’s happening? Terror floods my thoughts as I try to scream. I can hear someone yell my name but I can’t make out who it is. I'm trapped inside of my own body and it feels horrible. I feel someone take one of my hands in theirs and squeeze it while someone else takes my other hand and presses their lips against it. “Please be alright,” They whisper before my world fades into darkness once again.

I don’t remember how long it has been since I was last conscious. I have faded in and out constantly, my mind haunted with images I cannot decipher. I feel a cool cloth pressed against my forehead and my hand once again wrapped up in someone else’s. “Please Ava, wake up,” I hear someone beg. “Please?” My world becomes complete darkness once again.

The next time I regain consciousness my hand is still wrapped in someone’s. I try to squeeze their hand but I don’t know if I manage it. I try and try, unsure if I succeeded. "Ava? Please wake up. This last month has been horrible without you around. I miss you, Lily misses you, and to my sheer horror, even the Marauders miss you,” I finally realize that Severus has been by my side the whole time. I feel like crying, he must really care for me. But, I know he loves Lily and he needs to tell her soon. I feel his lips press against my forehead before the darkness claims me.

Every time I come to, Severus is there holding my hand. “So, it’s me, Severus. I feel a little funny doing this but I know you can hear me, well, at least I hope you can. Dumbledore finally found out what happened and went right off at Potter. Slughorn is trying to find something that will bring you back, but that might take a while because no one knows what was in the potion. I would help but I want to be here with you. I always am. Lily brings me the notes from class and helps me with the study. I want to be here when you wake up. I just feel responsible for what happened that day,” His voice starts to crack. I can tell he is on the verge of tears. “I miss you so much Ava. Please wake up soon.”

A few days later I think I feel warm drops of water on my hand. I can hear someone crying. “Why is it always me?” I hear someone sob. “I told her Av, I told Lily how I felt and guess what she said. She said that she only thinks of me as a friend and nothing more. At least I now know how she feels. And now I guess she really, really hates me. After she told me that I was so mad, I yelled at her and I... I... I called her a mudblood. I’m such an idiot Ava. A bloody idiot,” He sobs. I want to reach out and hug him and beat the living crap out of him at the same time. “Please come back Ava, I need someone so bad right now. Please?”

I drifted in and out of consciousness for the next month. Severus was always there, talking to me and telling me about what was going on. He told me his parents wanted him to come home for Christmas but he told them he was staying here for me, just in case I woke up. He told me Slughorn finally found out what was in the potion and was working on a cure. He told me Potter received a year’s detention with Filch for what he did to me. On Christmas day Slughorn finished the potion but it needed to sit for a week before it was administered. As usual Severus was sitting with me and the conversation was the same, until he was about to leave. The words he said before he went shocked me. “Ava, please? I hope you can hear me because I...” I hear him take in a deep, shaky breath, “I love you.” He what? My mind feels like a horns net that just got shaken.

He didn't come back until the day the potion was given to me.