Kiss me and I'm yours - A Severus Snape story

Chapter 15: Is love stronger than death?

I became dizzy and slowly everything seemed blurry to me. I leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. Remus looked at me and asked if everything was okay with me. I nodded and said that I was just a bit dizzy. That was a lie, of course, but I didn't want to open a big barrel about it. When I thought, I could continue walking again, I was wrong. My legs gave in and before I fell to the ground, Remus had caught me. I could see worse and worse, and I listened to Remus talk to me, but I just couldn't react. He seemed to be further and further away, and it became harder to keep my eyes open. While I tried to keep my eyes open somehow, Remus now carried me bridal style through Hogwarts. He was trying to get to the hospital wing as fast as he could, but he had no idea what was wrong with her, nor if he had to be careful. For some reasons there were no students around in this corridor, so he had no choice but to yell for help. "Help. Somebody help me", he yelled with all his voice. Professor McGonagall peeked her head out of one of the classrooms and was shocked at the sight in front of her. "I don't know what happened to her she just suddenly collapsed. I think Severus might be able to help her. Get him NOW", he yelled at Minerva as he walked by her as fast as he could.

Minerva, of course, hurried and ran as fast as she could to Severus's office. She didn't even bother to knock at the door, she just bursted into his office, almost out of breath. "Severus, come quick, it's Kimberly, she's badly hurt". All color of his face was gone, and he looked very worried. He got up from his chair and started running towards the hospital wing, his cloak billowing behind him. He was worried sick, and it felt like an eternity running to the hospital wing. He only hoped that it wasn't as bad as the last time, but he was wrong. It was much worse.

After three minutes Lupin finally reached the hospital wing and Madame Pomfrey was standing at the entrance to it. Lucky, thought Remus.

When Pomfrey heard the fast steps, she turned around and said:" Oh Merlin, what happened to her. Come here, lay her down there". She pointed to one of the beds and Remus did as he was instructed. "She just suddenly collapsed, she was fine 10 minutes ago", Remus explained. Pomfrey was fussing and trying to find out what was wrong with her. Remus noticed that Kimberly's face became even more paler than it was before she collapsed. Pomfrey tried everything and started to examine her when Severus came bursting in. He was running to the bed and asked what happened as well. He looked very worried and became even more worried when he saw her. His hands started shaking at the sight of her, which he immediately hid behind his back. "I can't find anything that's wrong with her", Pomfrey admitted sadly. Severus shook his head desperately. "No. Remus tell me exactly what happened", he demanded angrily. "She won the duel Severus, but the Lord's daughter...", he stopped in his sentence. It all made sense now. At least that's the only explanation Remus had. The dagger made a cut on her skin. What if the dagger was poisonous? "What Remus? We don't have time for this", Severus shouted. "I think she was poisoned. The dagger made a cut on her right arm. It's the only thing that makes sense", Remus said. Severus checked her arm, and indeed he found a cut on it. "Where is the bloody dagger", Severus demanded. Remus pulled it out of his bag and handed it carefully to Severus. Severus examined it quickly. "She was indeed poisoned. But if we don't figure out what poison, we cannot save her", Severus said in almost a whisper. "There are many poisons that can kill somebody, how are we supposed to figure out what kind of poison was used?", Pomfrey asked unsure. "I can figure it out, but she will likely die before I can identify the poison", Severus sounded pretty desperate now. "Before she collapsed, what did she say to you", Severus whispered. "Ehm... She was feeling dizzy, that's all she said to me", Remus said. "Great. That doesn't really narrow it down", mumbled Severus. He ran his hand through his black hair. Several minutes passed. If they don't figure out what poison was used she will die soon. Severus seemed more desperate with each second that passed, and Remus soon realized that he cared about her as much as Kimberly cared for him. Both men were trying to think of any solution that might help her.