Arlyn Quinn and the Lost Girl -* A Severus Snape Fanfic *-

Amortentia

Arlyn stirred awake as a ray of sun fell across her face. Frowning after her sleep was disturbed, she opened one grouchy eye to glare at the crack in the curtains, willing her magic to shut it properly. Sighing in content at the darkness, she closed her eyes to snooze another couple of minutes when, out of the blue, the sound of rustling fabric came from behind her before the curtains was pulled wide open.

Now with both eyes open, Arlyn spotted Madam Pomfrey walking about the room - her room to be exact - while reading the labels on the potions in her hands. When the healer stole a quick glance at her and noticed she's awake, she emitted a sharp breath of relief, "Thank Merlin, you're awake! You had us all worried, dear."

Frowning, Arlyn wondered what Madam Pomfrey meant until she moved her leg to feel the sharp pain shooting through the limb. Wincing, she kept it still and propped herself up on her elbows.

"Hmm, yes, I thought that might still hurt," the healer hummed as she came to stand beside the bed with the potions in hand, "Here, drink this, it'll help with the pain."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Arlyn muttered and downed the potions with one breath, shuddering at the bitter taste it left behind, "Where's Severus?"

"I sent him to get some rest an hour ago," she tutted, "He left rather reluctantly, I must say. Had about a million excuses why he should stay."

"He's been here since..." Arlyn trailed off, realizing she had no idea how long she was out, "How long was I asleep?"

"Just a bit over two days."

Arlyn blanched. That meant she has missed two days' worth of classes, the final exams are coming up, and she still had tons of work to do with her students.

"Those potions would do the trick for now," Madam Pomfrey spoke as she advanced towards the door, "I should get back to the hospital wing. It there anything else you need, my dear?"

Arlyn almost shook her head no when a thought popped into her head, "If you see Severus, could you tell him I'd like to see him?"

Madam Pomfrey promised to send him as soon as she sees him and left the room in a hurry, anxious to tend to her petrified patients. Arlyn briefly fluffed her pillows before lying down and wait for the potions to take effect. Memories of the Forbidden Forest flashed through her head; getting lost, falling into the spiders' den, Severus coming to her rescue, getting bitten...

As if the thought triggered it, another sharp pain shot up her leg and she arched her back not to wince out loud. Acromantula venom was one of the most dangerous venoms in the wizarding world and are usually used in potions - she would know after working with it a few times. Arlyn considered herself lucky to still be alive, all thanks to Severus, of course. However, that also meant it would take at least a few more days for her to recover completely, much to her dismay.

The potions were starting to kick in, the pain in her leg ceased to nothing but a dull, annoying ache and she was getting drowsy once again. Arlyn was just about to give in to the urge to sleep when three sharp knocks sounded from her door. Knowing very well to whom it belonged to, she quickly called for them to enter.

"That was quick," she smirked as Severus stepped into the room, closing the door behind him, "I thought Madam Pomfrey sent you off to rest."

"I did," he stated very bluntly, "Restlessly, if I might add."

"Oh, so you slept?"

"No, I run on spite and caffeine," he finally reached her bed and crossed his arms over his chest, glowering down at her, "Besides, how am I supposed to rest when all I can think of is what would have happened if I didn't find you in time? What were you doing in the Forbidden Forest in the first place?"