Never Surrender [ Snape x Lupin ]

Chapter Twelve

"Now," Snape said with his rough voice, deciding to lay down all at once

Draco rushed out of Snape's room and ran to the classroom, hating that people were looking at him. Thankfully the box was easy to spot, and with a glance inside, he got two bezoar stones, running his way to give it to Snape.

Draco showed up faster than Snape had anticipated. The older Slytherin had tried to get closer to his bed but wasn't able to reach it. Snape had his eyes closed, and it seemed like he had an intense headache, touching his temples in pain. Draco approached him and handled the bezoar on his right hand, observing the other put it on his mouth. A deep inhale after doing so.

Now that it was probably over, Draco started to imagine what could have possibly happened to Snape. He took a look at his surroundings and couldn't spot a single thing that could have caused it, Snape didn't even have food there.

When Snape stopped feeling his head was spinning, he swallowed his pride and asked Draco to help him get back to bed. Snape pointed out the younger Slytherin should be getting to class and after some intense negotiation about it, Draco agreed to go if Snape went to the hospital wing. Snape dreaded the place but decided to go with Draco's help.

Snape found himself laying down with his partially wet hair on the pillow. That humid sensation was getting him anxious somehow. Looking up to the ceiling reminded him of occasionally being sick in his school years. He hated that and more than anything, he couldn't stand feeling vulnerable in a place other people could see. And yet, he still had to wait sometime there, Madame Pomfrey assured him the bezoar was enough but he should be under observation for a couple of hours.

Severus was laying on his side when he heard steps coming from the entrance. He held his breath, hating that someone would see him there. However, in the next seconds, he was able to recognize those steps.

"Severus, there you are... What happened to you?" Remus asked him concerned, sitting close to his bed in a wooden chair

When the werewolf looked at him, placing some of his wet hair away from his face using a nonverbal spell and finger movements, Snape strangely didn't feel so exposed anymore. This felt safe somehow.

Remus, on the other hand, noticed Snape was pale and didn't seem remotely as rested as he should be.

"I underestimated my exposure time to highly concentrated fumes," Snape mumbled in a grumpy way.

"What?" Lupin said almost as a reflex

"I spent the night breathing everything that came from the caldrons directly... and got intoxicated... But the product is safe. I assure you" Snape concluded.

"Of course it is, you'd never call it done if you weren't sure," Lupin said touching Snape's hand, that was close to his pale face

The Slytherin smiled weakly on the corner of his mouth. Lupin's trust was not fragile, he knew that. Remus looked around and gave Severus a quick kiss on his hand, gazing playfully at him afterward, as if he had just done something deliciously forbidden.

"Sev, I really appreciate all you did for me... But... Just be more careful the next time, ok? I hate to think you're here because of me" Lupin said, caressing him slightly on the back of Snape's hand.

Severus found himself with some sense of humor, which was rare.

"Remus..." He said as softly as his rough voice allowed

"Yes?" Lupin answered not understanding the sudden change in tone

"Just shut up, will you?" Snape said softly, in the same tone as before