Camerado: Rough New Prizes (Part 2)

"He made a noise halfway between a laugh and a sob, fingers clenching in his hair, pulling more strands from the thong that held them.

Hermione stood and approached him. Snape must have known she was there, but he didn’t move. She squatted beside his chair, peering up at him, and after a moment, put one hand on his upper arm where it was covered by the fabric of his sleeve, moving her thumb gently back and forth. She half-expected him to pull away, but he didn’t, instead murmuring, “I had a most. . . inconvenient epiphany, today.”

She didn’t say anything, merely squeezed his bicep briefly to encourage him to continue. His hands fell away from his face, hanging limply between his knees.

“I realized,” he said slowly, staring into the fireplace, “that, contrary to what I have long believed, I do not actually wish to die.” He turned his head slowly to look at her, eyes searching her face.

“Why are you here?” he whispered.

Hermione’s thumb stilled its movement, her hand dropping away from his arm. Her mouth was very dry.

“I don’t want you to die, either,” she said."

An illustration from the fabulous story "Camerado" by MillieJoan