Suffering: Part 5

A Handful Part 4

"Did anyone else notice that Princess had slept with everyone at that table except for Alastair?" Pansy asked cheekily as they sat around the table waiting for Severus to bring over their lunch. He had made a roasted vegetable pasta along with pan seared chicken.

"Your iron is getting low again," Severus told her as he brought over Y/N's plate with way more meat than she would choose to eat. "I cannot eat all of this," she huffed. "Opps. Thank you," she added a second later with a grin.

"You're exhausted, getting dizzy and weak. I bet your hands are cold and clammy right now," Severus remarked as he brought over the other plates. "Perhaps you two should lay off of her for a few days," Pansy suggested.

"She doesn't speak for me," Y/N interjected with her hand over her mouth. Pansy reached over like she was about to pinch Y/N's side right where she hated. She relented as soon as she was threatened with the tines of a fork coming at her hand. "Feisty today," Pansy laughed.

"I hate people who pinch and tickle. It's criminal," she grinned at Severus and Pansy. "Where is her ticklish spot?" Lucius asked Severus playfully. "The bottoms of her feet. She gets mad though," Severus warned him. "When isn't she mad? It's one thing after another," Lucius asked as he glared at Y/N.

"I didn't feel myself this morning. I still feel like I'm at 50% power," Y/N admitted. "You have to finish your food," Severus told her as he watched her get sleepy again.

"I would kill for a nap partner," Y/N looked around the table. "I'll nap with you Princess," Pansy grinned at her.

"Thank you, Pansy. We haven't napped together in quite some time," Y/N smiled at her. "Is a nap a subtle code for something else?" Lucius asked the girls.

"No, we are actually going to go in there and fall asleep. We love sleeping," Y/N chuckled as if his question were silly. "Why can't I read your thoughts anymore?" Severus asked her blankly.

"Perhaps because I'm not really thinking about anything," she replied. "I can still hear you," she added a second later.

"I feel as if a piece of me has been lost. I feel just slightly hollow as if something were taken from me," Y/N admitted as she looked down at her plate. "A breath stolen from my lungs, its absence always evident. A phantom pain," she remarked with tears running down her face.

"You need to lay down, come on, Princess," Pansy softly helped Y/N up and walked with her to the bedroom.

"If you are going to stay, it's critical you understand she is rather delicate. I suspect she is taking a downturn based on everything I've seen today. You have to be cognizant of leaving out anything she could hurt herself with.

Her hands were bloody this morning from digging her nails into her palms," Severus told Lucius as they finished their lunch. "Perhaps she needs professional help," Lucius asked softly.

"A last resort. She was going to therapy until she gave birth to the girls. After that it was just too difficult to keep up with when they were born, as well as returning to teaching.

What is happening with her isn't her fault. Her therapist suspected she was schizophrenic based on past behavior and family history. It was difficult to diagnose at that point as she was doing really good," Severus remarked.

"She told me she doesn't always see things for what they are. How can you be sure she won't start having hallucinations? This morning, she couldn't understand what I was saying to her. She repeated the babble to me. Perhaps we should get the mushrooms out of the house or anything else she could use recreationally," Lucius suggested.

"I agree with that. Taking a massive dose of mushrooms cannot be helpful to her psyche right now. She's never done that behind my back. A joint without permission yes but mushrooms are a bit more serious," Severus replied.

"Oh, I forgot. I told Penny that you are sort of joining us, but Draco doesn't know. She will keep the secret," he added.

"I can't imagine what she thinks we are doing to her granddaughter," Lucius grinned. "She knows very well. Princess wore her collar when she gave birth. I've had a brief conversation with her about it," Severus remarked.

"Is Pansy staying?" Lucius asked softly. "It's up to the Princess, I suppose. If it would make her feel better, Pansy can stay. She is the boss as you know," Severus grinned. "Perhaps we show her she isn't. When she's feeling better of course," Lucius grinned mischievously.