The Reality

A/N: Thanks to my beta, MadBrilliant. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

***

Once Snape and Hermione had regained consciousness, and healed enough to converse, the four survivors sat in the Infirmary ready to speak amongst themselves. Kingsley told them about his report and speech to the Wizarding Community. Afterwards, they were all quiet. It was so hard to know where to begin.

Hermione broke the silence first.

"I remember when I was in school, just before I came to Hogwarts, my class was studying about the Great Muggle War at the beginning of the century. We Muggles called it 'The War to End all Wars'. My teacher said that an entire generation was lost to England."

They all were quite somber then. Silence seemed to be the right thing to do after such a sobering revelation. Indeed, a generation of witches and wizards had nearly been wiped out. Yet, there were still the students too young to fight, who had been evacuated out of Hogwarts. They would return, grow up, get married, and have babies. It would not always be so bleak.

Kingsley cleared his voice. "We need to discuss what occurred during the battle. Severus?"

The dark wizard had been very quiet since regaining full consciousness. He honestly had no idea what had transpired. He recalled that there had been an almighty blast that had mushroomed from the area Hermione had emerged.

"I recall fighting, heavy fighting. I was dueling more than one wizard at the time. I was struck from behind, and then I collapsed. I believe Miss Granger will have a more accurate report on what occurred," he said softly.

Hermione looked bewildered. "It was complete pandemonium!" she blurted out emotionally. "The battle had shifted towards the east. That must have been after Professor Snape had been hit. The fighting became so thick and fierce, it was so hard to see who was there, who had fallen. I was so turned around! I saw Voldemort and Harry fighting. It was a terrible scene. When the last moment struck, their wands burst, and a flash of green light came from them. It was like an atomic blast of the Killing Curse. Bellatrix Lestrange had been directly in front of me, and she flew against me. I guess her body was my shield. Everyone who was there just...died! The green light that spread out from Harry and Voldemort carried on with a mighty wind. Bellatrix collapsed on top of me and then when the wind died down from the blast, everyone was dead!" She let out a strangled cry and began shaking her head, weeping silently.

Kingsley cleared his throat and began to touch upon the subject of Harry's body.

Snape became agitated. "Kingsley, does this need to be discussed now?" he hissed.

"Unfortunately, Severus, it does. I have not only Harry's funeral and estate to handle, but also the entire Weasley clan, including the question of their estate and The Burrow. I also need to figure out how to get in touch with Luna Lovegood's nearest relative. There is the question of her estate and family home. I'm just glad Neville's Uncle Algie is sane enough to make the decisions for his great-nephew and his sister! Otherwise, that would be yet another two bodies in the Great Hall waiting to be claimed!" Kingsley's normal cool demeanor was sliding off him, revealing a very exhausted and overwhelmed Minister of Magic.

Hermione looked horrified, and Snape closed his eyes for a moment and hardened his face as he addressed the minister.

"Are you saying that the entire Weasley Family, Mr. Potter and Miss Lovegood are at this moment still lying in the Great Hall?" he asked softly. Hermione emitted a whimper of pain.

"Yes," Kingsley admitted grimly. Snape lowered his head back into his pillow, unable to grasp the mortality of it all. "They are in stasis," Kingsley continued. "I can keep their bodies cool for now, but soon, decisions must be made. Hermione, you are the closest Harry has to a family. Please, where do you want him to be buried?"

"Godric's Hollow," she choked out through her tears. "Harry would want to be with his parents."

"I shall make the arrangements, and as Minister, I shall make you the trustee of his estate. These decisions do not have to be made now, but for the sake of the dead, the sooner the burial..."

"...Of course," she interrupted him.

Her voice was trembling, and her body racked with sobs as she remembered the first moments right after the battle ended. Once she had extricated herself from underneath Bellatrix's body, she saw the dead bodies of Ron and Harry. She had frantically run around looking for signs of life, but each familiar face she had met was frozen in death. She shivered and lay back down on the bed. She could do no more this day. She just wanted to cry and cry. And she wanted her mum. However, her parents were in Australia. She had no idea when or if she would ever see them again.

***

Severus Snape watched the weeping girl shield her tears from the others. He felt an intense desire, which confused him, to scoop her up into his arms and hold her, comfort her, and tell her all would be well. However, he was far too weak in his body. Yet, his mind, his mind would not rest. How had this small witch survived such a horrific battle?

***

Kingsley visited again early the next morning to prepare them for the next press conference he was giving at the Ministry of Magic. Families had wanted answers yesterday, and the number one question was "Who had survived?" He had not wanted to answer them just yet. However, public opinion overruled him.

He sighed resignedly before he spoke. "I must reveal who you are to the public. Do not worry, both of you will remain here out of sight and convalesce. No one shall bother you here. You both have your health to consider." He eye-balled Snape. "Consider it an order, Headmaster!" he said curtly.

Snape scowled at the retreating Minister.

"Well, this is just perfect!" he spat. "I would rather be in my dungeons, thank you very much. Staying here makes me feel like a sitting duck!"

"Stop your grousing, Professor!" Hermione chided numbly as she massaged her temples. "There are no more Death Eaters to worry about. You're as safe as you could ever hope to be right where you are."

He looked at the girl, wanting to glare at her, but found he was unable to do so. Instead, he did something he had never done before. He initiated a conversation with her.

He shifted in his bed to face her better. She was on her side, her blanket pulled up to her chin. She was in the fetal position. Her haunted eyes looked so huge, they seemed to take over her face.

"How did you end up on the eastern side, Miss Granger?" he asked quietly.

She looked at him, her eyes focusing on him. She was speechless. She opened her mouth, but nothing seemed to come out.

"Come now, Miss Granger. If we are to be stuck in this hidey-hole, we should be able to talk civilly to one another. After all, no one else will ever know what it was like to survive the final battle. We are the only remaining veterans, after all," he said snidely.

"I'm just shocked, Professor. Is that the best you can do at 'civil' conversation?" she sounded back just as snidely.

He smirked as he crossed his thin arms across his chest. "Are you prepared for all the glory and attention that will be thrown at your feet as the remaining member of the 'Golden Trio'?"

Hermione lifted herself from her side into a sitting position. She was incensed that he could be so crass! She crossed her arms and sneered at the wizard. "What makes you smug, sir? Are you so greedy for the accolades that will be thrown at your feet?"

The dark wizard chuckled deep in his throat. The sound unnerved her.

"There shall be no 'accolades', Miss Granger, I assure you! The only thing waiting for me outside this castle will be a cell in Azkaban!" He looked at her, his eyes boring to hers. "I will be put away just on general principle that I have no business to even be breathing!" he seethed.

"So, you're already bailing out on me, eh?" Hermione said in hopes of antagonizing the wizard.

"You insufferable, little chit!" he ground out. "How dare you accuse me of cowardice?"

"I said no such thing, Professor. You were the one saying that you won't be sticking around. It sounds as if you are looking forward to going to Azkaban," she retorted haughtily. She was now looking away from him, her nose slightly in the air. She hoped he was getting riled, just as he had tried (and succeeded) in riling her out of her stupor.

Instead, she heard another throaty chuckle. She turned to face him and he conceded.

"Touché, Miss Granger. You have found me out. I am just as saddened and unnerved as you are, I dare say, even more so. However, Azkaban is not a far-fetched idea. I'm sure there will be many parents at Kingsley's conference tomorrow foaming at the mouth when they hear that one of the two survivors is the dreaded Potions master, ex-Death Eater, and all around git. And I am equally sure they will all be chomping at the bit to petition for my immediate expulsion from Wizarding society and banishment to Azkaban. But, for you, Hermione, I will try to be brave." He looked at her with his usual cold stare.

She burst out laughing at his dramatics. He smiled a little in return. He thought, I like her laugh. She laughs with her whole being, not like so many of the women with whom I've had to cavort! Laughter for them never went above their mouths or lower than their chins. She throws her head back, laughs, and holds her stomach. She is free. Perhaps it's because she's so young. That must be it.

***

Hermione was tickled. She never realized her Professor had a sense of humor! She felt for the first time she understood his personal secret language. It was a sideways, dry type of humor, but it was funny nevertheless! It felt so good to connect with someone. When she stopped laughing, she reached her hand over for him to grasp. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her suspiciously.

"Please, sir, just take it," she whispered.

He tentatively stretched his own hand out and clasped hers. She gave his hand a good squeeze and withdrew.

"What was that for?" he asked suspiciously.

"For making me forget. For making me laugh," she whispered. "G'night, Professor Snape." She snuggled down into her bed and went to sleep. Snape sat for a long time with his hands in his lap, unable to comprehend what had happened. He watched her sleep as he lay on his side. She was rather pretty when she slept. Her face was calm and peaceful. It was quite contagious, for he too fell into a deep sleep from looking at the serene young woman in the bed next to his.