Computer Lessons

As always, I would like to thank my fearless betas, JENGEORGE and NervousAboutAngels, for all of their diligence and hard work on my behalf. And also, the staff at The Petulant Poetess keeps me on my toes with their constant vigilance! Thanks to you all.

The characters and their world belong to the amazing J. K. Rowling. I make no money, I take no credit. I'm just here to have fun, and I hope you all enjoy the ride as well. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 15

Computer Lessons

How many times had Snape and Miss Granger conversed over the computer with only the words on the screen to go by? How many times had Snape been thankful that she could not see his reactions to those words, his sorrow, his regret, his joy, his embarrassment? Or the anguish on his face as he chose the words for his replies slowly and carefully? It was the perfect solution. Perhaps Walnut Brain and Miss Granger couldn't iron out all of their problems, but they could get past the first hurdle; they could take their emotions out of the communication equation and talk to each other in a civilized manner. After all, every journey begins with the first step.

After hearing out Snape's idea, Harry enthusiastically volunteered to do everything in his power to help out. So they took the next half hour to work out the details, and then Harry excused himself to get back to the Auror office. They vowed to exchange Patronus messages that evening, and if everything checked out with the other people that would need to be involved, they would put their plan in motion tomorrow.

After Potter left, Snape made his way to the riverbank and Disapparated to Molly Weasley's house. He was greeted with great enthusiasm by Hugo, who dragged him into the family room to meet his sister, Rose. She didn't seem the least bit intimidated by his tall frame or billowing black robes, but it was hard to intimidate anyone with a ten-year-old clinging to one's waist. Molly was quite happy to see him, and she sent the kids out to play so they could carry on a private conversation.

She admitted to Snape that she felt awful about the way her son was treating Hermione, and she wanted very much to disregard his wishes and simply let her come for lunch one day to see the kids. But Ron tended to pop in unannounced, as if he suspected that she might do such a thing. Then Snape explained his idea, and it didn't take any persuading to gain her total support.

That evening, Snape received Potter's Patronus to let him know that his part of the plan had fallen into place. Snape sent his Patronus back to Potter with reassurances that they could count on Molly's cooperation and then IM'd Miss Granger that he would have news for her by lunch tomorrow, so she would most certainly take her lunch break in front of her computer.

Snape went to bed that night with a broad smile on his face. Everything was progressing as he had anticipated.

*****

The next day at lunch, Hermione Disillusioned herself and Apparated straight to her front porch. Then she marched into her family room and turned on the "dinosaur," as Snape had once called it. She was so anxious to hear from him that she got very impatient with the eternally slow pace at which this one came up and vowed to invest in a new one the next time she got paid.

Before she could log on, there was a knock at the door. With great trepidation, she stalked down the hall to investigate. As she opened the door, she never dreamed such joy existed in the world. There, standing in front of her with open arms, were her children, with Molly behind them, grinning from ear to ear.

"MUM!" they both cried in unison as she was engulfed in their arms and they in hers.

All Hermione could do was cry as she held on for dear life. Molly had the common sense to herd them all into the hall and shut the front door before any of the neighbors noticed the emotional scene. They made their way down the hall to the family room where she immediately noticed that Snape's screen name had appeared in her buddy list, but no message had appeared on the screen yet. Did he already know about this? Is this why he wanted her at home today?

"Did Professor Snape put you up to this, Molly?"

Her smile gave it away. "Yes, he came to see me yesterday. I wanted you to see your children, but was afraid that if I invited you to lunch, Ron would pop in while you were there and ruin everything. So he suggested this instead."

"He's bloody brilliant," announced Hugo.

They all started laughing. But then something suddenly occurred to Hermione. "Hugo, where's your stuffed lizard toy?"

"Don't worry, Mum. I left it at Grandma's."

Hermione let out a huge sigh of relief. "Well, then we might just get away with it." She smirked. "How about some lunch? PBJ's anyone?"

"I'll make lunch, dear," Molly offered. "You spend some time with the kids. That's what we're here for, after all."

The trio settled down on the comfortable couch while Molly retreated into the kitchen. Then Rose talked excitedly about Hogwarts as Hugo snuggled up to his mum and listened. She could tell that he was still counting the days until it would be his turn to get on the Hogwarts Express for the first time.

"Well, well, well... What a happy little family reunion." Their enjoyable conversation was rudely interrupted by Ron's voice as it floated up from behind them.

Hermione gasped as the three of them turned to stare at him in disbelief. Molly ran in from the kitchen. Upon seeing Ron, she dropped the plate of sandwiches she had in her hand, and it shattered on impact with the tile floor. The noise brought Molly back to her senses. "This is NOT her fault, Ron. This was all my idea. Blame me, not her. It's just not fair to keep them apart, and you know it."

Hermione stood and walked around to his side of the couch. "How did you get in here?" she demanded.

"The front door was conveniently unlocked. So I just let myself in," Ron replied smugly.

Hermione glanced towards Molly with an expression that mixed suspicion with accusation.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione. I never thought...I never expected...it was not supposed to happen like this!"

"Like what?" asked Ron suspiciously.

"How did you know we were here?" Molly had now become angry and was beginning to wonder if Snape had set her up.

"I went to your house at lunch like I do sometimes, and you weren't there. But I found Lizzy on the coffee table in the living room." Ron glanced quickly towards Hugo, who stared back at him with a defiant scowl. "So I knew something was up." He paced the room as the venomous level in his voice began to rise. "I figured I'd try here first, and my hunch was right."

"But," stammered Molly, "I thought you and Harry..."

"Me and Harry what, Mum? Is he in on this too?"

Just then, the front door flew open again. Harry stepped quickly inside and shut the door. "Ron, stay calm. I can explain everything!" Harry pleaded as he rushed to Ron's side.

"So this is your doing?"

"Partly."

"You went behind my back and against my wishes. You even got my mum involved. I trusted you," he growled threateningly. "I thought you were my friend!"

"I am your friend, Ron. But I'm Hermione's friend, too." Harry's tone softened as he tried to placate Ron. "It's not like you to be cruel this way. Professor Snape and I decided that..."

"Professor Snape?!" Ron's face reddened with fury. "You've been talking about my private life with that greasy git?"

"He's not a greasy git!" shouted Hugo stubbornly.

Everyone in the room turned in amazement to stare at the defiant boy. When he realized that, suddenly, he had become the center of attention, he recoiled a bit. But his sister put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and gave him the courage to continue. "He's nice, and he's funny..."

"Who?" asked Ron incredulously.

"Professor Snape," insisted Hugo. "And he's really smart, too."

"Why, thank you, Hugo," replied a silky, smooth voice from just over Harry's shoulder. Snape stepped unceremoniously into the family room doorway. "By the way, Miss Granger," he added, "you may want to consider warding your door. Otherwise, you never know what sort of riffraff might wander in." He twitched his head ever so slightly in Ron's direction.

Hermione unsuccessfully quelled a smirk.

Ron clutched his wand and barred his teeth. "You overgrown bat! Why, I aught to..."

"No, Dad!" gasped Hugo as he ran to stand between Snape and his angry father.

"Hugo!" Hermione lunged for her son's arm but was too late. The boy looked haughtily back at his mother and replied, "He saved my life with his potion. The least I can do is return the favor. Dad is a powerful Auror, after all."

The adults exchanged quick glances. Ron's chest had puffed out with pride, and Snape graciously kept his mouth shut, although not for Ron's sake. He didn't want to be the one to shatter Hugo's illusions about his father's skills with a wand.

"It's alright, Hugo," he said as he put a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder and steered him out of harm's way.

"You got my Patronus, I see." Harry wisely decided to change the subject.

"Yes, thank you." Snape nodded at him.

"A bit of a change in plans, I suppose."

Snape smirked. "Nothing we can't handle."

Molly seemed quite relieved to see Snape as she pulled Hugo to her side.

Hermione and Ron were both still in the dark. They glared at each other, then at the other adults in the room, and rested their collective gaze on Snape. Hermione finally asked, "Would you mind enlightening me as to what is going on here?"

Snape's expression held a bit of amusement as well as mischief. "Mr. Potter and I came to the conclusion that you two have a communication problem."

"Oh, you did, did you?" Ron glared mutinously at Harry.

"Yes." Harry glared back. "We felt that you were being unreasonable and uncharacteristically cruel to Hermione."

"It's not like you to be so cruel, son," Molly chimed in.

"I have my reasons," Ron insisted defensively, "and I don't have to explain myself to you lot!"

"I have a right to know what your reasons are," Hermione stated blatantly as she took a menacing step in Ron's direction. "And so do your children."

Ron's posture immediately mimicked hers as they both clutched their wands and gazed with pure contempt into each other's faces.

Snape and Harry both stepped quickly between her and Ron. "Miss Granger, you forget yourself," Snape stated flatly with a glare of disappointment. "Your children are watching," he reminded her in a low but intimidating voice as his eyes diverted hers to the two horrified faces standing with Molly at a safe distance.

Hermione felt like a first-year under his menacing gaze. She immediately put away her wand and lowered her eyes as they began to well up.

"This is exactly what we were trying to prevent with our little experiment," Harry tried to explain as Ron calmed down and shamefully stowed his wand in a side pocket.

"As I said before, you two need to work on your communication skills," Snape reminded them. "But before anything can be resolved, you must put your emotions aside and talk in a civilized manner."

Ron studied his shoes while Hermione stared into the depths of Snape's coal black eyes. They both knew he was right. "But how can we do that? We can't just turn our emotions off," she admitted with a sense of hopelessness.

"No... but you can do the next best thing." Snape grinned rather impishly at her.

Hermione looked questioningly from Snape to Harry, and then back to Snape. "Did you invent a new potion?"

"That's what I thought, too, but, no," Harry began to explain.

"You'll use the computer," Snape finished. "You stay here with Molly and the children, and Mr. Potter and I will escort Mr. Weasley back to my house to use mine."

"YOUR HOUSE?!!" Ron yelled, half angry, half terrified. "I'll be damned if I'm going anywhere with the likes of you!"

"I thought you might say that," Snape admitted with a grin. Before Ron could decide which shield charm to put up, Snape had silently cast a full Body Bind Curse, and charitably added Wingardium Leviosa, to keep him from falling over in his stiffened state. "Shall we?" Snape raised his eyebrows to Harry.

"No time like the present," Harry agreed.

They each grabbed one of Ron's arms.

"My study."

"Directly there?"

"I removed the wards before I came. I felt that it would make things easier."

"Right."

"On the count of three... one... two... three!" With a loud crack, the men Disapparated.

Hugo and Rose stood in shocked silence in their wake. Snape had taken control of their father without a word or a flick of his wand. Hermione could almost see the pride bubble burst, but it was Molly who quickly came to their rescue.

"Have you studied the two Voldemort Wars in History of Magic yet, Rose?"

"No," she replied absentmindedly. "We don't get to that until fifth year."

Molly nodded wisely. "Well, when you do, you'll learn that Professor Snape was a spy, a double agent for our side. Don't feel badly that he got the best of your father. He fooled Voldemort for years. He has skills that would have rivaled Albus Dumbledore's. He's one of the most powerful wizards of our time."

"Professor Snape?" whispered Hugo with sheer amazement. "Then why isn't he Minister of Magic or something?"

"He doesn't like to draw attention to himself," explained Hermione. "He prefers to stay in the background."

"You father is a powerful Auror, Hugo," Molly reassured him, "and you shouldn't feel embarrassed that Professor Snape got the best of him."

"Professor Snape could get the best of your Uncle Harry as well," Hermione added.

"Even Uncle Harry?" asked Rose, genuinely astonished. Until this moment, she had seen nothing exceptional or remotely interesting about the reserved, austere man who she had met for the first time only yesterday.

"I don't think there's a wizard alive who could take him in a fair fight," said Molly.

"Or a dirty fight, for that matter," added Hermione with a laugh.

Molly's laughter joined Hermione's as they all began to relax a bit. "So how does this contraption work?" asked Molly, redirecting everyone's attention to the computer.

*****

With a loud crack, no doubt from Harry's Apparation, the three men arrived in Snape's study. Winky appeared in the kitchen doorway, obviously elated to have company to dote over. As Ron hovered just above the ground, Snape systematically revolved on the spot, recasting his complicated wards to prevent unwanted intruders. Then, for good measure, he sealed the doors and windows so Weasley couldn't try to escape before his task was fulfilled.

"What can Winky get for Master Severus and his guests?" Winky asked after Snape had finished.

"Oh, just some sandwiches and pumpkin juice, Winky. This will be a working lunch. We will be dining in my bedroom while using the computer."

"Winky will bring lunch up when it is ready, then."

"Thank you, Winky." Snape nodded at her, then he turned his attention to Ron. "When I release you, I expect your full cooperation. If you resist, there will be consequences. You cannot escape this house. I will let you leave when you have completed your task as I see fit. If you try to escape, or use your wand against either myself or Mr. Potter, I will confiscate it until further notice. Do I make myself clear?"

Since Ron was still in the Body Bind Curse, he couldn't even blink, but his look of terror had subsided and contempt had taken its place, so Snape took that as a "yes," and lifted both curses at once. Ron dropped two inches to the floor and almost lost his balance, but Harry grabbed his arm and helped him to steady himself.

"You've got your nerve – both of you!" Ron shot resentful glances in both directions. "So this is the great new restaurant you wanted to take me to?" he added with heavy sarcasm.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Wait until you taste Winky's cooking! She's fabulous!" Harry informed Ron with a grin.

"Winky is flattered, Harry Potter!" Winky's squeaky voice came floating in from the kitchen.

"The computer is upstairs. I suggest that we waste no time. I'm sure you two will need to get back to work eventually." Snape began to herd the boys upstairs and into the bedroom. He sat Ron in front of his state-of-the-art computer and conjured two more chairs for himself and Potter. Then he conjured a side table for the food that he knew would soon arrive. He saw from the screen that Miss Granger was online and ready for the first message. He explained the basics to Weasley and dictated a message to demonstrate how it worked.

Ron's anger quickly dissipated as fascination took its place.

HalfBloodPrince: From this point forward, until you read otherwise, the correspondence will be from Mr. Weasley.

Snape hit send and waited for Miss Granger to reply. After a brief moment, with a three note melody, her response appeared on the screen.

MuggleBornWitch: I'm ready.

At that point, Snape charmed the keyboard to activate at the sound of Ron's voice.

"So that's all there is to it?" Ron asked as he watched his words appear on the screen. "Look! There on the screen – I just said that!"

"How perceptive of you," Snape commented sarcastically. "If you say something that you don't want to send to her, simply hit delete like this." He leaned over and showed Ron the delete button, demonstrating on the phrase that had just appeared.

"Amazing. I wish Dad could have come. Do you think I could bring him back some time?"

Snape's reply came in the form of an incredulous glare.

Potter stifled a snort.

"Guess I better get on with it..." Ron sighed as he hit the delete button to erase his inane comments. Then he looked at the two of them and sheepishly admitted, "I don't know what to say to her."

"Why don't you start by explaining why you are treating her this way?" suggested Harry.

"I want her back. I thought if I kept her away from the kids, she would come back."

"Say it as if you are talking to her, not to us," Snape explained as Ron's previous words appeared on the screen.

He took to the task of deleting the previous phrase, and restated his sentence to be directed to Hermione.

HalfBloodPrince: I want you back. I thought that if I kept you from seeing the kids, you would come back to me.

"Now what?" Ron asked in a low voice, turning back to Snape and Harry. He found that if he faced away from the computer and spoke in a quiet voice, the computer would not type his words.

"Hit the send button, here," Snape directed him.

Ron did as he was told, and the message appeared in the sent box. "Now we wait for her reply."

The three of them stared at the screen in anticipation.

MuggleBornWitch: But what if I don't want to come back?

Ron's mouth dropped open. Her words had simply appeared on the screen, as if by magic. Muggle Magic, Ron thought silently. After a few moments of astonishment, he turned to the others. "I never dreamed that she wouldn't come back to me. What do I do now?"

Harry and Snape both stared at him in disbelief. "How could you possibly think that she would come back after all that you've put her through?" asked Harry angrily.

"Well, that's what Nott and Malfoy did to get their wives back. They said that it may take a while, but it was bound to work."

"Since when do you take advice from Malfoy and Nott?"

"They are purebloods at their worst, Mr. Weasley. Do you wish to emulate such Muggle-hating scum?"

"I don't... I never..."

"The way you've been parading around with Lavender Brown is disgraceful," berated Harry. "You've humiliated Hermione in public. How could you ever expect her to come back?"

"For the kids. I thought surely she would come back to be with the kids. I have the right to keep her from them, you know!" He stiffened his lower lip and raised his chin defiantly.

"And what do your children think of this tactic, Mr. Weasley? Have you considered their feelings in this matter?" Snape looked down his long nose condescendingly.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I have," Ron declared defensively. "They need their mother all the time, not just on weekends or whenever."

"If yours had been a happy home when you all lived under one roof, I would agree. But that is not the case, is it, Mr. Weasley?"

"How would you know? What has Hermione been telling you?"

"She didn't have to tell me anything. I deduced the truth from Hugo's delicate state of health. His health has been in decline ever since you two stopped getting along. Am I correct?"

The quick three note phrase that sounded the arrival of an IM turned everyone's attention back to the computer screen.

MuggleBornWitch: What about Lavender?

Ron instantly took up the conversation.

HalfBloodPrince: What about her?

HalfBloodPrince: I don't want Lavender, I want you.

"I think this might be working," Harry leaned close and whispered to Snape.

Snape nodded in agreement as the two watched, mesmerized.

MuggleBornWitch: Well, you have a funny way of showing it, shagging like a couple of rabbits.

Ron turned back to Harry and Snape as his face reddened. "Now what?"

"Looks like you have some suckin' up to do, mate," suggested Harry.

"Perhaps if you tell her how you feel, it would help to soften her a bit," added Snape. "This is why I arranged for her children to be there. She would be reminded of just how much joy they bring into her life, and she would perhaps be more easily swayed in your direction."

Harry shot a sideways glance at Snape but kept silent.

Ron turned back to the computer screen. "I love you, Hermione. I need you. I would be lost without you." Before hitting the send button, he turned back to the two men. "What do you think? Is that good enough?"

Snape glanced over his shoulder to read the words on the screen then pursed his lips. "Pathetic!" he snarled at Weasley. "Miss Granger is one of the most intelligent, sensitive, talented witches of our time. You can't expect to sway her with primal grunts. She craves substance... details. Describe your feelings, don't simply list them." He turned away, exasperated.

"I can't. I don't know how. That's just not me." Ron gazed helplessly at Snape's back, then at Harry's empathetic face.

Snape suddenly turned on his heel to face Ron with an anxious tone and an even more tortured look. "Tell her how her eyes glisten like a rushing river in the moon's glow. Tell her that she brings life to a room when she enters, just the way she brings life to your heart. Tell her that your soul sings with joy whenever you hear the music that is her voice." Snape stopped and swallowed hard, and his eyes seemed a bit watery to Harry, who was watching him very closely. When he continued, his voice was barely above a whisper. "Tell her that... that your spirit... will shrivel into dust... without her." With those words, Snape turned away from both of them and stalked over to the only window in the room. His breathing was ragged. To Harry, he seemed fatigued.

Harry and Ron sat with eyes and mouths agape. Ron was dumbfounded. He never would have imagined that Snape could show such passion. But Harry knew, having seen Snape's memories all those years ago. Yes, Harry knew how passionate Snape could be, and he was sure now that Hermione was the reason.

"Wow," testified Ron with admiration, "you're good. You're really good. Can I use that? Can I write that stuff down?"

Snape turned again, and this time it took all of his willpower to not lose his temper. "NO!" he snarled. "The words must come from your mind... your heart. Not from me, and most certainly NOT from some cheesy, two-bit book on how to charm witches!" His eyes shot daggers as he stomped up to Ron and towered over him in full intimidation mode.

Ron didn't seem to notice Snape's sneer as soon as the book was mentioned. "You've heard of the book, too? Bloody brilliant, eh? I couldn't have gotten Hermione to marry me without it!"

Snape stared in disgust into Ron's oblivious eyes. "I was so impressed with that book that it holds a special place of esteem for me. It is the only book in my extensive collection that I have ever used as fuel in my fireplace, Mr. Weasley, and you would do well to destroy yours!" Snape let out an enraged growl and marched to the doorway. "I think I'll check to see what is taking so long with our lunch." He knew that if he didn't leave the room this instant, he would surely do something that he would regret, if only because he would end up back in Azkaban for doing it.

"I think I'll go with him and give you and Hermione your privacy," added Harry hastily as he jumped up from his chair.

"But, what if I need advice?" Ron pleaded after them hopelessly.

Harry ran down the stairs two at a time, leaving Ron to face Hermione's IMs alone. He caught up with Snape in the kitchen. Winky was dishing out the cold potato and leak soup, and some roast beef sandwiches on rye bread, and arranging them on a tray that looked too big for her to carry. Snape busied himself by pouring the pumpkin juice into tall glasses and setting them next to the sandwich plates.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Harry flatly.

"Doing what?" asked Snape with mock innocence as he reached for another glass.

"Pushing Ron and Hermione back together? You know she doesn't love him."

Snape flicked his wand towards the dining room, and three cloth napkins flew into the kitchen to rest on the tray. "She is my friend, and I wish to see her and her children happy. That is all."

"But she won't be happy with Ron."

"That is for her to decide."

"But what if she does go back for the sake of the children?"

Snape slammed the last glass down on the tray, and a few drops sloshed up over the rim and landed on the kitchen counter. "Then she goes back, Mr. Potter." He siphoned the mess up with his wand. "What are you getting at, besides the obvious?" he asked as impatience began to creep into his tone.

"What happens with you and her?"

Snape furrowed his brow and glanced accusingly at Potter. "What do you mean? We'll still be friends. That's all we are, that's all we ever were." He turned his attention back to the food tray. "And I imagine that that is all we ever will be."

"How can you say that?" Harry demanded. As Snape ignored his question, he took a deep breath, screwed up his courage, and continued forward. "How can you say that when you're in love with her?"

"WHAT?!" Snape's voice reeked of incredulity, but his eyes darted to the greenhouse door. "I, Severus Snape, in love with that insufferable know-it-all?" He let out a nervous chuckle. "Have you lost your mind?"

Winky covered her mouth with both hands as her tennis-ball eyes turned to Harry with a wary look. He knew from her expression that he had uncovered the truth.

"I could see it in your face upstairs. You've seen her eyes sparkle in the moonlight. You've felt your heart come to life when you're with her. And her voice is music to your ears."

"Enough of this nonsense!"

"No! It's not nonsense and you know it! It's your spirit that will turn to dust if you can't be with her, not Ron's. You can't let her go back. Not if you love her. She's been miserable with him for years. That's not going to change if she goes back. Do you want her to be miserable?"

Snape's stance softened. He stared into Harry's intense green eyes. He had been in love with those eyes once, but that love had finally faded over the decades. If anyone had asked him a year ago if he would be having a conversation such as this with Harry Potter, he would have had them committed to St. Mungo's long-term ward for the criminally insane. But now, here he was, facing those eyes back from the grave to haunt him. When Harry was in school, the only reason he couldn't see into Snape's soul was because their mutual hatred for each other clouded their vision. Now, he no longer felt hatred for James, much less Harry. Even if he had, he no longer possessed the anger to use it. But he could never hide anything from those eyes, and this moment was no different. Those eyes could see that he was in love with Hermione Granger. Somehow he knew that Lily would approve.

Snape turned his face back to the greenhouse door. "If Weasley will not listen to reason, she may decide to go back to be with her children. She will do what's best for them. What happens to me is unimportant."

"It's important to her..." Harry insisted. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he added, "... and it's important to me."

Snape turned back to Potter with that same tortured look on his face. "I'm a convicted felon, Mr. Potter. What sort of life could I possibly offer her? She would likely lose her job at the Ministry for consorting with me, and she may not be able to procure employment elsewhere. I don't mind being a recluse, but she is a social creature. She needs people in her daily life. She couldn't have that with me. It would never work. It would never last."

"So just like that, you're willing to give up? That doesn't sound like the Severus Snape that I used to know."

Snape took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The Severus Snape you used to know... no longer exists."

The two stood in silence for a few moments as Winky put the finishing touches on the tray. Then Snape flicked his wand and sent one of each item to the dinette table in the corner of the kitchen. "You take the tray up to Weasley. I think it would be safer for him if I eat here and stay out of it. Otherwise, I may have to hex his testicles off."

"But, Professor..."

"Please, just go, Mr. Potter," Snape whispered as he furrowed his brow and turned back to stare through the sliding glass door into his greenhouse.

Winky tugged at Harry's sleeve and gestured towards the tray. She knew that her master needed to be alone right now. Harry obediently grabbed the tray, nodded his thanks to the little elf, and made his way silently back upstairs.

Snape heaved a heavy sigh as he felt Harry leave the room, then he rested his forehead on the door, closed his eyes, and allowed one lone tear to escape down the side of his cheek.

"Come eat, Master Severus," Winky implored him softly. "It will help you feel better."

After a few moments, Snape conceded and stepped over to the table where he sat in silence through his meal. He didn't even notice how delectable the soup was or that the tender roast beef had been cooked to perfection. He could only taste the bitter-sweetness in his heart from the knowledge that whatever happened, it would be for Miss Granger's good and the good of her children. And that was all that mattered.