Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks to Lariope who continues to support this story--no matter how many times she has to beta it! And now--it's time for some answers!

"All right. I'm ready," Harry announced.

"Drink this--every last drop. This will keep your soul from splitting when you cast the killing curse, but it will only last for forty-eight hours, so you'd better kill him within that time frame, Potter," Snape said.

Harry grabbed the tiny bottle and emptied it into his mouth. Dumbledore walked over to him and handed him his own wand.

"Most wizards don't usually have the ability to use another's wand, but the potion Severus brewed helps mask the identity of the holder. It's a very dangerous potion in that regard, but we had to do what we had to do."

"I'm not sure I understand," Harry said.

There was silence in the room.

"He means that Professor Snape and Hermione used Dark magic to create that potion; isn't that right, Professor?" Ron said, looking over at Dumbledore.

"Yes, Mister Weasley. I know how you don't approve of having to use Dark magic, but we had no other choice," Dumbledore said toward Harry.

"As long as it works, and it vanquishes him for good, then I don't give a damn anymore," Harry said.

"Good. Keep that thought. Let's go," Snape said quickly.

"Good luck, Harry. We'll be right behind you," Lupin said.

"Harry, mate--"

"Ron, if for some reason I don't make it back... take care of Hermione."

"I will." Ron stepped up to Harry and took his best friend into a tight squeeze. "Take care of yourself," Ron whispered.

"Can we go now?" Severus said impatiently.

Harry let Ron go and followed Severus out of Dumbledore's office and down the stairs.

"So, you and Hermione spent your seventh year together--"

"Not now, Potter!"

"Yes, sir," Harry said.

They walked quietly the rest of the way down to the Apparition point. It was an uncomfortable silence that chilled Severus to the bone. It was time. It was time to fully protect this boy next to him.

"Give me your arm so I can take us to the Dark Lord," Severus said when they walked through the gates to Hogwarts.

Harry held his arm out, and Severus snaked his right arm underneath it. He was holding his wand and magically pulled back his left sleeve, revealing his Dark Mark. He touched the tip of his wand to the skull, and the two of them disappeared into the night.

---

A week after getting engaged, Hermione decided it was time to tell her fiancé the truth. She carefully hid the Time-Turner under her mattress, hoping that if she didn't wear it, then she could speak the truth. She was now pacing back and forth by her bed, working up the nerve to talk to Severus. She had told him to meet her on top of the Astronomy Tower Saturday around noon, and it was now fifteen minutes till twelve o'clock. Hermione quickly ran a brush through her bushy hair, checked herself in her mirror, and ran out of the dorm.

Severus was sitting on a bench reading a book while he waited for her arrival. As soon he saw her, he closed the book and smiled; Hermione's heart started to ache.

"Hi, Mione," he said as she slowly walked over to him.

"Hi, Severus."

He stood up and tried to pull her into a hug, but Hermione backed away.

"What's wrong?" he asked. His tone was suddenly not so cheerful.

"Severus, I have something to tell you, and it's been eating me up for a long time. I just want you to listen. Don't interrupt me until I'm finished," she said.

Severus stared at her like he was reading her mind, and Hermione felt like she was back in the present with him as her professor, not with her fiancé.

"If this is about Black or any other guy--"

"I swear, it isn't. Nothing like that. Look, just sit down and let me explain everything. It's a long story."

He didn't move.

Hermione started fidgeting with her ring. "Okay, don't sit down." She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "Severus, I'm not the person you think I am."

"What do you mean?" he said dryly.

Her palms were sweating, and her heart was racing. "My name isn't Mione Jean; it's Hermione Jean Granger. I'm not from Beauxbatons. I'm from the future, almost twenty years into the future to be exact. I used a Time-Turner and came back here trying to warn Lily, James, Remus and Sirius about their destinies. I am actually a Hogwarts student, and you are my Potions master.

"I know you know who Lord Voldemort is, and he is going to end up hurting our world. He is going to kill James and Lily and attempt to kill their son, Harry; and Sirius gets put in Azkaban for twelve years for their murder. I told you it's a long story, but basically, I can't be engaged to you right now. When I go back to the future, whenever that will be, things will be different.

"You are my teacher, and before I came here, I had already fallen in love with you. I now know that you loved me, and when I return I can give you love in return, but you will still be my professor, and there is a war going on, and you are in the middle of it. Err... this is so complicated. What I'm trying to say is that, Severus, I love you. I love you now, and I love you in the future, but I am going to have to go back in time and can't marry you right now. I don't belong in this world; I need you to wait for me. Do you understand anything that I have said?"

Hermione thought she had spoken so fast that he didn't hear her. She knew she had started to get teary-eyed, and he looked very blurry.

"Severus?" She tried to reach out and touch him, but found that she couldn't because she was spinning. She felt her ring slipping off her finger, and she glanced downward, but all she saw was a gold chain around her neck.

"WHAT THE HELL! HOW DID THIS GET BACK AROUND MY NECK? SEVERUS! CAN YOU HEAR ME? STOP! STOP! STOP!"

The scene in front of Hermione was now completely distorted. She saw figures moving at lightning speed in front of her, and no matter how hard she screamed, the Time-Turner was taking her back into the future and wasn't stopping at her command.

---

It was around three o'clock in the morning, and the war on Voldemort was over. Harry and Snape had successfully snuck their way into his presence and started the battle. Voldemort had laughed when he saw Harry pointing his wand at him and tried to explain that in no way could he strike him dead because of Priori Incantatem. Harry quickly gathered all his hatred and proved Voldemort wrong. As soon as he cast the Avada Kedavra curse and killed Voldemort, the Death Eaters broke out into battle against him and Snape. The Order and Aurors had been waiting and fought back, taking control of the situation. Unfortunately, several Death Eaters had escaped.

In fact, three of the most powerful Death Eaters went missing.

Lucius, Bellatrix and Rodulphus were nowhere to be found.

Dumbledore was the person who made sure Voldemort was surely dead and gone this time. He cast several spells over the body and found that his soul was gone. Tonks and Mad-Eyed burned his body and alerted the Ministry to the situation while the others looked after the wounded.

Ron had stayed at the school along with several members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix, as well as Fred and Kingsley; they were the backup team in case everyone else was killed during the battle that night. Ron was pacing and waiting for some news when he noticed that the glass basin with Hermione's aura was starting to shift. He walked over to it and watched her aura disappear from the seventh floor and then reappear above the Astronomy Tower where it became a solid purple. From Dumbledore's explanation, Ron knew that she was physically back at Hogwarts, and since it wasn't a foggy white, she wasn't dead.

"Blimey! Hermione's back!" he screamed.

The others in the room dashed over to him and looked down in the bowl.

"She's on the Astronomy Tower! We need to go get her!" Ron explained.

"Should we wait for Dumbledore?" asked Ginny.

"NO! She could be hurt!" Ron snapped. "Besides, it could be hours before they return--if they return."

They all looked at each other mournfully.

"Fine--"

There was suddenly a bright red flash throughout the room, and rush of wind swept through them. Dumbledore had appeared, along with Fawkes.

"Albus! How's the war?" Kingsley said.

"Over. We won." Dumbledore smiled. He started muttering some foreign words and swishing his wand around. "I'll be right back," he said and Disapparated.

"Hey! I thought you couldn't Disapparate--"

Several POPS filled the room before Ron could finish speaking. Harry, Lupin, George and Molly all Apparated into the office. They were quickly followed by the rest of the Order and, finally, Snape and Dumbledore.

"How--"

"I lowered the wards, Mister Weasley, so that we could all gather here quickly," Dumbledore explained.

"Oh. Harry, you all right?" Ron rushed over to his friend, who was bleeding and scratched.

"Yeah. I did it. I killed him. That was the scariest thing I have ever done! I still can't believe it's over," Harry said with a tired voice.

"Gather round, please. Now, the Aurors and Ministry are cleaning up the mess back on the battlefield. Anyone with wounds, who can not heal them themselves, needs to go to the hospital wing and see Madam Pomfrey. I am very proud of all of you tonight. We will celebrate soon--but tonight, just rest. We still have several Death Eaters on the loose, but the Aurors will be on top of that. We will meet down in the Great Hall at noon for a nice lunch. Until then--"

"BUT, PROFESSOR! WAIT!" Ron yelled before anyone could leave the office.

"Yes, Mister Weasley?"

"It's Hermione. She's back!"

Snape had been standing next to Dumbledore, looking grim, but he suddenly shot over to the glass basin, nearly knocking people over, and peered down into it.

"She's on the Astronomy Tower!" he said. "Are the Apparating wards still down?" he asked.

"Yes," Dumbledore said.

Snape was gone.

When he arrived on the tower, he ran over to the opposite side. He knew exactly where she was, because it had been nearly twenty years since she left him by the bench in the corner. He heard the faint pops of the others Apparating behind him, but he kept running.

He finally came into view of the bench and saw Hermione lying broken on the stone ground. Her legs were tangled underneath her; one arm was across her stomach and her other was out to the side. The wind was causing her hair to blow across her face.

"Mione!" Snape said as he kneeled down next to her. Her eyes were closed, and her body was shivering. He magically unbuttoned his long black robes and wrapped her in them, without moving her body.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" he yelled when Harry approached. "She could be hurt! Go get Poppy!"

Ron quickly joined them, followed by Dumbledore. "Poppy's on her way, Severus."

"Oh, Hermione," Ron said, upset.

"Move out of my way! Move! Move!" Madam Pomfrey shouted at the small crowd that had gathered around Hermione and Snape.

She quickly did a few spells over her body. "No broken bones!"

Snape felt relief wash through him. She wasn't physically hurt.

Poppy conjured a stretcher, magically lifted Hermione onto it and started taking her back toward the hospital wing.

---

"Look, I can't have everyone in here while I work on her!" Madam Pomfrey said as she entered the room.

"I'm staying!" Ron yelled.

Madam Pomfrey whipped around and saw a determined young man looking back at her, along with his best friend. "I'm sorry, but nobody is staying!"

A hand grabbed her arm as she was turning around. Then she saw who it was.

"Please, Poppy," Snape pleaded.

"Not even--"

He squeezed her arm a little tighter and begged again. "Please."

"Fine, but stay out of my way!"

"WHAT! Why does he get to stay?" Ron yelled as the doors to the hospital wing started closing.

"I'm sure all the answers will be revealed once Miss Granger wakes up, Mister Weasley," Dumbledore said with a smile as he looked over his glasses at Ron and Harry. He caught Lupin's eye and winked at him.

"Severus, you said she had a Time-Turner--I need to know, was she playing with it that day she disappeared?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"No, why?"

"Because this is what happens when a person gets jolted into time without actually setting the Time-Turner. Meaning that had she known she was going to go back through time, her mind would have prepared her body for the travel; without knowing it, the unexpected time travel causes shock in the body. It's like being hit with ice water; if you see it coming, you can prepare your body, sparing it from the initial surprise, but if you didn't know you were going to be sprayed with a bucket of ice water, and it just happened, the jolt to your body would be greater. Understand?"

"Yes, somehow the Time-Turner activated, and now she has been rendered unconscious."

"Yes," she said.

"What can you do?"

"Just replenish her with liquids and some healing potions, but not much really. Her body and mind need to rest. I don't know how long she'll be asleep, but we shouldn't force her to wake."

"I won't leave her side until she does."

"Severus, first of all, you need to be healed as well, and your body needs sleep, too. For twenty years, you have been spying back and forth on Voldemort--we won. It's over--and now it's time to relax."

"Not until I know that the woman I love is safe."

Poppy walked to the opposite side of the bed and placed her hands on his shoulders. "She is safe, Severus. She's just very tired. You will be no good to her if you pass out from exhaustion."

"I've waited so long for this moment! When she wakes, she will know that I love her. I've missed her so much!" Severus leaned into her open arms and started releasing his feelings. He wept until no more tears could come from his eyes, and she just rocked him ever so gently. When the blurriness from his tears left his eyes, he saw that Dumbledore was standing next to Poppy, but he didn't move from her arms. He was never embarrassed to cry in her arms.

"What?" he said quietly.

"Severus, I just wanted to tell you that I know all about Hermione. I may be old, but I'm not blind to the matters of the heart. Therefore, I will not stop you two, and I will make sure no one else will either. You deserve some happiness after all of these years."

Severus finally lifted his head from the embrace of the woman he thought of as a mother. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I do not disapprove of your love, and you need not fear for your job. The situation is complex, and so the rules against dating a student will not be applied to you. I want you to be happy and live the life that you have always wanted. But, I do want a full story when she is ready to talk. I'm sure everyone will want to hear this."

"I appreciate that. But, she may not want me. I'm not the boy that I was; I'm the man that she fears."

"She has never feared you as her professor nor as a Death Eater. If she had, she would have never worked with you over the summer, correct? And I do believe that you both enjoyed yourselves."

"Yes, we did, but that's because I knew who she was then. I let her see another side of me. I tried very hard to be myself around her then, yet not blow my cover at the same time."

"I know you did, and I think she saw that. She has never feared you. Just be patient, my boy. Just be patient. You never know, she may surprise you. She fell in love with you then, knowing who you were, so..." Dumbledore trailed off, leaving Snape to finish his thought for himself.

Severus saw the twinkle in his eye before he watched Dumbledore turn around and leave.

"Well, at least you have his approval. This is wonderful news! But, dear, I do need to tend to your and everyone else's wounds. Let Hermione rest," Poppy said.

She walked over to a cabinet and then handed him a small potion to drink, pulled the curtains around Hermione and placed a silencing charm over her so she could sleep in peace. She nearly had to drag Severus away from Hermione's side. She then ushered the people waiting outside the door into the infirmary and started her healing duties. Severus quietly left the room and walked slowly down to his private quarters, where he went straight to sleep.

---

It had been less than week since the defeat of Voldemort. If it had been up to Snape, he would have slept through the celebration ceremony the day after the war, but Dumbledore made sure he attended. And if he'd had his way, he would have sat in the chair next to Hermione the entire time, but Poppy didn't allow him to disturb her rest. So, he was stuck giving interviews, listening to different celebration speeches and all the while continued teaching. He was careful to avoid any questions concerning Hermione, although Harry and Ron did try very hard to corner him on several occasions. Thankfully, Lupin helped him out by keeping the boys away from him.

"Do you have another Marauder's Map, Professor? You always seem to know where Harry and I are!" Ron complained while he and Harry were being led away from the dungeons by Remus. They had stayed back after class to try to get some answers out of Severus, when Lupin suddenly appeared and interrupted them again.

"We professors never give away our secrets. And I thought I told you two last time--leave Professor Snape alone. When Hermione wakes up, you can question her then."

"Then you tell us. What happened back then?" asked Harry.

"It's not for me to say at this time."

"Fine, we'll leave him alone. But what if she doesn't wake soon?" Harry said.

"According to Madam Pomfrey, she will wake up when her body is good and ready. Until then--"

"We know," they both said sulkily.

---

Hermione felt trapped. She was trying to move, but her body was stuck under something. She wiggled her fingers and felt that her ring was missing from her hand. She didn't know where, or when, she was. She just knew that she had gone through time and wherever she was located was a dark place, and her body was confined in something. She wanted to scream, but couldn't; she could only feel herself mumbling, but didn't know what she was saying.

Then she heard a voice. It was far away, but she knew she had heard the voice before. She mumbled something again, but nothing happened. The voice disappeared. Hermione wanted to scream. She was scared and alone and didn't want that familiar voice to disappear. Again she tried to move, but couldn't. She only could wiggle her fingers. Panic was starting to set in, but then the voice was back--along with several others. She couldn't make out what they were saying, and she wondered if they knew she was trapped under this force. She took in a deep breath and started screaming with all her might; she wanted them to help her.

---

The boys had reached the stairs that led up to the upper floors when Madam Pomfrey came running down them, nearly falling into Harry and Ron.

"Hermione's awake! Severus! Severus! Hermione's awake!" she shouted.

Harry and Ron took off toward the hospital wing. Severus came running out of his classroom when he heard her shouting, and he and Lupin followed Poppy and the boys.

"What has she said? Who is she asking for?" Severus questioned her on the way up the stairs.

"I was checking on her, when she started muttering about a ring. She kept saying, 'My ring, my ring.' I'm not sure what she means by that. She hasn't opened her eyes yet, but she'll be waking soon."

"I have a feeling I know what she means," Snape said as he entered the infirmary. Harry and Ron were waiting on the outside of her curtains; Poppy had placed a ward around her bed so that no one would disturb her. She quickly removed the charm. As soon as the silencing ward was dropped, they heard Hermione screaming.

Poppy rushed to her side, trying to calm her down.

"What's wrong? Why is she screaming?" Snape yelled over her shouts.

"She must not know where she is! Just keep talking to her. Harry, Ron--come in here and talk to her, help her wake up!"

"Hermione, come on! Wake up, it's us!" Ron said.

"Hermione, it's okay. We're here." Harry said in a soft voice.

"Miss Granger, wake up! You can do it," Poppy said.

Her screams stopped, but she was still stuck in her own subconscious. The boys looked at Lupin, who was looking at Snape. Then together, the two men pushed past Harry and Ron, leaned toward her ears and softly called for her.

"Mione, open your eyes," Lupin whispered.

"Mione, I miss you. Wake up. Mione, please!" Snape said.

Suddenly Hermione's eyes shot open. Her breathing was uneasy, and her voice was raspy when she said, "Where am I?"

"Miss Granger, you are in the hospital wing at Hogwarts," Madam Pomfrey said while pushing Snape to the side and handing her a glass of water.

Hermione wiggled free from the tight covers that held her in place and took the glass. "What year is it?" she said, after guzzling down the drink.

"1997. You're back from the past. Do you remember anything?"

Hermione finally started looking around at the people who stood in the room gazing down at her.

"Harry, Ron! I've missed you!"

She looked over at Lupin. "Professor--"

"Hello, Mione," he said smiling.

Slowly she looked over to Snape, tears unable to be held back any longer. "Severus, I'm so sorry!" Without warning, Hermione started to sob. She covered her face with her hands.

"Hermione!" Ron said, shocked.

"Everyone out!" Madam Pomfrey said. She pulled her wand out and turned it toward Harry and Ron, who slowly backed away. They looked confused and upset, but everyone knew not to argue with a person pointing a wand at them. Lupin followed Poppy out of the small area. Then she placed Severus and Hermione back into the Silencing Charm and pulled the curtains around them.

All Severus wanted to do was pull her into his arms, but he held back.

"Stop crying, Miss Granger. We need to talk."

"It's all my fault!" she howled.

"Miss Granger!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" she screamed through her hands.

"Why!"

"You know why!"

"Then what should I call you? Mione?" he said curtly.

Hermione's sobs settled down, and she looked through her fingers at the man in black.

"We both have a lot of explaining to do. And not only to each other, but to Dumbledore. He wants to know what happened--especially Potter and Weasley."

She lowered her hands into her lap and looked down. "I know," she said quietly after calming down from her fit.

"Now's not the time though, so don't say anything just yet."

"Why not! I have so much to tell to you!"

"Because we are in the middle of the hospital wing! This is not where I would like to discuss things with you. When you are released, we will talk somewhere more comfortable!"

He had every right to be snappish. She must have put him through hell.

"How about we talk on the hill across the black lake? Do you remember?"

Her heart started fluttering. "Of course I do."

He grinned at her and started to leave but then she said, "I lost it. I'm sorry."

He whipped around and started unbuttoning the collar of his frock coat. He stopped midway down his chest, and then unbuttoned the white shirt underneath. He reached down and pulled a silver chain that was around his neck out of his clothes and held it toward her.

"You mean this?" he said, eyebrow cocked and lips turned slightly upward.

She watched him unbutton slowly and then saw that dangling on his silver chain was her antique engagement ring. She nodded her head and tried desperately to hold back her tears again.

I wonder if he has been wearing that the entire time? She saw him looking at her intensely and suddenly felt a chill up her spine.

"Yes, I have. Every single day," he said. Then he dropped it back down his shirt and used his wand to button back up, turned, and left Hermione, who burst into tears once more.

---

Hermione walked slowly down to the boathouse the next day. It had taken a while to convince Harry and Ron that she would tell them everything after she spoke to Snape; they didn't seem to understand that speaking inside a hospital wing was very uncomfortable. But with the help of Remus, they left her alone, and she was released that night.

Now, the only thing on Hermione's mind was what was going to happen between her and Severus. She wanted things to be the same as before she had left the past, but knew that they couldn't. He was waiting at the boats when she arrived, just like before. He was in his usual black clothes, but missing was the billowing robe.

"Hi," she mumbled.

He simply nodded his head while helping her into the boat. She watched him as he once again made the boat leave the slip. It was all very strange to Hermione. To her, she had just seen him do this a few months ago, and it was very fresh in her mind. To him, he hadn't been in this boat with her for almost two decades.

They sat quietly as the boat took them across the lake. Hermione remembered the first time they had gone across, when he had splashed her with the water, then kissed her for the first time. And now, here she was again, as silent as death, wishing he would say something before she started crying again. She kept her eyes on the floor of the boat and could feel him staring at her, but she didn't know what to say.

Suddenly, a splash of cold water hit her face! She looked up and locked eyes with him. Did he just splatter me? And is he smirking?

"I remember, too," he said quietly.

"Are you reading my thoughts like you did back in the infirmary?"

"I don't need to do Legilimency to know what you are thinking. I can see it in your expression. You were never very good at hiding your feelings."

Hermione started to blush and tears sprang to her eyes, but she blinked rapidly and quickly pushed them back.

The boat hit the bank, and he carefully helped her out. They hiked up to their hill, but instead of producing a blanket and picnic basket, he conjured a small café table and two chairs with two cups of tea.

"So, where shall we start?" he said as he sat down.

"No idea," she said, slipping into the opposite seat.

"Then let's start in the most logical place; the beginning. It's my seventh year at Hogwarts, and you show up as Mione Jean, a transfer student from Beauxbatons. Tell me, how did you pull that off?"

"Well, when I was still in the future, I was in the Room of Requirement, so when I went back in time, I ended up there. I asked for a way to conceal my identity, and the room produced clothes, money, transcripts, luggage--everything I needed to fit in. Do you want to know why I went into the past?"

"I already know, but we'll get to that later. So, you knew who I was, yet you allowed certain... things to happen between us, knowing who I was going to become in the future, your professor, Death Eater and so on. Why did you do that to me?"

"You think I did that on purpose? All these years, you've thought that? And please don't lie to me or hide anything from me; it's just you and me out here."

"When have I ever lied to you? I should be asking you not to lie to me. Again, why did you pretend to love me?" he said, getting upset.

That hurt. This wasn't going well. "I never pretended. There is something you don't know, before I left... I... was already in love with you."

"Nonsense," he said, glaring.

"I was. I have had a crush on you since the end of fifth year, then that summer after sixth year, you had me assist you with that potion. It confirmed my feelings for you. Do Legilimency if you don't believe me. I loved you before I went back in time! So I ask you again, have you really thought that it was a lie all these years?"

He took a sip of tea and then looked back at her. "No. I knew your feelings were real. But when I found out who you really were, I did start to think that maybe you did it for some other reason, but I hoped you hadn't. Then, during that summer, I knew your feelings were authentic and that you really did love me back then. So, I did everything I could to make you want to love me when you came back into the future. But enough of that for now. There were several times you slipped up, weren't there?"

She looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"I recall you calling me Professor during one--" he cleared his throat, "time we made love. And I also heard you muttering about how I would be a good Potions master."

"Ah, yes. I remember. I told you I loved you before I went into the past. I've had fantasies... never mind. But yes, I did slip up, and not just with you. I accidentally blurted out that I knew Remus was a werewolf and Sirius and James were Animagi."

"How did you get out of that one?"

"Told them I figured it out with Remus, which was true, because I did. I'm sure you remember my third year as well as I do."

"Indeed."

"And then I said that I saw them one night."

"Hmm."

"My turn to ask questions. What made you change your mind about wanting to go on a date with me?"

His lip curled as he spoke, "Lupin."

"Remus?"

"Yes, Remus. He was rather annoying and basically said I was being a fool if I didn't go out with you. He saw me turn you down."

"Oh. So, you don't really hate him, do you?"

"No. Annoying? Yes. A friend? You could call it that."

Hermione smiled. She was glad that the last two people she loved in the past could get along in the future. Most of the time.

"Why didn't you try to go back into the future once you had done what you wanted to do?" he asked.

"Well, I went there for a reason, but it never got accomplished. I did try to go back, but the Time-Turner wouldn't budge. I tried several times. Then, whenever I made an effort to try and warn someone about their future, I would speed up in time, and they didn't notice I was gone. I would force the spinning to stop in my mind, and it did. That was the only time I could go into the future."

"Hmm. We'll get back to that." Then he said, "Lucius Malfoy."

"What about him?" she said through clenched teeth.

"Why did you really attack him that night in Hogsmeade?"

"Because I knew the influence he had on you. I knew he was going to be the one who turned you to Voldemort. I wanted you away from him. But apparently that didn't work. You even promised me you would stay away from him!"

"I did. Things changed."

"I'm sorry. It was me, wasn't it?"

"Not entirely."

---

They each took sips of their tea and collected their thoughts.

"What happened that night I went back into the future?" she asked, after waiting in silence for nearly five minutes.

"You mean the night my world turned upside down? Well, you were talking, then suddenly, you were gone. You disappeared in front of my eyes. I remember how you started fading, then next thing I heard was a clink on the ground; it was your ring."

"Oh! I can't imagine the pain that it caused you."

"You won't need to. I brought the Pensieve. I want you to live it," he snarled.

"Why?" she said, slightly taken aback.

"I want you to know what my life has been like since you left me. I am going to show you everything. It will help you understand things better. However, it can wait until I'm done asking some questions," he said and then continued, "How did you not go insane? You were there for seven months; how did you keep it together?"

Hermione was upset about him wanting to show her the hell he had been through, but she knew that it was only fair. She continued to answer his questions.

"Well, I admit, there were times when I was a mess. I missed my family, friends, school, and even you as an adult. I cried myself to sleep a lot. But being able to go into the Room of Requirement as my family home helped. Do you remember seeing those pictures on my dresser of Harry? You said he looked like James!"

"Yes. That must have been quite amusing to you at the time," he said dryly.

"It was a little funny."

"But not what happened after that," he said, looking at her with his dark eyes.

Hermione started blushing again, remembering their sexual encounter right after that incident. "You still... think of those times?"

"There hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about you in one way or another. And for those times, I didn't have to think at all. I have a Pensieve for a reason."

She gasped. "And that reason is?"

"You. I made sure that I bought one, and it cost me everything I had, but I didn't want to lose the memories that I had of you. I never thought I was going to see you again, and that was the only way I could."

She dropped her eyes. "Thank you for not forgetting me."

Again, they each sipped their tea and looked at the beautiful view.

Finally, Severus said, "Ready to see what happened after you disappeared?"

"Not really, but if you insist."

He stood up and pulled a miniature Pensieve from his pocket and set it on the table. He made the tea glasses disappear, and he transfigured the Pensieve to the correct size. Then, he pulled out some phials and dropped his memories into the basin. Then, together, they dipped their heads inside and fell into his recollections.

Hermione was standing next to his younger self. Severus was standing next to her.

"If this is about Black or anyone other guy--"

"I swear, it isn't. Nothing like that. Look, just sit down and let me explain everything. It's a long story."

The young Severus didn't budge.

"Okay, don't sit down." She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "Severus, I'm not the person you think I am."

"What do you mean?" he said.

Hermione watched her past self fade and disappear, just how Severus had described. She watched his younger self reach out and swipe the area that she had been standing in. Then, she heard the clinking sound of her ring. He slowly picked it up.

"Mione? MIONE! Are you having a laugh? How did you do that? MIONE! You dropped your ring!" Quickly, Severus started looking around the tower for her, but couldn't find her. She saw the panic appear on his face.

"MIONE!" he screamed as loud as he could, but the air was still and nothing happened.

He started running, and Hermione quickly followed him, with Severus behind her. She watched the younger Severus run down to the hospital wing and burst through the doors.

"She's gone! She's gone!"

"Severus! What's going on?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Mione! We were on top of the Astronomy Tower, and she was trying to tell me something, and she disappeared! Something isn't right--we have to find her!"

"Calm down. What do you mean she disappeared?"

"DISAPPEARED! Like she Disapparated or something!"

"We need to talk to the Headmaster."

The memory became foggy, and Hermione knew that it was shifting into another one.

"I've done all the locating charms; she's nowhere to be found, Mister Snape. She must have Disapparated. The owl that I sent her family even returned with the letter; it couldn't find them. I'm not sure what is going on; I have no answers at this time. I will have the Ministry look into it, but we have to assume that she just left the school. Were you fighting?" Dumbledore asked him.

"NO! Well, not really, no. She said she needed to tell me something. I knew from her tone of voice that it wasn't good. Do you think that was her way of breaking up with me?"

"I don't know. From what Madam Pomfrey tells me, you were going to marry her?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, but maybe she changed her mind! Look, she even left her ring!"

The memory shifted again. This time they were in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"I don't think she left you, Severus. Mione loved you, trust us," Remus said.

"Why would I trust any of you?" Severus shouted.

"Because we loved her, and we were her friends. She loved you--something isn't right. She wouldn't just leave like that," Lily said.

"How do you know? She left in an awful hurry from Beauxbatons. What if she did the same thing to another fool?"

They all looked at each other in silence.

"No. I sense it. Something is wrong about her disappearance," said Remus.

"Look, Snape, if Remus can sense it, then it's probably true. I think you need to look into it further, even if Dumbledore isn't," said James.

"You didn't have anything to do with this, did you, Black?" Severus snapped at the handsome young man.

"Of course not. She was like family to me; I'm just as upset as you are!"

"I bet you are."

"Enough! Both of you. We won't find her with you two fighting!" Lily yelled.

"You're going to help me?"

"That's what friends do, Severus," Lily explained.

"I don't even know where to start," he said.

"We'll come up with a plan," James suggested.

The memory started to shift again. They were outside by the Black Lake; it was graduation day. The ceremony looked like it had been finished for a while, and the guests were trickling out of the area.

"It's been two months, Severus. We haven't found much, and tomorrow we all will be leaving here. What else can we do?" Lily said.

Severus looked upset. "We can't do much else. I guess we don't have the... power necessary to find her. But I do thank you for all that you have done. All of you."

"Do I hear Severus Snape thanking me?" Sirius teased.

"Only for the sake of Mione, you arrogant arse," Severus replied.

"Severus, what are your plans? Where are you going to go?" Lily said in a concerned voice.

"I have one more option for finding Mione. If that doesn't work out, then I guess I'll take that scholarship to the Magical University in London."

"Just don't do anything stupid, Severus. Mione wouldn't want that," said Lily.

"Who says I am going to do that?"

"We know of the offer Lucius Malfoy has given you. Voldemort won't help you without some sort of... payment," Remus said.

Severus looked over at James. "If Lily suddenly disappeared, would you go to the end of the earth looking for her?"

"In a heartbeat," James said, looking strongly into Severus' black eyes.

"I'll see you all around, then." He started walking away and then suddenly stopped and turned back around with his wand at the ready.

"Levicorpus," Snape said with a grin on his face.

Sirius and James were flipped upside down in the air, and Lily, Remus and Peter laughed.

Again, the scene changed, but this time they were in a dark room only lit by a small fire in the fireplace.

"I can back you financially. I've always told you that, Severus. But I need you to join the Dark Lord with me. I promise he will make sure Mione is found. He has powers that even Dumbledore has not."

"I don't know, Lucius. I promised Mione that I wouldn't join."

"Don't you want to find her? If it was me, and Narcissa was missing, I would do anything to find her. But, suit yourself."

"Fine. But you will back me financially, without making me do things I don't want to do, and you will do it without questions."

"Of course, Severus. I know the power that you have; I know the skills that you possess... They are worth much more than money."

Fog rolled through the memory, and they were now standing outside by a fire pit. There were many Death Eaters watching a ceremony taking place. Voldemort was speaking. Even though she knew she was safe, Hermione was still scared.

"You have proven yourself well, boy. Lucius was right; you are more powerful than most. Hold out you arm. I would be proud to take you under my wing and show you the benefits of having everything you ever wanted."

Voldemort put his wand tip onto the young Severus' arm and burned the Dark Mark into him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw the older Severus clutch his left arm; she knew he could still feel the pain.

"Rise, Severus. Welcome to the Death Eaters!"