Revelation

A/N: Once again, thanks to my beta, RobisonRocket. :-D

Disclaimer: They are not mine, and they never will be.

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(The night before)

Severus entered his dungeon chambers and fell into his black leather chair. The cold air helped to clear his mind, so he didn’t bother to light a fire. He began to ponder over Miss Granger. “Hermione,” he muttered, his own voice startling him.

“Hermione,” he said again, closing his eyes and leaning his head back in his chair.

Severus awoke sweating, and as his dream came back to him, a dull flush crept up his face. Groaning, he heaved himself out of the chair and made his way to his potions cabinet for a hangover potion. Drowning it in one gulp, he returned to the chair. He rested his head in his hands and started to fall asleep once again.

He was started out of his calm by a warm voice flooding through his chambers.

“Severus? Severus Snape, do not make me come out of this fireplace to get you.”

Severus sighed. “I am so sorry that I was not available at your every beck and call, Molly,” he grouched, lifting his body from the chair and making his way towards his sitting room. Glancing at the fire, he saw the head of Molly Weasley looking impatiently at him.

“I have a family to feed and do not have the time to listen to your sarcasm,” she said, huffing. Severus glared at her. She glared right back, but finally gave in. “There is a meeting at Grimmauld Place today, and I expect you to be there.” Severus continued glaring at her. Molly was unfazed. “I will see you at one then, Severus. Have a good morning. And take a shower, you smell terrible.” And with that she disappeared from the fire.

Severus groaned; he didn’t know why they kept holding the damn meetings anyway, or expected him to show up. The war was over, Voldemort gone, and he wanted to live the rest of his miserable life in peace.

Instead of making his way to his bedroom and sleeping again like he wanted to, he found himself walking to the bathroom. Peeling his robes off his tired body, he folded them, placed them a neat pile, and turned the shower on. Glancing around the room, he caught a glance of himself in the mirror; his once too-thin body was now lean and covered with muscles; old scars were at last fading. He smirked at his reflection before entering the boiling water. ‘Not too bad for forty years,’ he thought to himself.

Entering through the fire at Grimmauld Place, he looked around the brightly lit room and scowled. He disliked the light, and unlike some rumors, it was not because he was a vampire. He simply did not enjoy the feeling it gave him, like he was out in the open for anyone to see. Moving towards the shadows, he stopped to study a painting on the wall and was only snapped out of his trance by Hermione Granger’s soft voice. “Excuse me, sir?”

He turned around and a look of surprise swept across her face, soon followed by embarrassment.

“Yes, Miss Granger?” he asked, sneering at her expression, his heart racing.

“P... P… Professor?” A red flush crept up her neck. “I’m sorry, sir; I didn’t realize it was you.” Severus ignored her words, looking at her. She was much paler than she used to be, something he hadn’t noticed the night before. Her cheeks seemed gaunt and her eyes still void of all emotion. His eyes wandered down her body, taking in what he could with her robes covering her frame.

Snapping his eyes back to her face, the corner of his mouth curled up as he saw despair written across her face. “Of course, just a little misunderstanding on your part. I would have thought you could come up with a better excuse than that, Miss Granger.”

Anger and sadness swept across her features. Severus opened his mouth to say something else, but Weasley hurried over to them. “Excuse us, Professor Snape. I need to talk to Hermione for a moment,” he said, pulling the girl away.

Severus watched her closely as she pulled away from Weasley and quickly departed after greeting Potter.

He was worried about her. He stood in shock as the thought crossed his mind. Why should he be worried about her? It was because she was my student, he told himself.

He made his way into the dining room where everyone had gathered. Sweeping his eyes across the room, he missed the figure standing alone in the corner opposite from his own.

Potter stood in the doorway to the living room, the Order members gathered in front of him.

“Is everyone here?” he started, glancing around the room. Concluding that every one was, he continued, “I’m so glad that all of you could be here. We are here to restore old friendships and to make new ones. I would like to introduce you to someone who has been working silently with us all along.” Potter held out his hand for the young man, and he grasped it with something Severus decided was loving care.

“Draco Malfoy,” he said, sneering at the younger man. “What a surprise. I thought that you would be off spending your inheritance.”

Potter glared at Severus, and Draco smoothly answered, “I’ve already spent it, Severus.”

Severus snarled at the use of his given name. He stepped forward. “I never want to be addressed so informally again. Do I make myself clear, Mister Malfoy?” Draco never wavered.

“Certainly, Professor,” Draco answered. Severus swept out of the room, feeling more than one pair of eyes on him.

He could hear questions from the other room and Potter laughing. “Yes, actually, we are.”

Severus sat on one of the few chairs in the kitchen and rested his head in his hands.

“Professor?” The timid voice made him glance up. Hermione was standing in front of him, looking quite shy.

“Yes, Miss Granger?” he said, standing.

“Sir, since I am no longer your student, you can call me Hermione,” she said, giving him a small smile.

Severus’ heart started to beat faster. “Alright, Hermione. Did you want something?”

Hermione’s smile faded and Severus cursed himself. “Actually, Professor, I’m not doing too well in my class at the University,” she blushed, “and I was wondering if you could help me?”

“Surely you can’t be doing any worse than an E?” Snape drawled, wondering if the woman was using grades as an excuse to spend time with him.

Hermione’s blush deepened, and she looked at the floor, playing with the sleeve of her robes. “Actually, sir, I have an A.”

Severus’ eyes widened in shock. The girl who had passed her Potions N.E.W.T.S. with an O only achieved an A at the University? “Surely the University courses can’t be that difficult, Miss Granger – Hermione.”

The woman lifted dead eyes to look at him. “No, of course not. Thank you for your time, sir.” She turned, her brown robes spinning around her. But Severus wasn’t looking at her robes; he was looking at the sleeve, which she had pulled at.

“Miss Granger, come here immediately.” The woman tensed. “Hermione,” he said more gently, “please come here.” She turned around to face him again and slowly made her way over to the chair he was standing next to.

“Yes, sir?” she mumbled.

“Please, sit down,” Severus said, pulling a chair over for her. Once they were sitting, Severus reached out and grasped her hand. Her eyes opened in shock, and she tried to pull away, but Severus held on. He slowly pulled up her sleeve, revealing three deep gashes, still red and faded scars. Severus glanced at the woman’s face, but it was turned away.

“Hermione, please look at me.” She turned her face towards him, and he saw tears in her eyes. “Talk to me, Hermione.” The tears started to fall.

“It’s just so difficult,” she moaned. He mindlessly stroked her hand, muttering nonsense words to calm her. They were still in Potter’s house, he realized. Hermione probably wouldn’t want her friends to see her in such a state.

“Hermione, let’s go,” he said, standing up. She followed and he led her to the fireplace. Taking a pinch of Floo powder, he threw it into the fire.

“Severus Snape’s quarters, Hogwarts.”