Chapter 1

A/N: This was written for the Winter Prompt Challenge, specifically #17. Hermione is contacted by the Ministry to say that she's been left some property in someone's will: Severus Snape! Why did he leave her his home and possessions? He's also left her a letter. What does it say or ask of her? Is he really dead?

JKR owns everything you recognize, but I had to change her ending somewhat, so just ignore the last chapter of The Deathly Hallows.

Chapter 1

Six months after the war ended, things were finally starting to return to normal. The wizarding world had been doing what it could to covertly repair some of the damage that had been caused by the Death Eaters, but it seemed painfully small compared to the massive devastation wrought by Voldemort's followers. So many lives lost, so much property ruined.

Even now the Muggles were still talking about the unnatural weather the Dementors had caused, trying to unravel the mystery. If only they could all be Obliviated, but magical correction on that immense scale was obviously impossible. The resulting chaos would only be a cure worse than the disease.

Hermione, Harry, Ron and many of the others had offered their services to the Ministry while they awaited a ruling on their status. After all, none of them had completed their seventh year at Hogwarts, but due to the damage to the school, none of their former schoolmates had taken their NEWTs either.

Her relationship with Ron had grown strained since the end of the war. She was sure that part of it was because of Fred's death and part of it was because she was stressing about their futures. Ron seemed unconcerned about their lack of NEWTs, but she could not help worrying about it, knowing how much of a wizard's future was determined by their NEWTs.

They had a flat together, but he had taken to spending a lot of time with George, helping out in the shop when he wasn't doing work for the Ministry. She was sure he would have spent more time with Harry, but he was occupied wooing Ginny. The two of them were nearly inseparable, and Hermione found that she was just a little jealous of how perfectly suited for each other they seemed. She had thought she would have that same future with Ron.

There was a tap at the window, and she let the owl in, hoping it brought the long-awaited ruling from the Ministry. Seeing the letter did indeed have a Ministry seal, she began ripping into it even as she made her way back to her favorite slightly worn but well-stuffed armchair. She was shocked by what she read.

Miss Hermione Granger,

Magical Probate Service

Without realizing it, she let the enclosed envelope slip from her fingers, and she was barely able to half sit, half slide into the chair before her knees buckled.

Why would Snape leave her everything? For that matter, why would he leave her anything at all? She was nothing more than just another of the students who had sat in his classes, and a Gryffindor and insufferable know-it-all to boot. Surely he would have left his things to a Slytherin, like Malfoy.

Rereading the letter, she was reminded that another sealed envelope had been enclosed. Looking around the floor, she saw that it had drifted under the coffee table. Getting down on her hands and knees, she retrieved the letter.

Examining the envelope, she saw that it was made from very unremarkable parchment and was sealed with the Hogwarts crest in green wax. Not entirely trusting Snape, she ran a series of charms on it to ensure that it was not cursed.

When she was reasonably certain that it was safe to open it, she broke the seal. As she was breaking it, it occurred to her that she should have Flooed Harry or Ron to let them observe the course of events.

Nothing happened, so she pulled the contents of the envelope out. There was a key wrapped in another piece of parchment. Flipping to both sides, she saw that it appeared to be blank, so she set it on the table. Examining the key, she thought that it looked very much like a house key. Probably his house at Spinner's End. It still didn't answer the mystery of why she had been named Severus Snape's sole beneficiary.

Leaning back against the chair, she tried to figure out what on earth this meant. Why would he wrap the key in parchment and seal it in an envelope?

She heard the Floo activate and hurriedly stuffed the key into her pocket. The last thing she needed just now was to answer questions from Ron about the letter.

He stepped out of the fire and shuffled over to the sofa before collapsing on it. "I'm exhausted. I can't believe that George has so many ideas. What's for dinner?"

Even though the routine was much the same every night, tonight she found it especially annoying. "That's all you ever think about... yourself. Never once have you asked me about my day!" She got up and stormed into the kitchen in a huff.

She wondered why she was still with Ron. He was the same frustrating, selfish person he had always been. His change during the war had been temporary, born of the stress of their situation. The disappointment that had permeated the very depth of her soul when he had abandoned both her and Harry had now returned and seemed to be taking up permanent residence in her psyche.

He entered the kitchen and demanded, "What is this?" while waving a piece of parchment at her.

"What is what?" she asked in exasperation.

"Why do you have a letter from Snape?"

"I don't have a letter from Snape!" she snapped.

"Oh no? Then what's this? 'Dear Hermione, I'm sure you are wondering why you have received this...'"

She snatched the parchment from his hand. It was the same one that the key had been wrapped in – she could still see the imprint of the key in the middle of the page – but it had been blank when she had last looked at it moments ago. She was sure of that. Now she realized that Snape must have charmed it so that the writing would only reveal itself after she had touched it.

"Why do you have a letter from Snape? He's dead, isn't he?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Of course he is. He died in the Shrieking Shack." She wasn't sure how to proceed. Did she tell him the truth? What would he think? She still didn't know what she thought about this whole situation. "He left this letter through his will, and it just arrived from Magical Probate today. I hadn't had a chance to read it yet."

"But why did you lie to me when I asked you why you had a letter from Snape?" he asked suspiciously.

She realized her half-truth wasn't very convincing. She had never excelled at deception. "Because the page was blank when I took it out of the envelope. It must have fallen to the floor when the Floo activated because I was startled. Obviously it was charmed so that the text would appear only after I touched it." It was the truth, and she hoped that the truth would satisfy him.

"So what does it say?"

"I don't know. I'd like to have the chance to read it in private first. He obviously meant this for me and no one else, or it wouldn't have been protected."

"You know, no matter what he became, he was still always a big git," Ron announced before turning on his heel and leaving her alone in the kitchen.

Hermione stared after him for several seconds, remarking on how little he had changed over the years. Looking down at the parchment, she forced her eyes to focus.

Dear Hermione,

Severus Snape

After staring at the letter for several seconds, she reached into her pocket and grasped the key. She had to chose between seeing what answers awaited her at Snape's house and staying here and arguing with Ron. It was an easy choice to make.

Passing through the living room, she grabbed her cloak.

"Where are you going?" asked Ron.

"Out," she replied shortly and slammed the door before he could ask any further questions. Taking the letter from the Ministry out of her pocket, she looked at the address one more time before Disapparating.