Hermione was yanked up unexpectedly, with Severus casting a Disillusionment spell upon her in less than three seconds, before she was promptly pulled from Minerva's inner rooms. She said nothing as she was dragged down the hallway and towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, although she did wonder if Severus always had harvesting tools with him. Given how devoted he was to potions, Hermione would gladly wager a great many Galleons that he did.

Once they stepped into the bathroom, Hermione threw the spell off herself, while Severus stared at her in an expectant manner. Shaking her head and rolling her eyes good naturedly, she made her way over to the sink, with the tap, like all the others, which boasted the serpent carved upon it. "We'll have go to by hearing, as we cannot look at it," she reminded him.

Severus made a sound of impatience from behind her. "I am not completely inept, you know," he said, slightly annoyed, but it was a tone that friends would use with one another.

Hermione, pleased by the development, bent down until she was eye-level with the snake. Given that she was in the hospital wing at the time, she hadn't joined Harry and Ron upon their first trip down to the chamber. However, during the Battle of Hogwarts, she and Ron had destroyed Helga Hufflepuff's Cup within its depths, and although Ron had thought he'd charmed her with his, albeit limited, knowledge of Parseltongue, she herself had been secretly studying it for years, and she and Harry would frequently whisper it to one another, so as he could assist her when it came to the rather complex pronunciation of the hissing.

"Open," she whispered in the language of serpents, and the sink itself clicked. Standing back, she smirked as Severus watched in awe as the sinks all systematically sank into the ground, revealing the dark cavern. "There are a few options here," she explained, as Severus peered downwards, but, of course, could spot nothing. "We could merely free-fall—there is a slide there to catch us, just so you know. Or we could summon brooms, although I think Madam Hooch would likely follow them. Or..."

Severus turned to Hermione, arching his brow. "Yes?"

"Well, you could fly us down," she said softly, blushing a deep red.

Severus crossed his arms. "And you truly trust me enough for that?"

Hermione scoffed. "Please. I've trusted you for nearly a decade. Just because you're not completely the same man, doesn't mean you aren't any of him."

Severus gave a stiff nod. "Very well," he replied and, without waiting another moment, made a grab for Hermione, wrapping his arms around her so that they were mutually pressed against one another. Taking his aim, he jumped, pulling Hermione with him, and they glided easily down the darkness of the tunnel.

"Um..." Hermione began. "Prepare for a crunch."

"A crunch?" Severus asked, and she could feel his eyes upon hers in the darkness.

"Yes," she said softly and, when they landed, there was indeed a crunch. Hermione gently extracted herself from his arms, finding she felt less warm without them around her, and pulled her wand from her robes. "Lumos Maxima," she whispered, watching as Severus did the same, and watched as he drew back at the sight of various bones around them. "See anything you've any desire to keep?"

Severus wrinkled his nose. "I do not."

"Very well. Evanesco," she said, pointing her wand directly at the bone fragments, and they all vanished. "Scourgify," she said next, which took care of the dust, cobwebs, and the smell of lingering death in the air. "Come on. Just don't speak too loudly. When Harry and Ron came down here, let's just say there was an ill-fated Memory Charm, which caused a cave-in."

Severus blinked. "Which year did they come down here?"

"Our second," Hermione told him, picking her way down the path.

Severus reached out then, gripping ahold of her shoulder, and willed her to turn around to face him, his dark eyes boring into her. "And why were you not with them?"

"I was currently laid up in the hospital wing," she replied.

"With?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "If you must know, I was petrified by the basilisk, which made its way through the school by using the pipes. Thankfully, you and Professor Sprout banded together by combining her mandrakes with your potion skills. I was all cured by the end of the year, although the final exams had been cancelled. Deeply disappointing, if you ask me."

Severus looked her up and down. "How are you even living?"

"Myrtle, the ghost in the bathroom upstairs, enjoyed flooding the bathroom," Hermione informed him carefully. "She did so that night, rendering me to see its reflection, and so here I am, alive and well, facing you now."

Severus grimaced for a moment but nevertheless nodded his head, and permitted her to continue on through the semi-darkness. He let out a gasp as he caught sight of the snake skin, and, once he realized it was not the real thing, stared at it longingly.

"Oh, go ahead," Hermione said with a smile. "We've time anyhow."

Severus quickly set to work harvesting the snake skin, looking completely pleased with the situation. Since Hermione didn't interrupt his progress, it was done in a matter of minutes, and stored carefully in some of the vials he always kept within his pockets. Once finished, he casted a Cleaning Charm upon himself and stood up, looking expectantly at Hermione.

Hermione motioned for him to follow, and they finally rounded the final bend, revealing the snake door. Approaching it without hesitation, she whispered, "Open," once more, and the snake heads pulled themselves inwards, with the next snake slithering around the inner frame of the door, the old gears clanking open. Stepping towards the rickety ladder and nodding at Severus to come after her, she carefully stepped down it, and onto the slippery floor below. "A bit slippery down here," she whispered to Severus.

"Thank you," the man replied, stepping down after her, and remaining motionless.

"All right," Hermione said, turning to him. "I'll summon the beast, and you cast an Obscuro as soon as you see its reflection on the ground. Agreed?"

Severus nodded at her. "Agreed."

Hermione faced the statue of Salazar Slytherin, and focused her memories on speaking Parseltongue with Harry. "Great Basilisk," she hissed, as loudly as she could, "your master has returned to you. Show yourself!"

The mouth of the statue fell open, and a great amount of hissing erupted through it as the serpent crawled closer. Quickly dropping her eyes to the ground, she watched as its reflection appeared onto the small puddles of the stone floor below. She clenched her teeth, watching Severus's body language, as he held for a moment, wanting to get it right the first time.

"Obscuro!" he shouted, twisting his wand just right, and the creature screeched, becoming blinded to its surroundings, a black silk blindfold covering its eyes.

Looking up, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped forward, knowing that the creature could likely break free, and soon. "Avada Kedavra!" she yelled, a blast of green light firing from her wand, and hitting the beast square in the head. She drew back then as it feel to the ground, and felt great relief as Severus caught hold of her, yanking her completely against him for a moment.

Severus lowered his eyes, locking them onto Hermione. "Have you... Have you used that spell before?" he asked.

Hermione sighed. "Yes. I killed a Death Eater during the Battle of Hogwarts."

Severus nodded. "Who?"

"Dolohov," she replied. "He attacked me during my fifth year. Long story. I got my first of many scars from him. I likely would have gone after Bellatrix Lestrange as well, but Molly Weasley got to her first." She smiled, a bit ruefully, and was surprised at the notion that she was in no hurry to break free of Severus's grip upon her. "Took me a long time to forgive myself for using it, but it had to be done."

Severus nodded, turning his gaze onto the basilisk. "Yes, I see."

Sensing that the moment was over, Hermione eased himself out from his arms. "Well, there's your fresh basilisk," she said, forcing a smile onto her lips. "Go forth and harvest as much, or as little, as you like."

Severus nodded, something marring his features for a moment, before he stepped away from Hermione and made his way towards the snake.

~*~

12 Grimmauld Place was just as Hermione had remembered, as she, Harry, Minerva, and Severus stood out on the cobblestones outside. To her surprise, according to reports via Severus and Minerva, Dumbledore had encouraged the meeting between Sirius and Harry. However, he was still attempting to evade James and Lily's last will, stating that they had wanted custody of Harry to go directly to Sirius upon the event of their deaths. Still, Hermione was glad for Harry, who, again, knew immediately who she was, but Severus had promised to put a shield on his memories of her, so as he could keep them, but they could not be accessed by anyone.

Kreacher himself answered the door, and the house-elf glared up at them. "Disgusting Half-Bloods and a filthy Muggleborn daring to set foot in my mistress' house," he grumbled, half-way under his breath.

"Kreacher!" Sirius snapped from inside the house. "You know you're not to disparage anyone for their Blood Status!"

Kreacher sneered at his master, but nevertheless allowed the company inside, glaring at each and every one of them as they stepped past. "Kreacher will get the tea," he said, shutting the door behind them, and shuffling towards the kitchen.

Sirius finally had a good look at Harry, looking very excited as he stepped towards him. "Hello, Harry," he said gently, and Harry stared up at him. "My name is Sirius. I haven't seen you since you were a baby... How are you?"

"Fine, thank you," Harry responded. "I'm sorry you were put in jail. But I'm glad that Ron's rat is all locked up now."

Sirius nodded. "Yes, well... Even the government can make mistakes," he said, laughing a little then, his blue eyes gleaming. Turning, he greeted Minerva warmly, and, as his former Head of House stepped into the kitchen after Kreacher, Harry at her heels, he turned to Severus. "I... I behaved horribly during our days at Hogwarts together, Snape," he said softly, and Severus looked slightly stunned. "I can never apologize enough, or express the gratitude I feel for your assistance in helping me get out of that horrible place."

Severus sighed. "Well, Black, if your petition to get custody of young Potter is granted, I wager you and I will be in contact with one another regarding his marks." He stuck out his hand, which Sirius took, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

Sirius then turned to her, and his eyes widened, before he grinned; it was easy to deduce what he was thinking, and Hermione managed not to blush. "And you must be the young witch who assisted in the entire matter. Sirius Black," he said, extending his hand to her.

Hermione smiled. "You will meet me as a twelve-year-old quite soon," she replied, and shook his hand. "Hermione Granger. I'm Harry's best friend; well, one of them, at least. I was sent here, fifteen years from my time, for many reasons."

"It is imperative that no one knows about this, Black," Severus said firmly, and Sirius turned to regard him again. "Especially Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore? What...?"

Hermione stepped forward. "I can show you memories from my original timeline, of the headmaster making up excuses not to get you freed, or permitting your custody of Harry, even when you manage to escape," she whispered. "Also, he arrived too late to save you, from your own death, in 1996. Since I've changed things, these events may not come to pass, but I shall always remember them, you see."

Sirius looked torn. "Say I do believe you," he said at last. "Would Remus be permitted to know this information?"

"I don't think..."

"Yes," Hermione interrupted Severus. "Remus can be trusted as well," she said, looking pleadingly up at the potions master. "We need them both, Severus. Trust me on this. They are loyal to Harry, and, if we give them evidence, indisputable evidence, they will have to believe me, because I'm from the future."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said.

Sirius nodded, before turning to Hermione again. "Minerva mentioned something about a dark artifact, one which the two of you wanted to gain possession of, that I currently have?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. If we take it, we can fully prevent Riddle from returning completely, and make it much easier for him to defeat."

Sirius looked shocked at this declaration. "Please, take it," he said quickly. "If my suit for custody of Harry is indeed granted, I'd hate for it to be here. I couldn't stand it if..."

"Stop whimpering, Black," Severus said, rolling his eyes.

"None of that, boys," Hermione interrupted, and took out her wand. "Accio locket," she said, and, not even a moment later, a cabinet door could be heard unlocking somewhere in the house, before the locket itself sailed down the staircase. Hermione promptly grabbed it and stuck it into a pocket within her robes. "Well," she said, looking between the two of them in a rather uneasy manner, "tea?"

Teatime was mainly taken up with Sirius asking Harry about his hobbies and whatnot, although Hermione knew that Minerva had written to him, informing him not to bring up Harry living with him just yet. Given that they would need permission from the Wizengamot, for one thing, and the fact that it may not be granted would spoil things. In the meantime, Sirius asked Harry if he wouldn't mind writing to him, which Harry gladly and politely accepted, informing Sirius that he seldom got mail, save for letters from Molly Weasley, who checked in regularly since Christmas, given that Harry didn't initially think he would get gifts.

Hermione was just hoping that Severus didn't make a scene, and crush the newfound peace between himself and Sirius. She noticed that he resembled a black thundercloud, and did not elicit Sirius for conversation at all and, when he was address, would give monosyllable answers to whomever had spoken to him. Biting her lip, she recalled when they had entered the kitchen, and Severus had ensured that Sirius would not get a seat beside her. Given that she had told him as much that she wasn't interested in Sirius, she thought that he was either being protective or he had honestly forgotten.

When it came time to leave Grimmauld, Hermione and Minerva smiled indulgently as Harry ran into Sirius's arms. Sirius promised to write him before the week was out, and said that he was welcome at Grimmauld anytime. Once they stepped outside, Severus confirmed to Minerva that all was taken care of, and they all Apparated back to Hogwarts, with Severus and Minerva Side-Alonging Hermione and Harry respectively.

"Now, don't forget," Severus informed Harry severely, as he casted the protective Shield Charms upon Harry, "no one is to know about Hermione being at Grimmauld today."

Harry nodded dutifully. "Yes, professor," he replied, his tone respectful.

"Good," Severus said. "Run along now."

Harry took off up the trail towards the castle, and Minerva tutted at Severus, before transforming into her Animagus form and taking off after him.

Hermione turned to Severus, who casted the Disillusionment Charm upon her. "Despite the fact that we got the locket, you appear disappointed."

Severus shrugged. "I haven't a clue what you're talking about."

Hermione sighed, trudging after him. "You've been acting so much nicer to me since I killed the basilisk for you," she whispered. "What's changed between then and now? Have I done something wrong, something to offend you?"

"You have done nothing," Severus snapped, obviously growing impatient. "Thank you for getting the locket; it was because of you that Black handed it over in the first place," he went on, still not looking at her as they neared the castle gates. "I shall destroy it in my lab tonight, in between working on the potions."

"Have you reached any new developments?" she asked, hurrying ahead, his strides longer than her own, and she wanted to know how far he'd come.

"Minerva's books have been most beneficial," he said shortly. "I shall experiment on the locket at my earliest convenience to prove if they are successful."

Hermione pursed her lips. "And our dance lessons?" she whispered.

Severus stopped short, just in front of the gates. "What?"

Hermione swallowed, becoming uncomfortable. "We need to appear more natural on the dance floor when we get to Malfoy Manor—less stiff," she explained. "When do you think you'll have time to practice with me?"

"The ball is in a fortnight," Severus mused. "We should attempt to meet at least three more times in order to be completely successful in our endeavor."

Hermione nodded. "All right. I'm sure Minerva will act as a go-between."

"To be sure," Severus responded, and swept away from her, just as the gates opened.

Hermione sighed, shoulders slumping as she ventured through the gates alone. She made her way through the small patch of grounds and into the main entrance, and quickly walked towards Minerva's inner rooms. Sharma, as always, was curled up on the hearthrug, the remnants of her kibble lunch just beside her. Hermione smiled, cancelling her Disillusionment Charm, and waited for Minerva to return from escorting Harry back to the Gryffindor common room. She looked up a few moments later, and smiled at the thing Minerva held, which quite looked like a spare bit of parchment.

"Would you kindly explain to me why I had to nearly tear apart the third-year boys' dorms in order to obtain this?" Minerva asked, handing it over to her.

Hermione smiled. "I'm glad you asked." Leaning forward, she spread it out upon Minerva's coffee table, and removed her wand from her robes, holding it above the parchment. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." She watched with a grin as Messers. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present The Marauder's Map appeared upon the center. Opening it further still, she pointed first to the Gryffindor common room area. "As you can see, twelve-year-old me, plus Harry and Ron, are beside the fireplace, likely recounting his time with Sirius Black," she explained, "while over here," she continued, "you and I are sitting. And look, even Sharma is on here!"

Minerva looked shocked. "Who created this?"

"Who else? James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew," she explained. "Of course, I shall need to keep it for the time being. Who knows what will happen if anyone else got their hands on it? Dumbledore could see that there are two of me running around, and it's not as if we can have that happening..."

Minerva peered closer. "Of course, if those twins had any sense, they would have reported seeing someone called Peter Pettigrew in Mr. Ronald Weasley's bed," she sniffed.

Hermione chuckled. "Harry and I always wondered about that." Leaning back upon the couch, she stared up at the ceiling. "There were so many unanswered questions during the Second Wizarding War... We were on the run, as I told you, and Ron left us, and was gone for weeks. It was a complicated time for Harry and me, and we could have grown closer, but we didn't—he was so in love with Ginny, you see..."

"Ginny? Ginevra Weasley?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I can only hope those feelings return. I would hate to never see their children again, or Ron's and Lavender's..."

Minerva moved to sit beside her. "I can sense that there are so many things that are unspoken during your later teenage years," she said softly.

"Yes," Hermione confirmed, still staring at the ceiling. "There are."

"Why haven't you shared them with anyone, dear?"

Hermione finally turned to regard her former Head of House. "I suppose the one person I wish to share everything with... Well, they would have to mean everything to me. I don't know if I've met that person yet, but I would like to be right the first time."

~*~

After hours of dance lessons with Severus, fittings with Madam Malkin, and lectures on etiquette from Minerva, Hermione was deemed ready to attend the Easter festivities at Malfoy Manor. A lump in her throat, she packed her belongings in a suitcase she'd recently procured, and said goodbye to Sharma, whom Minerva would be looking after. She and Severus utilized the Floo Network from Minerva's private rooms, and arrived in the entrance hall of the manor house in Wiltshire, a house-elf greeting them right away. They were shown directly to their suite, and told to rest in preparation for the welcoming ball that evening.

"Draco won't be here, but I know where his rooms are," Severus informed her, once they'd been left alone, and had wards and Silencing Charms put up upon their suite.

Hermione nodded. "As his godfather, and given that you're a frequent guest here, I wouldn't expect anything less."

"You mentioned being at the manor before," Severus said.

Hermione stiffened, proceeding to unpack her belongings in an effort to potentially distract herself from this line of conversation. "Yes," she said softly.

"And yes, despite your friendship with Draco and his wife, you also mentioned either meeting at your cottage, or a neutral location," he continued.

Hermione bit her lip, casting Anti-Wrinkle Charms upon her garments—couldn't attend a Pureblood ball with your clothes in all manner of disarray. "Draco and Astoria were also welcomed at the Burrow," she informed him.

Severus meandered over to his own wardrobe to be used whilst they were there, and began hanging his various clothing items as well. "Forgive me. I am in shock."

"Not surprising," Hermione replied. "Draco was a little shit for years. Pompous, haughty, and altogether full of himself in a manner which got annoying fast."

"He may be my godson, and I may care for him, but he was sorted Slytherin. Draco is by no means a saint," Severus told her. "So, tell me. How long has it been since you have set foot in this manor?"

"Nearly a decade," Hermione said softly, her hands gently caressing the silks of one of her new gowns, made especially for the occasion. Given that she'd only arrived in nightwear, she had to have made an entirely new wardrobe, and she didn't even want to think about the Galleons she'd spent, although she had promised both Minerva and Severus to pay them back.

"That is quite a long time," Severus observed. "Were you so preoccupied with your work as Deputy Minister that you were unable to carve out more social time?"

Hermione shivered; dammit, why did she have to find his voice so goddamned alluring, right at that moment in time? She was practically gnawing upon her lower lip; over the last several days, whilst he had held her close in their dances, Hermione had suddenly felt as if her sex drive had finally made herself known. When she had kissed Ron during the Battle of Hogwarts, it had been a mere flutter. Now, it was an errant locomotive, and nothing she seemed to say to convince herself or do to distract herself seemed to work...

"Hermione?"

Hermione flushed deeply at the sensation of him calling her by her first name, which certainly didn't help matters further. Even though he had called her "Granger", when he had deigned to call her anything at all, he had dropped that soon after the basilisk procurement. Come to think of it, he hadn't called her anything directly in the last two and a half weeks. And now, now that they had arrived at Malfoy Manor, he had finally taken it upon himself to call her Hermione, even though she would have to be Dagmar outside these rooms...

"Hermione?"

Hermione dragged a hand down her face. Dammit Granger, just answer the bloody man! "Yes?" she said at last, turning around to face him, with what she hoped was a neutral expression.

Severus had his head cocked to one side, plus that eyebrow of his arched. "You have yet to answer my question."

"Oh. Right, yes," she said, hoping to Merlin that she wouldn't begin stammering, a habit she had worked hard to break as a child, that her nanny had mocked her for. "No, it didn't have to do with either of those things. Sure, as Deputy Minister, I had quite a busy schedule, but I always made time for my friends. I keep my own calendar, you know. I don't even use as assistant; I like to do it all on my own."

Severus smirked. "Control freak, then?"

Hermione blushed. "I... No! I... I don't—"

"Relax, Hermione," Severus said, and gently squeezed her shoulder. "You're not the only control freak around here."

"But I'm not a control freak!" she sputtered. "I just—"

"You just like things a certain way, so it is better to accomplish them on your own," Severus explained, almost as if he had read her mind.

Hermione glared at him. "Did you use Legilimency on me?" she whispered.

Severus looked shocked. "No," he said firmly. "I would never. You have done nothing to warrant me invading your privacy, Hermione. You have been upfront from the beginning why your status must be kept hidden. Although I cannot help but feel as if there are puzzle pieces missing from your tale." Tentatively, he stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "Why do I get that feeling, Hermione?"

Hermione swallowed. "I... I don't know..."

"Because I honestly feel like there's something missing here," he pressed on, still inching closer and closer to her. "Yes, I understand why Dumbledore cannot be told—he would hone all the glory for himself, and make it seem as if he brought you here, and then pile on duties and responsibilities for you to ensure you'd be forever indebted to him..."

"I know that's what happened to you," Hermione whispered to him, their gaze locked onto the other. "I cannot tell you how sorry I am about everything. I just hope by rearranging the timeline that everyone can get... Well, a semblance of happiness, as much as they can, despite all the losses they've face."

"I do not want your pity, Hermione."

"Pity, Severus, is not the same as empathy," she informed him quietly. "You were hurt a great deal by people in your life you should have trusted. It shouldn't have happened at all, and I am doing everything in my power to fix it."

"But why?" Severus whispered. "I can understand making Potter's life better—he is your closest friend, after all."

Hermione nodded. "Harry is a brother to me. I adore him."

"Yes," Severus said, "which gives you incentive to ensure he has a happier life. What I don't understand is why you wish to change everything for the better. Everything, as I'm sure you know by now, includes me."

Hermione gave him a small smile. "It does. Of course it does."

Severus shook his head. "I cannot understand why you would even attempt to save me. I have been less than kind to you. I mean, I do continue to be cruel, do I not?"

Hermione sighed. "Yes, you do," she confirmed. "However, now that I know all you've been though, I do understand why you could not favor us, any of us, in Gryffindor House."

"So, what do you mean to achieve by saving me, Hermione?"

She smiled a bit more widely this time. "I suppose I wish to free you from the shackles of both masters which you are forced to serve," she replied. "Once we eradicate the Horcruxes, plus destroy the one in Harry, and destroy Riddle as well, then that's one down."

"And Dumbledore?" Severus asked her. "He will not simply bow out quietly, Hermione. You know him as I do."

"Which is why we have to get Harry's memories of the abuse he suffered and show them to everyone at the Wizengamot," Hermione replied. "Dumbledore may be Chief Warlock, but it would be a conflict of interest for him to serve in that position, as he will be the one on trial. And you know as well as I do that blood adoption is possible."

"Blood adoption?" Severus asked. "For what?"

"We can get Sirius to blood adopt Harry," she said. "A father-son relationship surely trumps an aunt-and-nephew one."

Severus nodded. "You don't need a law degree to know that," he said softly. "But what would a blood adoption do? Surely, if Potter and Lily's last will and testament comes to light, the Wizengamot will know that he was never meant to live with the Dursleys in the first place. He will just go live with Black."

Hermione blinked up at him; surely, she was missing something here. "Harry was always made to go back to Privet Drive because of the blood wards."

Severus looked utterly confused. "Hermione, blood wards have been outlawed for centuries. It is taboo to even mention them in public."

Hermione blinked; she had been a part of the government of the Wizarding World... And yet, come to think of it, she hadn't seen any recent legislation about blood wards. "Severus," she said very softly, "what are you talking about?"

"I am talking about blood wards being outlawed almost three hundred years ago," he replied, very calmly.

Hermione began to shake, her jaw dropped and eyes wide. "So, if I'm hearing you correctly... I mean, Harry is being kept at Privet Drive illegally?"

"On two accounts it seems," Severus responded, his lips a thin line.

"We need to get him out of there, Severus!" Hermione shouted.

Severus stepped forward and carefully took Hermione into his arms, the palm of one hand running gently up and down her back. "And we will," he assured her. "I will owl Minerva, and she will inform Amelia Bones immediately. With this information alone, Dumbledore will likely be put upon suspension..."

"It's not enough," Hermione said brokenly, and found that she was clinging to Severus as if her very life depended on it. "It's not nearly enough... Why do terrible things happen to decent people, Severus? Why...?" She whispered, her voice breaking as tears shed from her eyes, as she continued to cling to him.

"I don't know. I just cannot answer such a thing, Hermione..." Severus gently pressed his lips to her temple, and Hermione gasped at the sensation. He immediately pulled back, and appeared as if he was closing in on himself. "Forgive me, Hermione," he whispered.

Tentatively, Hermione stepped forward and put her arms around him again. They stood in silence for several moments, the only sound within the room being the fire crackling merrily behind the pair of them. Once he seemed to settle within her embrace again, Hermione stood on her toes and moved to whisper into his ear, "There is nothing to forgive, Severus."