Disclaimer: These wonderful characters belong to Ms. J..

A/N: Hey there, here I am again. This story has been stuck in my head for quite some times now. Hope it won't disappoint you guys. Enjoy!

Every fairytale stars with "Once upon a time" and ends with the Prince and Princess "living happily ever after". Unfortunately, my dear readers, this is not what you are about to witness.

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It has been three years now.

Three years since I've left you.

The worst thing is, although I've been praised as the smartest witch at my age over the years, I am actually the dumbest of them all.

I left you.

I left you for HIM, Ronald Weasley.

Hermione stopped at the end of the path, and slowly kneeled down, putting a bunch of flowers on the ground and glanced up.

"Hello, Severus," she whispered, her hand reached out to touch the name engraved on the stone. "Now, before you start scowling, you might as well look carefully at the flowers that I've brought you. They're lilies. I know how much you hate flowers, but never lilies."

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Hermione Granger Snape silently slipped into the room, hoping not to get caught packing her bags.

"Going somewhere?" a silky voice asked behind her back.

Of course he's here, making his presence unknown.

"Yes, I'm leaving," Hermione closed her eyes and whispered, trying to hide that guilt that had been tucking at her heart.

"You are going away with Weasley," It wasn't a question, he just said it as if it was a matter of fact.

She didn't respond.

For some reasons, she knew that he would know. Ever since she started the affair, she knew that he was going to find out sooner or later.

"I'll leave it to you then," he said, withdrawing from the room.

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"You didn't even ask me why I leave you," Hermione looked at the name that she has called for so many times, feeling her eyes starting to sting. "I'd rather have you yelling at me or begging for me to stay. But no, you didn't say anything. You just walked away. Why do you have to treat me so well? Why?"

0 0 0

"Where are you going," Hermione asked when she saw Ron packing.

"Leaving."

The situation seemed so much like a déjà vu. Only this time, the roles were reversed.

"But I thought we're getting married! I thought you love me!"

Only this time, she was begging him to stay.

"Oh yes, I love you. For your money," Ron smirked, "Now that I've successfully lured your money out and launched my career, I don't see any reasons for me to stay."

"Yes, yes. You're the brightest witch alright…in the academic field. But when it comes to love, you are a total…how did he put it again? Right, dunderhead, that is the word. That lovely git of yours used to call me that all the time, can't believe it can also apply to you too!"

And with a laugh, Ron patted her shoulders and left.

0 0 0

Hogwarts in the summer seemed ever so quiet.

Without children's laughter, without the magic and without your snarky comments, the place didn't seem alive anymore.

Hermione purposefully walked down the hallway and stopped at that wooden door that held so many memories.

She knocked.

"Enter."

She heard his voice, loud and clear. There was the same impatience, the same snarl and that soft echo that always followed in the chilling dungeons.

Hermione smiled and opened the door.

The door squeaked because of the lack of use and for a moment, she thought she saw him sitting there, writing feverishly behind his desk, with his nose almost touching the parchment.

She frowned a bit.

"How many times have I told you that this will make you short sighted? Now sit up already!"

He halted. And with a sigh, slowly leaned backwards.

"Women," she thought he muttered.

Hermione giggled.

She found herself back to the present, staring at the empty classroom.

"They've kept everything in place," she whispered. "You know, Severus, after you… after you went away, the Headmistress has decided to leave the dungeons as it is. Professor Slughorn's classroom is beside the greenhouses now. He said he can get the ingredients easier in that way. Professor Sprout heartily agreed, yet I suspect that Slughorn is actually after Hagrid's precious pets." She chuckled.

0 0 0

Hermione was just moving her luggage into the small cottage when Hedwig swished into the window.

"This is odd," she thought, "Harry and Ginny never talked to me after…" she gulped and gingerly tear the seal open.

Please come to St. Mungo's immediately. Severus needs you.

Harry Potter

Hermione winced at the formality of the letter. But what sobered her most was the news.

Severus is in danger.

"No, I can't bring myself to see them. How can I possibly face him after all I have done was hurting him? He was merely creating a new potion to substitute the Wolvesbane Potion. How can I possibly blame him for the lack of attention that he had paid me?"

Why couldn't I just wait for him to come around for a little bit longer?

0 0 0

"It was a very small and quiet funeral. Very few people attended. It was really thoughtful of Harry, he knew that you wouldn't…and I wouldn't appreciate having so many dunderheads there," Hermione smiled at the thought of Severus putting his infamous sneer on his face.

"I went there to see you for the very last time. I stood at the far end, in the shadows, hoping that all those familiar faces wouldn't notice me…I wonder where I learnt that habit from," she paused, exhaling a soft sigh, "I know that you hate seeing my cry. I kept telling myself to stay strong, but when Harry was delivering his speech, I just couldn't hold it anymore."

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"If you were here, Hermione, then listen to this. Severus asked you to move on. Do not dwell on this pain anymore. He has already forgiven you. So have I, Hermione, so has the rest of us."

Hermione disapparated.

I've never deserved him.

0 0 0

"Now I finally understand why it is so irritating to see a girl with buck teeth raising her hand up in the air every single lesson, Severus. It is really quite a sight," Hermione giggled, settling herself in his old chair.

"Do you know why I always chose that same bench to work on for all those years? It's simple, really. It was to give you a chance to notice me, and to give myself more reasons to peek at you at times," Hermione said with tears swelling in her eyes, "There was once a little girl that used to think she would never have a good future in the Wizarding World. But you, you have discovered her brilliance, you have acknowledged her and asked her to be your equal."

Thank you, Severus.

"I will be leaving England for a while. I hope the next time I see you, I will be, once again, the lioness that you have grown to care about."

"And no matter where you are, I just want you to know that I'll always love you." Hermione stroked the battered desk that was still standing after suffering from so many cauldron explosions.

"And I you, Hermione," he whispered.

A sudden breeze went through the dungeons.

Hermione, sensing a movement, went outside to check the hallways but found that there was nothing but the shadow of a broomstick cupboard.

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To those who have looked at the scene carefully, they would have sworn that they saw a figure walking under the shadows, with a black cloak billowing after it.

A/N: Thanks again for your support. This is not too bad, I hope? Please leave a word or two to tell me what you think, it'll be much appreciated! :)