AN: I started this story as a one-shot, but I think I'm going to make it a multi-chapter. It is rated T for now, and I don't think it'll get to be an M. If it does, it will probably only be for violence. This is not really going to be a Severus/Hermione relationship, but maybe it will turn out to be afer a LONG friendship. I don't know, still haven't decided yet. I do not own Harry Potter, that belongs to J.K. Rowling, beloved author of my childhood. I do not own Safe and Sound, it is performed by Taylor Swift and someone else, The Civil Wars, I think? Please remember to rate and review! And now, the story!

"I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go.

When all those shadows almost killed your light."

May 2, 1998

Hermione Granger was alone. She never thought she would ever say that phrase again at Hogwarts after first year, unless she was in the library. But today, it seemed to be happening quite frequently. It was certainly not her friends' faults, because there was a war going on here. The Battle of Hogwarts had collided smack dab with the Trio's goal of destroying the last of Voldemort's horcruxes. She had no way of knowing the state of her friends. Ron was in the chamber, last she knew, and Harry was in Ravenclaw tower. She was searching for the snake, but the other 2/3 of her Trio did not know that. They would have forbidden it.

Hermione was outside the Whomping Willow, but she had gotten no closer than twenty feet away. There was something pulling her towards the tree, but it was dangerous. Lupin had told her after he had resigned one night how to freeze the tree, but the problem was getting under the branches.

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and took off at a bit of a run for the trunk. SMACK! She had run into the trunk, knocking her backwards onto the ground. She blinked. Had she really made it unscathed? No time to waste. Hermione searched the trunk with her fingers, until she located the biggest knot and pushed. Just like that the branches paused, and a secret door moved up into the trunk so she could pass into the passageway.

Well, this is a nicer way than jumping in after Harry, she mused. She followed the passageway down until she reached the door for The Shrieking Shack. Hermione was about to pull on the handle, until she heard a hiss. She pressed her ear to the door for a better listen.

"Well, Severus, you have been a faithful servant, but only I can live forever," Voldemort said. An inaudible hiss came from the Dark Lord's lips and she heard a gasp, that sounded like the Potions Master. Hermione could hear the snake striking him. Well, she could not barge in on him now. That would not do the Trio any good if she got injured as well as failing to get the snake. So, she waited until she heard Voldemort disapparate.

Hermione quickly opened the door to find her former Potions professor on the ground, covered in blood. She dropped to the floor beside him on her knees. "Oh, professor. I am so sorry." Tears started to well in her eyes, and she pushed some of his greasy black hair away from his neck to inspect the wounds.

She had to cover her mouth to keep from gasping out loud. The snake had brutally attacked the man. He was losing too much blood, and there was too much venom in his veins to do anything for him. The tears were coming in earnest now. "I will not leave you," Hermione promised.

"Ms. Granger," he gasped, "Where is the rest of your incessant Trio? They are not protecting their Gryffindor princess?"

"Sarcastic even in the face of death." She smiled thinly.

"I remember you said 'Don't leave me here alone', but all that's dead and gone and passed tonight."

"Please, Ms. Granger, even if I detest your know-it-all mentality, do not leave me here alone. Make sure my body gets discovered, and also give my memories to Mr. Potter. Do you understand?"

Hermione nodded, and said, "But professor, I have nothing to collect them with."

Professor Snape rolled his eyes. "Search my pockets in my robes, I always keep a spare vial."

She quickly located it and placed the vial beneath his tear ducts. The memories flowed into the glass and she became memorized by the silvery quality to them. "They are so pure..."

She did not realize she said that out loud, until her professor said, "Did you really think me a Death Eater? I thought you were brighter than that."

"Just close your eyes, the Sun is going down. You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now."

Professor Snape was gasping and wheezing more frequently now.

"Shhh, please stop talking, professor. You are only making it harder on yourself. Just close your eyes and relax. It does not matter anymore about sides."

"No, I suppose it does not, does it?" he mused.

"Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."

Hermione sat there and looked at him. "I have always wanted to ask you whether you really hated us or not. I know Harry and Ron thought so many a time."

Professor Snape turned to face her. "I-" he paused to cough, "cannot say I did not hate you, but I think as you grew up, I did not as much. I came to realize-" he stopped and wheezed, his eyes rolling in the back of his eyes. Hermione knew the professor did not have long.

"Someone will come to us. We are safe."

"Don't you dare look out your window, darling, everything is on fire.

The war outside our door keeps raging on."

Hermione saw blasts from spells being fired from all sides outside the window of the Shrieking Shack and she started to tear up again. Her friends did not know where she was. They could be dead right now.

"Ms. Granger, perhaps it might help if you did not look out the window?" Professor Snape suggested.

Hogwarts was on fire. There were fire-y pieces of debris floating on the night air, catching some other things on fire as well.

Snape looked at her once more and gasped, the breath draining from him with one final movement. Hermione cried in spite of herself. She clutched the vial in her hand. She did not want to leave him here alone, but there was a part of herself that knew she had to give her professor's memories to Harry. So, she picked herself up and went off on a search to find her friend.