Prologue

Voldemort's echoing voice faded into the eerie silence of a bloodwashed battlefield. Ron glanced at Hermione, his eyes weary and tired. The dark circles around them seemed to have sunk into his very skull. Hermione sent him a mournful look.

Harry had his back to his friends, head bowed, wild black hair hanging over his neck and face. In his bloody hand he clutched the vial of memories. The last tears of Severus Snape.

Harry turned his head to glance over his shoulder. "I need to use the pensive and then we end this once and for all." Harry Potter's voice was low, the months of anxiety and tension and the anger of this destruction rumbled low in his chest.

Ron nodded. "Alright. To the Headmaster's Office, right?"

Harry nodded mutely, bright green gaze fixed on the shining memories. Ron and Harry both began to move away from the boathouse. They paused when Hermione didn't follow.

"Mione? You coming?"

Hermione gave a weak smile. "I'll join you soon. Just have to look at something."

Both boys nodded. The boys trusted Hermione, they didn't need to know exact details. If she said she would join them soon, she would join them soon.

Ron gave a small nod before both boys turned back to the path. Hermione shook their heads. They weren't boys anymore, they hadn't been for a while. The pressures they had been subjected to had aged them. Harry and Ron's shoulders brushed against each other, both taking comfort from the body next to them. Harry had grown tall and lithe, his body filling out and becoming the strong adult he was. Ron had grown out of his lengthy arms, his torso had expanded, shoulders broadened. He was strong and loyal and he now looked physically the same.

Hermione took a deep breath, holding it until the burn began at the base of her lungs. Clutching her wand, Hermione made her way back into the boathouse. She knelt next to the slumped potions master and pulled open her magic bag. Shoving her arm into the bag, her hand began rummaging for the supplies she needed.

Her fingers clasped around four bottles, a long bandage, and some surgical tape. After she pulled the items from her bag and laid them on the splintered wood floor, the girl turned to the slumped figure against the wall.

"Snape." No movement. "Snape!" Again no movement.

Hermione snorted. "Severus." A twitch in his cheek. "Severus!" Nothing more.

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back on her heels. "Severus Tobias Snape!" The man's eyes opened, shock radiating in their dark depths. His lips peeled apart to speak but Hermione raised a hand.

"Don't talk. It'll hurt your throat even more." A pop sounded as Hermione pulled the cork out from a vial. A peaceful silence fell, the only sounds in the boathouse being the clinking of vials, the murmuring of spells, and Snape's rapidly calming breathing.

Eventually the ragged, gasping breaths that omitted from Severus' torn throat were no more. Hermione wrapped his newly healed neck with the bandages, making sure the strips were tight but not restrictive. Ripping off a piece of surgical tape, the witch secured the bandage, waving her wand to secure it even more with a spell.

With a heavy sigh, Hermione dropped back on to her heels, blood coated hands dropping to rest in her lap.

"How do you feel?" Hermione voice was quiet and observant, watching for any mistakes.

The tall dark haired man in front of her opened his mouth cautiously. No blood came from the healed tears. Hermione smiled wearily but contented.

"Thank you Hermione." He pulled himself into a more comfortable sitting position, a long fingered hand raising to touch the bandages.

A silence fell, Hermione watching as the man felt around his neck, turning his head ever so slightly to rest the healing. When Severus was content with his inspection, his hand dropped to his lap. His dark eyes fixed on the young witch in front of him.

"How did you know?" His voice was smooth and silky, just a tad raw sounding from his experience.

Hermione arched an eyebrow elegantly. "Know what? I do believe there are two answers to the immediate question. Which are you looking for?"

Severus gave a miniscule smile, just the slightest upwards curve of his lips. "Lets go with the most obvious one. How did you know I was not dead?"

Hermione shrugged, swinging her legs from underneath her to crisscross them in front. "I had a feeling. I know that sounds stupid but there was a nag in my magic that something didn't add up. When I reentered and heard the ragged breathing I knew."

Severus inspected her for a moment. "You said you felt it in your magic?"

The girl nodded, her gold and hazel curls falling over her shoulders as she moved. "I've had it forever. I could always feel if something was gone or not. If I really focused on it that is." She ducked her head, embarrassed. She gave a little laugh. "It sounds crazy."

Severus shook his head, long black locks flicking his cheeks. "It's not crazy, Hermione."

She smiled and shrugged self consciously. Another comfortable silence fell, Hermione tugging at the cuff of her Muggle jeans, Severus studying the brilliant witch.

"I'd better go find Harry and Ron. We still need to end this war." Her eyes softened as she gazed at Severus. "Thank you for helping us. Stay here and I promise when everything is safe, I'll come back and bring you. Here drink this." She pulled a Blood Replenishing potion and a water bottle from her extended bag.

After handing the items to the sitting man, her eyes glanced over his wounds once more before nodding and hurrying towards the door.

"Hermione," the man's smooth voice called out as she reached the door. Hermione turned to glance at the man. "Thank you."

She smiled, bowing her head before ducking outside, running towards the resting battlefield.

Harry stood alone in the entryway of the torn Hogwarts. His wand clutched in his hand, the elder wand passively held while he surveyed the place he had called home for so long.

With a deep breath, Harry walked through the rubble, dark stains, spell marks, and bodies buried underneath chunks of the castle. As he entered the Great Hall a body threw itself into his chest. The long fiery red locks and warm, curving body of Ginny hugged his body tightly.

His shoulders relaxed and he clutched Ginny tightly, his body sagging and melding with her own. From behind Ginny, Ron and Hermione approached. Ron's eyes were bloodshot from grief but his shoulders were more relaxed then they had been for nearly two years.

Hermione smiled, kissing Ron and Harry on the cheek before strolling out of the Great Hall, down the corridors, and out of Hogwarts castle. Hermione ignored the pains, aches, and spell marks as she walked down towards the boathouse.

Her eyes scanned everything as she passed, taking in all of the destruction. Even the Forbidden Forest had suffered in the battle, trees torn from the ground, burnt corpses of forest leaning against their still smoldering fellows.

Hermione gently knocked against the doorway of the boathouse, altering the resting man to her presence. Severus' dark eyes opened slowly. A genuine smile pulled at his lips.

"We won?" His voice cracked with hope.

Hermione nodded with a smile.

Severus beamed with elation but second later he began sobbing. His chest rattled as he heaved massive gasping sobs. Tears streamed down his pale, sharp cheekbones. Hermione hurried towards him and dropped to her knees. Wrapping her arms around the man's shoulders, she pulled him into her chest.

"I know," she whispered. "I know." Severus pressed his face against her breast bone, strong arms wrapping around her own shoulders. Hermione rested her chin on the man's long, slick black locks. She began rocking back and forth, murmuring soothingly as the man sobbed into her chest.

"You don't have to hide anymore. It's over, all is well."