Disclaimer: Don't own them, JKR does. I'm borrowing.

A/N: Just a plot bunny I couldn't get rid of.

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Hermione's POV

Why Hermione took the dare, she would never know. It had been one of those spur of the moment things that she couldn't turn down. Okay, so she had been playing Truth or Dare with Harry, Ginny, Ron, Parvati, and Lavender, but that was beside the point. No one would have thought anything less of her if she had said she wouldn't do it. Hermione had graduated top of her class at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, everyone had graduated that afternoon (excepting Ginny who had one year left), and the Leaving Feast was upon them. For a little last minute fun, the group had decided to play the game with a twist. No truths, only dares, one per person, and it had to be something they would never do otherwise.

Hermione was looking across the room, waiting for that opportune moment to fulfill her dare. She thought back to that late afternoon get together.

::::::::::Flashback::::::::::

"Everyone knows the rules then?" Harry asked. There were five nods of understanding. "Okay, um, Lavender."

"Why do I have to be first? Why can't one of you guys do it?" Lavender asked.

Harry responded, "Because I chose you first."

"Fine, let's make this quick."

"Lavender, you have to give McGonagall a note saying 'Severus Snape is a sex god, ask me about it. Signed, M. McGonagall' You also need give her another note saying you know what she's been doing with Snape all these years, and you want to know more.

Lavender accepted. She chose Parvati next who made a face at her best friend, but accepted her task. "Parvati, your dare is to read a story from this porn magazine out loud during the feast." This brought a giggle from Harry and Ron. Parvati took the magazine grumbling, but she said she would do it.

Parvati dared Ginny next. "Your dare is to show up at the feast wearing only your underwear." Ron blushed furiously at the thought of seeing that much of his sister. Harry was grinning at Ginny like a madman. She hit him on the arm playfully.

"If I have to do it, then Ron has to as well so it's a family thing," Ginny announced.

"Ugh, fine. Just don't make me do it ever again. Hermione, you're next."

"What do I have to do Ron?"

"You have to kiss Snape in front of everyone at the feast tonight."

Everyone stared at Ron like he'd just become Voldemort incarnate. "Ron you've finally gone off your rocker!" Harry yelled at him. A chorus of "yeah" and "uh huh" arose from the rest of the group except Hermione.

"I'll do it." She received the stare next.

"Being Head Girl finally get to you 'Mione?" Ginny asked.

"No, I said I would do it. It's only fair if the rest of you have to do this crazy stuff. Oh, Harry, you're next." This diverted the group enough for them to finish assigning the tasks. "You have to hit on Malfoy. Get him aroused, and make it very public.."

"Eww," Ron said. "That has to be worse than kissing Snape."

"If you do yours, Hermione, I'll do mine," Harry replied.

::::::::::End Flashback::::::::::

So far, Ginny and Ron had completed their dares. Parvati was in the middle of hers, but Hermione was too wrapped up in her thoughts and keeping an eye on Snape to pay attention. Harry's completion of his task depended on her, but she doubted she would be able to pay enough attention to notice Harry and Malfoy.

Hermione picked at her food. Her nerves had settled in her stomach so bad she could hardly eat. She looked up briefly when Parvati sat down to a mix of "eww" and applause. By now eyes were fixed on the Gryffindor table to see who would be the next to try something.

Lavender got up and walked nonchalantly toward the head table. She handed two parchments to Professor McGonagall before returning to the Gryffindor table. McGonagall looked as if she would kill Lavender except that Dumbledore was peering over her shoulder and chuckling. He said a few words to the infuriated professor, and she returned to her dinner looking none to pleased.

Hermione glanced over to Harry who signaled that she was next. She looked to Snape who was getting up to leave. This was the only chance she would get to complete her dare. Her nerves multiplied as she quickly moved to catch the black figure.

"Professor Snape," he whirled around, robes billowing majestically (a/n: would they billow any other way?).

"Miss Granger," He sneered.

Hermione could not explain what exactly prompted her to act so quickly, but in the next moment she knew her lips were on his. The little voice in her head was screaming at her that, of all the unexpected things to happen, Snape was kissing her back, and none to gently. What was worse, she was responding. As soon as her brain caught up, she stopped, completely moved away from him, and fled. The dare had turned around so quickly. Nothing registered as she ran from the Great Hall, trying to get away from the experience of being kissed by Snape. She never noticed the figure following her or the smile of acknowledgment from Dumbledore.

"Miss Granger," the voice behind her was silky sweet, but she kept running. She did not want to face him, tell him it was only a dare. It was a betrayal, and she could not do it. The hand that tightly gripped her arm and turned her around stopped her forward momentum. She was facing him, but she could not look him in the eye.

"Miss Granger . . . Hermione." She still would not face him.

"Professor, I'm sorry. I can't . . ." Everything came tumbling from her mouth. "I can't do this. It was a dare. I am sorry, but I just can't." She turned away from him and started walking back to her private quarters. She desperately needed to be alone at the moment to process everything that had just happened. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of looking back at him. For the first time in her life, Hermione saw an emotion on the face of Severus Snape. Tears were silently falling from his eyes as the pain he was feeling prominently played on his features.

---------------------------------------------------

The events of the night weighed heavily on her heart as she stared into the fire. Crookshanks had tried getting into her lap, but she had shooed him away. Hermione wanted to be alone. Of all the people, she had to be the one dared to kiss Snape. She had been the one who had captured his previously believed black heart. Under the exterior was a man who loved and longed just as much as anyone else, and Hermione had deprived him of the one thing he wanted.

----------------------------------------------------

Hermione reluctantly awoke in the morning. She had not slept well at all thinking of what she had done. Only one option played in her mind over and over. She did not know if she was up to it, or if it was her decision to make anymore, but she was going to do it.

Breakfast was a somber affair for her. The whole hall was bubbling about the shenanigans of the group last night, but no one dared mention Hermione or Snape's name. She was not even sure anyone even knew about it since she had caught up with Snape in the hallway. Harry reassured her that no one knew. Not even the rest of the group. Harry only knew because he ran into a very irritated Snape on his way back to the dormitory the night before.

Hermione looked at the head table and immediately noticed the empty seat. She was not hungry herself. After ten minutes, she excused herself. When asked by her friends what was wrong, she said she would be fine. They were not to worry about her.

Hermione wandered for a while before ending in front the Potions classroom. She took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and opened the door.

"Miss Granger, if you wish to torment me further, you might as well just kill me first," came the broken voice of the man she was looking for.

"I don't know if it means anything now to you or not, but I'm in love with you."

"Spare the apologies. I know the truth already. You told me yourself. Don't try and fix this!" Snape yelled vehemently. He was bearing over her now.

She was not going to be intimidated. "Severus Snape, it hurts me just as much as it hurts you. Why do you think I ran? When you responded, I knew what it had been all these years. I knew why I'd always had special treatment. It wasn't because of my achievements. You were manifesting your feelings in a different, less obvious way."

"Leave, Miss Granger. Just get out while you can. I am not the kind of man you should want to be with, nor am I the one you should be with." He'd backed off and turned away from her. His voice was shaky, but resolute.

"Severus . . ."

"It's Professor Snape or Sir to you."

"Severus . . ." she pushed. She was not going to give up on him that easily.

"Hermione!" He flat out began yelling at her. "If you do not leave, I will not be held responsible for my actions. You can say you love me, but I have no proof. It was a dare. You've completed it. Move on. If your goal was to break me, you have accomplished it. Get out of my life! I do not . . ."

Hermione kissed him. She had run out of options. Tears came spilling from her eyes as she did so. She was desperate. He did not respond. After a few seconds, he pushed her away. Hermione landed on the cold, hard floor, crying harder than ever. She never knew heartbreak until that moment, and she did not care if he knew it or not.

Snape could only look at her for a moment. Did she really feel that much for him? Had he pushed away his only chance at a lasting, happy, and loving relationship. Merlin, he hoped not.

"Miss Granger," he began softly. "Hermione, please, I . . I'm so sorry." He had started to cry as well. Hermione wanted to run now, but her legs would not move. "Merlin, I didn't mean to . . to . . . forgive me, please? I don't want to ruin my only chance, but you hurt me so much. I'm too stubborn, I know, but please?" By the end, he was kneeling in front of her as she sat, crying. Her tears were trailing off slowly. "I don't know what to do without you." She did not know what to do without him. So much of Hermione's life had come to revolve around the man before her. She did not know how or why, but she knew when she realized it. It was in that moment that she had broken his heart.

Hermione hugged him, and they sat, sobbing into each other's shoulder. "Severus, I should have just told you. I went about this the wrong way. I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven, but how you can ever forgive me . . ."

That was an easy one. "I love you. That's enough to forgive you. Promise me this will never happen again."

They looked each other in the eye. Snape wiped the stray tears from Hermione's cheek, kissed her forehead gently, and said, "As long as we're together, this will never happen again. Oh, Hermione, you're the only person I've ever loved. I love you so much. How you could ever love me, I don't know, but I will make sure that I'm the only one who will ever steal your heart."

"You're cute, sexy, really smart, and I love you. I'll make sure I'm the only one who possesses your heart."

They smiled at one another and engaged in a very passionate kiss. The whistle of the train could be heard as they pulled apart.

"Hermione, I think you missed the your ride home."

"I am home."