Never
He had admired her from afar for a while. He loved to watch how she wrinkled her nose in concentration. He watched her stir her ingredients into her potion as the dungeon slowly filled up with smoke of various colors.
She was a talented witch, a top student, every teachers dream. To him she was more than a dream, perfect in every way possible, but a dream was all their relationship could ever be. It would not be right; if anyone ever found out that he was in love with Hermione Granger, a sworn Gryffindor, close friend to the famous Harry Potter, he would probably have to leave Hogwarts. It could not happen. He had often wished for it, dreamt about it and longed for it. Of course it had seemed inappropriate at first, but she was older now, he was older. Sometimes it all made sense until he was shaken awake by his surroundings, forcing him to forget; to let go.
The sound of the bell brought him back to reality as everyone around him started to gather up their things, pouring samples of their various potions into flasks to be graded.
Yet another "Outstanding" for the wonderful Hermione, he thought to himself, but he managed to stifle the incipient smile playing on his lips just in time.
Her eyes met his as she placed her bottle on the desk at the front, lingering just long enough for him to feel his heart stop, miss a beat, before his eyes were transfixed on the wooden desk between them. He was not sure whether he had heard her speak or even whether she was in fact aiming words in his direction.
His eyes traveled across the desk, glimpsing the many bottles now piled up. There was even one with Potter's name on it. The urge to knock it to the floor was replacing the warm feeling from earlier. She liked him; she spent time with him; she might even love Harry Potter. Jealousy sharp as daggers penetrated him and the name tag for sabotage, but sudden laughter made him stop. Her laugh always calmed him no matter how low he was feeling. He wished he could talk to her.
She was making her way out of the dungeon, her backpack swung casually over her shoulder. Her bushy, curly hair danced as she chatted happily away to Potter and that redhead Weasley. He felt the sting of jealousy as he watched them. Severus Snape might have seemed cold-hearted to everyone else, but he did have feeling. In light of his family background, however he could not allow himself to be weak or make the mistake that had killed so many before him.
Besides a girl like her -- there was no way she could ever fall for someone like him. She had her group, and, well, he sort of had his. It had taken him many years to admit to himself that he could feel love. His gaze lingered on Hermione's back until she rounded a corner and disappeared from his sight, and a deep sigh escaped his lips as the dungeon doors shut behind her.
While the others made their way to the Great Hall, he was to face his destiny. The towers of the school stretched toward the skies behind him as he made his way through the gates, straying off the tracks leading to the village of Hogsmeade and instead making his way through the trees. He always met his master here, yet this was the first time he was nervous, maybe even terrified, for he would not be able to hide it his secret this time.
The Dark Lord standing before him in the clearing, Snape did not even try using Legilimens as he knew it would be no use. The Dark Lord raised his wand forcing Snape to kneel before him.
If only he had known, everything could have been different. He had let his guard down and made himself vulnerable; he knew it now as he crouched down before his master, shivering, knowing he would not return to her again. He was no longer of any use.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Severus; there is no other way" The voice was more like a whisper, but the words were as clear as ice. He had heard them before, but never to be spoken to him. This time it was his turn. His master had spoken exactly those words that Snape most feared. There was a flash of green light, but no pain; his breath froze in his throat, never getting to his lips. The grotesque, reptilian wizard was gone as quickly as he had arrived.
Out of the shadows a girl was making her way toward the clearing, her bushy, curly hair dancing as she walked, her nose wrinkled as if in deep concentration. Hermione Granger crouched down over her dead potion master's body, silent tears streaming down her cheeks, tears she had been trying to hold back along with the scream fighting to escape her lips.
Never would he know, never would Severus Snape know how much Hermione Granger had loved him.
Never.