This is a short story that was originally a description of one of my drawings on DA that I brought back because I rather like it and I'm thinking of doing a little more with it...
By the way, this is one of those rare moments when I accept that Snape did die, so beware!
..
The War was over and fear had been replaced with peace. The wizard's world was trying to slowly recover. The school of Hogwarts had been rebuilt and eventually students and staff had resumed their activities once again.
Hermione Granger still visited the school once in a while, whenever she had some free time, to help out professor (now headmistress) McGonagall, even though the witch kept assuring her that every problem they could possibly have was under control and that she should take her time to recover herself. But like many knew, she had a bigger heart than brain, and she was the brightest witch of her age.
One particular day she came inside McGonagall's office asking for professor Snape. Severus Snape had died in the War, but his spirit had been preserved on a portrait, much like Dumbledore's, the previous Headmaster. Minerva wasn't very surprised; it wasn't the first time she had asked for professor Snape. But Minerva gave her the typical answer she always gave her, that professor Snape wasn't ready to receive visitors and that she should come to see him some other day.
Hermione would normally reply with an "I see" and never touch the subject again, but that day, for Minerva's surprise, the witch insisted on the importance of her visit and begged her to see him.
Professor Dumbledore, who usually hang on the portraits of McGonagall's office, was also surprised. But the old wizard, like always, understood her intentions and softened his expression before convincing McGonagall to lead her to professor Snape.
The witch, still in confusion, shared an intrigued look with Hermione and Albus before doing what she had been asked.
She lead Hermione trough a lonely and isolated corridor before stopping in front of a door.
"He's isolated himself here" Minerva explained indicating the door "He never came out of here. He refuses to be visited by anyone... he is so depressed and desperate that he spends his days drowning in his own darkness and he won't let anyone help...please help him if you can, Hermione" she pleaded her before she left.
Hermione knocked at the door without obtaining any response. She called him out almost in a whisper before she entered the dark and quiet room.
"Professor...?" she quietly called out again.
He was there, his back turned to her, trapped inside a portrait.
Yet he did not respond to her; not a sound, not a movement...he didn't even flinch. Not even the slightest reaction, like she wasn't even there.
After a minute, Snape heard some noises. And then complete silence again. He turned to her, his skin paler than she remembered and his eyes had lost the fiery emotion they once had. He looked at her.
She had sat down on the floor in front of his portrait. She had a bucket of green paint near her and a paint brush in her hand. He look down, at the glass like 'wall' trapping him in the portrait, seperating her from him.
There was a little green heart painted there. A little Slytherin heart. He reached it, his fingers brushing his side of the wall where the heart had been painted. He could feel tears in his eyes. But this weren't tears of sadness. Because even if her small gesture was for some others completly simple-
"Thank you for protecting us, Sir. Thank you for everything. Happy Birthday, professor Snape" she told him, with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.
...even if her gesture had been simple...
...she had not abandoned him.