Chapter One

Dear Severus,

I never meant to hurt you. I hope you understand why I cannot be with you. I love James with all my heart. I know he tormented you and I hope you know that I wouldn't tolerate that even today, not even from him. In your own way, I know you loved me. But forget me Severus. I can never be yours and I don't want you to spend your days longing for something that can never be, you will only hurt yourself. I love James and will marry him tomorrow, but I love you too Severus, just not the same way. Your pain is my pain, and I don't want to spend my life knowing that you are in pain. Please grant me this one request, forget me Severus. Move on. Find some girl who will love you and love her in return.

This is the last time I will write. Be happy Sev.

Lily

The potions master felt an all too familiar burning behind his eyes. He knew that he only tormented himself with her words, but he couldn't help himself. Desperation for her memory drove him to use anything that would bring even pain to the surface, as long as she was in it. After almost twenty six years, it was still fresh; there was no dullness in the cuts on his heart. They were as deep as the ones that were now scarred from the first time he read the letter.

A light knocking on his chamber door jolted him from his quickly descending depression. He scowled, with no idea of who would be knocking at his door at in the darkest hour of the night. Sharply he stood and made his way over to the door to tear it open in agitation. The face on the other side of the heavy door startled him from making his usual snide or biting remark.

"What do you want?" Snape found himself truly puzzled. Hermione Granger stood before him in her night clothes. Her curly hair, although it was no longer the mane it was in school, flew riotously around her face in complete disarray.

"Well, I see that you're your usual rude self tonight Professor." Hermione glared at her former teacher and current colleague.

"Miss Granger, it is two o'clock in the morning. What do you want?" Snape snapped waspishly.

"I need help with a situation. I am afraid that it is rather awkward for me to handle alone."

"What? You cannot handle something on your own? Something is out of your reach?"

"I need assistance all the time. I just don't ask for your help precisely for this reason. You are rude and insufferable. Now, I need your particular help with a situation in the dungeons." Hermione was growing annoyed and impatient. She had caught wind of a party to be hosted in the dungeons that evening. It was Snape's House and she had no desire to confront a room of drunken teenagers by herself, as strong as her magic might be.

"Well then, if you've finally deigned to let me help you, what is the problem?" Hermione growled. She had never quite gotten over her school day dislike of the potions professor.

"There is a party tonight in the dungeons. It is not all a Slytherin problem, however, I do not know my way around down there and I have no wish to try and handle a group of drunken teenagers by myself. You are intimidating," her eyes narrowed at the sudden light in his eyes, "to students, and I am asking for your assistance." Hermione huffed out a loud breath after her speech and glared at the man before her even harder. She sincerely hoped that he would help her. He truly was one of the best at situations such as the one she was facing, as much as she hated to admit it.

"Where did you hear of this Miss Granger?"

Hermione flushed with annoyance and the beginnings of anger. She heard doubt in the professor's voice and wondered if he thought she had faulty information. From the look on his face, that was exactly what he was thinking.

"I overheard some students from Slytherin and a different group of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. I think the information is accurate. It was very elaborate if a hoax and I already checked the Room of Requirement, it opened for me with no problem, so it was definitely empty." Hermione dared the potions master with her eyes to doubt her further. He seemed to think better of it and entered the hallway.

Snape never checked to see if Hermione followed. He led the way quickly with long strides that sent his robes billowing. Not for the first time, Hermione wondered if they were enchanted to do so. Professor Snape turned down complicated hallways and Hermione, although she had a good sense of direction, was soon lost.

The sounds of music and laughter reached the professors' ears before they saw the revelry. At least a hundred students milled around the large room. The Weird Sisters blared over the noise of conversation. Some couples were dancing, but most were talking in large groups of loud, laughing friends. At first, none of the students saw the two professors. They were too busy having fun to see that the prohibited fun was about to be ended.

Snape held his wand to his throat to elevate the volume of his voice. Hermione was reminded of the Quidditch World Cup the summer before her fourth year at Hogwarts. The minister had amplified his voice the same way. The spell was very useful in making oneself heard, and Snape was definitely heard.

"Students, return to your houses at once. You will all receive detention and ten points will be taken from each student present. File past and Professor Granger and I will check to see who is here. Do not try to run away, your life would become very miserable."

Hermione frowned when Snape threatened the students. However it worked, as she knew having him along would. The students obediently filed past and Hermione and Snape took account of the offending kids. She was disappointed to see several of her own house present. They lowered their heads in shame as they passed her, not wanting to see the disappointment in her eyes. Snape's students avoided his eyes as well, all though less out of shame at disappointing then fear of what might be done to them. Their house leader was notoriously hard, even with his own students in some events. They had heard that before the war, he had favored his students more, but only some of the oldest students remembered those days.

"Thank you, professor." Hermione turned to Snape after the last of the students had returned to their dorms. Snape sneered at her.

"Perhaps you should learn to handle such situations on your own Miss Granger." Snape left without another glance her direction. Hermione glared at his back. She truly hated his rude demeanor. Even though they were now colleagues, he now treated her like an inferior student. Truth be known, she was a little hurt by his refusal to see that she was an intelligent teacher and very good at what she did.

Teaching transfiguration was not easy and she thought that she had filled Professor McGonagall's shoes rather well. The old professor still checked in every so often just to make sure her former student was doing okay. Hermione didn't mind the visits; in fact she looked forward to them. They had grown from a young teacher asking questions to two equals discussing theories and just enjoying each other's company.

Hermione stood glaring at the place Snape disappeared for several minutes. Finally, she realized she was tired and started for bed. Only a minute later, when she had to turn a corner, she realized that she had no idea where she was. Stopping, she looked around, hoping for a familiar decoration on the walls to guide her. Everything was unfamiliar. On the way down, she had been too absorbed in being angry with Snape to register her surroundings. Now, the dark walls were closing in on her and she had no way to get out.

Hermione stood and tried to think her way out of the maze that was the dungeons. She had never spent any time down that low except to attend Potions. Now, she had no idea of the layout and could think of no way to get help. Professor Snape was long gone and probably had no chance of hearing her if she cried for help. Although, she wasn't sure he would come even if he did hear her. She ruled yelling out of the question. If she had the Marauder's Map, she may have been able to find her way, but Harry had it tucked safely somewhere in his house. Hermione was truly stumped.

After almost ten minutes of thought, Hermione lit on an idea that should have been thought of sooner. She frowned, sternly chastising herself, before calling for the help she knew would come.

"Gretty, can you come help me please?" A pop echoed down the halls as Gretty popped into the corridor. She walked over to Hermione, a question large in her eyes. "Can you help me back to my rooms? I'm completely lost down here."

"Yes Mistress Granger. Gretty show you the way." With that, Gretty set off down the hallway at a quick pace rivaling that of Snape's on the way there. Hermione had to hurry once again to keep up.

Once she was in front of her rooms, Hermione thanked the house elf and retired for the night with a sigh. It was late and she had to be up early for classes. Hermione loved her job, but the long hours were almost too long sometimes for her. Although, she thought, she could probably do less reading and more resting, but she dismissed the idea as soon as it entered her head. Cutting back on reading was out of the question.

Early the next morning, Hermione climbed from her bed, ready to start another day. She was tired, but had a feeling some of her students would be feeling a bit worse than her. Why they would chooses a school night was beyond her. In school she would never have done such a thing, but even if she had, she would have planned it for a weekend. Fred and George's influence has worn off. Hermione smiled at the idea. The students that attended now would never have gone to school with the devious twins, something Hermione had been known to give thanks for occasionally.

A knock sounded on her door. She wondered who could possibly be knocking on her door. Most people would already be in the Great Hall for breakfast. Frowning, she made her way to the door and pulled it open. The person on the other side startled her to full awareness.

"Miss Granger. I came to make sure you made it up from the dungeons last night." Hermione glared at him. She thought that he could have shown her the way, or at least check on her the night before.

"I'm fine." She ground the words out irritably.

"I'm glad you were able to navigate the corridors." He sounded anything but glad. Hermione knew that she would never tell him she had help from a house elf.

"Thank you for your concern." He sneered at her sarcasm and left, his robes billowing as always.

Hermione shut her chamber door. Snape was as infuriating as always. The young professor rubbed her temples ruefully. Severus never failed to give her a headache whenever she encountered him before breakfast and this morning was no exception.

Severus stalked into the Great Hall. His encounter with Miss Granger had, as always, set him on edge. He gritted his teeth as he surveyed the students. Another day of trying to teach the dunderheads, oh joy. Severus scowled and took his seat, his frown deepened when he looked to his left at the empty chair. Soon, SHE would enter to eat and his day would get worse, though he did brighten at the thought of being able to annoy her as he so obviously had earlier at her chamber door. Severus almost smiled at the thought, but his smile turned to a grimace when she flounced in and took her seat. The scowl that mirrored his own brought a smirk to his face and he enjoyed the rest of his breakfast immensely.

"Severus?"

Snape turned at the sound of the headmaster's voice. He held no love for the man, but at least the current headmaster held none of Albus' conniving thoughts. He waited for Trafalgar Beauchamp to catch up.

"I noticed that Professor Granger was a bit vexed at breakfast this morning." Severus waited for the man to continue. "Do you know what would have rattled her so early in the morning?"

"No, I'm sure I don't."

"Curious. Filius was quite sure he had seen you at her chamber door this morning. Was she not out of sorts then?"

"No. I was merely asking after her, making sure she was all right after last night's events."

"What happened last night?"

"The party we broke up." Severus scowled, he expected the head master to remember these sorts of things.

"Oh, I know about that. I was just wondering why you would be asking after her. Didn't you escort her back to her rooms after all the students were gone?"

"No. Miss Granger is a perfectly capable adult. I left while she was ruminating in the dungeons. She made it back with no difficulty."

"Really Severus, you didn't escort her? It wouldn't hurt to be friendly to her you know. A little companionship might do you some good."

Severus' opinion on Beauchamp's meddlesomeness in comparison to Dumbledore's was dimming. Albus had often mentioned that Severus needed companionship in his life. Severus always thought that Albus was hinting toward a romantic liaison. Severus thought back to a memory he didn't like to recall.

"After all this time?"

"Always."

Severus shuddered. Dumbledore's designs on his personal life had dropped off immensely after that night. He dearly hoped that Trafalgar would not reopen the subject.

"I have a class, if you don't mind…" Severus waited for the headmaster's permission before leaving the alcove they had been in and billowing his way to his dungeon classroom.