A/N: The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition is a writing competition which consists of writing for particular prompts each round and scoring points.

Round 1;

Team: The BallyCastle Bats

Position: Beater 2

Main Prompt -Write about your SEEKER's favourite pairing/character: (Hermione/Slytherin Character)

-Additional Prompts

3. (word) change

7. (spell) Expelliarmus

14.(quote) "People have an annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn't." - Christopher Paolini, Eragon

Story Title: The Flame, It Flickers For You

Summary: Through a potion she had invented, Hermione is able to save Snape in the Shrieking Shack. While he recovers from the damage that the poison's done to him, she becomes his personal Healer. Both develop feelings for each other. Angst, AU

Voldemort's warning lingered in Hermione's mind. She stood in the Shrieking Shack between her best friends, shivering from fear, as the cold, icy threat of his voice penetrated throughout every bit of her head. She shuddered. The boys looked as fearful as she felt.

"Don't listen to him," Ron told Harry quietly.

Hermione wiped her eyes, clearing them from the tears that had filled them. Voldemort had killed Professor Snape, the man he had thought to be his follower. If he could kill a man who worshiped him, the monster truly had no mercy; much as he had just claimed in the speech he broadcasted a moment ago.

She purposely avoided the eyes of the professor she had known for the last few years. Swallowing hard, Hermione said, "W-We need a new p-plan, let's go back to the cas-."

Her eyes uncontrollably sank down to the grown man sitting lifelessly at her feet. She placed a hand to her mouth, stifling a cry. His face was frozen, eyes open and glazed over, not all too much different than he often would look on a normal day. Only... There was no life in those eyes anymore. They did not flicker. They did not glow. They did not glitter. They were glassy; stuck in space.

"Hermione...?" Ron whispered, setting a hand onto her shoulder.

And then she saw something. From the corner of her eye. Hermione's hand fell from her mouth. Her eyes widened. It couldn't be, could it?

It was just nerves. She told herself. The man is dead.

But what if...

Hermione knelt down, wrapping her hand around his (as best as she could, as his was much bigger), and, instead of seeing it, she felt it. It was hardly noticeable, but it was just enough to give the young woman a leap of faith.

"Prof-Professor...?" Her voice was hoarse, but her thumping heart sped up faster when she felt his fingers twitch for the third time since her noticing.

Hermione hastily removed her wand from her robes. Harry and Ron were demanding explanations but she was not paying them any attention. "Reprehendo." A red bolt shot out of the tip of her wand, surrounding Professor Snape in a hued bubble. It pulsed around him. Very softly. Very faint.

"He's... alive." She whispered astonished.

"What?!" Harry joined her side by kneeling down next to her. "Snape?" His blood covered hand touched the man's chest. "I don't feel anything, Hermione." He said flatly; disappointed.

"The last thing for a wizard to lose is his magic." She said in her normal, lecturing voice. She removed a potion from her bag and began to eagerly search the darkest corners of the shack. "Hurry! Help me find a spider's web!"

Ron shuddered a protest, but when she sent him a scowl, he and Harry both started the search.

"Would a spider's egg also work for your potion?" Harry asked.

"Yes!" Hermione gasped out in relief and hurried to Harry who was plucking a fuzzy, round ball of spider silk from underneath the bottom of a chair.

Hermione popped the stopper off the potion she had been gripping and took the spider's egg from Harry, dropping it into the liquid. She quickly returned the stopper before it could foam and overflow; she'd need every drop. Giving it a few shakes, she walked back over to Professor Snape, the hue still present, but it had faded some.

"This will slow the attack on his body down until I get the cure to the snake's venom." She informed as she pried Professor Snape's clenched mouth open with a spell. His mouth was full of his own blood and something white that she guessed was poison. It gushed out as the gap was made, but Hermione made an effort to ignore the gruesome sight.

And smell.

She held her breath to keep from gagging and poured the entire potion down his throat, then forced him to swallow it with another spell. She stood up, motioning the quiet, watchful boys to step back to allow the potion to work its magic.

Professor Snape's robes began disappearing, replaced with long, black, stringy hairs. Each of his limbs multiplied by two, creating eight of them. His eyes also increased in number. Ron began backing away further when he realized what was happening. A tiny squeak erupted from his trembling mouth. And then, all of the human of Professor Snape vanished and the large spider, which had replaced him, began to shrink until it was hardly the size of a snitch.

Hermione conjured a cup sized canning jar to put him in. With a deep breath, she carefully put the jar into her bag. "Let's go to the castle. We can think of a plan to defeat You Know Who along the way."

"How long can he last for like that?" Harry asked.

"Much longer than his previous form." Was all Hermione said, hurrying away, knowing she had very little time to administer the cure.

* / *

"Any change?"

A familiar voice stirred Severus awake. He felt as stiff as a board. Weaker than he had ever been before. All energy was gone. He tried opening his eyes, but found that he was not able to. He tried not to panic. Panicking was never an answer. He opened his jaw to say something, talking, but when it moved, the vibration brought a severe pain to his neck. He clamped his teeth together, suppressing the urge to cry out.

Where was he anyway?

He could not remember much- The last of what he had remembered was a large white room. And Albus.

Albus...

What had Albus said to him?

For the life of him, he could not remember.

"No." A young woman replied, also familiar, but he just couldn't place it. The very thought of knowing the spoken voices, but unable to set a face to them annoyed him.

He found he could lift a hand, only just barely. It instantly felt fatigued, as if he had just held a twenty pound dumbbell for five minutes straight. Ignoring his sore arm's reaction to his movement, he touched the pain of his neck. His fingers gently pressed up against a cloth; a bandage, he guessed. That slightest touch accelerated the pain and it took all he could to not scream out.

Tears rolled from his eyes and he realized then that they were pooling against something that was soaking up the moisture that they were causing. Severus used his other hand to touch his face this time. It seemed he had been blindfolded, and that was why he couldn't open his eyes. With both hands, Severus went to remove the blindfold, anxious to see what predicament he was in. He fumbled with it until his hands finally dropped at the sides of his head in pure exhaustion; his effort failed. He had never felt so tired before. What had happened to him? Why couldn't he remove a simple blindfold?

Breathing deep, catching the breath that he had been holding while he had attempted his task, he drifted back into unconsciousness.

Tender hands touched him. A touch that Severus could honestly admit that he enjoyed. Perhaps it was just because he had felt so cold for several years, and those delicate, swift, moving fingers brought a warmth to him. His heart hammered against his chest, spreading the warmth he was feeling to all ends of his body. He didn't care who they belonged to, only that he hoped they'd never disappear. He could picture these angelic hands working professionally in a potions lab, if the person that they belonged to wasn't a complete dunderhead.

Who ever was touching him was some sort of Healer. And female, after hearing the slight murmur of the incantations of her spells. Beautifully performed, He mused, feeling all his physical pain fade away to her uttering words. He adored that voice. Her fingers and voice were his only reason to wake up everyday.

"Ah, I see that smile." The young woman said gently, almost praising him. Severus felt the tap of her hand against his forearm. He was still unable to see, due to the blindfold. "I like your smile, sir. You should do it more often."

Severus still didn't know who the woman was, but anymore, he did not seem to care as long as she would always be there for him; something she promised to him every day.

* / *

"Oh, God!" The obnoxious young man had pulled Severus from his sleep, something the man did quite often. "Um..." he fumbled dumbly, sounding a bit embarrassed.

"You've must have seen a naked man before!?" The Healer woman scolded him impatiently, bathing the naked Severus down with a sponge.

"Yes... well..." the man cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I don't think I'll ever be able get that sight out of my mind." He said with a shuddering voice. "I doubt even obliviation will get rid of it!"

The Healer huffed. "People have an annoying habit of remembering things they shouldn't! Try not to think too much about it."

"I've just never imagined Snape to be so..." the man trailed off.

Severus couldn't help smirking to himself, knowing that the man was speaking about his most private body part. The one thing he truly had admired about himself.

"Merlin!" The Healer screeched.. Severus hinted a bit of an embarrassment to her voice. "It's just a penis!" She huffed. "Please help me dress him?" She requested pleadingly. "I have a date with Blaise tonight."

Severus' smugness deflated like a balloon at the sound of the woman's words. The fire that kept his wick lit had an interest in another man. Suddenly, it felt like he couldn't breathe. Feeling very much like his was being held under a body of water.

With fury, Severus ripped at his blindfold. This time, he had enough strength to take it off. The two people that were in the room with him, both gasped out in surprise. With difficulty, Severus sat up on the bed, looking around, having vision for the first time in Merlin only knew how long (which was kind of blotchy, although he could make out somethings). He was in a dimly lit room that looked much like a dull hospital room.

He saw her then. The woman; his Healer. She had snarly, wild brown hair. Young as he had thought her to be; mid twenties. And the man next to her-

Severus knew that man... Glasses and messy dark hair. "Potter." Severus sneered in loathness. "Couldn't get enough of a look at my body the first time?"

"Sir," the Healer walked up to him, and he swiftly snatched the wand from her hand, making her shriek.

Severus pointed his wand at the man. "Dare you, Potter," He challenged.

"Snape-,"

"No, no." Severus said coolly. "Use your wand to duel, not your words. I am not some young piece of tail you can smooth talk into surrendering."

"Please..." the woman set an arm on Severus' forearm. "You're a bit confused, Professor."

That word alone brought a sudden rush of memories into his head, each one playing back, as if his head was dunked into a Pensieve.

"Expelliarmus!" Potter disarmed him as his attention faltered from the moment.

"No," Severus whispered, sinking down to his knees in horror. He remembered everything then. He knew who the voices belonged to, and, now, all he wanted was to go back to his fantasy of the unknown Healer being his forever, and only his. He had no chance with Granger; The brightest witch of the decade. She would never choose him. Never. Especially after the way he had treated her during her adolescent years.

Oh, when would he ever stop living in regret?

* / *

"Calm down, Professor." Hermione said soothingly. "It's okay." She helped the traumatized man back into bed.

"No!" He smacked away the blindfold she hovered above his head.

"Alright," she had used it because his eyes had been very sensitive to light, but he didn't seem bothered by it for the time being.

"Hermione, I can take over so you can go on your date." Harry offered slowly, eyeing Professor Snape carefully, who was scowling.

"No, that's okay, Harry." Hermione blanketed the man, who was still naked, with a sheet. "Professor Snape responds better with me. I'll just cancel. Blaise will understand."

Harry snorted in doubt, leaning up against the doorjamb.

Professor Snape suddenly looked green. "What happened?!" He demanded in a terrified whispered. "The Dark Lord-"

"Dead." Harry informed bluntly. "You're free of any master now."

"But how did you survive the battle? The prophecy said you both were to..."

"Trelawney was never the perfect seer." Harry answered when the man didn't finish.

The professor lay there in silence, looking Harry in the eye. His chest heaved up and down, deep in thought, taking in the news. "Good." He said simply, closing his eyes, almost peacefully.

"Good." Harry agreed in the same tone. "Albus!" He hollered out into the hall. Severus' eyes shot back open. "Come in here a moment, son!"

So... Harry was a father now... How long have I've been sick for? Severus thought.

The pattering of small feet approached the room they were in and Harry lifted a small tot into his arms. The boy could be Harry's twin. Green eyes, glasses, and everything. "Professor Snape," Harry started, smiling at the boy. "This is Albus Severus Potter, my second son."

The Potter boy had named his boy after him. Severus was in utter awe.

"The entire World would like to thank you." Harry summoned up a plaque, (surprisingly wandlessly done), and set it on to the table next to Severus.

Severus gaped at it.

Order of Merlin; First Class.

* / *

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked the next day when Severus grumpily shoved the tray of food that she had prepared away.

"I'm just not hungry." He replied, rather babyish in Hermione's opinion.

"I saw the way you were looking at Draco when he kissed my cheek." she said gently.

"I took you as a girl who could only have one man." He grumbled.

This amused her, knowing Slytherins all too well at this point in her life. Hermione was actually excited that he was upset seeing her with another man. She didn't let it show though. She didn't want to seem all too eager or anything.

"I haven't found the right man." She told him with a shrug.

"Man?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow. "In order to find the right man, you have to date one."

"The guys that I'm dating are men." She said in their defense, poking a piece of fruit into her mouth.

"That's mine!" He snarled, pulling his tray of food from her.

"I thought you didn't want it?"

"Well, I've changed my mind!" He huffed, but he made no notion to actually eat anything.

"Professor-"

Professor Snape sighed in annoyance. "Could you not call me that?! I am not a professor anymore, nor do I intend to ever be one again!"

"Alright... Mr... Snape..." she said slowly, wrinkling her nose, not favouring the name.

"Just... call me Severus." He told her, avoiding her eyes, and taking a bite of the pot pie she had made him.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "I heard you only allow your friends to call you that..."

Severus' paused his chewing, as if he had come under the realization that he had let something slip. Like a true Slytherin, though, he quickly regained himself. "Actually, I was just about to inquire if you would be interested in dating a real man." His eyes flickered to his award. "Perhaps... a hero even?"

"Are you asking me out, Severus?" Hermione couldn't help but to smile. Since she had offered to nurse the man back to health years ago, she had developed feelings for Severus. Most of it was just wishing him well, after hearing about how brave he had been in both wars. The feelings strengthened though, when she had seen him smile last year (a real smile; one that she had never seen the man do). With that mere sight alone, she had instantly fallen in love with him (or rather his adoring smile).

"I am." Severus answered, his eyes passionately boring into hers.

"Alright then, let's have a date right now." She suggested, conjuring up a meal duplicate to his own and charming a chair to float to her before sitting into it. He looked nearly repulsed, but she held up a hand. "When you're stronger, we'll go someplace nicer."

Severus nodded understandably. "Thank you..." he paused long enough to give her his smile. "Thank you, Hermione."

And if it were possible to love him more, that was it! The way her name rolled off his tongue made her knees buckle.

Thankfully, she was sitting down.

* / *

As he looked into her brown eyes, Severus then remembered the last thing that Albus had said to him. The old wizard sat at a bench that was as white as the four walls around them. The usual twinkle lingering in his eyes. "You have a chance for happiness, Severus. Don't waste it. For you, of all people, could use it for once in your lifetime." Albus tilted his head, showing his respect. "Have a good life, my boy."