Burden in My Hand

The bar was uncharacteristically quiet for a Monday evening. The stools and tables were cold from the lack of warm, less-than-sober bodies usually filling them. Chairs were even upturned on the back tables in closing-time fashion. In all, about five people inhabited the pub. None of the five had come in with another of the group; all strangers. The barkeep surveyed his all but empty room and shook his head. He wiped down the bar for the third time to keep himself busy. Suddenly, without any warning, the door to the pub swung open. In a flurry of wind and light snow, a man dressed entirely in black slinked in. The door closed behind him as he moved silently across the floor up to the bar. He grumbled his drink order and moved to a back booth. A sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his hair. It had been a while since he'd been in a muggle pub but, now he had no other alternative. Both sides of the wizarding world were after him now. Any remaining Death Eaters wanted him dead for the treason against their Dark Lord, and the others wanted him locked away for good for the death of their beloved Dumbledore. The only option he was left with was to disappear into the muggle world. Some days the tedium of everyday life as a "muggle" was enough to drive him mad and think that maybe Azkaban wasn't really that bad. Of course, six years without the use of magic for someone who had been using it for as long as he had...well, one can understand his frustration. But this constant running! He could never stay in one place for too long. Some Death Eaters were still out there, searching for the traitor. This was so unlike him. He didn't need this. Why didn't he just fight the others? Why not search for them? Severus sighed again. No more thoughts, not just now. His drinks arrived, and he downed the first vodka in one gulp. Coward, he thought as the liquid burned its way down. He slammed the glass on the table, making more noise than he'd anticipated. The noise was soon forgotten as the door to the bar opened once more; a woman this time. Severus looked up absentmindedly. Her hair was a very messy bun, probably a result of the wind. There was something about the untidiness...why did he know that hair? The woman walked over to the barkeep and began talking with him. She was describing something. She held her hands to her shoulders "So long? About this tall..." and she put her hand in the air. Something in Severus' mind clicked. The hair, the hand in the air...Oh, my god...he thought. He slid over in his booth to remove the woman from his line of vision, and hopefully out of her view. Horror rippled through him as he saw the barkeep point right at him. It wouldn't be long, now. He visualized his escape route but saw that he'd have to walk right past this woman. God, why her? Why, why, why?

"Um, excuse me?"

Severus lifted his head from his hands to confirm his fears. The woman was standing at his table, watching him expectantly. Severus blinked and cleared his throat.

"Yes?" He asked, hoping his face held no knowledge of knowing who this woman was. The woman faintly smiled at his reply but replaced it quickly with a business like poker face.

"Forgive my intrusion, but you look very familiar to me. I was wondering if you might help me?" Her eyes were hopeful. Severus thought hard. Just say no, Sev. It'll be much easier this way. You should say no. Be firm in your decision. NO. He blinked out of his thoughts, and looked back up at the woman he swore he knew. Her face looked tired, but the glint in her eyes removed all weariness. They were mesmerizing. Severus considered for a moment, and then gestured to the seat opposite him. "Please, sit." He offered, mentally punching himself. The woman allowed a grin in this ever awkward situation, and took a seat. She rummaged around in her overly large purse. Severus lifted an eyebrow, curiously watching what she was doing. Her purse was stuffed with papers and files and binders, making the simple task of zipping it closed seem an Olympic event. Good lord. Still the avid worker, I see, Severus thought. He watched the woman pull out a rather thick file marked M.I.A. and froze. Where had she come from? Who had sent her? Why in the world would the Ministry send her? Severus rubbed his temples as the woman opened the file and closed it very quickly. He barely saw her grab a photograph in the process. She flipped it over so that he couldn't see what had been captured on film, but he had a pretty good idea. She cleared her throat and finally spoke again.
"Sir, whether you remember me or not, my name is Hermione Granger."

Severus blinked. He knew. He'd never had to run someone off his trail before; usually it was the other way around. This was new. He shook his head. You've lied for years, this should be easy. He thought. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. The name eludes me." He said calmly with a touch of confusion. Hermione didn't look all too surprised. She just picked up the photograph, and sighed as she gazed at it. A moment passed before she spoke.

"Sir, I would rather not play games. Not here. Come over to my place and we can talk there."

Severus was thrown. His lie should have thrown her off immediately. Maybe he was losing his touch...no. That was not it.

"I really don't know if that is a good idea, Miss...Granger, is it? You see I've ordered a hefty lot of beverages, and I would hate to see them go to waste." He said. Hermione grinned.

"Don't worry, sir. I've got something even better than vodka. I'll pay for your drinks." She got up and walked over to the bartender. She lay down the money, and waved him over as she moved toward the door with a friendly smile on her face. Severus was torn. He was awfully curious as to what the girl had in his file, and how the hell she found him. At the same time however, he didn't want to be discovered. He knew the consequences, and he'd really rather stay in hiding. So, his options now were to either go with the girl, or to skip town right now. Damnation! He shouted in his head. He stood and walked toward the girl and said, "Where do you live?" Hermione smiled.

"Follow me" She said.

Outside, it was no longer snowing, just cold. The walk to her home wasn't far; she lived in a small house about four streets down from the pub. Her living room was lined in bookshelves reaching the ceiling. They were all full except for one which was dangerously close to becoming so. Snape had almost smiled at how much he'd expected that. Hermione led him through saloon style doors into her dining/kitchen area and offered a seat. She sat down across from him and started spreading out the papers from the file she kept in her purse. She picked out the important ones, stacked them in an orderly fashion, and began her explanation.

"I've been looking for you for almost six years. The only help I've had is from strangers' accounts of allegedly seeing you. I almost gave up two years ago until an anonymous someone sent me this photo."

She slid the picture over to him with her index finger. Severus gave it a once-over and closed his eyes. The photograph displayed Severus Snape, in the flesh, leaving the last muggle bar he'd been to. Immediately, he was furious. He had been so careful! How could he have let this happen? Whoever took this photo was most definitely going to rue the day of his or her birth. But soon, the anger ebbed, and fear took over. Alright, so he was caught. Now what? What would this young woman do now? Would she hand him over and collect her reward for being a good little know-it-all, as usual? Severus put his elbows on the table and rubbed his temples, glaring at the picture.

"Alright," he finally said, leaning back in the chair and crossing his arms.

"What do we do now, Miss Granger?"

Hermione's face lit up. A smile broke out on her face, and her professional demeanor fell.

"Oh, professor, I knew it was you! Everyone has been so confused. You've fooled us all right under our noses and here you are--" He cut her off.

"I'm sorry, what? Why aren't you apparating us to Azkaban this very instant? People should be angry, not glad to see me as you are. You say everyone is so confused, well, Miss Granger I can tell you I feel their pain." Snape was staring at her still smiling face, completely befuddled.

"Professor Snape, you haven't the slightest clue why I'm here, do you?" Hermione said. Grin still plastered on her face. Snape's jaw dropped a fraction of an inch and went from zero to sarcastic in two seconds flat.
"Why, of course I know why you're here. Why on earth would I let on to any confusion what so ever?" Enter eye-roll.

"Really, Miss Granger, for a know-it-all, you certainly have let your keen sense of observation go."