In The Wake of Your Smile

Eva Yasha

WARNING! Contains spoilers for HBP!

A ragged cheer went up from the scatered members of the Order of the Pheonix when Proffessor Snape burst into the room at the foot of the astronomy tower where their pitched batttle with Voldemort's Death Eaters was taking place. Hermione Granger dodged a hex thrown by a nearby Death Eater and quickly felled him with a simple stupefy. She paused for a moment and looked up, just in time to catch Snape's eyes as he rushed across the room. The eyes that met hers were filled with an overwhelming despair, and she felt her soul reach out to him, forgivng him all his sins, without knowing why, or even what it was she fogave him for. No words passed between them, but she saw him read it in her eyes, felt the touch of his soul on hers, and then...he smiled. Something within Hermione's heart came to a screeching hault. His smile seared her from head to toe and sent her realing over the edge of sanity. I will follow you, she thought desperately, no matter where you go, or how long it takes, I will find you again... She didn't know how, but she knew that he heard her. No more than five seconds had passed, yet it felt like a lifetime laid bare at her feet. She blinked, and He was gone.