A/N: Thanks to my beta, KKSnape!
Disclaimer: I don't own them :-(
"Severus?"
Hermione's voice echoed in the empty dungeon classroom.
"Not again..." she whispered in silent heartache.
For the past few weeks, her Potions Master had disappeared sporadically during their brewing. The last two times it had happened, she'd found him by the lake, talking to a faded picture of Lily. It broke her heart.
She was in love with him. And every fiber of her being craved for his touch, his kiss, his heart.
They had become friends. Sure, it had taken time, but they eventually grew comfortable enough with each other. They had even gotten to a first name basis. After a long day of brewing they would often enjoy stimulating conversations that would leave her aching for more. She could listen to his entrancing voice for hours.
After contemplating whether or not to go after him, she found herself walking towards the lake. Of course she would go after him. She always would.
There he was. She stopped in her tracks, afraid to go further. She had never confronted him about it, but it was getting harder not to. Her heart ached but on the other hand, to confess her love could jeopardize not only her apprenticeship, but their friendship, the thing she held most dear.
So she watched. This time he was sitting near the edge, holding the picture out at arm's length. She couldn't hear what he was saying.
Suddenly, the photograph slipped from his grasp. It dipped and twirled in the wind before finally hitting the water and slowly slipping under the surface. Severus stood and looked out at the water. She couldn't see the expression on his face, but he was radiating heartache. He turned towards her.
"Hermione, what are you doing here?" he asked in surprise.
"I should ask you the same thing, Severus."
"I apologize if my brief absence caused you to worry," he said somewhat sarcastically. "I do hope the potions are unharmed."
"It did cause me to worry, Severus, but I don't give a damn about the potions."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Surely you want to become a Potions Mistress?"
"Of course I bloody well want to! But not at this expense!"
"What are you rambling about?"
"Honestly..." She looked up into his dark eyes. "Honestly, Severus it's about plenty things. The past, the present, the future... And what you want or wanted or will want someday... Am I making any sense?"
"Not hardly."
She sighed, exasperated and nervous beyond her wits.
"Why don't you just say whatever you're going on about in a simple manner?"
"Because it's not that easy."
"Why?"
"Because it just isn't."
"Why not?"
"Fine!" she said with a flare of frustration. "Of course I want to become a Potions Mistress- it's something I really care about. But there's something..." Her tone softened incredibly. "Someone who I care about, deeply. But he seems to be living in the past."
"Just how much did you see, Hermione?"
She couldn't even look at him anymore. Her gaze found the ground as she answered him. "Everything, I saw everything."
"I don't think you did."
She looked up. "What do you mean?"
"Tell me what you saw."
"You... you were holding the photograph, the one of her." He closed his eyes.
"Go on."
"And it slipped from your hand. I'm sorry Severus, I know how much she meant to you."
"You are mistaken." He saw the look of confusion etched into her features and clarified. "She did mean a lot to me, once. I fancied myself in love."
Hermione grimaced. It was one thing to know about the love he felt for a dead woman, but it was another to hear him describe it.
"However, the photograph did not slip. I let it go. I came out here to let go of the past, and you must forgive me, Hermione, for taking this long. I intended to let go a long time ago."
"But..." she began but he cut her off.
"It has come to my attention that there is someone far better suited for me. She has been hiding right before my eyes. And she is breathtaking. I don't know why I didn't see it before."
Hermione hardly dared to believe. "Does she return your affections?"
"We have never spoken of it, but yes, I believe she does. I love her deeply."
Hermione threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss.
He pulled away.
"Hermione, what are you doing?"
Her heart sank. "You said... I thought..."
"Hermione, I also care for you, but I am not in love with you."
She turned from him and began to cry. Stupid girl! Stupid stupid stupid. How could I ever lead myself to believe he would ever see me as anything more than a friend?
She didn't notice as he walked away. Her mind was too busy screaming his name.
A/N: When I asked my sister what I should call this story, she said "The Terrible Story With The Terrible Ending That Only Leads To Heartache And Misery" but that was a little long, so I stuck with "Mistaken".