"Ron, Hermione," Harry said as he sat down at a table in the Gryffindor common room. They were the only ones there. "I have something I to tell you."
"There's something we need to tell you too, Harry!" Hermione said excitedly. Harry could hardly remember her seeming more excited about anything. She was practically bouncing as she moved and her smile was so wide, Harry wondered whether her face would break. Ron and Hermione sat down across from Harry.
"You go first," Harry said. He suspected what they were going to tell him anyway.
"Ron and I are in a relationship," Hermione said almost squealing. She giggled a bit. "Isn't it wonderful? The git finally asked me." She gave Ron a huge hug.
"Congratulations," Harry said. His smile was genuine, but at the same time it felt forced. "It is wonderful." Ron grinned stupidly.
"She's been like this since I asked her. Kinda mental isn't it?" Harry looked uncomfortable. "So what was it you wanted to tell us?"
"Well, first you can't tell anyone else, okay?" Any hint of smile was gone from Harry's face.
"Of course," Hermione said, mimicking his serious nature. "If you say so."
"Snape and I will be leaving Hogwarts as soon as he's better."
"Wait, I think I miss heard you," Ron said. "Can you repeat that?"
"Snape and I will be leaving Hogwarts as soon as he's better." Harry almost felt like smirking at Ron's expression. It was so contorted in confusion that the whole story would have been worth it just to see his expression.
"I guess I heard you right," Ron said, setting his elbow on the table and his head in his hand. "But...why?"
"Well, he's not nearly as big a jerk as we thought, I guess," Harry began. "And he'll go to Azkaban if he stays in the wizarding world for killing Dumbledore, but he also made a promise Dumbledore to look after me. He was willing to become a fugitive to keep an eye on me. But he offered me a chance to go with him. I can't very well say no, with all he's done for me."
"In a very backhanded way, admittedly," Hermione said. "He cares about you, Harry, he really does. You told us what were in those memories, and he wouldn't have fought the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who if it hadn't been for you." Ron was still shaking his head, seemingly trying to fit all the information into his head. Harry laughed.
"Snape said you wouldn't be able to do anything with the information, Ron!"
"Oi!" Ron started. Hermione laughed too.
"We're going to miss you, Harry," Hermione said.
"You have each other," Harry said.
"Yeah, but still, we'll miss you, Harry," Ron said. He looked at Hermione and grinned stupidly again. It was Harry's turn to shake his head. Yes, they'd miss him. But the hole would be much smaller than it would have been at a different time. Much as they didn't want to admit it, they might even like not having him around.
"I know," Harry said. "I'll write to you guys."
"We'll write to you too," Hermione promised. "Won't we, Ron?" Ron looked a bit shocked. She kicked him under the table.
"Ow!" Ron gasped.
"Won't we, Ron?" Hermione repeated.
"Right, right, of course," Ron sputtered. "Of course we'll write." Ron rubbed the offended shin and mouthed, "Why did you have to do that?" to Hermione.
"I'll see to it he actually writes to you," Hermione said. "You know how much he hates writing letters." She rolled her eyes. "Do you know when you're leaving?"
"Not exactly," Harry said. "But Snape is getting better, and it will be soon. In the meantime, let's go enjoy the nice day outside."
Snape was lying on his bed in the hospital wing on his back. He had his hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling, thinking about who knows what. He was fully dressed, but was still not allowed to leave the ward. A man like Snape didn't take well being detained in one spot for very well. He was pushing the limits that Madame Pomfrey put on him every day. His wounds were nearly completely healed. They were incredibly itchy, but he had been given stern instructions that he should not touch them.
Professor McGonagall entered the room. Snape sat up immediately and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
"Hello, Professor," he said. "I would stand up, but I suspect that if I did, Madame Pomfrey would have a seizure." He smirked.
"Is that all the man knows how to do?" McGonagall thought. "Smirk and sneer? He needs a wider spectrum of emotions."
"Actually, I doubt she would react that badly," McGonagall said. Snape looked curious. "She reports to me that you are healing well, and you're ready to leave." Snape jumped to his feet.
"I remember when he used to do that as a child," she thought sadly. Apparently he was thinking the same thing because he regained his usual composure quickly enough.
"Thank you, Professor," he said. He clasped his hands behind his back and began to walk past McGonagall.
"Severus..." McGonagall said. He stopped and turned to her. "Just remember I never told you that you could leave. I won't be here in a few moments. Remember that I never told you that I have to call the authorities as soon as I find you missing. Remember that I never told you that I would not check back for 5 hours. Remember that I don't know what you and Harry have going."
"How...?" Snape interrupted and was silenced by McGonagall.
"Remember that the ghosts report things. Also remember that they are not legally considered witnesses. Remember that all I have is hearsay. A ghost's rumor. Remember that I have always wished you well, Severus. Remember that I have never told you otherwise now." Was that a smile, a genuine smile, she saw cross Snape's face? Well, no matter, it turned into a smirk quickly enough.
"I see the Slytherins have been rubbing off on you, Professor," he said. He turned around and sat back down on his bed.
"Yes, a most regrettable occurrence, Severus," McGonagall said with a distinct twinkle in her eye. She turned and left the room.
As soon as she was gone, Snape leaped up and began collecting his things from the ward. He had a pile of books among other things laying on a table near by. As soon as he had them together, he took out his wand and sent them flying to his office. In a few minutes, he was there, packing everything up. He used an Undetectable Extension Charm to fit his whole library, wardrobe, and kitchen into one trunk.
"There," he thought to himself. "Now all I have to do is collect Potter."
"Wingardium Leviosa," Snape muttered to his trunk as he levitated it behind him. He opened his door to leave his now bare office to have a fist come down on his nose.
"Potter!" Snape sputtered.
"Professor!" Harry sputtered at the same time. "I'm sorry! Professor McGonagall said that I should come see you. She said something strange. 'I didn't tell you that I didn't think he was in his office.' So I came here. I'm sorry!"
"Go collect your things, Harry. We have exactly 4 hours until we have to have left Hogwarts behind. I still have some final touches to do. When you're ready, I'll meet you on the Quiddich field."
A/N: Please review. What should Harry call Snape? Using last name is fine with Ron and Hermione but to his face. Harry is also going to get another familiar. What should it be? (Don't say owl. He's not getting an owl.) What should Snape's familiar be?
