Thanks for all the reviews and follows and all that, I can't believe how many people are reading my work! :D I apoligise for any americanisms; I'm from a part of England called Black Country which doesn't use as many British words as it should. I have had my other British friends look at my chapters a few times so there shouldn't be many Americanisms. If there are then I'm sorry! Hope you enjoy this next chapter! :)

Chapter 3

They managed to find a small room with chairs and tables where they could talk in peace. Snape knew that she would want answers for other people in the wizarding world. After giving Potter his memories, which would be essential to Harry figuring out what needed to be done, he fled from the school. He spent a month locked inside his home, hiding when people came by trying to find him. He felt ashamed of everything he had done. The Daily Prophet was still being delivered to his house and once he read that Voldemort was gone he began his preparations for his departure from his home. He managed to contact Fred Craston who in turn assisted Snape with his disappearance from the wizarding world and into the muggle world. It had been a difficult transition but it was worth it. He did not want to be recognised as any sort of hero, not that he would be, of course. He was afraid of the laughs, the jeers, the satire people would find in the knowledge of how deeply in love he had fallen for Lilly Evans. He also didn't like the thought of people sharing jokes at his expense about how he was bullied and taunted by James Potter who ended up marrying Lilly. It was all too much for him. He was a private man and having people know his life story was humiliating.

He told Hermione of this when they were finally alone.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you did not tell people of my whereabouts. I don't want people poking into my life again to taunt me."

Hermione looked at Snape in astonishment. The man had been through a lot. She couldn't believe that after everything he had done to help end the war against Voldemort he still felt guilty! Of all things he felt guilt.

"Professor," she looked into his dark eyes which were avoiding her own. "Professor hardly anybody knows about your history with Harry's parents. Only some of those who were at the heart of the war with Harry know about it. Harry didn't think it was anybody else's business, he told people of the good things you did. He understands why you did those things, honestly, most of the time you didn't have a choice."

"I allowed the Carrows to torture students who were under my protection when I was headmaster. I killed people," Snape whispered. "I killed good people, I killed Dumbledore!"

"You had no choice, had you stopped the Carrows, Voldemort would have suspected something, Professor we know, but we also know that it was Dumbledore's wish for you to be the one to kill him if the curse didn't kill him before the situation came to fruition. Everyone in the wizarding world knows that. Sure there are still some people out there who don't like you, but there are people who don't like Harry, or me, or Ginny. There are always people out there who aren't going to like you but you can't let them stop you."

Hermione looked at the man who had only half an hour ago looked content with life. She realised that despite the front he had up most of the time his past still haunted him, and prevented him from talking to people who still cared for him in the wizarding world. His brows were knit together in contemplation.

"I, I must apologize," he started. She was about to say there was nothing to say sorry for but he looked her in the eyes and continued, giving her no time. "During your years at Hogwarts I was unfair to you, among many other students. I have realised over the past few years that the way I talked down to you resembled the way I was treated by my peers during my learning years there. It sickens me to think that I was so cruel. I disliked Potter due to his resemblance to his father, combined with the fact that he was a constant reminder of what I had lost. However that is no excuse. If my sessions with Craston have taught me anything it is that I still have a lot to learn and a lot to make up for. Despite how I treated you you were one of my brightest and most promising students. In fact the knowledge you possessed often reminded me of Lilly, she was also the brightest witch of her age. And so, Hermione Granger, I am truly sorry. I had no right to treat you like that."

Snape was looking at the floor by the end of his speech. He didn't want to look her in the eye for fear of seeing anger. Hermione was looking at him in awe. Tears stung her eyes and her mouth was hanging slightly open. Truly she was speechless, for possibly the first time in her life.

She managed to snap herself out of her trance enough to put her hand on his to gain his attention. He looked at her.

"I forgive you," She whispered hoping her voice wouldn't break. "Thank you, Snape."

They smiled at each other before being interrupted by Linda falling against the frame of the door drunkenly. Hermione removed her hand from Snape's and composed herself quickly. The drunken lady was singing with an atrocious out of tune voice. She stopped singing and giggled while looked at the two people sitting opposite each other.

"You two," she said with slurred words, "you two disappeared! I was dancing all alone with no one with me, but it's ok. I had fun. What are you guys talking about? You look very cosy."

She winked at Hermione with a huge grin on her face.

"I think it's time we put this one to bed," said Snape in commanding voice. Hermione nodded as her cheeks burned.

"You can take me to bed anytime!" Linda smirked. "So long as your friend here doesn't object."

Hermione's blush deepened as she stood up to help Snape who had his arm around drunken Linda. She walked over and put her arm around Linda's waist to help prop her up. Linda threw her arms around Snape and Hermione's necks.

"You two are very strange people. You're all serious and secretive. Do you actually know each other?"

Snape smiled at the ground as they began to walk towards the elevator.

"We only met tonight, why would we hide knowing each other?"

"There'd be no point," Hermione said.

"Well for all I know you're covering something up. I don't know, people like to hide things. Like my ex, he liked to hide 'friends' of his!" Linda's laugh quickly died.

"You're definitely drunk!" Hermione laughed.

Together Snape and Hermione managed to get Linda to her room and into her own bed. Before she could sleep they persuaded her to drink a glass of water. They left her with a bucket beside her and another glass of fresh water on the bedside table for when she woke up.

After leaving her room Hermione and Snape stood in the hallway.

"I think it best we continue as though we didn't know each other prior to this evening for the weekend, at least while in the presence of other people," Hermione said with a smile.

"I agree; it would be out of the ordinary to change that now, it could draw unwanted attention."

"Yes, well I must be heading off now, it's getting late."

They awkwardly shook hands and said goodnight to one another before heading back to their rooms.

Once alone Snape had time to reflect upon the evening's events. It was strange to have seen Granger again after so long. She had certainly changed a lot. She was a know-it-all before; she was even more of one now only she didn't flaunt it. She kept it moderated he had noticed. He found himself surprised at how easy she had been to talk to. How much could a person mature within only two and a half years?

After having a quick shower he got into bed to read before sleep but his thoughts were distracted. Suddenly he found he was thinking about what the following day would entail, what conversations would be held and why Hermione had mentioned Ginny Weasley's name instead of Ron Weasley. He still read the Daily Prophet. He hadn't subscribed for fear of being found. Instead at every weekly session Fred gave Snape all of his copies from the week. From what the paper was saying Ron and Hermione was a couple. He made a mental note, before falling asleep, to slide the question into a conversation the following day.

As soon as Hermione closed the door to her room she stripped and climbed into the shower to wash off the dull feeling of intoxication. Despite the low levels of alcohol in her system Hermione was feeling light and relieved for the first time in ages. Severus Snape was alive and doing well, for the most part. She could understand why he felt guilty but at the same time she knew that he need not feel it for his role in the war was paramount. The stress he was under was sure to cause a few blips here and there. No one could have done a better job; in fact most people would have surely gone insane under such stress. Without Snape the war against Voldemort would have been a losing battle. She only wished that she could get him to see it like that. Then maybe he would feel better about himself.

Had she been told yesterday that she would find Severus Snape attractive she would have laughed it off. Now, however, she found herself thinking that he looked… attractive. She was hesitant to think so but she couldn't deny it. There was something about Snape with a suit on, with his hair short and combed to one side looking soft to the touch…

Shaking her head to get rid of such thoughts Hermione finished her shower before drying off and going to bed to read a book.