-1Disclaimer: once again, it's still not mine.
Severus sat and watched the room in Godricks Hollow, he saw Hermione and her mother, Lilly and Harry, the dark lord, then, it hit him hard and fast, an image of himself, his eyes were wide in horror, knowing that he was in with the deatheaters and once you were in with them the only way out was death. It was when he saw Lily Potter nee Evans, lying there on the floor eyes open and unseeing, he knew. Yes it was at that moment right there that he decided to seek refuge with Dumbledore.
The clip ended and the screen disappeared, Severus sat unseeing, still staring at the place where his face had been.
"That is why I helped you." Hermione said gently, "You're thoughts that night proved that you were not evil, as soon as I had made sure Harry was safe and had planted my mother I followed you to Dumbledore's office."
"Planted your mother?" Severus asked confused.
"Yes, just before she died she changed into two white roses, as her last wish I planted one a Godricks Hollow and one in our home cemetery. They are always in full bloom and always will be."
"That's the white rose on Lily's grave isn't it." he said quietly.
"Yes it was her wish to be placed with her friend. Loyalty, bravery, trust, happiness and love, they had it all in their friendship."
Slowly Hermione turned to face Severus and took his hands into hers, he looked shocked that she had touched him voluntary.
"Severus you need to live your life the way you want to, enjoy the things you have missed, live each day as if it is your last, for one day it will be. Severus go out and find yourself a friend, you'll have to look long and hard to find a friendship such as my mothers and Lily's, but one day you'll find one." she smiled and thought 'I just hope they realise how lucky they are' she rose from the window seat to leave when a hand grabbed hers.
"I would like to think that we've become friend, that is if you don't hate my company." Severus said whilst looking at his feet, slowly he raised his eyes to hers, it felt like a bolt of warm energy had entered him, he smiled.
"I must leave now, as I have work to do. You must tell no one what you know or saw. I will visit you in your chambers tonight if I'm welcome?" she asked with a small smile.
"You are always welcome, just remember that your friends are worried and looking for you, well Miss Granger, maybe you should see them." Severus replied, suddenly Hermione kissed his cheek and glided out of the room.
Severus sat there tracing where her lips had touched, thinking about the events of that day. 'How can so much change, be changed, by one little girl?' he thought, 'No not a little girl at all, how can no one have known about her? Dumbledore must have known.' without realising he began to walk to Dumbledore's office.
"Good to see you my boy! Do come in and take a seat," Dumbledore said as Severus opened the door, "Now m'boy, what brings you here?" he asked studying the man in front of him.
"Do you have any news on Miss Granger?" he asked purposefully, "is there anything you know about her that could help find her?"
"Now now Severus, you know we've done as much as we could have to try and find Miss Granger. Though for the most part we must concentrate on Harry. He needs to be cared for, looked after, he's had a tough time." Dumbledore rambled on about Harry and his misfortunes while Severus thoughts went out to Hermione, the one that people should be worrying about. She after all defeated the dark lord.
"So you don't know anything unusual about her, nothing new?" he pressed on once more.
"No m'boy, it seems she fled before the battle, no one saw her throughout the whole terrible ordeal. How could she have just left her friends at a time like that I don't know. They needed her, needed each other and she betrayed them, betrayed their trust." Dumbledore said, anger creeping into his voice. "She always seemed to be fine, but she nearly destroyed all that we have worked for, even if she returns I will not allow her to stay, she has caused enough damage."
Severus hid his shock at what he was hearing and regarded the headmaster with indifference.
"She was to be the smartest witch of the year, you realise that by isolating her she will be shunned by the entire wizarding population, do you not?"
"And so she should be, Harry needed all the support he could get, and she, one of his best friends, should have been there with him. It is her own fault tht she will be regarded as a coward and traitor. Have you not heard what the students are saying Severus?" Dumbledore continued after the slight shake of Snape's head. "They say she's a traitor and she deserves to have her wand taken away. The majority of students wish her harm, and a few who even wish her dead." Dumbledore didn't seem fazed by what his students were saying, in fact Severus decided that the headmaster seemed to agree with them.
Standing suddenly he shook his head at Dumbledore and strode out of the room.