Disclaimer: Nothing so far is really mine. Not the Harry Potter Universe, not the plot, and not the triplets; only a few of my words and ideas have been added. This story originally belonged to Samira Granger and I have adopted it. It has also been adopted by Debjunk with the permission of Samira Granger.

Flowers and Warriors

Chapter Five

Despite knowing the fact that the discussion she needed to have with Severus was inevitable, she still half-hoped that he couldn't be found in the Astronomy Tower. Hermione dreaded having this conversation after so many years of having put it off for a "rainy day." There had been many, many rainy days, yet she had still put I off or "accidentally" forgotten about it. She felt that it was too late now if she wanted to get a positive reaction about it, especially after the way he had acted earlier that morning. Blast it all! If only she hadn't been so weak and frightened that day.

Of course, there was more than one reason for Hermione's anxiety at the thought of being in the Astronomy Tower. She had so many memories from that place. Quite a few of them were painful, others were rather happy. Though, those happy memories were now bittersweet and tinged with regret at not telling him and also missing out on a future she had once thought possible.

But it would do well not to dwell on those thoughts, those memories. It would only lead to more pain, regret, and heartbreak on her part. It was too late, however, she was now lost in her memories.

Those first few months after the Final Battle had been hell for Hermione. Most everything just blurred together in one surreal, inconsequential world of automated numbness. All of her days were routine and never changing, and that was how she had liked it. It made everything so much simpler.

She never spoke and barely acknowledged the existence or presence of others. Madam Pomfrey was really the only one she interacted with during the day, and that was only out of necessity. Nearly as soon as Hermione woke up in the morning, she walked over to one of the windows in the Hospital Wing - it was always the same one - and stayed there practically all day. The only times when she wasn't at the window was when Madam Pomfrey made her eat and when it was necessary for her to use the lavoratory.

When night fell though, things became different. After curfew every evening after she had come out of the coma and gotten her strength back, Hermione snuck out of the Hospital Wing and to the Astronomy Tower. For a few days, it seemed as though this would become a part of her routine, but then, everything changed. One night he arrived, Severus Snape, the self-righteous, Slytherin bastard. For a moment, she was thrown slightly off balance, but then decided that she didn't' care. Consequences be damned! Just about everything was immaterial now.

The first night that he came stuck in her mind - just as many of the other nights - and were quite clear, unlike most of her memories from that time. These memories stood out and they mattered to her, as time progressed. Snape came very event after that and he changed things. Every few days, without a seemingly fixed amount of days for doing so, he did something different, something she would never anticipate.

They were small, subtle changes, never glaringly obvious, but they were there nevertheless. It started about three or four days after the first night. When Hermione turned to see who had invaded her solitude, as she always did, he nodded at her, just nodded and then went to stand next to her as he had the nights before. It wasn't much, but it was a difference.

Over the next few weeks, Snape continued to change things. About a week after the nods began, he started giving polite, innocuous greetings. Sometime after that he began to talk more. He never said anything that would upset her. He never asked her to talk to him, to talk about what happened like the others did. In fact, he very rarely asked any questions at all. And over those weeks, Hermione came out of her shell just a little bit. She would acknowledge his presences with a nod or a very small, lopsided smile. She began to feel a tiny bit human again. Even though she never spoke and the numb look never left her face, Hermione began to heal just a little bit and it was because of him, because of Snape. He didn't allow her evenings to become routine as her days had. He didn't' allow her to stay completely within her shell. He didn't allow her to forget who she was or that there was a world beyond the horizon. And it was all because he changed things but never expected anything from her. It was a most welcome reprieve from everything else.

Hermione made some slow progress toward healing over the next few months with the help of Snape. It wasn't very much, but progress was there. This continued until September the first came and the students once again descended upon the castle where Snape had agreed, albeit begrudgingly, to teach Potions for just one more year.

That evening things changed for her, and her steady routine was disrupted. She was made to go to the Welcoming Feast. While there, she sat as far away from other people as she could and as close to the doors as possible. She never spoke and she ignored everyone, even Harry and the headmaster. Hermione stayed for as long as she could possibly stand it, but eventually stole out of the room unobserved during pudding. Well, it had seemed as though she went unobserved.

Snape had been covertly watching her throughout the entire Feast. Poppy should never have made her go, she should have just left Hermione to stare outside her window in the Hospital Wing. Being around so many people and outside of her routine and comfort zone would overwhelm the young witch and it seemed as though he had been correct when he saw her sneak out. He left soon after and immediately headed toward the Astronomy Tower knowing that she would most likely go there.

Within minutes, the dour man arrived at the door leading onto the balcony of the Tower. Snape opened the door and took a few steps into the room before she began to turn around to face him - just as she always did. He gave his usual perfunctory nod and his mouth was just beginning to form a greeting when he froze. Her face was no longer numb, it was twisted in acute pain and distress. And her eyes, her eyes were filled with tears that she had yet to shed. She was finally feeling.

"How do I do this?" she hoarsely croaked out, hardly audible after months of little use. Her legs gave out beneath her as she finally let the tears fall. A shocked Severus Snape finally moved into action and knelt in front of the grieving woman. Surprisingly enough, to him at least, she clung to him and sobbed hysterically. All he could think to do was hold her. For a moment, he thought about offering her his handkerchief, but then decided against it when he realized that he would not be able to reach it without disturbing her.

Eventually, Hermione calmed, but still did not let go of him. He hoped that she hadn't fallen asleep on him. Snape knew that she needed to talk and he also didn't relish the thought of explaining to Poppy how and why he was bringing her charge back to the Hospital Wing unconscious.

"Hermione?" He questioned softly. She had given her silent acquiescence for the use of her given name several weeks previously. "Hermione, are you awake?"

"Yes, Professor." Hermione answered, her voice a little bit stronger but still very hoarse.

Snape gave a small smile, one she could not see, "I believe that, given the circumstances of the past few months, you may address me as Severus when no one else is present."

Though she had been unable to see the smile, it had still been evident in his voice. His kindness rather unnerved her. "Severus, why are you being so nice to me? Why have you come here every evening? Why?"

"Do you truly wish to know? It is not an especially short explanation."

"Yes. Please, I need to know, and I don't care how long it will take."

"Very well, but I shall still endeavor to make it as short an explanation as possible, if only to save my own breath." And so Severus gave her the reasons for why he had entered the Tower in the first place that night, how she had looked that night and how it had made him empathize with her, and how he decided to be there for her because no one had been there for him. He knew how important it was for Hermione to heal properly and in her own way and time. Poppy's well meaning, overbearing attempts only made matters worse. It worked for some but for others, like Severus and Hermione, it achieved just the opposite of the desired effect.

Hermione had remained quiet and attentive throughout his entire explanation, but now she had more questions that she need answers for. She felt that it was imperative that she understand this.

"But I had thought that you couldn't stand me. I believe you, but at the same time you have to understand that this is really confusing for me," stated Hermione with the cool use of logic and intellect that she had been renowned for years ago. The real Hermione was emerging from the depths of the bitterest and most painful of emotions.

It seemed that the suddenness of that days events had jarred her awake and she was starting to see and think clearly. At the moment, it seemed as though she had cried all her pain away, but tomorrow would be a different day. The real Hermione had emerged yes, but along with her came the ability to finally feel. It was going to be very hard for her, but Severus might be there to help her through it all. Why not? He had been helping her for months already. She would still ask though.

"Hermione, now I need you to understand this, but I have never dislike you as a person. As a student, I found you to be a refreshing change in comparison to the usual batch of dunderheads that I have had to teach. Of course, that was only whey you weren't being an incredibly annoyance by attempting to monopolize my class time and either trying to answer every question before anyone else with the most detailed explanation as possible and helping your classmates pass when they should have otherwise failed. That would be irritating for any professor because the other students do not or will not learn. Although, you acted so within in these past two or three years."

"That seems understandable in a way," Hermione stated slowly. "But I need to know, will you continue to help me as you have been? I don't think that I can do it on my own and you seem to be the only one that truly understands anything about what's going on with me. And I also know that, come tomorrow, I won't be nearly as rational and clearheaded as I am now. For some reason that I cannot fully fathom, I trust you. Please, say you will help."

"I will Hermione, I promise you that."

From that day forward, Severus helped Hermione with her grief. He kept her sane, while she gave him a purpose in life. They kept each other grounded. Their odd little partnership soon turned into friendship. That friendship eventually became a romantic and, not long after, sexual relationship. They were content finally until the day everything went pear-shaped and Hermione left Hogwarts, and Severus, with no word and no warning.

Hermione wished she hadn't thought about that. Now she was feeling very nostalgic and melancholy. Such feelings surely wouldn't be beneficial when going to face Severus, especially now that she had arrived at the door to the Astronomy Tower balcony.

She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts and regain her composure and then reached to open the door. As she grasped the knob and twisted it open, Hermione prayed to anything or anyone listening that he wouldn't' be there while simultaneously cursing herself for being such a coward.

The door was finally open and Hermione walked through the doorway and onto the balcony. He was there. Perhaps if she had actually paid homage to any deities her prayers might have been answered, however, they were - quite obviously - not. Severus turned toward her completely blank-faced and stared her straight in the eye. Her carefully rehearsed speech flew right out of her head so she looked down searching for something, anything to say. Finally, she found something and hoped that it was the right thing.

Hermione looked up after she had whispered those two words. Apparently, it hadn't been the right thing to say because he was now the angriest she had ever seen him. That certainly didn't bode well. And that's when the yelling began.

A/N: People deal with tragic events in a variety of ways. In this story, Hermione shut down completely and became little more than a robot. Dumbledore liked to surround himself with lots of people, whether or not they were agreeable to it. And Severus kept himself busy and tried to be helpful, in his own way of course. Thanks you to everyone who has read, reviewed, subscribed etc. The reviews I received for the last chapter inspired me to write faster than I normally do. Not to mention, I actually had some spare time. Please review this chapter; I really like it when you do. Anyway, you all know what's coming next chapter, but I'm not sure when it's going to be written and posted. These next three weeks will be pretty busy ones for me. Catchya later all!