AN: Sorry once again for the wait. I hope you enjoy Chapter 9 and I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year! Reviews Please.

Severus Snape ran down the hallway as fast as he could, trying to catch up with Hermione.

"Hermione Stop! Please!" He begged.

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, almost causing Severus to crash right into the back of her.

"Fuck off Snape!" She said coldly. "Get out of my life!" She went to walk off again but Severus grabbed her arm.

"Hermione it was a misunder…." But before he could finish his sentence her tiny hand came into contact with his pale cheek.

The slap echoed threw the hallway.

"Leave me alone!" She hissed at him, and with that she walked away.

Severus watched her walk away. He wanted to go after her so badly, but he thought against it.

When she was out of view completely; he left, heading back to the dungeons.


Hermione was making her way back to her Head Girl rooms. She knew deep down that she wanted Severus to run after her, but she would never expect him to or admit to herself that she wanted him to.

She stated her password to the portrait which opened the door for her. When the door closed that is when she broke down into a fit of sobs.

She laid on her bed, remembering the special times she and Severus had together. She could still smell his sent on her pillows and sheets.

As much as she hated him at the moment, the love she had for him didn't go away.

She remembered seeing Lupin shagging Tonks, and what feelings she had towards him afterwards. She remembered the instant hate and disgust towards the man, and how she instantly new that she never wanted to see him again.

With Severus it was different. Of course she didn't like the feeling she had in herself right now, she felt betrayed and just down right crappy. But no matter how much she said she hated him in her head, the same voice came back to her telling her she loved him just as much, even more and that it really probably was a misunderstanding.

"Love Sucks!" She yelled out loud.

She laid her head back down on the pillows. Severus sent filled her nostrils and she snuggled closer to it, drifting of to sleep.


Severus sat in front of his fireplace, staring into the orange flames that shot up from the log.

He took a big swig of fire whiskey straight from the bottle. He was on his second. Even though he was way drunk he still was aware of what happened that day and he had so many things going through his mind. He felt so foolish and so disgusted with himself.

"Errrrg!" He yelled out in frustration. He swung his arm to the side, knocking over the table with all the contents on it.

He got up from his chair, not bothering with the mess he made. He walked over to the fire place resting his arm on the mantel followed by his head.

He began staring into the flames of his fire once again. He felt prickling in his sinuses and not before long, Severus Snape had tears making their way down his cheeks and into the flaming fire.

He needed some fresh air. He took a moment to control his emotions be for he put his heavy cloak on and headed to the lake.


Hermione woke up from a stressful nap. She had tossed and turned for the last hour or so. Her mind reminding her of the day's earlier events.

She got out of bed and headed to the window to see how dark it had become. She couldn't help but notice a stumbling Severus making his way to the lake.

Immediately anger, hate, and guilt rushed through her. Anger from not only what had happened earlier that day, but the fact that he was drinking the pain out of his system. The guilt, because of her slapping him with full force across the face, and other reasons she couldn't seem to quite figure out.

She signed to herself. She needed to go down there and give him some Sobering Potion and Hangover Potion. She put her cloak on and went into her bathroom to grab a couple of vials of each potion. She knew Severus could drink more than a Dragon and Hippogriff combined.

She left her room and headed for the lake.


Severus finally managed to sit himself on a rock without falling over. He couldn't get the picture of the look on Hermione's face when she slapped him across the face. There was so much pain and hurt in her eyes and it tore his heart to pieces knowing he was the cause of it. He deserved everything that was happing, and he knew that Hermione deserved way better than him.

He felt that prickling again and groaned in frustration.

"Bllloody Fuckiin Emootioons!' He slurred. Tears starting to form at the edges of his eyes.

Hermione heard him mumble something but she couldn't understand it.

She approached him. He had his head in his hands and he was sniffling ever couple seconds.

"Severus?" She asked walking over to him.

He looked up startled, and what she saw, not only shocked her, but killed her.

His eyelids and checks shined in the moon light from wet tears.

"Miss Granger." He nodded at her. Then he went back to staring at the lake. Still managing a sniffle every minute or two.

She walked over and sat down on the rock besides him.

She reached in her pockets and brought out a few vials of potion. She went and to hand it to him but he flinched.

"I am not going to slap you Severus, take these, you need them." She set the vials of potion on his lap and waited until he drank them.

Severus popped of the corks one by one and finished all the potions she had given him.

The affects took there toll quickly and everything was clearer to him. He still had an awful headache though. Not only from the amount of

Alcohol he consumed but from the two break downs he had.

He didn't dare look at Hermione. The only thing he managed was a small "Thanks."

"Severus…" Hermione spoke gently. "…we need to talk."

He couldn't help the words that came flying out of his mouth.

"What? So I can get bitch slapped again?"

Hermione winced at his words. Severus saw this and immediately apologized.

"I'm Sorry…I deserved it." He admitted quietly.

"As much as you did deserve it at the moment, I shouldn't have laid a hand on Severus. You didn't deserve for me to hurt you."

Severus snapped. Not at Hermione but himself.

"I deserved more than just a slap across the face Hermione! I deserve all the fucking hurt in the world! I hurt you badly Hermione and I HATE myself for it!" He yelled. "I have ruined and lost the only that matters most in my life! The one thing that I love and cherish more than anything in this world! AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF ME AND MY STUPID DECISIONS!"

"I would do anything to..." He whispered but was cut off by Hermione.

She walked up to him and placed a hand on his cheek, whipping away the remaining tears that were left behind from his earlier melt down.

"You haven't lost me Severus….just please explain to me what happened so I can understand instead of judging and relying on just what I saw.

Severus looked down at her. "Use Legilimency please." He pleaded.

Hermione looked into Snape black orbs. "Legilimens."

She saw Ginny crying, asking for her, Severus offering to let Ginny wait for her. She then saw Ginny explain her break up with Harry which then led to Ginny bringing up the night they had their little fun. She then saw Ginny trying to kiss and grab a hold of Severus, and him trying to push her away. She then saw Ginny trap him and then push him in a chair and then kissing him with full force and Severus hesitating but then pushing her off once again. Then she saw herself in the door way. She didn't want to see anymore. She pulled back and looked at Severus.

"Hermione…"

"Shhh...There is no need to explain Severus; you have had a rough night as it is."

"But…"

"Severus I can see that you had nothing to do with what happed." Hermione said.

"But…"

"Yes…" She said smirking at him. "BUT…you did hesitate about pushing her off when she was kissing you…." She was trying her best not to laugh at the look on his face.

"But…"

"BUT! You did to the right thing Severus by pushing her off and trying your hardest to get rid of her."

"But…"

"Severus, I realized today that I love you more than anything and I can't picture my life with out you…I am sorry for hurting you Severus. Not only physically but mentally as well. Let's just forget this whole thing please"

Severus finally found new words other than "but."

"My gods Hermione, you have nothing to be sorry about." He said grabbing her hand and pulling her towards him.

"Don't apologize for something that you had nothing to do with, I hurt you so bad I don't expect you to ever forgive me and…"

"I do forgive you though Severus. Like you tried to tell me earlier before I slapped you, it was all just a big misunderstanding. I no for a fact I will never trust Ginny Weasley again!"

"What on God's green earth did I do to deserve you Miss Granger?" He asked brushing his knuckles against her cheeks.

"Everything." She whispered before she took his lips in hers.

He pulled back and looked deep into her eyes, trying to see if she had any regret, hate or anger in her eyes. All he saw was unconditional love and caring and understanding.

"You forgot this." He said pulling her promise ring out of his pocket.

She looked at the ring and then at Severus. She smiled at him and he took her right hand and placed it on her ring finger.

"Much better." She whispered.

"Indeed." He said before sweeping her into his arms for a passionate kiss.

TBC…I honestly had no idea were I was going to go with this chapter! I hope it isn't too bad and I hope you all like it! Reviews please!