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Hermione stood transfixed to the spot, for she was trying to absorb what had just happened. She didn't dare breathe or blink, in case what she just experienced might suddenly evaporate like a mirage.

A dizzy mixture of vertigo and adrenaline filled her stomach like a whirlwind causing her to hold on to the wall to steady herself. One thing was becoming abundantly clear, like a million chandeliers suddenly flickering alight in her mind and heart. There was only one reason for a man to abandon all reason, all control in such a way. Yes he – Severus Snape- had feelings for her

She didn't care. Nothing else mattered. This was proof that it wasn't all in her head! It wasn't like it was with Ron! Snape had feelings for her!

Snape tore his gaze away from her and headed towards the door of the tiny room.

'Wait,' she whispered. To her surprise, he stopped, but he didn't turn round. Hermione walked up to him and push past him in order to face him, standing mere centimeters away from him. Considerably taller than her, he looked down at her with half-caste eyes.

Her head only came up to his torso, there was no way she could attempt to kiss him – is that what she wanted to do?


In a whirlwind of rage and fury, Harry had hardly noticed where he was going and was just as shocked as Dumbledore to be bursting unannounced into his office.

'Harry, is everything ok?' Surprise flashed through the Headmaster's eyes but his voice, never once lost its persistent calm.

Harry didn't know how to answer; he didn't know where to begin. Everything had happened so quickly – one minute he was with Hermione, the next with Snape and now he was here with Dumbledore and Fawkes, who were watching him expectantly.

The ornate quirky objects that were scattered on the Headmaster's mahogany desk only added to the surrealism of his day.

A crease of worry began to run through the Headmaster's forehead. 'Harry, would you like to sit down?'

Apart from the objects emitting the occasional whistle, there was complete silence. Even the portraits of the previous headmasters were quiet, their ears pressed desperately against their frames, lest they may miss what The Chosen One was about to say.

'Sorry Professor, I didn't mean to disturb you...' Harry finally managed. His mouth was still dry from the run.

'You know very well by now that any visit from you is no disturbance.' Dumbledore looked at him square on. 'Is it the Hocruxes?'

Harry's head snapped up to meet the Headmaster's strikingly blue eyes.

Hocruxes.

He hadn't given that topic a second thought since their last meeting.

Guilt and shame knitting his brows together, Harry looked away. How could he be worrying about Snape – or anything else that didn't involve saving the world- when he should be concentrating on finding out more information about the Hocruxes?

But then again, Severus Snape has everything to do with saving the world.

Harry swallowed hard, gulping back his guilt.

'Professor, he's on their side, I can tell.'

No introduction or preamble was necessary: the loyalty of Severus Snape was a well discussed topic between the two.

Dumbledore sighed as his eyes withered with exasperation.

'Harry, he's a spy. We've talked about this before. The very fact that he makes you feel uneasy means that he is doing his job well.'

'At the end of the day,' Harry began as irritation at the old man's stubbornness flared through him, 'he serves Voldemort and you know just as well as I do having someone so close is more trouble than it's worth.'

Even though they had had the same argument over and over, almost word for word, Dumbledore suddenly felt it was different this time. There was a piercing fire in Harry's eyes he had never seen before.

'Harry, if something's happened to reinforce your suspicions, it's adamant that you tell me straight away.'

For the second time that day, Harry couldn't hold the Headmaster's piercing, blue gaze. His neck still stung from when Snape had grabbed him: His Professor's behavior had been extreme to say the least, even for Snape. Harry bit his lip as he remembered Dumbledore telling him it was for the best that he and Ginny broke up and that he should probably think about giving up Quidditch too…

If he told Dumbledore about Snape attacking him, he would also have to explain why….

….which would involve telling him about Hermione…

I can't lose her too. I just can't.

Harry clenched his fist as if wanting to strangle his conscious: lying to Dumbledore wasn't easy. But the memory of Snape grabbing him by his collar kept on flashing through his mind, making his blood boil.

'Professor, I'm the one who has to win this war, and I don't trust him.'

Dumbledore's tired features suddenly hardened.

'Professor Snape has proved to be one of the most valuable members of the Order. I do not need to remind you of his contribut-'

'-sure, fine, he does his bit for the Order every now and then, but he's too close. You know as well as I do the price of his betrayal is too high. Yet you still put everything we have on him.'

Dumbledore levelled his gaze with Harry's.

'You should know by now I would never put anyone in danger,'

There was now an even more fierce fire in Dumbledore's eyes that shone through his spectacles, demanding Harry to challenge him only if he dared.

But Harry did dare.

He was going to ask the question, the answer to which everyone wanted to know but no one had ever had the guts to ask.

Returning his striking gaze, Harry spoke with a deadly even voice.

'How can you be sure he's on our side?'

What felt like an eternity passed as the Headmaster examined the boy intently. With a sigh of utmost resignation, he finally leant back in his chair, closing his eyes.

'You do not trust me, do you, Harry.' It was no question.

'You know I do, sir,' Harry said in a small voice, regretting taking out his anger on the man who had helped him so much. 'But I'm the one who has to end this war. I need to know.'

Dumbledore sighed heavily before opening his sad, tired eyes. 'Very well….

'Professor Snape blames himself for your mothers' death. From when he was a teenager to this very day, he has never stopped loving her…'

Harry felt as if he'd just been plunged into the depths of an icy ocean. He couldn't hear or feel anything. It was as if a bomb had silenced everything around him, leaving him in an aftermath of shock which robbed him of his heartbeat.

Suddenly, everything started spinning. Old memories and seemingly trivial facts started clicking together like jigsaw pieces…

...everyone said Harry looked like his Dad…his Dad who had bitterly bullied Snape….but his eyes – his eyes were his Mother's…

Harry felt a huge wave of realisation tremble through him

No wonder Snape hates me.

No wonder, every time Snape looked at him, his scar would burn with pain: Harry was simultaneously everything Snape hated and loved.

No matter what side Severus Snape was on, Harry thought, a double act was hard to keep up. The war was probably getting to Snape more than anyone else.

I guess I can't blame him for losing it.

And kind, understanding Harry was even a bit surprised it had taken Snape this long to fulfil what must be his daily wish of crushing Potter's son's bones.

But how long until he actually does? Should I tell Dumbledore?

But if I do I'll have to tell him about Hemioner-

'Shit,' Harry said as panic began to creep inside him.

'Harry?' Dumbledore looked on anxiously as the boy's complexion began to pale.

Hermione. How could he have left her with him? What if he attacked her too?

Or worse what if he had raped-

Harry couldn't finish that thought.

'Sorry sir, I have to go.' And without waiting for a reply from the Headmaster, he dashed out of the room and sprinted down the spiral staircase, hoping against hope that he would find Hermione unscathed…


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