A/N: Two in one night! I'm so proud!

Chapter Ten: Decisions

            "A lot happened that night. You watched several people you care about lose their lives in the battle. You, yourself had suffered several injuries. Then Draco came and took you away from us. He offered you a whole new life. But the only way you could accept it, was to forget the past."

            Severus paused to take a drink.

            "You made Draco promise to let you forget, and not tell you the truth no matter how bad you wanted to know. He watched you obliviate your memories.  He only told you what you had asked him to. Except for the engaged part."

            Hermione was so busy trying to process everything Severus had just told her, and so she missed the jealousy that was written all over his face.

            She stood up abruptly and tuned her back on him.

            "I need to be alone for a while." She said.

            "Of course."

            He watched her walk back to the house, hoping that he'd done the right thing.

********

            Two days later, Hermione still sat in her locked room. She had long since ran out of tears to cry, and didn't know how much more pain she could endure.  Still, the memories she did have, didn't seem real to her.  She wondered if they ever would.

            "Miz Mya?" called a tentative voice from the door.

            "What is it Jennie?" she snapped.

            Jennie slammed the door and marched into the room.

            "Misteh Snake say not to bring you supper up here tonite.  He say if you hungry, you go down and eat wit him. And I thinks he's right! You can't stay up here fo'ever!"

            The little elf had her hands on her hips, a threatening look in her eyes.

            "Well, Jennie! I know that you know the whole story. Why don't you tell me what I should do, huh? You seem to be the authority on everything that goes on in this house." Hermione gave the elf her most threatening glare.

            Jennie just gave her a wide grin.

            "Why Miz Mya, I so glad you asked! You knows I don like dat Misteh Dragon. He tried to treat us elves like we enslaved or somthin! He knows good and well that all creatures in America are free…"

            "Yes Jennie, we've already had this discussion." Hermione had to stifle a grin at the indignant sputter Jennie made at being interrupted.

            "As I's wuz sayin! I likes how Misteh Snake thinks. And I thinks you need to be nicer to dat man. He de only one dat tells you the truth."

            "So what should I do? Draco loves me! We're to be married next month!"

            "You don luv Dragon! And I sees how Snake looks at you!" A knowing twinkle in her eye.

            "You think I should leave Draco for Severus?" 

            The memory of their near-kiss in the hallway a few days ago sent a delicious shiver up Hermione's spine.

            "He was my teacher, Jennie! My least favorite one at that!" Hermione argued.

            "Den why he here now? Why he so sure you need to know da truth?"

            Hermione just rolled her eyes, but she had to admit that Jennie had a point.

********

            Severus sat in the library completely ignoring the open book in his lap.  Tonight was it.  Draco would come home, and Hermione would have to make her decision. He had felt much more confident two days ago after him and Hermione's first discussion.  She hadn't spoken to him since.  It did nothing for his fragile self-confidence.

            Severus' gloomy contemplations were suddenly interrupted by Hermione rushing into the room.

            "Why?" she demanded.

            After getting over the initial shock at seeing her, he realized he didn't need to ask what she was talking about.

            "Let me tell you a story..."

            He gestured for her to sit in the chair opposite him.

            "Almost ten years ago, there was a young girl in my potions class. She had bushy brown hair and a know-it-all attitude that irritated the hell out of me. As a Spy for Dumbledore, I knew my time was short, and that I could be found out at any moment. I remember looking at young Harry Potter as he tried to make the difficult potion of the day.  I felt a pang at knowing that soon, I would be unable to watch after him. He would probably always hate me, but maybe I had prepared him just a little for what he would eventually have to face."

            Hermione hung on his every word.

            "And then I saw that little know-it-all watching me. And the look on her face said that she knew exactly what I had been thinking. It scared me so bad; I took twenty points off her house for something I knew she didn't do. But the girl didn't say anything. Just kept looking at me like I had suddenly become her hero. When the class finally ended, she stayed behind.  I did my best to ignore her. She came up to my desk and said, 'thank you'."

            "I asked her why she was thanking me, and she said it was for everything I was doing. You see, she knew that I was a spy, and she honestly wanted me to know that she appreciated the work I was doing. I tried to say something to make her hate me again, but then she did something so unexpected, I could do nothing but stare at her. She kissed me, right here."

            He raised a hand to his left temple.

            Hermione lowered her eyes to the floor.

            "That was the last time I saw her, before the final battle.  I spent the next nine years in Azkaban; the memory of that kiss was the only thing that kept me sane. Hermione, when I got out, I had to make sure that you were ok. For you are the only reason that I am sitting here today."

            Hermione wiped at her eyes as they both stood up.

            She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close.  Then she pulled his head down to kiss his temple.

            "Thank you for finding me." She whispered.

            She stepped away from him.

            "But I have no memory of that kiss."

            She took a deep breath.

            "You have done more than enough, Severus. And you'll always have a special place in my heart. Next month I will become Mrs. Malfoy, and you should get on with your life knowing that I am safe and happy."

            "Hermione?"

            She looked away at the hurt and betrayal his eyes screamed at her.

            The emotions took over him, and he pulled her roughly against him.  Hermione didn't struggle, but allowed his hungry mouth to claim her's with a passion she was unfamiliar with.

            He abruptly pushed her away, his eyes bright with unshed tears.

            "So be it."

            And he was gone.

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