Disclaimer: You know it. I don't own HP stuff.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I would have updated more quickly, but life attacked me from behind- blame my Latin professor!

Hermione felt the wave of devastation creep up her spine. How could her admirer think that she was in love with Harry? True, Harry was one of the best of the lot at the school, but he was her friend. He was more of a brother to Hermione than anything else. She stared at the letter in disbelief. Part of her was angry that her admirer thought her so fickle and the other part of her was scared to death that he would try to kill himself. Hermione knew what she had to do, she dreaded it, but it had to be done. She was making a trip to the dungeons.

Severus Snape sat in his rooms in an old green chair in front of the fire. He held a glass of brandy, and continuously swirled it in front of his eyes as if to try to see the world through something else besides his own eyes. He was free. It still seemed unfathomable. When Voldemort had dropped dead, the dark mark had simply faded from his arm. Severus kept expecting the mark to come back, but so far, the change seemed permanent.

Just as he tipped the glass to his lips, Severus heard a knock at his door. Frustrated at the disturbance, he rose from his chair and strode to the door.

"Who is it?" He barked.

"Professor Snape, I really need to talk to you. It's about a Slytherin."

Severus recognized that voice. Hermione Granger was actually lowering herself to step into the dungeons. He never thought that he would live to see the day. But still, this concerned one of his own. He opened the door.

"Miss Granger? To what do I owe this auspicious occasion?"

"Professor, I'm worried. May I please come in? I don't think you will want this to go around."

Severus sneered, but stepped aside. Part of him wanted to smile as she timidly stepped into his chambers. Her brown hair seemed limp. The war had taken its toll. Severus closed the door behind them.

"Now, Miss Granger. I do not have all evening to amuse you. What did you want to discuss concerning a Slytherin?"

Hermione took a deep breath and looked into the Professor's black eyes. "I had a secret admirer. In the last letter before the war, he told me that he was a Slytherin, nothing else. This was the letter I received from him today. I'm not exactly sure who this is. I have a few ideas, but the person who writes these letters seems so different from all the Slytherin's I know. I'm afraid that he is planning to kill himself." Hermione handed Snape the letter.

Severus took it, opened the letter, and immediately recognized the handwriting. He reached up and placed his hand on the wall to steady himself.

"Miss Granger. Thank you for alerting me. I will take care of it. Go…Now. I will contact you later this day."

Hermione took back her letter and nodded, dejected. "Thank you, Professor Snape. I don't want anything to happen to him. Even though I don't know who he is…"

Severus patted her on the shoulder and opened the door. As he watched her leave, he hoped that he wasn't too late. As soon as she was out of sight, Severus slipped out of his rooms and practically ran to his godson's quarters.

Hermione quietly walked to the infirmary. Harry was still in bad shape, but Madam Pomfrey had assured her that he was on the mend. She could only hope that nothing else went wrong. There had been too much stress lately, and Hermione wasn't sure how much more she could take.

Once she reached the infirmary, she saw that Harry was actually sitting up in bed.

"Harry! How are you feeling?" Hermione asked as she sat on the edge of the boy's bed.

Harry smiled. "I've been better. I'm not sure what's worse. The skele-grow in my legs, or the pain in my chest. But it was worth it. I can finally relax."

Hermione smiled in relief. "I know. It's hard to believe that its finally over. What are we going to do now?"

"Honestly, Mione? I have no idea. I don't really want to be an auror anymore. I think this was my one major battle, and I'm going to try to keep it that way. I still can't believe I'm alive, you know? If it hadn't been for Malfoy, I wouldn't be here now. I owe him my life."

Hermione shook her head in amazement. "And to think we really did think him the bad seed. We were so wrong, Harry. Granted, he hasn't been exactly nice to us, but in the end, he made a difference."

"You know, Hermione. I really wonder now what would have happened if I had accepted Malfoy's friendship. Part of me is ashamed of myself for believing the hype. I am such a damn hypocrite."

"What are you talking about, Harry? You've lost me."

"Mione, I have always been irritated when people don't see Harry. They always see the Boy-Who-Lived. Or my family sees the freak. What did I do to Malfoy? I listened to the rumors, ones not very different than the ones that were spread about me."

"Harry, don't beat yourself up over this. Concentrate on getting well. You'll have plenty of time to rectify things once Madam Pomfrey has given you a clean bill of health."

Harry sighed. "I suppose. I just can't get the image of him walking away after Voldemort fell. It was as if, for him, it was the end. The last time I witnessed a scene like that was when Sirius died." Harry slowly lay back down in the bed. "I'm going to get some sleep, Mione. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, Harry. Get well, I need you." Hermione smiled. Harry fell asleep almost immediately.

"Draco!" Snape pounded on the portrait of the absinthe drinker. "Draco! Open this damned door right now!"

Severus waited a few moments, and then sighed with relief when he heard footsteps approaching the door. Draco opened the door.

"Severus? What?" Severus walked into Draco's room, shutting the door behind him.

"I thought you killed yourself."

"I'll admit it's passed my mind a time or two, but I didn't have any specific plans. Why?"

"Well, Draco. I suggest the next time you decide to send sappy poetry, that you leave all suicidal references from it! Your paramour brought me the letter, scared to death."

"Severus, I apologize. I didn't mean to create a scene. I'm okay. I promise… I lived through Azkaban; I lived through killing my own father. I think I can live with a broken heart."

Severus smirked. "Sometimes, Draco. I forget just how much you have been through. Come, its time you left those rooms. You cannot show yourself as weak."

Draco followed Severus out of his rooms.

Hermione looked up in shock to see Draco and Snape stride into the Great Hall as if nothing had happened. Draco stepped up to the head table and grabbed the goblet that was next to Snape's place setting.

"Draco! Put that back." Snape snapped, almost as if amused.

Draco smirked and replaced the goblet.

"Get back to the Potion's classroom! I need that tissue building potion done by 4, Mr. Malfoy!"

Draco bowed. "Yes, master." Draco sneered, and ducked as Snape tossed a roll in his general direction.

Hermione thought she was seeing things. Snape and Draco Malfoy bonding? Hermione suppressed a chuckle. She couldn't fathom what was next. Once Draco had left the room, Snape walked towards Gryffindor table.

"Miss Granger?"

"Yes, Professor."

"I simply wanted to let you know that the situation that we discussed earlier has been taken care of. Things will be fine."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks for letting me know."

Snape grunted and simply walked away. The next thing Hermione knew, Ginny Weasley was at her side.

"What did Snape want?" She asked.

Hermione ignored the question for the moment. "I'm still trying to figure out who my admirer is, or was."

"What do you mean…was?"

Hermione handed Ginny the last letter. After a few moments, Ginny wiped a tear from her eye and handed it back.

"Is he going to be ok?" She sniffed.

"That is what Snape was talking to me about. As soon as I received it this morning, I went to him."

Ginny looked at Hermione puzzled. "Why Snape?"

Hermione laughed. "With the war and everything, I didn't get the chance to tell you. My admirer had sent me a silver pendant. A silver Slytherin pendant."

"Hermione! That's so romantic! The star-crossed lovers!"

Hermione waved her hand in front of Ginny's eyes. "Ginny, you forget. There isn't going to be any star-crossed lovers. It's over…unless I can figure out who it is."

Ginny seemed to get a mischievous smile on her face. "Just make a list of all the male Slytherins! There has to be several M's. You can start with Malfoy."

"Malfoy? Draco Malfoy? Ginny Weasley, you must be insane. I have never heard of a Malfoy liking poetry let alone writing it. Don't forget, he practically threw me out of his rooms earlier this year. I think we can safely cross him off the list."

"Hermione, think about it. He helped Harry. Why couldn't he write poetry? He does have some of the top grades in the entire school."

"True, Ginny. True. But how do I get proof? I can't very well walk up to him and thank him for the pendant- that would be disasterous! I need to get to his rooms somehow. I wonder if Harry would lend me his invisibility cloak?"

"Hermione Granger! I am surprised at you!" Ginny laughed. "I'm sure he would if you asked him."

"Tonight. I'll ask him tonight."