*Thank you everyone for your patience. I am sorry it is taking me so long to finish these stories, but I try to work on them when I have free time and unfortunately that isn't often. I will do my best to finish these unfinished stories so I can put up the others I have yet to publish. Thank you all for your patience and interest! *

Love the Unloved

Chapter 33

For the next week, Hermione shut herself off from everyone. This time, it was to grieve and it was understood why, so Severus didn't push her. Although, he did miss her company because most often she would stay in her room and study or go to sleep early. She attended her classes and gradually began using magic again, but she had to take it slow because of how much it had depleted from the whole fiasco some weeks ago. What people didn't realize was that Hermione was not only grieving but she was becoming angry. So angry at what had happened to her parents that she had been reading one of Severus's dark magic and defensive spells book. They were all going to pay for what they did to her parents. Hermione constantly thought about all the other innocent people that had been killed at the hands of Voldemort, including Harry's parents. These people were someone's children, parents, siblings…they all had families that were grieving for them just as she was for her parents. This had to be stopped. No one would ever be able to live a normal life with Voldemort alive.

Hermione donned a pair of jeans with her knee high dragonhide boots because she knew she was about to trudge through treacherous territory. Grabbing a long sleeve blue and white flannel she put it on and quickly buttoned it up. It was Friday and she knew that Severus was still currently busy with his last class. Classes would be getting out in thirty minutes so she had to hurry so that she could remain unseen. She was sure that Harry, Severus, and Ginny were probably going to kill her when she returned if she made back, but she had to try this one thing that could help them all. It was worth the risk and she wasn't to ask Severus to go with her. She needed to get away and she needed to be alone. Tomorrow would be one week since her parents had been buried and she had spent the last week trying to distract herself by catching up on all of her school work that she had missed while she was in the hospital. Hermione had accomplished that goal and was now caught up in every subject and even ahead in several others because she had completed the coming weeks homework, yesterday.

Grabbing her travel cloak and her bottomless bag, she summoned a house elf to her rooms. She told the elf that she was leaving the school grounds but she would not say where. She requested a few bits of food and drink to take with her and the elf brought her several items already wrapped for travel. Hermione thanked him and quickly scribbled a note for Severus, placing it on her coffee table.

"Be good Crookshanks. Watch over Severus. I have something I have to do," she said softly and kissed the cat's head and then did the same with Dahlia. The two of them meowed softly, unsure of where she was going to go. Hermione looked at the time and saw she only had fifteen minutes left before class was out.

Quickly, the young Gryffindor darted out of her room and ran through the empty halls feeling more and more determined as she got closer to the grounds. Despite the fact that the snow had lifted, it was still kind of chilly being that it was very early into spring, but the adrenaline that pumped through her cut through the cold and sent a warm fire through her body as she reached the grounds and turned towards the Forbidden forest. As she got closer to the forest, she heard the bells sound, signaling that class had ended. Hermione could see Hagrid's class dispersing to her right, but she ran into the shadows of the tall trees and kept running, glad that no one had seen her. Hermione didn't stop running until she was quite far from the castle and could no longer hear anyone or anything for that matter.

Ronald Weasley didn't have many friends left after what he had done to Hermione. Lavender remained at his side and the Parvati twins also remained, but many of the other students shunned him. Now he understood what Hermione had felt for several weeks. It was in the last two weeks did he really have the time to think about things and realize that he was not in love with her, but in love with the idea of her. Everyone in his family had kept telling him that they were sure he and Hermione would be together and that one day they would be married and have a family, but the more he thought about the more he realized just how wrong they were. He loved her as a friend, but that friendship was destroyed. Because of him, her parents were dead and he had never felt so guilty in his life.

He wanted to prove to Hermione how sorry he was, but how? Casting his eyes downward, he stared at the stone floor. He was not allowed anywhere near her and even if he could get close he knew that Snape would never allow it. Ron's mind drifted to the dark Potions Master then. There had been some truly horrible things written in that book he had snatched from Snape's room and he couldn't forgive himself for what he did to that man. Yes, he hated Snape and he thought he was a right Git, but Ron knew that he had exposed secrets about a very private man…a man that was cold and cruel to almost everyone and now he knew why. Ron felt as though he understood why Snape was the way he was now, even though Ron knew he could never understand what it was like to go through what Snape had, he at least understood a little better why Snape was bitter.

Burying his face in his hands, he sighed heavily. Nothing he said would ever fix any of this. He could apologize until he was green in the face, but it wouldn't make a world of difference. Snape would definitely not accept an apology and Hermione wouldn't even let him near to attempt one. Furrowing his brow, he looked over at the common room table at the quill and parchment. Thoughts of the impending war ran through his head and he decided that he would at least write how he felt even if they never wanted to read it. He had to try something.

Severus Snape was glad when class was finished because he wasn't sure if he could handle one more cauldron exploding or bubbling over. He was surprised and pleased to find that he could still terrify many of the students. He had thought that his reputation would be completely ruined when everyone had found out, but he noticed that even some of the students even appeared to fear him more which he found amusing. Severus couldn't hear anything in Hermione's room so he assumed that she had gone to the Great Hall for dinner. She had been distant lately which was understandable, but didn't make it much easier. He had also noticed his book, 'Know your Enemy: Dark curses and Defense', was also missing from his library and he knew she had it. He wasn't sure how he felt about her reading a book that dark. However, she was going through the loss of her parents and he knew that she would want revenge. It actually was practical for her to learn some of those curses. In fact, he wished that they could teach the students some darker spells to protect themselves.

With his black cloak billowing out behind him, he strode down the corridors toward the Great Hall. He took some satisfaction in the fact that students still scattered out of his way when he passed. Looking up at the Head table, he saw everyone there except Hermione. Frowning slightly, he scanned Gryffindor table and saw Potter and Miss Weasley but no Hermione. He walked into the hall and noticed that Harry Potter had looked at him and frowned. The boy stood up and approached him.

"Sir," he greeted softly. Several students kept glancing in their direction, still not used to seeing Harry Potter and Severus Snape being cordial to each other.

"Mr. Potter," Severus replied neutrally.

"Where is Hermione?" he asked and that caused Severus to become even more concerned, although she had been missing some of her meals in the Hall simply because she wanted to be alone. But just the day before she had come to the Great Hall for all her meals.

"I am not sure. I was hoping you could tell me. I had assumed that she had come here," he replied.

"I haven't seen her at all. I guess she could be in her room still but I thought after yesterday she was ok eating in here with us," Harry said.

"I had concluded the same thing," Severus replied. "I suppose she may be in her room and simply summoned food to her. Tomorrow is after all the day she buried her parents a week ago." Even though what he said made sense, Severus didn't quite believe it himself.

"I suppose you're right. I'll check on her after dinner if you don't mind. I know you have staff meetings on Friday evenings," the boy said. The Potions Master inclined his head slightly.

"That would be appreciated, Mr. Potter," he replied and he made his way to the Head Table while Harry went back to his table and sat down next to Ginny.

Dinner went came and went and while Professor Snape wanted to down to the dungeons and check on Hermione himself, he knew that if anything was Mr. Potter would inform immediately. Severus did not want to crowd the young woman but he found himself missing her quite a bit. They had not kissed or had any intimate contact since her parents were buried and for the first time he was the one that was really missing it.

Sighing, he walked into the staff room and sat down, waiting for everyone else to arrive. Everyone began to pile into the room and when Professor Lupin arrived, he sat in the chair next to the Potions Master.

"How are you, Severus?" the man asked.

"I am fine all things considered," he replied. Lupin nodded his understanding.

"How is Hermione?" he asked.

"I am not sure. I was unaware that she would not be attending dinner tonight so Mr. Potter is going to go to her rooms and check on her. As far as how she has been this entire week, she is preoccupying her mind by reading and catching up on the homework she had missed. We have not had much interaction since the funeral," Severus admitted.

"Give it time. Losing her parents the way she did is something that would drive anyone off the deep end. She's just dealing with it the best way she knows how and that is to bury her nose in a book," he told the black clad man.

"Yes, but some of the books she is burying her nose into concerns me."

"How so?" Lupin asked, frowning.

"She took my copy of, 'Know your Enemies: Dark curses and Defense'. I know she is reading it at night when no one is around," Severus replied. Lupin's eyes grew large.

"Surely not, Severus! Miss Granger has never been known to dabble in such dark magic," Professor Flitwick cut in, overhearing the conversation. Severus should have known better than to bring it up around the little man.

"I assure you, she is reading it. I do not know if she has applied the magic, but she is educating herself on it which brings some cause for concern."

"Some?! I daresay more than some," Flitwick replied. By now their conversation had caught the attention of the rest of the staff including the Headmistress who had walked in and was listening intently.

"I disagree with you, Filius." Was the short reply from the Potions Master.

"Severus, you cannot possibly be encouraging her to read that sort of magic," Professor Sprout gasped. The man narrowed his eyes at her, causing some of the other Professor's to become unnerved. The man could truly be frightening.

"I did not encourage her to read my books on Dark magic however I did not forbid it either," he snapped, becoming angry.

"That sort of material is inappropriate for a student, Severus," Minerva cut in gently, hoping not to set the man off.

"Is it?" The rest of the teachers were instantly rattled and whispered amongst each other, clearly upset.

"Severus!" Minerva gasped. Before he could reply, Lupin stepped in.

"Severus has a point." All eyes turned to him and many of the teachers were stunned into silence.

"Remus, you can't really be serious. The kind of magic that Severus is accustomed to is…very dark magic…"Professor Sprout said, not wanting to anger the man. She did receive a deadly glare for that remark though.

"Yes it is, but let's look at this with an open mind for a moment. If Voldemort attacks the castle, who here knows dark magic?" he asked.

"Well, we all know some. Obviously you and Severus know more and I am betting Severus knows the most," Sinistra replied, raising a brow.

"Indeed I do," the man said darkly.

"Now, almost none of the students know dark magic, correct?" Lupin continued.

"That is correct," Minerva said with a frown.

"Now Voldemort has hundreds of followers, do you honestly think that any of them don't know dark magic?" he asked.

"What are you implying?" Filius asked.

"What I am trying to say is that He has hundreds of followers whose magic is as dark as Severus's…and we have a handful of people who know some. Our students cannot defend themselves with a bunch of Stupifies and Expelliarmuses as much as I would love them to," Remus said firmly.

"And what exactly are you suggesting?" Professor Sprout asked in alarm.

"He is suggesting that perhaps it would be prudent to introduce some of our students to darker magic so they are better prepared for what is inevitably to come," Severus said coldly.

"I don't think that is a good idea…" Filius said uncertainly and from there the staff argued back and forth, while Minerva stood by and looked thoughtful. Severus and Remus did make a good point, but she was afraid to let students use magic like that, but then again…what was going to happen if they didn't know that kind of magic. Remus was right. The current curriculum was designed to give them the basics and give them the knowledge to pass their NEWTS, but not necessarily go into battle. Snapping out of her thoughts, Minerva looked back at her staff who were still in a pretty heated debate and it looked as though Remus was getting frustrated trying to explain to them what he was trying say and Severus looked just plain angry that he was being accused of influencing Miss Granger with dark magic and now Professor Lupin.

"ENOUGH!" Minerva finally snapped, catching everyone's attention. They all turned to look at her. "Since this seems to be the topic of debate we shall discuss it. I understand the opposition to dark magic, but as much as I hate to admit it…Remus and Severus have a valid point." At this several teachers bulked and looked at her in disbelief.

"So what are we going to do? Teach a bunch of first years how to Crucio someone?!" Filius snapped. Minerva narrowed her eyes and stalked forward deliberately slow.

"First of all, let me make something clear to all of you. You will address me in a respectable tone if you are going to speak at all," she said coldly causing the man to swallow and nod his understanding. Severus raised a brow and smirked at her sudden coldness. It was rare to see. "Now, if you people would let me finish, I was going to say that this is something that should be optional and only offered to the older students. I am unwilling to permit any student below 6th year to participate in this, but Remus is right. There are only a handful of us and if something happened to us, it would leave the younger students unprotected. Then what? We let them be killed because we were afraid of using dark magic against dark magic?" Minerva was met by silence from the other staff members who all seemed to be thinking it over.

"Look, I am not saying we teach them the worst curses out there, but I do think we should teach them some of the ones we know Voldemort's followers use as well as the counter curses for the ones that actually have them. It could save lives if we are not there to help our students. The older students could help protect the younger ones," Remus said.

"I agree," Minerva said.

"Well, I suppose when you put it like that…I can understand," Filius said softly.

"I have no intention of offering dark magic as part of the curriculum in this school once Voldemort is gone. But these are dark times and desperate measures have to be taken." Minerva's voice was firm and it was obvious that this was not up for debate.

"Minerva." All eyes turned to Poppy who had joined them for the staff meeting since the infirmary was clear. "Perhaps we should find out which students would be willing to learn healing spells as well. If we are thinking this war is going to be that devastating to point of teaching students dark magic then perhaps we should train some of them how heal and treat the wounded as a precaution," she pointed out. Minerva nodded.

"That is a good idea. I think the sooner we do this the better," Minerva said.

The teachers turned to look at the door when they heard a loud knock. Frowning, Minerva walked over and opened the door to be greeted by a very disheveled and out of breath Harry Potter. Severus saw him at the door and instantly felt his blood run cold. Harry Potter did say that he would inform him if something was wrong so there was no other reason to be here unless it was for exactly that.

"Mr. Potter, what is the meaning of this?" Minerva asked.

"Snape. I need Professor Snape," he panted.

"Mr. Potter, where is Hermione?" he asked instantly knowing that she was the topic.

"She's gone, sir. Here," he said and handed the tall man a note.

"What do you mean gone?!" Filius cried, standing up. The rest of the teachers were bombarding him with questions, but Harry was focused on Snape.

"Silence!" Snape finally snapped, effectively shutting everyone up so he could think.

"What does the note say?" Minerva asked, but Severus just handed it to her rather than say anything.

Severus,

I am going to leave for a few days. There is something I have to do. I do not want you to worry and I am not going to tell you where I am going because I need to do this alone. I hope you can trust me in this. If I need help I will send my patronus to you, but for now this is my task alone because we need all the help we can get.

Love

Hermione

"I don't understand! What does this mean?" Minerva asked. Severus looked a bit lost. He wasn't sure what she was doing. It didn't seem likely that she would go after the Death Eaters that killed her parents; not alone anyway.

"I do not know, Minerva. She has not been herself, but she asked for trust in this and as much as it pains me to stand by, I am going to give her that trust," he replied in his usual stern voice, but his eyes conveyed their worry.