DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

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A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews! Sorry if the chapters are too short. This story is still a WIP. I just had a lot of time due to the community quarantine. But I'll be starting my home-based work today, March 30th. Please don't be mad if ever I will no longer update every day.

Hope you are all safe!

Thanks for the 18k+ views!

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Chapter 17:

December 20, 1972

(twenty-three years ago)

"Where do you think you're going, young man?"

Severus stopped in his tracks and turned around to face Dr. Puckle. The Puckles were already waiting at Platform 9 and 3/4 when Hogwarts Express arrived. He didn't utter a single word to Hermione throughout the journey and Hermione decided to just read a book. But when they faced her parents, he was forced to talk to her.

Once they got off Dr. Puckle's car, Severus lifted his trunk and started walking home. To his parents.

For the past five days, he did not talk to Hermione. He was upset that she did not tell him about her friendship with a Gryffindor. He was upset that she kept something from him. He was upset, yet he still waited for her outside the Ravenclaw entrance every morning, carried her bag, and walked her to her classes, but they were both quiet.

"I'm going home, Dr. Puckle," he replied softly.

The man frowned. "Why? Rose asked your mother if you could stay with us again and she happily agreed."

Severus looked down. "Hermione and I aren't talking."

"I refuse to believe that."

Severus swallowed and bravely met the good man's eyes; those eyes that were so much like Hermione's. "I stopped speaking with Hermione."

"Now, I believe that. Why?"

"She kept a secret from me," he said simply.

Dr. Puckle did not press him for more information. "Did you hurt her physically?"

Severus's eyes widened. "No, Dr. Puckle! I swear! I will never, ever do that to Hermione."

"Did you yell at her?"

"No."

"Did you insult her? Called her worse names, like a traitor?"

"I didn't."

"Good. Then, that's normal. Come on, it's cold here outside." Dr. Puckle lifted his trunk and led the way to the house.

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December 21, 1972

(twenty-three years ago)

Hermione found Severus standing outside Mona's room, already dressed for the day.

"Oh!" she gasped and continued walking towards the stairs.

"I'm sorry," he called softly.

Hermione turned around and threw herself to her best friend, hugging him tightly. Severus returned the hug. "Sorry for not telling you about Remus," she whispered against his neck.

Severus patted her back. "It's all right. You're not obliged to tell me everything. Good friends still keep secrets from each other."

Hermione pulled away and grinned at him. "Okay. Breakfast?"

Severus took her hand and nodded. They walked down the stairs hand-in-hand.

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January 9, 1973

(twenty-two years ago)

"Hello, Hermione."

Hermione looked up and saw Narcissa Black, giving her a friendly look. She was sitting at the stairs in the dungeons, near the Slytherin entrance, waiting for Severus.

"Oh, hello, Miss Black," she replied politely to the sixth-year girl.

Narcissa Black chuckled. "Oh, please call me 'Cissy'. Severus is like a brother to Lucius and my fiance asked me to look after him and by extension, you."

Hermione smiled shyly at the older witch. "Er, thanks, Cissy." Gryffindors, especially James Potter and Sirius Black, said that Slytherins were bad and blood purists. But Hermione found Slytherins nicer than most of the Gryffindors. She never saw a Slytherin hexing other students just because they wanted to. Unlike Potter and Black.

Cissy's beautiful blue eyes fell on the present that was sitting in Hermione's lap. "Oh, it's Severus's birthday."

She nodded. "Yes."

"That explains why you're waiting for him. I shall ask Lucius later if he's got Severus something for his birthday. Have a good day, Hermione."

"Have a good day, Cissy."

Hermione waited for ten minutes more before Severus emerged from the Slytherin entrance and instantly spotted her at the stairs.

Hermione looked up at the wizard standing in front of her. His hair was longer now, compared last year, and he tied it neatly just behind his neck. His school robe over the Slytherin uniform was fresh and clean, and his school shoes were shiny. He was slinging his satchel on his right shoulder. "Good morning," he greeted casually.

She smiled up to him brightly and handed his present, wrapped in silver and green colours. "Happy birthday, Sev."

Severus smiled genuinely and took the present from her. "Thank you, Hermione. I'm sure this is something I like."

Hermione just smiled at that. Severus always appreciated her presents. "Shall we go and have breakfast?" she asked.

Severus nodded, took her bag and offered his arm. "We shall."

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Hermione saw Severus's eyes widened when he opened her present at the Slytherin table. She got him a set of crystal phials and new stirring rods for his Potions experiments. He looked very pleased.

When she was done eating, Severus returned to collect her from the Ravenclaw table. "They were of good quality. Thank you very much," he said to her when they started walking arm-in-arm.

Hermione looked up to him and grinned. "Glad you liked them."

On their way to Transfiguration, they saw Lily Evans speaking with Remus Lupin outside Charms classroom. Lily made no move to greet them, but Remus beamed when he saw them.

"Hermione! Snape!" he greeted, much to Lily's surprise.

Hermione and Severus stopped walking. "Good morning, Remus," she greeted back politely and Severus nodded curtly. "You just got back?"

Remus nodded. He was looking healthier and more relaxed. "Thanks for the Christmas presents. Wiggenweld Potion and Strengthening Potion are really expensive. You shouldn't have," he said bashfully.

"Oh, we didn't buy them. We brewed them!" she grinned, looking up to Severus who nodded.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "You brewed complicated potions and sent them to a fellow student?" she shrieked, causing a scene.

Severus scoffed. "Yes, Evans. We did in November, under Professor Slughorn's supervision. As you know, Hermione and I are the best in our class."

Hermione elbowed Severus, but her best friend shook his head in disapproval.

"Lily, really... There's no need to react like that," Remus told the redhead witch. "I appreciate the concern, though."

"Well, Remus, if you need notes, you can meet us at the library tonight," she said. "Bye."

"Bye. And happy birthday, Snape," Remus said brightly.

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January 17, 1973

(twenty-two years ago)

Hermione and Severus were already waiting outside the Potions classroom with their other classmates when the second-year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors emerged from the room.

"Mione! Sev!" called Alice.

"Hey, Alice. Happy birthday," she greeted and gave her Hufflepuff friend a side hug.

"You two weren't at breakfast."

"Oh. Er, I had to go to the infirmary and Sev went with me," she explained. She woke up early this morning due to mild abdominal pain. Severus did not ask further information about the pain and brought her to see Madam Pomfrey. The matron gave her an anti-pain potion and said that what she felt was normal due to her menstruation.

"What happened?" asked Alice, looking very concerned.

Hermione patted the other girl's shoulder. "Girl thing. Abdominal pain. I'm fine now," she replied.

"Oh, that's good!" Alice turned to Severus. "Thank you for being with Hermione. I imagine how hard it is to go down the stairs while having abdominal pains. Anyway, I got your presents. Thanks for the books! Oh, I'm excited to read 'Alice in Wonderland'!"

"Glad you liked them," replied Hermione while Severus nodded with a polite smile.

Throughout the conversation, Hermione noticed Lily standing behind Alice and obviously, eavesdropping. She was glaring daggers at the Hufflepuff girl.

"Lily, do you have anything to say to Alice?" she asked sharply.

Lily shook her head and looked away, clearly embarrassed at being caught. "Nothing."

"Good. Because I swear, if looks could kill, Alice would've been dead," she sneered.

Lily huffed and stomped away.

"What did Lily ever do to you?" James Potter asked her angrily.

"Watch your tone, Potter," warned Severus. "In case you haven't noticed, your darling Evans was eavesdropping."

"She was not!" argued the boy. "She was waiting for Alice."

Alice paled and moved closer to Hermione's other side. Alice's friend, Frank Longbottom stepped in. "James, Evans wasn't waiting for Alice. They're not even friends."

"I hope you're not fighting, eh?" came Professor Slughorn's voice. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom, I believe you're late for your next class."

Potter glared at them before walking away. Frank Longbottom muttered apologies on behalf of the other wizard and left.

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February 14, 1973

(twenty-two years ago)

It was Valentine's Day again. Severus, just like last year, was already waiting with a stemmed white rose in his hand, outside her house common room. He didn't say anything other than 'you really smell like marshmallows'. She gave him her bag and took the flower from his hand. They walked hand-in-hand and talked about classes, as usual.

But it was hard for Hermione. It was hard to ignore the butterflies in her stomach and talk about their Charms essay. It was hard to talk about lending Remus her Astronomy notes while her heart fluttered because she and Severus were holding hands and he was sending her boyish smiles.

But the butterflies and the fluttering suddenly wavered when she realized something after discussing Astrology and Remus Lupin's absence.

"Hermione, what is it?" asked Severus in a concerned tone when she stopped in her tracks in the middle of the staircase near the Great Hall.

"It was full moon two nights ago..." she whispered.

Severus frowned. "Yes. Remember, I told you, Toyin complained about Professor Sinistra's extra homework just because it's the full moon?"

"And Remus was not around."

Severus nodded.

"Last month, days before your birthday was also the full moon... And before Christmas, when Mona made fun of witches in brooms and full moons..."

"Hermione, what's the point - "

"Werewolf," she whispered.

Severus's eyes widened and facepalmed. "Oh, Salazar fucking Slytherin... That explains his injuries and gluttony when it comes to chocolates."

"How could the headmaster allow a werewolf in Hogwarts?" she asked, not sounding upset but merely confused. "And he must've been bitten at a very young age... Oh, poor Remus!"

Severus pulled her closer and squeezed her shoulder. "Let's have breakfast first then we can go to the library to borrow a book on magical beings."

Hermione nodded and they continued walking. When they arrived at the Great Hall, James Potter was reciting his Valentine's poem for Lily Evans who was glaring daggers at the messy-haired boy.

That day, Hermione got three Valentine cards: one from Severus, of course, then another from her two new friends: Remus Lupin and Frank Longbottom (whom she helped perfect transfiguring beetles into buttons).

And just like last year, Lily Evans counted the Valentine cards she received: ten. Hermione rolled her eyes when the redhead Gryffindor tossed her hair with a satisfied look in her face.

"I hate Evans," groaned Amelia. "She acts as if she is the most beautiful girl in Hogwarts."

"She's a flake," seconded Alona.

She snorted. "Yep. That's Lily Evans."