It was done. Hermione couldn't believe she had just taken her last exam at Hogwarts. Even though her elaboration had been a little bit thicker than what the book described as perfect, its color and properties had been more than enough for the examiners to nod enthusiastically. They wouldn't give her the results for a few days, but Hermione was confident that she had passed all of them, and most of them with a good grade.

When she exited the Great Hall, she hesitated for a moment. The past few days with the final revisions of her notes and the exams, she hadn't been working at the library. There were still many things left to do, and only a little more than a month to get them done before the new school year began. But she didn't feel like working. She felt like relaxing and celebrating, so she decided to take a few sandwiches and to go have a small picnic by the Black Lake. She looked for Neville, but the boy was nowhere to be found.

Hermione tried to ignore the sharp pinch in her heart when she realized she would be eating alone. She had written Harry and Ron a letter three days ago, letting them now her exam schedule, and had secretly hoped that they would be waiting for her after this last one, to celebrate such an important moment in her life, the same way they had celebrated together when they finished their O. . But apparently it hadn't occurred to them that she might like that. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but she couldn't help feeling a nasty emptiness inside when she sat by herself under the big tree where the three of them had spent countless hours. For a moment, she wished that what Harry had said would come true, that they would all return for their last year, so they could all be there together again, even if she was an Apprentice now and no longer a student. This prospect made her smile for a moment, but something felt off. Somehow, she knew that even if they did come back… nothing was going to be the same. Their previous life had been lost, and wouldn't return. And she feared that being with them there, knowing that, would only make her feel worse, as if she was a ghost of her former self.

Even if she was very different from her friends, she had always assumed that they would be inseparable. And still now, she knew the bond between them couldn't be broken. At least, that's how she felt. But as weeks went by, she was beginning to suspect that even if the boys loved her, they did so in a very different way. She knew they would give their lives for her… and yet, they hadn't even been bothered to apparate to Hogwarts to share this important moment of her life. Their loyalty was epic during epic times… but not so strong during normal, daily life. Maybe she was expecting too much. Maybe her way of loving people was too much. But, was it really? Was she asking too much, wanting to have someone who could love her as deeply and fiercely as her heart loved?

In that moment, an owl descended over her head, dropping a small envelope on her lap. She recognized the handwriting immediately and her heart jumped in her chest, as she scolded herself for judging them too quickly. There were two letters inside.

"Dear Hermione

How did it go? You've probably been offered a position at the Ministry by the time this letter gets to you!

Mom asked me to tell you that we're having a surprise party for Harry's birthday next weekend. She wants to know if you'll come. You will, right? Seems like this party will be a good way to cheer everyone up a little… Tonk's parents are coming with Teddy, since Harry is his godfather…

Anyway, I'm not sure what to get him… What do you get the Chosen one after he has saved the world? You'll probably have better ideas… if you could bring something from the both of us, of course I'll pay you my half, that would be brilliant!

Looking forward to see you soon!

Ron."

"Dear Hermione

You made it! It feels almost unnecessary to ask how you did… Were the exams too difficult? When will they give you the results?

I've been thinking about our conversation with Bane. You never told me what that was about! Maybe you can tell me next weekend, when you come to the party. Yes, I know. It's hard to keep secrets in the Burrow.

However, I remembered something that may be of use. Do you remember what happened with Sirius and the dementors? How we were rescued by a mysterious patronus that turned out to be just my own, when we went back with the time-turner? I don't know if you have considered the reverse - time factor… probably yes, but I thought it was worth the try.

I'm really looking forward to hear all about your exams soon! Best of luck with the results!

Harry."

Hermione sighed, holding both letters in her hands. Well, at least they had remembered. She truly wanted to feel satisfied enough with that, but deep down she didn't. However, since she would be seeing them in a few days, she decided to set aside those feelings. Last time she had seen them in person she had felt better… This time would probably be the same.

She allowed her gaze to drift towards the calm surface of the Black Lake. The giant squid was apparently avoiding July's heat, remaining well hidden underneath the cool water. She pondered Harry's words. As he had correctly guessed, she had already considered the reverse – time factor, but she had promptly discarded it. As far as she knew, all the existent time – turners had been destroyed during their battle at the Department of Mysteries. And even if any of them had been spared, the fact that someone had traveled through time to be there at that moment wouldn't explain the strange quality of that mysterious patronus, or the fact that it had been able to bring Professor Snape back from the dead. The biggest question here wasn't when the patronus had been cast, but how and by who.

She had given up trying to figure it out, since she was at a complete loss of ideas as to where to continue her investigation. She had hoped that the centaurs would provide some help, but Bane's response had been as enigmatic as it had been useless. "You need deeper answers." he had said. "Deeper answers". What on earth had that meant?

She throw a pebble into the water, frustrated. And then, her eyes widened, and she chuckled, amazed. Of course! Of course she hadn't known what on earth it had meant. Because the answers weren't on earth. They were deeper.

She got up almost jumping, her mind suddenly bursting with ideas. She needed to talk to Neville, as soon as possible. But before, she had to go to the infirmary, to deliver the latest vials that she had been brewing the night before, and ask Madame Pomfrey what she would be needing next. If she managed to be quick, she could be at the Greenhouses in an hour, with still enough sunlight left to…

Hermione hurried towards the castle, feeling a wave of excitement rushing over her entire body. For some reason, the idea of finding some new answers about the Shrieking Shack miracle was making her heart race inside her chest. Well, not for any random reason. As she climbed the stairs towards the infirmary she realized that there was a very specific reason why she was so eager to get going already. The sooner she had new information, the sooner she'd have a perfectly valid excuse to go see Professor Snape again.

After seeing him before her exam, she had been so focused on her elaborations that she had completely forgotten about their brief encounter. However, now she recalled it, and how the man had seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood. Even though the whole exchange had only lasted a couple minutes maximum, Hermione had realized how much she had missed being around him. It had surprised her, given that their last interactions had been awkward at best and disastrous at worst. Three out of four times, their encounters resulted in him sneering, scolding or directly kicking her out of his sight. And yet, this wasn't what lingered in her mind when she thought of him. It's as if those comments were a smokescreen that concealed what was truly going on, and now that she had had a chance to get some perspective, she realized that Snape was the only person with whom she felt that she didn't have to shrink down to fit into a conversation. Ever since they had returned to Hogwarts that day and he had secluded himself in his chambers, all of her interactions had felt shallow, even the ones she had enjoyed… And instead, her shallow conversation with him that morning had felt deeper, as if it was full of hidden meaning that she could only begin to glimpse. She knew Snape's casual appearance at the Great Hall's door hadn't been accidental… but she couldn't decipher the reason behind it. All she knew was that, that brief conversation, had stimulated her heart more than anything else during the past month. And she wanted more. But she had promised that she wouldn't bother the man again under any stupid, immature pretext… so that made finding new information about his situation even more crucial.

She entered the infirmary short of breath. Madame Pomfrey was arranging some small crystal bottles into a table. Hermione looked at the empty beds. Where was everyone? She knew that the great majority of the injured had already recovered and been discharged from the hospital wing but as far as she knew, there was at least one critic patient that couldn't possibly have been discharged… unless… A shiver went down her spine, but before she could jump to conclusions, she heard a horrible scream coming from her left side. She jumped, startled, but there was no one there. Madame Pomfrey noticed her presence and hurried towards her.

"Sorry, dear. I placed some wards around her bed… last night we had a couple curious people trying to take a look, so I decided to protect her against all students. Only teachers can come near the bed or see her now." the mediwitch explained with an apologetic smile.

"Oh… I understand." Hermione nodded, trying not to picture the awful aspect Selina Silvermoon must had. At least she was not dead… though by the sound of it, she wasn't sure those were good news. "I brought you the..."

"PLEASE!" Miss Silvermoon's desperate cry interrupted her.

"The vials for..." Hermione continued, her hands involuntarily shaking.

"Hermione, please!" the girl called anxiously.

Hermione looked in her direction, even if the bed appeared empty to her. "She knows who I am?" she asked in a whisper.

Madame Pomfrey tilted her head in a sympathetic manner. "You're Harry Potter's best friend, dear. Everyone knows who you are."

"What does she want from me?" Hermione asked, intrigued.

The mediwitch didn't answer. Instead, she took the vials from her hands, inviting her with a gesture to move away from the warded bed, towards her desk. "She's very grateful for your help. Your potions are the only thing that offer her some relief..." she said, placing them among the other bottles.

"She doesn't sound very relieved..." Hermione pointed out with a concerned frown.

"Oh, dear… There's nothing else we can do. It keeps getting faster, and just when I think it can't get worse, it does, and it makes me wish it were still one hour ago… Merlin knows I've tried everything but… What's the matter?" Madame Pomfrey asked, upon watching Hermione's sudden change of expression.

"I need to go." Hermione said with a very serious tone.

"I'm sorry dear, I didn't wish to upset you..."

"No, it's not that. I just really need to go. Trust me." Hermione shook her head, rushing towards the infirmary door, passing near Miss Silvermoon's bed again, who screamed her name.

She practically ran downstairs. Seeing Neville would have to wait. This, couldn't.