A/N:..............

::digs self out from under pile of homework::   ::sighs:: Finally! I'm free! I'm free! ::looks at threatening boulders of work above:: For a week at least…..

And I shall spend this freedom writing my fics!!!!!!!!!!!! ::Hurries off to her muses:: Let the story begin! Disclaimer at bottom.

Free to Just Forget

Graduation day, thought Severus. Thank God. There was only one thing that was better than a group of students graduating and leaving the school to him: A group of students that included Harry Potter and Hermione Granger graduating and leaving the school. Not to mention Neville Longbottom.

The teachers and students had the day off. Ceremonies would begin at six in the Great Hall. There would be about thirty to forty minutes of speeches, a quick one by Dumbledore followed by a longer speech by McGonagall, and a speech by the valedictorian, which varied depending on how stupid the student was. Following that would be the Graduation feast, and then they would all retire. Severus would usually, to please Dumbledore and no one else, stay for the feast, though he wasn't required to. He didn't plan on staying this year.

After a quick bath, in which he ignored his hair as usual, Severus considered wearing one of his good robes for today, to celebrate the fact that the students were leaving. He decided against it. Someone else might take it in a completely wrong way and think he was actually celebrating the graduation of the students, rather than their departure.

Severus had decided to read for a majority of the day. Looking over all the books he'd been meaning to read for sometime now, he selected a particularly large tome from his personal library, connected to his rooms by a large obsidian black door. As he closed this, he fingered the chain around his neck pensively, a habit he'd had for years now, though no one had picked up on it except for Dumbledore. He was lost in thought for a few moments, dark eyes focusing on nothing at all, before shaking his head slightly, and sitting down in an armchair near a fireplace that had been unused for years.

He opened the book, and was soon lost in his reading, as old ways to make new potions and new ways to make old ones quickly filled his thoughts and the misery that had been haunting for years were soon chased away. For the time being that is.

~*~*~

            The Great Hall was as festive as ever. Decked in ribbons of red and gold, green and silver, blue and bronze, and yellow and black, it was a magnificent medley of color. Personally, Severus thought it was all too bright. It was beginning to give him a headache. He couldn't wait to return to the dungeons.

The ceremonies were not as long as he'd expected them to be. It was mainly because the Hermione's speech was actually rather short, contrary to Severus' beliefs. If he hadn't been acting the way he was and holding such a grudge towards the girl, though, he, like most of the school, would have been surprised at the fact that she even gave the speech, given her state lately. But she managed to write something short, and she wore a new set of robes that Lavender and Parvati had bought for her. They'd even gotten her to put on some make-up, so that she didn't look half as tired and worn out as she usually did. In fact, Ron and several other boys noticed, she actually looked more than half-decent. Pretty, even.

Her speech, short as it was, was very well done, Severus admitted to himself. She was a good public speaker as well, only faltering once, as she reached the part about the professors at Hogwarts. This earned Severus many obvious glares from the Gryffindor table, but they were of course ignored.

Finally, the speeches were over, and Dumbledore stood up again. He read out the names of each student in alphabetical order, and each student, in turn, walked up to the podium where they accepted a scroll of parchment from Dumbledore, and shook his hand, before shaking hands with all of the professors. Most of them gave Severus a quick, limp shake before hurrying on and giving Lupin, who stood next to him, a warm smile.

The name "Harry Potter" was heard throughout the hall, and it erupted in cheers. Severus sneered, and Lupin elbowed him as he clapped. Severus glared at the werewolf, but Lupin merely raised both eyebrows at him, amused. Severus scowled, and reluctantly gave the boy one, and no more than one, clap.  He watched lazily as The Boy Who Lived blushed crimson and accepted his scroll, then moved down the line of professors.  Hagrid grinned at him and gave him a hard slap on the back, causing the boy to stumble a bit and smile weakly at the half-giant.

Minerva gave him a proud smile, and he smiled back awkwardly. But when he reached Severus, the smile vanished. He narrowed his eyes and Severus scowled in return, but held out a hand to the boy, as was expected. Harry shook it with a firm hand, still glaring at the older man. Soon though, the glare softened, as he withdrew his hand and happily turned towards Lupin.

Severus watched as Hermione walked up to each of her professors and shook their hands. She beamed at all of them, and Flitwick even had some tears in his eyes. The potions master rolled his eyes. For such a small wizard, that man could get awfully emotional. Hagrid gave her a hug, knocking the breath out of her, no doubt. But she soon recovered and moved on down the line. The girl stopped at Minerva and threw her arms around her Transfiguration professor. Something inside Severus twisted when he saw how close they'd become. He didn't know why, but he felt… jealous?  Have you gone mad, Severus? he chastised himself. Two seconds ago you despised her as much as the Potters and now you're jealous of Minerva's friendship with the girl? What in the world is wrong with you?

            Finally, Hermione came to him. She held out her hand, and held her head up high, though he noticed she did it with some difficulty. He looked at it, sneered, and looked up at her face. Big mistake.  Their eyes met and what Severus saw there unnerved him. In her eyes was not hatred. There was no disgust, no revulsion, not even a sign of relief that this would be the last time that she would have to be relatively polite to him. Instead... Severus dared not to try and name the emotions that stormed through the girl's eyes.  And those eyes… those eyes… they were so... hauntingly... familiar...

"Professor?"

He snapped back. Her hand still hung, empty in the air. He met her eyes again, and once more was taken aback. They seemed to plead with him, to beg him for something, yet what it was he didn't know. Didn't want to know.

He could have taken her hand. Could have ended both of their misery there and then. Could have healed two hearts at once. But Severus Snape had a grudge. A grudge that he would regret for years to some.

Severus turned away.

"Good day, Miss Granger." His words were laced with hatred.

She continued to look up at him, her eyes searching his face beseechingly, but when he said nothing else, she shook her head sadly and moved on to Lupin, who gathered her into his arms in a warm, comforting hug, bringing a small, weak, but grateful smile to the girl's face. The werewolf smiled back. Severus watched her as she walked back to her fellow Gryffindors. He felt a stab in his side, and glared at Lupin. The werewolf glared back, his amber eyes reprimanding him quietly. Severus rolled his eyes again. The last thing he needed was that monster telling him off (or anyone else for that matter). But the eyes bore into him the rest of the evening.

When the ceremonies were over, Severus slipped away not even staying to enjoy the first five minutes of the feast. When he muttered the excuse that he wasn't hungry, none of his colleagues believed him, but they weren't surprised either, considering it was Harry Potter's graduation.

 Severus was, all in all, very relieved when the whole thing was over and he was relaxing in his rooms, where he was free to just put everything out of his mind and, for just one time, pretend that that night so long ago in the bushes had never taken place. Free… to just forget.

~*~*~

A/N: This chapter was supposed to be longer but I just decided to end it here. Aren't I evil? I'm just stretching this fic out for all it's worth, aren't I? ::shrug:: Heck, I know it's pathetic, but it's what I do!

::notices Vimh pounding against the wall of his room:: ::blinks:: Oh yeah! Vimh! Forgot about you! ::lets him out::

Vimh: ::notices that *two* new chapters were put up in his absence:: Hey! You said you'd let me out after the last chapter!

Me: ::shrug:: I lied. Deal with it. ::notices Vimh's angry face:: Oooh, look! Here comes the disclaimer!

Vimh: ::turns his head in the direction of said disclaimer:: Huh?

:: Miracle runs away::

Disclaimer:  Just to remind those of you who may have forgotten because of my wonderful writing abilities (::snort::), I am not a goddess. ::sarcastic:: Hard to believe, I'm sure. Harry Potter and Co. belong to the goddess J.K. Rowling, and I must grovels at her feet.  SO DON'T SUE!!!!!!!

On the same idea, I'd like to believe that the plot is my own idea, so let's keep it that way, all right!?! And Gabriella is kinda, sorta, in a way mine.

::end of disclaimer::

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. The night that he forgets about? Yeah, well there might be a confusion as to which one I meant. The one with Hermione, or the one with Gabriella? I have one answer: Both.

Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers so far-especially the ones who are reading this right now!  It means that you like the story good enough to continue reading!

And special hugs to Lataradk, my beta!!!

Hugs to all!

-Miracle