A/N: It has been a while, I know, I hope you like the next chapter
Chapter 6
July Returns
"Miss Granger! I am so thrilled to see that you are well!" Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry said as Hermione Granger came into his office. "Professor, it is nice to see you again." She said politely, still wondering if she would regret coming back. "Please Miss Granger have a seat." He said gesturing to a couch in his office. "Thank you, sir." She said as she placed her hands behind her legs and brought them forward, making sure her skirt was not bunched up when she sat down. "It has been far too long Miss Granger, or is it something else now? Do tell, what have you been up to?" He asked peering at her with his kind pale blue eyes. "Please, call me Hermione, and no I am not married, engaged, or even dating." She said looking at her feet, as if she felt shame. "That is quite all right Hermione, you have plenty of time. I am so glad you decided to come, rumor has it, that you have not been practicing magic. Is this true?" "It is true, sir. I made a promise to my parents and myself to try to make them happy and try and live like them, although I feel as if I am stuck between two worlds, in which neither one I belong." "I know the circumstances to your leaving, were very hard on you, and it must have been harder yet not being able to discuss them with anyone. Have you heard from Harry at all?" He asked seeing that Hermione was nearly in tears already. "No, I haven't written to anyone, except now, to you.." She trailed off, remembering something. "Ah, but then there was that letter to Professor Snape I believe." He said cracking a smile. "Oh, yes but that was quite a long time ago, and I was just wanting to thank him for what he did for me." She said sheepishly. "How did you know about that letter, anyway?" She asked again. "Hermione, I am afraid even Professor Snape's mail can't always be kept a secret here at Hogwarts, no matter how hard he tries to keep it private." He said smiling. "Oh." She said quietly. "Professor I don't mean to be rude, but why did you need to talk to me?" She asked after a brief silence between the two of them. "Hermione, I am not exactly sure how to say this to you. I have a sort of challenge, no more like a project for you, if you are willing to help complete it." He said with a frustrated look on his face. "What is the project?" She asked, somewhat curious. "Severus has gone back to his home in Siberia, but I am all too afraid that he was met with an unfriendly welcome, and some horrible memories of the past." He paused. "Who is Severus?" Hermione asked dumbly. "Professor Severus Snape, the Potions Master here at Hogwarts?" He questioned her back with the thought of such a simple question. "Oh, right, I suppose I had never heard his first name before, or remember it that is." "Miss Granger, would you be willing to go to Siberia for a while?" Albus asked her. "Whoa there, back up the broomstick, you want me to go to Siberia? And what, or should I say how, do you think I could fix his problems?" She started to ask in hysterics, thinking that what he had just proposed to her was a big joke. "Miss Granger, Professor Snape, has memories in his past, which he has kept inside his mind, soul, and heart. He has barely told me anything about his past, except for when he offered to help out the Order of Phoenix, and turn his back on Voldermort because of certain pressures he was feeling. I know in my heart, that Severus Snape is a honorable man, who needs someone to talk to." "And you want me to be the one he talks to? Why me, he hates me!" She exclaimed. "He does not hate you Miss Granger, he finds you to be an interesting challenge, and I think by helping him you will in turn find some answers to your own questions, that you yourself have about your past, and your future." He said half smiling. 'God, I hate it when he might be right.' Hermione thought to herself. "Ok suppose I do go, what am I suppose to tell Professor Snape when I get there? 'Oh hi, I thought you might be mentally unstable, do you want to talk about it?'" She mocked. "No, tell him the truth. Tell him, that you need to talk to someone about what happened to you and your friends in the forest that fateful night." He said. "How did you know, that something bad happened to me?" She questioned about ready to cry again. "Miss Granger, Professor Snape and myself were the ones to find you in the aftermath." Albus walked over to Hermione and held her for a while until she stopped crying. She had felt safe there in her mentor's arms, she felt safer here than in her own father's arms. This thought had scared her, was she a muggle, or was she a witch. Maybe Albus Dumbledore was right, maybe she needed to find out once and for all if Severus Snape was the man that would perhaps help her, and if he could, the least she could do in return is help him with his problems, whatever those might be.
Chapter 6
July Returns
"Miss Granger! I am so thrilled to see that you are well!" Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry said as Hermione Granger came into his office. "Professor, it is nice to see you again." She said politely, still wondering if she would regret coming back. "Please Miss Granger have a seat." He said gesturing to a couch in his office. "Thank you, sir." She said as she placed her hands behind her legs and brought them forward, making sure her skirt was not bunched up when she sat down. "It has been far too long Miss Granger, or is it something else now? Do tell, what have you been up to?" He asked peering at her with his kind pale blue eyes. "Please, call me Hermione, and no I am not married, engaged, or even dating." She said looking at her feet, as if she felt shame. "That is quite all right Hermione, you have plenty of time. I am so glad you decided to come, rumor has it, that you have not been practicing magic. Is this true?" "It is true, sir. I made a promise to my parents and myself to try to make them happy and try and live like them, although I feel as if I am stuck between two worlds, in which neither one I belong." "I know the circumstances to your leaving, were very hard on you, and it must have been harder yet not being able to discuss them with anyone. Have you heard from Harry at all?" He asked seeing that Hermione was nearly in tears already. "No, I haven't written to anyone, except now, to you.." She trailed off, remembering something. "Ah, but then there was that letter to Professor Snape I believe." He said cracking a smile. "Oh, yes but that was quite a long time ago, and I was just wanting to thank him for what he did for me." She said sheepishly. "How did you know about that letter, anyway?" She asked again. "Hermione, I am afraid even Professor Snape's mail can't always be kept a secret here at Hogwarts, no matter how hard he tries to keep it private." He said smiling. "Oh." She said quietly. "Professor I don't mean to be rude, but why did you need to talk to me?" She asked after a brief silence between the two of them. "Hermione, I am not exactly sure how to say this to you. I have a sort of challenge, no more like a project for you, if you are willing to help complete it." He said with a frustrated look on his face. "What is the project?" She asked, somewhat curious. "Severus has gone back to his home in Siberia, but I am all too afraid that he was met with an unfriendly welcome, and some horrible memories of the past." He paused. "Who is Severus?" Hermione asked dumbly. "Professor Severus Snape, the Potions Master here at Hogwarts?" He questioned her back with the thought of such a simple question. "Oh, right, I suppose I had never heard his first name before, or remember it that is." "Miss Granger, would you be willing to go to Siberia for a while?" Albus asked her. "Whoa there, back up the broomstick, you want me to go to Siberia? And what, or should I say how, do you think I could fix his problems?" She started to ask in hysterics, thinking that what he had just proposed to her was a big joke. "Miss Granger, Professor Snape, has memories in his past, which he has kept inside his mind, soul, and heart. He has barely told me anything about his past, except for when he offered to help out the Order of Phoenix, and turn his back on Voldermort because of certain pressures he was feeling. I know in my heart, that Severus Snape is a honorable man, who needs someone to talk to." "And you want me to be the one he talks to? Why me, he hates me!" She exclaimed. "He does not hate you Miss Granger, he finds you to be an interesting challenge, and I think by helping him you will in turn find some answers to your own questions, that you yourself have about your past, and your future." He said half smiling. 'God, I hate it when he might be right.' Hermione thought to herself. "Ok suppose I do go, what am I suppose to tell Professor Snape when I get there? 'Oh hi, I thought you might be mentally unstable, do you want to talk about it?'" She mocked. "No, tell him the truth. Tell him, that you need to talk to someone about what happened to you and your friends in the forest that fateful night." He said. "How did you know, that something bad happened to me?" She questioned about ready to cry again. "Miss Granger, Professor Snape and myself were the ones to find you in the aftermath." Albus walked over to Hermione and held her for a while until she stopped crying. She had felt safe there in her mentor's arms, she felt safer here than in her own father's arms. This thought had scared her, was she a muggle, or was she a witch. Maybe Albus Dumbledore was right, maybe she needed to find out once and for all if Severus Snape was the man that would perhaps help her, and if he could, the least she could do in return is help him with his problems, whatever those might be.