I tried to write it as soon as possible. Simply nothing would come up. So, yeah, it's short. And yeah, it's the end. And finally, yes, there will be an epilogue.

'Just one more minute' never is enough

I sat on the ground, hugging my legs tightly and looking at the man on the couch. With the greatest trouble I had got him there, and I had tried to tend the wound on his head as good as I could. The blood was no longer flowing, and Severus had been sleeping for a while now. I had found some candles, and had lit them to take away that awful darkness. Still, I felt miserable. I actually had to get Madame Pomfrey, or at least had to warn someone, but something kept me from doing so, and I wondered what that was.

I had always tried to do the right thing, no matter what. I had even told McGonagall about Harry's mysterious gift in our third year, knowing perfectly well how big the chance was that McGonagall was going to research it. Doing the right thing had never cost me any trouble –even when I had to steal ingredients from Severus' office, I had the feeling it was all for the good— but now I really didn't know. A part of me, the old Hermione, was screaming that I simply had to tell someone. But the newer one knew that was wrong. Now how was I supposed to know who the true Hermione Granger was?

I slowly rocked back and forth, the memories of the pensieve returning. I had not only disrespected his privacy, but also left him alone when he shouldn't had been left alone. I had caused that wound on his head. Without a doubt, I had done the wrong thing tonight.

When I looked up again, I saw he had opened his eyes and was staring at the ceiling. I wanted to say something, ask him how he felt, ask him if he needed anything. Guilt had taken away my voice. I just opened and closed my mouth like a goldfish, and gaped at him. He still stared at the ceiling. Don't cry, I told myself, blinking a few times hard. Not now. It's your own stupid fault.

I became aware of the fact that I was now rocking back and forth like a hysteric child, and I quickly stopped. I carefully looked up to Severus, hoping he hadn't been watching me. He hadn't. He was still staring at the ceiling, and I startled at the sound of his hoarse voice.

"Hermione…" he said, then paused a moment, suddenly turning his head to look at me. "I'm sorry."

"You?" I blurted out in my surprise. "What are you feeling sorry for? I am the one who's supposed to feel sorry, not you."

"Of course you are supposed to feel sorry," he snapped, turning away to the ceiling again. The sudden harshness of his voice made me flinch, pulling op my legs even more. "But still…"

"So, what are you going to do now?" I asked timidly. "You going to sue me? For looking into your pensieve?"

He snorted. "I'm sure looking in it was enough punishment for you."

"Although I am sorry, I do not regret what I did." I said softly. With a jerk Severus turned to look at me and I saw he didn't understand. "I have a few questions… Do you mind…?"

He gave me a puzzled look, and I realised it was much to ask. Perhaps too much. Just when I had already accepted he was going to refuse, he gave in, looking away and reluctantly muttering a small, "Sure."

I smiled a thankful smile. "Thank you. The man you were constantly with… Was it Lucius Malfoy?"

His response was merely a nod. Obviously he wasn't going to give extended answers.

"You were friends?" I asked.

"No." The disgust on his face made clear that he had rather said, 'No, not at all.' I continued, thinking hard of another question.

"So, you guys didn't hang out on other times?" I tried, shivering at the idea.

"No. Now get to the point, will you?"

I bit my lip. Could I really ask the question? I had been dying to know since the moment I saw her, but I knew it wasn't my business at all. Then again, I could just try. "The very last memory… With the girl—who was she?"

Severus kept silent. He remained like that for a few minutes, and I studied him carefully. It was like he had never heard me, like he was just staring at the ceiling out of boredom.

"Severus?" I called.

"She was just another girl Voldemort wanted to dispose of," he growled. I was not convinced.

"No, she was not 'just' a girl, not to you. I saw it in your eyes." I said matter-of-factly. Actually, I had seen nothing, but I hoped he would tell me some more. Once again there was a silence. I stood up from the ground, and walked to the bench, sitting down on the arm bench. Even though I was hanging above him, he just stared straight through me like I wasn't there at all.

"Severus," I said again. "You can tell me."

He turned his head just a very little, and our eyes met. The pain in his eyes struck right to my heart. 

"All right," he finally sighed, and I thought I could hear him mutter something that sounded like, 'those damned eyes'. "She was someone I cared about. But she was a bloody Gryffindor, and if I wanted to join Voldemort, I had to kill her. And so I did."

He told it like it happened to him every day, but after spending so much time with him, I could look through him.

"Did you love her?" I asked, already knowing the answer. It took him a while before he answered.

"Unfortunately, I did." He failed to sound indifferent. I stared at him, feeling so sorry. I didn't know what to say. 'Losing someone you love is hard, but losing someone you love at the hand of your own must be terrible.' I mentally slapped myself. Even just thinking that was cruel.

"I am sorry. I really am." I said.

"Well, you shouldn't be. I joined the Death Eaters, and I… have learned from every minute I spent with them." As I could not read his face, I just asked.

"You saying your time with the Death Eaters was a good one?"

"I'm only saying," he said in an annoyed tone. "that if I had known everything I learned from them just a few years earlier, then perhaps…" He didn't finish his sentence, but I could think of a dozen of endings.

"From looking into that pensieve I learned something too." I said.

"Oh really? And what is that? 'Never look into the pensieve of a former Death Eater,'?" he said sarcastically. I ignored it.

"That I will love you, no matter what."

*~*~*

It wasn't a promise, nor was it a wish; it was a simple statement, Severus knew. He was stunned, but when he had found his ability to speak again, it was out of pure anger. He had tried everything to let go off her, and now she still wouldn't let go off him. Not even after everything she had seen…

"No," he said matter-of-factly. "No, you won't. And you know why, Hermione? Because tomorrow I'll brew a Love Potion, so strong, that you'll forget your feelings for me in an instant. And because you're at the top of your class, I'll let you choose. So, tell me now, who do you want to fall in love with? Potter or Weasley? Or perhaps that clumsy Longbottom?"

He watched how her eyes were suddenly filled with tears.

"You wouldn't do that," she whispered. "You would never do that."

"Oh yes, I would," Severus snapped, starting to get angry. "If you continue visiting me, you might even ruin my career."

"You wouldn't!" she shouted, backing away. "Because you love me!"

Severus snorted. "Oh really?" he said again.

"Then say you don't." once again it was merely a whisper.

"Say what?" he asked.

"Say you don't love me." She was deadly serious. Severus weighed his chances. He would lie if he said he didn't love her, but perhaps that would make her go away.

"Easy." He looked her in the eyes, gathering all his strength, trying not to think of what he was going to do. Because all he had to do, was say the words. She would never know that he didn't mean it.

"I…"  No! cried his heart. You will break the girl's heart, you git! He paused, trying to get the voice out of his head.

"I do not…" Severus looked into her eyes, her wonderful eyes. Oh God, she was so close. How could she have come so close?

"I really do not…" Now what was he supposed to say again? He couldn't remember it, but it didn't matter. She was so close that he could smell her, almost taste her… He hated himself for not being able to remember how she tasted.

"Miss Granger!" he suddenly reminded himself aloud. She looked puzzled, but then managed a smile.

"You can't say it, can you?" she said, not with the smallest hint of triumph. Severus was about to make a nasty comment, when she lowered her head and he felt how she pressed her lips against his. Even though he was like frozen, he opened his mouth automatically and felt her tongue slid into his mouth. So that was how she tasted… He reached out his hand for her, but found there was nothing but air. As he pulled away and opened his eyes he saw she was still hanging above him, sitting in an incredible position. He sat right up a bit, gesturing beside him.

"Perhaps you find sitting here more comfortable."