Disclaimer: See chapter one.
A/N: Sorry, this chapter is short. I couldn't think of anything else to really add to the ending. So yeah. Reveiew!!!
Chapter II: Never Forget
"I'm sorry, Professor," she muttered gently.
"Sorry for *what*, Miss Granger?" he asked mockingly.
"For judging you so quickly. I... I never knew... I'm sorry." Before he could object, she'd hugged him around the waist, embracing him in a way that he'd not felt for many, many years. He could hardly believe it. Too surreal.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by shrill cries coming down the corridor. Both strained to listen, to interpret the shrieks into words.
What little they heard told them everything.
"Let me go, you Death Eater trash! I won't tell you anything!"
"Shut your mouth, boy, or you won't be the only Muggle-lover we kill tonight! The rest of those precious little Gryffindors will join you!" a vicious voice spat.
"Don't you dare touch them!"
"Oh, and what would you do about it, Squib? Your friends aren't here to save you now! You'll die tonight, foolish Gryffindor!" Screams of fear could still be heard as they dragged Neville Longbottom down the dank corridor to the Torture Chamber.
"Oh, Merlin," Hermione muttered into Snape's robes. "They've got Neville."
"He's too much of a Gryffindor to tell them anything, Hermione. He wouldn't betray us. Not now. Not ever," he said reassuringly. "He'll make it out alive. I'm sure of it."
"Sir, you hate Neville. What makes you believe in him now?" she questioned.
He sighed. "Hermione Granger, there are things in this cold world that not even the wisest will understand. But something so trivial as this is certainly not a riddle, and not even close to complex. I do not hate Mr. Longbottom, nor will I ever."
"Why..."
"Hermione, I am not the complete and utter bastard that you all label me as. How do you suppose it would look should I not only show favor to Slytherin? What, do you gather, would Mr. Malfoy tell his dear father? Apparently, being cooped up in this closet had done damage to your mind."
She finally understood. "So then... so then you don't hate any of us? You never did?"
"My experiences with Gryffindors have never been good. And I admit, Potter and Weasley can and still irritate me to the close regions of insanity, and if Neville Longbottom ever learns to brew a potion I'll become a Squib myself, but no, I never hated any of you Gryffindors, as arrogant and bothersome as you are."
"So you... didn't hate me?" she asked meekly. She had to know for sure, lest this whole ordeal should be a dream.
"Of course not, Hermione. You're the most brilliant student I've ever had the pleasure of teaching. You learned. All of the others, of course they pulled decent grades, worked their way through with minimal effort, but you actually liked it. You wanted to learn, you chose to enjoy it. That's what your professors love about you: your passion for knowledge and will to prove yourself. For what more could we ask? I tried every method possible with the others, and being a completely demoralizing wretch seemed to scare them into studying. But you were... different." She knew that if he ever got out of this closet, he'd deny every single word he'd just spoken, and by the time he was finished with that, Gryffindor would *owe* him house points, but it made her smile to hear those words, even coming from Professor Snape.
Especially coming from Professor Snape.
Hermione chuckled. "What happened to 'Granger the insufferable know-it- all'?"
"She disappeared along with the little girl that came to Hogwarts seven years ago, I suppose." He said matter-of-factly. Even through the darkness she could see his obsidian eyes dancing with mirth.
"Well then what am I now, Professor? Surely not your *favorite* student."
"No," he sighed. "I'm afraid that's *second-favorite*, next to the Malfoy brat," he replied jokingly. She laughed girlishly. He went on, more serious this time. "... But, for your information, Miss Granger, you are my most prized student, as Gryffindor as you may be. Don't ask me why, because I hardly know the answer myself."
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"Deadly."
His words echoed in her mind. They caused a stirring in her heart. "Then... then thank you, Sir. You know, you're not half as bad as you put on. You should do this more often," she stated.
"What, get locked in closets with Gryffindor seventh-years?" he asked derisively.
"No, act civil... even amiable." She suppressed a tiny laugh, but he didn't.
"Ah, well, I guess it's simply a gift, Miss Granger," he drawled mock- poshly. Just then, there was a knock at the door of the little closet. Snape put his hand over Hermione's mouth before she could gasp, clutching his wand vigilantly in the other. "Hermione? Professor Snape? Are you in there? The Marauder's Map told me--"
"Harry!" Hermione shrieked through Snape's fingers. "Harry! You're okay!"
Snape sighed with relief and let go of Hermione. Reluctantly, he undid the wards to the door. That, as terrifying as the circumstances were, had been a pleasant experience. Such experiences were precious little in his isolated life. He would miss that girl come next fall...
The door opened just a crack, and he peered past the barrier. Indeed, before them stood the Boy Who - once *again* - Lived. His eyes were glowing with triumph, his face flushed with glory. This could only mean that...
"Harry... Harry, is he gone?" questioned Hermione. He nodded solemnly. "Harry... Oh, I'm so proud of you!" And she embraced him as a brother.
"Mr. Potter," Snape said curtly. A grave nod of his head was all Harry needed, just to know that even his intimidating Potions Master was grateful.
Hermione let go of Harry to embrace her professor. "Thank you," she whispered into his shoulder. Her voice had barley been audible, but it was more than he deserved to hear her words of thanks. Harry, Snape noticed, had tried not to look shocked at this display of affection for their harsh mentor, but had failed dismally. Grinning slyly, Snape drew his arms around Hermione as well. It was everything he'd wanted and so much more. To simply be aware that someone could care about him of their own will. It was amazing, intoxicating...
And with that small gesture of affection, Hermione Granger and Severus Snape parted ways. But something would be there, lingering, forever. The professor that was once known to everyone as nothing but cruel, was now altered. He had saved their lives. He would no longer be thought of as mean, sarcastic, and cold. No, he would be remembered by Hermione Granger as the man who had risked everything for her. The man who had changed her life. Who she would never forget.
A/N: Aaww, how sweet! Snapey and Granger are getting along just chummy now, I daresay. Yes, for those of you out there who didn't figure it out, Neville lived, but I'm not certain how. Let's just take a chance at saying that Harry rescued him from them before he found Herm and Sev, k? It works just fine that way. Anyhow, had he died, I would've made it more clear. I'm confusing myself, so I'll stop. Just REVIEW!
A/N: Sorry, this chapter is short. I couldn't think of anything else to really add to the ending. So yeah. Reveiew!!!
Chapter II: Never Forget
"I'm sorry, Professor," she muttered gently.
"Sorry for *what*, Miss Granger?" he asked mockingly.
"For judging you so quickly. I... I never knew... I'm sorry." Before he could object, she'd hugged him around the waist, embracing him in a way that he'd not felt for many, many years. He could hardly believe it. Too surreal.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by shrill cries coming down the corridor. Both strained to listen, to interpret the shrieks into words.
What little they heard told them everything.
"Let me go, you Death Eater trash! I won't tell you anything!"
"Shut your mouth, boy, or you won't be the only Muggle-lover we kill tonight! The rest of those precious little Gryffindors will join you!" a vicious voice spat.
"Don't you dare touch them!"
"Oh, and what would you do about it, Squib? Your friends aren't here to save you now! You'll die tonight, foolish Gryffindor!" Screams of fear could still be heard as they dragged Neville Longbottom down the dank corridor to the Torture Chamber.
"Oh, Merlin," Hermione muttered into Snape's robes. "They've got Neville."
"He's too much of a Gryffindor to tell them anything, Hermione. He wouldn't betray us. Not now. Not ever," he said reassuringly. "He'll make it out alive. I'm sure of it."
"Sir, you hate Neville. What makes you believe in him now?" she questioned.
He sighed. "Hermione Granger, there are things in this cold world that not even the wisest will understand. But something so trivial as this is certainly not a riddle, and not even close to complex. I do not hate Mr. Longbottom, nor will I ever."
"Why..."
"Hermione, I am not the complete and utter bastard that you all label me as. How do you suppose it would look should I not only show favor to Slytherin? What, do you gather, would Mr. Malfoy tell his dear father? Apparently, being cooped up in this closet had done damage to your mind."
She finally understood. "So then... so then you don't hate any of us? You never did?"
"My experiences with Gryffindors have never been good. And I admit, Potter and Weasley can and still irritate me to the close regions of insanity, and if Neville Longbottom ever learns to brew a potion I'll become a Squib myself, but no, I never hated any of you Gryffindors, as arrogant and bothersome as you are."
"So you... didn't hate me?" she asked meekly. She had to know for sure, lest this whole ordeal should be a dream.
"Of course not, Hermione. You're the most brilliant student I've ever had the pleasure of teaching. You learned. All of the others, of course they pulled decent grades, worked their way through with minimal effort, but you actually liked it. You wanted to learn, you chose to enjoy it. That's what your professors love about you: your passion for knowledge and will to prove yourself. For what more could we ask? I tried every method possible with the others, and being a completely demoralizing wretch seemed to scare them into studying. But you were... different." She knew that if he ever got out of this closet, he'd deny every single word he'd just spoken, and by the time he was finished with that, Gryffindor would *owe* him house points, but it made her smile to hear those words, even coming from Professor Snape.
Especially coming from Professor Snape.
Hermione chuckled. "What happened to 'Granger the insufferable know-it- all'?"
"She disappeared along with the little girl that came to Hogwarts seven years ago, I suppose." He said matter-of-factly. Even through the darkness she could see his obsidian eyes dancing with mirth.
"Well then what am I now, Professor? Surely not your *favorite* student."
"No," he sighed. "I'm afraid that's *second-favorite*, next to the Malfoy brat," he replied jokingly. She laughed girlishly. He went on, more serious this time. "... But, for your information, Miss Granger, you are my most prized student, as Gryffindor as you may be. Don't ask me why, because I hardly know the answer myself."
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"Deadly."
His words echoed in her mind. They caused a stirring in her heart. "Then... then thank you, Sir. You know, you're not half as bad as you put on. You should do this more often," she stated.
"What, get locked in closets with Gryffindor seventh-years?" he asked derisively.
"No, act civil... even amiable." She suppressed a tiny laugh, but he didn't.
"Ah, well, I guess it's simply a gift, Miss Granger," he drawled mock- poshly. Just then, there was a knock at the door of the little closet. Snape put his hand over Hermione's mouth before she could gasp, clutching his wand vigilantly in the other. "Hermione? Professor Snape? Are you in there? The Marauder's Map told me--"
"Harry!" Hermione shrieked through Snape's fingers. "Harry! You're okay!"
Snape sighed with relief and let go of Hermione. Reluctantly, he undid the wards to the door. That, as terrifying as the circumstances were, had been a pleasant experience. Such experiences were precious little in his isolated life. He would miss that girl come next fall...
The door opened just a crack, and he peered past the barrier. Indeed, before them stood the Boy Who - once *again* - Lived. His eyes were glowing with triumph, his face flushed with glory. This could only mean that...
"Harry... Harry, is he gone?" questioned Hermione. He nodded solemnly. "Harry... Oh, I'm so proud of you!" And she embraced him as a brother.
"Mr. Potter," Snape said curtly. A grave nod of his head was all Harry needed, just to know that even his intimidating Potions Master was grateful.
Hermione let go of Harry to embrace her professor. "Thank you," she whispered into his shoulder. Her voice had barley been audible, but it was more than he deserved to hear her words of thanks. Harry, Snape noticed, had tried not to look shocked at this display of affection for their harsh mentor, but had failed dismally. Grinning slyly, Snape drew his arms around Hermione as well. It was everything he'd wanted and so much more. To simply be aware that someone could care about him of their own will. It was amazing, intoxicating...
And with that small gesture of affection, Hermione Granger and Severus Snape parted ways. But something would be there, lingering, forever. The professor that was once known to everyone as nothing but cruel, was now altered. He had saved their lives. He would no longer be thought of as mean, sarcastic, and cold. No, he would be remembered by Hermione Granger as the man who had risked everything for her. The man who had changed her life. Who she would never forget.
A/N: Aaww, how sweet! Snapey and Granger are getting along just chummy now, I daresay. Yes, for those of you out there who didn't figure it out, Neville lived, but I'm not certain how. Let's just take a chance at saying that Harry rescued him from them before he found Herm and Sev, k? It works just fine that way. Anyhow, had he died, I would've made it more clear. I'm confusing myself, so I'll stop. Just REVIEW!