Dumbledore looked slightly surprised when Hermione walked into his office with tears streaming down her face and an angry look on her face.
"Miss Granger is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes Professor I have something to tell you"
Hermione told Dumbledore everything that had happened that morning and when she had finished he looked at her with a look that suggested he was in great pain as to what to do.
"I see" he said heavily "Well I knew that this would happen but I never knew how quickly" Hermione looked slightly shocked at Dumbledore's apparent lack of surprise at what she had just told him.
"Well can you explain Sir?" she said half angrily and half eagerly "Why do me and Professor Snape share the same memory, and one that hasn't ever happened at that?"
"Hermione this is going to be difficult for you to understand but I pray that you are patient with me" he looked very tired. "What I am about to tell you is for your ears only as it concerns the emotions of people that you know and could be dangerous"
"O.k. Professor" she said "Please explain to me"
"Professor Severus Snape lost his first love in the war with Voldemort. He had only just come back to our side when he met Sanina. She was the daughter of a very wise and powerful Seer. They were very much in love with each other but one night whilst the war was at a particularly bad time some Deatheaters went to Professor Snape's house. The Deatheaters tortured Severus within an inch of his life and killed Sanina for her knowledge. Voldemort's spies had warned him that the daughter of the great Seer knew the identity of the only one who could protect Severus. Voldemort's only hope of destroying Severus was to kill this person. Before Sanina died she told Severus that he would meet a powerful mind, one that matched his own brilliance and that he would fall head over heels in love with her. This person would be the only person who could save Severus' life. Severus refused to accept it, Sanina was the only one he ever wanted to be with. When he met the woman he was fated to be with he was hurt. After all Sanina had died to tell him about her. "
"But Professor I don't understand. What does this...?"
"Professor Snape met the woman who he was fated to be with 5 years ago Hermione"
"I still don't understand"
"You Hermione. I know this is hard to accept. I know this hard to understand"
"Me? I am the only one who can save Professor Snape's life?"
"Yes"
"But how? Why? I can't"
"Hermione, Professor Snape fell in love with you. Everything about you is the same. You are both amazingly clever, both from similar backgrounds, both follow the same principles, though you might not think it, you are the same. Professor Snape loves you more than anything he has ever loved"
"He WHAT?"
"Hermione it was your destiny. It was the destiny of you both."
"No you're not making sense. What do I have to do with Voldemort?"
"Severus Snape was one of Voldemort's closest associates. They were bound by hatred, love all the human emotions that Severus could feel but Voldemort couldn't. Voldemort wasn't human, he needed someone else to experience all those things for him"
"But Professor Snape doesn't love me. He hates me"
"No he doesn't. You may not know it but he loves you more than anything."
Hermione closed her eyes, tears streamed down her face
"But I don't love him. None of this makes any sense. Why would Voldemort want to use me?"
"To get to Severus. Hermione you have to accept this, Severus loves you. When Voldemort found this out he used his power to get to you. Severus' mind is too powerful for him to penetrate. He knew that if Severus found out you were in danger he would do anything to protect you."
"But Professor Snape hates me. He always has"
"No Hermione. He hated the idea of loving someone else as much as he loved Sanina. But he loves you more and he can't accept it"
At that moment there was a knock on the door and Severus walked in. He glanced at Hermione whose tears shone on her face. He glanced at Dumbledore who wore a look of great anxiety.
"Headmaster I want to have a word with you immediately" he said angrily looking at Hermione.
"There is nothing to talk about Severus. Miss Granger knows about the prophecy. I have just told her. Do not be angry Severus"