Alone No More Chapter 2: The Revel Revealed, a harry potter fanfic

A/N: Thank you so much for all of your reviews and encouragement. A little feedback goes a long way… I am going to try to update as often as possible, but since my muse is active, I might as well take advantage of it.

Hermione wrapped herself in the warmth of her familiar bed for the last time. She drew the curtains around the bed and pulled the blankets around herself. It never ceased to amaze her that no matter how warm it seemed to be outside that the castle was freezing at all points during the year. Hermione tried to fall asleep, but no matter how much she wanted it, sleep would not come. All Hermione could think about was her conversation with Severus, and what brought about their strange relationship in the first place.

)-----;----- THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE FINAL BATTLE -------;-----(

Hermione was sitting in the Room of Requirement with Ron and Harry; they were strategizing and going over the spells that Hermione had devised to aid the Order in battle and specifically the spell that would help Harry defeat Voldemort. The three were waiting for the key members of the DA to come for the regular meeting; instead Snape walked into the room silently. He was so silent that the Trio didn't notice him until Hermione gave a startled gasp when he touched her shoulder to get her attention.

"Calm down, Ms.Granger." snapped Severus, "Professor Dumbledore would like a word." Harry and Ron stood up as Hermione did. Severus glared at the two young men, "Neither of you are Ms. Granger, therefore, you will remain here. She will return when she has finished her business with the Headmaster," he then turned to Hermione, "come along Ms. Granger, we can't keep the Headmaster waiting for you all night, he has important business to attend to." Severus grabbed Hermione by the arm and led her to the Headmaster's office.

"Licorice Wand!" Called both Hermione and Severus at the same time, sending the Gargoyle aside and revealing the stairs that would lead them both the Dumbledore's office.

"After you Ms.Granger." Hermione walked up the stairs to be greeted by Professor Dumbledore . Hermione instantly knew upon entering the office that no news delivered during this meeting would be able to be classified as 'good'. Hermione took the seat offered to her by Severus and braced herself for the worst.

"Sorry to have disrupted your meeting tonight, Ms. Granger, but we have some unfortunate news to deliver to you," began Dumbledore, the usual twinkle gone from his eyes, "would you like some tea?" Hermione shook her head.

"Professor, what happened to my parents?"

Dumbledore remained silent, and looked over to Severus. "You can't expect me to tell her Albus," he paused and crossed his arms over his chest. He couldn't bring himself to look Hermione in the eye. And then there was that infernal twinkling coming from those blasted blue eyes, encouraging as ever, "Oh, all right old man you win, but, I will not be responsible for any nervous breakdowns or mental illnesses that result from the fact that I am the one to explain circumstances to her."

"Consider yourself absolved of all responsibility Severus," said Albus sternly, "I shall leave you two alone then. It seems you have important things to discuss."

Dumbledore left the pair alone in silence, a very loud silence that overpowered their senses and created a tension that was palpable, if only one of them would move to feel the air around them. Deep down Hermione knew what Severus was going to tell her, and in the instant before he spoke to tell her she had already forgiven him for whatever part he had played in whatever tragedy would change her life from the next moment on.

"Ms. Granger."

"At least call me Hermione if you are about to tell me my parents are dead or worse, like the Longbottoms." she whispered.

"Hermione, I am so sorry, your mother and father are in fact dead." he spoke those words in a voice that was just above a whisper and was dripping with compassion. Severus moved behind Hermione's chair and placed a hand on her shoulder. He wasn't sure why he did it or what drove him to it, but he allowed himself to feel something for this girl and she had somehow made his heart feel something other than icy hate.

"What happened?" Hermione was willing herself not to cry in front of Severus. No matter how she felt about this man, she would not allow him the satisfaction of seeing her broken. She would not appear weak in front of him above all people.

There was silence for a few moments, then, Severus pulled a chair from the corner and sat in front of Hermione. The least he could do was look into her eyes as he recounted his tale. He sighed heavily and felt the weight of the moment press down on his body, especially his heart, and he wasn't sure that the least used muscle in his body could handle it. "There was a revel tonight and the Dark Lord was in the mood for fresh entertainment, which Lucius Malfoy graciously provided for him." He paused, and Hermione unconsciously reached forward to pull his hands into her own, suddenly she realized where her hands were and pulled away from him, mumbling an apology.

Severus allowed his own snarkiness to come through, "Are you quite through Ms. Granger?" immediately he regretted taking that snappish tone with her, but said nothing. Instead he reached for her hands and continued. "Lucius brought your parents to the revel, alive and under Imperious." Severus could see that her eyes were growing glassy, and wasn't sure that he could continue. Hermione squeezed his hands.

"Don't leave out a single detail Professor Snape. I want to know everything so I can pay for my sins. I want to suffer through it all, it is my fault…"

"This isn't your fault…" Hermione cut him off.

"Professor, can you show me what happened?"

"No. Albus made me promise that I would not. It is not the time."

"I understand. Please continue."

"Your parents were lead in by Lucius and offered to the Dark Lord in hopes of receiving a reward. The Dark Lord was thrilled, once he realized just whose parents he had in front of him. He started the 'entertainment' by placing them under multiple rounds of the Cruciatus, one after the other. Your mother was brave; it took two rounds of the curse before she would scream out from the pain. There are few who last that long. After The Dark Lord tired of her screaming he gave your mother to me as a reward for my loyal and faithful service. I was ordered to rape and torture her while the others busied themselves torturing your father, it was meant to be a reward for my loyal service," the disdain dripped from his tongue, "I took your mother to a dark corner of the room, removed the Imperious curse from her and I asked her what she wanted. She told me she wanted you to be safe and then she asked me to take her life; somehow she knew she could trust me. Before I cast the killing curse she handed me this." Severus pulled from the pocket of his frock coat her mother's engagement ring. "I didn't touch her Hermione, she died with her dignity and thinking only of you. Her last words were of her love for you." Severus was jealous of this, his mother's last words to him were full of hate and disgust; he did not know what it was like to have someone love him unconditionally as Hermione's mother had obviously loved her. Severus did not tell her of his promise to her mother to protect her as much as his abilities allowed, but he would keep that promise.

"Thank you Professor."

"Are you mad? I have killed your mother and you thank me?" Severus was shocked! Whatever reaction he was expecting to get from Hermione this was not it. He expected her to hit him, or fall writing hysterically on the floor. But she thanked him; she actually saw some semblance of humanity in what he did. Severus was astonished with her fortitude and wisdom.

"You allowed her to die with dignity, with out the horrors of the unspeakable things I know they would have done to her."

"Hermione, I regret to inform you that I was not able to do the same for your father. He was a…plaything…for Lucius' …indulgences, shall we say?"

"Did he suffer much?"

"Lucius did not allow him to pass easily, I am afraid."

"It was a stupid question."

"Hermione, your father died bravely. He did not die with fear, but he did not know peace in his final hours either."

"I forgive you Severus and I thank you." Hermione squeezed his hands in hers as she uttered those words. She forced herself to stand up on her weak legs and slowly made her way to the exit. She wanted nothing more than to return to her rooms where she could release her emotions. She was still determined to show no weakness in front of Severus. Hermione told no one, not even Ron or Harry, about the fate her parents had met until after the final battle.

In the week before the battle she found herself sitting in Severus' office well into the night while he tried to force her to face her emotions so she didn't end up cold and hard like him and while she forced herself to build a wall around her emotions to keep him from thinking her weak.

The reality of the events of that night came crashing into her as she lie in bed waiting for sleep to come and reliever her of her misery for a few hours. All of those emotions, which she had kept hidden from Severus in those first few weeks, came flooding out in a torrent of wild tears. The crying made her tired and finally she was safely coddled in the warm arms of sleep and in her dreams there were no terrifying revelations to deal with. There were only strong arms wrapped around her infusing her with the strength she would need to work her way through the healing process.

A/N: Please leave me some feed back. We will find out what happened to Draco in the next chapter plus we will get to see Severus' point of view. Lemons will come, but not for a few chapters….any suggestions are appreciated (wink-wink-nudge-nudge)….