Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter, no surprise there... Heres the next chap. Sorry it took so long to post. I'm still having problems with my shoulder. Also I'm looking for a new beta. The one I had before was great but I haven't been able to get a hold of them.

Final Test:

Every One Leaves

Severus leaned his forehead against Hermione and looked her in the eyes. He had never once said those words to another living soul. But he knew that he hadn't lied to her. It was all he had ever wanted. It was bad enough that he longed for her when she was a student now she had admitted that she shared his feelings. He wanted to pull her into him and never let go. He wanted to stay there forever.

'What is wrong with me?!' his mind screamed. 'Have I completely lost it? This is Hermione Granger, pride of Gryffindor, star pupil'
'Stop it!' screamed another voice from inside of him. 'Hermione is no longer that student that was unreachable. She is no longer that which I can not have. Once more she feels that same for you...'

"This scares me." Hermione said suddenly, waking Severus from his thoughts.

"Why?" he asked.

"Having my feelings out in the open." she whispered. She pulled away from Severus. "It seems that everyone that I love leaves me. I just thought that if I didn't tell anyone how I felt about you, you wouldn't leave me. Then I remembered that this was my last year at Hogwarts and knew that once again I'd be left alone. Harry and Ron are great, but their going off to Spain to join a new Quidditch team and Ginny and Neville are going to be moving as soon as Ginny graduates. I don't have many friends and the ones I do are leaving. My parents are still in St. Mungo..." her voice trailed off. Her parents had been a sore topic for her since the attack on them.

"Your parents ending up in St. Mungo was never your fault." said Severus as he watched her pace. "It was Lucius and those damned guards at Azkaban fault. A muggle wasn't meant to have the Cruciatus Curse used on them. It drives them mad quicker."

"I only had them for a short while after I got out of that blasted hospital only to lose them to that bastard. What he got was too good for him!" she cried. "He should have rotted in that prison for the rest of his life. Made to live the pain he has caused me and so many other. I could almost feel sorry of Draco. Lucius burning in hell means nothing to me. I can never have my parents back. NEVER!" Severus didn't know what to do. He feared if he held her she would pull away, but if he didn't she would hate him for not offering her comfort.

"I know it hurts now, but the pain will go away." he said as comforting as he knew how. "I'm not planning on going anywhere. And I'm sure that Albus is planning on offering you the position of D.A.D.A. professor permanently. This is only a trial period. He looks to you as his own granddaughter. He trust you with is life and the lives of others." Hermione looked up.

"He'll leave me too. Love can't concur all." she gave a cynical laugh. "Love can't do anything but cause more pain. I want to be with you but I don't want to get hurt. I know if I let anything happen you'll get tired with me or something will happen and you'll leave."

"Hermione." was all Severus could say. He didn't know how you prove to her his feeling for her. But he was more concerned with the fact that she had given up on love and life. This wasn't the same person he thought he knew. She always seemed so full of life. He had to get the old Hermione back. Not for himself but for her. She needed to know that life was worth living and that his heart wanted to be only for her. He shivved. It was cold on the tower but that wasn't what gave him the chill. Something was wrong but he couldn't place it.

Hermione didn't know what had come over her. She had just poured her heart out to the one man she thought hated her. His openness threw her off. She wanted to believe that he loved her. But she knew she had to protect her heart. She wasn't going to get hurt again. She stared at him. She saw him shiver and thought of giving him back his cloak when suddenly a rush of pain swept over her. She hadn't felt this much pain since she had been attacked by Voldemort himself. She grasped her chest and fell forward. If Severus reflexes weren't heightened she would have fallen face first on the floor.

Holding Hermione, gently but firmly, Severus lifted her in his arms and rushed down the stairwell. He headed for the Hospital wing. He knew Poppy could help her. Why had she fainted like that and how did he know? His steps were sure and quick. His body tensed up as he reached the Med-Witch's rooms. He threw open the doors and called for her.

"POPPY! QUICK!" The once plump Med-Witch appeared in the door way, still in her night gown. (It is after all only four in the morning.)

"Severus? What are you doing here at this hour?" asked Poppy, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"I said QUICK woman! Hermione...somethings wrong!" Poppy ran to Severus and looked at the unconscious form he carried. She lead him to one of the beds along the wall. Severus gently laid Hermione down and backed away.

"Call Albus." she told him. "I need him here." Severus nodded and headed for the door. He stopped for a moment when he heard Hermione cry out in pain. He ran to the headmaster's office.

So how much do y'all hate me? Go on tell me...just don't be mean...This one hasn't been read over before I posted. So I know it's not that great. So if you want to be my beta I'm taking apps. Let me know. PLZ review!