It had been three years since that night at the Hogwarts ball. Hermione thought about it all the time. Sure, she had tried to get over him, had dated other guys but she just couldn't She couldn't stop thinking about him and she couldn't stop the pain she felt that they had never had a chance. The way he had told her he loved her, then just turned and walked away. She knew he had good reason, but it had still hurt so much. She loved him, she loved him, and he had said he loved her.

Why? she often wondered. Why did he love her? Sure, they had become close while working for the Order. There was that one night, when he had arrived back, wounded and grey faced. She had been assigned the task of nursing him back to health. She had learned a lot about him during that time. So much pain in his past, so many different things she had never known...

She had, at first, pitied him, but she learned not to. Why bother? He had moved on from his past, and was, though he didn't seem it, a happy person.

After she stopped feeling sorry for him, she began to love him. His mannerisms, his obscure but very good sense of humour. The way he got impatient easily. the way he never smiled properly, but his eyes seemed to light up...

Hermione sighed and looked around. She picked up her suitcase and stepped outside. She was going back to the man she loved. Whether he loved her back was a different story.

The train ride passed surprisingly quickly. Hermione simply stared out the window, watching the rain come down. Her thoughts were on what she was to say when she arrived. She would have to see Dumbledore first. He was, of course, still Headmaster. It surprised many people when he turned down the postition as Minister for Magic after the defeat of Voldemort. What surprised people was how full of life and vitality he still was at such an old age.

But after her visit with her old Headmaster and friend, she would have to do what she came here to do. She would have to talk to Snape.

'What should I say?' she asked herself. 'I could be blunt...Do you still love me? No, it just isn't proper. Why didn't you say goodbye, properly? Why didn't you stay with me? Why tell me you love me, then just turn and walk away? It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair!'

She truly loved him, with all her heart. She still remembered the feeling of dancing with him, and his eyes looking into her. Their one kiss, she could still feel lhis lips on hers. And when he said it, when he told her he loved her... She thought everything was going to plan. But he just walked away. Just turned and left her, alone.

Sure, he must have had reason, but what reason is good enough to keep love apart? So she had began to wonder... Maybe he didn't love her? Maybe he pitied her, so said it to make her happy, then left, so as not to start anything un-necessary. But that didn't seem like him. He didn't pity people, like he didn't pity himself. He must have meant what he said. It was all so confusing, so she had come for answers.

All too soon, she was getting off the train. She wondered how to get to the actual castle from the train station, and watched what other's were doing. They were getting into the old carriages her and her friends had taken to the castle when they attended the school. She smiled fondly at the thestrals she could now see. You don't live through a war against Voldemort, and not see people die. So, she clambered into a carriage and sat, once more, staring out the window.

The Hogwart's grounds looked just as they had in the past. Hagrid's hut, the Forbidden Forest, the lake... It all brought back a lot of memories for her. She shook her head, to clear it. There were important things to be done, she couldn't waste time reminiscing on things.

The lights were on in the old castle. When the carriages came to a stop, she picked up her one suitcase, and stepped outside. Walking up the great stone steps, she began to get nervous. What was she doing? What was she thinking? She came to the Entrance Hall, and was thankful that it was so late. She couldn't have beared walking in at dinner, all those faces staring, and him...

Walking through the empty Great Hall was quite strange. the silence, with only the sound of her footsteps couldn't help but make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. It seemed so different, so much bigger, than from her days at Hogwarts. But time does have that effect on you.

As she was walking down the corridors, students stared at her and pointed, whispering to each other. She came to Dumbledore's office, then realised she had no idea what the password was.

"Sherbert Lemon?" she tried. "Sugar Quill... Cockroach cluster... Droobles Best Blowing Gum... Oh, please, just open? Chocolate Frog! Ice Mice! Acid lolly!"

"Ms. Granger?" said a voice behind her. "Do you care to explain why you are trying to break into my office?"

A/N: Ok so I hope you liked it! Let me know what you thought, whether it's good or bad! I'll update again soon!

Purpledinosaur xxx