AN: Thanks a lot to snarkyroxy (my wonderful beta), read her fiction is really good!

Thanks to the people who reviewed: Natsuyori, kcrazyk, Snape's Witch (thanks for the 'bound' word), Pathatlon, LiseGirardi, Winter Fae (thanks a lot, it helps to know that people like what you write), Riley Black, BabyRuth15 (as soon as I can I'll leave a review for your story)

3. Severus and his anger

Snape was sitting on the sofa by the fireplace in his private quarters. The fire was warming the room just as surely as the Old Ogden's Firewhiskey was warming him.

He had found the article that the Granger girl had read and he was pissed off that she left out the last bit of information. He snorted. She was probably too scared to utter one more single word.

That was how he liked his relationship with his students. They had to fear him and to feel that he was in charge. Gryffindors had to keep away from him even more than all the other houses. He disliked them with a passion! They were all fools, displaying their hearts on their sleeves and flaunting all that bravery! Disgusting.

Miss Granger was going to need all the courage she could muster because from now on, they were stuck with each other.

Tonight they were going to start feeling each others emotions and on top of that, they were going to be able to track each other.

He sighed. He was not going to be able to keep her off his mind. It was true that he was a good Legilimens and Occlumens but the point was to block external intrusion. This was different. They were sharing their soul and therefore, she was part of him.

Another disgusted grunt came out of his mouth. Stuck with a Gryffindor Mudblood and know-it-all witch.

He did not want her to be privy of his life; being a spy was hard enough without considering that from now on she would feel when he was in pain. She would be able to sense his dream, too, or more accurately, nightmares. There was a reason why he was always walking around school in the night.

He did not want her pity! He did not want her in his life, and worst of all, he didn't have any clue how to get out of this catastrophe.

Love, he sneered. As if he wanted it. As if he needed it. He had lived until now without it and he could happily continue to do so for the rest of his life.

She had looked hurt when had said that they were going to die but she had no more interest in loving him than he had in loving her.

In a way, he felt sorry for her, bound to an old and ugly man. Not that she was a beauty, but with a bit of grooming she could be nice. The Weasley boy had been in love with her forever, and that was another problem. How where they going to solve this intricate situation?

The bloody Repelling Spell and the Permanent Sticking Charm made the whole idea to destroy the spell impossible. The brats who had never been able to do anything right had created a bloody perfect spell!

Snape sat brooding for some time, and when Albus came in, he tried not to acknowledge him.

Albus smiled secretly. 'Severus, my son. What are you doing? Drinking alone? Please do offer a glass to your old friend.'

Severus grunted. 'You know where the glasses are and I believe that you're capable of pouring yourself a drink.'

Albus sighed and sat near him. 'Severus, I know that you are angry but I am confident that you and Hermione will succeed in finding a solution.'

Severus looked at Albus. He was angry but more than anything he was feeling miserable. 'Albus, tell me how can we possibly learn to love each other. I'm old enough to be her father and even if that weren't true, she is not my type.' He grimaced.

The look in Severus' eyes cut deep into Albus' heart. This child has suffered all his life. He was a good teacher when he chose to be, and a truly brilliant academic, but he had not known affection and love.

The Headmaster sighed. 'You have to take risks. We can only truly understand the miracle of life when we allow the unexpected to happen.'

'Neruda?' Severus asked. Albus' quotations came always from Muggle poets.

'Close. It was Paulo Coelho. Severus, I just want to tell you something. Love is different for every person,' he began, 'and it depends in which context you have it. For example, I love you like a son. It means that I worry about your wellbeing and that I care for you and your feelings, that I would be ready to give my life for yours and that I have a deep respect for your intelligence.'

Severus mulled over this information but said nothing. He wanted to see where the old wizard was leading him but Albus just smiled.

Severus was very serious. 'Albus, I am worried about this situation. Miss Granger and I will never be able to love each other, and because of it, we will both die.'

Albus sighed. 'Severus, I beg to differ. I believe that you should at least try to find common ground. Both of you are highly intelligent and you are brave. You have always felt that you've had to prove your worth. And above everything, both of you have a wonderful heart. Severus, just try to consider the possibility that, beyond saving your life, your union may be beneficial to you both.'

Severus rose from the sofa, 'Beneficial to her? To be shackled to this ugly, older man? To be shunned and to have her life ruined because she lives with the greasy bat of the dungeons?' He left the room with his robes billowing behind him, and leaving a distressed Headmaster sitting on his sofa.

Albus put his face in his hands. The first thing Severus had to learn was to love himself.

...Hermione and her friends…

Hermione had sat through all her lessons with the words of her Professor echoing in her mind. We are going to die.

She was not sure that she could love the Potions Master either. Since the beginning of the year, Ron has been hinting about the two of them going out on a date and she felt he was going to kiss her soon.

But now, she would be forced to give up Ron and her adolescent dreams, because if she did not start to love Severus Snape she would die. Hermione Granger was nothing if not determined. She had a long life ahead of her, and she was not going to give it up while there was the slightest chance of survival, even if that chance involved the stubborn Potions Master.

She was determined to find a solution either to break the spell or to love him.

After all, he was smart and he wasn't a Malfoy. That was at least something that made her feel better. He was not handsome, but with some work he could be decent looking. She knew that she was not beautiful but she could improve.

It was true that on many occasions he had been nasty and unpleasant but he had defended she, Harry and Ron in moments of danger. Nobody was perfect and he probably was less perfect than most, but they had to make this work!

She was desperate, she had dreams and hopes and everything had been shattered by her stupidity! How could she ever forgive herself!

She knew that the road to Snape's heart would be long and difficult and she was hoping at the end there was indeed a heart to win over. She wondered that she had never seen him smiling or happy; he had never participated in dances and festivities. He wasn't the average man, but then she wasn't an average girl either.

She preferred books to Quidditch, and she'd rather discuss an article of a newspaper than go out partying. Really, the only marked difference between her and Snape was that she was lucky enough to have friends.

Speaking of them, they were approaching her chair in the common room with a look of utter remorse. She had been avoiding them for the whole week but now she had to tell them the truth, most of all to find in them a little bit of comfort.

After she told them the whole story, she was stunned by the sudden anger of Ron, who couldn't decide whether to kill Harry, Snape or himself.

Harry was desperate too; he had ruined the life of the two people he loved most in the world.

Ron went to look out of the window, trying to calm down enough to say something, and Hermione approached him and hugged him from behind. She whispered, 'Ron, I am really sorry about us. I know that there may have been more that friendship between us but I want to live and in order to do so I have to try and love Snape.'

He whispered back, 'Hermione, you know how much I care for you and how many expectations I had for us. I will do anything possible to help you find a way out but if the only way is to love him, I will do my best to accept it. I cannot promise you that I will be happy or that I will ever forget you and forgive myself for this mistake, but I will be there for you.'

Hermione was crying and Ron turned his anger towards Snape. 'He is a greasy git and he does not deserve you! I promise you that if he ever hurts you, I will personally kill him.'

Harry watched, feeling the pain of his friends. He thought that after Sirius' death nothing could be worse, but this was. He vowed that Voldemort was going to pay for all this pain; he was going to kill him or die in the attempt.

He went to join his friends and they hugged each other and stayed close until dinner time.

Severus was sitting at the staff table as the "Golden Trio" entered the Hall, arm in arm. After a week, they had finally made peace and watching Granger, he noticed that she had been crying. Surprisingly, he noted that both boys appeared to have been crying too.

The Headmaster followed Severus' gaze, and upon seeing the Gryffindors, leaned close to the Potions Master and said, 'You see Severus, that is love too.'

He nodded and after a few minutes he left the room, unaware he was being followed by the thoughtful gaze of Hermione.