See who I am, break through the silence
Reach for my hand and show them that we can
Free our minds and find our way
The world is in our hands
This is not the end

Within Temptation – See Who I Am ©

When Severus entered the grounds, he saw a lonely figure standing at the foot of the lake. With a sigh, mostly to gain courage, he descended down to her and while crossing his arms in front of his chest, he stood next to her. Silent.

They stood there for many silent moments. Severus waited for Hermione to speak. He knew he shouldn't force her into some conversation she did not want to have.
Just when he thought they were going to stand there all night, she moved.

"We always sat here. At the foot of the lake. It was his favourite spot." Hermione spoke quietly.

Severus nodded. "I know. I always saw you."

"We could sit here for hours. Talking. Reading. Polishing your broom, as Harry did so many times." Hermione sighed. "We just were. We did not necessarily needed to talk. Just to sit here and enjoy each others company was enough."

Severus simply nodded. He did not know what to say.

"In our seventh year, we barely talked about personal things anymore. We just had to look at each other and we would know what was going on. With a single touch on ones arm we comforted each other."

There were a few silent moments again.

"I miss that so much. I miss them. I miss Harry." Hermione's voice broke. "I miss Ron."

"Those who have gone from us, are not really gone." Severus said. "They will always remain part of us, in what we do, in who we are. They are the voice in the back of your head, that tells you if you're wrong or right."

Hermione looked sideways to him. His face hardened, his arms in crossed on his chest, his eyes staring across the lake. She did not understand this man. He was so different then before.
"Do you hear that voice?" she finally asked.

Severus shrugged. "All the time. In everything that I do."

"Do you listen?"

"I try to." Severus admitted. "But it's hard to make a choice between what is right, and what is easy. I once chose the easy part. I suffer for it still."

They fell silent again. The sun was setting behind the mountains on the horizon and filled the lake with beautiful twinkles. A soft wind was blowing through the air, making the trees whistle. An owl flew over, hooting.

"I wanted to go see Harry tomorrow. But I'm scared." Hermione said. "I'm scared of what I'll find."

"Young Potter will appreciate your presence, I'm sure of it." Severus said, while a sting ran through his heart. He sighed.

Hermione observed him. Who was this man she was talking to? And what happened to the man she used to know?
"Who are you?" she asked. "You are not the Severus Snape I knew."

Severus chuckled softly. "Of course I'm not. You have known me as a professor. A teacher, who was forced to behave like an … asshole … as you said earlier today, in order to gain and keep control over those dunderheads such as you yourself once was."

"But you were always … picking on us … on the Gryffindors."

"Of course I was. I was and still am in a position in which I cannot afford to be nice to other then pure bloods. Slytherins."

Hermione looked stunned. "So … it was always an act?"

Severus nodded. "Mostly, yes."

"But not for Harry?"

"Harry Potter. I have treated him like vermin in a childish kind of way. I think a man's greatest strength is to become one with his past. To learn how to accept his past and not judge others for it." Severus said. "When I was your teacher, I had not yet learned to accept my past. Every time I looked at Harry, I saw his father. And the loathing I carried for James Potter, reflected on Harry."

He shook his head.
"When young Potter returned to school, Albus forced me to talk with him. I know now, that he is nothing like James. I was just … unwilling … to see it. Foolish, and stupid."

"Even the most powerful wizard can make mistakes." Hermione said comforting.

Severus looked at her, in her hazel eyes and gave her a faint smile.
"I do owe you an apology, Hermione."

She gave him a questioning look.

"For all those times I graded your potions lower then they should receive. I am sorry."

Hermione was thunderstruck. She had always known he did that, she just never expected an apology for it.
"Severus … it doesn't matter. I know you were unable to give a higher grade to a mud-blood then to someone like Draco Malfoy."

"Don't you ever give yourself that foolish name again!" Severus spat. "You are not! You are the most intelligent witch I have ever seen! It does not matter what your family is like. You are the one that counts. It is about you!"

Hermione smiled, and sat down on the ground. She ordered Severus to do the same.

"Thank you, Severus."

"For what?"

"For being here with me, right now. Of all the people within this castle, I least expected you to follow me outside." Hermione admitted.

Severus snorted. "I did not expect me to do that too. Your boyfriend ordered me to."

Hermione gave him a questioning look. "My boyfriend … ?"

"Yes." Severus muttered. "That Ephram boy!"

Hermione started to laugh. "Severus, he is not my boyfriend. He never will be!"

"You two seemed to get along just fine!" Severus said indignant.

"Severus, you do realise that Ephram is gay, right?"

All of sudden Severus felt as if Christmas came early this year. "Is he really?"

"Yeah!" Hermione chuckled. "And even if he wasn't, he is not really my type anyway."

They fell silent again. Severus was feeling relieved. Maybe now he did have a chance. Hermione felt flattered. She'd noticed Severus' relieved face when she said Ephram was gay. She was happy with his company. He was so relaxed and easy, maybe a little old but still, a man with a soft interior. And Hermione was sure there were very few allowed to see that.

"I'm having trouble getting Ron out of my head." She admitted.

Severus merely nodded.

"Maybe I've holding on to the past to much as well. Maybe I should learn to accept the past."

"I'm sure that is a wise thing to do." Severus said. "I'm proud of you, Hermione. It took me some decades to realise that."

"Ron will always have a special place in my heart. But he would've wanted me to move on. If he saw me linger in what happened, he would probably get really angry with me." Hermione chuckled.

Severus tried to figure out why she was telling him all this. Maybe she felt the same as him. Why else would she talk about forgetting Weasley and move on. He knew he still had to be careful with her, but then again, he wasn't really sure what he felt as well, for it had been a very long time since a woman drew this kind of attention to herself, unnoticed of course.

All of sudden, Hermione stretched herself, and gently put her head on his lap.
"You don't mind, do you?"

Severus was to stunned to say anything. He managed to nod and was scared to move an inch. The touch of her head on his lap felt magical and in some way so familiar, like they had sat there for ages. Severus watched Hermione close her eyes. She was so beautiful. How he desired her to be his. And then it struck him. Was it-. Could it be that-. Was he in love with her?
It could be. The way his stomach seemed to be filled with insects as she touched him. Was it possible to love in only a few hours? No, it had not been a few hours. Severus knew he had always appreciated Hermione's presence in class. Her intelligence challenged him. As he saw her grow older he had always felt a certain desire to at least talk with her, to see what that brilliant mind of hers would have to say.
He looked down on her, so fragile and so torn apart because of grieves. He promised her silently he would not let her grieve more. Slowly he moved his hand forward, and touched her hair. It felt soft, silky. He ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying this moment.

Hermione felt his fingers through her hair and sighed quietly. She did not really know what was going on and what had happened. She just knew she felt so safe in his presence. Every bad memory left her mind and she was just … there. She had always adored him. His mind seemed to be an undying source of knowledge and only God knew how Hermione wanted to dig in and learn of all those things. And now, she felt so cherished by the way his long fingers ran through her hair. Did she love him? Maybe. Could she fall in love with him? She knew she could. She realised she lingered in the past, she lingered with the mere memory of Ron and for heaven's sake, Ron would really kill her if he knew she was pulling herself down so much. His love for her was so deep and true that he would be happy for her, even if she were not with him.

She sighed and heard Severus sigh as well. As for this moment, they were one, even though they did not know what occupied each others minds. But they were. Just were.

"I did not think they would manage to reach this point so soon." Albus chuckled. He and Minerva stood on the steps of the castle's entrance and watched the couple at the lake.

"I never expected to see Severus like this!" Minerva admitted.
She slid her arm into Albus' and moved closer to him.

"It will save her. And it will save him." Albus said as he looked proudly down to two of his most beloved students. "I promise you Minerva, I will do my best do give them enough time to really bond with each other, before the war will fall upon us. I do not believe it is only Harry Potter, who can defeat Tom Riddle, for Tom has always under estimated the power of true love."