Chapter 5- An epiphany...damn that Dumbledore!

A.n: Thanks for the reviews. There weren't that many, but hey what can you do? I canged the title because I had this Dumbledore and Snape scene in my head and I had to do it before I forgot it. I have such great inspiration for this story and got ideas from so many places that I can't ignore it. So here's chapter 5! Review please!

Hermione finished the book that Snape had given her in a day. She was so drawn into it that she neglected to finish her homework for her other class, which wasn't like her in the least. Ginny noticed it and expressed her concern.

"Are you doing okay, Hermione? You seem to be...well not yourself."

Hermione nodded, but truly she wasn't. She felt odd lately and she didn't know why. Ginny had an observant eye and Hermione was grateful for her friend's concern, but she had to figure out things by herself and she couldn't put her baggage onto her friends.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just...I think I might be coming down with...a cold or something."

"Well, you should see Madame Pompfry then."

Hermione smiled at her friend and she sighed to herself. Whatever she had couldn't be cured by magic. She knew she was coming down with the illness called love, but it was too hard to believe. She always had a little infatuation with Snape, just it never came out so intensly before.

Hermione nodded at Ginny and she walked away. She headed to the portrait hole and headed to the Grand Staircase.

Hermione was making her way to the door that led to the Great Hall, when it suddenly opened and revealed Professor Snape. Hermione didn't see him and she bumped right into him with a thud. She turned her gaze upward and widened her eyes when she saw who it was.

Snape gave her a small smile and he brushed off his robes lightly.

"I-I'm sorry, P-Professor..."

"Quite alright...I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Hermione shook her head and was stunned. He didn't take points away...usually Snape looked to take points from Griffinydor for any reason...even petty ones. Snape smile grew and he nodded to her. He swept passed her and Hermione followed him with her eyes. He stopped suddenly and turned around.

"Did you read that book?"

Hermione nodded and fished through her bag. She handed it to him and he gave her a surprised look.

"I liked it alot, sir. It was very...how should I put it...interesting. I spent a whole night reading it in front of the fire in the Common Room. It just sucked me in."

Snape smiled at this and he nodded quickly. He tucked the book under his robes and whisked away quickly and Hermione just stood there in confusion. Maybe she should go see Madame Pompfry after all.

Snape entered his class room and took out the book that he had gotten back from Hermione. He smiled when he looked at it, but the smile faded when he realized that he...Severus Snape...was acting like a fool. He shouldn't be as happy as he was. He was happy, but he only showed it when Hermione was around. He should've taken points from her when she bumped into him, but he wasn't in the mood and she really didn't deserve it. He hadn't been looking to where he was going either, but...yes...he was acting like a fool.

Snape sat at his desk and cradled his head in his hands. The feelings that he was feeling were wrong and just...strange. He had never felt the way he felt about anyone and it was confusing the hell out of him. He didn't know how to register the emotions and better yet...he didn't know how to show them. He was trying to show them, but it would be too much of a shock to everyone to see Snape pull the wand from his arse and act nice. He knew that she was student and just that factoid made everything simple. He could not have any type of relationship with a student...it was way out of bounds and he would be fired as fast as you could say wolfsbane.

Snape stood and nodded sternly. He needed to stop living in a fool's world and start acting like himself again. He was going to have to speak to Dumbledore and change Hermione to someone more sutable than he.

Hermione sat down at the Griffinydor table and spooned some rice pudding onto her plate. Ron plopped down next to her and smiled widely.

"And what, may I ask, is wrong with you?"

Ron smiled wider.

"You'll never guess what's happened to Harry."

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed loudly.

"What?"

Ron was silent as he turned to the doors of The Great Hall when they opened and Harry came walking in, head held high and proudly.

"Actually, he probably wants to tell you."

Hermione waited for Harry to sit down and then she looked at him expectantly.

"Hey, Hermione! Guess what?"

"What already!"

Harry smiled and he held out something golden. Hermione took it and looked at it. It was a little golden snitch pin and it had the engraving "CAP" in the ball.

"This..."

"I'm the new Griffinydor Quidditch Captain! Isn't it wonderful?"

Hermione nodded and gave the pin back. She was estatic, but all Ron and Harry ever talked about was Quidditch and now they had a reason to talk about it more and she had heard her share...seven years of it.

"If you will excuse me...I need to go to the library."

Harry nodded, but called after her.

"There's going to be a party tonight in the Common Room...around seven!"

Hermione nodded and exited the Great Hall.

Snape grew closer to the stone gargolye and he muttered the incantation that opened it.

"Polyjuice."

To Snape, it was a very sutable password, but for Dumbledore it was unusual.

'Well, it seems that I'm not the only one acting strange.'

Snape knocked on the door and he heard Dumbledore's muffled voice from behind it.

"Come in, Severus."

Snape blinked and shook his head with disbelief. Dumbledore always did that and it was unnerving. Snape opened the door and shut it behind him. He gazed around the office of the headmaster and found him sitting at his desk with that damn twinkle in his eye.

"Well, what do I owe this unexpected visit of yours, Severus."

Snape looked at the old man and his stomach lurched when that twinkle grew. He highly doubted that Dumbledore called this unexpected. Snape knew Dumbledore had known somehow that he was going to come sooner or later.

"I have some concerns about Ms. Granger, Headmaster. I believe she would be better suited with another staff member for the remainder of her shadowing session."

Dumbledore chuckled and steepled his fingers. He nodded to indicate he was listening and was silent. Snape waited for a reply, but when none was given, he cleared his throat.

"Well?"

"You amaze me, Severus. I think Hermione is fine where she is. She seems to be lacking a little though, but I can understand...with the circumstances..."

"Circumstances, sir?"

Dumbledore nodded and smiled widely.

"Yes, with all the work load she has recieved. She is struggling, but she is doing it and I think, with time, she will be able to make this a habit. She does catch on quickly."

Snape nodded and waited once more for Dumbledore to speak. All was silent in the office except for Fawkes, who was ruffling his wings to clean them.

"Understand this, Severus. I am not taking Hermione out of this. She needs it and so do you."

Snape cocked his head and shook it roughly.

"I don't understand..."

"I believe that Hermione is your path to redemption, Severus. If you believe that working for me will make amends...well, it only covers half of it. I will tell you that she needs to stay with you and you need to accpet it, whether you like it or not. Although, it seems, that you have already accepted an aspect of it."

Snape couldn't believe his ears. What was Dumbledore suggesting? Was it what Snape thought it was, or rather...was his heart wanted to think it was?

Snape sat silent and the wheels turned in his head. Dumbledore watched with an amused expression on his face and he nodded when he caught Snape's eyes. Snape was shocked.

"You mean to tell me that..."

Dumbledore nodded and Snape shook his head.

"But, Headmaster...she..."

"...is worth it, Severus. Take the advice of this old man and I give you my blessing. It may seem strange for you because you are unfamilar with this, but you will see it soon...I promise you."

Snape nodded and was still in shock. There was no way for him to do what Dumbledore was suggesting...no way. It was not who he was and Snape was sure it was something that he didn't want...was it?

Snape had exited Dumbledore's office and stood outside the door. He shook his head and didn't know what to do. Then the most life changing moment in his life. He could see her smile and feel her fingertips on his hand when he had brushed his against hers a while back, he could hear her laugh and actually smell her...it hit him hard...he was falling in love with Hermione Granger. Damn that Dumbledore.

And silently within

With hands touching skin

The shock breaks my disease

And I can breath

A.n: Okay really short and this has gone too qucikly, but hey what can I say...love happens quickly and unexpected so...but believe me when I say that this won't be all flowers and candy now...it's going to be tough Just wait...when happiness comes, sorrow follows close behind...