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A/N: No more lyrics? Oh boy (

Still not mine

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Rolling up his sleeves, he approached her sleeping figure, eyes lingering on her face. She actually quiet pretty, he found himself thinking. Maybe it was because she looked so peaceful- unlike her always-tense form. His stomach turned over when he realized how he didn't make it any easier for her. He had never known how much pain she endured.. quiet like himself...

' Stop this,' he commanded himself. 'She's a student! Do what Dumbledore requested and have her on her way!'

He stood over her, before raising his wand. Her head snapped up, hair falling slowly behind her. Another flick of his wand and it was tied into a low ponytail, out of his way. He lowered the wand, her head falling in suit.

If Hermione were conscience, she would have awoken by her professor's cold hands as they held her face; thumbs behind her ears and fingers across her pale forehead. She did shiver, but slept on.

Snape closed his eyes as his thumbs turned over and over in circles. And, starting as quickly as a foot race, Hermione's past swirled through his fingers and into his mind. Blurs of her childhood, elementary school, the summers at the Burrow...

He concentrated hard, pretending he was Hermione. ' I've just heard the Weasley's are doomed...'

White light stung his closed eyes as he watched the flashbacks of the summer whiz past.

" Donwols," he found himself muttering, without his wand. The images held at a standstill, playing as slowly as they happened. He lingered at each one before erasing the words coming from everyone's mouths. She wouldn't remember what they had said.

Two and a half-hours past before he removed everything she heard that was dangerously related to the Weasley's fate. Another hour of removing her own thoughts about the matters, and he'd be done.

"Oblivate," he would mutter each time he came across a thought. At times, he had to add thoughts in to replace what she had thought. He knew that if he left too much out it could easily be remembered.

The truth was that Dumbledore was afraid of what Harry and Ron seemed capable of - playing the hero. Dumbledore, of course, did not put it that way. But Severus saw it clearly. The Headmaster didn't want Potter overreacting to a situation already being monitored. And Hermione had known enough to send Harry away at once... They couldn't risk it.

He realized that he had just put this thought back into Hermione's mind, and erased it with anger. What was he doing? He was falling apart at the seams. Quickly, but carefully, he continued with his work, mind blank, erasing a thought every minute or so.

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It took longer than he had planned, but 4 hours later, Snape was releasing Hermione's forehead with a sigh. It would have been finished early, had he not have to stop 3/4's of the way because she had a sudden nightmare about the Dark lord.

Yes, he could tell that she was frightened to the max about her friends and family. He had to be careful about how many he took away from being worried about the Weasley's. He only wished he could do something to lighten the load of worries Hermione found herself carrying.

Her eyelids fluttered, as she turned to one side. It seemed as if she'd awaken. He put a hand on her shoulder and tried to shake her lightly.

" Miss. Granger," he said, forcing hatred into his voice. "Miss. Granger, can you hear me?"

It took another 4 minutes of asking, and finally her eyelids fluttered once more, then slowly opened. Her eyes were extremely red, a side effect of everything she'd seen.

" I have finished," he informed her, trying his best to sound annoyed.

She nodded and without warning, fell back into sleep. He was surprised, but didn't try to wake her again. Pity swept over him. He looked at her face for another moment, before sweeping over to his desk to grade papers. It might have been late (3:47 AM) but he wasn't the least bit tired. He magicked himself a cup of warm tea, and began to grade the first paper he'd seen- Hermione's.

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Ron woke with a start the next morning, surprised to see Harry waking him - in all places- the couch in the common room.

"Way to come up last night," said Harry, somewhat annoyed.

And then it all came back to him. Hermione- Snape- the fire and snow...

" What happened anyway?"

Ron let out an angry moan.

" I think I fell asleep before she came 'round. OY! Ginny!" he looked around the common room, surprised to see it empty besides 3 first years that were looking up at the notice board. "Where is everybody?" he asked blankly.

Harry laughed. "First day of the holidays, mate. Everyone is either gone or at Hogesemde doing last minute shopping. C'mon, McGonagall is taking the remaining students."

The first years looked over at them hopefully.

" Er- third years and above.." said Harry uncomfortably. He watched as their faces fell, and then look away.

" Where's M'ione?" Ron asked rubbing his eyes, staring at the empty fireplace.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Probably the library or still sleeping. Look- she'll catch up to us later. You need to buy her presents right? You know she'll never leave you alone if you're trying to buy something for her."

Ron sat up and yawned, nodding. He scratched his side and said, "I'll be along in a minute.. gonna shower really quick.." he got up, and headed towards the boys showers; Harry taking his seat and grabbing parchment to write Hagrid.

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Hermione awoke with a start. Her heart was beating unusually fast. Where was she? She raked her mind for a reasonable explanation for being asleep in a prepared bed in her potions classroom. And then she hit something. It felt like a barrier. She vaguely remembered Snape taking her here last night for an explanation at his change of heart... and... and...

Her heart sank. With great effort, she managed to pull out him erasing her memory. "Dumbledore's orders." And that was all that there was.

She stood up and felt extremely lightheaded. She looked around for her Potions master, but he was nowhere in sight. She made her way to the door, and walked into the hall, trying as hard as she could to remember anything that was of importance, and there was nothing.

Mind buzzing, hands clenched, she made her way to the library before remembering it was he first day of the holidays. She should be with Ron and Harry. She stuck her hands in her pockets and started toward the Gryffindor common room.

Halfway there, she noticed her hand was brushed up against a piece of parchment inside her pockets. Frowning, she took her hand out, holding the parchment just when-

"Hermione! Where've you been?"

It was Ron, wet headed, Harry. They were both wearing their traveling cloaks.

" Er.. library. Catching up a bit..you know.." She didn't know why she was lying to them.

" Look, I'm sorry about last night Herm.. I should have remembered to silence and lock the door...it was all my fault...I wasn't thinking..."

" Er- let's talk about it later," she said. In truth, she couldn't take thinking all of this at once. She was becoming frustrated, her mind was defiantly not strong this morning.

" Uh- alright. Hey- what's that?"

Hermione cursed herself under her breath as she made to hide the parchment from his view.

" Just homework," she said shortly, stuffing it rather quickly into her pocket. Harry and Ron exchanged that "look" they always got.

"You feeling all right M'ione?" asked Harry taking a step closer.

Hermione tried not to look into his bright green eyes as she lied.

" Yeah.. just a bit tired.. long night..." she seemed to want to get off the topic rather desperately. " Where are you guys going anyway? " she asked suddenly, pointing out their cloaks.

" McGonagalls treating the left over students to a day in Hogsmede," Harry seemed unsure on whether or not to invite her. He looked at Ron who was watching Hermione with an awkward eye. There was diffidently something wrong with her.

" Oh." she said, sounding a little bit sad. She had a feeling that they didn't want her there.

" You coming?" asked Ron walking toward her to put his arm around her. She shivered and backed away suddenly, eyes looking like they were about to tear.

" Um, maybe I'll meet up with you guys later. Lots to do..." and she walked past them in the similar way that she did 7 years ago when she had heard them talking about her in the courtyard.

" What's up with her?" asked Ron, sounding somewhat angry.

"Dunno..." said Harry. Suddenly his mood changed. " Well, at least you can buy her present now. "

" Yeah" Ron grumbled. " I suppose your right."