Severely Deluded

Scene 11

Hermione walked around for the best part of a month in a haze. She couldn't remember why she'd stopped volunteering in Potions. She couldn't remember why she never wanted to drink pumpkin juice anymore. She couldn't remember why there were romance novels in her sock drawer, one Chocolate Frog left in the tin by her bed, or a Pensieve on the top shelf of her closet. She couldn't remember and, increasingly, she didn't care.

Professor Snape asked her to stay after class one day. Hermione couldn't understand why: her potion had been perfect and she hadn't said anything insufferably know-it-all. Or anything at all, for that matter. Her stomach jumped as she approached Snape's desk. She wished she knew why.

"I didn't mean to do it, sir."

"Do what?" Snape said.

"Whatever I did wrong," Hermione said. "That's what I'm here for, isn't it? I knew I should have added that extra drop of doxy venom."

"Miss Granger, kindly stop babbling." Snape leaned forward and said, "I have a confession to make. You were right."

Hermione had gotten accustomed lately to feeling confused, but this had the air of a situation with no ties to reality. "I don't understand, sir."

"When you told me you couldn't get through the rest of the year like this." He made a vague gesture, indicating presumably her mental state. "Even I can see you were right."

Hermione thought that reply raised more questions than it answered, and she was about to say so when Snape continued.

"Now, I want you to go back to your room and put whatever memories you find in your Pensieve back into your head."

Hermione started. How could Snape possibly have known about her Pensieve, much less its contents? "But sir "

"Just do as I say."

"I'm really confused," she admitted. "I feel like there's something huge I lost and now I want it back."

Hermione could not remember Snape ever looking like this. "You might find that you don't want it after all," he sighed. "Just do what I've told you, and remember what I said."

"I'll try," Hermione said.

"And – I am truly sorry."

Hermione didn't understand why, but she said, "It's really not that bad."

Snape gave a dry laugh. "You only say that because you don't remember. Now go."

Hermione went.

A/N: Here's the revised version of this chapter, which I hope clears things up a bit. Let me know me what you think, either by review or by e-mail (in my profile). Constructivecriticism is always welcome, but flames give me nightmares. And thanks for finishing the story.