SUMMARY: Hermione looses her two best friends in the war against Voldemort. Because of this, she becomes depressed and flees from the world she loves. To London she goes and chooses to live as a muggle. Six years pass. Hermione slowly begins to forget how to use magic. Will the staff of Hogwarts be able to teach her again before the damage becomes permanent?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

PAIRINGS: Hermione Granger, Severus Snape (eventually); Rated M

A/N: Thank you to PioPeli, iloveseverussnape, GerryPhanatic, Kellyroxton, bRaTsKi, A Lee En, screwtheperfectlife, Anarane Anwamane, coldqueen, bloodwitch88, Katyes, Joani, Murphyangel, and Fuuruma for your reviews.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Snape stalked down the hallways, more than angry at the world.

The nerve of Dumbledore suggesting such a thing. That girl is not getting under my skin!

But Hermione was. There was something about her that made Snape react differently. Because of her, he wasn't acting like himself.

Snape found himself accepting her thank you, helping her rediscover her magic, saving her life when it didn't need saving, and he took her verbal abuse, though it wasn't really discourteous.

Hermione Granger was simply a charming Gryfindor who had lost her way. For some reason, Snape wanted to help her find it again. In a way he felt obligated to help her.

Snape had never treated Harry or Ron with the greatest of respect. He disliked them, that was no secret. Hermione's state was conjured because of their deaths. Because both of them are gone, Snape feels he should do his best to help Hermione as a gift to her best friends. For Snape knew that Harry and Ron would hate to see Hermione like this.

"If I have to make another trip to Diagon Alley..."

Hermione tore her room apart looking for her wand. She could have sworn she laid it on the dresser, but when she went to get it, it was no where to be found.

"There is no way it could have floated back to Ollivander's! I haven't had it that long," she screamed as she threw any empty box.

"Ow!" Hermione stopped and turned around. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"That thought crossed my mind," she said going back to look for her wand, cursing to herself that she left the door open. "What do you want Malfoy?"

"What are you doing, Granger," he said as he stepped in.

"Well, if you must know," she stood and faced him, "I'm looking for my wand. I didn't invite you in."

"Don't worry," he smiled. "I won't be staying long."

"Good! That will give me time to understand what is happening to me," said Hermione, thinking of her dream about Snape.

"What's happening to you," asked Draco.

"Nothing, don't worry about." She crossed her arms. "Um, so what did you want?"

"I need to know when you are planning to start the Defense Against the Dark Arts. Later today would work." Hermione laughed.

"Why?"

"Because I teach it," he said simply.

"That's what you teach!" He nodded. "This is unbelievable. I should be the one teaching you!" Hermione sighed. "I can't do it today anyway. I'm suppose to see Professor McGonagall later. Tomorrow I could, but she may want a double session. And after tomorrow, I have to go back to potions. I have a very complicated schedule."

"How is potions," Draco asked, a comical smile on his face.

"WHY DOES EVERYBODY KEEP ASKING ME THAT," she screamed.

"Is it that bad?" Draco knew Hermione couldn't stand Snape. But what Draco, and everyone else for that matter, didn't know was where she currently stand on the subject. Hermione didn't know if she hated him.

"Potions is fine..."

"So, it's Severus you hate?"

"I don't hate Severus," she said. Then she quickly said, "I mean Snape. I don't hate Snape."

"So, you like him." Hermione took this completely the wrong way.

"I do not!"

"Wh-"

"I do not like him! And I dare you to say otherwise!" Hermione stopped and thought about what she just said. She tried desperately to correct her mistake. "I mean, he is a teacher. I'm not suppose to like him." Draco raised an eyebrow. "And besides, he is a Slytherin. If it were my choice, I would have nothing to do with him. Or you," she added quickly. "But seeing as I have no choice at the moment, I must bare with the both of you."

"You're a weird one, Granger." She smiled faintly as Draco turned to leave, but then stopped. "Oh, there was something else." Hermione thought she was going to die.

"What else?"

"The annual Halloween Masquerade Ball is approaching."

"The what?"

"The annual Halloween Masquerade Ball." Hermione was confused.

"Hogwarts has a masquerade ball?"

"Every Halloween. It is the fifth of many. A new tradition." Hermione walked over to her dresser and began to look in the drawers for her wand.

"So, why are you telling me?"

"Dumbledore requests your presence," Draco said as he dodged a green shirt that Hermione had just thrown. "He thinks it will do you good."

"Well, you'll have to tell him I can't make it-YES," she screamed as she finally found her wand in the bottom drawer, hiding all the way in the back. "How did it get in there I wonder?"

"You cannot decline your invitation, Granger." Hermione set the box with her wand in it down on the dresser and approached Draco.

"Why can't I?"

"Because you just can't."

"That's not even a reason!"

"Look," Draco said, "I don't make the rules. You have a problem with it, talk to Albus." Draco walked away from her and took his exit. Hermione followed.

"Fine! I will," she shouted after him as she stepped into the hall.

"You will what?" Hermione jumped ten feet in the air and a small scream escaped her lips. When she turned around, she saw Snape standing there. He was on his way to his classroom. Snape had no intention to see Hermione, but seeing how she was standing right there...

"You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that," she said as she walked back into her room. Snape took his own entrance. Hermione noticed and said, "Do all Slytherin take it upon themselves to enter another person's room without waiting to be invited?"

"You wouldn't have invited me in anyway," he said plainly. "You seem to be a little angry with me."

"Yes, I am." Snape didn't expect her to admit it. "So, did you expel the two students," Hermione asked as she went to retrieve her wand.

I knew that was what it was, he thought.

"Your wish was granted," he said. "The Headmaster did not...approve." A small smile graced her lips, but when she turned around, Hermione saw Snape's expression. Her smile faded. For some reason, she felt horrible.

"Oh, gosh. I can't believe I'm doing this." Hermione walked over to Snape. She took a big breath. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I know you didn't appreciate me and my opinion earlier this morning. I shouldn't have interfered. I should have just went back in my room and let you handle it."

"Its okay-"

"No, its not," she said. "If it wasn't for me, you would have got your wish and those two little hooligans wouldn't be in class right now. Knowing me, I probably influenced the wrong kind of decision. Those two boys were probably meant to be expelled."

"Dumbledore did not approve the expulsion because the students were not in violation of any of the rules."

"Fighting is a violation."

"Not a big enough one for expulsion I'm afraid," Snape said in a disappointed tone. Snape's gaze began to scan her room. "I simply love what you've done with the place."

"Ha! Very funny." During Hermione's search for her wand, she had managed to destroy her room completely. Her clothes, pillows, bed sheet, and books were thrown everywhere. "I eventually found what I was looking for," she said pointing to her wand box.

"Any luck with that," Snape asked curiously.

"I haven't touched it since. I thought I'd lost it again. Malfoy was no help."

"Draco was here?" Hermione nodded.

"He asked about Defense Class." She sighed. "I still can't believe I have to learn something from Draco. Never thought I'd see the day. You've always thought highly of them." Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Slytherins always stick together, Ms. Granger." She laughed lightly.

"Draco also spoke of a Halloween ball?"

"Ah, the ball," Snape said in a low tone.

"You don't seem to happy about it."

"I'm not. I could do without," he said.

"Draco also said participation was mandatory. I can't decline my invitation."

"No one can decline their invitation, Ms. Granger. The Headmaster won't allow it." He paused. "You don't seem to thrilled either."

"Well oddly enough, like you, I'm not," she said simply. "I came here to improve my health, not go to parties and have fun."

"You can't live your life without fun." Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"You're talking to me about fun," she said in between light giggles. "What do you know about fun?"

"People define fun in many different ways, Ms. Granger," he said. "Being a wild one can be fun for one person, while being a calm one can be just as much fun for another. It all depends on your point of view. If I remember correctly, the Yule Ball was in you fourth year. You went and I would imagine you had a good time."

"Well of course I had a good time," she said. "I was fourteen. All girls love dancing when they're fourteen."

"It really doesn't matter what you think. Dumbledore will make you attend." Hermione knew Snape was right. Dumbledore always had a way of convincing people to do the most unlikely things.

Hermione need to master her wand, which meant Snape had to leave. In the spirit of changing the subject Hermione spoke.

"Shouldn't you be teaching some frightened third years right about now?"

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