Author's Note: I'm sorry for the long wait, my college work is piling so I have to do them first. This chapter is short but I will make the next chapter longer.
Thanks to my reviewers... :p

Chapter 4

The Promise

A week has passed since Snape's departure; Hermione was sitting on her bed in her parents' house. She was depressed but she knew she must put herself together because next week, she would be taking an apprenticeship for Potions under Horace Slughorn. Eventually, she will have taken over Slughorn's post after she finishes her apprenticeship. She remembered all her memories with Snape. The first time she raised her hand in his class, her first civil conversation with him, their first dance together, and her first kiss with him.

A knock on her door snapped her out of her reverie. "Who is it?" called Hermione.

"It's me," came out her mother's voice. Hermione stood up from her bed and opened the door. Her mother looked at her with sympathy. "Can I come in?" asked her mother. Hermione just nodded and let her mother in her room.

Without her mother asking twice, Hermione told all her memories with Snape. Her mother smiled at all the stories she shared.

"I'm glad you told me all your happy memories with him. I don't want you sitting here and thinking of negative things," said her mother.

"Thanks for being here, Mum," said Hermione while she embraced her mother.

"I'm always here for you, dear. By the way, I have something for you."

They pulled apart from each other and her mother took something from her pocket.

"It's a letter for you."

"I didn't see an owl flying here," Hermione frowned.

"Oh, this came from the postman. I'd better leave you for now, I have to cook lunch," said her mother smiling.

"Okay, thanks Mum."

"No problem dear." Her mother gently closed the door.

Hermione opened the letter and she gasped with delight as she instantly recognized the handwriting.

Dearest Hermione,

I hope you are doing well. I sent this by Muggle post because I know you are staying at your parents' house. It has been a week since I left the Wizarding World. I'm not that oriented with Muggle ways so I am trying very hard to cope with it.

Hermione giggled at the thought of Snape getting excited lighting a fire with matches just like Mr Weasley at the Quidditch World Cup.

I miss you terribly. I know searching my self will take a longer time. I doubt a year will do it because of all the horrible incidents that took half of my life. But I really want to make this faster. After three years, let us meet each other at the hill with the solitary tree outside Hogsmeade. 1 Three years will be a long time for me to recover. I hope I will be fully recovered by that time. I love you Hermione, always remember that.

Severus

Hermione felt tears running down her cheeks. She kissed the letter. "I promise you Severus, I will come and wait for you."

1 from the movie "My Sassy Girl", although in the movie, they wait for two years and the hill is not outside Hogsmeade or in England

thanks to wafledreams for making me watch that movie