Author Note: Well, here it is… I look back now and realize that I could have improved on the story some but I feel that I've done the best I could given certain situations. As for the previous chapter, I'm sorry, but the bunny really does have a huge secret for all of you that you will immensely enjoy. So with no further ado, the final chapter of "Breaking Down Walls" dedicated to my sister, Nethea. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIS!
The summer months passed as quickly as they came. The wind began to chill and blow hard against the trees. It was requested by her Master that she not come to begin her Apprenticeship until after the students had a few months to settle in. She smirked at this knowing full well that it was he that needed to adjust to having someone else in his private laboratory, in his library, and under his feet everyday for the next few years. 'Stalling' is the word she used to describe it. Not to mention the impending awkwardness for what happened the last day she laid eyes on him.
The 'O' in October stared her down over breakfast one morning. October 1st was circled with a large red marker. It was the day she had been dreading, and the day she was the most excited about all in one. It was the first day of her new life. Hermione Granger: adult, apprentice, teacher to some, student of others.
She made her way to the Floo and found herself stopping right before she threw in the powder.
"I can't go to my first day looking like I rolled in an ashtray!"
She looked around the flat and found the keys to her muggle car.
"No, that's just what I need to attract attention from everyone as I arrive by a loud clunking hunk of junk."
She sighed and sat down heavily on the couch noting the time was fast approaching. She ran one hand through her long, and finally, manageable curls. She was looking around the room looking at nothing when her eyes landed on the present Harry had bought her for her birthday. It was still in the corner of the room gathering dust, ribbon still attached.
"It's the only way," she sighed as she pulled herself and all her Gryffindor courage up off the seat.
Walking outside and placing a few concealment charms on herself, Hermione raised one leg and straddled the contraption. With a deep breath, she kicked off the ground. Wobbly and unsure of herself, Hermione did her best to control her broom over the streets of Muggle London.
Several hours and one hell of a problem with her panties tucked between the cheeks of her bum later, Hermione finally saw what she silently referred to as paradise straight ahead. The sun, just going down behind the mountains, cast a multitude of colors against the large stone walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft of Wizardry.
Landing somewhat unceremoniously at the bottom of the front steps, Hermione took another look at the large doors that loomed over her. She took a deep breath realizing that they held her future. She wondered what kind of future that would actually be.
She was suddenly shocked out of her trance as the doors popped loudly and began to open. Standing with arms spread, one hand on each door, and a scowl affixed to his features, Professor Snape stood before Hermione.
It took Hermione to realize that she was looking at just a man, not some commander of a fortress displaying his bravado for entrances. She chuckled at the thought.
"Prey tell, Miss Granger, what do you find so amusing?" he drawled.
She lifted the hand that covered her large grin and waved at him as if to dismiss the entire scene. Lowering her head, she plucked her belongings from her coat pockets and enlarged them. She began up the steps, and stopped at the top. She looked him dead in the eye. How could she have fretted over this moment when he makes it so easy for her to laugh about it all?
"Believe it or not, Severus, I find you hilarious sometimes."
His scowl deepened as she held her chin up high and continued into the castle. He turned quickly, shut the doors behind him, and smiled. "Perhaps," he thought as he followed his Apprentice to the dungeons.
It had been a week since she arrived, and not a single incident occurred between them. She followed his commands as she did in school. He even allowed her to make suggestions and slight variations of procedure if it didn't interfere with the project at hand. Severus found her company relaxing as that it allowed him more time to do what he needed. Hermione often took over the excess work load of making new potions for the infirmary and cleaning up after students, of her own will, of course. And he managed the classes, exams, potions grading, and preparing for the next class. It was one day in particular that he noticed how bored he was. Yes, bored.
"Do you need some headache relief, Severus?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose again and decided to look up into her dark eyes. "No, I'm just…"
"Bored?"
"Exactly."
She laughed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Please."
"Please? Since when did you have manners?"
"Since I realized that I would have to put up with you driving me to the grave with your incessant giggling. Now, what is so funny?"
She sat down in the chair opposite him. She glanced around at his office and then turned her attention back to him.
"It amazes me to see how much you've changed. You used to be this man that made little children scurry in fear."
"I still do," he interrupted.
"Shush, and let me finish." The eyebrow lifted. She just smiled at him and continued. "That! That right there is what I mean. You can only raise that eyebrow so often before everyone knows it's just a motion you go through to try to intimidate everyone. Contrary to anything Neville says, you aren't that scary. Sure, you live in darkness, you wear dark robes, and Merlin knows, you need more sunshine…"
"Is this going somewhere, Miss Granger?"
She did her best eyebrow impersonation which immediately got his attention. "I believe you are just like any one of us. Sometimes you're scared. Sometimes you're happy. Sometimes you're confused. Sometimes you're sad. I saw it at the Wizengamot at your trial. You were all those things, Severus. It was like watching a child trying to survive an unknown situation. Much like the students here, you didn't know what to expect. So, you use this façade to show that you are more than that which you teach. Sometimes, it's best to see things through the eyes of a child. And then you realize that it's okay to be afraid, confused, and sad. I figured you out, Severus Snape. I've taken everything I've ever known about you, played the process of elimination, and came up with the only possible conclusion."
"Please enlighten me."
She cocked her head to the side. "You're not a powerhouse. You're not the scary bat of the dungeons. You're not even intimidating to me anymore. I see you for what you are. You're only human."
She stood and headed for the laboratory door to fetch the headache potion she knew he needed but was too proud to admit he needed. She came back to his office and handed him the bottle. She was surprised to see him looking at her as if she just figured out the reason of life.
"What?"
"There has only ever been one other person to see through me like you do. Albus said something very similar to me many years ago when I appeared asking for forgiveness and sanctuary. I am taken back at the realization that someone else could do that. To see me. But then again, everyone said you were the cleverest witch of your age."
She smiled at him. "I suppose that's what happens when you break down walls. You find the truth hiding behind them."
"Indeed."
Two months passed after their heart to heart. Hermione and Severus became accustomed to the routine of mentoring, teaching, and having talks similar to the one they had. Everything was discussed, including parents, lineage, and mistakes.
Hermione was preparing for her next class, first year Hufflepuffs. That is all he would allow Hermione to teach at the moment. She accepted that and enjoyed working with children.
"Hermione?"
She lifted her eyes to meet the familiar black of his.
"Two days from now the students will be leaving for the holidays. Are you going with them?"
She looked back to the stack of essays in front of her. "I doubt I will be able to leave this season. I've owled my parents and told them I'd visit for New Year's. I just have too much to do here."
She went back to grading. He remained where he stood.
"Is there something else, Severus?" she asked still looking over sloppy penmanship on the parchment in her hand.
"No."
He walked to Floo. Muttering his destination, he disappeared in a blaze of green.
"Lupin?"
The werewolf was attending to some last minute gifts as he heard his named called from the other room.
"Severus?"
They met in the hall. For the first time since their argument, the two men regarded each other. Remus gestured to the leather wingback chair in the room offering Severus a place to sit. He then took the opposite seat and studied his company. Severus was struggling with something.
"What happened now?" Remus asked as he relaxed back into the cushion of the chair.
Severus sighed. "I want to tell her everything. From that night in the car to now."
Remus' eyes narrowed. "You told me nothing happened in the car."
Severus looked up, the look in his eyes confirming what Remus suspected almost a year ago.
"Severus, how could you?"
"I am not here for your lectures, Lupin. I am here for your…help."
Remus smiled. "All I want to know is was it mutual?"
"Yes."
Remus nodded and stood. He walked over to the shelves jammed with book after book and pulled out an old tattered novel. Opening it gingerly, he lifted a vial from the hole that was cut into the pages. He turned to Severus and handed it to him.
Severus eyed the pearly white substance and looked to Remus for clarification.
"I couldn't in good conscious Obliviate you without attempting to maintain your past. These are your memories from that night up until you came to see me. Everything you thought, everything you felt, everything you saw and did is in that vial. Just show her."
Severus took the vial and shook the hand of the man that just possibly saved his heart from eternal damnation. Within a few seconds, Severus was standing in front of a pensieve in his office with Hermione at his side. He tipped the contents into the bowl. With the tip of his wand, the scene began to play before them. It was early morning. The snow was deep. The car was submerged.
"I cannot bring your memories back but perhaps we can relive them."
He took her hand and they both fell into the moment.
Hermione saw him admiring her sleeping form and relishing the feel of her hair. Her heart lightened at the gesture.
Severus was surprised at his own forwardness of offering himself to Hermione. She was even more surprised by her answer. She could feel the hand that held hers begin to get clammy. She smiled to herself and watched as their other selves began to get lost in each other. Hermione found it to be somewhat erotic watching herself being penetrated by the man that stood beside her now. She compared it to watching a muggle home video.
They watched as he stopped. Severus walked around and saw the tears that she shed that night. He looked up at the Hermione he had now and felt a break. The wall around his heart lay broken once again.
Hermione looked up to see the scene change. She found herself standing at Number 12 Grimmauld place. She heard Remus' joke and giggled. But was stunned when, within a blink her eye, Severus had him against the wall. The words they heard forced them both to look at each other.
Remus looked straight into Severus' glare. "You love her."
Three words were it took to break down Severus Snape's walls that surrounded his heart. He immediately let go of Remus and took a step back. He heard himself say something similar this very morning, but he never admitted to it. He never actually said it aloud and to hear it come from someone else's lips, startled him into realization. He did love her. Now, he had to say it. He needed to confirm it before he allowed the idea to be stripped from his mind completely. He needed to know that it was true and the only way to do that was to admit it to another human being. Severus looked up at Remus.
"I love her."
Their surroundings went white and they felt themselves being lifted back to reality. Hermione stood for a moment to allow time for the last scene to register. Severus, having been Obliviated by Remus, stood in shock. He knew he felt something, but never did he think it was love.
The silence was broken as Hermione spoke. "Graduation day. I knew there was something pulling me to you. I couldn't place it. You promised me you would help me remember. I wondered why there was such determination in your words. Now, I realize."
She took a few short steps to stand in front of him. She lifted her hands to his face like she did that day. Looking straight into his eyes, she said it.
"I love you, too."
The kiss that followed was the first of many passionate caresses they shared. Severus and Hermione have come to find that sometimes, in order to get just what you're looking for, you might have to break down walls to find it.
Author note: I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you to everyone! I appreciate all of your wonderful reviews so much! It means the world to me to know that I can entertain you all! Much love, Wicked Witch.