A.N I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER

ALL CHARACTERS OOC

THIS IS AN AU FIC

Chapter Nine

Recap

I would protect her from anything. She is mine now for as long as she'll have me. "It's okay, you're safe now Mione" I tell her over and over again to try and calm her.

This time

Hermione POV

It's been a week since I broke down in front of Lucius. I didn't think he'd respond the way he did.

I thought he'd be like Draco and do something mean. But he didn't, he soothed me and held me. It's been so long since someone had done that for me.

So long since I've even felt this type of emotion.

"Are you feeling alright?" I'm startled out my thoughts by Severus Snape inquiring about how I'm doing.

The past is truly strange.

"Oh, yeah. Just lost in thought I guess." I take him in. I never really looked into his eyes when I was his student.

I never saw this kind of sadness.

I never expected it either.

Especially this young.

"Are you studying?" I ask him just to make conversation.

"Yeah, we got a Defense test coming up and I want to be ready for it." He sits down like he's embarrassed to be studying.

"That's a good idea, I should probably start studying as well." I thought he would leave when I was finished speaking.

But to my surprise and delight he got comfortable in the chair.

"Would you, maybe like to study together?" he bashfully asks, and I feel a pang of twinge of how this shy boy turns into the man he does.

"I'd like that" I tell him donning my sweetest smile.

He offers me a small smile in return.

His eyes betray the joy he feels at me not rejecting his offer to study.

As we begin to study, Lily walks in with Alice and avoids Severus's eyes and the light from his eyes diminished.

I feel another pang of hurt for Severus.

"Do you want to study somewhere else?" I ask him in a quiet voice, touching his arm ever so slightly.

He almost pulled away from me but at the last minute he left his arm as if afraid to make a wrong move.

"I think that's a good idea" He says quietly.

We gather our books and head outside, we steer of the Black Lake, and find ourselves a nice grass pitch to study.

As we start to study, I really take in how much different teen Severus and Adult Snape are so different.

He catches me staring and shoots me a questioning look.

"Sorry for staring, you just remind of someone from my home" I tell him bashfully and hope he doesn't ask too many questions.

"What was he like?" He inquires, somewhat intrigued.

"He was a complicated man" I start off thinking about how to truly describe adult Severus Snape.

"He was Reserved. Silent, even. His face masked the many sentiments in him." Severus looks immersed in what I'm saying

"Though he was a heavily flawed man he was petty, vindictive, childish, tactless and sulky he spent the rest of his life to fix what he did wrong in his young adult life." I think more about adult Snape and how far he really came.

How no one knew the truth till the end.

"He improved as a man and realized his mistakes. He was brave enough to accept his mistakes and he strived to be a better man. He never became perfect, but he was a brave man. A brave man who accepted his mistakes and moved forward. He is a devil who turned into a hero." As I finish Severus speaks.

"What was his name?" That was the question I was not prepared to answer.

"Dennis Creevey" I say the first name to come into my mind.

He nods and we return to studying.

A couple of minutes later we're found by our group of Slytherin friends

Rodolphus and Rastaban were playing some game, Bella and Regulus were lagging a bit behind teasing Lucius who was looking as though he'd rather be anyhere else.

That is, until he spotted me and Severus.

When he did a huge smile graced his beautiful aristacat features.

"Hermione!" Rodolphus and Rastaban shouted with delight at they too spotted us.

Sometimes they remind me of Fred and George.

I feel a pang of sadness in my chest as I think of them.

Fred dead and George never right again.

If I can I'm going to change the future the best I can.

"What are you to up to?" Bella asks us as she plops herself down more gracefully than her future husband and brother-in-law do.

"We were just studying for the DADA test coming up." Severus tells her as Lucius also takes a seat but one next to me.

He wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest.

I expected to freak out, but I've never felt so at ease.

I leaned into his chest and felt myself relax in someone's arms for the first time since before the war.

"So is this a thing now?" Regulus questions as he finishes poking and prodding Severus, to the amusement of Bella and the annoyance of Severus.

I shoot a questioning at Lucius and he smiles and looks at Regulus.

"Yeah, it is" He says as he kisses my forehead, Rastaban squeals and Bella looked conflicted.

"You okay Bella?" I ask her, she quickly looks up and I can tell something's upsetting her.

Before she could answer though, I see a younger but still incredibly beautiful version of Narcissa Malfoy walk up to the group.

Looking very angry.

I bristle and remember that I was in the arms of her future husband.

Draco Malfoy's father.

"We need to talk Bella" Narcissa says bossily, she notices me in Lucius's arms and shoots me the dirtiest look ever.

Lucius glares back and she loses the look.

Bella gets up and disappears to talk to her sister.

"Does anyone know what that's about?" Rodolphus asked as he looked around.

Something told me Lucius knew but it was Regulus who answered his question.

"It's because Lucius's parents broke off their betrothal" He shot a sly look at Lucius as if to say good idea.

"Wow, your parent's let you do that?" I asked him in awe.

I thought betrothal contracts were unbreakable.

"I told them I was having second thoughts, that I had maybe found my true love." He smiled at me and I could see him blushing faintly.

"Really Luce, you did that for me?" He gave up a beautiful pureblood women for me, a Muggleborn.

"I'd do anything for you Mione" Was his response and I felt butterflies in my stomach.

"Since we're being honest here guys, there's something me and Regulus need to tell you guys." Rastaban says as he takes a huge breath.

"Me and Regulus have been dating for a month" He blurted out and looked ready for someone to tell him it was wrong.

"I think that's amazing" Severus said.

"As long as your both happy" Lucius old two of his dearest friends.

"I'm really happy for you guys" I tell them and they both beam with happiness at their relationship being accepted by their friends.

They moved closer and held hands, Regulus's Grey eyes, the same colour as his brother's held such joy to them and I felt a surge of happiness at the prospect of the future already changing

Rastaban looked at Rodolphus, his eyes pleading at his brother to say something.

Rodolphus looked conflicted, just like Bella did.

"I can't promise Mother and Father will take this well, but I think Regulus will be good for you" He finishes with a small smile at his brother and Rastaban pulls him into a big hug.

A/N I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

XOXO

~Bellatrix