Chapter 8- You can change the future

The words were now blurred by Snape's own tears. He hadn't cried in so long, that it was almost strange to him. But the words on the grave were imprinted in his mind and his sobs were uncontrollable. The woman watched him silently from the corner, until she saw the fire and anger that built up in his eyes. Standing in a rage that most people would run from, he turned his deadly glare on her. She didn't even flinch as his venom-filled voice, so low that it sounded like it came from the pits of hell, came from his mouth. "What happened to her?"

"I can show you." She said calmly. "But I must first tell you why I can." The scene began to change, back into the battle. Snape watched for clues but there were none. The same scene appeared, still frozen. "I can only tell you this, because I have been asked to."

"By who?" Snape asked.

"You." She said, looking at the man with caring eyes. "You asked me to show you what will happen to her. I think, you treasure her life more then you treasure your own. But, I cannot tell you anymore. I must show you what will happen." The woman ran her hand through the air.

The battle began, yelling and screaming suddenly wrapped around Snape's ears. He watched intently as the future Hermione fought, noticing that the future version of him was back to back with her. The future him was fighting two Death Eaters and she was fighting one. The future Ron stood to her left, fighting a Death Eater of his own. With a quick step, the future Hermione moved away from the future version of him self's back and diverted the attention of all three Death Eaters so that the future Ron could attack them from behind. Snape smiled as he remembered how smart she was. The battle with the future him and his own Death Eaters was a losing one. The future Snape had managed to kill the first Death Eater, but the second was recovering fast from the hex that had been put on him. Snape watched as the future Snape turned his back to the Death Eater to check on the future Hermione. "Severus... NO!" Snape watched in horror as the future Hermione flung herself at the future Snape, knocking him out of the way, and receiving the hex herself. The future Snape crawled over to the young woman, wrapped his arms around her, and apparated her out of the bloody mess of people.

Snape watched as the future Snape apparated himself and Hermione to a safe place and the scene froze. Snape looked up at the woman. "Make it stop." He said.

"No, I cannot." She said. "You asked me to show you this more than anything else. I just wanted to point out that this is where her monument was built, upon this ground." Then the woman raised her hand and unfroze the scene.

Future Snape wrapped his arms around Future Hermione loosely and held her close to him. "You are such a stupid girl." Future Snape said, although his tears fell freely.

"Why are you crying? Future Hermione asked.

"You are so insufferable. You should have let him hit me." Future Snape said with a scowl.

"Severus..." Future Hermione said breathless. She was losing her breath and he could feel her heart beat weaken. "I love you Severus, more then I was ever able to tell you before. You changed my life and taught me so much. I would never have made it this far without you." She was crying small tears; she didn't have the strength to cry more. "Promise me that you will bury me beside Dumbledore, and any of my friends who die here today. And go back and protect Harry for me, he deserves to live without the threat of Voldemort over his head. Promise me that you will be nicer to the people around you and learn to love more people then just me. Severus, will you also promise me that you will never forget how much I love you and how I would have much rather died saving you then dying in battle. I love you so much Severus." Her breath became shorter.

There was so much that he wanted to say, but he just couldn't find the words to tell her how much he felt about her. "Hermione... I love you," was all that Future Snape managed to say.

"I know how you feel Severus." Future Hermione said. "Now promise me?"

"I promise." Future Snape said. Future Hermione closed her eyes. "Hermione... please don't die." He cried. But the girl went limp in his arms, her heart beat stopping.

Snape's tears again appeared as the scene faded from him. They were on the dirt path again, the woman standing before him in the all-consuming darkness. "Why would I ask you to show me that?"

"You regretted it, for the rest of your life. You regretted that she gave her life for you when she had so much more to live for then you did. You regretted that you never found the words to express how you felt about her. You regretted that you never showed her how much you really cared about her when she was alive."

"Can I change it?" Snape asked.

"Yes." The woman said, as the darkness began to get darker. "You have been given the chance to change your life and hers. Don't take this lightly. And you cannot tell her what you saw." Then everything was black.

-x-

Snape's eyes opened fast and he stared straight up at his ceiling. He laid there thinking about the dream that he had had. It was just a dream, nothing more. But Snape knew that it was so much more then a dream. He knew it was a true look into the future and a true wake-up call for what he needed and wanted. Looking to his right, he expected to see Hermione's small form gently cuddled under the blanket. However, she wasn't there. In her place, there was a piece of parchment. Snape grabbed it and unrolled it.

Dear Severus,

Good morning sunshine. You were sound asleep when I woke up this morning and you looked so amazing sleeping, I couldn't stand to wake you up. I had to return to my room before people got suspicious and asked me where I was all night.

I had an amazing night last night Severus and I didn't mean just the sex. I don't really know how to explain why I love you, but right now I am just glad that you love me too. I want to see you again. Feel free to interrupt my thoughts any time you want to Severus, after all I belong to you know.

Love,

Hermione Granger

Snape smiled and rolled the parchment up. Placing it in the desk drawer, he went into his bathroom. He took a quick shower and dressed in his same black robes before exiting the bathroom. Upon entering his living room, he saw Dumbledore sitting in a chair in front of the lit fireplace. "Ah, Severus my boy." Dumbledore said as Snape emerged. "Sleep well did you?"

Snape grabbed a glass and poured it with coffee. "Not at all. What do you want Albus?" He asked his tone harsher than normal.

"I would imagine, dear boy, that love would cheer up one's mood." Dumbledore said with the same mad twinkle he had always had in his eyes.

"How did you know?" Snape asked, drinking his coffee and letting the liquid burn his throat.

"Professor, you know very well that nothing goes on in the castle without me knowing about it." He said with a smile, "Especially when a student and a professor are breaking the rules."

"Do you intend to fire me and expel her?" Snape asked, showing no care if Dumbledore did.

"Not at all," Dumbledore said. "This is gone entirely too far for me to stop. Had I noticed before Miss Granger and you fell in love, I would have stepped in. But, as you well know, it isn't my place to step in between two people in love."

"Thank you." Snape said, although there was no real genuine tone in the statement.

"You do truly love the girl, Severus?" Dumbledore said, turning his attention to the Professor.

"I don't see how that is any of your concern." Snape said shortly. "But if you must know, then yes I do love her."

"Ah, well that is fabulous. We were staring to worry about you." Dumbledore said with a smile. "I will see you at breakfast." And with that, Albus disappeared.

-x-