Hermione didn't wake up until the next day, and the first thing she noticed was she was back in bed and that her legs ached unmercifully. Sitting up, she looked around the empty room for her sonnet book, unable to find it in its usual spot on her bedside table. Thinking back to the last moment she remembered from the previous evening, she found it to be Gilderoy Lockhart's face. All thoughts of the book fled her mind as she considered the fact that he was really there at Hogwarts. Determined to find out more, she slipped her legs off the mattress to dangle, then took a deep breath. "You will work for me today," she said lowly as she placed her weight fully on her legs.

She stood for several minutes, waiting for the painful cramps to come again, but they didn't. Cautiously, she took a few steps forward, bracing against the landmarks of the room. She smiled when she had completed a full circuit and then she sat on the bed once more. Hermione pulled out her wand and used it to bring her clothes over to her. Quickly, she changed into her school uniform, eager to be out of her nightgown.

Once she was ready to face the day, she got up once more, finding her legs more steady then the last time. Going to the door, she looked around the corridor to see if anyone was there. She stepped out and went down the hall until she came to a closed door. Knocking a few times, she then opened the door and stepped in.

"Good morning, Miss Granger."

"Mr. Lockhart, I thought I had seen you last night in my room. Turns out I was right. What's brought you here?"

"I don't rightly know. Dr. Otto said I would make more progress in my recovery here. Poppy said last night that you were once my student. Was I a good teacher?"

"Not really, no. You were too focused on you and not on teaching us how to defend ourselves against the Dark Arts. I was really expecting more from you."

"Oh dear. Well, hopefully I didn't lead too many people astray. Say, do you know if Rose is here? I do so hope to see her soon."

"Why don't I see what I can arrange. If Madam Pomfrey asks where I am, tell her I'm out walking the halls." Hermione left the room and snuck out of the Infirmary. The halls were clear of students and she slowly made her way over to Sibyll's tower. A dull ache built in her legs as she ascended the stairs and she found she had to rest a few times on the way up. Hearing voices in the main room, she slipped into Sibyll's private quarters. After about thirty minutes had passed, the voices dimmed and she was no longer alone.

"Hermione? How did you get up here?" Sibyll asked as she took a seat on the settee next to her.

"I used my legs, of course. Though they still do hurt a bit now. Have you heard the news?"

"No, what's going on that would cause you to come here?"

"He's back and in the Infirmary."

"Who?"

"Gilderoy Lockhart, and he's asking to see you. I don't know how much he remembers, but you are something real and tangible to him."

"Would, would you take me to see him?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Of course, but do you think it wise? You have no idea if he's the same person you remember him to be."

"If you can find the strength to come up here and tell me about him, I can go down there and face him. I need to know if I can love the man he's become or if I'm only in love with the memory in my head."

Hermione nodded and together they descended from the tower. It was slower going this time, as Hermione's legs began to act up after going so long without movement. As Sibyll opened the door, she took a deep breath. "You can do this, I know you can. I'm going to head to my room and rest. I think I'm going to go down to supper tonight."

Sibyll nodded and they parted ways. She continued down the hall until she came to a slightly ajar door. Squaring her shoulders, she pushed the door open all the way and pasted a smile on her lips. "Hullo, Gil."

He turned and smiled brightly at her. "Rose!" He stood and embraced her, pulling her tightly to him. "I was hoping she would bring you here to see me. How have you been?"

"I-I've been well, Gil."

"That's wonderful." A frown creased his smooth features. "I hurt you. At some point in my life I almost destroyed you. Oh, Merlin, what have I done?"

She led him over to the bed and they sat down together. "I'm fine now. Albus sheltered me here at Hogwarts, gave me a new home. I just wish we had been able to make a home together all those years ago."

"I wish that, too. Do you think we could start over, make a fresh beginning?"

"I'd love nothing more than that, Gil," she softly said, leaning into him. He turned his head and softly kissed her. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him. It was as if she had found her center once more and everything made sense again.

Hermione found Madam Pomfrey in her room, waiting for her. "So, you've made progress in your recovery, I see. Obviously bringing Gilderoy Lockhart here was the right thing to do."

"Then why were you arguing about him yesterday? I mean, yes he is a prat for abandoning Sibyll like he did, but look at him now. I rather think he was punished enough."

"She lost their baby. That's why Severus didn't want him here again. Twice was enough in his eyes."

"Wait, she would remember that, and I've never heard her mention anything so tragic as losing a baby."

"That's because she doesn't remember. Albus put a memory charm on her so that she would never remember the pregnancy. Thankfully, she was only two months along at the time of the incident. Though I had always thought a child would stabilize her, make her less flighty. We'll never know now." Poppy helped Hermione back into bed. "Don't look at me like that, it was for her own good."

"If you say so. I should like to go down to supper tonight, and believe I shall rest until then." She dismissed Madam Pomfrey with a glance, picking up her DADA book and turning to the current assignment. Some things about the wizarding world still bothered her immensely. Sibyll deserved to know about the baby she had lost, and yet Albus had arbitrarily decided that knowledge be kept from her. "I can't tell her, though. It would devastate her," Hermione whispered as she set the textbook back down and curled up on her side. Within minutes, she was asleep again.

Ron poked Harry's side sharply as all conversation at Gryffindor table came to a sudden halt. "Hermione!" he yelled, standing up and rushing over to her side. Harry stood on her other side and helped her over to the table. "They finally let you out."

"Just for supper, Ron. Madam Pomfrey still wants to observe me, so it's back there for at least two more nights. How have things been without me?"

"Weird. Malfoy's been lying low, and Snape has mellowed a little, if you can believe that."

"Ah." She tucked into her food, only to feel someone come up behind her minutes later. She turned and smiled up at Professor McGonagall, who wrapped her in a warm hug.

"It's good to see you amongst us once more, Miss Granger. I expect to see you in Transfigurations class tomorrow."

"Wouldn't dream of missing it, Ma'am. I've been waiting to apply some of the theories I've been reading about in the Infirmary. I imagine I'm quite far behind by now."

"If you mean that the rest of the class has somewhat caught up to where you are, then yes. I'm certain you'll fly forward once more, though." McGonagall smiled at her and moved odd to the teacher's table and Hermione settled back into her seat.

After supper was over, the rest of the houses dispersed quickly. The Gryffindors surrounded Hermione, talking to her animatedly. One by one, they left her until it was just Ron, Harry, and Ginny. As they filled her in on things she'd missed, she found her attention drifting away from them. Instead, she found herself gazing up at the teacher's table, where Severus was talking to Professor Sprout. She caught his eye and nodded to him, watching closely for his response. After a few moments, he dipped his head once and she smiled, releasing the breath she had been holding.

"If you'll excuse me, I have a message to deliver from Madam Pomfrey." She got up from the table at the same time Severus got up from the head table ad approached her. In the background, she could hear them telling Harry to leave her alone. "Professor Snape, I need to bring back some of that sleeping draught you've prepared."

"Of course, Miss Granger, follow me." She nodded and fell into step with him, going in the direction of the dungeons. Once they were out of earshot, he lowly said, "Are we going to be reading together tonight?"

"I cannot find my sonnet book. I think Gil took it to read."

"We'll have to use my copy then. That is, if you don't mind."

She looked up at him and saw him look away quickly. "I'd rather enjoy that, Sir." She moved closer to him, closing the small gap between them. "I'd also like to begin making up the Potions labs I've missed. I just have Transfigurations class tomorrow. Do you have a free period available?"

They stopped outside a door next to the Potions lab. As he opened the door, he said "Just after lunch is free. I'll have you begin with some healing potions for Madam Pomfrey, if you don't mind. I'd rather have you work on something that is of use than a throwaway potion like Felix Felicis. I don't know what Slughorn was thinking when he had you lot attempt that potion last year. Wholly inappropriate, if you ask me."

"We needed happiness," she replied, looking around the room.

"Happiness can get you killed."

"So can sorrow." She took a seat of front of the fire, wrapping her arms around herself in an effort to warm up. "When we shut ourselves off from the world, we can miss so much."

Severus went over to his bookcase and pulled out a thick folio, bringing it over to where Hermione sat. "Are you reading tonight, or shall I?"

"I'd like you to read Sonnet Fourteen, please."

"Very well." Clearing his throat, he opened the book and ran his finger down the page until he found the sonnet she wanted. "Not from the stars do I my judgment pluck; And yet methinks I have Astronomy, But not to tell of good or evil luck, Of plagues, or dearths, or seasons' quality; Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell, Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind, Or say with princes if it shall go well By oft predict that I in heaven find: But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive, And, constant stars, in them I read such art As truth and beauty shall together thrive, If from thyself, to store thou wouldst convert; Or else of these this I prognosticate: Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date."

Hermione blushed and looked away from him as he fixed his gaze on her. "It reminds me of you, if you chose to cut yourself off from all of us, from me." She took a deep breath and spoke once more. "I know I'm not red-headed or particularly beautiful. I know I wouldn't be your first choice and that Draco and his cronies still see my blood as dirty, enough so to hurt me and wish me dead, but God help me, I've fallen in love." She swiped at her tears and stood up, anxious to leave, wanting Severus to stop her. Still, Severus was silent and she ran from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Blindly, she ran up to Sibyll's tower, pounding on the door. "Please, oh please, let me in," she cried out. The door opened and she fell into Sibyll's arms, holding her close. "I think I've ruined everything."

Sibyll led her into the room and helped her to sit on the low settee. "What are you going on about, my dear?"

"I revealed my hand, and he had no response. What have I done?"

Sibyll sighed and sat next to her, clasping her hand. "You let loose the emotions in your heart. There's nothing wrong with that. And he might just return your feelings – how do you know his heart? He holds everything close to the vest, as well you know."

"That I do." Hermione yawned and curled up on the settee. Soon, she was fast asleep and never felt the blanket Sibyll placed over her, or saw the sad smile on her face.

As soon as she heard the soft scratching on the door, Sibyll went and answered it. "Hullo, Sev. She's asleep right now, and quite devastated that she's mucked everything up. Treat her kindly tomorrow, will you?"

"She loves me, Rose. Me. I'm no good at this, you know that. What am I supposed to do now?"

"Do you really want my advice?"

"Would I be asking you if I didn't?"

"There is that. All right, punish whoever hurt her, which hopefully she's told you by now, and then love her back. This is your chance to begin again, free of the ghosts of the past. Lily's gone, now you can live again. Be free with someone who can understand you." He nodded once and then turned to leave. Sibyll sighed and shut the door. Finally, these two souls were coming close to togetherness once more.