A/N: This is an important chapter, but I don't know how you'll take this. Please let me know, I'm really curious as to its reception.

Enjoy!

Chapter 47: Perspectives

The halls of Hogwarts were still permeated with the mouth-watering smell of cakes and cookies from the feast last night.

An aged, stern witch stalked through the Entrance Hall. As she passed by the windows, the sun peeked in, shyly throwing its light on the snow-covered castle.

The said stern witch had walked in the enchanted castle for decades and decades, first as a student, then a Professor, and now also as a Head of House and Deputy Headmistress. For her, Yule at Hogwarts and accompanied cheeriness did not come as surprising. But this particular year was different—she could feel it in her old bones. His employer, senior and old friend, Albus, was upto something that she was not made privy to.

Her arms were loaded with a stack of files that were delegated to her in the capacity of the Deputy Head of the Order. Albus was suddenly relying on her too much more than he earlier did. Not that the workaholic witch had an objection. But it only intensified her suspicions.

The next Order meeting was taking place the very next day, until when she had to rack her brains comprehending the given files and prepare for the meeting.

On his part, Albus had suddenly started looking frail, especially when he talked of the war. The witch had seen Albus Dumbledore pensive, concerned, even absolutely distressed on the prospect of the war. But never resigned, never fragile. Before this year. And now, it was starting to threaten her. It brought before her the inevitable question—what were their chances?

"Minerva," the terse greeting jolted the witch out of her deep pondering.

She cleared her throat. "Severus."

"What documents are these?" Her colleague inquired.

"Order business," Minerva replied. "I am sure you will find yourself with a similar load soon. Albus is suddenly delegating far too much work in too short a time."

"Let us consider it an 'after-party' following the feast yesterday," he snorted.

"It has started to concern me, Severus," Minerva admitted.

In turn, Severus frowned. "How so?"

"There is something I cannot point my finger on. Albus has not been himself lately," she shared. "Don't you find something out of place with him?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Severus blatantly disregarded her. "Except if you're referring to his general eccentricity, I have been warning everyone from quite a while."

"Merlin, Severus," she shook her head, now amused. "I won't hear two good words from you about him, will I?"

"Not in this lifetime, no," he smirked.

Minerva couldn't help but smile. "You seem extremely pleased today, by your standards."

"Just a result of finding myself in peace from the band of dunderheads for a while," he said with his customary smoothness of tone.

"How was your visit to London? I could not ask last evening."

"It went well," he replied.

But Minerva sensed it to have gone better than merely 'well' as he claimed. "How did Miss Granger cope?"

Severus took a moment before replying—which was quite unlike him. "She coped well."

"You stayed longer than planned," she assessed. "What happened? Did the Muggle authorities dawdle with the proceedings?"

"Yes," he said slowly. "Yes, the proceedings were...quite complex."

"That is understandable," Minerva nodded. "Our own Ministry takes days to conclude a simple case, what can one say about the Muggle Ministry then..."

"Yes," Severus said distractedly.

Minerva noticed his eyes were actually fixed on a spot above her shoulder. She looked back, towards a large window that gave a clear view of the Lake. The elderly with frowned—what could Severus be looking at?

When she observed closely, Minerva saw none other than Miss Granger standing by one of the trees there, in the snow. By her feet, Hagrid's dog slumbered. A smile was lingering on her face as her eyes were fixed at Severus, completely overlooking her Head of House.

Minerva's eyes travelled between Granger and Severus. A silent conversation seemed to be passing between the two. Not Severus' but Granger's expressions gave away what Minerva could only comprehend as an elaborated eye contact or something akin to a telepathic connection.

Minerva's frown deepened.

A slew of questions rose in the Deputy's mind. A slew of doubts, some even uncomfortable to voice. This silent interaction pricked the Deputy Headmistress.

But when Minerva focused back on Severus, she saw something that she had never really seen in this wizard in all her years of knowing him—he looked genuinely pleased in his distractedness. If she was bold enough to admit, he wore a smile, not a disdainful smirk or a derisive sneer, but a comforting, soft smile. Severus looked content.

"Severus?" She prompted.

He snapped back. "I beg your pardon," he shifted uncomfortably. "What were you saying?"

Minerva gave no indication of her arising suspicion. "Nothing important. I must be on my own way. I have a lot of work to see to before tomorrow's meeting."

Severus nodded and walked away without another glance back. Minerva looked at Granger again, she, too, was busy chatting with Miss Vane now.

Something was transpiring there, something that she did not quite know whether to object to or support. She decided to test her student, as well, before reaching a conclusion.

Minerva vanished the files from her arms. She tightened her warm cloak around herself and left the Entrance Hall. She took deliberate steps towards where Granger stood.

Minerva pasted a smile on her face. "What a beautiful scenery, isn't it, girls?"

"Good morning, Professor," Granger greeted. "It surely is lovely, Ma'am."

"Morning, 'fessor," Vane repeated.

"Good morning, Miss Granger, Miss Vane. Enjoying your holidays?"

"Very much," Granger smiled.

"Good. May I have a word with you, Miss Granger?"

Miss Vane excused herself politely from their company. Minerva led Granger to a bench away from the other students. "How was your visit home?"

"Very beneficial," her student told her. "My solicitor was immensely helpful, especially with the sparse knowledge I have of Muggle legalities now."

"It is very mature of you to take this step," Minerva said with honesty. "It must have been a difficult time for you."

"Yes," she compressed her lips. "I'm glad I wasn't alone though."

"Oh?"

"Sev-" Granger broke with a feigned cough, but Minerva caught the slip of tongue. "Professor Snape was extremely supportive."

"You had a good time, I suppose," Minerva watched the younger witch warily.

"Yes, it was quiet but it made me happy," she said with a winsome smile.

The idea that Granger was addressing Severus by his given name unsettled Minerva. She decided to go further. "You stayed for almost two days. Did the authorities delay in the proceedings?"

"Well..." She hesitated. "Not really. I just wanted to spend some more time there. Professor Snape agreed."

Severus had been lying, Minerva reflected. Severus, who despised socialising, had willingly stayed with Granger longer than strictly necessary? If that was not breaching his usual character, what was?

Now that she thought in retrospect, she could see certain things out of place. Severus volunteering for going with Granger in the first place; his defensive attitude when Horace, Lord bless his soul, questioned Granger's abilities in the staff meeting after her accident; Granger's panic when Severus had gone to Riddle to mislead him about the Order safe house; Severus' anxiety when Granger was attacked in Hogsmeade. These traits did not blend well with the personalities of the two people in question.

Or was she merely overanalysing? Surely, in their situation, they would have to build a bond to survive the Dark Wedding. In fact, they were coping quite well together.

But she could also no longer disregard Remus and Poppy's similar suspicions that they had shared with her, and that she had blatantly disagreed to. Till now. Clearly, matters were not as clean as she had assumed them to be.

But if she, for a moment, kept the rules and regulations aside, wasn't their strengthening bonding beneficial in the long run? None knew a way to sever the Dark Wedding, and if these two individuals were deemed to live together, was it wrong if they were to truly come close? Severus would not be Granger's Professor for long, neither would Granger remain a student. She was of age and way more mature for her age, and Minerva trusted Severus, he would never besmirch his conduct or go against the girl's wishes.

Now when she looked at Granger, Minerva could not see a suicidal witch but a confident, happy young woman. And Severus' carefree demeanour and faint smile surprised her. No matter how she searched, there was nothing for her to question.

Life and fate never cease to surprise us. Who could have guessed that the wizard Minerva had known for years as an unhappy, introverted man would finally find his peace, years later, with a Gryffindor exactly opposite to his personality. Perhaps, they were good for each other.

UUUUUUU

Granger showed up at Severus' office with an excited grin. Severus had gotten used to her enthusiasm every time she got to brew a new potion with him.

"Seven more to go before you teach me the Wolfsbane," she smirked. Granger settled a silver coated cauldron on her counter, ready for the task today.

"We shall see," Severus repeated his customary words.

In the past weeks, since the Dark Lord had started calling him frequently, Severus had often left her to work by herself while he himself remained either too dazed or too drowsy. It was refreshing to brew alongside her again. She proved to be a likeable companion to work with, who concentrated on her work yet initiated small conversations in the middle. They worked in harmony, mindful of each other's presence yet not bothering each other.

"I forgot to inform you about the Order meeting scheduled for tomorrow," it was Severus who initiated today.

Granger's brows were furrowed in concentration while she poured armadillo's blood drop by drop into her concoction. "Oh? Something new has come up?"

"There must be," he said, stirring his own brew slowly.

"Six drops or nine?" She asked.

"If you have added the beetles' eyes before the flaxseed, then nine, otherwise six will suffice," he replied.

"That's exactly what my book says," she suddenly said.

"No, the text does not tell you about the beetles' eyes," Severus told her.

"No, not the text. The scribbling in my copy of the book," she said.

"Scribbling?" Severus frowned.

"Yes, look." From behind her cauldron, Granger produced a rather old and tatty copy of the Potions book.

Only in one glance, Severus recognised his old textbook. "Where did you find this?"

"Harry did," she told her. "In the cupboard in the classroom."

"Of course, tragedies will never cease to follow Mr. Potter," Severus muttered. He stood up from his stool and took the book from Granger and flipped the pages. "Did you use any of these spells?"

"Some of them," she shrugged. "I've never heard of these spells before though. Whoever the book had belonged to, must have been a genius."

Severus could not help smirking. He opened the page where the incantation for Sectumsepra was scribbled. "There are a few spells that are marked dangerous."

"I know," she pulled the book towards herself to look. "I haven't tried any of those. But I do wonder what they do."

"You would not like to know," he said low.

"Have you tried any of these?" She asked.

"I have created all of these," he returned.

"You?" She frowned in confusion. "How come?"

"This is my book," Severus said simply, tossing the copy to her.

"Really?" She looked at the cover in a new light, surprised. "You came up with all these spells when you were still in school?"

"Yes. Dark Arts have always been my strongest suit."

"These are not all dark spells," she argued.

"But they were all born of the idea of putting them to some sinister use," he said.

"You're a genius," she said slowly. "Why don't you write your own version of this Potions book. This author has many techniques wrongly mentioned."

"I do not have the time, Granger."

"Hermione," she corrected him.

"Yes. Hermione."

"Then put this in your bucket list to do after the war is over," she suggested.

Again, the mention of the end of the war discomfited him. And especially the notion that he even slightly held a chance of outliving it was simply ludicrous to him. "You can keep the book. But be discreet with it."

"I will," she smiled in gratitude. "Thank you."

Severus only nodded and returned to perch on his stool.

"So you are the Half-blood Prince?" She said slowly from her counter.

When Severus turned to her, she was barely holding back a laughter. "I have not been particularly proud of my choice of that name since gaining some brains."

"Why would you call yourself that?" She finally laughed.

"That was because I wanted to name myself something ferocious and enigmatic, in an attempt to copy the Dark Lord."

"Oh, it was around that time," she sobered.

"Yes." Severus returned to his potion. His book, he believed, was safe with Granger- Hermione. She was not reckless to use a spell that was marked parlous idly. If his scribbling helped her, she would better keep it for her assistance.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?" Severus said distractedly while checking the consistency of his potion.

"Why did you join Riddle?"

That question took Severus by surprise. He turned to face her. Granger, though, did not seem hesitant of her inquiry. Severus searched her face for defiance, but again found none. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I've known you for quite a while now and I want to get to know you better," was her reply. Her face smooth with nothing to showcase any accusations.

After knowing Granger for the months that he had, Severus was not floored by her boldness and lack of fear from him. She was not intimidated by him and it was common knowledge to him now. But he was sure if he wanted to share with her some of those secrets of his life. Not because he did not trust her, but because he did not want to lose trust in her eyes. Dimly, he was aware that he did not want to taint his reputation before this particular witch. As much as the story held abundance of Severus' self-pity and humiliating experiences, it also contained the flagrant show of malice in his attitude. Though something let him know that she would never judge him.

Sensing his hesitance, Granger said, "Not if you don't want to. It is not my place to pry."

That last sentence did something to Severus' resolve of never opening up to anyone. It was her place to know, more than anyone's.

"It is a long story," he said as a feeble attempt to dissuade her.

"I've got nothing better to do," she said and swivelled herself towards him.

"And full of unpleasant episodes," he warned.

"I'm not expecting a fairy tale, anyway," she smiled.

Severus ran a hand down his face. He had never talked much about himself, he was never one to speak more in a conversation. But looking at the witch's attentive eyes, Severus realised that there was somebody who was willing to hear his side of the story, too. For people, generally, took him to be a Death Eater, a traitor based on their assumption of the events.

So he began. "You already know about my early life, before starting Hogwarts."

"A little, yes."

"There is not much to reveal there," he said. "Apart from

being a miserable household prone to violence and abuse, my home life held little of importance. And one of those important aspects was a friend, the woman who would later be killed by the Dark Lord." Looking at Granger, her expressions showed her understanding of this unnamed woman he had previously, too, referred to. "She lived nearby, not in the same neighbourhood as I did, but close by all the same. My personality as a child was as reclusive as it is today and this little girl was my only friend in that Muggle locale. But she was a witch. I was the first person to discover that and the first to tell her that. Our friendship bloomed from the age of nine and we boarded the Hogwarts Express together."

Granger had a look of awe on her face, her attention never slipped as he spoke.

"But Hogwarts and the Wizarding World, in general, has a tendency to divide—and possibly rule," he explained. "We were not spared, too. While I was sorted into Slytherin, she was sorted into Gryffindor."

Granger's brows furrowed but quickly smoothened. When he paused, she gave a nod to indicate that she was listening.

"But even the House rivalry could do little to separate us," he recalled with a faint smile. "We remained friends for the early years, until we started drifting apart."

"How so?" Granger asked softly.

"You asked me why I joined the Dark Lord, my life at Hogwarts and my relationship with this woman are the main reasons for my decision," Severus told her. "Meanwhile our life at Hogwarts started, I made myself more enemies than friends. A certain bunch of Gryffindors liked to maintain House rivalry with gusto."

A look of cognition passed Granger's face but she never interrupted.

"Yes, the so-called Marauders," Severus confirmed her unspoken doubt. "But I must say, I returned just as good as I got—which only fuelled this enmity. But we were young, I understand now, what else can you expect from a bunch of rogue boys? The first few fights were puerile in nature, until our magic and leaning intensified. After these episodes, the Gryffindors were generally supported by the Professors, the fact they were more in number, their majority won over my word."

Granger's brow furrowed deeper. "That's so unfair! Four against one and the partiality-"

"It's a stale story, Gran- Hermione," he said and returned to check on his simmering potion. "What I am telling you dates two decades back."

"Even so. Is that why you...don't like Harry or his father?" She asked.

Severus did not turn to face her on purpose. "My reasons for disliking the Potters go deeper than this. You might not like to hear it, after all."

"If you're willing to tell, I'm more than willing to listen," she said firmly.

Severus picked up the ladle and began stirring the mix. "Meanwhile, when I was looked down upon by the Professors and my peers, I craved for power. I craved to prove myself more than I academically did. That was when I came under the wing of Lucius Malfoy, who was several years senior to me and a close ally to the Dark Lord. With Lucius, I found what nobody else provided me with-"

"Acceptance," she said for him.

"Yes," he said softly. "Yes, acceptance. I found friends in people like Nott, the Lestranges, the Parkinsons. This entire clan was in close contact with the Dark Lord. Lucius knew of my upper-hand at the Dark Arts and Potions, he found me useful for the benefit of the Dark Lord, and began filling me with ideas of grandeur if I were to choose the dark side. Lucius dropped the bait and I devoured it with greed.

"An incident that took place in my Sixth year, with the said Marauders, was the last straw," he said recalling Lupin transformed as a Werewolf.

"What incident?" She asked.

"That is a tale for another time," he dismissed. "But I must tell you that this incident and the partiality shown in this matter by the authorities prodded me to give my consent to the Dark Lord. And the Dark Lord, he showered me with all that my life had lacked—power, status, money. He funded my Mastery and sent me to Salem to achieve my ambition to become a Potions Master. He trained me in the Dark Arts, introduced me to people about whom I had only read. And I, on my part, became blind to what I was made to do in return, I could see nobody but myself."

Now when he thought of the past in retrospect, he understood what peer pressure did to him, what being bullied caused him to do. He wondered how different his life had been, had he not chosen the Dark Lord.

"Sir?"

Severus shook himself out of his thoughts and continued. "Meanwhile, my close proximity to the children of Death Eaters did not bode well with my friend. She began distancing herself from me—like any decent person would have."

"That is a matter of opinion," Granger countered.

Severus did turn to her then with a question quirk of his brow.

"It is not my place to comment," she said, looking away. "I'm sorry for intruding."

"I simply cannot explain you of my obsession with the Dark Arts that caused to drift her away," Severus reasoned.

"Perhaps," she said with half-heartedness. "Was that why you two...separated?"

Severus continued, because he wanted to. Because he wanted to lay those secrets open to her, something he hadn't done willingly to anyone. "It happened after our Defence OWL, in my Fifth year. We were by the Lake, our entire batch. An incident with the Marauders sparked my temper and I did something unforgivable—so unforgivable that she finally left." Vivid memories of that day surged through his mind, Lily's face flashed before him with every detail intact.

Granger gasped silently. "What...what did you do?"

That was where he faltered, in telling her what a pathetic man he had been. But he had started narrating the story knowing that revealing the ending was inevitable. "My friend came to my defence, but I, in my blind anger, was suddenly averse to the idea that I was being provided protection by a Muggle-born witch. I called her...a..." But the word was caught in his throat. Every iota of his being was telling him to erect his Shields and not to blatantly display his infirmity. Yet, he did not want to feign impassiveness before this particular witch. "I called her a Mudblood. And I regretted it immediately, but yet too late."

Granger's face fell into a disappointment. She gave an imperceptible shake of her head and sighed softly.

"Yes," he slid off the stool and stepped away from her, not trusting himself to remain composed. "My friend, my childhood friend, the woman I had...come to...love, I had called her a... And no amount of apologising on my part could make a difference."

In a barely audible voice, she said, "Then?"

That was not what Severus had been expecting her to say. He was expecting to fly into a fit of rage and tell him what an abysmal conduct he had had. "Then?" He frowned. When he looked at her, she, though pale, displayed genuine question.

"You were telling me why...she left..." She said softly.

Severus stared at her perplexed for a moment. Had he not known Granger better, he would have taken her for mocking him. "This is what happened."

Granger blinked. "This? You mean...the...M-word?"

"Yes!" He was getting annoyed now.

"Oh," she said awkwardly. "Oh... Uh, I thought...something else... I mean...I don't know, there must be something you're missing to tell me."

Severus' nostrils flared in annoyance. "What is the meaning of this, Granger?"

"I mean," she looked troubled, "You said she was an old friend."

"Yes, and?"

"Then why would she leave you only because you called her...what you called her..." Granger was biting her lips.

Severus clenched his fists. He had no intention to burst his anger on her, but she seemed to be testing him. "Are you implying that this was not reason enough for a respectable witch to leave my side?"

"Yes," Granger said boldly, shocking him. "I'm sorry to comment upon this, Sir, but yes, I don't think it was reason enough by any means."

"Granger-" He took a deep breath to calm his quickly escalating fury. "Granger, imagine, had you been at her place and Mr. Weasley had been on mine, what had your reaction been?"

"I would have…raged at Ron, I would have fought with him, and I wouldn't have seen his face until he had apologised a tonne, until he had genuinely realised his mistake. But I wouldn't have abandoned him forever," she said carefully. "You told me that you regretted calling her that immediately and that you apologised to her again and again-"

"I was a Death Eater in the making, Granger!" Severus finally lost his control. "I was not a decent company-"

"And wasn't she supposed to stop you from taking that path, instead of letting you do as you saw fit?" Granger's calmness irked him further.

"No. That was not her to care for!"

Granger sighed. "Forgive me if I'm going ahead of myself, Sir, but I have seen Harry at his lowest and at the door of taking shelter in the Dark Arts. He had, on my occasions, disregarded me, fought with me. I do not condone many notions that Ron harbours, he has said a slew of things to upset me greatly. And yet, whenever they need me, I will be there at their every beck and call. Do you consider me an indecent woman for that?"

"You're not understanding, Granger," he declared and turned his back to her. She had no idea what an absurd man he was to have insulted Lily so flagrantly.

"Then make me understand," she said. "Tell me, Sir, have you left me to strive for myself alone after I tried to kill myself?"

"That is a completely different story," Severus remarked.

"No, it is not. Do you recall what obscenities I used to throw at you until I knew your truth? Do you remember what all I had called you, how I had demeaned you. And yet, when I was at my lowest, you stood the strongest behind me. And you still do."

Severus turned in a fluid motion. "We are two very different people, Granger. What I was, at your age, was a-"

"A young wizard who was only seeking acceptance in the world that looked down upon him for no fault of his."

Granger declared.

"You take me for a saint!" He spat.

"No. I'm not blind to your flaws," she said. "But I'm also not blind to your genuine self whom you prefer to hide under the garb of coldness, as well. I see you."

"You see nothing!" He was incensed with her, more than he had ever been.

"Why do you this?" She said softly. "Why do you like to portray yourself as someone you're not? What do you gain by being like this?"

"I am like this." He said bitterly, gritting his teeth.

She shook her head. "No. You're not."

"I am the same bastard who killed your parents, Granger, have you forgotten!" He exclaimed. "The same Death Eater who-"

"Don't," she held up a hand.

"Why? You can't face the truth when I present it to you?" He took a step closer to her.

"I can't hear more of your lies," she released a shuddering sigh.

"Come out of this illusion, Granger!" He snapped his fingers in front of her face, startling her. "I'm not even close to what you have come to think of me as. I am a Death Eater, I am a killer, I am a rapist-"

"Enough!" She cried and grabbed her crutches. "Enough with this nonsense. Clearly, this is not the right to talk."

"Oh, no, this is the perfect time," he muttered dangerously. "Because now is the time you realise what a bubble you have built around yourself, in regards to me. Why, because truth is too harsh for you to fathom? Because in your world of make-believe, anyone who offers a shred of empathy to you becomes a saint!"

"I don't take you to be a saint-"

"Ah, then what do you perceive me to be?" He closed the distance between them and came to stood right before her. "Tell me, Granger, how exactly have you managed to pardon me for that night at the Spinner's End when I, disregarding your clear refusal and r-"

"Stop it!" Granger pushed him way. Severus faltered a step back. "Don't you dare!"

"Don't I dare remind you of the reality?"

"Don't you dare call yourself a rapist, Severus!" She shouted. Her eyes welled up with moisture. "Don't you dare consider yourself as such!"

Severus' lips curled downwards in an ugly fashion. "You are blind, Granger."

"No, you are!" She yelled. "If you blame yourself for that night, you are blind. And I can't believe I'm saying this but I am hating you more for blaming yourself today than I had hated you that night."

"I am only stating the truth."

"Your version of truth," she hissed sharply. "But my truth is that if I'm alive today, despite Riddle, despite the bond, despite my suicide attempt, it is because of you! Because had you not stepped in that night, I might have been bound to someone like Dolohov, if not instantly killed. And sometimes...I shudder to think what my plight would had been and then I feel thankful that it is you I'm... Not them..." She wiped a angry hand over her leaking eyes, her words were punctuated by sobs, "And then I see you always demeaning yourself and it...it genuinely hurts me that you have no idea of the person you are. And if these people, in your past, are partially the reason for your low idea of yourself," she pointed a finger vaguely into the empty room, "Then I will not hesitate to tell you how wrong they have been. I don't care if it was Albus Dumbledore or James Potter or even...or even Lily Pptter, I will still say that these people didn't deserve you!" At his shock, she said, "Yes, I had figured it out!"

Silence fell, only disturbed by Granger's sobs. Severus remained stoic, not looking at the witch. She knew about Lily. She had figured out about Lily! Her word, every word passed through him like a dagger. How could this witch hold him at such pedestal?

Breaking the silence, he said what he was supposed to have told her long back. "Lily Potter died because I had a hand in her killing," he looked at her blanched face. "Your friend was orphaned because of me."

She shook her head, her face crumpling. "Don't do this."

"I heard the Prophecy partially, when Trelawney had blurted it to Albus. And I was the one who took this information to the Dark Lord," he ended in a spat, his self-loathing threatened to consume him. "Will you still look for similarities between us, Granger?"

"You knew it was about the Potters?"

"Not at first. But eventually I did. And even when I gathered that the Prophecy was about the Potters, I only asked Albus to protect Lily, not her husband, not her infant son. Only Lily."

Now, Severus reflected, she would understand who he was. Her illusions would come shattering down and perhaps, once again, she would loathe him as much as she earlier had.

Granger wiped her tearstained cheeks. "Suppose, Sir, today, you hear a Prophecy that someone close to Riddle will bring his downfall, will you not impart your knowledge to the Headmaster? I know I will, if that promises to make our side win. Because I believe that our side is right in this war. Just as you were made to believe that Riddle's side was right, when you were fighting a battle against those who looked down upon you all your life, your peers, your Professors. You hated the Muggles because you grew up to believe that all Muggles were like your...like your father. And for you, this war was the truth.

"Then one day, you realised that this war wants to harm a woman you loved, and you decided that Riddle was wrong. If I were to know that Professor Dumbledore, in his quest to win the war, is trying to inflict harm upon one of my friends, I, too, will leave his side, perhaps, and knock on every person's door who promises to save my loved ones, even if I have to turn to Riddle for protection. Will you call me a fool or an opportunist?

"And as for your demand to only save L- Mrs. Potter… I hardly know of your history with Harry's father. But whatever little I know, tells me that there is too much you've not told me. So if, after all that Malfoy has done to me, I get a choice to save Harry or Malfoy, Harry will always be my first priority."

When she stopped, Severus had nothing to say. Nothing crossed his mind to counter her there. Nothing to prove her wrong. She had left no gaps. Yet, he was desperate to prove to her that he was a vile man, a vile Death Eater who had perpetrated crimes beyond her scope of imagination.

"You can find a million reasons to loathe yourself," she said with determination, "and I will find a million reasons to absolve you of your guilt. I know what you have done as a Death Eater and I know it had not been pleasant or right. But I also know that you ceased being a Death Eater and had returned to this side, despite every time being suspected of your loyalties. That takes courage, that you have. Because in a way, you have accepted your faults, and each day, you have worked to make this place better for us. When you bow before Riddle, I cannot even fathom how much dignity you relinquish; when these half-wits at the Ministry question you—people who don't possess an iota of intelligence as you—how much self-control you practice. And despite knowing that these people will never truly give you credit for what you do for them every single day, you do it. Three months into your shoes and I was adamant upon taking my life and you have been doing this for years."

Severus turned away from her. He wondered if it was a mistake to make Granger privy to what had transpired between Lily and himself. He had not let anybody speak ill of Lily in all these years, and today Granger had spoken freely, without any reservation. His ire did not approve of it.

Had he been too hasty in judging Granger or perhaps too desperate to win her approval? Why was he getting drawn towards this witch, why! Clearly, he was a fool to think he could lay his convoluted secrets open before her.

No matter how mature she was for her age, certain things were best kept to oneself. After all, who was Granger to him? The first person to talk to him with politeness and he began building castles in the air? He was forgetting, whatever they had was merely an arrangement.

He should have never let her close. That had been a mistake, certainly a blunder. She would gain nothing from associating with him and he would, too, gain nothing. However much Granger tried to reason with his deeds, the reality would not change. Only he knew why Lily had left him, not Granger. Then who gave her the right to affront Lily before him! Severus knew not if the girl was too naive or bigger a fool to weave ideas of Severus' innocence in the plot.

Severus pushed the other voice in his head that said otherwise.

It was an arrangement. He would avoid meeting her in private, avoid anything beyond the professionalism. The mandatory thirty minutes of the day could be spent at the Library. He would tell Poppy that he had too tight a schedule to manage training Granger. As for fabricating the memories for the Dark Lord to see in their next summoning, Granger seemed to be working quite efficiently with Potter.

He should have assessed how abject associating himself with Granger would turn out to be.

"Leave, Miss Granger," Severus said with cold, impassive professionalism.

"Yes, Sir." He heard her dragging her crutches on the floor. Severus did not stop her, he did not trust himself to mouth the right words. He never even turned when the clicks of her crutches took her to the door. "If I discomfited you, Sir, I apologise. But I don't apologise for whatever I said because it was all true. And one day, you will understand that." With that, the door to his Lab opened and shut, leaving him alone in the empty room to brood over the happenings of the evening.

A/N: Do you think her reasoning was apt? I think desperate times call for desperate measures, and people deserve to have a second chance. Severus, here, is expiating for his sins for the last fifteen years or more.

What do you think? Waiting for your views…