A/N: Hello, my lovely readers. I'm so glad you're liking what you're reading. I've thoroughly enjoyed the reviews you've left too. They certainly help get my creative juices going. Here is her "date" with Severus. Enjoy!

Special Thanks: To my beta, TabiPrewett, for looking this over and checking for any errors I might have made. I greatly appreciate all you've done for me on this story.

Chapter 6

Hermione stared at her reflection in the mirror. The woman that stared back at her seemed much more confident than she actually felt. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun, and her makeup was light and flawless, thanks to Ginny.

Hermione's eyes traveled over the deep rose blouse with silver buttons going down the front, past her straight black skirt, down to her pointy black heels. She looked good, maybe not as good as the night of the Christmas party, but still...she looked pretty.

Hermione sighed. This wasn't a date, but it almost felt like one and she didn't like it. She didn't want to go on a date with her former potion's professor. She didn't mind sharing a meal and conversation, but a date? A date was where you wondered if you'd get a kiss at the end of the night. She couldn't even picture Snape trying to kiss her, let alone her actually wanting him to do it.

Giving herself a final look over, she pushed her thoughts away. They were friends. Friends simply having dinner. That's all it was and all it would be.

With a nod to her refection, she grabbed her purse that had both muggle and wizard currency. She didn't expect him to pay for her dinner since it wasn't a date, so she made sure she had plenty of money for the evening.

Who knows, maybe we'll decide to stop off for drinks after dinner. No, wait. Drinks might lead to other things I'm really not ready for. Especially if I have too many drinks. No, drinks are out of the question. In fact, no drinking with Snape at all. Hermione swallowed and let her mind drift more as she went downstairs.

A walk? Yes, a walk would be all right. Hermione thought as she walked down the stairs. There is a nice park near the restaurant with a lighted path, not that I'm worried about him in the dark. But...it would be nice to just walk and chat. He's a smart man, so talking with him would be...nice.

Hermione was interrupted when she saw Ron heading towards the living room from the kitchen. He saw her, but he didn't acknowledge her, he simply walked a bit faster towards the fireplace. With a flash of green flames, he was gone.

Hermione knew that she was going to have to talk to him soon. They'd been avoiding each other since the breakup and now with the paper article, he wouldn't even look at her. Granted it had only come out this morning, but still...they'd been friends once. They might one day get back to that. Maybe.

There was a knock on the front door, so with a quick breath to calm her nerves, she went to open it.

Severus stood on the front step, wearing his normal dark attire. Instead of a black frock or even just a white shirt, he wore a deep midnight blue button-down shirt. The hint of color was odd for him, but she liked it.

She smiled and stepped back so he could come inside. Severus seemed unsure at first, but at her smile, he stepped inside. "Good evening, Hermione."

Hermione's smile grew. "Good evening, Severus." Stressing his name just a bit. Glad he had chosen to use her first name after all.

Severus smirked. "Are you ready?" Not wanting to linger and risk having to speak to her friends.

Hermione bit back a chuckle. She figured she knew why he wanted to leave quickly. With a nod, she told him to let her grab her coat. It was chilly this evening. Not as bad as it usually was for December, it was still cold.

She walked over to the small closet in the hallway and pulled out her soft black overcoat. As she was slipping it on, she heard someone coming out of the kitchen.

Ginny spotted Severus and gave him a bright smile. "Severus, its lovely to see you again." Walking up to him.

Seeing his slight hesitation, Ginny decided to forgo her hug and held out her hand. Relieved, Severus took her hand in his and gave it a small shake.

"Mrs. Potter, how…lovely to see you." Severus said, doing his best to keep from curling his lip or sneering. He didn't think it was lovely to see her at all really. He hadn't really liked this woman when she was his student. She was constantly looking at him oddly while he gave his lectures. It had always made him suspicious of her, and repeatedly had him checking to see if she was up to something or about to add the wrong ingredient. He hadn't needed any more 'Longbottom' types of incidents in his potion's classroom.

Ginny turned when the kitchen door opened again and Harry came out, with a look of surprise on his face at seeing his former professor. "Professor Snape, what brings you by here?" The young Auror had only just gotten home and hadn't heard about Hermione joining the dark-haired man for dinner.

Severus fought a sigh of annoyance, especially when he caught sight of Hermione's small smirk at her friend's question as she buttoned up her coat. "I came to pick up your friend, Hermione."

Harry frowned in confusion. "Why?"

Hermione did her best to hold her snort of laughter in, though she almost let it slip out when she saw the utter confusion on Harry's face. Seeing Severus fighting for patience, Hermione took pity on the dark man and spoke.

"Harry, Severus and I are having dinner in London." When Harry's eyebrows shot up, she went on quickly. "He knew I was getting swarmed with howlers and figured I could use a break from dodging all the hexes attached to them. That's what friends do, right?"

Understanding that they were going out as friends, Harry smiled. "That's a grand idea, Severus." Trying to be friendly, since Hermione was too. "Hermione could use a break. She's gotten three howlers since I've been home, and I haven't even been home half an hour. Well, you two have fun. I'll try to deal with whatever comes in while you're gone."

Severus nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He hadn't given the boy permission to use his first name either. Both him and his wife were taking liberties with his name and he wasn't sure he liked it. However, seeing Hermione smile, knowing that her day had been hard already, Snape decided there could be worse things that he could be dealing with.

With her coat on, Hermione walked over to him. "Ready?"

Again, Severus nodded, before looking at the two smiling former students behind Hermione. "Er...you both have a good...evening." He said, feeling his lip curling slightly, though he couldn't help it. Snape didn't truly enjoy either of the Potters as his students, nor could he imagine ever enjoying their company.

Severus led her outside and when the door closed, he slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her close, before using his wand to apparate them to a safe spot near the restaurant. When she was steady on her feet again, she pulled away.

"Well, shall we go eat?" Hermione asked, motioning towards where they were headed.

"Yes." Severus held out his arm, and she glanced mildly at it before taking it.

They walked in silence and when once inside, Severus gave his name. He had reserved a table, so they didn't have to wait long. Something she was grateful to him for thinking of. Ron never thought to reserve tables, instead he just assumed restaurants were just waiting for someone of his 'status' to arrive so they could serve him. Meaning the former couple always had to wait to be seated.

As the waitress led them to their table and offered them menus, Hermione found herself once again glad to rid of the daft prat. It also made her aware of the fact that she really didn't know much about Snape. The curly haired witch wouldn't have thought he'd think to make a reservation, let alone be gentlemanly enough to offer his arm as he escorted her inside and to a table. It had her wondering what other surprises she was in for this evening with this man.

Neither had spoken still at this point, and Hermione was at a loss of what to say to him. Especially, once she realized she'd simply been lost in thought as she studied her menu. This felt weird to her, sitting with him in a romantic setting, and this was why she didn't want to date him. It would be awkward, and here they were not even on a real date, and already she felt out of place sitting at a table with him. She knew it wasn't his fault, her feelings of awkwardness, but she still felt it and she doubted it would get much better if they did go on a real date.

Severus saw her fidgeting with the edge of the menu as she scanned it. Saw the nervousness in her shoulders as she sat perfectly straight in her seat, almost rigid.

After a few minutes, Severus rolled his eyes before speaking. "You know, you've already established that this isn't a romantic outing, so there is no need to be nervous. We're just two friends sharing a meal and that is all."

Hermione glanced his way. "I know, but...it's odd isn't it?"

Severus frowned slightly. "What is?"

Hermione shrugged lightly. "You and me sitting together. It's not like you ever really liked me as your student, no matter what you said at the party. You thought I was an annoying little swot."

Severus smirked. "That's because you were an annoying little swot."

Hermione laughed softly. "That is true. Though, I like to think that I've outgrown that particular trait."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Have you? Outgrown it, I mean? Not many are actually capable of doing so."

Hermione smiled. "I am still a bookworm and still show that I'm intelligent, but I am able to not spout off every piece of information in my head these days. I can refrain from trying to answer a question, unless actually asked directly. Then, I can answer the question in shorter answers than I used to. So...yes, I think I have outgrown it."

Severus chuckled softly, the sound startling her since she wasn't used to hearing it, especially from him. "Maybe you have, after all. What are you then, if not an annoying little know-it-all these days?"

Hermione thought about how best to answer. "I could give a long and complicated answer, but the best way I can say it is...I'm me. I'm an honest person who tries to help her friends and tries to do what's right in life."

Severus nodded slowly. "I like your answer. I appreciate that it's not long or complicated. I've gotten way too many answers from you in the past that were just that. However...I think that statement doesn't quite do you justice either."

Hermione shrugged. "Be that as it may, it's the only way to describe myself without sounding too self-important."

There was another lull, during which their server came by and took their orders. Severus suggested a nice bottle of wine to complement their meal, which Hermione declined while fighting a blush. Snape frowned slightly, wondering why she didn't want to drink, but Hermione didn't say.

Hermione studied him for several moments before speaking again. "We've discussed me. What about you?"

Severus tilted his head. "What about me?"

Hermione smiled. "Well, I admitted that I was an annoying know-it-all and a little swot. What about you? Have you outgrown the overbearing and scary bastard persona we all knew as your students?"

Severus looked thoughtful for a moment, before he shrugged. "No."

His answer made her smile more. "At least you're honest about it."

Severus smirked at her statement. "I maybe overbearing and a scary bastard, but only to those who deserve it. I don't think I've been overbearing this evening or even the night of the party."

Hermione chuckled. "Well, you did shove two glasses of fire-whiskey in my hand and demand that I drink them that night."

Severus nodded. "Yes, but you looked like you were about to faint from lack of oxygen. You needed the drinks."

Hermione inclined her head. "True. I'm sorry about that. Leaving like I did."

Severus sighed. "I already told you that you have no reason to apologize. You lived through a very traumatic thing. Sometimes those events stick with you and pop up at inopportune moments. I, myself, have moments when memories of my past come to the surface."

Hermione frowned slightly, meeting his gaze again. "You do?" No one else seemed to have any lasting trauma from the war, so to hear Snape say that he too had problems with memories surfacing was huge to her.

Severus nodded. "It happens occasionally, but they are fewer and fewer apart these days."

Hermione bit her lip. "No one…no one ever says they have memories that haunt them. It's like…no one else was traumatized by the war."

Severus took a deep breath to steady himself, he didn't share easily. "I'm sure that many others were, as well. I, myself, have memories that I often wish I didn't, and…it takes time to get them to stop haunting you, as you put it. I'm positive you and I are not the only ones with them either. Most in the wizarding world treat a mental trauma the same way they do a physical one. They just shove a potion at it and carry on. There are no mental healers in our world, so a potion is how it's handled." Or a bottle of firewhiskey now and again, Snape thought, though he didn't add that in.

Hermione shook her head at hearing that. "There are psychologists in the muggle world that could help. Why not see one instead of taking potions? Potions are habit forming."

Severus nodded. "They can be habit forming, yes. You must understand though, the wizarding world, for all its wonders, is still…very much closed minded about things outside of its own walls."

Hermione huffed quietly. "But…wasn't that the point of the war. Or least part of it. While muggles don't need to be ruled, like…some people wanted to, they don't need to be ignored either. Being closed minded about muggles isn't a good way to live in our world. Muggles should be acknowledged for the benefits they could add to the wizarding world. Healers could start studying with muggle doctors to treat mental health issues. I had to go see a psychologist to help with my traumas, because I didn't want to spend my life addicted to dreamless sleep potions."

Severus tilted his head as he studied her. "Did it work?" He knew it didn't fully work, her fear of Lucius spoke to her still having issues, but he was curious if any part of it helped her.

Hermione sighed. "In many ways, it did. I'm not…over everything, as you saw at the party, but…we were able to get to the root of most issues and I sleep better. Most nights anyway."

Severus nodded. "I'm glad you were able to find peace with some of it. It does seem like an interesting idea. Mixing muggle mental health therapies with wizarding healing powers. I'd be curious to see how it would work. It could possibly help get some people off the dreamless sleep potions."

Snape knew he would be interested to see if it was possible for himself. He was now taking much higher doses of the potion, more than most could even handle, in order to sleep at night, mainly due to the tolerance he'd built up over the years. That happens when a person has been taking it for twenty plus years, though. It was something for him to consider anyway.

"I just hope that those are that suffering, are getting the care they need to help them get over the war." Hermione said. "Maybe they'll discover muggle therapy also."

Severus pondered that. "While I'm glad that you are sleeping better, I know it didn't resolve all of your traumas. It may not work for everyone."

Hermione nodded. "It might not, and no, it didn't resolve everything. I doubt I'll ever fully get over all of it."

Severus sighed. "I think that as time passes, you'll find the things that haunt today, won't do so as much later on. You'll even eventually get better at seeing Lucius and not reacting so badly."

Hermione snorted. "I have no reason to want to see Lucius Malfoy again. Even if I did see him, I doubt I would ever get used to him or be okay with him near me."

Severus' brow rose. "You are naturally a forgiving person, I'm sure one day you might feel differently."

Hermione shook her head. "I doubt it."

Severus sighed. "It wasn't his fault, you know. What happened to you. He didn't bring you to his home, nor did he want you harmed. Do you know what he did do for you that night?"

Hermione frowned. "You mean other than give me nightmares?"

Severus sighed and fought the need to roll his eyes again. "Yes, other than that, obviously. He knew your friends got free that night. He could have stopped them. He knew they were free and purposely let his block be slow. Right before Potter's spell hit him, Lucius sent a spell to Bella, and his wife. He disarmed them, so you and your friends could escape. He used wandless magic to send a spell knocking Greyback out completely. It all happened so fast no one knew he sent the spells before he was knocked unconscious by Potter."

Hermione's frown deepened. "What you're telling me is impossible. I was there that night. Lucius Malfoy was taunting me, laughing at my pain. He tried to stop Harry, but Harry was faster than him."

Severus chuckled. "Really? Potter, a seventeen-year-old boy who was never that good of a student, was faster than a fully trained and very skilled Death Eater. A man who had been taught since he was a mere boy to duel by a master of Dark Arts?"

Hermione shrugged lightly, not as certain as before, now that she thought about it. Especially, with how Severus put it. "It's possible. Besides, why would he help us when he hates what I am?" Still not sure she believed it.

Severus frowned. "You are a smart woman, you have been called the brightest witch of her age, yet you need me to explain it to you?"

Hermione huffed out a breath. "Yes."

"He doesn't hate you. He might have at one point believed the same as his father, a man that was truly evil in his ways. Lucius had to follow in his father's steps when he was alive, otherwise his father would have tortured him. Abraxas Malfoy was not above using the Cruciatus curse on his own son. Lucius continued to spout off what his father taught him for many years, but only because it was so deeply ingrained." Severus said.

Hermione swallowed. Lucius was tortured by his own father? How horrible.

Severus went on when she stayed silent, keeping his voice low, like they had been so far, so others around them didn't hear. "Somewhere along the way, Lucius started to see what I'd already seen. He saw that Voldemort was insane. He saw that what they were doing to purify the world was actually wrong. The night you were tortured, Lucius wanted to stop it. Only, he couldn't. It would have meant death to him and his family. It would have meant watching his wife and son being tortured, and not just with a wand, before they were killed. Death is not the worst thing to have to go through. You don't walk away from being a Death Eater. Especially not with your life still intact."

Hermione swallowed again. Still not saying a word.

Severus filled the silence for her. "Lucius couldn't stop it, so he did the only thing he could. He felt the wards in his home shift when Weasley and Potter got free and he allowed them to escape. He pulled the anti-apparation wards down, and he then disarmed everyone that might have harmed you all more. He took the punishment for allowing you all to escape and he didn't breathe a word about where you went either."

Hermione gasped at Severus' final sentence. "He couldn't have known where we went." Lucius couldn't have known they went to Shell Cottage. If he had, why didn't he try to recapture us?

Severus smirked. "It was his wards on his home. He could have followed you, but he didn't."

Hermione had wondered once how they apparated out of Malfoy Manor. From everything she had read, it was impossible to apparate either to or away from there. Even with Dobby's help, it shouldn't have been possible. Dobby was no longer tied to the Malfoy home, so the wards wouldn't have allowed the elf to do it either. You can't apparate from there. Not without permission from... She paused mid thought as it dawned on her. Not without permission from the master of the house.

Severus knew she finally understood. The widening of her eyes and the parting of her lips were proof enough of it. He gave her a few moments for all that to settle in her mind before speaking again.

Hermione swallowed as she thought about it. Okay, so if what Severus is saying is true, then not only did he not want me tortured, he took punishment for letting us escape. The only punishment Voldemort ever gave out was death or the Cruciatus curse. Lucius took being tortured by Voldemort instead of saving himself by telling his master where we were?

Hermione met Severus' eyes. "He took being tortured from Voldemort over ratting out a Mudblood?"

Severus grimaced at the word. "Please don't use that word anymore. I really don't like it and you really shouldn't use it. That being said, yes, he did. From both Voldemort and Bellatrix. She was angry that she had been punished, though not nearly as much as Lucius was. You've been at the receiving end of her wand, which means you know just how much anger and hatred she can put into the curse."

Hermione nodded slowly. She had a hard time believing what she was hearing. A thought coming to mind, she looked at Severus again. Only, their server came back with their meal, so she had to wait.

After both had taken a bite of their dinner, she swallowed and asked her question. "How do you know all of this?"

Severus' brow knit, not sure how it mattered how he knew. "Lucius told me one night."

Hermione sat back, a smirk on her face. "That man is a master at lying. Why would you believe him?"

Severus frowned as his eyes darkened in anger. "He is my friend. He didn't lie. I've known that man for many, many years. He can't lie to me without me knowing it."

Hermione held up her hands. "Okay. I...I was just asking. Look, if I told you a completely unbelievable story and I said Ron told me, wouldn't you think it was a lie too? Wouldn't you question how I could possibly know it was the truth?"

Severus' anger drained away. She did have a point. He took another bite, debating how to respond to her. "Yes, I would wonder the same thing. I know it's not a lie. Draco let me see it. We were talking one night after the war and he said something about that night, then he clammed up. I told him Lucius had already told me. After several drinks, Draco pulled the memory and gave it to me. He had been forced to watch it all. Lucius was tortured that night. He was kept prisoner in his own dungeon and only Draco came down to care for him. To heal him and to feed him when even his own wife wouldn't. Draco would have been punished had he been caught helping his father too"

Hermione sat stunned over it all. It was true? All of it? How is that possible?

Severus continued eating as she frowned at her plate of food, pushing it around and eating very little. She took several more bites, mulling all of this over in her mind. Severus watched her as he ate, wondering if maybe he shouldn't have told her all of it. However, knowing that not only did she have a right to know the truth, but he knew too that she'd never get past it without knowing everything.

They finished their meal in silence, though Severus didn't mind. He knew he dropped one hell of a bombshell on her. He was used to eating alone, so having her there was a welcomed change.

She declined dessert and when he suggested they have a few drinks she was back to blushing lightly and refusing. Something he still didn't understand. He had seen her drink at the party, so she wasn't above indulging in alcohol.

It made him curious, but when he went to ask, she spoke first. Asking if he'd mind a short walk in the park. He nodded and signaled for the check.

Hermione reached for her purse when the bill arrived. "How much is my part of dinner?"

Severus glanced up at her. "I beg your pardon?"

Hermione motioned to the bill. "How much is my part of dinner?"

Severus glared her once he understood. "I'm not letting you pay for dinner. I invited you."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, you did, and we came to dinner as friends. This isn't a date and I'm not going to make you pay for my dinner. So, what do I owe?"

Severus' glare intensified. "Miss Granger, I don't know what kind of friends you have, but I was raised a gentleman. Even if I don't always act the part, I was still raised as one. I will pay for dinner."

Hermione went to argue, but he gave her the same look he might a student that had seriously pissed him off. She took a breath to calm her own annoyance. "Fine, Professor. You can pick up the tab. Next time though, it'll be my treat."

Severus growled softly at her. Next time, my arse. Though, he knew it was better to agree now then to keep arguing. "Fine." Though he had every intention of picking up that bill as well.

When the check was taken care of, he helped her with her coat and walked with her out of the restaurant. Her arm on his again, he led her to the softly lit path in the park.

Hermione didn't say anything for a long time. They simply walked together in the park and after a while she finally spoke again. "Did you know that Draco and I work together?"

Severus frowned at the out of place question. "I knew he worked at the Ministry, but I didn't know you two worked in the same department." Is there a point to her question?

Hermione nodded. "Yes, we do. I was transferred to the Department of Regulation and Control of Magic Creatures a while back and he was already there. I think he started there after his house arrest was over. He works mostly in Goblin Relations, but it's still part of the same department."

Still having no clue as to why they were discussing Draco, Severus nodded. "He's seems to like what he does."

Hermione could hear the mild confusion in his voice and smiled. "He does. I only mention it because...we've kind of become friends over the last couple of years and...he never mentioned what you told me at dinner."

Finally understanding, Severus sighed. "He doesn't like to talk about his days before the war ended. Too many bad memories. You, above anyone, should understand his reasons. You fought in the war, and had been fighting since you were a mere child. Do you like to talk about it?"

Hermione smirked. "Some parts I'd rather not think about, obviously, but now, on a whole...it doesn't really bother me like before I worked though it with my therapist. However, I understand. For him, it was time that was probably scary for him. As a child he had to witness many horrible things. As an adult he was forced into things he didn't want to do, but had no choice, otherwise his family would have been killed."

Severus paused mid-step. "How do you know his family was threatened?"

She shrugged. "He told me once. After...after we had been working together for a while, we were eating lunch, something we do sometimes together, and I asked him why he took his mark. He didn't speak for a long time, and I almost gave up hope of him answering, but finally he did. Draco said that if he hadn't, that his aunt would have murdered his mother and father. I'm not sure if Voldemort had threatened them, but Bellatrix told him what she'd do, if he didn't do as he was told. So, he took the mark and tried to kill Dumbledore like he was ordered to, so his parents wouldn't be killed."

Severus' nostrils flared. "I...I didn't know what Bella had told him. He never said anything to me about it." If Severus had known what Bellatrix had threatened, he would have killed the woman.

Seeing the anger in his eyes, Hermione took his hand, giving it a squeeze in comfort. "It's not your fault, you know. You said Lucius did what he did for his family's safety and so did Draco. You didn't know and you already had enough on your plate. I'm sure that is why Draco didn't tell you."

Severus' eyebrows rose. "Does that mean you believe what I said about Lucius?"

Hermione frowned slightly. "Should I not?"

Severus shook his head. "No, you should. It's true."

Hermione let go of his hand and started walking with him again. Severus thought for several moments before speaking. "So now that you know...do you think you could forgive him?" Not sure why he was pushing for Hermione to forgive Lucius, instead of trying to woo her for himself.

Hermione looked at ground as she walked, all of her thoughts racing in her mind. Severus begun to wonder if she was going to ignore his question, but she finally looked at him again. "I don't know if I can. Is it wrong of me? If I couldn't find it in me to forgive him for what happened, is it wrong?"

Severus pondered that for a moment, as he kept up the light pace of their walk. Several minutes passed before he responded. "I can't answer that for you. I know what I think...but what I think doesn't matter. Nor what anyone else thinks. This is something you must figure out for yourself." Though, Severus did think that if she could forgive Lucius, it might just be a solid step in her fully healing from the war. In forgiving the blond man, it might just allow her to let go of her fear of that night too. To move on from her trauma.

Hermione sighed, she was unaware of his thoughts, but she knew he was right. Only she could decide what she could forgive, and no one but her, could make that choice. Nor begrudge her for whatever decision she made.

They walked a little longer when she finally spoke again. "It's getting late. I should get home."

Severus stopped walking. "Will you be alright to apparate home by yourself?"

Hermione smiled. "Yes, I'll be fine. I can apparate right inside Grimmauld Place. Thank you for dinner, Severus. I...I enjoyed it. A lot."

Severus smirked. "Even with such depressing conversation?"

Hermione chuckled. "Yes, even with it all. It helped me forget about the pile of howlers that are inevitably waiting on me. I doubt Harry can do the bubble spell that I was using. Unless he simply set fire to them all, they're still there."

Severus smirked. "I'll send you the instructions for a spell that help you deal with disposing of large groups of howlers at a time. It'll be faster than dealing with them one at a time."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you, Severus, for being my friend. You're a good friend to have. Goodnight."

Severus let her go as she pulled out her wand to apparate. "Hermione." He said, waiting for her to look at him again. "I said it was up to you to figure out what to do about Lucius, and I still mean that. However,...you're a very bright witch. I know that whatever you choose, it will be the right answer in the end. So, don't worry if you did the right thing, no matter how you choose, it will be right. Just remember that and don't let anyone tell you differently. Not your friends, not even me."

Hermione nodded, not sure what to say to that. Then, with a flick of her wand and a soft crack, she was gone.

She arrived with a pop in the living room at Grimmauld Place. It was silent, so she decided that everyone had already gone to bed.

She went into the kitchen, and not seeing any howlers on the table, she smiled. Maybe Harry had figured out how to get rid of them.

Pouring herself a glass of water, she went upstairs to change into her pajamas. Once she was wearing a burgundy silk pants and tank top set, a gift from Ginny, she crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling.

Her thoughts were chaotic. Thinking about what Severus said to her on top of thinking of her own memories of that night so long ago. Doing her best to make sure she didn't accidently trigger any flashback while thinking about it all.

She remembered thinking that there was a look of remorse in his eyes as he laughed at her pain. She remembered thinking too that the look on his face was at odds with the taunts and laughing.

What is the answer? Hermione wondered.

Should I simply forgive the man? She didn't know if it was in her to do so. She had been haunted for so long by the memories of that night. Had listened for years, as a student, to the hateful things taught to Draco by his father.

Hermione was pulled from her thoughts by a tapping at her window. With a groan, knowing it was probably another howler, she got up and opened her window.

A beautiful and regal eagle owl flew inside and landed on her bed. The fact that it would do so made Hermione think that the bird had not been taught to perch in a more appropriate place.

It was a beautiful white color, reminding her of Hedwig, but it had black and gold spots on its head, almost looking like a crown. The bird bent its head, almost like a bow, surprising her. Maybe it had been trained properly after all.

She sat next to the beautiful creature, and it lifted its leg out to her, waiting for her to take the letter. With gentle fingers, Hermione untied the small envelope, then seeing that it wasn't a howler, she stroked the soft feathers of the bird.

She offered it a treat, but it declined with another odd bow, before flying off and leaving her curious. It didn't leave a mess, which was why most owls were trained to perch elsewhere, nor did it even leave a crease in the bedding from where it landed. Interesting.

Looking at the envelope, she saw her name in a pretty slanted script, but nothing else. She didn't recognize the handwriting either.

With a wave of her wand, she found no charms or spells hidden inside. No jinxes or hexes were attached either. Opening it, she pulled the parchment out, noticing it was rather thick and expensive in quality.

She started to read the beautiful scripted writing.

Miss Granger,

I know it is late, and I hope you forgive the late hour of this message. I wasn't sure how my note would be received, so I debated for a while if I should even send this to you.

I want to express my sympathies about the atrocious article in the Daily Prophet. I know you are not as cruel or heartless as you were made out to be.

I would be more than happy to deal with Rita Skeeter, if you would like. The woman is a menace to us all and it would be to the benefit of most of the wizarding population if she were no longer allowed to work for the Daily Prophet. I will leave that up to you if you wish her dealt with, since it is you that has been smeared in today's paper.

If you need anything, please do not hesitate to simply let me know. I will do what I can to help in anything you may need or wish.

Your servant,

LM

Hermione stared at the signature for several moments. LM? Would that be Lucius Malfoy? Why would he care about the article? It wasn't about him anyway. She wondered.

Deal with Rita? How would an ex Death Eater deal with her? She wasn't sure she wanted to even contemplate that one.

Hermione did know one thing for sure. She wouldn't be asking him for anything. She didn't trust the man and she wasn't sure she ever would. Besides, it wasn't good to be beholden to a man like Lucius Malfoy. He would expect any favor she asked from him to be returned one day. She wasn't about to put herself in that kind situation at all.

No, she wouldn't be asking him for anything.

She was about to crumple the parchment and toss it in the rubbish bin, but she thought better of it. Severus' words still echoing in her mind. Instead, she folded it up and placed it inside her nightstand. With a sigh, she crawled into bed and willed sleep to find her, while simultaneously hoping for a nightmare-free rest.

A/N: So, there you have it. Her date wasn't much of a date, though Severus had some insightful words for her to think about. I always wondered how Dobby was able to apparate in and out of the manor after he was no longer bound to the family. The books made such a big deal about the Manor, that I doubt Lucius wouldn't have made sure that no one could apparate in or out of his home without his permisson, including the house elves.

Anyway, more coming soon. Please leave me your thoughts on it all.