A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

This is for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Word Count: 1036

She had gotten used to living alone. She had developed new routines to keep her mind focused. She'd repainted the house she'd bought with the war money. She'd turned it into a home for just herself, pretending she wasn't missing him with every move she made.

The first few months had been hard, the fact that she'd spent so much time with him, living with him, didn't help. It was like starting all over. Only now, this time, she was alone and even her friends were keeping their distance. They had all said things about him, things she'd never really forgiven them for.

Now, even after he'd broken her heart, but she still couldn't face them, couldn't face the fact that maybe they had been right about him in the first place. She knew Ron would have a smug look on his face as he asked her if that meant she was finally his. Maybe that's why she no longer spoke to him?

He'd left her there at Hogwarts after everything had gone wrong. He'd left her behind. He'd claimed it was for her protection, that if Lord Voldemort found out about them, about the fact he loved someone, there was no telling what the mad man would do. She'd begged him to stay, that she could take care of herself. He'd left anyway.

Maybe it was for the best. They were on opposite sides of the war, only, she knew they weren't. She knew what he'd done was done on Dumbledore's orders, knew he was their spy. Even confronted with those facts, he'd left her. She'd spent the next year trying to help Harry and Ron save the world. It hadn't mattered she'd done it all with a broken heart.

She hadn't spoken to him since the war ended. They'd seen each other on the battle field, with the whole world lit up by hexes and spells, for a moment, she thought she'd seen something in his eyes, something left of what they'd had. He'd turned and vanished into the crowd. She hadn't seen him since. That didn't change the fact that every day her heart missed him, yearned for him.

She was fine living her life alone, without him. She pushed every thought of him from her mind. That's how it had to be. She didn't want someone else. She wanted him. No one seemed to understand that, they kept trying to match her up with someone else. There was no one else like him. No one had ever challenged her like he did. No one else had ever understood her little routines, her little quirks. He'd been perfect, only to leave her behind for reasons that might have been considered noble. Now, the war was over, they had won and she was forced to realize he wasn't coming back for her.

She'd barely put the kettle on when a knock on the door made her look up. With a sigh, she went to answer it. It was probably the muggle paper she received, or someone collecting for something. She knew it wouldn't be Harry or Ron, neither of them was currently speaking to her. Ginny was out of town.

She stared when she saw the man standing on her front porch. He was sopping wet, water dripping from his long black hair. His black robes were in tatters, revealing the dingy white shirt and faded black slacks he wore beneath them.

She stared at him, blinking as if trying to figure out if this was some kind of trick. How had he even found her? She was sure no one would have given him this address... unless, possibly Professor McGonagall? But then, wouldn't she have at least told him to put on some new clothing? Once Hermione got over the shock of seeing him, she found her voice.
"Severus," she whispered, biting her lower lip the way she always did when she was thinking, when she was worried.
"Hermione, please forgive me," he said, his voice cracking at the words.
"You left," she whispered, intent on closing the door, she paused.

Severus nodded.

"I did and it was in a foolish attempt to protect you. I should have known better, I should have...I don't know."

"It's been months since the war ended."

"I was at St. Mungo's, healing from being almost decapitated by that stupid snake. Nothing but the clothes on my back. I was only released this morning. No one told you?"

"No, I was not informed. Did you ask someone to tell me?" Hermione asked, wondering if her waiting, her thinking he didn't want her had been nothing more than a miscommunication. Severus didn't answer and instead cast his dark eyes down to the ground. His silence answered that question. He'd not asked for her. Maybe he'd been in so much pain, he'd wanted to spare her from seeing him like that? Maybe he'd just forgotten her? It didn't matter. She paused, debating closing the door in his face. She couldn't, couldn't shut him out, not when her heart was begging her to forgive him.

"I've just put the kettle on if you'd like some tea. I do have that breakfast blend you tend to favor. I never could bring myself to not buy it if it were on special," Hermione said, stepping aside to allow him entry.

He nodded, stepping inside, his eyes taking in her home. The wine red wall of the hallway, the gold accents, and the photos hanging on the wall. Hermione watched him, her heart pounding. This was what she'd wanted, wasn't it, for him to find her, to come back to her? Now, here he was, standing in her home. For a moment, she wanted to kiss him, but instead she settled for leading him to the kitchen to get a cup of hot tea and dry his robes. There were a lot of things to discuss about their relationship, if they even had one. She hoped they did, that they could somehow put the past behind them and move forward. They'd won the war, she didn't need protecting anymore and the fact Severus had managed to find her had to mean something, didn't it?