AN: Thanks for all your reviews, I'm sorry I didn't answer any of them personally this time, I just didn't have the time. Sorry!

I don't own Harry Potter and don't make any profit.

It was an evening the end of October and Severus and Elena had settled into Hogwarts, Severus feeling quite content being back in the wizarding world. He was in Minerva's office, talking about the last couple of months with the headmistress.

"So I'm glad you like being back. Elena seems to be doing fine as well," Minerva stated.

Severus just nodded and took a sip of his tea.

"By the way how is Hermione?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean by you don't know, Severus?"

"It means that I don't know how she is."

"Why not? I thought you two are in contact," Minerva said with a furrowed brow. Severus was squirming in his seat slightly uncomfortable.

"Don't tell me you haven't written her a letter since you arrived here."

"She didn't even say goodbye to me properly, when I left."

Minerva rolled her eyes, "That's bollocks and you know it."

Severus raised an eyebrow at the language the otherwise calm and well behaved headmistress used.

"I know that she is having a tough time. I talked to Arthur the other day and he told me. And if he knows so do you."

"Okay that she didn't say goodbye didn't bother me. I know she was sad that we were leaving. But Minerva how can I keep in touch with someone so … so… "

"So what?"

"Well Minerva of all people you know how she used to be. An ambitious and intelligent young woman. She was a know-it-all, I even called her that, but her questions were always interesting and challenging. She stood out in the sea of dunderheads. But all she does nowadays is read and even I have to admit there is more to life than books. She is wasting her talent working at a bookstore. She used to be the brightest witch of her age and now… Honestly I've expected more of her…"

"Severus Snape, I'm ashamed of you," Minerva scolded.

"What? Why?" he asked in astonishment.

"Did you just hear yourself speak? That woman helped you, when you were miserable. She took you in, when you had nowhere to go. She helped you out. Did you even thank her? I mean thank her properly. Here you stand in front of me telling me, that you expected more of her. Let me tell you something. She has been through a war, her parents died. She is still young, you know, I'm sure it's a heavy load she has to bear. Have you once asked about how she is doing? How she is feeling?" No response.

"No, I didn't think so. If you were my son, you would be grounded."

"I'm forty years old!"

"So? You should really leave my office for now. I can't deal with you right now."

"Are you throwing me out?"

"YES!"

Severus left Minerva's office, slamming the door.

He went back to his quarters, thanking the house elf, who had watched Elena and took Elena out of her cot sitting in his armchair with her.

"So what do you think? Am I the ungrateful git, like Minerva just said? I mean Hermione had been nothing but nice to us. I just don't get why she became so … well I don't know … boring seems the wrong word. She seemed to have lost her joy in life, she is just retreating. And I don't get why on earth she is working in that bookstore. She has got so much more potential. She is just wasting away. Maybe it's my turn to give her something back, help her to find back to life. What's your opinion?"

Elena smiled at Severus.

"I'll take this smile as a 'yes'! Let's see, do you want to help me write a letter. Come on, sweetie."

He walked over to his desk, fetched some parchment and a quill and started writing a letter to Hermione.

A week later, Severus came down to breakfast in an ill mood students were fleeing before him like he was the reincarnated basilisk from the chamber of secrets, while Elena was happily smiling in his arms, prompting Minerva to say, "At least somebody is smiling, come here Elena, before your dad is infecting you with his mood."

And she took her out of Severus arms, who started buttering his toast feverishly, breadcrumbs flying everywhere.

"What's the matter? Annoying students?"

Severus snorted, "Annoying Ex-student. Hermione is the matter."

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

"What do you mean by nothing," Minerva asked confused, bouncing Elena up and down.

"Well I wrote a letter over a week ago and there was no reaction."

"Can I say something without you exploding all over the place?" Minerva carefully asked.

"If you must," Severus growled.

"You didn't treat her very nice, so a letter might not be enough. If you want, I can take Elena tonight and you can go and straighten it out in person."

"I'm not very good at that sort of thing," he grumbled.

"You owe it to her," Minerva said in a strict tone.

"Yes Mum," he answered rolling his eyes.

"I wish I would be," she said in a fond tone, slightly squeezing his hand, which conjured a small smile on his face.

Hermione was once again cuddled up in her armchair reading a book, when she heard a knock on her door. She sighed, getting up she gathered her wand and made her way to the door. When she opened the door, there was no surprised look on her face, like the last time. She gazed almost disinterested at him.

"Good evening, Hermione," he smiled bravely. No reaction.

"May I come in, please?"

"If you must," she gave him a frosty look and stepped aside.

"Why didn't you answer my letter," he asked.

She just shook her head, "I couldn't be bothered," she answered as coolly as she could muster it. He raised an eyebrow.

"Did I do something to you?" As soon as these words left his mouth he knew he had made a mistake.

"Well let me think Severus, about what you did to me. You march in my perfectly quiet and happy life and turn it upside down. And then you just drop me. No word from you until a week ago. I've no idea how Elena has been over the last couple of months or you for that matter. I thought we were friends? Did you think I was going to answer that letter and let myself get hurt all over again?"

He gaped at her in disbelief. "Yes Severus you hurt me. Badly. And now I want you to leave me alone, let me get back to my quiet and happy life."

"Happy? You are really happy?"

"Yes."

"Your eyes say otherwise."

"GET OUT!"

"Hermione, please! I promise to be a better friend than before," he stepped closer to her, while she turned away.

Severus grabbed her by her shoulders and forcefully turned her back, so she would face him. When she looked into his eyes her lips were trembling.

"I've been an awful friend haven't I? I'm sorry," he said and pulled her into a gentle hug.

She buried her face into his chest and he could hear her sobbing. He held her in his arms and gently rubbed her back, until she calmed down.

He sighed heavily, "I'm sorry, I have been so self-involved over the last couple of months. Can you forgive me?" he asked. Not trusting her voice she just nodded.

"Can I take you out for dinner as a thank you for everything you did for Elena and me, but also as an apology for being such a bad friend?"

"Now?"

"Yes, or have you got other plans."

"What does it look like," she said gesturing over her outfit of a pair of comfy and worn jeans and an old baggy t-shirt.

"Well take your time, I'll wait 'til you're ready."

"If you insist," she said, not very convinced.

"I do," he said. Hermione dragged herself to her wardrobe grabbed some clothes and then dragged herself to the bathroom. When she came back half an hour later, in which Severus kept browsing through her books, she looked good. She didn't wear anything special, but some tighter jeans and a fitted t-shirt, making Severus realise she wasn't the girl anymore he once knew, she had grown into a woman. And suddenly it hit him, how self-involved he actually had been over the last couple of months, not noticing the beautiful woman he had been living with. She wasn't the blonde, tall, big boobs kind of woman, man normally seemed to favour. But she looked adorable to him.

"You look lovely tonight," he stated.

She snorted, "Yeah right."

"Honestly, I really mean it."

And suddenly a genuine smile lit up her face, "Thank you, Severus."

"You're welcome. Well where do you want to go?"

"I don't know. I haven't eaten Italian for a long time. There is a nice Italian Restaurant, just a couple of blocks away."

"Sounds perfect."

"So tell me how Elena is doing. I miss her."

They had an enjoyable evening, but Severus noticed that Hermione was quiet and her eyes didn't have that sparkle, they had back in her days as a student. It was quite late when he accompanied her back to her flat. They were waiting at a big crossing, suddenly hearing a tyre squeal and seeing one car crashing into another. It wasn't a major accident, the drivers seemed to be fine, since they got out of their cars and started yelling at each other. But Hermione`s eyes were wide and she suddenly went pale and stumbled.

Severus had to steady her, "Are you alright?"

She nodded, but suddenly started shivering.

"Come on Hermione," he said softly and guided her to a lonely alleyway, where he apparated them to his quarters at Hogwarts. Being former headmaster had its advantages, he was still able and allowed to apparate in and out of Hogwarts. As soon as they arrived Hermione was sick all over the floor. Severus who hated sick, more than anything else, vanished it without even flinching. He picked Hermione up, carried her over to the couch and laid her down gently. He conjured a bucket and placed it near her head.

"I'll just quickly make you some chamomile tea."

When he came back, Hermione had just heaved herself into an upright position and tried a tiny smile, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to …" her voice trailed off.

"Don't worry," he waved her worries away.

"Please drink the tea. It will help to settle your stomach and calm your nerves," he said handing her the tea. She was sipping her tea slowly, while he poured himself some firewhisky.

"Can I ask you something?" he said with a worried look on his face. She nodded.

"Did you actually see the accident your parents were involved in?"

"No. I was in my room at my parent's place and I just heard it. The noise of the tyre squeal just brought it all back," Hermione whispered and tears started pouring down her face. Severus sat beside her and pulled her into an embrace.

"Shh, Hermione!" he whispered into her ear. After she calmed down he said, "I need to get Elena from Minerva. Please lie down and rest a bit."

"So how was your evening?" Minerva greeted him quietly, not wanting to wake Elena up.

"I don't know. I realised I've been very self-involved over the last couple of months."

"I think that's quite understandable, after what happened to you, having a new born daughter, being a single parent, being threatened by some moronic psychos, who sought revenge."

"I guess so, but still I should have noticed, that she is struggling, although she has everyone else believing she is fine. Working in a bookstore," he huffed, at the thought of Hermione's wasted talent.

"Anyway, she is in my quarters now," Severus said, making Minerva's eyebrow shoot right up to her hairline.

"Not what you think," he growled," she had a bit of a breakdown, so I didn't want her to be alone in her flat. That's why I brought her with me."

Minerva nodded, but couldn't supress a grin.

"Why are you grinning? Oh no you wouldn't think … She is what 20 years younger than me."

"Nineteen," Minerva corrected.

"Well that's much better," he replied sarcastically.

"Did Elena wake up," Severus asked, trying to change the subject.

"She has been sound asleep since you left," Minerva smiled.

"Thanks for watching her," Severus said and lifted Elena up from the headmistress' bed, where she was surrounded by wards, so she wouldn't fall off.

Carefully Severus wrapped her in a blanket whispered "Good night," to Minerva and left.

AN: I hope you enjoyed it!