Hermione stared at her shoes dangling over the spotless white tile of the hospital wing floor. The sterile room was as blank as she felt. At the moment, she knew very little about herself. She knew that her name was Hermione, that she was safe at the moment, and that her memory had been wiped by some kind of magic.

Magic. Real magic. She knew she was much too exhausted and overwhelmed to dive into that right then. For example, her empty mind was fixated on the fact that she didn't recognize her own hands. She would have thought she was in another strange dream were it not for the cold metal railing of the hospital bed biting into her foreign hands.

But she wasn't completely alone, thankfully; a very handsome, very intimidating man was seated next to her on the bed, and he just so happened to think she was beautiful. Hearing his thoughts had at first stunned her into silence momentarily when she had first heard it. He hadn't noticed her alarm, so she didn't press the matter.

Without turning her head she could feel that Severus was looking at her now. The stillness of the hospital wing seemed to echo back at her, her anxiety rising.

"Can we get out of here?" Hermione asked suddenly, finally looking up at him. "I'm starving."

"To your rooms?" Severus asked calmly.

She shook her head. "I'm not going to recognize any of my things. I'd rather get my memory back first and then go there." She thought for a moment, "Can you take me to a place I haven't been?"

Severus nodded and stood. "I will escort you to my sitting room. There is a fireplace and a bottle of whiskey I know you like."

Hermione nodded, feeling numb. How odd; to not even know what kind of whisky one liked.

Severus held out his arm, which she took. "Close your eyes. This will feel strange, but it is very safe. Deep breaths, Granger."

She nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. The sensation was horrifying like her body was being stretched and allowed to snap back into place. It was over quickly, and when she opened her eyes, they were inside a small sitting room, just as he had promised.

Severus muttered something she didn't understand and several abrupt things happened at once. Flames erupted out of the empty fireplace and illuminated the room, a tray full of sandwiches and a steaming mug appeared on the coffee table in front of her, and the couch lept up out of the air and split itself into two squashy leather armchairs.

Hermione was leaning on his arm for support, her mind reeling. He glanced down at her. "It's a lot to explain, and I won't need to when your memories return." He sighed and gestured to a seat next to the fire. "Please help yourself."

Severus crossed the room to take out a brown bottle from his cupboard. He poured them both a glass and handed her one. "As promised."

Hermione sipped her drink, savoring the delicious burn. She felt a rush of heat behind her ears as Severus took his jacket off revealing a simple untucked black tee shirt, slightly snug on his shoulders and arms.

"I can tell this is fine whiskey," she said, to break the silence, "but I'm not sure how I can tell."

"It's one of my favorites." His voice came out softly. "And yours, I think. At least you've never complained." He glanced at the tray between them. "You should eat, Professor. Poppy said this could take some time. Should I make up a room for you?"

She picked up a cheese and jam sandwich and nibbled at the corner. "I do wonder what my dreams would be like having no memory, but I'm not tired at all."

Severus' lips turned up. "Always researching."

"You have a nice smile." She watched as he stiffened and turned a bit pink. "Does this castle have…feelings?"

The clock on the mantle ticked for several seconds. Severus' dark eyes reflected the flame light. "I believe it has…something equivalent to feelings, yes."

"It likes you." Hermione declared softly. "I can feel it."

Severus stared at her. "Hermione, are you remembering something?"

The crackle of the fire soothed her, she took deep breaths and let the memories come to her. "I walked up to the castle."

He sat up. His whole demeanor changed, leaning forward towards her. "Up from where?"

"I woke up under a tree - many trees, and then I walked up the castle." Hermione nodded, remembering. "I had a feeling I should go towards the big doors on the left, instead of the ones in front of me." She sipped her whiskey. "I think the castle pulled me towards the entry, and when I got there, the pull stopped. Is that possible?"

"I don't have an answer to that. I don't think anyone knows the extent of this castle's abilities."

Hermione noticed the flat tone in his voice. "Is there something on your mind?"

"I..." A pause. "Before you remember anymore, I need to apologize." Severus ran a finger along the rim of his glass, his face was tense with shame. "We got into an argument yesterday, I said things I regret. When you remember…please keep that in mind that I'm sorry."

The room felt very still as she considered. "Forgiven," Hermione said after a moment, and she meant it. Hermione had nothing beyond her instinct to go on at this point, and so she decided to trust hers. It told her Severus was safe.

He rolled his eyes. "You don't even know what I said."

"Correct."

Gryffindors." He huffed. At her confused look, he waved his hand, "Never mind."

She continued. "As I was saying, I woke up in the grass, I was on a tree line - "

Severus nodded. "Likely the forbidden forest."

"I walked up the hill and followed instinct to the entryway, where the pull stopped."

No one spoke as she calmed her mind and allowed the visions to slowly come to her. "Before that, I was walking down a corridor, and I saw a bright light. I remember laying on the marble floor."

"Perhaps you were attacked heading home after your last class of the day?"

A vision of bubbling cauldrons floated into her mind, a blonde girl, and a tall lanky fifth year.

"I was helping students brew potions." Hermione sat up straight. "I am a teacher!" She looked up guiltily. "Not that I didn't believe you, but remembering it…" she trailed off as a small girl with ash-colored hair swam into her vision. Professor, I think I need help. "I remember class, I had several students stay late."

"Do you remember anything specific about the attack?" He asked gently. "Take your time."

"I saw black shoes."

"Anything else?"

"They weren't large shoes, someone younger."

"A student." Severus gave an affirming nod. "Would you recognize them again?"

"Before class, I think I ate lunch, and I had other classes." She nodded, thinking. "I ate breakfast. I got distressing news, but it's all fuzzy. Ginny is coming to visit me. Do you know who that is?"

"Ginny Weasley is your friend."

Hermione's head jerked up locking her eyes with his, "I remember our fight. You were quite rude, but my forgiveness still stands."

"You are too kind," Severus said dryly, raising his glass.

Hermione was silent for a moment, the crease between her brows deepening. "I came to Hogwarts after…oh my god." She stood. "The last few years…the battle…Oh my god." She repeated.

"Hermione, please breathe, you are not in danger."

She looked up at him, "We all thought you were dead, I saw you…"

"I was bitten, yes."

"Tonks is dead! Remus…oh Merlin, Fred!"

"Our side suffered great losses."

"You were pretending to be evil. And you were convincing."

"To everyone but you."

She barely heard him. "Harry and Ron! How could I ever have forgotten them?" We were on the run, we..." Hermione froze, the blood drained from her face as she recalled the memories Severus didn't like to think about.

Her eyes softened, "I was locked up. You helped me."

Severus looked away, uncomfortable. "I was reckless."

"You helped me. You healed me."

"I don't want to talk about that." His expression was obscured by the flicking candlelight.

"You fed me, you -"

"Tortured you?" He suggested darkly.

She laughed darkly. "You apologized for your rudeness, but not for torturing me?"

"I didn't think you wanted an apology for that. You understood that I was not going to let you die." The was a dangerous edge in his voice. Her body pulsed at his fierce words. The jolt in her blood brought her back to another memory, of when she had seen Snape in the manor, to where she had asked him to…

She clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh my god!" the bottom of her stomach seemed to drop out, and a wave of embarrassment crashed down on her. She had asked Severus to be her first.

Severus spoke quickly. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You were in an extreme situation."

"I asked you to…" She buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god."

"You were half-starved and fighting for your life. I do not judge you."

She took several deep breaths. "I didn't think you would say yes. I had nothing to lose."

"And everything to gain."

Hermione's eyes flickered up in confusion. Severus raised an eyebrow. "Miss Granger, I know that you were considering the tactical advantage of seducing a guard." He did her the mercy of not fully meeting her eyes. "It was a calculated move, a brave one. You would have made a good spy with the proper training."

Whatever she thought he was going to say, it wasn't that. Hermione hesitated in the glow of his praise for a moment, but she didn't deserve it; he was wrong. "I wasn't thinking about survival when I… propositioned you," she said, cringing at the words. "In fact, I was very sure I was going to die, cold and alone in Malfoy's basement, of all places. I wanted to feel something before it was all over."

He stared at the fire. "I suppose it's better to think that you chose me because I was the least repulsive Death Eater, and not because you thought I would be turned so easily." He sipped his drink, "My ego couldn't take it otherwise."

"Least repulsive-" She stared openly at him, his dark eyes reflecting the firelight. "Have you seen yourself?

Severus glanced away, his voice coming out cold. "There's no need to play at flattery, Granger."

"I'm not." There was an awkward pause. "It's alright; I'm not embarrassed that you rejected me."

Severus finally looked at her, "Rejected you?" His eyes were incredulous. "You were a half-starved child, how could my answer have been anything else?"

"I'm sure it seemed that way; I had been on an extremely limited diet for nearly nine months-" She abruptly cut off, a new memory coming to her. "I wiped myself from my parents' memories."

Severus was stunned, "What?"

"They don't remember me." She was breathing short and fast, hyperventilating at the knowledge.

He looked up at her sadly, "I'm sorry professor, I didn't know."

"I'm never going to talk to my parents again."

Severus sighed deeply, "On that, I can relate."

But she was already moving to other memories. "You used to be my teacher." She was still for a moment, "It's all coming back now, school, magic, my childhood. It's becoming more and more clear, like cleaning a dusty window. I have no one."

"Is there no way to reverse the charm on your parents?"

A memory came to her, an argument in the living room. Her father and mother fought again, their dental practice was going under.

Her mother was crying, "I want a divorce!"

"Fuck off, so I can pay you child support?"

"Money! That's all you care about!"

Her father turned to Hermione, who was sitting at the kitchen table, frozen. "How old are you now?

Young Hermione shook, "12."

Mr. Granger turned back to his sobbing wife. "Great," he spat cruelly, "only six years left."

The door slammed hard behind him and his mother wailed as he walked out. Hermione returned to her books.

Hermione shook her head at the memory. Her father had moved out for several weeks that time, but her parents had come back together eventually. Hermione often wished they hadn't.

"I don't miss them, now that I remember them fully. They never really took an interest in me, so long as I did as I was told. They fought too much to notice me, the only positive attention I ever received was when they were proud of my grades, so I kept my head down and studied." She smirked at him. "Teachers always loved me until you."

"Professor, I'm-"

"Please stop apologizing."

Severus held her stare, looking forlorn, "What do you need?"

"I need to not be alone in the world."

He had been staring at her, as he did only when he let his guard down. She fell into those near-black pools, obscuring her peripheral vision. They swallowed her up, nerves teetering on the brink. She ached to lean forward, but held herself back.

"You are not alone. You still have a support system. You have the Order and Potter and the Weasleys, and you...have me." Severus licked his lips and fidgeted. "If your offer of friendship still stands."

"Why?"

He sighed heavily. "Because you're not afraid to shout in my face."

Hermione nodded, "You need to remember that trust goes both ways. If you need help or someone to talk to, I'm around." She added with a smirk, "That's what friends are, by the way, since you weren't familiar before."

"Hush, you," Severus said softly, standing and sliding on his robes. "Let's get you back to your rooms. It is nearly 10 pm and Miss Weasley may already be waiting for you."