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Memories of Deception	By : professorflo Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 20868 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters within. I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Memories of Deception
- 2-2
- 3-3
- 4-4
- 5-5
- 6-6
- 7-7
- 8-8
- 9-9.
- 10-10
- 11-11
- 12-12
- 13-13
- 14-14
- 15-15
- 16-16
- 17-17
- 18-18
- 19-19
- 20-20
- 21-21
- 22-22
- 23-23
- 24-24
- 25-25
- 26-26
- 27-27
- 28-28
- 29-29
- 30-30
- 31-31
- 32-32
- 33-33
- 34-34
- 35-35
- 36-36
- 37-37
- 38-38
- 39-39
- 40-40
- 41-41
- 42-42
- 43-43
- 44-44
- 45-45
- 46-46
- 47-47
- 48-48
- 49-49
- 50-50
- 51-51
- 52-52
- 53-53
- 54-54
- 55-55
- 56-56
- 57-57
- 58-58
- 59-59
- 60-60
- 61-61
- 62-62
- 63-63
- 64-64
- 65-65
- 66-66
- 67-67
- 68-68
- 69-69
- 70-70
- 71-71
- 72-72
- 73-73
- 74-74
- 75-75
- 76-76
- 77-77
- 78-78
- 79-79
- 80-80
- 81-81
- 82-82
- 83-83
- 84-84
- 85-85
- 86-86
- 87-87
- 88-88
- 89-89
- 90-90
- 91-91
- 92-92
- 93-93
- 94-94
- 95-95
- 96-96
- 97-97
- 98-98
- 99-99
- 100-100
- 101-101
- 102-102
- 103-103
- 104-104
- 105-105
- 106-106
- 107-107
- 108-108
- 109-109
- 110-110
- 111-111
- 112-112
- 113-113
- 114-114
- 115-115
- 116-116
- 117-117
- 118-118
- 119-119
- 120-120
- 121-121
- 122-122
- 123-123
- 124-124
- 125-125
- 126-126
- 127-127
- 128-128
- 129-129
- 130-130
- 125
- 126
- 127
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Hermione made her way down to the station on her own, her trunk containing her shrunken belonging hovering behind her. She'd skipped the leaving feast as Minerva had told her Snape was attending, although the older witch had tried to convince her to come too. In truth, Hermione hadn't wanted to deal with the fuss that would have been made over her leaving, and had been happy to escape the castle quietly.
Snape's survival and presence in the castle had been kept under wraps until just before the end of term. He had moved out of the infirmary back to his rooms in the middle of the night far earlier than Poppy had wanted him to go. His wand had been left in his bedroom, dropped and forgotten, otherwise the nurse wouldn't have managed to keep him there for any length of time once he'd woken up.
He had apparently kept himself holed up in his rooms, only admitting Minerva, Poppy and occasionally Kingsley. Minerva had somehow persuaded him to return as Headmaster, although Slughorn had refused to stay longer than one more year without his star pupil. Minerva had been quite gleeful that it was no longer her problem to find a new Potions Master.
From what she understood, his return to life had been carefully managed with a carefully worded statement to the press, released the same evening that the Governors were called into a meeting to announce the news and discuss his proposed return as Headmaster. Minerva had apparently browbeaten anyone who was wavering on the matter into submission.
The students had been told the same morning that the news of his return as Head was announced in the papers, about a week after the original story of his survival, and with another to go before the end of the school year. Snape had swept into the Great Hall for breakfast, his frock coat and teaching robes back in place, the only difference being the lack of the scowl he had continuously worn the entirety of the last few years before the battle. As the students who had been at Hogwarts during those years observe, there was something about him that had changed, although they couldn't say quite what.
Hermione had been absent that morning, warned by Minerva, and all the mornings after when he had appeared to eat. She only turned up at the lunch and evening meals, when she knew he would be absent. By the time the end of the school year ended she'd somehow managed to avoid him entirely.
She had mixed feelings about leaving the castle. It had been home to her growing into her abilities as a witch. Except for the nine months on the run, it had been home to her for almost ten years, and she felt her heart wrench as she turned to get her last glimpse of the castle, before the hills and trees surrounding the track hid it.
She'd hoped that, despite her letter, he wouldn't leave it too long. It's only been two weeks, Hermione. Give the man a chance. You had two whole years… It didn't stop her from feeling miserable, as if by leaving the castle, she was leaving him for ever. With every step further away from the castle her feet seemed to get heavier, and the tightness in her chest increased.
Did he even know she was leaving? He must – Minerva would have told him. The older with had been nothing but encouraging, trying to push the two of them back together. From their chats over tea, Hermione knew that while Snape seemed to be eager to get on with his new start at life, he had all but refused to discuss anything to do with Hermione. He had barely listened to what she'd had to say, although he'd not been able to control his expression when Minerva had told him that Hermione now knew that she'd advised him to forget a relationship with her.
Hermione smiled faintly at the memory of Minerva describing how she'd been ready to grab her wand, so sure was she that Snape was about to hex her when she told him that she'd not only said something similar to Hermione at the time, but that she'd also been wrong to tell them both what she had. As with all her news of Snape, Hermione had tried her hardest to not seem eager for as much about him as she could get, but she was pretty sure she failed miserably.
Minerva had also told Hermione about their first proper chat after he'd woken up. Snape had seemed strangely focused on his new status, and gobsmacked to find that Harry had worked so hard to clear his name with the general population, as well as obtaining a pardon. He was not, however, surprised to find that Hermione had organised much of it, although the news elicited the first smile Minerva had seen on him since Hermione had been hit by her hex in the Headmaster's study. The older witch seemed to be sure that Snape loved her, but Hermione didn't dare rely on her judgement. She didn't want to get her hopes up if they were only to be later dashed.
The main gates were fast approaching, her last few moments at Hogwarts finally here. As she reached them, she turned to look back up the track, wishing hopelessly that she would see hi appearing around the corner, despite the fact she knew he was taking part in the leaving feast. The track was empty.
With an angry swipe at tears that were suddenly in her eyes, Hermione turned her back on the school and stepped through the open gates, feeling the tingle of wards wash over her. She didn't look back again as she made her way to the station.
The Hogwarts Express was already there, the engine warming up in preparation for leaving. Hermione left her trunk with the pile of students' luggage for the porters to load it onto the train, and climbed into the rear carriage. She chose a compartment and closed the door behind her, pulling the curtains closed in the hope that no one would disturb her.
Seating herself by the window she settled in to wait, pulling a book from her shoulder bag and beginning to read. It was an hour or so before the students began to pour onto the platform, all chattering nosily. The bustle and confusion didn't seem to lessen until the figures of Pomona and Vector appeared on the platform, having drawn the short straw of making sure the students all made it onto the train lately.
The crowd outside began to thin, and thumps of bags and yelling now filled the train. Only once did anyone try opening the door to Hermione's compartment, and they quickly disappeared again. Hermione abandoned her book and took to watching out of the window, hoping that Snape would appear to stop her from leaving. She had managed well so far, and had not been too disheartened that he had not come to find her.
Right now, however, her self-control seemed to be at the edge of snapping, and she was suddenly glad that Harry had ignored her protests and had insisted on meeting her at Kings Cross. She felt strangely fragile, and was glad she wouldn't have to make her way across London by herself.
She was going to stay with him and Ginny at Grimmauld Place for a while, until she'd earned enough at her new job to afford a place of her own. Minerva had managed to wangle her a small allowance as she'd done some brewing and assisted in class, and although she'd got her room and board for free, most of it had been spent on books and the few personal items she'd needed.
Despite her dread over leaving Hogwarts, she really was looking forward to starting her new job. Slughorn, while an excellent potioneer, wasn't the best teacher when it came to the high level she was studying at, and Hermione felt that her progress had nearly atrophied. She was excited to move on to new challenges and to apply her knowledge in a more practical way. Brewing for the Hogwarts' infirmary would be a doddle in comparison.
Spending more time with her friends would be good for her. She'd rather neglected them over the past two years, except at holidays, focusing instead firstly on Snape's cure and then her mastery. Her friends understood of course, they knew all too well how she would focus on her work to the exclusion of all else. Hermione knew she was lucky to have such understanding friends.
It would almost feel like being back at school in a way. Since her friends had left school a year previous she had been very much a loner; not quite a teacher, and two years older than the oldest students. Sharing a house with Ginny and Harry, and with Ron, Luna and many of her other friends dropping in, it would feel like being back in Gryffindor Tower again. And if Snape did decide not to pursue her, it would be far better to be away from Hogwarts, with her friends around her, and away from the sight and memories of the man she loved.
The train whistle interrupted her thoughts. Snape still hadn't appeared, and with the signal that the train was ready to depart the platform cleared of the last few stragglers. The clanking of rods and the groaning of the couplings as the engine began to pull seemed unbearably loud to Hermione. She slumped back dejectedly against the seat, feeling horribly sick. He wasn't coming. The carriages began to move, taking her away from her long-time home and the man she loved. Tears prickled at the back of her eyes and she fought furiously to stop them falling as the train began to move faster.
He appeared suddenly out of the swirling steam covering the platform, glancing into the windows until he found her. Her carriage was now nearly at the end of the platform, and still picking up speed. Her eyes locked with his until the train had carried her too far away from the platform for her to see his expression. The last she saw, he was lowering his head dejectedly, as the train disappeared around the corner.
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Memories of Deception