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This Is The Way The World Ends.	By : tulipsaside Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 7312 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 23
- 24
- 25
24. Its good to learn from your mistakes

but that only works in youth
The bell rang just as Professor Meadows was calling out their homework assignment.

�Sixteen inches on Vampires due next lesson.� he bellowed.

Severus and Hermione bent over their parchments scribbling in a reminder.

Hermione started tucking her books back into her bag as the other students went barrelling out of the classroom. She looked to Severus as a loud crash tore through the bustle of noise that had already began filling the room.

Severus lay sprawled on the floor, his chair splintered underneath him.

�What in the name of Merlin is going on?� said Professor Meadows.

�Nothing, Professor.� Severus said through gritted teeth.

�I want this mess cleaned up right away, Mr. Snape,� he snarled before heading towards his office.

Laughter rang through the class as Potter, Black and Peter sidled up to the desk. She opened her mouth to tell them all to bugger off when Harry and Remus stepped out from behind them. Harry reached out to Severus, offering his hand.

Snape glared at Harry before gripping the edge of his desk to hoist himself up.

Harry shook his head looking back over his shoulder at his father and Godfather grasping each other in vicious laughter.

�Give it a rest you two.� Said Remus softly before walking out of the class followed by Harry.

Hermione handed Severus his bag as they headed to the door, trying valiantly to ignore the trio behind them.

�Sixteen inches on vampires, eh Snivellus. That should be right up your alley,� snarled Black.

James imitated a comical vampire with his cloak up around his face, much to the amusement of Wormtail.

Severus turned sharply, his wand high out in front of him. He made a quick steady flick with his wand.

�Severus you mustn�t� said Hermione aware that the damage had already been done, judging by the sounds coming from James, Black and Peter.

Hermione watched in rapt curiosity. Peter had flopped down on the floor and was quickly trying to pull his boots off. James and Black were dancing a sickening ballet across the room hopping from one foot to the other.

�What was that?� she asked Severus as he mended the chair.

�Let�s just say their toenails will reach sixteen inches long before my essay does,� he said quietly as they exited the class, leaving the three to howl after him.

They walked side by side for a short while, Hermione deeply aware at how shallow Severus was breathing. They hit the stairs leading down to the third floor when Severus clutched his side; hissing.

�Are you hurt?� Hermione asked lowering her hand gently to his shoulder as he bent double.

�It�s just a bruise from falling,� he said tersely pulling his hand away from his ribs and straightening. He lifted his foot determined to take the stairs quickly. They endured three more steps before he halted, grimacing.

�Please let me look.� She said tenderly.

He nodded leaning his back against the cool of the stones.

Hermione brought her hands up to this chest pushing back his robes and pulling up his shirt and jumper. There was a large bruise between his last two ribs and a small indentation in between.

�I think you may have broken a rib.� she set her wand against his side lightly, watching as the light turned a faint red.

She shook her head, �It�s broken all right. We need to go to Pomfrey,� she said quietly.

Severus breath was coming shorter and harsher. He shook his head, �I can heal it, just let me have a moment.�

�Severus, please this is serious let me help you to the infirmary.� she tried soothingly.

�I will not subject myself to her perverse brand of healing. I have had enough of her accusatory looks and backhanded comments. I can take care of myself,� he said a bit harshly.

Hermione stepped back from him, wounded. �I,� she started her voice startled before steeling herself. �I hate seeing you hurt and having to suffer through everything alone.�

Severus eyes softened. �I am not alone,� he said faintly.

Hermione smiled. �Then tell me how to help you.�

Severus watched her for a moment before nodding slowly. �If you would please hold my garments out of the way it would be most helpful.�

Hermione walked to him quickly, gingerly pushing his shirt, jumper and cloak to the side. Severus placed his wand against his chest before taking a deep shuddering breath. He let the air escape his lungs in a melodic song the tip of his wand moving in small circles and his eyes close tightly. His voice hitched painfully as a sound like eggs cracking rose up over his spell making Hermione wince.

Severus let his hand fall to his side and leaned his head back against the wall. Hermione slowly touched her hand to his side, caressing it softly.

�Where did you learn that spell?� she asked faintly her hand moving in a tender imitation of his healing charm.

Severus swallowed, �My mother taught it to me.�

Hermione raised her head to meet his gaze in question. Severus starred at her relaxing into her touch. He dipped his head towards her letting his mouth slip pleasingly over her own.

�Thank you,� he said against her mouth.

Hermione laughed, �I haven�t done anything remotely useful.�

Severus pulled back from her slightly, giving her a deep severe look.

�You�ve done more than you can imagine,� he said, before descending on her again his fingers caressing the delicate and exposed skin of her wrists.

Hermione broke free of him her mind blurry.

�We�re late for class. I�m supposed to be in Herbology.�

Severus nodded slowly letting his hand fall away from her and stepping back a few paces to give her room.

�Are you feeling better?� she asked shyly.

�Much.� he said.

�Right,� Hermione started nervously, �I�ll see you after classes?� she asked feeling silly, and wondering why she was so jittery, it was not like that was the first time they had snogged.

Severus nodded to her pulling his bag more firmly onto his shoulder.

�I�ve a break after History of Magic, are you free.�

�Yes, would you like to meet at the lake before dinner?� she asked feeling her throat constrict.

�That would be agreeable,� he said in a soft low voice.

�Alright then.� she said all but quivering before standing taller on her toes and kissing him swiftly then sprinting down the stairs to the school grounds.
Severus was already waiting for her by the lake when she arrived. He sat stoically starring out over the water; his legs pulled up slightly towards his chest and his wand dangling in his hand as it rested on his knee. Hermione walked up and took a seat next to him.

Severus let his hand fall away putting his wand back up his sleeve.

�How was Herbology?� he asked.

Hermione smiled, �Fine, how was History of Magic.� she asked playfully.

He raised and eyebrow up at her before starring back at the water, �As riveting as can be expected, though I happen to like how empty it is in there, being that I am one of five people taking the course.�

�I can imagine. I remember when I took it my six-year, I was one of three,� she said playfully.

Severus looked at her sharply. �You have already completed your six year.�

Hermione nodded slowly. �I have.� she said already knowing what he would ask next.

�Then why take it again?� he asked his eyes wide in disbelief.

Hermione took a deep breath, already feeling an ache behind her eyes.

�I suppose because I wanted to try the other courses wouldn�t work?� she asked playfully.

Severus seemed less than impressed.

�There wasn�t any other option really. We could not get a place in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, since we do not have any money, and we cannot get a job because technically we do not exists. Dumbledore was gracious enough to let us stay on here and take classes, hoping to keep us above suspicion by acting as students.� she finished feeling rather tired and hoping to avoid any questions on why they had retook their six year instead of their seventh. She really did not want to explain; though knowing Severus he would ask anyways, he really was too perceptive.

Severus stared at her for a few moments while she looked out over the water.

�Why not start your seventh year?� he asked quietly.

Hermione closed her eyes wondering if getting involved with Severus might have been a terrible mistake.

�For Harry�s sake really and to keep a look out for any information that can help us fight our war.� she said realizing that it might be a better idea to just stand up and head for the castle.

�A look out? What could anyone in their sixth year of Hogwarts tell you about a war that happens in twenty years?� he asked forcefully though careful to keep his voice at a low whisper.

Hermione looked at him seriously, wondering how much she could tell him.

�There are a lot of things about this situation I can�t tell you, and I apologize for that, I can�t imagine how frustrating it must be. Just believe me when I say there are people in this school that play a huge role in the war and might be able to help us. There are a lot of other specifics that go along with it but I can�t explain those either.� she finished sadly.

�How old are you?� he asked.

Hermione was slightly startled, �Nineteen.�

Severus� eyebrows rose high into his hairline before he turned away from her looking out over the lake as the giant squid buoyed out of the water.

�It feels like I hardly know you. More than that, it seems that every time I do get an indication on who you might be something like this happens and it�s all washed away.� He said still not turning his head from the squid circling the lake.

Hermione sighed, �I can tell you a bit about myself if you like. Where I was born, my parents. I don�t want to make this difficult for you, and I understand if its too much; I won�t beg you to stay.� she said softly, a lump forming in her throat at the idea of having to live out her days here without him even if they were only friends.

Severus looked at her his face taut and his eyes fierce. �I want to know you, Hermione.�

Hermione placed her hand on top of his where it rested in the grass.

�Well, I was born in London to Muggles.� she started looking at Severus furtively.

�Both of them?� he asked staring at her his mouth slightly agape.

Hermione nodded, �Yes, there dentist.�

�I�ve never know any muggle-borns sorted into Slytherin.� he said faintly.

Hermione laughed, �Yes well, the hat said I had a plan that I wanted to put in motion. Seemed to think that my cunning superseded my blood status.�

Severus nodded though seemed to look at her a bit oddly. Hermione wondered if he had always been against muggleborns or had that come later.

�Does that bother you?� she asked quietly moving her hand from his and pulling up a blade of grass.

�It might have had I known before I started talking with you.� he said honestly.

Hermione felt herself ruffling a bit. He was a half-blood how much different could it be from her? One bloody parent?

�I can�t see you as someone stuck on being pure-blooded? You see how well I do in school I�m a point away from you,� she said getting angrier the more she thought on it.

�I�m a half-blood. My father is a muggle,� he said as if that alone should be explanation enough.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, �Not all people are like your father.�

Severus looked stunned. �I didn�t say they were.�

�Then why treat me as if I�m something beneath you for being a muggle-born.�

Severus bit out a short laugh, �You misunderstand me. I�m not saying I wouldn�t have talked to you had I known, Its more that I do not know how I would have acted; it�s impossible for me to know what I might have done. I don�t care that you�re muggle-born it doesn�t make you any less of a witch in my eyes.�

Hermione felt herself relaxing a little, though embarrassment quickly filled its place before she started breaking into a loud laugh.

�Well it might not matter that I�m muggle born but it�s defiantly going to annoy you when I say that in my own time I was a Gryffindor.�

Severus� eyes widened, �Your joking.� he said his voice filled with incredulity.

Hermione laughed harder, �No I�m not. Though to be fair, the sorting hat had wanted to put me in Ravenclaw.�

�Your one redeeming attribute then.�

Hermione smiled, �Only one?�

Severus smirked, �There might be others but your ego is in the way,� he said playfully.

Hermione shook her head, �I�m not nearly as bad as all that.�

�True, but technically you were one of them,� he said.

�Yes, well the House of Slytherin is doing a fine job on eradicating any residual tendencies.� she said laughing.

Severus pushed his hair out of his face watching her intently as she laughed. �So your muggle-born and a Gryffindor,� he said Gryffindor with such loathing it made Hermione almost choke with laughter. �You�re nineteen, terribly clever, and currently stuck twenty-years in the past.�

Hermione nodded, �That pretty much sums it up.�

He looked at her thoughtfully before saying, �That means I�m twenty years older than you in your own time.�

Hermione�s laughter stopped abruptly. �Well yes I suppose so.�

Severus stared at her, a thick silence falling in between them. His mouth opened a fraction and Hermione felt a heavy dread settle in her stomach, knowing any minute now he would figure out much more than he ever needed to know.

�So what else can you tell me, about the little slithering lioness.� he smirked.

Hermione snorted as relief surged through her. She began to tell him all about her days at primary school and her letter from Hogwarts. How Harry, Ron and her became friends.

�They fought a full grown mountain troll as first years?� he asked sceptically.

�They did, and had it not been for them I probably would have died.�

�You�re lucky to have such remarkable friends.� he said his voice holding a hint of bitterness.

�We did always manage to find ourselves in trouble.� She said warmly.

�Your poor teachers.� he said with a smirk.

Hermione nodded, �Yes it�s a wonder we weren�t all expelled.�

Severus nodded, �It�s getting late do you want to head up to the castle for dinner?� he asked.

Hermione shifted closer next to him, �I suppose we should but I�m having a lovely time.�

�Then we shall stay, if we miss dinner than we�ll slip down to the kitchens later.� He said smoothly letting his arm curve around her as he leaned back heavily on his arms, stretching out his long legs.

�What about you, Severus. I don�t know much about you at all.� she said her head resting back against his shoulder.

�I have a feeling you know more about me than I can conceive of.�

�Perhaps, but I know next to nothing of you now.� she said swiftly.

Hermione felt him nod. �Alright, then. You are already aware that I am a half blood. My father Tobias is a muggle and my mother Eileen was a witch. Is a witch. I too was born in London and grew up in a small town near a mill that happens to be the only thing keeping the town operating. I was home schooled and until I came to Hogwarts had no clue that my mother was in fact a witch.�

�She never told you?� Hermione asked.

�No never, I suspect my father knew but like many things felt the need to keep it concealed.�

Hermione�s heart tightened thinking about how terrible his youth must have been.

�Was your father angry about you coming here?� she asked soothingly.

�He was upset, but my mother convinced him that it was for the best,� he said crossing his feet together in the grass. �I imagine the idea of me leaving home for months at a time persuaded him much more effectively than anything my mother might have said,� he said mockingly.

�That terrible, Severus.�

�It is in the past; I�ve learnt to deal with it and am much better for it I�m sure.�

�How can you say that?� she asked.

�It�s given me a valuable lesson. If anything I am grateful he�s taught me how to take care of myself,� he said.

�What do you do on the holidays?� Hermione asked, wondering if this subject was getting a little too personal.

�When my mother was still there, I�d go home to visit with her, keeping to myself in the evenings so as not to upset my father. Now, I suppose I�ll stay over for winter break and most likely find employment for over the summer, perhaps stay in Diagon Alley.� he said calmly as if it were no more significant than extended weekend away from his father.

�Won�t he be upset if you don�t return?� she asked sitting up to look at him.

�I�d say there�s a better chance of that if I did.� he said starring down at her his hair framing his face in deep shadows from the setting sun.

Hermione felt overwhelmed with sadness for him. How anyone could let something like this continue. Why had no one helped him, how could Dumbledore. It was what happened to Harry all over again. Dumbledore abandoning him to the Durselys. Just like he abandoned Severus to his fate here as a student and again when he joined Voldemort. Hermione�s brain started working furiously, how much would change if she stopped Severus from joining. Dumbledore would not die, that was for sure but what else might or might not happen.

�Are you alright?� he asked gently caressing her arm.

Hermione looked at him, feeling her stomach flutter with fear and anticipation, before crushing her mouth against his.

�I won�t leave you to a life like that,� she said cryptically before knotting her hands into his hair and tugging on his lip with her own.

Severus kissed her back with equal fervour slightly flummoxed as to what she was talking about but pleasantly occupied enough not to really care.
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This Is The Way The World Ends.