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Resolution	By : chrmisha Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 8076 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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.

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Resolution : Chapter 4 of 13

It had been a month since Rowland had assaulted her. The nightmares of Lucius had returned full force after that night. She found herself at their mercy since she had run out of the dreamless sleep potion. It was a controlled substance and she couldn�t obtain more without contacting Professor Snape or the University Mediwitch, both of whom would want to know why she needed it.

It was a cold November morning when Lidia burst into their room, an annoyed look on her face.

�Some wizards are looking for you.�

Hermione�s face blanched and her heart started racing. Hiding her trembling hands behind her back, she asked, �Who are they?�

�How should I know?� was her snotty response.

Trying again, Hermione asked, �What did they look like?�

�One was tall with red hair and freckles, the other had dark, unruly hair and green eyes. Quite handsome, that one. What he would want with a prude like you is beyond me,� Lidia said, shaking her head in disgust as she gave Hermione a once over.

Ron and Harry! Relief rushed through her; it wasn�t Rowland with some of his buddies. But her relief was quickly replaced by trepidation. She may be able to lie to Lidia, or even to herself, but Ron and Harry would see right through her.

Feeling an urge to put Lidia in her place, Hermione said, �Have you ever heard of Harry Potter?�

�No, why?�

Hermione just stared in disbelief. How could you live in the Wizarding world, even part time, and NOT know who Harry Potter was? He had defeated Lord Voldemort, had had his picture plastered all over the Wizarding news, and was the most eligible bachelor in the Wizarding world. That, if nothing else, should have rung a bell. Hermione grabbed one of Lidia�s copies of Witch Weekly and found a picture, thrusting it at her roommate.

Lidia�s eyes lit up. Hermione saw the greed and chance at fame register on the witch�s face.

�Ooh, can you introduce me to him?�

�Not on your life,� Hermione snorted as she walked out of the room.

***

Severus Snape had just finished teaching for the day. He studied the dungeon, shaking his head in disgust. Three cauldron explosions, two students sent to the Infirmary, and one blubbering Hufflepuff. And he thought his troubles were over when Longbottom, Weasley, and Potter had graduated two years ago. Were witches and wizards really that stupid in his day? Or was the Wizarding world truly going downhill?

A knock at the dungeon door pulled him from his thoughts. The last thing he wanted to do right now was deal with more students. It was Friday afternoon and he was looking forward to a weekend free of the wretched creatures.

He stalked to the door, glowering, prepared to bite the head off of whatever unlucky student dared breach his inner sanctum after hours.

His eyes darkened at the sight of them; it was worse than some clueless first years.

�Potter, Weasley,� he said, the names rolling off his tongue like a bitter potion, �I thought I had rid myself of you two.� He glared at them, daring them to mistake the look of loathing in his eyes. He took minute satisfaction in seeing the Weasley boy swallow hard at the unspoken threat. Potter, on the other hand, just rolled his eyes and stepped past him into the dungeon, leaning against one of the benches.

�Professor, we�ve come to talk to you about Hermione. We are worried about her.� Harry�s voice was direct and to the point.

Severus raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for whatever drivel they had come to bother him with.

�She�s not right,� Ron said. �Something�s very wrong. She looks dreadful.�

Harry cleared his throat, drawing Severus�s attention. �She�s thin, way too thin. Like she hasn�t been eating. And although she cast a spell to cover it, there were dark circles under her eyes; she�s not sleeping either.� Harry paused, seeming to consider something. �I don�t know if it�s true or not, but her roommate said she�s failing all her courses. We tried to ask her about it, but she wouldn�t answer us.�

�And why are you telling me this?� Severus asked, his voice cold as ice.

�Well, because we thought you might be able to help her,� Ron blurted out.

�You two are her friends. Shouldn�t you be the ones helping her?� Severus challenged.

Ron looked helplessly at Harry who had remained silent.

�I told you we were wasting our time,� Ron said, grabbing Harry and dragging him out of the dungeon.

Severus shook his head as he heard Ron mutter under his breath.

Stalking to the front of the classroom, Severus whipped around when he heard the dungeon door open and shut again. Harry stood, leaning casually against the wall, his arms folded over his chest.

Severus rolled his eyes. �What is it now?�

Harry looked at Severus for a moment before speaking. �You may be able to fool everyone else, Professor, but you don�t fool me.�

�And just what is that supposed to mean?� Severus said, stalking Harry in his most intimidating manner, one that had been known to send wayward students scurrying.

�I know you love her. I know you would do anything for her.�

Severus froze in his tracks, unaware that he had done so. His silence spoke volumes.

�We couldn�t get through to her. You may be her only chance. I�ve seen how she responds to you.�

Severus glared at Harry before turning his back on him.

�For your information, Potter, I was already planning on visiting Miss Granger tomorrow.�

�Does she know?� Harry asked.

When Severus reached the front of the room, he turned back to face Harry.

�No.�

�Very well, Professor. Let me know if there�s anything I can do to help.�

Severus raised an eyebrow but did not comment. Potter let himself out of the dungeon without another word.

***

Severus Snape spent the morning in Diagon Alley. The plant he had ordered for Hermione back in July had finally arrived. While he was there, he also picked up what he needed to replenish his potions stores. When he returned to the castle, a blustering winter wind was whipping snow around. He would be glad to Apparate to where Hermione was studying; surely the weather wouldn�t be as cold in that part of England. Pulling the wool cloak around him, he hurried to the dungeons. The plant was a tropical plant, surely unsuited to this type of weather. He should have charmed a tropical environment around it before he Apparated back to the castle.

He dropped off the potion ingredients in his storeroom and headed to his private rooms. He immediately knew something was wrong. His wards had been breached. He rushed inside his rooms, wand drawn. Whoever had broken in was gone. A quick overview of his rooms showed nothing out of the ordinary. Still, someone had been there. As he walked around his rooms once more, he saw it. Lying on his desk was a piece of parchment, the ink still fresh on the page.

Severus,

I�m very sorry I missed you. I wanted to say good-bye. I promised you I would try. Part of me is glad you weren�t here; the other part would have liked to have seen you one last time to thank you for all you�ve done for me. I truly appreciate it.

I love you,

Hermione.

Severus�s mind reeled at her words as his heart pounded wildly against his chest. I promised you I would try. Suddenly, the conversation they�d had came rushing back to him.

�I wish I had a potion to take away your pain, Hermione.�

�You do, it�s called Endless Sleep.�

�What would you have done if you had found that potion?�

�I don�t know.�

�Promise me you�ll come to me first if it gets that bad.�

Silence.

�Promise me, Hermione.�

�I�ll try.�

Severus slammed his fist on the desk, causing the ink well to spill its contents onto the desk. She came to me for help and I wasn�t here. Guilt warred with anger. Why didn�t I go to her last night when Potter warned me? Why didn�t she come to me sooner? Why did she wait until she had already made up her mind?

Severus shook his head to clear his thoughts. The ink on the letter wasn�t even dry yet; he must have just missed her. Where could she have gone? She would have to leave the grounds of Hogwarts to Apparate. He hadn�t seen her when he walked up to the castle or to his dungeons so it was unlikely that she had left.

Think, Severus! Where would you go if you wanted to commit suicide? A small voice inside his head said, To the highest place. The towers! Running through the towers in his mind, he decided that the North tower was the most likely candidate. It overlooked the back of the castle, a place where there was little foot traffic. No one would see her. Also, its entrance was closest to the dungeons in a part of the castle that was rarely used, hence no students would be milling about. And no one ever used the North tower. The last he knew, it was in dire need or repair.

Severus burst from his rooms, not bothering to re-erect the wards as he left. He rushed through the winding corridors, hoping against hope that he wasn�t too late. When he reached the entrance to the North Tower, he realized it had been warded. He knew then that he would find her. He only hoped that he would find her alive.

Breaking through the wards, he ran up the spiraling stairs. When he reached the top, he stopped dead in his tracks. There, on the ledge, the slight form of a witch with brown curls whipping in the wind stood perched on the ledge, her back to him.

�Hermione.� His voice was soft and pleading.

�Don�t,� she said, her voice laden with tears.

He studied her slight form balanced precariously, looking out over the Hogwarts grounds, her fingers gripping the column she stood next to. One strong gust of wind and she would be blown right off, he thought to himself.

�Talk to me.�

She shook her head, her fingernails digging into the crumbling granite.

�I won�t try and stop you, Hermione. I just want to know why.�

He could practically see her inner struggle before she finally spoke.

�I thought I could handle it. I thought it would be better if everyone knew.�

He could hear the tears in her voice.

�Ron and Harry came to see me yesterday. I envy them. They have a life. I only have a past.�

She paused before continuing. �Do you know what they call me at school? They call me the Malfoy whore. I used to be the intelligent witch who fought valiantly against Voldemort. I used to have a future. Now I�m just a whore.�

Severus bit his tongue. He wanted to tell her how wrong she was, but instinct told him to let her get it all out.

�When I was young and stupid, I used to dream that someday I would meet a fairytale prince and I would have a fairytale wedding and that my fairytale husband and I would live happily ever after. I was saving myself for that man.� She sighed before adding sarcastically, �For all the good it did.�

When she didn�t say any more, Severus spoke. �You can still have that, Hermione.�

�I wish. No man will ever love me, not after what Lucius did to me. Oh, Harry and Ron love me, but not like that. Not like a man loves a woman; not like a husband loves a wife.� She shook her head. �No one will ever love me like that,� she whispered.

Severus took a tentative step forward and inhaled deeply. This was not how he had envisioned telling her. �Hermione, I love you. I love you like that.�

�You�re only saying that so I won�t jump.�

Severus gritted his teeth. He was not one to express emotions and to have to repeat himself was painful to say the least. �Hermione, I have never lied to you. Nor would I lie about something like this, regardless of the circumstances.�

He watched her closely as she seemed to ponder his words.

Taking another step closer, he whispered, �I love you, Hermione Granger, more than I ever thought possible.�

She spun around so fast he didn�t catch her words. Instead, he was focused on her foot which had slipped, causing her to lose her balance. Severus lunged for her petite frame, his fingers snatching at the place where her robes had hung a moment before. Time slowed as he watched the woman he loved tumble backwards from the tower ledge, her screams echoing mercilessly in his head.
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Resolution