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ONE LIFE TO LIVE	By : Mistress Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 9831 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. Nor do I make any money off of writing in here.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Black Rose: I know, just when you start thinking that Lucius is all good, he does something that only Lucius would do. I guess that’s what makes him a real Malfoy. From the other side, if the divorce in pure-blood families is out of the question, imagine the shame Cissy would need to go through if all that would be found out. So maybe, by convincing her to stay he did a good thing. Even though without loving her in the way she loved him. As for Severus, he always seems so noble, but in truth there are a lot of things he did that push the boundaries of his “nobility”. You will see that in the future chapters. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one.
                                                                         CHAPTER SIX
                                                                              HARRY

It’s the last moments of the battle. Something I’ve been waiting and preparing for, for my whole life. Something that I craved for, since the day I learned that Voldemort killed my parents. Hours and hours of training, hard work, searching, guessing. All of it, for this one moment. So many of us died to get to this point in time. Sacrificed their lives to insure the victory and I… Gods forgive me, but I can’t concentrate on this last task. Can’t think of anything except what I have just learned. Can’t shake off the feeling that all of this was a lie. My whole life… Dumbledore’s guidance, hatred that I felt for this man. The one that I have just left to die out there, in this Gods forsaken place.
My friend tried to tell me, but I didn’t believe her. I didn’t listen. Because believing her, would go against everything that I’ve known. Hate was easy. Hate painted everything in black and white, without the need to see the whole palette of grays. Hate kept me going, reducing things and people to: good and evil. Molly and Bellatrix. Malfoy and Sirius. My father and Snape. Dumbledore and Voldemort. Everyone and everything simplified to the mere essence of right and wrong.
By giving me his memories, Snape did the same thing he usually did in class. Gave us just enough information to come up with the right conclusion. He kept our mind working by not giving us all the answers and watched which ones of us will be able to solve the problem and which ones will fail. I hated that method. We all did, but then again… no one ever failed his class. Until now that is. Because watching those memories, uncovering that part of him that I didn’t know existed, rose more questions than I can answer.
I guess you get to have the last laugh now professor, assuming you ever knew how. Something that I would want to find out one day. That is if I stay alive, which at the moment I seriously doubt. I gather all my energy, all rage that I have and push, but I seems that all of it is just not enough to defeat HIM. In what I consider to be my last moments, I start listening to the voices around me. I hear Ron and Hermione and hope that they’ll be able to push through and keep fighting when I’m gone. I take a deep breath. Gods help me!!! And suddenly… as if my silent prayer is heard, help comes to me unexpectedly, in a form of a large black beast. It leaps at my enemy and knocks him down. The stream of magic from his wand disappears, allowing mine to go through his chest at the same time as the beast’s jaws snap around his neck. Voldemort shoots his last spell, but it’s not too powerful and I am able to dodge it.
At the same moment I hear someone’s cry, but find myself unable to turn my head from the animal in front of me. Thousand questions run through my head. Once I already had help from my parents, but it seemed to be one time deal. If any help would come from heavens this time, I’d expect it to be in a shape of a black dog, but this… Then, something even more strange happens. In front of my eyes, the beast turns into a man. The same man that I saw dying on the floor of the Shrieking Shack.
How can that be? Professor? I rush to him. Somehow, the death of Voldemort doesn’t seem so important anymore. He raises his head and I look into his eyes. Without allowing me to say another word, he rushes to the place where my best friend stood only seconds ago. I look at her body and finally, understanding dawns on me. Gods, what have I done? Before I can say another word, I watch him cut his wrist with a sharp piece of metal. He then takes her hand and does the same. Joining his hand with hers, he mutters an incantation, allowing their blood mix together.
I have never heard of anything like that, but whatever that spell is, it seems to be working. Astonished, I watch her wounds disappear in front of my very eyes. He takes her body in his arms and only then I hear another voice again. I turn my head and see Malfoy. His eyes are red and face is swollen from tears. He accuses Snape of killing his father. I listen to their conversation and watch both of them disappear, with Hermione still in his arms.
The next moment, Ron is by my side. – “What in Merlin’s balls was that? Where is he taking her?”
- “I don’t know mate, but he just saved her life.”
- “I saw what he did, Harry. I mean one second he wasn’t even there and another, I see a Black Panther jump out of nowhere only to turn into Snape a few minutes later. I still can’t believe that it actually just happened. Did you know that he was an Animagus?”
- “No. I don’t think anyone knew, but I need to find them.”
- “What about the rest? People are going to want to talk to you.”
- “You talk to them. Tell them what happened. Tell them about Snape and what he did. I want everyone to know that he was on our side this whole time.”
- “Don’t you think that saying that, is stretching the truth a little bit?”
- “You don’t understand, Ron. He gave me his memories. I saw what he did and why. Now we need to make sure everyone knows that. Otherwise they will haunt him down and kill him.”
- “I’ve never seen you defend him like that before. What could he possibly show you that made you change your mind like that?”
- “I can’t tell you. Not yet anyway. Not until I learn the whole truth.”
- “The whole truth about what?”
- “Snape. Dumbledore. My parents. Malfoys. Everyone. I feel that even though Voldemort is dead, there are many things that I need to learn about. And I’m not going to rest until I do.”
- “That seems like an obsession.”
- “Call it what you want mate, but I need to find out. Now go, your family needs you and I need you to tell everyone what we saw here.”
- “Alright. Do you think she’ll be ok?”
- “I hope so.”
- “You be careful too. I know you believe that he is a good guy now, but don’t forget it’s Snape we’re talking about.”
- “I know, mate. Trust me, I know.”
With that we part and I search around for them, until I can finally see where they are. Actually, I’m able to hear them even before I see them. I don’t think that there’s anyone who can’t hear Draco’s cries. I stop for a second, wondering why the hell did I just call Malfoy by his given name. It’s weird, but somehow all I can feel for him at the moment, is compassion. I know how it is to lose your loved ones.
I see Snape still holding Hermione in his arms and try to find out where he’s taking her, but all I’m able to get out of him is a few spiteful words, before he and Draco disappear, leaving me without a single clue of where to look for them. I look around and see Mrs. Malfoy’s body. I remember what she did for me in the forest, even if it was for her own reasons. Still, I am grateful.
I think for a few moments and realize that there is only one person that can answer my questions and give me a clue where to find Snape. I need to talk to Minerva.
It takes me some time to find her among hundreds of people. The news of Voldemort’s demise spreads fast and I have a hard time getting through the crowd of students and teachers. I brush off all the questions, until I can find the person I’m looking for. Finally, I see her.
- “Professor.”
- “Harry. You’re back. So it’s the truth then. Voldemort is really dead.”
- “Yes, professor. He is really dead.”
- “And Malfoy? Did you see him?”
- “I did, but I don’t think that he’s dead. Professor Snape has him. He has Hermione too. I saw him and Draco leave with both of them. I asked, but he wouldn’t tell me where they’re taking them.”
She looks at me with worry. I see that she has questions, but I have them too.
- “We need to talk, professor.” She hesitates. “Please, you promised me.”
She nods her head slightly and I follow her into the room of requirement. When the wall closes behind us, she finally turns to me.
- “Why are we here, professor?”
- “There’s no portraits in here. Umbridge had them all removed. What we’re about to say, can’t go further than this room. Do you understand me, Harry?”
- “I do. I give you my word. No one will ever know.”
- “Good. Now tell me what happened.”
I tell her everything that I saw and look at her expectantly. – “Did you know professor Snape was an Animagus?”
With a little hesitation she nods her head and I realize that getting an information out of her will be difficult.
- “Professor, you promised me. Please.”
- “What exactly do you want to know Harry?”
I think for a second and decide to thread carefully. – “I can see your feelings towards him. You called him your son. Why?”
- “Because over thirty years ago I saw little misunderstood boy who needed something that he never received from the people who called themselves his parents and I loved him more than I ever thought possible.”
- “Why didn’t you ever have kids of your own? I always thought that you and Professor Dumbledore…”
I saw her taking a deep breath and fighting to keep the tears away. “I’m sorry for asking, professor. I’m only trying to understand.”
- “You have every right to ask, Harry. After all, I promised to give you answers. You see, I… couldn’t have kids of my own. Albus and I were indeed a couple for many years. I was still young when we met and he was… well, he was a hero. He had just defeated one of the greatest wizards that had ever graced this earth and receiving his affections seemed like the best thing that could ever happen to me. At the time, he was offered a position of the Headmaster of Hogwarts and I was one of the students, so as you can guess, marriage was out of the question. We had to keep our relationship a secret. He wanted kids of his own and I thought that I’ll be able to give them to him. We have tried for about a year before the doctors were finally able to tell me that I won’t be able to have any. Not a single spell could change that. I thought that it will be the end of our relationship, but Albus assured me that it doesn’t change anything. He said that he has a school full of kids now and that will be enough.”
I saw her hesitating again. She was never one to open up to anyone. Somehow, I don’t think that what I was about to hear was ever told to a single soul. I nodded in understanding.
- “After some time, I have learned that Albus had an affair with another woman. I was devastated and didn’t know what to do. I wanted to confront him, but I was too afraid to lose him, so I stayed quiet, thinking that his interest in her will go away with time. After all, he was just a man like any other. But it didn’t go away and instead of talking to him about it, I decided to find out more about her. I learned that her name was Merope. Merope Gaunt. She was a witch and was married to a muggle.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The truth that I always desired to know, was coming out to be scarier than I thought. She looked into my eyes and stroked my cheek with the palm of her hand.
- “You know that name, don’t you Harry?”
I nodded slightly. The words just wouldn’t come out.
- “And I see that you must’ve figured out what the name of her husband was.”
- “Tom Riddle” I whispered, lowering my head.
- “Yes, his name was Tom Riddle. I waited till she was alone in her house and came to confront her. Came out that she loved her husband and felt sorry for cheating on him. Her husband learned about her affair with Albus and left. She tried to break the whole thing off, but Albus wouldn’t have it. I didn’t know what to think anymore. I decided to talk to Albus no matter what. That same evening, I told him that I know about everything and asked him to choose. He was apologizing and telling me that he loves me and that this affair didn’t mean anything. What can I say? I loved him and I believed him. For a while our relationship has gotten back to normal. That is until I decided to check on this woman again. The next time I saw her, she was pregnant and I didn’t know what to think.”
She looked at me quizzically – “You know, Albus was never good in Legilimency. He preferred storing his most valuable memories into a pensieve. Well, I decided to look at those memories once and… finally learned the truth. It came out that Tom never forgave his wife for her cheating and never came home. Instead, Albus polyjuiced himself as Tom and took his place. His wife didn’t know any of that. She got pregnant, thinking that this baby will make their relationship stronger. To say that I was hurt, would be an understatement. I went to her house and told her what happened. She didn’t want to believe me, so I showed her the memory. That day was the last I saw her. In a few month I found out that she had a baby, but left him on the steps of the Local orphanage. Someone told me that she tried to get back with her husband, but after he refused, committed suicide. To this day, I blame myself for it.
After Albus learned that I know everything, he tried to apologize again, but I was too hurt to believe him. Our relationship was never the same. For eleven years, Albus watched his son closely without telling him who he was. On Tom’s eleventh birthday, Albus decided to bring him to this school. Since the first day I met him, I was able to see the boy’s true nature. There was nothing good about him. Having a talent for the Dark Arts, he enjoyed making others suffer. I wasn’t long after I got my teaching credentials that he made his first kill.”
She shook her head in regret – “Somehow, Tom learned what happened with Albus and his mother and vowed to kill him. It wasn’t until the first attempts started, that Albus believed that it was serious.”
- “How did he convince Professor Snape to bring him the information about Voldemort?”
- “He didn’t need to convince him. He used an unbreakable vow, making him promise to do anything humanly possible to save your life.”
- “Was it after Voldemort killed my parents?”
- “Yes”
- “In his memories, I saw how he loved my mom. And I saw how my father bullied him. No wonder professor didn’t like me.”
- “What you saw in his memories, wasn’t all your father and his friends have done to him.”
- “Will you tell me, professor?”
- “I have just told you a lot of things that are hard to digest. I think you’ll need some time to think about them. I know that what I told you now, raises even more questions and I give you my word that I will answer them with time. Now I need to go and make sure he is ok.”
- “You know where he might be?”
- “I do. There’s only one place where he can go without raising any suspicion.”
- “Will you allow me to go with you?”
- “I’m afraid that is not a good idea.”
- “I promise I won’t be in your way. I only want to see my friend. I’s because of me, she’s in this condition.”
- “There’s a lot of people who need you right now, Harry. It might not be the best time to leave.”
- “My friend needs me too. If I would only listen to her, everything might have been different. I need to talk to her. I need to know she’s ok.”
She hesitates for a while, but finally agrees.
- “Let’s gather all the food we can and go.”
Without another word, we make our way out of the room.
- 5
- 6
- 7
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ONE LIFE TO LIVE