A/N: Hi there, everyone. I've never written a SS/HG fic before. Not gonna lie, for quite some time, the idea of it all rather repulsed me. However, it has since grown on me. So..hopefully I've portrayed this properly. Just so y'all know, Hermione's hair is still bushy. Maybe a bit tamer, but still bushy all the same. It just gives her character so much..I dunno..Hermione-ness. Read and review, my loverlies!

For the most part, this story will be DH-compliant. However, obviously, Severus Snape is not dead, and Ron and Hermione did not end up together. Everything else still stands.

Return

"Let me get this straight," Ginny said, watching as Hermione threw a leather-bound book into her suitcase, "You spent six years at Hogwarts, and now you want to go back?"

"I'm not going back as a student, Gin," she replied, shaking an errant curl out of her eyes. "I'm going back to help re-build."

"I thought you wanted to get settled into a career," the redhead said, frowning a bit.

"I..I do..but I can't, not knowing what ruins the castle is in," Hermione stated, her own frown forming. "That school provided so much for me, more than I ever thought it would. I can't sit idly by as the professors struggle to fix it up." Quickly, she surveyed her flat, looking for anything that she had forgotten. After a moment's hesitation, she reached over and pulled a photograph out of her drawer.

"They all looked so happy," Ginny murmured, staring down at it. Up from the photograph stared the Order, taken shortly before the war. A grinning Fred waved up at Ginny and Hermione; near him stood Tonks and Lupin, their hands entwined, and a glowering Mad-Eye Moody from the row behind. With a sad sigh, Hermione tenderly packed the picture inside a heavy book.

"I think that's it," she said, zipping her suitcase shut. With trembling fingers, she caged her owl, Antigone, then picked up her suitcase and walked towards her door. The last thing she scooped up was her wand. As Ginny exited, the door was pulled shut, and Hermione cast her wards. "I'll see you around, I suppose," she stated, willing herself not to tear up as she looked at her friend. "Stay in touch, yeah? Antigone knows where to find you," she added with a weak smile, "so you have no reason not to."

"I promise," she said, throwing her arms tightly around the brunette's neck. "Don't get into too much mischief without me," Ginny instructed, "or at least let me know before you do, so I can jump in on the fun."

Laughing, Hermione hugged her back. "Don't worry too much; I plan on having a quiet year, for once." Exchanging watery good-byes, Hermione apparated to Hogsmeade, wand clutched tightly in her hand.

Not much had changed in the little village, she noted as she walked along the cobblestone. Honeydukes was still overflowing with customers, and Zonkos was back in full swing; after the year that the wizarding world had seen, some comic relief was embraced with open arms. Shivering slightly, she pulled her sweater around her more tightly and picked up her pace.

She did not know what she was heading into. How much of Hogwarts was destroyed? How many students were still there? And the professors…who remained? Mentally, she tried to think of them all. Certainly, Hagrid and Professor Flitwick were still there. And Professor McGonagall, newly appointed Headmistress, was undoubtedly standing strong for Hogwarts.

As she came to the end of the street, she was met by a witch only a few inches taller than her own 5'5".

"Headmistress," Hermione greeted warmly as the old woman came into sight.

"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall, her tired face breaking into a smile. "It's so wonderful to see you again."

"Likewise," Hermione said, affection for the old witch blooming. "How is the restoration coming along?" They set off walking towards the gates of Hogwarts, the wheels of her suitcase clattering as they rolled against the cobblestone.

"Not well, I'm afraid," McGonagall said, face drooping, "There was some serious damage done by Dark Magic, and it's proving exceedingly difficult to repair. We've enlisted the help of some of our sixth and seventh years. At this point, we need all of the help that we can get, and of course, the Ministry is proving to be useless, yet again," she added as a bitter afterthought.

"Well, I will stay as long as you need me," Hermione assured the woman, voice confident. Lapsing into a comfortable silence, the two witches strode along the street until they reach the gates. Murmuring a spell, McGonagall opened the entryway.

"Prepare yourself, Miss Granger," she said. "I'm afraid you may not like what you see."

"Crawford!" Professor Snape spat as a second-year raced by. "Slow down, boy! You'll upset half the castle, running around like a blind boggart!" Glaring, the potions master moved past the shaken second-year. Hufflepuffs. He'd never had any use for the house. Really, besides Slytherin, and the occasional Gryffindor, he had no use for any of the houses here. The only reason he even stuck around was because he'd fallen into a routine: wake up, ignore everyone, and be ignored by everyone in return. That was enough of a life for him.

Entering his cool quarters, he cast his cloak to the side and sat, pulling a stack of poorly-written essays towards him. The drivel of these students was painful to read. Essay after essay of a textbook copy of notes. If he wanted a definition, he would read the textbook himself. With a roll of his eyes, he scribbled a scathing remark on the top of a seventh-year's paper and dropped it into the finished pile. The pile grew as his candles shortened. Only after several went out did he stop his grading. They would still be there tomorrow morning.

With a groan, he rose from his chair, massaging his knees. War had not been kind to his body. He really needed to take some of that joint potion that Madam Pomfrey had given to him. Rummaging through his cupboards, his hand came to rest on the small amber vial. Two drops swallowed, he topped it back up. As soon as he was certain his knees would not give him issues, he donned his cloak and set off up the hallways towards the kitchens. Dinner was currently happening, he knew, but he preferred to eat his meals alone. Less questions, less stares, more solitude, just the way he liked it. A full circle of ignoring, precisely what Severus Snape desired.

"Severus, is that you?" Sybill Trelawney's voice sounded. "Why, I had almost forgotten what your face looked like. Come, join us for dinner.

"No, thank you," he said stiffly, making eye contact with her only briefly.

"Come, dear boy, eat with us. It's been so long since you have." Without waiting for a response, she took him by the crook of his elbow and steered him toward the Great Hall. As the sound of student's voices grew, so did his feeling of dread. Why had he chosen to remain a professor here? He loathed students.

Grudgingly, he took a seat between Madame Hooch and Professor Trelawney. A few intrepid students stared at him; he scowled back darkly, and they dropped their gazes. Good. Let them feel intimidated. That was less that he would have to deal with. Grumpily, he speared a potato and bit into it. It was only then that he noticed the missing Headmistress. I can't believe I'm starting a conversation, he thought as he faced Madame Hooch. "Where is Professor McGonagall?"

"Oh, she's off fetching someone who is coming to help with the restoration," she said airily, biting into a bean. "Rumor has it, it's a previous student." Waving her fork around, she continued, "I, for one, hope it's a student from last year's graduating class. One of the smartest classes we've ever seen here at Hogwarts."

"Indeed," Snape replied dryly, warily eyeing the fork that was coming closer and closer to his forehead. "If you'll excuse me," he said, rising and taking his leave. Walking briskly down the hall, he made his way towards the stairs descending to the dungeons. At the sound of voices, he paused.

"…see, we're having a particularly hard time with the Room of Requirement, as well as most of third floor."

"I'd like to try and help with the Room of Requirement, if I could," a familiar voice said. Suppressing a groan, Snape pressed forward.

Granger.

A/N: Well? How was it? *crosses fingers* Please review! I'm not sure how this is playing out, and I'd like your reactions, please. Thank you! I hope you enjoyed, and that you stay with this story! :)