This story takes place around late November of HBP. I tried to keep it as close to cannon as I could, taking some liberties with the sorts of things that Jo wouldn't have mentioned.
As per usual, I'm not JK Rowling (though I wish I was. I really, really do!)

Severus Snape awoke with a start. He looked around his room, but saw only darkness. Feeling around his bedside table, he found his wand and murmured, "Lumos," before slowly sitting up. His sheets were tangled fiercely around his legs, and his blankets had fallen to the ground. His skin felt cold and clammy from yet another horrific nightmare. The man shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and stood up. The mirror by his dresser confirmed what he already knew: he was a mess.

After washing his face with frigid water from the ceramic basin by his bed, Severus was awake. He pondered going back to sleep, but decided against it; it would be light in a couple hours and he calculated he could use the extra time to grade some second years' essays. The man inwardly groaned at the thought – this class was particularly dimwitted and having to read through twenty pieces of parchment full of false generalizations or, worse, plain bullshit would not make for a pleasurable morning. But, alas, such was the life of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Severus stepped out of his nightclothes and into his usual teaching robes. After making sure he looked presentable, he pocketed his wand and made his way down the dimly lit hallways towards his office. Although he had recently assumed a new post as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Severus chose to keep his former office in the dungeons, as he enjoyed the seclusion it afforded him. Additionally, it meant he could continue potion-brewing for Dumbledore without being too conspicuous, which had proven useful after the headmaster's cursed endeavors this past summer. As he walked through the Hogwarts dungeons, the former potions master noticed how he could see his breath in the cool air, a clear indication of the coming winter. "It is going to be a damn cold end of term," he grumbled to no one in particular. Severus hated winter almost, but not quite as much, as he hated summer. In fact, the only season Severus enjoyed was autumn; it brought about the few happy memories he had, and the red leaves reminded him of the only woman he had ever loved.

With Lily enveloping his thoughts, Severus missed his usual turn and kept walking through the dungeon hallways. The mistake took him by surprise, but seeing as how it was quite early and he didn't have all that much work to do, he chose to keep walking, thinking that perhaps a stroll was what was needed to clear his head.

It was in this uncommon early morning stroll that Severus Snape came across an unusual sight: a light shining underneath one of the dungeon doors. Severus rolled his eyes and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. The most likely explanation involved two Slytherins who had decided to 'have some fun' during the night, away from the prying eyes of their housemates. This type of situation had become a growing problem in Slytherin House, and it was something Severus loathed dealing with. Why can't Slytherins just keep their clothes on, for Merlin's sake! he thought. The man considered leaving them alone, but rules were rules, and he despised students who got away with mischief. Besides, there was always a slight chance that this was something darker and more dangerous that ought to be addressed. He took a deep breath and prepared himself. "This is going to be uncomfortable," he spoke under his breath. With a quick motion, he opened the door, ready to protect himself from danger or avert his eyes from impropriety.

What met his sight caused his eyebrows to leap in shock. Where he had expected a pile of Slytherins engaging in some sort of sex act, dark magic, or perhaps both, he found a sleeping Hermione Granger. The girl had obviously been crying – her eyes were puffy and red, and she had conjured up several handkerchiefs, all of which lay around her, soaking wet. Her wand lay on a nearby chair, lumos casting the light Severus had seen from under the door. What the hell is she doing all the way down here?

Severus was confused and conflicted. It was apparent the girl had wanted to be alone – Severus could not fathom any other reason for why she was so far away from the Gryffindor tower. As much as he would have liked to walk away and not have to deal with Hermione Granger's issues, it was his duty as a professor to ensure the safety of all the students, and that would most likely involve waking the young woman up and telling her to go to bed. Then again, she was out of bed in the middle of the night, a punishable offense. The former potions master made up his mind, knelt next to the sleeping Hermione and gently nudged her.

"Miss Granger? Miss Granger. Do get up from that filthy floor."

Hermione shuddered and blinked a couple times. Severus saw confusion then sudden realization flash through her eyes. She bolted upright, her head missing Severus' nose by mere centimeters. The man stood up.

"Miss Granger, you do realize you are out of bed at a completely unreasonable hour of the night, nowhere near your common room. I order you to return to your dormitory at once."

Hermione looked up groggily at her Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Her eyes were bloodshot and she seemed quite disoriented. Either she had been violently bawling for hours or...

"Miss Granger, have you been drinking?"

In response, Hermione started crying. "I... I didn't... I didn't mean to. I really don't know what came over me. I... I just didn't know what else... to... to do. I'm so... stupid!"

Severus sighed. At least it all made sense. He helped Hermione to her feet and with a wave of his wand cleaned up the handkerchiefs Hermione had conjured. The young girl was – thankfully – no longer intoxicated, but it was obvious she was still an emotional wreck. Severus sighed again.

"I... I figured I'd come... down... here... where no one would... find... me. I looked... on... on... Harry's map and... this looked to be... the... most... the most... desolate... place I could... find!... I needed to... get far... far away from... the tower... I couldn't... stay there... not... not with...them" And with the last word, Hermione burst into a fresh set of tears. Severus was taken aback by this sudden outburst. He had expected Hermione to, as she usually did when she got in trouble, grow red in shame and stay completely quiet, which was a feat in it of itself. This chattering, distressed Hermione was not something Severus – or anyone else – had ever seen. As unusual as this was, what Severus did next was even more unusual.

"Would you... like to... talk about it?" Severus asked, tentatively.

The question was so unexpected that it temporarily shocked Hermione out of her hysteric sobbing. She stared at her the teacher with wide eyes.

Severus mentally kicked himself the moment he had asked the question. Where did that come from?! Now everything is going to go to hell, he thought to himself. There is no conceivable way for this situation to end well. What was I thinking?

"I... think I would like that," came Hermione's shy remark. She looked at her professor questioningly, and Severus responded with what he hoped was a look of poised concern.

"Follow me. We will sit in my office."

Severus put his hand on the young woman's shoulder and gently guided her towards his office, hoping all the while that no one would see them. Thankfully, the dungeons were deserted - class was not due to start for another six hours.

In his office, Severus put on a kettle of water and sat Hermione down in his most comfortable chair – which wasn't all that comfortable to begin with – while he sat on a nearby stool. Hermione had stopped crying and was now merely looking down. Severus handed her a vial, which she tentatively drank.

"It will help with the headache," he spoke flatly. Hermione nodded. There was a silence.

Severus cleared his throat, unsure where to begin. At once Hermione's head snapped up and she stared at her professor.

"Yes, Sir?" she asked. Her voice sounded defeated.

"Why don't you... uhm... start at the beginning, Miss Granger?"

Hermione shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. "Well... Ok, then... I was doing my homework before going to bed, as usual. I was almost done when Harry came and asked me if... if I would correct his essay. I said yes, of course, because, honest to goodness, he needs my help sometimes." At this Hermione chuckled, which Snape saw as a good sign. Maybe this is all just some teenage hormonal thing.

"Then... Then Harry asked if I would look over Ron's essay as well, and I told him I would, but only if Ron would have the decency to ask for the favor himself, and Harry sort of made a face and mumbled something about Ron just failing his essay and I got really angry. I mean, how immature that Ron would give up just because I wouldn't look at his essay for him! So I decided to go have a chat with Ron myself, and remind him of the importance of doing homework and getting good grades, so I stormed up to the 6th year dormitory and Harry and Dean tried to stop me and warned me not to go in but I was so angry that I didn't care and I opened the door and... and..." Hermione burst into tears again.

Severus suddenly understood just why Hermione was so upset. He looked into her eyes and asked, sincerely, "Who was he with?"

"That... TRAMP... Lavender."

Hermione's tears flowed as Severus put his head in his hands. Yes, he knew exactly what Hermione was feeling right now. No wonder she turned to Firewhiskey for a getaway, he remarked. I did much worse. Much, much worse.

"Hermione," Severus spoke, his voice hardly above a whisper, "I... know... your pain. I know how you feel more than you could possibly imagine." Hermione's damp eyes looked into his with understanding.

"It was Harry's mum, wasn't it?"

Severus nearly fell out of his little stool. His mouth hung agape, his eyes bulged in shock. "How..." he managed to stammer.

Hermione dried her tears on her sleeve and answered, "The way you look at Harry. When he's looking at you, you glare like you could murder him, but the moment he looks away your expression softens just a bit. I doubt anyone else notices."

Dumbfounded, all Severus could do for a while was stare at Hermione, who had a small smile on her face. It seemed getting things right restored her mood a touch.

"After I started thinking about it, everything made sense," she continued. "I understood why you resent Harry's dad so much, and love seemed like the only thing that would convince Dumbledore of your allegiance."

"I know it has been said many times but," Severus began, "you really are the brightest witch of your age." Hermione looked at him and smiled, causing Severus to realize that this was probably the first time he had ever complimented the young witch. Suddenly he regretted all the times he had belittled young Hermione Granger in his potions class.

"Thank you, Sir. It's good to know I'm not alone."

"Miss Granger, I cannot promise you the pain will go away, but it does get easier. Who knows, perhaps you will find someone who will blow that pathetic excuse for a man that is Mr. Weasley out of the very deep pond that is your heart. As they say, there are plenty of mermaids in the ocean."

"There weren't for you, Sir. You're still in love with Lily Potter." Hermione sniffled.

At the mention of the word 'Potter' after Lily's name, Severus gave an involuntary twitch. Only the keen, observant eyes of Hermione Granger caught it.

"I am a bitter, old man, Miss Granger. I am allowed to hold on to the unrequited love of my youth."

"If you're allowed to hold on to yours, then why should I not be allowed to hold on to mine?"

"I am not saying you are not allowed, Miss Granger. I am merely giving you a piece of well-seasoned advice, which I strongly suggest you take. Move on; he is not worth it."

Hermione did not respond. She sat on Snape's chair, staring at the wall across from her, lost in thought. Severus did likewise. This conversation had brought back a number of old wounds that he had until today managed to keep at bay. His eyes became unfocused as his mind replayed the last real conversation he had with Lily Evans... Potter... before her death. Lily is dead, she's gone. Forever. She has moved on from this life. Perhaps... Perhaps it would be possible for me to move on too. For both of us to move on and... finally be... happy. Severus' life as he knew it had a looming end, as the ghastly task Dumbledore had given him approached. He asked himself if perhaps it wasn't too late yet. Isn't that what she would have wanted for me? For close to an hour neither Severus nor Hermione spoke, both lost in their brilliant minds. Suddenly, Severus snapped out of his thoughts. He determinedly placed his hand over Hermione's, looked into her dark brown eyes, and spoke, "Miss Granger, if I can be happy, then so can you. We can do this. Together."

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