Wonderwall

Touched

Chapter Song: Habits of My Heart- Jaymes Young

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"Granger, stay after class." Snape drawled nonchalantly as his class of redo 7th year ended. As if nothing tremendous like a war happened, they still scrambled out of the room like first years, still terrified of their professor. Although he was considered as a hero, no one could change the fact that he was still the snarky git everyone disliked. Not that Severus cared about what others say, their opinion of him does not matter more than their grades. And that's nothing.

Hermione however, raised an eyebrows in surprise. She looked up to find the professor staring at her apprehensively, until it did something that almost caused her to have a heart attack. He smiled, a small tugging of the lips, that if someone is not keen enough to see, would have misinterpreted it as a sneer.

"Sit, Miss Granger."

The brunette sat at one of the stools, facing him, allowing Severus to have a good look at her. She had grown so much, from the little girl he was so annoyed at, to this..this beautiful, intelligent and young lady.

Focus, Severus!

Exhaling, the Potions Master looked up to find Hermione staring at him, again with that look before she pulled her stunt back in the Great Hall. At this, Severus prepared his mind by strengthening his walls. He couldn't let her in, in anyway possible. She must not see him in the raw.

But then again, she surprised him by just giving him a bright smile, one of those she would usually give Potter or Weasley, and it made an unsettling feeling deep inside of him.

"You wished to see me? Sir?" She asked, as if she's not feeling something's going on with her professor. Her newfound empathic powers enabled her to sense another creature's emotions, but not fully know and understand them until she's able to touch them. And she was almost certain Professor Snape would not want an Insufferable Know It All to engage even the smallest of contacts with him. For now all she could sense was a bit of distress inside him, and she can't help but be worried.

"Nothing, Granger. You may leave." He sighed. No, he can't keep her around, he knows they have Potions next, and old Slughorn would surely question him why his star student was late.

The girl slowly rose from her seat, agonizingly slow, as if she was waiting for him to call her back, and to his uttermost annoyance, he did call her back, like he had no control of his own mouth.

"Sir?" The girl asked.

"Welcome back." He said, making Hermione smile brightly at him and soon left. Leaving a very distraught professor behind.

What am I supposed to do now, Lily?

• • • • • • • • •

Hermione walked towards her next class, Potions, until she bumped into someone.

"You know, if you really want me, just tell me, instead of doing this." Draco joked as they scrambled to get on their feet, but his words fell on deaf ears, as its mind was reeling faster than a bullet train.

"Mia?" The blonde haired boy asked. He was about to shake her shoulders when Ron and Harry came.

"Oi, don't touch her!" Ron snarled, while Draco retaliated with a glare.

"It's ok, Ron." Hermione cut off, making everyone astonished.

" 'Mione?"

"Draco." Harry suddenly spoke up, earning glances from the other three. "I do hope we could put our differences aside." He held out his hand out for the boy to shake. Draco stared at his hand as if it was a new breed of flobberworm.

"I still remember when you refused to shake mine." He said sadly, inhaled and gladly shook it. "And, and, I'm sorry." He winced.

"It's fine." Hermione smiled at the two, but Ron had walked off towards the classroom, stomping his feet in the process. The green eyed boy just shook his head, totally used to his best friend's tantrum. Together, they all trudged forward.

Hermione, having touched the two boys, could feel the warmth of friendship roll off of waves from them. As if they had not been enemies for seven years, but rather brothers.

She was glad.

...........

The cold wind blew on her face as Hermione sat on one of the tree trunks scattered on the Forbidden Forest. Being a redo 7th year really had its perks, not only were they allowed to go out whenever they want until curfew, they were also treated as capable adults that need not be told twice. She went out immediately after class to get some fresh air. Ron was still upset with her and Harry from what happened, but she can't find it in herself to be guilty.

She closed her eyes momentarily, taking in what's happening around her, something she thinks she hasn't done quite totally yet.

The war didn't last too long. like she expected it to go for years, and so she crammed herself to learn everything she needs. She bought tomes of books to aid her and her friends, including a French book entitled 'L' esprit et sea pouvoirs'. The Mind and its Powers, it was written in French, but she, growing up a Muggleborn, was taught at an early age by her parents, so it wasn't too difficult. It did paid off, everything she did for them. She got her parents back, they won the war, and protected their home.

But that didn't mean she didn't feel any remorse. In her sleep, the memories still taunt her, telling her she could've done more to save them, the sounds still echo within the very same walls she was eating at, and the dead didn't have to be corporeal ghosts to haunt her. Hearing others mention their name was enough to send her into depression. Not to mention her empathy, with or without that, she could still feel everyone's grief. And she was truly upset with herself.

Just like that, the rain started pouring, in huge drops, she did not seemed to care though. She closed her eyes again, with the intention of really sleeping in the rain.

She woke up to a rather violent tapping. It seemed to call her from far away.

"Granger!" Professor Snape yelled. He stood next to her holding out his wand with the Umbrella Charm. At this, Hermione's eyes fluttered.

"Professor Snape?" She asked with wide eyed, her face dripping with rain water.

"Do you plan to freeze your arse here? It's raining!" He scolded.

"I know, way to declare the obvious." She mumbled, now the black haired man was pissed. Way to joke in the middle of a storm, he thought.

"Come along! Your beloved fans are worried about you." He snarled, walking away from her. She followed him and shuffled to her feet.

As they travel, however, Hermione stepped on mud and slipped, grasping her professor for support. She landed on her bum with a thud.

"Granger!" Snape growled, sounding half-mortified. She huffed, he's mortified? She was the one who landed her bum on mud!

Hermione turned to him and squeaked. His hand, wait that's not his hand!

I...I...I thought I grasped his hand.

That's not the case however, her hand, which she thought held firmly on Professor Snape's hand, was grasping his crotch.

Uh-oh.