Lessons In Love

Chapter 43: Just Like Old Times

"Do you remember that night you came to the Burrow with Snape's memories?" Harry asked her, changing the subject. Or so she thought.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Yes, why?"

"Do you remember talking to Mrs. Weasley the next day?"

She nodded, furrowing her brows in confusion, "Yes."

Harry gave her an honest expression and leaned forward, bracing his elbows against his knees, "I know Hermione."

"Know what?" her heart started to race.

"Hermione," he tested her, giving her a knowing look.

"You… know about-"

"Snape?" he filled in her next word.

Hermione took a deep breath and looked away, ashamed. What did Harry think of her? She betrayed both her friends in associating with the wretched man and now she found herself rather alone and deserted. Hermione had turned her back on everyone for the Potions Master, only to get burnt and left to fend for herself after being used, "Harry I—"

He sat up and sighed, "Listen Hermione I don't even want to know how this all happened and started," he raised his hands up in defeat, "but I am here for you now and I need to know what is going on. I have a bad feeling that you are in trouble."

She hesitated to say anything but frowned nervously and gave a shaky sigh, "I am not here to mourn over Ron. I am here because I cannot stand to be around Snape." She tucked her feet underneath her as Harry came to her side and put a hand on her arm in comfort.

"You can't stand him?" he tilted his head in confusion.

Hermione blushed and drew her gaze away to one of the bookshelves, "Well," she tucked her hands in between her folded legs, "I hate him but I can't stop thinking about him. It's a rather messy situation."

He paused and tried to soak in what he just heard. He turned to her, rather confused, but shook his head, "So… why are you here?"

"You will think me a ruddy mess." She sighed before turning back to Harry.

He stood up and grabbed a chair and brought it to sit in front of Hermione, "Well seeing as I cannot be more taken aback than I already am… hit me with whatever is on your mind. I am sure there is not much else that will bother me. If there is one thing that I have learned in my life, it is to never think that you know a person." Harry swallowed, "There is always someone who will defy all reason," he smiled, "Snape is one of those people."

Hermione smiled at Harry's comforting humor, "I guess I am no exception."

He grinned, "You never cease to amaze me Hermione."

She bowed her head for a moment before losing her smile and shyly glancing back up, "I… I fell in love with Professor Snape."

"If that is what you were trying to shock me with, I already figured that out on my own." He made light of her distress and urged her to go on.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes, "Well I told him how I felt over Christmas break."

Harry almost choked, "Y- you told him? How did that go?"

She gave him a stern look, "He said he felt the same for me."

"Wait… Severus Snape… loves you? Hermione Granger? The insufferable know-it-all?"

Hermione nodded, ignoring his stunned reaction, "Needless to say, I broke it off with Ron because I found that Snape returned my feelings. Or so I thought," she took a deep breath and continued, nervously, "he stayed up with me all night after I returned to the castle from the Burrow and let me cry and comforted me. He told me things that I should have never believed," she glanced up at him, "Harry, he told me he loved me."