Never Letting Go (Draft)

Chapter Thirty-Five

- To Know Snape -

Harry watched as his muggleborn friend paced rhythmically across the dark tile floor. Her hands tangling into her endless curls. He found her in this state and so far she has been at it for nearly an hour. That's not counting what ever time she had been doing it before he arrived to her flat at her urgent call.

He apparated on the spot as soon as her face appeared in his fireplace.

And ever since he stepped through the floo, sputtering and wiping dust from his Auror robes, she has been digging a hole in her floor.

The silence would be deafening if it wasn't for the quick taps of her shoes on the floor.

He didn't know what she was going through, nor did he understand why she was going through it, but if he had to he'd sit in this exact spot until she cleared her head. He was there through it all as she devoted her entire life to finding the man who still laid unconscious in St Margo's. His need for answers to his infinite amount of questions about his parents died a long time ago. He helped in what ever way he could because he knew from the first moment he stepped into her house and found her neck deep in the disarray of her house that she loved that man. He didn't know how or why, but she did.

Her happiness meant more to him then a few more hours at work.

She stopped mid pace and turned on her heal to face him. Her eyes red and shinning, tears pooled in her brown eyes. She sighed, her fingers lost in her frizzy mane.

"I don't know what to do, Harry." She said biting her lip, breathing heavily. A single tear escapes her eye and then another until she closes her eyes.

Harry closes the space between them with one long stride and envelopes her in a bear hug, pulling her tear stricken face to the nape of his neck as she sobbed.

He caresses her head and kissed her crown, shushing her in the process.

"It's okay, you're Hermione Granger, you'll figure it out." He whispered into her hair.

She pulled back wiping the wetness from up under her cheeks.

"I don't think I will," She said almost in exhaustion. Whether it was physical or emotional he didn't know. "Oh Harry, how will he react, this is Snape we are referring to."

"It's going to be okay,"

"How do you know for sure?" She said, and yet another tear made a trail down her cheek.

Harry smiles with sympathy but the glint of mirth hidden in his green eyes gave him away.

"Who knows Snape better than I."

That comment brought out a chuckle from her and she sniffled.

"Snape himself," Hermione said with a small smile, shaking her head, "A short peak into his memories does not make you a know-it-all in the subject of Snape."

"No but I'm classified as the only person on earth to completely understand him," He paused then swiftly said, "Besides you of course."

Hermione sent him a small smile and after a moment of silence she sighed.

"How do you think he's doing?" She asked.

"Well according to Draco he's awake," a smile appears on his face suddenly, "And being more like Snape than ever."

"So his memories have successfully returned?" She asked with a wrinkle between her brows.

"So I've been informed." He said with a nod of his head.

She was even more conflicted than before. She needed to speak with him though. They had to at least acknowledge that what had happened, happened, if anything else. Even if he wishes to go on with his life with no correspondence with her, they needed to settle things. Besides, even if she kept telling herself she didn't want to see him because of what his reaction to the past three months would be, she did wish to see him.

"When do you think will be an appropriate time to visit him?" She asked him.

"I'd say probably in the morning, after he's had breakfast and his early morning potions administrations." He answered, deep in thought himself.

She nodded.

"Hermione." He spoke.

She tilted her eyes up at him in question.

"I had a particular reason for disturbing your pacing this afternoon."

She nodded for him to continue.

"We found the culprit, the one behind your kidnapping."

She furrowed her brows.

"I thought we settled that, isn't Malfoy in Azkaban by now?"

Harry shook his head, "Actually, it wasn't Lucius that was behind the whole ploy."

"Then who," She trailed off, confused by this. If her memory serves her right she remembers it being Malfoy that was over it all.

"Umbridge."

Silence surrounded them.

"But how?" Hermione said, dumbfounded by this news. "I saw Malfoy, I spoke with him."

Harry shook his head once more.

"Umbridge used an unforgivable on him, when we found him in the Manor, he was fast asleep, when we woke him he was bewildered to say the least."

"So how did you detect Umbridge?"

"We did a variety of tests and checks and eventually did a tracer charm, the curse lead back to Umbridges wand."

"She didn't try much at hiding." Hermione snorted, anger boiling inside her at red hot temperatures, "Did she think since she's head of Wizengamot that she'd just get away with nearly killing Severus?"

Harry saw the anger and he was quick to try an diminish it.

"She's already been put to trial and is already facing life in Azkaban and the dementors kiss." Harry concludes, hoping this would settle her nerves. "You need to focus on Snape right now, get some sleep and if you need company in the morning when you go and see him, floo me and we'll leave Grimmauld together."

After a few other pleasantries and a promise to meet him at Grimmauld, Harry left in a swoop of green flames and Hermione was again left alone with her thoughts.