Scattered (Book 1)

Occlumency (3)

Potter Puppet Pals XD

Snape woke with a grunt, and Hermione glanced into the open tent flap, to see him sitting upright, looking around. His eyes caught hers, and he looked at her suspiciously.

"Granger?" He asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Yes. Are you feeling better?" She asked, moving to crouch in front of the tent, reaching a hand out to feel his forehead. He jerked away, swatting at her hand, his eyes thin slits of distrust.

"What was the first thing I ever said to you, Granger?" He asked, watching her face closely. She wondered briefly if he could even practice his legilimency without his wand.

"You told me to sit down." She said, clearly remembering her embarrassment from her first ever potion's class. She'd known all the answers, and he'd refused to call on her. "You wanted to make Harry look like a- an idiot."

He smirked at the memory, and she felt her face flame, deciding to test him, as well.

"And you, Professor? What's the first thing you said to him?" She shot back, not needing to read his mind, to read his face.

"I believe I asked him about the Draught of Living Death, monkshood, and where to find a Bezoar." He said, thinking back. "Couldn't answer a single one." He sneered.

"He's dead." Hermione whispered, watching his face as what could almost have been sadness took over.

"I know." Snape muttered, closing his eyes. "I sent him to it."

"You... what?" Hermione asked, leaning back.

"I gave him my memories, and I assume, if he's dead, that he saw what Dumbledore had planned for him." Snape said, looking remorseful.

"Dumbledore?" Hermione said, remembering how Harry had jumped up, just to be struck right back down.

"Yes. Is Nagini dead?" He asked, seeming suddenly more alert.

"Yes. Harry died getting her to us. I killed her." Hermione said, remembering how she'd finished the snake, just before seeing Harry die.

"He... The Dark Lord killed him though, yes?" Snape looked eager, and Hermione felt a twinge of fear. She backed up a bit, worried he was going to lunge for her wand, and get back to his master.

"He did. He came carrying his body out of the forest, but Harry wasn't really dead, and when he jumped up, to send Nagini flying to us, You-Know-Who cursed him." She answered, watching his expressions. Triumph, confusion, sorrow.

"He never meant him to stay dead." He whispered, and Hermione leaned in involuntarily.

"Sorry?" She asked.

"Dumbledore, he knew he had to die, but... He wasn't supposed to stay dead. Is the Dark Lord defeated?" He asked, concerned.

"No. After he killed Harry, people scattered. He retook Hogwarts. I was trying to get away when I found you in the Shrieking Shack. You were still alive, so... I took you with me." She explained, seeing dread, and terror cross his face at the news that Voldemort still lived.

"He's got no horcruxes left. We must finish him quickly." He said, and made as if to move.

"Slow down!" Hermione ordered, pushing him back. "What do you mean? You're... not on his side anymore?"

"No. Didn't Harry take you two along on his adventure through my memories?" Snape asked, looking at her suspiciously. She shook her head.

"No. We hadn't even realized where he'd gone. He just left, while we were... Gathering the wounded." Hermione choked out, remembering Fred's pale face. Lupin and Tonks. Colin Creevy.