Labyrinth

Chapter 11

"Does that mean we're closer to the centre of the maze?" she asked, unsure if Severus would even know.

"Perhaps," he managed to get out. He was collecting himself, wiping his face.

She watched him stand carefully, following suit. "So I will be given the option to live or die at the end." He said it, but did not pose it as a question, more of a casual statement. The tone of his voice frightened her, though.

"And you will choose to live, Severus." She also posed her words as a statement rather than a question, but he looked down at her with sad eyes in response.

"Severus, please," she said softly.

"It would be best, Hermione. All these memories have proven is that my past, regardless of how difficult, has made me into a terrible person."

She shook her head, "No, Severus. You saved so many people. You won the war for us in the end. I swear. Your sacrifice was the reason good triumphed evil, I swear to you."

His eyes searched her own.

"I suppose we will need to continue on to find out if what you say is true," but his voice was hardened. He was blocking her out.

"Okay," she managed to respond. Their lack of touch as each of them continued down the maze created a coldness in her she could not shake.

"Do you need to take a break?" he finally broke the silence as they walked through the maze.

Shaking her head, she said, "No, I'm alright. I can probably take one more memory, and then I'll need to rest."

His nod in response was nearly imperceptible, but she was thankful he had at least considered checking on her.

The silence was stale, and she felt their walk now was more akin to what she would have expected of the Severus Snape she knew before she entered his mind. His memories had created the hardened man before her; he was simply becoming more himself, she knew. But it wasn't who he deserved to be... He was deserving of love. She knew this at her core. His life had made him this wall of a man who felt he had to tackle everything on his own, the world weighted upon his shoulders.

She began trying to formulate a speech in her head that would convey all of this to him but was thwarted by the sight of a new ball of light, a new memory. Crossing her fingers, they approached the light and reached for the memory side by side.

"We've got a problem, Snape. The boy doesn't seem able —" said the Death Eater Hermione recognised as Amycus. They were on the Astronomy tower. That night... She knew Harry was somewhere nearby, watching from beneath his invisibility cloak.

"Severus..." Albus Dumbledore's voice whispered, his pleading apparent. She watched as Severus walked forward, yanking Draco from where he stood; his wand pointed at the elderly man Hermione now knew was already dying where he sat.

She could see so many things flash across Severus' face: Revulsion, hatred, and a spot of fear. He had to do this, she knew. It was the only way to finally prove his loyalty and save Draco's soul, despite Dumbledore's dismissal of Severus' own.

"Severus... please..." rasped Albus, and Severus raised his wand, pointing it directly at Dumbledore.

"Avada Kedavra!" he shouted, and Dumbledore was blasted into the air, falling over the Astronomy Tower battlements and into the night.

Despite her true understanding of what Albus had done, she couldn't help but stifle a sob as she watched the moment unfold in front of her eyes. Harry had witnessed all of this as well, and she wondered now how he had been able to keep himself still.

The memory faded and she looked up at Severus, who appeared the very same as the one she had just seen in the memory, lines on his face and all.

"Do you remember it all now, Severus?"

His brows were knitted, his expression stern.

"I do."

She shifted uncomfortably. "And do you believe me now?"

He studied her, "Do I believe what, Granger?"

She flinched at his use of her surname, "That you are a good man."

"I have no need to believe any of it; what remains is that I served my part as the dutiful soldier for everyone. I rescued a boy's soul at the behest of my own. He is assuredly safer now than I ever was," he sneered and looked upon the ground.

"Yes, but Severus... All the memories that led you to this point. You became what you were shaped to be by the people around you. Dumbledore should have protected you earlier on; perhaps you never would have felt the need to join Voldemort and his followers."

"A person reaps the choices they sow, Granger," he spat.

"Stop calling me that. I'm an adult. You were fine calling me Hermione moments ago."

"That would mean I see you as an equal, which I do not. You are from Dumbledore's favourite little Gryffindors, sitting in a position that I am sure being one of his earned you," he snapped at her.

Affronted, she walked toward him, a finger pointed. "Severus Snape, I earned what I have, despite what you may think. I am powerful. I am your equal in every aspect. If you want to continue acting like an arse, consider yourself alone."

With that, she pushed her way out of his mind.

Furious, she immediately pulled herself out of the recliner and began to pace. He was always a self-righteous arse, but she hadn't realised the effects which working for Dumbledore had truly had on him. He left one master to serve another just as manipulative and controlling as the last; he had never been able to simply live for himself.

Saddened by this realisation, she felt guilty for leaving him the way she did. But she needed rest... and he needed a break from her.

She ate, drank, and slept in the recliner with her blanket and pillow, dreaming of the man she knew Severus Snape could be.

Awoken suddenly by the pounding of a door, she wasn't sure how long she had slept. "Fuck," Hermione whispered, quickly putting the room right. She transformed the recliner back to the stool and waved her wand to put all her other things back in her bag so it wasn't apparent she was sleeping there.

She walked to the warded door and knew it could only be one person.

Pulling it open, she gave Erin a small smile, "Erin. How are you?"

"Waiting on your report, Granger. How are things progressing?" Hermione moved to the side to allow her entry.

She watched as Erin walked over to her workspace, examining Severus and the surrounding area.

"I don't have much to report, unfortunately. You were right about the supposed Azoth not being what we thought. It did not affect him... I am still researching various artefacts that could be used to lift barriers. It's only been a few days though, I am confident in my ability to progress."

Erin's eyes lifted from Severus' bath to her. "Why is the water clear?"

"Oh! Right, I..." she paused, quickly forming a lie as she spoke, "I lifted the stasis from him in hopes it would help me get into his mind easier."

Their eyes stared into Hermione's, but she occluded her thoughts to avoid giving any indication that she was lying.

"And the towel?"

Hermione blushed at this, "Er, he's my former professor. I felt it prudent to preserve his dignity."

Erin nodded, accepting this easily.

"Very well. Come see me if you have anything else to report. Keep up the good work, Granger."

"Of course," she answered as she walked Erin out of the room and locked the door behind them.