True Love Ways

1 Severus

HELLO DEAR READER. This is my first foray into the world of fanfiction and I hope you enjoy my ramblings.  I own none of these characters sadly. PLEASE LIKE AND COMMENT (if you like it!) I'll be everso grateful. :)

Severus Snape rubbed his eyes and sighed. Another pile of 'drivel' was stacked in front of him waiting to be marked. No one ever wrote anything worth his attention these days - no one ever had since.... since the Insufferable Know It All had been in his class. How long had it been now since Miss Hermione Granger had been his pupil? 4, maybe 5 years? Her brilliance had not gone unnoticed. A slight smile graced his lips when he remembered how easily she passed her N.E.W.T.S, after returning to the newly rebuilt Hogwarts, having missed months of her studies due to the Great Battle.  She was so gifted and she was the only pupil he'd ever come anywhere close to admiring.

His smile faded as his mind wandered back to the final day of the Battle of Hogwarts.  He'd proved himself to The Order - proved he was no traitor - but it had almost cost him his life. Only one person came back to help him. Only one person had ever cared. The girl had administered a potion that caused traumatic pain which was far worse than the bites from Nagini, Voldermort's snake, but it had ultimately repaired his failing body. He would never forget her tears as she begged him to stay with her and not to die. Why on earth did she care about him? He, who as her Professor had made her life a misery for many years. He wondered if she knew that the mountains of work he'd set her and his abrasive manner was all part of an act to push her to become the greatest witch of her generation? Even as a gawky, bushy haired and precocious teen she had so much potential, far advanced for her years.

Severus sighed again. He still missed her. The day she left Hogwarts to start her career within the Ministry of Magic in Paris, he felt a piece of him die.  Leading up to her final exams, and during his convalescence they had started talking, which led to afternoons sat in his chambers, drinking tea and discussing all manner of topics. Slowly he had started to thaw and let her in to his otherwise reclusive life. Their friendship had grown to more than Teacher/Student and whilst it was not at all improper there had always been a slight frisson of something between them; the odd look or slight touch. When she left for the last time she had hugged him and stretching up, placing her hands on either side of his face, kissed his lips and then just turned and walked away without looking back. Severus had stood, not wanting to breathe, watching her go for the longest time, a single tear stinging his cheek. He'd never known such friendship since Lily had...gone and once again he was left feeling bereft and his heart whilst not broken was definitely torn.

To start with she had written regularly, and Severus would wait eagerly for each missive but as time passed and she got more involved with her career  her letters became less frequent and now he only received the cursory Christmas and Birthday cards. Oh, she always apologised for not writing but had been soooooo busy..... blah blah blah. Her final letter told him of her marriage. She wanted him to be happy for her.  Another single tear had been shed. That was three years ago and Severus tried to forget her - his Insufferable Know It All.