She crept up the hill under the blanket of darkness to where you could see the Shrieking Shack through the fence. She clung to the fence staring at the Shrieking Shack beyond. She could feel its emptiness and could relate to the heartless wind as it blew through the cracks in the building making an eerie whistle as it passed through. Her heart pounded faster as she could smell his scent him coming up behind her, she whirled around to face him but there was no one there. There was just a dark empty dead end in front of her. There was nothing tangible to see but there were many memories living before her.

Three curious school friends stared at the shack in fear and awe.

A young woman came stumbling up the hill and a young man followed quickly after her to quell her fears. She could see them share their first kiss, and the kiss that would seal up years of confusion and horror. The kiss that created years of happiness for her and a kiss that brought tears pouring down her face as she recalled how it changed her life even now. She collapsed, and leaned back against the fence and pulled her knees up to her chest like a frightened little girl. That is what she was again, a frightened little girl.

She could see the lights down the hill and all the happy families celebrating Christmas Eve at Hogsmeade. No one ventured up to visit the Shrieking Shake because on Christmas people don’t consider such things as ghosts and dark houses. So she sat there very much alone at the top of the hill seeing visions of childhood memories and shivering in the brisk night air. The pain had numbed her to the point that she couldn’t even think of her eleven year old daughter who was spending Christmas Eve with her parents. Charlotte didn’t know her father was never coming home. Charlotte didn’t see the heartless letter that spoke of funerals and empty assistance. Her daughter didn’t understand they only had each other to brave the rest of their lives.

Why had she come here? Why did she torture herself with happy memories and long lost ghosts? She wanted him to come and find her. He wanted him to save her again, but he was gone forever. Her love had died. She had no one to rescue her anymore, and she didn’t have the strength to save herself.

Then she saw him, the dark seraph, for only a seraph would know where she was. Only he wasn’t a dream he was very real and the rocks on the street moved under his feet loudly as he approached her. She felt she had no choice but to stand up in his presence and so she did, and wiped the tears away from her eyes.

“I knew I could find you here,” he said in a low even tone.

“Why would you want to find me here?” she asked simply.

“To keep you from self destruction Miss Granger,” he replied sharply using the tone of a teacher she had a long time ago.

“It is Ms. Granger, My destruction has nothing to do with me, it has everything to do with your filthy friends,” she retorted coldly pulling her black cloak around her tightly.

“How dare you say that to me,” he hissed, “they were no more my friends than he was a savior.”

She slapped him hard across the face as she fought back angry tears,” he was my savior, how dare you speak ill of the dead. Especially of the fallen hero who restored peace to this world. If it were not for him you would be dead right now Severus Snape and don’t you forget it. Your filthy Death Eater colleagues wouldn’t have taken your unloyalty too kindly when they found the only side you were on was your own. He disposed of them before they could get to you.”

“If I had been your savior Miss Granger I would have made sure that I had indeed disposed of all my enemies and was always there to care for my wife and make sure my daughter always had a father. As far as I can tell, Harry Potter may have saved the world, but he did not save you.”

Hermione shook, hating him for saying that but the words crept into her heart. She felt angry that Harry had left her and Charlotte here on this earth to fend for themselves. She could never hate Harry though, she loved him, even in the times of her life he didn’t feel the same. Even in those times there was hope though, and now that hope was gone because he could never come back to her.

Severus put his hands on her shoulders and she turned her head to the side rejecting the invitation to fall into his arms. The arms that were always there for her, that were there for her while Harry was still figuring out his love for her.

“It is too late for you to save me, Severus,” she whispered and the tears that were welling up in her eyes fell onto her face once again.

“I think there was a time, over twelve years ago that I did save you, and had he not returned you would still be under my care,” he corrected her.

Hermione nodded as more memories filled her heart. Twelve years ago Severus had taught her about potions, and even more about chemistry. He had not let her fall far when Harry let her go to save the world. Severus had protected her, he had cared for her, even when she could not love him back. He even killed so she could move on with her life in peace. At the time it scared her, the lengths he would go to, to show his devotion to her. Now, that is what she wanted, the desperate measures to be taken. She wanted desperately to live her life in peace. Could he bring justice to them? Could he really save them after all these years of exile?

She looked at him, seeking his face for the answer. He was peering into her thoughts, she could feel it but she didn’t stop him.
“I would do it for you, and your daughter,” he replied quietly. The look Hermione gave him was one that he would remember the rest of his life, a look of thankfulness and even love.

“Charlotte will be at Hogwarts next year,” Hermione said suddenly breaking the stunned silence between them.

“As long as I am headmaster, she will be protected. She has grown to be as quick as her mother, she will be successful,” he remarked somewhat amused. Hermione didn’t guess as to how he knew about Charlotte’s quickness or wonder if she should be afraid. The moment he promised she didn’t have to worry about Harry’s murderer anymore the night seemed so much brighter, more like Christmas. There was a time when Hermione abhorred Severus’s violence for her, but now it kept her safe. He is more like a angel anyway, she had decided, delivering justice for those he guards.

As they walked away from the shrieking shack she let him put his wing around her and she cried for Harry no more.