I have to find her. I must! Every day for the past two years, I have needed to see her face to live through the rest of the day. Ever since I saw that angel, the perfect woman, I have needed to have her. ... Snap out of it, Serverus! Snape told himself. She’s a student! You’re old enough to be her father ... But if she were my daughter, I’d be proud of her, he thought, ... because she is so perfect.
As he walked along, he was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he ran into someone headlong.
“Watch where you’re --“ he was about to snap, but he cut himself short at the sight of her face. “Oh, um, well, Ms. Granger ... um, seeing as it’s the beginning of the school year,” he stammered, in a feeble attempt at his usual cold manner, “I shan’t take points from Gryffindor. Be that as it may, since you are in the seventh year, I shall assign you detention for not looking where you’re going. Report to my office this Friday at seven o’clock sharp.”
Before she could say anything, he strode away, fearing his emotions would escape from under his control and make him shower her perfect, angelic face with kisses.
At least you have a reason to be alone with her this Friday. Maybe I should give more detentions to her. He shook his head vigorously to try to clear it, but it was no use. She was on his mind 24/7. Just like last year. And the year before.
Oh, and all through the summers, too. They were even worse. All he would have of her would be a picture clipped from The Daily Prophet of Hermione, Ron and Harry after the final battle with Voldemort. Harry had died shortly after from shock. He had lost an arm and a leg in the fight and was barely conscious for the picture. Ron had his arm over Hermione’s shoulder, and Snape remembered the looks Ron had given Hermione all during their academic careers, up until the beginning of the sixth year. He suspected it was Harry’s death that had put an end to all that, but since he couldn’t speak about feelings to Hermione without losing it -- and because he despised Ron -- he couldn't be sure.
He hated Ron with a passion, with a vengence, and all because of the way Ron acted around Hermione. Before Harry died, Snape had been sure Hermione was involved with both Harry and Ron. That was why he had hated harry so much, and had tormented him all through his fifth and final year at Hogwarts. Snape was sad he had made Harry’s last year of life such a hell ... but he had been spending so much damn time with Hermione that he felt justified.
Now Snape’s target was Ron, and he hated him, wanted to kill him, wanted to put his hands around Ron’s neck and hold until he turned blue. These thoughts repeated themselves in his mind, over and over. They have haunted him ... forever, it seems ... they wouldn't leave him ...