Hermione Granger spent the next few months reuniting with her old friend. Harry seemed to have taken a much stronger interest in her than before, and he had quite grown up into the man she’d always wished he would be. But as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t forget the way he left her. She’d found something else; Potions, working with Severus. Had he expected her to wait for so long? Granted, she couldn’t say she was sure she loved Severus, but they had some kind of bond, a bond Hermione couldn’t explain, and she could explain everything. No matter what Hermione felt, or whatever questions ran through her head, Harry Potter didn’t give up. He was relentless in showing his affection, which delighted and frightened Hermione all at once. She could feel Severus watching them around every corner; it seemed like she and Harry could never be alone. She knew it was Harry she wanted, but, as much as he pleaded that they begin dating, she insisted they stay friends. She couldn’t bring herself to admit her desires.
Three months after Harry returned was the first school trip to Hogsmeade. After checking permission slips and arguing with various students Hermione could finally pull away from her duties.
The sky was dark as she walked down the familiar streets of Hogsmeade. As she gazed around the students, she sometimes had to glance twice to make sure she wasn’t seeing the old trio again, as children. Her vivid memory and captive imagination remembered every Hogsmeade visit, good and bad. She slowed down, finding herself slowly sinking back into reality. So many things had changed since those days; the whole wizarding world was entirely different. They had tried to escape a world of fear and terror by coming here. She and Ron were just distractions to Harry’s troubling reality. Now, there was nothing to fear; the Dark Lord was dead, none of these students would ever know the danger they had once felt as students. She envied them almost; maybe if the old trio had grown up unafraid things would have been different, and she and Harry could have had a chance. Then again, if the Dark Lord had never come, would she even know Harry today? She pulled her robes closer around her, and shook her head. She knew better than to try outsmarting fate
She and Harry met at the Three Broomsticks. As Hermione went up to get the drinks, an older man in a drunken stupor pulled her close.
“You look ravishing, my dear,” he slurred.
Hermione smiled weakly, trying not to be rude, but quickly pulled away, walking toward where Harry was half-standing, glaring at the old man. Hermione shook her head at him, showing him that she was unharmed. He relaxed and they enjoyed their drinks, but what happened next terrified her.
The man who had grabbed her started choking, coughing, and sputtering, turning various shades of red, purple, and blue. No one could help him, although four wizards were trying. Moments passed that seemed like hours, and he fell over dead. Hermione gasped, and then saw a pair of black eyes in the corner, staring at the dead man. Her heart pounded hard against her chest as she recognized the same black eyes that were always watching her. She couldn’t breathe; she fled, her scarlet cloak whipping behind her as she rushed out and up the road toward the Shrieking Shack, as far away from the scene as she could get.
The obsession had gone too far; how could he kill for her? With a pang, she realized he must have killed the other contestant for her job. Two dead wizards, all because of her. And what about Harry? He would kill Harry; he was always watching them, just waiting. Biding his time, then . . . he would kill him.
“No!” she shrieked to the empty space around her. “He won’t kill Harry!”
“Hermione! Hermione! Are you okay?” Harry asked, out of breath, looking at her apprehensively.
“We can’t go back there,” she whispered.
“It’s okay,” he said, taking a step toward her.
“He’ll kill you, he’ll find us, we can’t get away,” she whimpered hysterically.
“Hermione, don’t say that,” Harry pleaded, confused as ever.
“He’ll kill anyone that gets in his way! I don’t want him to hurt you,” she choked out, though she could tell Harry wondered if she was delusional.
“Hermione, it was an accident, no one was . . . murdered,” soothed Harry, looking worried.
“Harry, I’ve seen him, Severus, the way he looks at me. He’s been with me for four years, while I was alone. He cared about me when no one else would; he took care of me, he loves me, and he’d do anything. He killed the other professor so I could have my job, he killed that man just now because he touched me, and he’ll kill you, too, Harry; you’re getting too close.” Her words were cracked and stuttered as she shook with both fear and cold.
“No more,” Harry said, pulling her close to him. “No more talk of murder, death, obsession. No one is going to kill me or anyone else, especially not Snape; remember, Dumbledore trusted him. He saved me so I could kill Voldemort.”
Hermione just shook her head, obviously not consoled. “Help me forget him Harry, promise me you won’t leave me again,” she pleaded, her glistening eyes meeting his emerald gaze.
“I’ll never leave you again. You’re safe; forget about everything. It’s just you and me,” he murmured, passing his hand over her cheek to dry a tear.
“I just want to be free from the darkness, I can’t escape it.” She paused and looked up at him, “Will you save me, Harry?”
“Just say the word and I will save you forever,” he replied softly, holding her tightly.
“That’s all I want,” she whispered, then said even more quietly, “Say you love me.”
“You know I do,” smiled Harry.
“That’s all I ask of you.”
Then Harry kissed her. It was the most amazing thing she’d ever felt in her life. She held onto it as long as she could breathe, breaking off just to gasp some air, then kissing him again. She had waited so long, and now she knew that it wasn’t in vain; her dream had finally come true. Now he finally loved her, and she loved him. The world seemed to disappear around them, because it didn’t matter, nothing mattered. Not Severus, not the murders, not anything except her and Harry. Hermione knew it couldn’t last forever; those dark eyes watched them always. For now, though, she was safe in Harry’s arms as they returned to Hogwarts.