an unlikely match...

This was the last bloody straw.

\"Are you joking?\"

Harry\'s eyes were wide, looking to Hermione as she spoke. He raised a dark eyebrow, as if it was she that was jesting. But the look of total helpless confusion only affirmed that she was oblivious to his prior statement\'s meaning.

But...she had had many detentions with the git. He remembered it,

\"No, I\'m not joking. You had one almost every Friday night. You always managed to do something stupid in class that Snape gave you detention for. Then...well, near the end of the year they just stopped.\"

Hermione was white as a sheet, looking to her childhood friend with a trembling hand to her lips. \"Why don\'t I remember any of this?\"

The room was again becoming shaky, her eyes filling with tears. Where had these memories gone? Why...Hermione shook her head, grasping Harry by the scruff of his collar and dragging the tall, lanky man from her bed forced him to the door. He was complaining and truly confused.

\"I need you to go Harry. Now.\"

She opened the door and thrust the young man out of her room, she followed Harry out of her room and down the hallway, her white dress floating behind her as she saw him safely to his room before doubling back.

She was going to see Severus.

She stood outside his door, shaking with fear and anger and anticipation. This was it, Severus Snape was going to tell her what was happening. She was sick of all this confusion, all this misguided passion and anger.

She was going to get an explanation

* * *

He hadn\'t been expecting a knock at his door near midnight and so he ignored it. He had indeed been awake, shifting through a dark black book a sad look upon his pale face and didn\'t wish to be interrupted, he was sure it was Charlotte...the knocking on his door suddenly grew urgent and a muffled voice from the other side drew his attention.

\"Open the door. Now.\"

His eyes had darted from the large volume which he gracelessly shoved betwixt his two mattress\' and strode to the door, the scowl already on his face as he recognized the voice. After all he had said.

He flung the door open, glaring openly at the young woman before him, decked out in her strapless white ball gown. He didn\'t look much better, he decked out in nothing but silky black pajama bottoms and a loose black robe.

\"What may I ask is the emergency?\"

She didn\'t answer, merely shoved him to the side, much to his shock and strode over to his bed. He was about to object when she leaned over and grasped the spine of the book from in between the two mattresses and dragged it out, and it landed with a large \'thump\' onto the floor.

\"If this is about the kiss Miss Granger, I agree that it was an unwise venture.\"

Nonplussed and ignoring the suddenly frantic Professor, Hermione grasped the heavy book again and walked over to where he had been sitting. She opened the book, her dark eyebrows furrowing as she read the inscription once more. Severus had been quiet during this entire exchange, and only now spoke darkly.

\"What exactly do you think you\'re doing?\"

\"Getting answers.\"

She went back to the book, turning another page until she had reached the first of the swirling gray boxes again. She didn\'t see his eyes widen, and instead licked her lips in anticipation.

No more mystery.

She suddenly raised her forefinger and prepared to stick it into the swirling masses. She had just skimmed the cool surface of one of the milky gray boxes when she was faintly aware of Snape rushing over and yelling at her.

\"Don\'t touch that you silly littl-!\"

He grasped her forearm, trying to tug her out, but it was too late. Already a clear liquid had spouted up her arms, and now latched onto the livid Professor\'s. They shook at the cold contact and were suddenly encased in the trap. In a matter of moments they were rigid, eyes squeezed shut and traveling through a hazy mist.

Hermione felt her stomach churning and suddenly she opened her eyes, seeing the mist around them as she stood shakily on the cold ground. It was dark, cold and silent.

The question was...where were they?

* * *

\"Ginny!\"

Ginny looked up from her bridesmaid dress, fixing a stray button on the lavender dress, her large eyes were now though focused intently upon the young man that had come blundering into their room.

She had been hurriedly working on this for some time, wondering if this wedding should even continue. She had her suspicions about Austere, and now he was convenientissiissing? She didn\'t trust him as far as she could throw Harry...and that wasn\'t far.

She looked up as Harry had rushed into the room, his hair even more askew than normal and a look on his face that was a mixture of confusion and total, utter panic.

\"What is it Harry, you look as if you\'ve seen a ghost.\"

That was a laugh, Harry shook his head, his bolted scar peeking out behind his fringe as he did so. He was uneasily making his way over to Ginny. \"No...worse than that I\'m afraid.\"

She stopped her sewing.

\"What did you do Harry?\"

Ginny\'s voice was dangerously low, her eyes intently fixed upon Harry\'s own. He looked to his wife in curious shock, when had she become so bossy?

Ginny was extremely worried her husband had done something completely stupid and gone and told everything she had told him in confidence to Hermione. She\'d never forgive her if she found out her true opinion of Austere.

Harry\'s convoluted words were shaky and halted, as if he were searching for the right words and just not finding them. as las licking his dry lips and cleaning his glasses. Popping them back onto the bridge of his nose he looked to Ginny.

\"I mean...didn\'t Hermione have detentions all the time. With Snape?\"

Ginny wrinkled her brow giving an off handed shrug as she looked to the worried Harry, what had this to do with anything? Hermione had turned quite clumsy in Potions class. When Ginny had confronted her about it Hermione had shrugged, claiming that Snape scared her.

\"Yes...so? Why\'s that a problem Harry?\"

Harry was silent a moment, drawing nearer to his wife. He was very confused and had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. Surely something was amiss here...something terribly wrong.

\"Well, when I mentioned it to Hermione she looked like she\'d seen a ghost. She doesn\'t remember anything of it. She claims she never had a detention with the man in all her life.\"

\"I don\'t believe it.\"

\"Yeah well, she and Snape have been acting so strangely towards one another...like they know each other really well. I mean, I don\'t remember Hermione ever yelling at Snape in school and now here she is at the manor and their in screaming matches.\" he drifted to their bed and laid upon it, eyes transfixed on the ceiling as he spoke. \"And now she\'s gone to confront him about it all.\"

Ginny was walking around their room and looked scrupulous. She was muttering to herself trying to decipher this mystery.

Acting strangely towards one another...school...clumsy..Detentions..

Ginny suddenly realized the answer and her eyes settled into wide saucers as she whirled around to face her love on the bed. He looked to Ginny in surprise, propping himself up on his elbows.

She knew what had happened.

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes and saw that they were what appeared to be, in the middle of a long hallway. A long, dark and cold hallway with a sharp light in front of them.

Hermione looked around in the darkness and noticed that she wasn\'t alone in this strange place; Snape was standing next to her and looking furious. It was getting colder where they were, and she shivered looking regrettably over to the older man.

She felt rather stupid standing next to Snape in her wedding dress, and crossed her arms over his chest, trying to look menacing. He looked none too impressed, in the exact same stance glaring at her.

She had to ask him...but she feared his answer.

\"Where are we Professor?\"

He was silent a moment before his solemn voice drifted out from the darkness, in a weary sort of sigh. \"In the book.\"

\"The book with our initials?\"

\"Brilliant deduction Granger, its a wonder you weren\'t sorted into Ravenclaw.\"

Hermione ignored the sarcasm from his voice, having heard a noise from in front of them. She moved closer to the light at the end of the tunnel and noticed he was grudgingly moving alongside her.

\"You don\'t have to come Professor.\"

\"I haven\'t much of a choice Granger.\"

Hermione winced and looked ahead of her, the light dimming a bit now that they were close enough to it. Hermione peered ahead and noticed that there was a small silvery hole.

\"What the-\" she uttered as she stepped near it, about to poke her head through it. She was halfway there when his hand fell heavily upon her shoulder and dragged her back.

\"Don\'t do that.\"

\"You have no power over me.\" she dragged her shoulder from his grasp as he frowned, stepping in front of her. \"And I\'m no longer your student.\"

\"You don\'t understand.\" he said as she protested, \"I\'ve continually tried to keep this from you. All of it. For a damn good reason. After you see this...you can\'t just forget. You won\'t be able to forget. Just step back and perhaps we can still go back.\"


Hermione peered into his face, confused at the emotions playing upon it. This was it, either she could go back, marry Austere, pretend she and Severus never had anything...or she could find out what he was hiding. What was he so afraid of?

\"I don\'t want to know.\" she said dimly and he breathed a sigh of relief before she spoke next. \"I have to know.\"

With that, she gave a great mighty shove and stuck not only her head into the silvery hole but her whole body, leaving Snape standing alone in the dimming hallway and debating whether or not to follow her.

* * *

Ginny rushed down the hall with Harry after her, calling and telling her he needed an explanation.

\"I haven\'t time to explain it now Harry!\" Ginny exclaimed, rushing ahead and peeling her eyes for Hermione or Snape. Neither were appearing.

\"Virginia Weasley! You stop right there!\" Harry shouted, his face turning almost purple as he ran to catch up with her, her slippers patting against the floor of the manor. He looked around, recognizing the hallway. They were heading for Hermione\'s room.

Ginny whirled around, her hair in a mass of red as she glared at him. \"Don\'t you understand Harry? This is more than just an innocent affection...\" at this Harry raised an eyebrow and she continued.

\"Hermione\'s going to be trapped forever in a loveless marriage...a sham of a marriage.\"

\"Er...Ginny.\"

\"And as her friends its our duty to help her. We have to stop her before she does something stupid.\"

\"Ginny..luv..\"

\"Harry enough stalling, do you want Hermione stuck married to Austere? I certainly don\'t.\"

She had just whirled around once more seeing Harry\'s face grow pale as she spoke, and landed smack into the clothed chest of one angry looking Austere Snape.

* * *

Hemione stepped through the hole, marveling at it a moment as any know-it-all eager for knowledge would. She ran her hand over the filmy substance before standing upright and looking behind her.

She saw Snape crawling inside behind her, growling at her to come back before it was too late. Hermione sighed, looking to him uneasily and not sure whether to listen to him.

You\'re never going to get answers if you keep running from the truth Hermione.

With that determination she ignored him, turning and nearly gasping. She looked around the still and dimly lit room that they were encased in. Its familiar walls and coldness starting off goosebumps along Hermione\'s bare shoulders.

Cauldrons sat, messy and haphazardly strewn on top of several desks in the classroom. Something about this was familiar to Hermione, but she chose to watch, not exercise her memory.

When she realized where they were exactly, no denying she felt her heart going like a jackhammer. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene and heard a small noise from the other side of the door. Her eyes darted to his stoic face as he clenched his teeth.

\"We\'re in your classroom.\"

He didn\'t speak, only gave a vague nod that showed he heard her and that she was indeed correct. His lips were in a thin frown and he didn\'t appear to comfortable. Hermione suddenly felt her stomach lurch and she winced at the fear washing over her.

As if in habit, she clutched Snape\'s arm in worry and looked to him with an anxious look of fear in her dark eyes. He looked at her briefly and to her relief didn\'t recoil in digust, he just simply didn\'t move.

\"Let\'s go back.\" she offered, suddenly frantic as the doorknob began to jangle, its clinking making her even more worried. Someone was going to catch them...whatever was on the other side of the door was most definitely not happy. \"You were right.\"

He frowned, sighing as he shook his head. \"I tried to warn you Miss Granger. I gave you every opportunity. Now we cannot return until this is whole ordeal is over.\"

\"What...until what is over?\"

He didn\'t speak, merely pointed over her shoulder as she followed his long forefingers, and held in a gasp. The door was suddenly opened with a bang, and...

There was she and Severus...

But, appeared this was her Seventh year. She was wearing her Head Girl badge on her cloak, and she could glimpse the knee socks that poked out of the bottom of the robe as she walked disparagingly into the classroom after the miserable Professor.

Professor Snape moved from her and sat at his desk, pointing to the direction of the cauldrons before grasping a quill in his hands and writing. He was muttering to her as she nodded, her chin trembling as she tried to maintain her dignity.

I\'m about to cry...

\"Wh...\" Hermione was at a loss for words, and looked to the sullen Snape in shock. How was this happening? When did she ever have detention?

\"They can\'t hear you and you can\'t touch them.\" Snape confessed in a surly tone, his arms crossed and her hands dropped from his arm as a harsh look of emotion washed over him. \"I\'ve tried...but they can\'t hear you, and you can\'t touch them. Ever.\"

\"Professor Snape?\"

Hermione nearly jumped at the sound of her own voice as she watched her former self. The jump in her step...the light in her eyes, even the way she talked was lighter. She seemed...freer. She wasn\'t the woman she was now...and she envied her younger self.

\"What is it Granger?\"

Hermione looked to the image of Severus and tried to hold in a confused laugh, he was looking well..identical to what he looked like now. Sullen, miserable, angry.

\"Did you say I was to clean every cauldron without magical aid?\"

Hermione looked to herself and shook her head, silly little girl...she should never question Snape\'s orders. Everyone knew that. She felt her own heart pounding as she watched her former self.

\"Are you deaf, Miss Granger?\"

Silence.

\"No sir.\"

\"Then I assume asking me to repeat my orders is just a confirmation of your own ignorance?\"

Hermione saw her former self clench her fists at her side, looking to him with a furious look in her dark eyes. Hermione wanted to reach out to the girl, tell her not to say anything...but that wasn\'t really Hermione Granger\'s style.

\"No sir.\" The words were scathing, and Hermione could have laughed at the way Snape\'s quill suddenly stopped moving and he looked up to her with a look of surprised admonition.

\"Excuse me?\"

\"I said, No sir.\" she was gulping now, showing the fear that she had managed to suppress until that moment. \"I just wasn\'t sure that I heard your orders as you mumbled them when we walked in.\"

Ohh...she couldn\'t have accused Professor Snape of mumbling.

\"I assure you Granger,\" he said in a faintly bemused tone, \"I don\'t mumble. If you weren\'t so preoccupied in thinking of other ways to sneak into my private storage listening to simple instructions wouldn\'t be a problem.\"

So that\'s what I did...I stole something from his storage. Hermione was impressed with herself, But why?

\"I didn\'t steal it.\" the young Hermione responded indignantly, \"I left two sickles on your desk for it. You\'re the only one who carried the supply that I knew of...and I knew you wouldn\'t just hand it over to me.\"

He was furious now, and standing behind his desk as he placed his palms upon the smooth surface. \"You think leaving me behind sickles is perfectly acceptable for coming into my storage after hours under the confines of an Invisibility cloak and taking supplies?\"

\"It was only one dragon\'s tooth.\"

\"The dragon\'s tooth.\" Hermione murmured to no one in particular as she stood, flinching in her wedding dress. \"I forgot where I obtained it from...I got it from your storage? I always thought I got it in Hogsmeade...\"

Snape didn\'t answer, just watched the scene still going on before them, a small look of forlorn pity on his face for the younger Granger.

The image Snape was turning red with anger now, coming over to her and positively shaking. Hermione now could see how tall Severus really was, He was almost a good foot taller than her, no wonder she\'d been so petrified of him. He leaned down, peering into her face until they were eye to eye and Hermione was trembling.

\"Listen here you silly little girl,\" his eyes were flashing as she looked to his face with passionate fury. \"You\'re lucky I didn\'t have you expelled for your frivolous little experiment.\"

She was quiet, her voice almost silent in comparison to his booming one. He was still in her face, a few more inches and their noses would be touching. \"It\'s for an important project Professor.\"

He stood straight once more, a sneer upon his face as he openly mocked her with that steely voice of his. \"Oh, and what could that be?\"

Hermione now looked to the image of Snape who looked decidedly uncomfortable. The Snape at her side wasn\'t watching, more looking off to the side with a wistful look in his eyes.

\"Miss Granger?\"

\"It\'s a secret sir.\"

He let out a small choked snort as he shook his head in disgust as he made his way back over to his desk, collapsing into the chair and leaning back, something rare for him. He peered at the girl who now turned her back on him and sneered.

\"Ten points for idiotic ambiguity Granger, and another detention next Friday.\"

Hermione didn\'t answer, only went back starting on the cauldron\'s, under the careful scrutiny of Snape. The greasy git.

\"I-...\" Hermione at the side of the room said, her dark eyes filling with tears. \"What is all of this? Why would you give me detention? That dragon\'s tooth helped to create the potion that destroyed Voldemort.\"

He flinched at the name, looking distant. His rumbling voice was cold, and quiet, a mere murmur. \"How could I have known?\"

Hermione felt at a loss for words, and merely nodded, standing next to him as she watched her former self cleaning. The hair that had been her torment during school had smoothed, not as haphazard as years prior. Her teeth were smaller, she was taller...she looked not too bad in Hermione\'s eyes.

She was determined, just looking at her former self, Hermione could see it. The intensity and dedication she had towards such a menial chore. One she was sure Snape had been waiting to give her.

It must have been a good half an hour later, after Hermione circled the room, looking at the two figures and trying to touch them. Just as Snape had promised, they couldn\'t hear her, nor could she touch them. Her hands went through her own stomach as she looked to it in horror.

Snape still hadn\'t moved from the shadowy bookcase that they had entered by, he was watching her, calculating. Forever a Slytherin. Hermione walked back, looking to the room and remembering bits and pieces as she did so.

\"Harry and Draco got in a fight here.\" she said absently, \"Draco ruined Harry\'s spectacles and Harry ripped out a good chunk of Draco\'s hair...then I intervened, tried to pull Harry from Draco and you gave me detention...Why didn\'t I remember that before?\"

Snape didn\'t answer, his eyes were suddenly transfixed upon the young Hermione, whose shoulders were now shaking as she cleaned, small sniffled emitting from her.

\"I\'m...crying.\"

Hermione stole a look at Snape, wondering if perhaps he would give her an explanation. Instead he was looking over her, to the image Snape who looked utterly perplexed. His arms were folded and Hermione could swear he was biting back tears...not that she could see any.

\"Miss Granger?\"

The sullen Snape at the desk was now standing, leaning over his desk as he watched Hermione\'s shoulder\'s shaking. She didn\'t answer, only continued scrubbing. He looked angry and perplexed.

Why am I crying?

Her eyes were solemn as she watched her former self furiously brushing back tears on the back of her hand, sniffling before answering shakily.

\"Er...some dust got in my eye sir.\"

Snape didn\'t appear to be believing her, and instead had a sudden worried look on his face. Hermione calculated that he probably thought she had cut her hand, under his care and that Dumbledore would be furious. He never really approved of Snape\'s harsher detentions.

He was at her side in a matter of moments, seeing the last of the tears spilling before she caught sight of him and stopped, her breath shaky and her eyes watery.

\"You\'re crying Granger.\"

\"I\'m not sir.\"

\"Yes you are. What\'s the trouble?\" he must have realized how un-Snape like that sounded because he immediately followed that with a sneering, \"Worried you\'ll get less than 100 percent in all your classes?\"

The words were almost jealous for some reason, and Hermione suddenly glared up at him, looking more furious that she had ever seen herself. She threw down the soapy rag that he had so kindly left for her and stood, looking to him in anger.

\"Why do you even care? You ...overgrown bat!\" The words were loud and sputtering from the young woman that Hermione had been, her dark eyes flashing as her Professor looked to her in shock.

\"What did you say?\" The former Snape breathed, looking livid, his eyes darkening as he stalked towards his prey, his furious and not backing down prey.

\"You heard me!\" she shouted, throwing her hands into the air in exasperation. \" You\'re always so cruel to me, when I do nothing but try to help you! If you even...forget it. You are constantly berating me, trying to get me to fail and I\'m sick of it!\"

Snape grasped her by the upper arm, dragging her to him as he glared at her. \"Evidently the potion fumes are going to your head Miss Granger. Surely you as a top student and Head Girl wouldn\'t be so stupid as to actually insult a Professor.\"

Hermione tried to release from his grasp, but it was hard and she finally had to meet his imploring dark eyes, speaking in a smug tone that matched her smirk. \"I believe I just did, Professor\"

There was a pregnant pause, as Hermione watched herself in the harsh grasp of one Professor. It was what one would define as \'too close\' given the circumstances.

Suddenly it was if something went off and suddenly their eyes searched one another\'s for a moment, and in a hurried motion suddenly their lips were against one another, moaning into each other\'s mouths as Snape crushed Hermione\'s. He snaked an arm around her waist, drawing her close as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

\"Wha-?\" the older Hermione admonished, looking to Snape who looked utterly destroyed beside her. \"Why are we kissing? Weren\'t we just fighting? Is this some perverted fantasy book of yours?\"

The kissing was continuing, Snape having just backed Hermione into the wall near the edge of the dungeon, kissing her until she was breathless, her wrist above her head as he pinned her to it with his torso.

Hermione was kissing him as fast as he was her, not minding as he pressed into her, emitting small whimpers from her as her eyes slid shut and she succumbed to his lips.

\"We have to stop.\"

The older Hermione suddenly jerked her head to the scene before her and felt her heart stop as the image Snape uttered these words...He had pulled away from her former self and was looking utterly confused as to why he had kissed her.

\"I\'m sorry Professor.\" Hermione was red, wiping her mouth with her hand as she stood shaking before him. \"I don\'t know wha-\"

\"No apologies are needed Miss Granger. It was my instigation that...encouraged you.\" he was paler than usual and looking a bit disoriented as he gazed at her.

\"Well, it wasn\'t just you Pr-.\"

\"We\'ll just put this behind us instantly.\"

Hermione was still red, and nodding. \"Right. Of course.\"

Snape was still standing close to her, still inhaling her perfume and still watching her from behind hooded eyes. There was passion there. \"You may leave early Miss Granger.\"

\"Alright sir.\" Hermione grasped her bag and headed to the door with Snape trailing behind her. Suddenly she whirled around, meeting his eyes and trying her best not to blush. \"I\'m sorry for taking the tooth without your permission.\"

Snape didn\'t answer, just watched as she reached for the door handle and twisted it, sighing lightly as she did. Snape must have heard her because he suddenly unfurled his arms and moved closer to her.

\"Miss Granger.\" Snape suddenly said, grasping her wrist on afterthought. He drew her to him again, and she didn\'t struggle. Again his lips were upon her own, gently and then parting her lips for his tongue to slide into a welcoming mouth.

Hermione felt herself blushing as she stood next to Severus, watching as the two of them were kissing passionately, grasping onto one another as if their lives depended upon it. Their small whimpers and moans were the only things heard in the silent room.

Suddenly they broke apart with Snape, still holding her to him.

\"I\'m apologize again.\" he began, trying to speak as Hermione shook her head, placing a small hand over his lips. She gave him a small smile, showing she understood his distress.

\"Don\'t.\"

He nodded, going rigid as he let her go. She grasped her bag from near her feet and looked to him tenderly a moment. She looked confused, aroused and most of all understanding.

Snape was standing by the door, watching as she was leaving. Suddenly Hermione saw on his face that he needed to say something, prove to her that he wasn\'t cold.

\"I\'ll see you for your detention next Friday then.\"

Hermione looked to him, seeing no malice in his words only compassionate worry. Would she return to him?

The older Hermione watched this, her own heart pounding as she watched them standing awkwardly in the doorframe, Hermione looking confused a moment. Say yes you idiot!..Say yes!

\"Of course Professor.\" Her smile was genuine, and looking a bit nervous she added in a soft afterthought. \"I\'d love to.\"

She looked up to see his eyes flood with relief, and his stance relax. He nodded, a whisper of a smile upon his lips. Hermione peered around the corner a moment and then suddenly pressed her lips to his, giving him a small kiss before pulling away and rushing out the door.

The swirling hole behind Hermione and Severus was suddenly growing larger, not that Hermione noticed. She was watching her ex. Professor closing the door and...was that a smile?

She hadn\'t time to care about that as the Snape to her immediate left had grasped her arm and was dragging her through the hole until they were again in the hallway. It was silent, and against better reason quite intimate.

Suddenly a swirling white light was above them and Snape grasped her, bringing her into his arms as she obliged without question. There eyes shut immediately as the light brightened and..

When her eyes opened again, they found themselves back in Snape\'s room, still holding onto one another. Hermione looked to him and he let her go, moving across the room. She watched him, feeling a faint blush rise to her cheeks as she spoke.

\"Professor?\"

\"Mmmm?\"

\"I gave this book to you?\"

\"You did.\"

\"Why would I give you this book of...dreams? The-\"

Snape cut her off with a small grimace, looking to her as if she were about to learn the biggest secret of her life. Which in a way...she was. He strode over to her and grasped her shoulders, looking into her eyes so that his words would be taken quite seriously.

\"They are memories Miss Granger. Our memories.\"