The death of a git, the rise of a hero...

Well Severus." said the aged man as he and the younger, brooding wizard made their way into the study. Snape slammed the door behind them, glaring over at his still closed door.

Little brat.

"It seems," Albus was drawling by the fireplace, "That you and Miss Granger are having a bit of trouble."

"How perceptive." Snape drawled himself, plunking down in his chair and refusing to offer Albus a drink. Albus seemed a little less peeved that moments before, and just then gave a soft sigh before looking to Severus once more.

"A lover's quarrel perhaps?" Albus said with a small smirk crawling over his thin lips. Snape's dark eyes narrowed at the torment, wanting nothing more than to shove Albus into the burning hearth behind him, ala Hansel and Gretel.

"I'd hardly call it that."

"Hmmm." Albus said, seating himself in a nearby chair, rather stiffly. "So m'boy, are you going to tell me what's happening? Why you were about to blast open your bedroom door on Hermione, and why you're sitting there with a face full of potato and gravy?"

Snape took a glance down at his clothing, gently brushing the potato from his forehead, and off the end of his long nose. Deciding that the whole thing was a waste of time he merely brought out his wand and used a cleaning charm.

"Miss Granger and I," Snape started, refusing to call her by her first name for she would always be the annoying Gryffindor to him. "Were in the throes of a disagreement."

"Must have been quite intense."

"Indeed." Snape sneered, "She seems to be laboring under the misapprehension that she has full reign of my flat."

"Your flat?"

"Yes." Snape said surprised that the older wizard couldn't understand it. Next thing he knew Dumbledore would be saying to share the-

"Shouldn't you be sharing the flat with Miss Granger?"

Snape went lily white at the though. Her? Share his things with her? Over his dead body! He'd been so kind to the little brat that it made him grimace and gag, and now he was to go even further?

"I don't think so." Snape said sinisterly, folding his hands on his lap and giving Albus a deathly glare, which diminished as soon as Albus gave him one back.

"I think Severus," Albus said strongly, "That you should try a bit more to understand Miss Granger's point of view."

At this Snape felt his anger welling up, all too apparent in those tunnel like eyes of his, and in the gently clenching fists resting on the chair. This was it. He was always siding with that little chit.

"Why doesn't she try to see it from my point of view?" Snape snapped angrily, "All she does is mope around here all day. She could hseenseen her friend's today and she chose not to. She chose today to go rooting about in my belongings, in my room after I tried to make it more acceptable to her. The bloody chit had the nerve to go in my private study. She's turning out to be my mortal bloody enemy, always arguing with me and-"

"Do you hear yourself Severus?" Albus said with a surprise look on his face as he interrupted the young man turning red. "You're getting all worked up over a teenager! You're 'mortal enemy' as you so dramatically pu, is, is a young woman of barely eighteen years of age!"

Snape felt his jaw clench and blood drain from his face as the words hit home. Dear Merlin. He was going off, all because of an annoying little girl. His eyes widened in realization and he bit back the urge to sneer. Instead he ashamedly looked to the floor, not saying anything.

"Severus." Albus said, seeing that the younger man looked crestfallen. "I trust you more than you yourself may think, and that hasn't changed. But I do know that you have a vile temper, and that as hard as you try to keep it under control it can explode. All I'm asking Severus is that you try to be kinder to Miss Granger, this isn't exactly a picnic for her."

Snape didn't answer, "And what? I'm to let her walk all over me?"

Albus shook his head and stood, "Most certainly not. I shall have words with her as well."

He walked to the door with Snape trailing behind, a smirk on his face as he thought of the verbal lashing Hermione was sure to endure. Serves her right. Suddenly Albus turned, looking to Snape severely.

"And you can wipe that smirk off your face right now."

They made their way to the door as Snape felt a flash of anger go through him as he remembered her actions this evening. After he'd brought her dinner and everything.

"Miss Granger?" Albus said, knocking on the door and waiting for an answer. A few moments passed, which was strange. Albus gave Snape a look as if to say, 'What's keeping her?'

"Oh," Snape said sheepishly as he realized the faux pas, undoing the silencing spell and stepping back.

Albus gave him an unimpressed look as Hermione's voice came through the door, "Headmaster? Are you still there?" Her voice dropped to a gentle murmur heard faintly from those on the other side of the door. "Oh God..please don't let it just be Snape."

"It's me Miss Granger. The Headmaster" Albus said, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Is Professoape ape there with you?" came the timid response.

"You know very well I'm out here you-" Snape started, then seeing the Headmaster's face suddenly changed his tone and added lamely; "Wonderful wife."

"What did you call me?"

"Just open the door!" Snape snapped, furious at the way he had to go through hoops to impress Dumbledore. He heard the sound of the door unlocking, and there stood Hermione hiding behind it.

Suddenly all Dumbledore's words were lost, and he felt his temper rising once more.

"How dare you lock me out of my own room!"

"How dare you accuse me of something I knew nothing about!?"

"Severus, Hermione-" Dumbledore warned, lost on the feuding pair. Hermione stood be the the door and Snape behind Dumbledore.

"Why you little! I've been more than patient with you."

"Patient? Patient!? You've been nothing but rude! Opening almost all the wedding presents! Eating all the chocolate!"

"Me? Rude?! You're display at dinner tonight was atrocious. "

"Which reminds me, nice suit Professor, where's the gravy?!"

"THAT WILL BE QUITE ENOUGH!" Albus said loudly, starting them both as the grew quiet, looking to the powerful wizard sheepishly. Albus looked to the both of them in shock. "That was appalling."

Hermione felt a blush rise to her cheeks. "Sorry Headmaster."

"Yes Albus," Severus said breezily. "You heard her. She's sorry."

Hermione's eyes darted back up and she was about to retort when Albus shook his head and began his way into the room where Hermione stood waiting.

Snape moved forward as if to follow and was surprised as Albus nudged him out, shook his head std started to close the door on him. He was about to demand entrance when Albus looked to him and spoke tersely.

"I wish to speak to Miss Granger, alone."

* * *

"Lucius." Came a hissing voice from the shadows of the ruined castle it was contained in. Lucius Malfoy stepped forward in his Deatheater's robes, looking to his Master in surprise for he didn't usually call him by name at meetings.

Voldemort sat weakly on his makeshift throne, looking sickly and miserable to the man before hie hee held his haggard head as high as he could muster, managing to look down on the blonde man.

"Have you given Severus the gift?"

The two of them exchanged small, wicked smirks at the thought of the present. Pathetic Severus wouldn't know what hit him he ehe end. He'd be sore for a year.

"Yes Master." Lucius said with a bow, "Before the wedding."

Voldemort nodded, looking off into the distance and smirking a bit as he rubbed his gnarled hands together. Severus had deserved the gift, after all he'd done...especially the ultimate sacrifice, marrying the Mudblood so that they would harness her power. He was a good servant in some sense.

"Splendid."

Malfoy nodded, a small smirk sneaking across his features hidden by the cloak. "I don't believe sir," Lucius added respectfully as he bowed lowly once more. "That he knew exactly what the gift entailed."

Voldemort gave Lucius a sinister sneer as he started to chuckle lightly.

"He will fou found out by the start of his wedding night."

* * *

Hermione sat on the end of the bed, listening to Dumbledore give her a speech about how she should try to see things from Snape's side of things. Which was a hard thing to do considering she hadn't the faintest how he felt because he never showed any real emotion except anger...and he wasn't angry all the time...was he?

Then again it was Snape.

Hermione felt a small tear slip down her cheek as Dumbledore fied aed and nodded her head respectfully. "I'll try sir." she said gently, "It's just that. He’s...just so cruel to me-"

"That’s rubbish!" Came a rumbling voice from outside the door.

Hermione and Albus looked to the door in exasperation. Evidently Snape had taken it upon himself to spy on them to make sure his precious reputation stayed intact.

"Pipe down Severus!" Albus called over his shoulder. "You've had your turn!"

Hermione heard the gentle grumbling of Snape as he stalked down the hall to the study where he slammed the door behind him forcefully. She turned back to Albus and let a small smile pass her features.

"He was rather fine at dinner...before the study incident."

"Yes," Albus said with a nod. "The study. Professor Snape has made it quite vocal that he wishes you to remain outside of that room. It's his private sanctuary."

"He never told me I wasn't allowed in!"

"I don't doubt that." Albus answered grimly, "You see he probably forgot. Then seeing that he did so, he got embarrassed for yelling at you about it. In turn he reverted to the only thing he knew. Intimidation."

"I figured as much." Hermione said dimly, nodding to her Headmaster and standing as he did the same.

"You know Hermione." Albus said dimly, "He didn't have to marry you. He could have left you to Voldemort. I know it's a horrible thing to say...but its true."

Hermione felt her stomach lurch at the words. They were true. She could have been Deatheater bait. She looked to Albus with a new look in her eyes.

"Perhaps I should apologize to him."

Albus nodded softly, patting her on the hand and standing creakily as he made his way to the door. "I think that would be the best. Professor Snape can be quite amiable when calm."

"Yes, I thought so." Hermione said following him to the study. "We were having a fine talk about banshees, getting along fine."

"Then there's hope." Albus said with a merry twinkle in his eyes. They reached the study door and Hermione gulped slightly, wondering what she was going to say to Professor Snape. Albus rapped on the door softly leaning back and waited for Severus to answer it.

No answer.

"Severus?" Albus called, still waiting for Snape's response. He received none. Albus turned to Hermione, rolling his eyes slightly as he went closer to the door.

"Probably sulking." Albus muttered with a sigh as he opened the door himself. He walked in, closing it behind him and leaving Hermione standing outside in minor agitation. What if Snape started lying about her to Albus?

"No." Hermione said to herself. "Stop thinking like that."

What am I going to say to him? How will I apologize? 'Severus, I thought about it and...Even though you NEVER told me not to go into your study, and even though you were about to bash me and the door to bits .'

At this Hermione felt her anger seething. Forget him! She wasn't going to ruddy well apologize. She was glad that his face had come into contact with her plate of toestoes! And that he'd fallen on his rear after slipping on the soap! And...err....hmmm....those all seemed to be because of her. Oh hell...

Professor Snape. I know that we don't ever get along. But I've come to the realization that you've done so much not only for the Order, but for me as well. I just wanted to th-...th-.. Blast, even in her thoughts it was impossible to thank him.

Hermione heard some shuffling going on in the study she was forbidden from going into and felt her curiosity rise. She leaned forward gently, her ear resting on the door.

Speak up! she thought worriedly. Why aren't they talking? I hope Snape's not being too immature...refusing to speak with Dumbledore. How babyi-

Suddenly the door whirled open and Hermione -who had been doing an impressive imitation of Snape beforehand- landed rather ungracefully on the carpet in front of Albus with a smack. She prayed that her skirt didn't go flying up in the process.

"Hmm, perhaps you two are more alike than I thought." Albus said with a frown on his face. Hermione blushed and rose to her feet, brushing her skirt off and looking behind Albus for Snape.

"Where is he?"

Albus gave Hermione a worried look as he exited the door, closing it behind him and frowning deeply. Hermione could the the worry in the pale blue eyes of her Headmaster and sighed deeply. She herself spoke the words Albus refrained from saying.

"He's gone."