Time and Again

Severus sat in a large chair across from Dumbledore's chair. He sat quietly staring down at his hands.

"So in other words there is no cure?" Severus asked.

"We are working on it as best as we can, but we do not know of what was used in the potion. Another thing we must take into consideration Severus, is do you want a cure?" Dumbledore asked. McGonagall looked at Dumbledore as if he was insane.

"Well of course he wants a cure! We can't just leave him like this." She huffed as Albus held up his hand to silence her.

"It is Severus' decision." He said. "We do not know of what the future holds for Severus. His future is his own to decide, not ours."

"But the Ministry-"

"Will need to deal with me if they interfere." Dumbledore said. "As of now we do not hold a cure, but when we do Severus, the choice to take it will be yours." Severus nodded as he looked up to Dumbledore. There was a soft knock on the door and a moment later Hermione stepped in.

"Oh I'm sorry Professors, I didn't mean to interrupt." She said moving to leave again.

"Not at all Miss. Granger, please come in." He said motioning for Hermione to join them. Hermione paused but closed the door again and stepping into the room. "If you could please Miss Granger. Severus will be starting classes again in the time being, I would like him to follow your schedule."

"But sir, a lot of my classes aren't with Slytherin." She said.

"As he is technically speaking not a student, but must keep up with his studies in his situation, he will remain houseless for the time being. Until Monday when he will be resorted." Severus looked up in shock at this.

"What?!" Severus asked. "Why do I have to be resorted?" He asked his face nearly red with a mixture of anger and frustration. It was bad enough all this was getting thrown at him but to be resorted?

"You will be resorted Severus, Monday morning. We do not need to do it in front of the entire school though we should probably give a formal explanation to the students before you make an appearance. That will be done tonight at dinner." Severus' face was still red though now from embarrassment. "Miss. Granger, if you would be so kind as to take Severus to your next class, I do believe that is starting in a few moments. With Professor Flitwick I believe?" He asked giving her an envelope. "Please give him this." Hermione nodded and took the envelope.

Severus glared at Dumbledore clearly unimpressed with the fact that he was being resorted. Not that it would matter he would end up in Slytherin anyway. He followed Hermione out the door and down the hall.

"Take me to class ... I'm not a child." He muttered under his breath. "The school can't have changed that much ..." Hermione watched Severus rant quietly to himself, keeping in step with him. They reached the classroom and Hermione watched Severus sit at one of the tables near the back of the class still muttering about formal explanations and the ridiculousness of it as no doubt after attending Hermione's next two classes it will no doubt be the biggest buzz in Hogwarts since ... He couldn't think of anything that would be better gossip than this ... or worse, from his point of view.

"You can share my text book if you'd like. Seeing as how you don't have any yourself." She said opening her book as she sat down next to him. Severus sneered at her as she handed him a quill and some parchment. "We'll have to share an ink jar but other than that ..." She heard him mutter something that sounded much like 'Insufferable know-it-all' which made her smirk. At least her Professor was still there somewhere.

A series of students came in and were looking at Snape who was sitting in his chair with his arms folded over his chest, his white dress shirt still untucked from his black dress pants, the top few buttons unbuttoned showing off a small spattering of chest hair which was odd for someone so young, no matter how little it was.

"If you'd like we can go shopping this weekend. Get you some text books and stuff, school robes, the lot." She said smiling at him.

"Knock it off." He said simply as Flitwick came into the room. Flitwick looked to Snape and blanked. Hermione handed him the envelope which Flitwick read quickly. As soon as it was read Flitwick ignored Snape and moved to continue his class.

"What are you sitting with him for Hermione?" Ron asked. "You usually sit with us."

"I'm not leaving Severus on his own." She said.

"Knock it off." Severus said again. "I'm not a charity case, I don't need you." Hermione flinched.

"I don't see you as a charity case. I just want to help." She said.

"Well don't ... I can just borrow a book from Flitwick." He said not looking at Hermione.

"Told you you'd regret helping him ... hasn't changed much has he? Still a git when he was younger too." Ron said moving to his desk.

"Look I want to help you, besides Flitwick doesn't have any extra text books." Severus groaned and pulled the textbook forward so that he could use it as well. Flitwick started the class, though it wasn't much use as most of the students kept looking at Severus or whispering to themselves.

It seemed like forever to Severus before the class ended. "Come on, we have one more class left before we can make plans to go shopping this weekend. I'm sure Dumbledore will give us permission."

"Who said I was going?" He asked. "Never mind with you?" He said exiting into the hall with her following him every step of the way.

"Why are you being so mean?" She asked. "What have I done wrong?" Severus turned to her and said quietly, almost like a hiss.

"You haven't done anything wrong, but if there is anything I can't stand it's a stuck up know-it-all that thinks she can fix everything by being punctual about everything. You can't just smile everything off, you can't imagine how hard this is for me and you think suddenly you're presence will make it all better. Can you even fathom how I'm feeling right now?" He asked. "Of course not ..." He said. "How would you feel if suddenly you woke up tomorrow and your parents are dead, and you don't know what happened to Harry or Ron and it's suddenly twenty years in the future and you have no idea what's going on but people keep pushing you along and pushing you along and pretending like everything's okay because there's nothing else they can do?!" By this point he was yelling at her and many students had stopped to stare at them. Hermione had tears in her eyes, not from fear but from an odd understanding of how he was suddenly feeling.

"I'd feel lost ..." She said. "I'd want help ..."

"Would you know who to go to? When no one can help?" He asked quietly again.

"No ..." She said sadly as tears rolled down her cheeks. "But I want to try."

"You don't even know me!" He said. "Why do you even care?"

"I know you a lot better than you think I do." He said. "I know all about your past, about your parents, about the life you lead. How do you think I know your parents died? I know how you started working for Dumbledore, why you treat people the way you do." She said all this so quietly so that no one else could hear. "You've never been cared about before, not by your parents, not even your friends, so you think you shouldn't care about anyone else, but you do. You go out of your way to make sure we are all safe no matter what harm comes to you, it's how you got into this situation. Instead of protecting yourself you protected us. But you're bitter at life and mad at the people around you because no matter how hard you try they still mistreat you. People think you don't matter but you do. You've made mistakes in your past and I hope you are smart enough not to make them again. You don't like people seeing the best of you because all you want people to see is the mask that they've made for you. You give people what they want and in turn put all their hatred onto you because they have nowhere else to place it. I do understand you Severus. And I don't pity you because I know it's not what you want. But I do want to help. Life's been unfair to you, and it shouldn't be that way."

"It's not something I can change." He said. "And neither can you." He said turning away from her. By this point many of the students had gotten bored of their hushed conversation and went along their way.

"No, I can't change anything. But I can try to make it easier." She said. "Just let me take you shopping this weekend and if you want me to leave after that, if then you don't want my help ... Then I will leave you alone." He stopped walking and stared at the floor with his back to her.

"Fine ..." He said. "What class is next?" Hermione smiled and bound up beside him.

"Arithmancy." She said excitedly.

"Fun ..." He said sarcastically.

---

Hermione bounded down the stairs a piece of parchment held tightly in her hands. It was early on Saturday morning, not even dawn yet but she showed a type of energy not many teenagers had even on the best of occasions. Severus leaned against the front door, his hand covering his mouth as he yawned.

"Is there a reason we have to go this early?" He asked. "Crack of dawn ... I didn't even know six am existed."

"Well most of the stores are open at six on a Saturday as a lot of people do shopping so that they can get to their weekend activities. Like us, come on." She said pulling him out the door barely giving him a moment to scramble to grab his jacket that was lying on a nearby table as she tugged him away from it.

"Will you relax, we have all day." He said. "And what do you mean 'like us'? We're just grabbing some text books and some clothes; I have other plans that don't involve you." Hermione paused.

"Oh ... what where you planning on doing?" She asked though she had a pretty good idea.

"I'm going to London to see my parents." He said.

"Oh ... well ... can I come with you?" She asked.

"No."

"What if I stay by the gate? I won't bother you or anything."

"Why do you want to come?" He asked her speeding up a bit.

"I don't know I just ... I just know if it was my parents I was going to go see for the first time ... I'd want someone with me."

"Fine whatever ..."

Hermione dropped it as they walked down the path to Hogsmead. "So how are we getting to Diagon alley?" She asked.

"Well since flooing in the castle is not allowed by students, we are going to go into Hogsmead and floo there." He said.

"But, we're not allowed too."

"Well seeing as how we are both too young to apparate I don't see any other choice." He said. She made an odd noise that sounded like she agreed but he wasn't sure.

"How old are you anyway?" She asked.

"Thirty seven apparently." He said sarcastically.

"No I mean, how old where you ... I mean ... that you last remember?" She asked.

"What's the date today?"

"January 5th," Severus sighed. At least the dates where accurate.

"I'd be seventeen in a few days." He said as they reached Hogsmead. "Not that it matters."

"What do you mean 'not that it matters'?" She asked. "Happy Birthday." She said.

"It doesn't matter. It never did, it's just another day making another useless event." He said as they walked up to one of the buildings that he knew used to have an active floo network. He knocked on the door, but no one answered.

The door pushed open slightly as he knocked and they stepped in. The building looked as if no one had lived there in a while. The moved towards the fire and picked up some of the floo powder from the basin.

"Think it still works?" Hermione asked.

"One way to find out." He said handing Hermione the floo powder. "Ladies first." He said with a smirk. She gave him an annoyed look but none the less took the powder. "Diagon alley!" She said and with a fire poof she was gone. She landed in an old dilapidated building and stood up brushing off her clothes. A few moments later Severus fell through the fire with a poof and fell on top of Hermione knocking her to the ground. A loud snap echoed through the room as they fell. He moved off of her and brushed himself off.

"You okay?" He asked helping her up.

"I'm fine ..." She said. "What was that snapping noise?" Severus looked at himself and examined his wand,

"It was nothing of mine." Hermione pulled out her wand. The wood was snapped in half, the unicorn hair sticking out of it. "Well maybe you should have moved when you got through." He said. "Come on we should go to Gringotts first." He said moving out the door. Hermione looked furious as she followed him.

It didn't take them long to get to Gringotts. The goblins had gladly allowed Snape into his bank and Snape stared blankly at the money he had. "I didn't think I'd have this much." He said. "I mean ... last time I was here my account had maybe a few sickles." He said. Sure what he had no was no fortune, but it was more than he thought he would have.

"I'm not surprised to be honest; you spend most of your time at Hogwarts, even during the summer. And I can't imagine you'd buy a lot other than potions supplies, most of which are provided by school funds." Severus took out what he needed and they left, briefly stopping at Hermione's vault.

"Where to first?" Hermione asked.

"I'd say clothes first. No point in us lugging around heavy books longer than necessary." He said. She nodded and followed him into a clothing store. She automatically started picking around at clothes she thought might look good on him but every time he said no. He finally picked out his school clothes that where mandatory for sixth years and a few dress robes.

Next they picked up his books. "Are we done now?" He asked holding a couple of shrunk down bags.

"I still have to pick up a new wand." Hermione said sounding hurt that he had forgotten. Severus followed her to Ollivanders, who greeted them with a smile.

"Ah Miss. Granger ..." He greeted her. "And ... Mr. Snape." He said seeming a bit confused. "My my, Dumbledore had informed me but ... it's a bit of a shock, you can understand. Are you here to purchase a new wand Mr. Snape? Did something happen to your old one in the accident?" Severus sneered at him and looked away.

"Actually no Mr. Ollivanders. It’s my wand that broke. We had a bit of a tumble I guess you could call it, on the way here." Ollivanders smiled.

"Of course dear, let’s find you a new one." Hermione made her way into the store to start looking at wands. Ollivanders was about to follow her but Severus stopped him. He handed a small bag of galleons.

"That should be more than enough to cover the cost of her wand." He said. "Just tell her it's on the house, don't tell her I paid for it." He said.

"You have an interest in the girl?" Ollivanders asked with a sly smile.

"Don't be silly, I'd rather date a cow!" He said. "It's my fault her wand is broken and she has been exceedingly nice to me."

"Of course." Mr. Ollivanders said clearly not believing him. "Would you like me to send the change with her? She is a smart girl she will know you paid for it."

"Don't tell her and you can keep the change. Don't even tell her you have it." Ollivanders nodded.

"Of course sir." He said as Severus left.

Hermione came bounding back with a box in her hand. "This one is beautiful Mr. Ollivanders." She said.

"Well give it a swish." He said hiding the small bag of galleons in his pocket. Hermione did so and the wand did exactly as she wanted it too. Mr. Ollivanders smiled.

"It's your my dear." He said.

"How much is it." She asked. Mr. Ollivanders smiled.

"Well I'm not supposed to inform you. But the young man who was here with you. Mr. Snape as it were, has paid handsomely for the cost of your wand." He said. "I think he fancies you though he won't admit it, says that it was his fault that your wand broke. But I think we both know the professor. When was he to ever care if he broke someone else's property?" He said with a knowing smile. "Then again ... maybe he's just turning a new leaf."

"Where did he go?" She asked. He pointed out the door across the street. "Thank you Mr. Ollivanders." She said and ran out the door.