Goodnight, Demon Slayer

****************A/N***********************
Sorry it's been so long. Real life is SO much less entertaining than fanfic!
******************************************

Goodnight, Demon Slayer
Chapter Twenty-Five:
Broken

"Mr. Potter, a word, please."

Reluctantly, Harry dropped his bag and approached Snape's desk. It was going to be his fault. Somehow, Hermione's outburst was going to be blamed on Harry and there would be an enormous amount of House Points deducted.

Bloody brilliant.

Harry walked reluctantly towards the greasy git (who was looking not only greasy but also oily today), and Ron stuck close by his side. No one wants to go off to slaughter by himself.

"Did you need something, Mr. Weasley?" Ron actually jumped at the Potions Master's deep baritone boom, turning a lovely shade of Gryffindor red in the process and aftermath.

"I... uh... waiting for Harry," sputtered Ron weakly, already backing away from Harry and Snape. Wher Ser Snape had to talk to Harry about, it was not going to be good- Ron was sure of that.

"Wait outside."

"Yes, sir." Not needing to be asked twice, Ron practically ran from the room, a muttered "Later Harry" thrown over his shoulder.

All alone with Snape, Harry was suddenly furious. No matter what the professor was going to do to Harry, it was not going to even be close to what he'd done to Hermione, and, by the way, WHY, exactly had he done that to Hermione? After all, Hermione was one of Harry's best friends, and he couldn't just sit here thinking Harry was going to take his crap anymore. Harry wasn't scared of him anymore, and furthermore, if given the opportunity, he was probably going to tell Snape exactly what he thought of him after the Hermione debacle. Yeah, that greasy git was going to-

"Shes hates me."

Snape's simple statement derailed Harry's train of thought in an instant. Looking upon him, Harry noticed that his normally sadistic eyes were sad, almost hollow, and there were circles under them. It almost looked as if Snape heen een crying.

But that could never be the case...

Somehow, a pity and compassion that Harry had never felt for this man were suddenly pulled from his gut. Ironically, feeling this way made Harry feel like pulling something else from his gut- his lunch, namely- but no matter how he tried, he could not not feel sorry for both Snape and Hermione.

"I... wouldn't exactly say that, sir."

But I'm not sure what I would say...

"She told me to fuck myself in front of a good percentage of the seventh year class," stated Snape, his eyes suddenly flashing that fury Harry knew so well.

"Erm... there is that, sir."

"I am going to ask you something, Potter," Snape began nervously, not looking directly at Harry, "and it is in no way to be misconstrued as my asking you a favor."

"Of course, Professor." So this was the game they were going to play. Snape was still too stubborn to ask for help. Which was just as well, because Harry was just as reluctant to offer it. It would be too weird. Snape and Potter? Partners? Forget it. But if it was made clear that the still hated each other, then that would be different.

God, how old am I? Four? thought Harry, but quickly assuaged himself with He started it.

"You need to help me. I need to... apologize."

"Then, sir, my advice would be to...erm...say you're sorry."

"Don't you think I've already thought of that, Potter? Of course, apologizing would be one of the main components of an apology! But I can't talk to her, not now. She hates me. She does, doesn't she? Tell me the truth, Potter."

Slowly, Harry considered what to say. In truth, she did hate him, but it wasn't a real hatred. Anyone with a brain could see that. Hermione loved him and was heartbroken. It was that kind of hate. It was easily fixable. You fix the heart, you get rid of the hate.

But how to explain that to Snape in terms he could understand...

"You betrayed her, sir. In a time when all she wanted- all she needed - was you, you left her all alone."

"She could never love me now," Snape sighed, hanging his head and rubbing his temples. It was too weird, sad Snape. Harry wished desperately for evil Snape. He may be a bastard, but he was a hell of a lot less odd than weepy Snape. Sad Snape gave Harry the heebies.

"Of course she still loves you," explained Harry as if explaining to a small child. "She wouldn't be so upset if she didn't."

"So what am I supposed to do? I find it highly doubtful that she will ever speak to me again." For the first time since imploring the help of young Potter, Snape looked him straight in the eyes. Harry gazed back evenly, and with absolute certainty in his calm voice, answered the Potions Master's question.

"Song lyrics."

"Song lyrics?"

"Song lyrics. I've never known a seventeen-year-old girl who could resist song lyrics."

"I have to sing?" asked Snape, his eyes widening in disbelief. He loved Hermione, but enough to sing? There's a thin line, after all...

"No, you send her some flowers or chocolates and in the card you write down some particularly weepy, trite, bullshit lyrics that fit your current situation." Snape regarded Potter momentarily, wondering if he was making fun of him or telling him to do something that would get him in even more trouble with Hermione. But he was dead serious, so matter-of-fact about it. Severus wondered how many squabbles between Harry and Ginny Weasley had been settled by a box of chocolates and the words to a stupid love song.

"That's all?" Snape asked incredulously.

"Yeah, but remember you've got to use lyrics Hermione'll know immediately or else it just looks like bad poetry."

Damn! There's always a catch!

"Excellent, Potter," Snape sneered. "You've just volunteered to make me a recording of all of Hermione's favorite music. By tomorrow morning."

Harry groaned but figured it was better than detention with Filch or having to clean cauldrons without magic.

"Yes, sir." Collecting his things, Harry turned to leave, but half way to the door was stopped by Snape's sharp call.

"Potter!"

"Sir?"

"You are aware that I still hate you, right?" If he was not mistaken, there was a hint of a reconcilliatory smile across Snape's face, his posture almost suggesting a truce to their seven-year feud. Harry smiled back slightly.

"Of course, sir."

"I'm not... losing my edge?"

"Oh no, Professor. Still very scary." Harry could not keep a straght face at that comment, though luckily, neither could Snape. The smirk on his lips widened into a small smile, and he turned away from Harry.

"Don't patronize me, Potter."

True to his word, Harry had Hedwig drop a recording to Snape's rooms before breakfast the next day, and Severus, though he had the occasional class, spent the majority of his day poring over the music, writing down anything he thought migh use useful. It was seven in the evening before he was ready to send Hermione an owl, and even then, he was scared.

You had better pray this works, Potter

And so, he weighted down his owl with flowers, chocolates, a stuffed toy and his card. His card which pathetically read:

Dear Hermione,
I waited 'til I saw the sun
Don't know why I didn't come
When I saw the break of day
I wished that I could fly away
Instead of kneeling in the sand
Catching teardrops in my hand
My heart is drenched in wine
And you'll be on my mind forever
Love,
Severus

Severus' heart leapt in his chest as, in mere minutes, the owl returned to him with a reply. Holding his breath, Severus tore into the envelope with all the patience of a child at Christmas.

Professor Snape,
I am quite unsure why you have written me and why you have chosen to include those lyrics to a song I previously enjoyed listening to. I think perhaps you've ruined Norah Jones for me forever, but since you are in such a musical mood, here are some more lyrics.
Also, I hate you.
What the fuck is going on?
Who the fuck do you think you are?
Cause for alarm
Put up with your shit
Begging me to stay
Even though you ran your fucking mouth everyday
I ain't some punk-ass
Dealing with your drunk-ass
Yeah, you might be fine
But you crossed the fucking line
'Cause I deserve more
I deserve more
You act like a whore
So just drop dead
Just drop dead
Hermione Granger, Head Girl and despised Gryffindor

Hands trembling in shock, Severus stood blankly by the window, his owl sqwacking at him. But...? Potter had assured him it would work... And, it was hopeful that she had written back at all, right? Going back to his desk, Severus reread his scribbled notes and even more hastily wrote out another note for Hermione. The response came just as quickly as the first had.

Dearest Hermione,
Baby, please try to forgive me
Stay here, don't put out the glow
You can save me from the man I've become
Sadness is beautiful
Loneliness is tragic, oh,
So help me I can't win this war
Love,
Severus

Snape,
Don't pretend you're sorry
I know you're not
Miss Hermione Granger, your stt ant and nothing else

So, she was mad at him. He knew that. But her little back and forth was encouraging him. He sent another note. And another. It was working; he was sure of it. Maybe if he sent enough...

My dearest Hermione,
So many words for the broken heart
It's hard to see in a crimson love
So hard to breathe
Walk with me and maybe
Love always,
Severus

S-
How can it be you're asking me to feel the things you never show?
-H
***************
Hermione,
Remember me? Seems like forever since the day since we were friends.
-Severus

Snape,
Lover, hey fuck you
***************
Hermione,
Look at me, my depth perception must be off again
'Cause this hurts deeper than I thought it did
It has not healed with time
It just shot down my spine
You look so beautiful tonight
Love,
Severus

Dear Severus,
Please stop writing to me. Your constant owls are upsetting Crookshanks.
And next time don't pick a song whose next line is "Reminds me how you laid us down and gently smiled before you destroyed my life"
Jackass
I still hate you.
-Hermione
****************
Dear Hermione,
No one knows what it's like to be the bad man
To be the sad man behind blue eyes
No one knows what it's like to be hated
To be fated to telling only lies
But my dreams, they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free
Severus

Severus,
No one knows what it's like to feel these feelings like I do
And I blame you
No one bites back as hard on their anger
None of my pain and woe can show through
. . . And your eyes are black, dumbfuck

*********************

Hermione,
My love is all I have to give
Without you think I can live
I wish I could give the world to you
But love is all I have give
Love,
Severus

Dear Severus,
Of all the things I believed in
I just want to get it over with
Tears form behind my eyes but I do not cry
Counting the days pass me by
I've been searching deep down in my soul
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old
Hermione

**********************
And when the stars fall
I will lie awake
You're my shooting star


Everyone leaves me stranded, forgotten, abandoned, left behind

**********************
Reading Hermione's latest response, Severus' heart sank. He'd gone over all of this bloody awful Muggle music just to learn what she liked, to find ways to communicate with her, and she was just ignoring his every advance. Maybe he's been wrong. Maybe he wasn't breaking her down. Maybe she was just toying with him- maybe she just couldn't find a way that worked to tell him to get over himself and move on. After all, telling him to fuck off hadn't quite done the trick. What else was there to try.

Devastated, Severus returned to the recording, searching for any sign of a lyric, a phrase, even a single word that might reach her. He listened to everything once and then again, and just when he was about to give up hope completely, inspiration hit him- a song so perfect he could not simply pick out one or two lines. Hurriedly, excitedly, Severus jotted down the entire thing.

Hermione,
I stood on mountaintops that overlooked the world
I can't find anything except a void inside
I went to places where I could forget your name
I can't find anything except a void
I don't have anything because I don't have you
I don't have anything
What can I to mto make the sky turn blue again?
Where can I go to feel like I'm alive again?
Show me the places where I can forget your name
I can't find anything except a void inside
I don't have anything because I don't have you
I don't have anything
I've been stripped of everything
Except some flesh that bleeds
And I've been robbed of everything
Except this soul, except this soul that needs
You, sweet you
I don't have anything because I don't have you
I don't have anything

With bated breath, Severus awaited a reply, and though this one took significantly longer than the others, it's contents gave him greater hope than any of its predecessors.

No one knows how to say they're sorry


This was it! The break he'd been looking for! At long last, he fired off the last shot, the piece de resistance.

My dearest Hermione,
I wanted you to know that I love the way you laugh
I want to hold you, I am still your pain
I keep your photograph
And I know it serves me well
I want to hold you, I am still your pain
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
You've gone away
You don't feel me here anymore
Love always,
Severus

It seemed to take a lifetime for his bloody bird to return, but after what was in all actuality only an hour, the owl returned, a neat roll of parchment on its leg.

Dearest Severus,
The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I want to hold you, I am still my pain
There's so much left to learn and no one left to fight
I want to hold you, I am still your pain
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
Love,
Hermione

Smiling and shaking, Severus read and reread the note. It was what he'd been hoping for ever since he and Potter had concieved this little plan. She'd finished the song for him. It was kind of a strange duet, but one that they'd both willingly taken part in. She had forgiven him. She wanted him.

And so with a speed rarely seen in men his age, Severus headed toward Hermione's room.

******************A/N*****************
No musicians were harmed in the writing of this chapter. Songs included, in order of appearance, are: "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones, "Just Drop Dead" by Limp Bizkit, "Shape of My Heart" by the Backstreet Boys, "Drowning" by Backstreet Boys, "Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely" by Backstreet Boys, "When I Try To Talk To You" by Mandy Moore, "God Is A DJ" by Pink, "Rest In Pieces" by Saliva, "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who (I like the Limp Bizkit version, myself), "All I Have To Give" by Backstreet Boys, "Goodbye to You" by Michelle Branch, "Solitude" by Evanescence, "I Don't Have Anything" by Vast, and "Broken" by Seether and Amy Lee.

I hope that the next chapter won't take as long, but I can't make any promises. Only one more chapter and the epilogue, so I'm hoping to get them up soon! Actually, I was hoping to get them up tonight, but the opportunity for free food came up, and who am I to argue if someone wants to take me out to dinner?

Thank you to all who have reviewed the past couple chapters! You rock! I would thank each of you individually, but AFF is not being kind to me today, so I'll just say a great big, group thank you! Your kind words are appreciated more than you could ever know!

Get better, Jane!

Hugs and bunnies,
M