The Tale of the Halfblood Prince

The Tale of the Halfblood Prince
Severus Snape survived the war. Despite an extreme amount of loss pf blood, mortal punctures, and poison that debilitated his body, Severus survived. And none took this more gladly than the Order which saw Severus' successful spying through the war as an act of heroism. With Black, Lupin, Pettigrew dead, James Potter's generation had died out, with the exception of Severus. Harry took this news of Severus' survival with more gladness than he had ever felt concerning the subject of Severus. After all, they had been on the same side all along. All the bitterness melted away and to Severus' surprise and consternation, Harry swore to name one of his children after him.
The war was over, and Severus was none the happier.
Lily Evans had died a long a go in reality whether she lived on in his mind or not, and Snape was lonely, at loss of a purpose, and even more snarkier than before the war, if that was ever possible.
Resting his head on a pillow before falling into one of the many nights filled with nightmares concerning Voldemort and Dumbledore, Severus prayed to the stars above that something would happen, some change in his life that would lift him out of the abyss that was dragging him down so much, all the more lately.
Change did come, only in a way Severus never would have imagined.
Hermione Granger woke up with a start in her bedroom she shared with Ginny Weasley in the Burrow. The funerals of the honored dead had gone on for days and nights, pyres burning with magical fires lighted blue and gold. Hermione¡¯s eyes hurt, head ached, and she was thoroughly exhausted overall, both emotionally and physically. But it seemed Ron could not see her suffering amidst his own loss?the loss of his beloved brother George. Hermione grieved too, deeply, for the Weasleys were like her second family, but her mind and body were at its utter limits. She too, like many others, could not sleep for fear of nightmares from which she¡¯d wake sobbing for her beloved friends. But it was not a nightmare that woke her this night.
"What?" Hermione breathed, her eyes still sleepy. Ginny was deeply asleep, too far gone into her dreams to wake up.
Her voice got a little louder as her second "what" flew out of her mouth. A figure lay atop her legs on her bed. An elf.
The war had made her used to surprises, so it was to her past experiences and Hermione's good sense that the lack of surprise was seen. The house elf bowed deeply.
"What is it?" asked Hermione. After a stifled yawn and fast thinking, Hermione spoke again. "You can't be from the Burrow though. I remember Ron saying that there were no house elves in this place. Then?"
"Spinner's End, mistress." The elf spoke with a low croak showing its age.
"Spinner's, Spinner's, isn't that Professor Snape's house? Why are you here? What business has he with me?"
"Everything, mistress. You are his wife after all." To Hermione's great shock, the elf suddenly raised its wrinkly old hands and muttered, "Avada Bondavra."
Before Hermione could react, a silvery choker appeared on her throat and a surge of magical currents went through her body. After attempting speech for several seconds, Hermione collapsed on her bed.
A slight smile appearing on his face, the elf stared at the fainted form of Hermione for a second, and then vanished.