The wind blew through her loosely coiled tresses gently, the sun shone but the wind was cool. Hermione stared out into the black lake, her mind was dragged down into its harsh depths, her memories haunted her..... the thoughts that she struggled to endure consumed her.

It was just another day, since the war ended she always hoped it would get easier with each day that passes, it never did. She only became more intwined with the darkness that held her in its grasp.

She picked up a stone and threw it into water, watching as it fell below the waters surface leaving ripples in its wake. Creating an impact and then falling into insignificance. Like Professor Snape, he showed such heroism during the war... Only to be left with a slight pat on the back of gratitude before being hurled forth into being ridiculed as a greasy git once again.

She remembered how happy she was with Ronald, how she felt like she gained a brother in Harry... She didn't recognise them anymore, Ron because his personality had changed into something unsightly, and Harry because she couldn't see past... She didn't want to admit the reason even to herself.

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Snape watched her from afar, to him she was a wreckage on the bank of a lake. Just a mangled shell of a vehicle who's owners abandoned it after a crash. He swallows hard, it was a familiar sight.

He followed her and sat down beside her. The young witch looked at him, scanning his face with intrigue. Then slowly returning her gaze to the water ahead.
They say silently, he knew she wasn't going to speak and that was ok with him.
At least she could listen...

"I used to come here when I was your age." He spoke simply, picking up a stone and throwing it into the water as she did not long before. Hermione looked at him and opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it.

"When I felt like I had no place anymore, when I felt guilt for being different, for making choices I threw away important things just to hold on to a minuscule amount of pride, when the darkness stole me from myself." He told the witch slowly, knowingly.

Hermione could feel her emotions start to overpower her weakened soul, a single tear streamed the curves of her soft pale cheek, "I guess this is just the perfect place for people like us, people who wish to escape everything." She sighed, her gaze locking onto his cold, aged eyes.

She rose to her feet and broke the eye contact to walk away, his eyes followed her until she stopped dead in her tracks at the sound of his deep silky voice....

"I will not let you end up a bitter, lonely person like me, Granger." He insisted, "I will fix you....."

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