The brush caught as I pulled it through my long, damp hair while getting ready to head back to St. Mungos. I debated if I should attempt to pin it in place or give in to the temptation to cut the cursed frizzy locks short.

     I was being unusually fussy about my appearance, even spending close to an hour on my choice of attire for the day. Saying to myself I was doing it because I wanted to look professional, but looking in the mirror at the questionable length of the black skirt with matching jacket and rose V-neck tank top that accentuated my chest nicely, said this was anything but respectable business attire.

     Ronald and I had finally become an official couple, and I couldn't have been more pleased about it. I wanted to look nice - nicer than usual and I'd like to think the reason I was being fussy about my looks was for the sweet but dopey red-head, but deep down I knew that wasn't the whole truth.

     Since the end of the war, I'd kept busy with running from the Ministry to St. Mungo's and unfortunately, many funerals. They'd ended up being just the distraction I'd needed to help keep me from thinking of several things that I didn't want to.

     One is how much I missed my parents, but whom I've decided not to attempt to locate until more Death Eaters that escaped imprisonment are brought to justice. The second thing was the dull ache of Fred's passing and the hole that was felt by his absence everywhere in the Burrow. And finally, I didn't want to think about the immense emotional confusion I was feeling about everything that's occurred due to saving Severus Snape's life.

     When I'd finished dressing, I slipped the prized silver Celtic band on my pinky that my parents had given me when I was little; of course, it was a thumb ring back then. Taking a slow, steadying breath, I headed to the Burrow's front door as a shot of longing ran through me.

     A whistle sounded from behind me as my foot touched the main floor landing seconds before Ronald wrapped his arms around me from out of nowhere.

     "Ronald, I need to go!" I said with a slight smile as a tinkling laugh danced behinds my words at the suddenness of his romantic gesture. "Please tell Molly I'll meet her at the cemetery in two hours."

     His shoulders sagged at my rejection, "You're such a buzz-kill sometimes Mione." He kissed me, and I couldn't resist wrapping myself around him and enjoying the strength in his well-muscled arms that were holding me to him, knowing I wouldn't be able to escape, somehow thrilled me.

     It had taken less than twenty-four hours after the war ended before Ronald and I'd made love. Of course, telling him before we did the deed that I most certainly wasn't a virgin, and I'd lost that title long ago with Viktor Krum had come as a shock to him, but he somehow seemed impressed by my news.

     At that point, he, in turn, shocked me by divulging that he and Lavender Brown had more of an intimate relationship than anyone knew. Apparently, the Parvati twins had also taken him to the Room of Requirement, seduced and bedded him, as everyone who knew about the room used it for.

     I'd been suspicious of that claim because even though the twins were known for this type of behavior, I didn't understand why they'd pick Ronald considering they usually went for females. When I voiced that point, he laughed hard before telling me how they'd always tell him he had a gorgeous mouth - he does.

     As I leaned back from the red-head, I noticed Harry sitting at the breakfast table, pushing food around on his plate.  Ronald shrugged when I cocked a questioning brow at him. 

     "Snape better not get any funny ideas looking at you. He's still a creepy bloke, so..." he nodded with a darkening hungry look in his blue eyes and smiled.

     I shoved him playfully in Harry's direction after kissing him again, "Have a good afternoon. Bye, Harry."

     "Bye," Harry mumbled.

     I stepped outside and waved goodbye to Mr. Weasley, who was off in a nearby garden half covered in mud, before apparating to St. Mungos. My mind wandered back to the Potions Master and Nagini's brutal attack on him as I made my way to Snape's private room.

     I'd instantly known the Elder Wand wasn't working correctly for the demon-eyed, nose-less, Dark Wizard and he was killing Snape to claim its loyalty. What he didn't know was that the wand was Harry's through a complicated twist of events. I could see the masterminds of Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape interweaved throughout, with the help of hindsight - of course.

     At that moment, it was also made apparent to me that Snape's dedication and loyalty stemmed from the fact that he'd cared deeply for Lily Potter even after her death. Making him an invaluable member to the Order of the Phoenix by perfectly playing the double agent he had been for years, tearing his soul apart to do it, and never getting recognition for the sacrifice.

     All these realizations came to me as I'd watched Professor Snape give Harry his memory, knowing the conclusion I had just come to was being collected in the small vial and decided I was going to save Snape if I could.

     He'd been greatly wronged by this less than respectable death and deserved the chance to have a full, happy life. I vowed to myself that I was going to do my best to see that he had the opportunity to build one - if I could save him.

     Fortunately for Snape, I had my carefully packed bag of potions, tinctures, and anything else I happen to replenish as often as it had been possible while on the run during this last year.

     I moved to Harry's side to administer the potion, "Severus?" his dark unfocused eyes snapped open in surprise. His mouth worked to say something, but he only managed to suck in several lungful's of air before violently shuddering.

     "Mione, what are you doing!?" Ronald's scrunched face told me that he'd thought I'd lost my mind.

     "Don't you see Ronald?" I looked at my new boyfriend and shook my head at his daftness. "He's been protecting Harry the whole time."

     "You're mad! He's a bloody Death Eater and wants nothing more than to see Voldemort ruling the world." I rolled my eyes and wondered how he could have been thinking so well only a short time ago when he'd brilliantly suggested using the basilisk fang to destroy Helga Hufflepuff's goblet, to this kind of stupidity.

     "Harry, help me get this in him." He propped Snape up so he wouldn't choke on the thick, shimmering liquid.

     "Drink this Severus," I whispered while slowly pouring the potion into his mouth. He swallowed all of it without a fuss as I wiped the tears that were escaping his eyes, checking their dilation.

     "Harry, we'll need to get him to a licensed healer as soon as possible."

"Do you really think you can save him?" His wild green eyes still looked a bit shocked, but he sounded hopeful.

"I think so, but the potion will only buy us a few hours, so I'll need to return to give him another dose, or better yet the war be over so I can get him some proper care."

     Snape shuddered while groaning and I ran my fingers over his damp brow, checking his temperature. I knew when I cast the animation suspension spell it would make all the pain he's in a bit more intense since the venom was being metabolized that much slower, but death was the other less desirable option.

     "I trust you, Hermione," Harry encouraged.

     There was a loud crashing sound nearby, followed by screaming that was drawing closer to us and the key to the end of the war was potentially laying in Harry's hands.

     "Mione, we need to go!" Ronald jumped as another crash resounded much closer than the last one.

     "Help me move him. I don't want someone to find him and finish what Nagini started."

     We stacked things around him, making it look like a pile of junk in a far corner, and I cast a few protective spells before we rushed off to Dumbledore's office.

     Losing Fred was a blow because the Weasley's were terrific, and the loss or injury to a single one of them was causing me to be an emotional wreck.

     I had to keep it together for a short while longer, just until I had Snape safely in the care of professionals at St. Mungos.

     I didn't really want to leave Ronald, Harry or Ginny but upon telling Mr. Weasley about the slowly dying Potions Master and what I'd done to keep him alive for the time being, he'd insisted I go quickly and even offered to come with me to help move him. I was warmed by the offer but knew I could take care of it myself and that he should stay with his grieving family.

     When I returned to the professor's side, he was breathing evenly and seemed to be having only tinges of pain here and there.

     "Severus, please answer me," I whispered close to his ear, and his eyes opened, caressing my face, and I saw him relax a little.

     "Liiii-," he struggled to speak as tears collected in the corners of his eyes. My heart ached at the obvious pain he was enduring.

   "It's all right," I cupped his cold face, and he seemed happy, or maybe relieved, to see me and was looking at me like I was the most beautiful thing in the world. "I have you." I soothed, and he continued taking in one deep breath after another.

     "Let's get you to a professional." I leaned in close, trying to get my arm behind his shoulder to help set him up when Snape's soft hands gently pulled my head to his, and he kissed me.

      I gasped as it happened, and his peppermint flavored tongue found its way inside my mouth, caressing mine pleasantly, making my vision blur.

     Pain suddenly radiated across my jaw and nose, and before I realized what was going on, I was looking over the top of a book where I watched a long black-haired teenager running from the entryway of a house. He was covering his nose, and blood was oozing between his fingers as he tripped, falling face first into a large puddle of mud.

     An angry, unwashed and disheveled man stormed to the door, "Stupid half-blood Prince, get outta here and don't bother coming back!" The drunk threw his arm out to point, losing his balance and grabbed at the doorway to steady himself as his feet danced around, trying to find solid ground.

     "You leave him be and have another ale with me you drunken fool," a loud woman's voice hollered from inside the run down house.

     He was struggling to stand, and his hate and humiliation at having such sub-human parents surged through me.

     I found myself wanting to beat the crud out of the drunken git, and as I moved to put my book down to crush him. Pansy Parkinson was suddenly there, blocking me and spitting in my face, "Watch out everyone, Granger will infect you with her UGLY! Filthy little Mudblood!"

     I was horrified, hiding behind my book to wipe at my tears and pushing away my feelings of isolation and awkwardness at being made fun of for not being pure-blood. I felt the prickling of the long-haired boy's eyes studying me, and when I looked in their depths, I didn't feel judged, in fact, he seemed to empathize with me.

     My vision shifted to the astronomy tower at Hogwarts, and I was surrounded by Death Eaters and a very shaken Draco Malfoy, who had just disarmed Dumbledore. I flinched as Bellatrix's voice wickedly commanded that Draco end the Old Wizard's life.

     When turning to flee the tower the tall dark-clad Potions Master blocked my way as he rose from the spiral staircase. I became nauseous as Severus's regret-filled emotions flooded through my system. The intense desire to end himself rather than kill Dumbledore was suffocating me, and I gasped for air as panic hit me. 

     Snape stared at his longtime friend's wise blue eyes, wanting to take comfort in knowing this was the right thing to do and that Dumbledore would be free from the slow, painful death he'd been suffering from the cursed ring - but couldn't.

     "Avada Kedavra!" He commanded, and I felt his heart shatter as he watched the light leave the sparkling blue eyes of his long-time friend and father figure.

     "NO!" Tears rolled freely down my face as I gasped for air. I'd never understood how deep-rooted their relationship had been until that moment, and I moaned in pain from this emotionally draining knowledge.

     I went to wipe the damp trails from my face, and my scar started to burn as if it was being newly created. Panic shot through me as I realized I couldn't move and stared from the cold floor that I now found myself laying on, into the crazy-eyed Bellatrix Lestrange's nightmarish façade.

     "How did you get Godric Gryffindor's sword, you filthy MUDBLOOD?" the crazed witch demanded menacingly.

     Snape was there in the shadows looking like he was going to kill something as he clutched his arm.

     I must not have answered fast enough to please the crazy Witch due to the adrenaline, fear and what felt like a million other emotions clogging my thinking; but I heard screaming, knowing it was mine as fire rushed through my veins and all my muscles were cramping uncontrollably.

     "Answer me!" Bellatrix demanded while looking like she was getting sexual gratification from my torture.

     That's when Snape blacked out, our lips parted, and the shared empathic memories ended.

     Oh...my...GOD! What just happened!?

     I knelt there with my mouth hanging open while holding his limp form, unable to ignore the taste of peppermint and some unknown but pleasant flavor that now coated my tongue. I'd already been dealing with overwhelming sadness and anger from the war's outcome, and now I was dealing with raging hormones as well - brilliant.

     I shook my head to attempt to get rid of the broad array of sensations flooding through me and within moments, I apparated us to St. Mungos. I had him placed in a private room, knowing that not everyone would be happy he was alive. I'd spent more time than I cared to admit explaining what had transpired and overlooked everything they did to the professor as he clutched tightly to my hand.

     I wondered why I wasn't in a hurry to get back to Ronald and Harry, deciding it was either because I was invested in Snape's life or because at least here I was hopeful as opposed to facing Fred's tragic death.

     I'd had ample time to study him and liked how he didn't seem so menacing when sleeping. I guessed it had something to do with it not being held in an intentional scowl.

     His long dark hair was always extra slimy looking but now that I'd really looked at it, I noticed it had a strange black with white undertone as if the light reflecting off it was playing tricks with my eyes. I couldn't help but wonder if I was wrong about my hypothesis but didn't care to look like a doting girlfriend in front of all the staff in the room. When everyone was gone, and the door closed behind them, I reached out and ran my fingers through the smooth, silky waves.

     As I gently ran my fingers through his silky locks, an intense and unexpected image of the midnight strands tickling my bare chest as he thrust deeply into me over and over again. Sucking in a shocked breath at the guilty need that had overcome me, I jerked my hand away. I tried to convince myself I was just thinking stupidly because of what I'd survived, but my body was betraying me once again, and the taste of his mouth flooded mine.

     Shaking my head while laughing a little at my exhausted body and therefore, dumb thinking, I noticed he was looking at me and froze.

     Is he lucid? How long has he been staring at me? Merlin, please tell me that he didn't notice me playing with his hair!

     "Professor Snape?" I'd never been this close to his face before and was amazed to learn he didn't have brown eyes. Instead, they were the strangest marbled grey-black ones I'd ever seen and were quite hypnotizing.

     A few minutes later his eyelids fluttered closed and his death grip slowly relaxed before finally letting go as he drifted off to sleep.

     As soon as I'd reached the front desk at St. Mungos, I owled Narcissa Malfoy to let her know of Severus's condition knowing that they were longtime friends. I felt compelled to periodically check on him over the weeks since I'd saved his life. Then three days ago, he woke up, and I managed to be sucked back into his life again.

     After applying my favored strawberry lip balm, I placed my hand on the door handle of Severus's room, and shook off all my lingering thoughts, trying to refocus on the task at hand.

     How was I going to convince Snape to have a public hearing, as well as a viewing of the memory he'd shared with Harry. I knew this would make it possible to get all his charges dropped, but it was very personal, and his dirty laundry would be out for public consumption.

     With a last deep breath to clear my mind, I pushed open the now familiar wooden door to the sterile private room.

     He was sitting up in bed, with a teacup to his lips, and I felt a smile pull at my mouth due to the long-awaited relief at seeing him looking alive and not on deaths doorstep. It soothed me for a few moments before I noticed his salacious gaze. 

     Heat flooded through me, and a dull primal ache was induced as the dark marbled-eyes slowly ghosted over my body, leaving a tingling sensation where he'd just studied. I tried to look relaxed in my well-chosen attire, loving the way I was feeling even though blood was pounding through my body so hard that I thought I might black out before his eyes made it to mine.

     The dark, hungry look in Severus's eyes had somehow reached the corner of his mouth in a confusingly sexy smile, and I swallowed as the peppermint and mystery flavor filled my mouth.

     I'd spent countless hours convincing myself that the incredibly amazing kiss that he'd planted on me a few months back was just a meaningless delusional mistake by a very confused, dying man and it meant nothing. But looking at him right now, my body shook with the desire for him to want me like I keep finding myself needing him.

     "Miss. Granger." He seemed to purr as if knowing what I'd just been thinking, "It's good to see you." His eyes ran over my body some more, and I realized that if I thought I was confused about him before - it was nothing compared to how I was feeling currently.