The Power of Touch

Thanks,

pandorabox82 AKA Steph

It had finally come, the day I had been dreading, and yet had wanted so desperately. The Wondrous Trio was graduating Hogwarts, and would be heading out into the world. And with one of them would go my heart. A heart that I had thought was frozen forever, that would never be soft again. How wrong I was, to think iron could never be melted again.

Two years ago, I realised that my heart was going to soft sentimentality. Potions that year had started off horribly, and that blundering fool Longbottom had somehow managed (in five minutes time) to turn his potion into a smoking bit of nothing, ready to explode at any moment. Miss Granger, having created her potion and was letting it simmer for the correct amount of time, noticed the trouble Longbottom was having. Quickly, she added the right ingredient to his cauldron, and turned it back to what is was supposed to be. I was amazed that her Potions knowledge was so great, especially for a sixth year.

"Miss Granger, please see me after class," I announced to the students. Potter and Weasley both got angered looks on their faces, while Malfoy wore a look of sheer glee. Miss Granger blushed as deep a red as I had ever seen.

"Yes, Professor Snape," she meekly replied, though the fire in her eyes betrayed the sound of her voice.

After class, she waited until all students had left the room to approach my desk. She looked angry, and slightly nervous. I tried to ignore her for as long as possible, finishing a student’s paper while she waited.

"Professor, I believed you wanted to see me?" Her voice broke into my thoughts.

"Yes, Miss Granger. I wanted to commend you on your quick thinking today. 10 points to Gryffindor, for that cool-headed saving of Longbottom’s potion. Also, I want, no I would like for you to assist me for your remaining time here at Hogwarts. I will speak to Professor Dumbledore about having you take Advanced Potions. I’ll send you the book by owl tomorrow."

Her eyes gleamed with anticipation, pride, and gratitude. "Thank you, Professor Snape," she softly said.

"No need to thank me, Miss Granger. Your intellect is what has brought you to this point." I smoothly replied. "Now, I think you should go, or else you’ll be late for your next class." I returned to grading essays, listening to her footfalls as she walked to the door.

"Professor Snape?" I looked up to see what she wanted. "I really should thank you. You’ve been most kind." She smiled a shy smile at me, then turned and walked out of the room. Looking down at my desk, I allowed myself a small smile, unaware that she was watching me, happily smiling to herself.

 

The time passed quickly that year, and she proved to be a cool and efficient assistant. She, Potter, and Weasley managed to defeat Voldemort the summer between their sixth and seventh year, and when they returned last fall, they were lauded as heroes. This just seemed to push Hermione, as I’d now started to call her by her given name, harder; made her withdraw from those around her. The only time she relaxed was when she was in Potions, or helping me. Fame was never anything she wanted, and being thrust into the limelight was shocking to her system.

It came as no surprise that when she took her N.E.W.T.s she surpassed Percy Weasley in marks. I was very proud of the marks she received in Potions – the best since I had taken the N.E.W.T.s.

And now, we’re back to today. It should have been raining, grey, overcast to match my mood. But no, the day was perfect. Fat, fluffy clouds floated lazily in a clear blue sky. As Dumbledore spoke to all assembled, my thoughts flew over the time she had spent here, and how much I would miss her. I felt the iron bands around my heart snap at that moment, and realised that I loved her. Even though I was twenty years her senior, even though she was one of my former students, even with my tainted past, I knew I loved her. For the first time in years, I felt free, truly free.

The ceremony was over before it had even begun, or so it seemed. All the students were milling around, the seventh years unsure of where to go from here. They were free now, she was free now – free to fly and leave me forever. I could feel the stinging of tears at the corners of my eyes, and realised I hadn’t cried since my own time at Hogwarts. ‘She’s what I could have become – if I hadn’t been so blinded by anger towards those foolish boys,’ I thought, quite amazed that I recognised the potential held in this girl-turned-woman.

I watched as she approached Dumbledore, and shook his hand. He pulled her into a fatherly embrace, and whispered something in her ear. She nodded her assent to whatever he had said, and walked over to Minerva, who was visibly crying at the thought of losing Hermione. Hermione told some pithy joke and Minerva gave her a watery smile before pulling the younger girl into a heartfelt embrace. I watched as once more, Hermione nodded her assent to something that Minerva had asked her, but turned my head quickly when I saw that both were looking at me.

Suddenly, she was standing next to me, her hand on my arm. I looked at her, not saying a word, afraid that I’d betray my emotions if I spoke. But my body managed to play the traitor as a single tear rolled down my cheek. Her hand was there instantly to wipe it away.

"Severus, don’t be sad anymore. Now that Voldemort is gone, we can all be happy," she said to me. Before I knew what was happening, she was in my arms. She wrapped her arms around my body, and the sudden invasion of her warmth filled me with peace and joy. Finally, we broke the embrace, and it was her turn to cry. Repeating her earlier actions, I wiped a single tear off her soft cheek, kissed my finger, and blew it away to the wind.

"Before I go, Severus, I want to give you something." Reaching into her robes, she pulled out a slim package wrapped in green, with a silver bow. "This is to remind you of me while I’m gone," she told me as she pressed the package into my hands. Rising on tiptoes, she kissed me on the cheek, and then she was gone – out of my life – forever.

‘Remind me of her, how could I forget her?’ I mused as I untied the ribbon on the package. Opening the paper, I saw revealed to me a volume of Muggle poetry by Emily Dickinson. On the inside cover I found a letter and a locket. Opening the locket revealed her smiling countenance to my eyes. Greedily I drank in this vision of her, never wishing to forget her face. After a fashion, I closed the locket and placed it round my neck. I turned my attentions next to the letter. Opening it, I found her neat, precise writing filling a page of creamy stationary.

‘My dear Severus,’ it began, ‘If you are reading this, then you must have opened my package to you. This book of poetry I give to you is by one of my favourite poets – Emily Dickinson. Her poetry reminds me of you – in some strange way. I expect that when I return to Hogwarts in the fall that you will have the other half of the locket filled – with your picture. Yes, that’s right, Severus. I am returning to be a student teacher and will eventually replace Minerva as the Transfiguration Professor. Now, turn to the first page of the book, and read the poem there. That is my longing for you Severus – that you realise the meaning of those words before I return to you. I think I love you, Severus, and I hope you love me too. Until I look upon your face again, I remain your faithful Hermione.’

I re-read the letter, the words filling my soul with joy. Then, I did as she bade and turned to the first page. There, my eyes looked upon these lines of poetry highlighted by my love:

"Hope" is the thing with feathers-

That perches in the soul-

And sings the tune without words-

And never stops at all…