Motto:

"I have spied for you, and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter's son safe."

(Severus Snape to Albus Dumbledore, spring 1997, Hogwarts)

J. K. Rowling: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," GB adult version (2007) – p. 551

ooooo

Harry Potter's and Hermione Granger's hiding place

Early Christmas Day 1997

The Potion tasted dreadfully but it really didn't harm her. Hermione suppressed a relieved sigh and shot a side-glance at her former teacher. Snape once again loomed over Harry, the man now intently studying Harry's inflamed scar.

"Has Potter been having visions of the Dark Lord of lately, Miss Granger?" Snape asked quietly, unexpectedly, the wizard indifferent only on the surface.

Hermione didn't reply, not really sure if she knew the answer herself. Harry undoubtedly hadn't been blocking the connection that he had to Voldemort and she thought that Snape may feel similar concern as she had been experiencing – assumed the man indeed was on their side. But what would he be doing here otherwise?

Snape apparently understood her silence as he didn't repeat the question and sighed. Resigned, he straightened himself and as if for the first time noticing how cold it was in the tent, he ordered: "You don't want Potter to catch a cold, Miss Granger. Extra quilts?" She pointed with her freed hand at a chest in the back of the tent and Snape walked over there and heaped the retrieved three blankets over Harry's shivering form. Once the quilts were in place, Snape aimed his wand at them and cast a warming charm on both them and the air around him.

"That will go for now," he murmured when the temperature had risen. A moment later, his eyes were sharply meeting Hermione's. "I find myself unable to determinate what of your today's ineptitude was caused by Potter's injury and what is your usual Gryffindor stupidity," he sneered and Hermione couldn't help it but smile at the familiarity of his insult.

Snape frowned in reply and continued with a firm order: "Therefore, Miss Granger, if you weren't private with the heating charm before, you will cast the charm you enjoyed applying so much in your first year – on my robes, I may add – when I leave. I will not have Potter exposing me to the Dark Lord." And neither you in that matter, he added in his mind.

Granger didn't know any Legilimency, he was sure. Still, she nodded at this and quietly asked, her eyes cast down: "If you can, please, do not Obliviate me."

He acknowledged the plea with a non-saying nod. "Potter will need to drink the Potion contracting the overdose on Boomslag skin as soon as the antidote to Nagini's venom wears off," he said indifferently. "I suggest you mix it with his tea – it won't leave an aftertaste if you would."

The girl didn't appear delighted with the order but still she nodded in affirmation.

"Good," Snape said, apparently satisfied for the time-being and took a chair to the other side of Harry's bed. The tent became silent. When nothing happened for the next hour or so, except for Harry moaning in fever and him violently vomiting once – the mess immediately vanished by Snape – Hermione quietly asked: "Why have you done it?"

"Why have I done what, Miss Granger?" Snape looked at her sharply. "Saving Potter's life for an umpteenth time?"

"That," she nodded and in a whisper added: "And Professor Dumbledore's death."

Knowing that he would Obliviate the girl despite the promise he had given her earlier, Snape answered, tiredly rubbing the bridge of his nose: "That, Miss Granger, believe it or not, was as much a wish of the Dark Lord as Professor Dumbledore himself. I merely held the wand."

Snape said this indifferently, as if he had never stood on the top of the Astronomy Tower that night. Hermione stared at him silently for a while and then burst up, for a while not quite controlling herself: "How can you behave as if nothing has happened? Do you feel nothing? He always stood for you, always defended you…" her voice died out.

"Did he really?" Snape quirked up a curious eyebrow. "Interesting that I had never noticed… I am, nonetheless, certain that he was well aware he wouldn't be the first friend I had killed." He smirked at her open shock, his bad mood dissolving somewhat. "Are you alright, Miss Granger?" he asked slyly.

She stared at him, her eyes disbelieving. "Who else?" she whispered.

"You are bright enough," he shot at her, deeply scowling. "If you really want to know, why don't you figure it out yourself?" Their eyes met above Harry's body. She dropped her gaze first and saw that the boy was now drenched in sweat. "Is it normal?" she asked worriedly, for a moment forgetting about their conversation.

Snape too looked at the boy and evaluated his state. "It is," he nodded and gazed back at her, his dislike of Harry momentarily plain in his eyes. "The Boy-Who-Lived will live once again." Snape's voice was so bitter and miserable that Hermione gasped. Why was Snape there really? And why did he save Harry's life if he hated him like this? … Why had he kept saving his life?

Harry coughed again in that very moment, his body jerking up and he retching all over himself. To Hermione's utter astonishment, the Professor who so obviously hated Harry, was immediately on his side and not caring about the mess, took hold on Harry's body, holding his head up, so that the boy wouldn't suffocate. When the attack was over, Harry briefly opened his eyes and looked up, the green orbs joining the black gaze of his former Professor. Hermione caught the brief tender expression that run over Snape's face and almost shook her head in disbelief. Snape despised Harry as he had hated his father – but… Harry's eyes weren't James's; they were Lily's.

"You knew Harry's mother, you knew Lily," the girl said, not asking.

"Outstanding, Miss Granger. I was sure that you would be able to put it together," Snape nodded and aimed his wand at her.

Obliviate, she saw forming on his lips and despairing, cried: "No! Please! I won't tell Harry!"