Down the stairs, he was there
The summer before her sixth year was heavy with the anticipation of war. after a few days with her parents, trying to explain to them all that was happening in the world and why without scaring them too much she left for the headquarters. Hermione had taken refuge in the dusty confines of the Black Library at 12 Grimmauld Place, seeking solace in the musty pages of ancient tomes. The library, with its towering shelves and flickering candlelight, was a haven where she could escape the looming darkness of the ancient house and the world outside.
Hermione’s studies had become more intense as she sought every scrap of knowledge that might aid their fight against Voldemort, she didn't know yet what they would do or where they would be but she was certain that someday soon life as she knew them would change and she had to be prepared. passing shelves upon shelves she took books out: "The arithmancy of wards" She took it, "amour contraignant" Her French was a bit rusty but this book was a definite no. This went on for a while until she got to work and had succeeded in perfecting the Undetectable Extension Charm—a feat that exhilarated her beyond words. It was a forbidden charm, and though everyone thought Harry and Ron dragged her to illicit activities she always felt a thrill doing something forbidden.
One evening, as she went down the stairs, she was met with an unexpected sight. Severus Snape had entered the house. Their eyes locked, and in that moment, a flood of visions overtook her, each one more vivid and startling than the last.
She saw him caressing her cheek at the Hogwarts library, his touch tender and affectionate. She saw herself pulling him down for a kiss, his eyes reflecting surprise and passion. In another vision, he smiled at her, his face softened by genuine warmth. She's sitting by the Black Lake, a small child with straight black close to her side.
The visions were a whirlwind of emotions and images, both beautiful and unsettling. As they culminated, Hermione found herself collapsing. Severus was there, catching her before she hit the floor. Where he touched her she felt a warm spread.
“Severus,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, since when do I call him Severus? she thought. The pain in his eyes was unmistakable, a fleeting glimpse into a world of hidden emotions. Without a word, he turned and left, his departure a swift, unresolved end to an encounter that had stirred something deep within her.
***
Severus Snape could not shake the image of Hermione Granger from his mind. His earlier encounter with her at Grimmauld Place had left him unsettled. He had been preoccupied with the Order’s affairs when he saw her descending the stairs. Their eyes had met, and in that instant, he was struck by a series of visions that were as haunting as they were revealing.
In his mind’s eye, he saw himself lying on the floor of his office, hurt and screaming, while Hermione hovered above him, tears streaming down her face as she tried to help. He saw her being tortured by an unknown figure, her screams pierced his soul. The final vision was of her lying over his still body, grief etched into every line of her face.
The depth of these visions was a brutal reminder of the consequences his involvement with her could bring. He knew he was a danger to her—his association with Voldemort, his stance within the death eaters. To protect her, he had to maintain a distance, despite the deep-rooted affection he felt.
After catching her when she fell, he knew he could no longer be a part of her world. He left, the pain in his heart mirrored by the urgency of his departure. Hermione Granger was a beacon of light in a world overcast with darkness, and he was not worthy of her. The war had taken so much from them already, and he was certain that any attachment to him would only bring her more suffering.