Why Hermoine trusts Snape

[D.G.]

No: HPFGUIDX 69425

Cindy wrote:

I really go for the whole 'tortured hero' thing...


Me:

Cindy, I fear it may still end up as more of a "tortured villain" 
thing.  Many classical villains have, themselves, tormented, even 
victimized in their own way (think Milton's Satan, for starters).

JKR has dropped some pretty broad hints that Snape is going to do 
something really nasty in the next book.  Maybe Dumbledore is fated 
to find himself apologizing again.  

(Remember:  Dumbledore's own version of his "mistake" was that he 
loved Harry TOO MUCH to be cold-blooded enough to remain true to his 
own "plan" and tell Harry what he needed to know, even if it hurt 
Harry.  Dumlbedore may have a similarly fatal love/loyalty --who 
knows why?-- for Snape.  We've begun to see that when Dumbledore lets 
his heart rule his mind, tragic accidents/mistakes can occur.)

D.G. ("JazzmanChgo")

p.s.  I just noticed another element in Dumbledore's confession.  He 
said that he knew very well that when he sent Harry to the Dursleys' 
he was "condemning [him] to ten dark and difficult years."  It would 
make sense, then, that one of the reasons he misguidedly "protected" 
Harry from the terrifying and painful information that Harry needed 
to know was that he felt guilt for what he'd already put Harry 
through -- his reluctance to inflict more inner torment on Harry 
[even though it would eventually have spared Sirius and facilitated 
Harry's own understanding of his situation] can thus be seen as a 
form of expiation gone wrong -- just like a poorly-aimed spell, 
perhaps.