Severus looked up from the potion he was bottling up for Huginn to take to his customer when Hermione entered the lab. It was the last potion of a rather large order destined for Hogwarts. Poppy was aware, of course, he was the potion master supplying Hogwarts. He wasn't so sure about anyone else, not even St. Mungo's. He imagined they had to, though, as boastful sounding as it was. His quality was second to none. They would have to recognize that. Unless they were staffed with nothing but dunderheads, of course. He had no idea who was in charge these days.

His potions side business was quickly becoming profitable to the point that if he hadn't hired Hermione to work for him he would have been hard-pressed to keep up. Yes, he had to work weekdays due to her being in class, but he kept to a pretty strict schedule that worked for them. Her being a studious type who enjoyed spending her time at the university's library played in his favour. He could brew before and after the store's hours of operation and didn't feel as if he was being neglectful or ignoring his young bride. On weekends she actually enjoyed helping him so while he was technically working he was still spending time with her and she liked the brewing work as much as he did.

"You look nervous," he said.

"I am," she admitted, buttoning her coat. Her missing a button on a coat he'd seen her button probably a hundred times already clued him into her nervousness. That and the nibble at her lower lip.

"You don't have to go."

They'd discussed and agreed after their run-in and impromptu double date with Justin and Susan that it was time that she physically assure Harry Potter that she was truly all right. Today she was going to see him. Thus the nervousness.

"I do, though! It's time," she said. "He deserves more than just notes."

"No one else does?"

"No," she said simply.

She knew full-well what he was asking her and she gave the appropriate wifely answer. She also knew full-well that he was aware that she knew. Her former paramour did not even deserve notes. As far as Severus knew she had not corresponded with anyone but Potter. He wasn't jealous. He certainly couldn't rail at her for being in contact with Ronald Weasley considering the rumours abounding about him with regard to Lily.

There was one difference, though.

Lily Evans was dead. Ronald Weasley was not dead.

Okay, possibly two differences.

Severus never spent months alone with Lily. She didn't talk about their time on the run much and he knew nothing physically happened between his wife and Weasley. That didn't mean that … interest wasn't there. He'd had years to figure out Lily really wasn't ever interested in him. He knew they'd kissed after the final battle. He also knew that Weasley's unsupportiveness with regard to Hermione's goals was what led to her leaving.

If he changed his mind, his opinion, would she change hers? If he saw her succeeding would he try groveling? Severus certainly would for someone like this witch. Weasley wasn't a complete imbecile.

He liked to think that she would not do that especially now that their relationship had moved from being platonic toward being a real marriage.

He eyed her over the cauldron. She looked nice but not as if she'd gone to any huge effort to look that way trying to impress her friend. She was fiddling with the cuff of her coat and he sighed softly.

More evidence of nerves.

Man up, Severus. Act like a husband should. Help your witch.

"Would you like me to accompany you?"

He saw relief in her eyes. Fleeting. He'd seen it there. He sighed, realizing he'd asked the right question. He was not good at this, didn't pretend to think he was even to himself.

"I'd love for you to come with me, but it's not necessary. Thank you for offering."

She was understandably nervous about seeing her best friend for the first time in a year and a half. He was pleased that she would want him to accompany her in this errand, but equally so that she did not find it necessary. He was in no hurry to see Harry Potter again any time soon.

"If you are sure, Hermione. You know that I will."

"I think I'm uncomfortable enough telling him I'm married."

A few weeks ago he would have taken that statement personally, as a slight aimed at and meant to be about him. Being married to him. He knew now, though, after weeks of getting to know her in ways no other wizard would if he had anything to say about it that she wasn't ashamed. If she had been, she wouldn't have agreed to dinner and a movie with her former classmates last month. He knew it was fear that Harry Potter would overreact. That others would cut her off. That bad things would be said about her because of her aligning herself with him. She obviously wasn't going to tell anyone that they'd married because he made the offer he had.

"You don't have to tell him."

"You want me to take my ring off?" she asked, gesturing to her wedding ring.

"No," he said quickly and she gave a soft laugh.

It bothered him a little that she knew that he liked that token of their relationship being visible to all. He could admit to being a possessive person when it came to others knowing about her. He wasn't sure exactly what that said about him, but it was what it was. The idea of a wife had never occurred to him as the remotest of possibilities prior to eighteen months ago. So these feelings, attitudes, were very foreign to him.

Even post-war if this witch had not come into his bookstore he likely still wouldn't consider it a possibility to this day. So, yes, he could admit that he liked that she wore that symbol.

His symbol.

She was his witch.

He had a witch.

He was still wrapping his mind around that fact.

Maybe that made him a possessive arse, he didn't know nor did he care. He truly loathed the idea of her meeting Potter, but at least it was just Potter and not Potter and Weasley. Weasley in the mix would have made him nervous.

A part of him, a part he hadn't realized he'd had until now. A part that he realized made him just like every male in the world who had an attractive, intelligent wife. He wished they had actually consummated their marriage and that that fact would be obvious. He suspected the former would come quite soon judging by their current nocturnal activities the past couple of nights stopping just short. The latter obviously was just wishful, prideful desires on his part. A part of him he never knew existed until now. He could admit that yes he, Severus Snape, wanted others to know he could bed and please a witch.

And she'd certainly seemed quite pleased with their activities, both his and hers, to this point.

"I'd like him to be godfather when we get to that point," she said. "I'm not just going to throw it at him that we have a baby. So, he needs to know that we're married and get used to that first."

"I suspected as much. Obviously we have time. Unless you have immediate plans of conceiving that I am unaware of, but I have no argument against that choice."

"Really?"

"Really," he drawled. He admittedly was pleased to surprise her. He liked surprising this witch. "He's not his father anymore than I am mine," he said.

It had taken him a while to draw the parallels. He'd presented Hermione with his idea to marry as a way to help her. He didn't want to be a cuckold or made a fool of in any other way so he'd thrown in the promise of him begetting an heir with her as part of the deal.

He truly had not believed she'd agree. The longer she took to decide the more certain he was that she would tell him to take his offer and shove it up his arse. How anyone knowing of his childhood would want him potentially raising a child was beyond him. If she could accept that he was not Tobias Snape why did he have such a hard time accepting Harry Potter was not James? Why did he assume that James' bad traits would override Lily's good ones? (Not that she was perfect either he'd come to realize over the years.)

"And Ginny?"

"Ginevra is an acceptable choice as well," he said. "I assume they're marrying eventually so it makes sense. Again, we have time. You don't need to rush out to see him for something that's years from happening, Hermione."

"I would assume so, but I guess I don't know anymore. Their marrying I mean."

"That is the trouble with one-way correspondence. You may give him our address here if you'd like."

She brightened at that, and he wondered if she'd thought until now that she needed his … permission to tell her friend how to reach her. She hadn't mentioned wanting him to correspond back so he'd never brought it up. She knew Ronald Weasley's reaction to her life goals had left her hurt.

That was very understated.

"Thank you," she said.

"You don't have to thank me, Hermione. If I have given you the impression that you need to ask permission or that you are akin to a prisoner here."

"You haven't. I just know that you value your privacy so I'm not going to give out our address."

"If you were handing it out to everyone I'd probably wager a complaint or request you to cease such activity. I trust you."

"That is good to know. As far as the years from happening. There is always a chance and while I realize we have not done anything yet to create that chance I presume we will."

He nodded then, realizing those simple words rather … excited him. That meant she was truly thinking about it.

Consummating their marriage.

Becoming his wife in every way.

Making love with him.

She walked to him and hugged him, drawing away enough to kiss him. It was short, not dismissive but there was definitely no attempt at prolonging it. While they were both rather amorous during their nightly activities neither seemed particularly comfortable displaying much affection during the day. He hoped one day that would change, too. He truly did want to be affectionate with her regardless of where and when they were. It was new and slightly uncomfortable to this point.

"You have money and the gifts that you have purchased for him?" he asked.

"Yes. You think I look okay seeing him for the first time in a while?" she asked.

She meant more than the gifts. She'd obviously gone through some effort to dress for the outing. Not to the extent she had for their night out with Susan and Justin, but an effort nonetheless. He'd made an effort to take her to dinner, or even just on a walk on evenings she was tired or had a heavy schoolwork load, since that first date they'd had. Once or twice a week. It was good for both of them to do something not work or school related.

It let her know, he hoped at any rate, that he did want a wife in every sense of the word. Not just in bed.

"For meeting your best friend? Yes. For meeting the queen? Probably not."

"Well, it's a good thing I was already booked when the queen asked then."

"Indeed," he said. "Run along now, Wife. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back and I'll no longer have to man the store."

"Hmm, that almost sounds like you'll miss me."

"I'll miss your customer service skills for certain."

"Bastard," she said, smiling though so he knew she was being as cheeky as he was being sarcastic. "Glamour?" she asked.

He cast the glamour that would disguise her in the event Harry did not show up alone as she asked him to. Subtle differences that he'd see through once she approached him or she removed it. Until she did either of those things she would blend in and look like anyone else around her. More subtle than Notice-Me-Not, it was a spell that just made one blend in and seem average.

It was clever and he was aware that Hermione could not wait to cast it herself, but today she wanted the strength of Severus' magic (and his confidence in casting it) behind it. She did not want to see Ronald or Ginny yet. Petty perhaps but he took a bit of pleasure in that fact. He knew that she trusted Harry, but wasn't entirely sure that she believed he'd keep their meeting secret from Ginny who would of course tell her mother who would tell Ronald.

In all honesty, Severus believed it was a legitimate fear. Harry Potter didn't always think before acting.

Severus finished portioning out the potion into the vials, leaving the rest for after Hermione returned. He had a store to man after all.

Hermione apparated from the section in the storeroom upstairs from the lab that allowed it after checking to be sure she did indeed have the gifts for Harry and Ginny. She'd sent him a note ten days ago, asking Huginn to wait for a response this time. If Harry had recognized the raven he hadn't said so in his reply agreeing to meet her.

She arrived in the alleyway near the muggle mall where they were meeting. She took a couple of reassuring breaths and then walked in the direction that she hoped would lead to a good meeting with her best friend.

She missed him.

She hadn't realized how much until Susan and Justin had walked into the store. She did not miss the wizarding world to the point of wanting to return yet, but she missed her friend. Her brother.

It probably would sound terrible to an outsider, someone who didn't understand her, that it took her this long to realize it. She wasn't a social person by nature and she had truly been focused on school and trying to get everything with her parents sorted out. So she just hadn't taken the time to miss him. She was glad Severus understood that because many wouldn't.

He was hard to miss with his unkempt, unruly hair. He hadn't changed his glasses either. She smiled, a skip in her heartbeat at the sight of him. She felt tears in her eyes as she took him in. He was really all right. He was alive. He was here. He looked a little nervous, but he looked fine. Healthy. Whole.

She took a moment to take that in.

She was so relieved. A part of her was sure he wasn't. She waited for a few minutes, observing to be sure he was alone. She gave a slight push to detect other magic in the vicinity and only found Harry's familiar signature. Eighteen months apart or not she'd recognize it anywhere. It was that familiar to her. Severus' was getting to be that, too.

Wandlessly, she removed Severus' glamour and walked toward Harry.

"Hermione!" He stood from the bench he'd been sitting on when he saw her.

"Hello, Harry," she said, walking straight into his offered hug without hesitation.

"I've missed you! I know you've sent letters, but I'm glad to see you're really all right."

"Same. I'm sorry for what probably seems like a secretive meeting, but I'm just not ready yet for everyone else."

"It's okay. You are missed by everyone else. I understand, I do and I'm not mad. Hurt maybe, but the letters you've sent helped me know at least you were all right. I'd get yelled at by Ginny if I didn't tell you that part. Well, about being missed."

"We ran into Susan Bones and Justin Finch-Fletchley a few weeks ago. It made me realize I was overdue."

"Susan and Justin? Really? Together? Where did you see them?"

"Liverpool," she said. "That's where I'm living currently."

"They were together?"

"Yes! Engaged. They evidently connected at one of the memorials or something."

"There've been tons of those," he said sourly. The roll of his eyes told her that he wasn't exaggerating either. No doubt he'd be expected to at least make an appearance at all of them, too. That was one of the reasons she and Severus had no desire to go back. They really didn't want to be a part of the Ministry's efforts to improve their image at their expense. "Well, I'm glad to see something good came out of the war."

"Yes, they seem very happy."

"Well, good. It's good to know something good came out of all of that. And who's this we?"

"What?"

"You said we, Hermione." He took her hand, raising it. "I know I'm a little thick at times and you had to force me to study, but I noticed your ring as soon as you approached."

"Oh, yes," she said with a sigh. "Well," she said, lowering their joined hands and gestured for him to start walking. He fell into place beside her without her having to say anything. She just didn't want to sit still yet. He seemed legitimately fine, happy to see her as she was him so it wasn't real awkward or anything. A little, but not what she feared when sending the letter to suggest this meeting. She wasn't ready for the contact to end yet.

"I've been married for three months."

"Married? Hermione! How did you have time to meet anyone to get to know them well enough to marry them?"

"Mm, yeah, that. That wasn't really a problem. It's someone I already knew. We already knew actually," she said, nibbling on her lower lip. This was the sticky part. She really wasn't certain how he would react.

Was Severus still the git potions instructor? Or had he had time to realize the man had done what he'd had to do as a spy? Had he gone overboard a time or two? Probably so. It was one of the things she'd thought pretty hard about when deciding on whether to marry him. He could be very cruel. She knew most of it was an act, but probably some of it wasn't. If any of it had been true, no matter how much, that could make for a very miserable life with him.

It boiled down, for her, to the fact that by the time Tom Riddle came back he was probably incredibly stressed. (Understatement of the decade, for certain.) It probably got to a point, too, where he was just constantly in that role of evil git.

Her teeth? Yeah, it had hurt, but the incident had allowed her to get her teeth fixed without the lengthy orthodontic treatment process her parents wanted her to go through. And it wasn't as if Neville's bogart incident wasn't cruel toward him.

"Okay," he said, clearly trying to figure out who they'd both know that she'd be able to live with in the muggle world. She'd say hide, but they weren't really hiding. They were using their names and weren't going out of their way to avoid anyone. Severus was supplying potions to the wizarding world and he mentioned Madam Pomfrey was aware he was Hogwarts' supplier.

She took a deep breath. "I'm Hermione Snape now, Harry," she said.

He stopped walking and dropped her hand. He turned then, staring at her. He looked as if he was sussing it out, deciding if she was pulling his leg.

"You're married to Severus Snape?"

"Yes," she said.

"How?"

"Quite the usual way, Harry." She knew it wasn't the answer he was looking for. Truthfully, she was still wondering how herself some days. There had to be something more to it than him just wanting an heir.

"That's not what I meant. How did you two even get close enough to get married?"

"It just happened," she shrugged. "I stumbled across him actually and helped him heal. The rest is history, I guess."

"You're married to Snape?"

"Professor or Master Snape. Or Mister Snape, I suppose if you want, but yes."

"Are you even happy?"

"What kind of question is that? Of course, I am! Do you think I'd marry someone I wouldn't be happy with?"

"What about Ron?"

"What about him? Harry, you know we would never have been happy. Not truly. I'm not sure I was ever going to completely get over him leaving us as he did. And well, there's more, Harry," she said. And here she got excited and knew he could tell.

"More than you being married to Snape?"

"I'm going to school. I'm really doing it," she said. "It wasn't easy with Mum and Dad and everything, but I'm making it work."

His eyes widened. He'd been the one to totally be in her corner when she'd talked about wanting to go into psychology and bring that branch of medicine to the wizarding world. He had totally understood. Hermione realized he'd understand because after his childhood and then going to Hogwarts and everything that happened, he likely could use the services himself. He'd be familiar with the idea being raised muggle

"Is that why you got married?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Harry, do you really think Severus Snape was going to ride to my rescue like a knight in shining armour?"

Of course he had, but she'd never tell anyone that. She doubted Severus would either. She knew he'd been surprised she agreed. If it had just been marriage he probably wouldn't have been as surprised. He'd thrown the heir into the offer as an expectation. She still thought he had done it to frighten her off. In truth, she was curious enough about the man once she got over the fact that he had been cruel at times at Hogwarts but he had not been in Liverpool to say yes. He'd listened to her babble about her school and parent problems for well over an hour. She knew he'd been hoping for someone else to come through his doors, but he'd stayed and listened. And hadn't said one negative thing.

"Well, no, I suppose." He took her hand and squeezed. "I'm happy for you. I mean, if anyone can do what you talked about doing, it's you. I know Ron and I had our doubts. My doubts weren't about you or your abilities, but about the wizarding world's chance of accepting what you want to do. They are not prone to accepting or enacting change very fast. I'm still not sure I see it happening, but if anyone can convince them it is something beneficial. Well, that's you, Hermione. I'd never doubt you. Well, not anymore. I know I did a time or two, but I more than learned my lesson."

He nodded then, taking his hand away. She missed the contact but he more than made up for it by hugging her again.

"I'm so proud of you, though, for continuing your dream. Really, I am. If I did anything to make you think I didn't think you could do it. Well, I'm sorry."

"I know. You didn't. Not really. We were all in shock I think. I have time yet, as far as getting them interested in even accepting the concept. I'm sure he'll help me ensure any presentations I do come up with are flawless."

"And I can't tell anyone?"

She sighed. "I'd rather you not yet, Harry. About being married. I'm not ashamed, but he really wants his privacy right now. He doesn't want people showing up. I realized running into Susan and Justin I missed you. I don't miss the wizarding world enough to jump back in today. I want to get my schooling done without distractions. You know as well as I do that Rita Skeeter would have a field day, and I don't want her showing up on campus or something crazy. I don't want that for Severus either. He's happy. Content even. Really, if you could see him you'd know what I mean."

"What's he doing?"

"He owns a bookstore and brews potions out of a lab in the basement. I work there on weekends and some evenings as studying allows. I help him brew sometimes, too. He provides potions to Hogwarts and to St. Mungo's I know. It seems like his business has been picking up the past couple of months. I don't know if he's taking on more because I'm there full-time now that we're married. So he knows I can man the store more."

"Sounds like something Snape would do," he said with a shake of his head. "What about my mother?"

She shrugged. "What about her, Harry? It was a long time ago. He's almost forty years old, I don't presume to think he had no life before me."

"Yeah, all right," he said. "It's just, it seemed like he was still in love with her two years ago."

Truthfully, Harry had voiced the question that was probably the reason she held off actually having sex with Severus.

Lily Potter nee Evans.

How could she compete with a ghost? A gorgeous ghost who the man had loved for over twenty-five years?

Oh, she'd thoroughly been enjoying the foreplay they'd been engaging in the past few weeks. She was quite certain she'd thoroughly enjoy sex with him, too. She didn't want to come up lacking, though. Not being someone or something he was wanting. She also didn't want to be his consolation prize. Someone he was settling for or with.

She had discovered, though, even without actual penetration she definitely did not have an off switch. He was lucky she had classes during the day or she'd never let him out of bed. Whether that was her hormones regulating themselves after a more than sketchy time of things for a while or just how she was normally she didn't know yet.

It was a scary idea, though, losing her virginity to someone only to find out later she was insufficient. Or that she wasn't good. Or that he would prefer being with someone else during the act.

"I don't know where you just went, but come back, Hermione."

"I'm fine, Harry. Right here."

"I recognize that look. Don't start thinking about something you need to solve, please. I haven't seen you in over a year!"

"You're right, of course," she said, smiling. "So, tell me about yourself, Ron, Ginny, and everything else you can think of."

"Yeah, well, training has been tough. I had to prove I was there because I deserved to be, not just because I'm Harry Potter." He shrugged.

He understood what having a famous name meant more than any of them, but Harry wasn't one to snub his nose at doing work. Yes, she'd had to get after him a lot, but what teenaged boy wanted to do homework?

"I understand," she said. She did, and she knew if there was anyone who could prove themselves it was Harry Potter. When he put his mind to it anyway.

"Lots of travel, finding former Death Eaters. It's starting to calm down some in that regard, but there are still a number of minor followers who never took the Mark we're looking for. And Ron," he shrugged. "He didn't quite want to deserve to be an auror. He wanted to be one because he was Ron Weasley and I think he wanted to work with me. That didn't last long. He's helping George at the joke shop for now. He's on girlfriend number seven or eight, I think. He hasn't been real serious with any of them. He dates them for a week or two and then gets bored or something. He's not sleeping with them or anything. I think he's just restless. I'm not sure working for George is going to help that." He shrugged, scowling. He looked at her then, tilting his head. She knew that look in his eyes. He was going to say something he thought would get him in trouble. "I hate that you're the one who left, Hermione," he whispered, sounding so sad.

"I know, Harry, and it was nothing personal."

"I know, I just, it hurts. You are the sister I never had. Those weeks Ron was gone and it was just us we got close, which I know still drives Ron insane. Well, and plus, I don't want to be famous and I know you don't want to either. Sometimes I hate being around him because he craves it."

"I feel the same way. And Ginny?"

"Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. Lots of traveling for both of us. We see each other when we can. We try to surprise each other when we can."

"You're okay though?"

"Yeah, I'm planning on asking her to marry me over Christmas actually."

"Oh? Exciting. Have you asked Arthur?"

"I have," he said, nodding his head in acknowledgement.

"I wish I could be there."

"You can, you know. You'd be welcome."

"I know I would and I know Severus would be individually. I'm just not sure we would be together, and frankly, I'm not sure either of us wants to find out yet."

"The offer stands. I'm hosting Christmas Day so you know where we'll be. I'm sure Molly will still do most of the work even though the idea is to give her a break."

She chuckled. He was right. Molly wouldn't know the meaning of the word break when it came to a holiday meal. "Thanks, Harry. I'll mention it to him."

"Are you hungry? Or can we get tea or something?"

"Yes, let's," she said, sliding her hand through the crook of his offered arm. He wanted to keep talking to her! She took that as a great sign.

It was late when she got back to the storeroom. She'd enjoyed her time with Harry more than she thought she would. Not that she thought she'd have a bad time, she was just scared it wouldn't go well. He promised he wouldn't tell anyone anything beyond that he'd seen her, she was attending university, and seemed fine. She'd given him their address so he could send mail to her. He was going to visit her on campus after Christmas break, which excited her more than it probably should. She loved learning and that he said he wanted her to show him around made her day.

"I was beginning to think I was going to have to call the authorities on you, Madam Snape," Severus said.

"I'm sorry, it did get much later than I figured we'd be out."

"Was it a good visit then?"

"It was."

"And you're alone so he's not here with a pitchfork or an unforgivable to take me down for sullying you."

"No," she said with a laugh, sliding out of her coat. They both knew Harry wouldn't be able to take him down even if he wanted to. "No, not at all."

"That pleases me to no end."

"I'm sure you were worried."

He probably wasn't really, but she did wonder if a part of him was just a little bit. She'd come to find the past few months that he was really quite human under that stoic exterior he presented to everyone. So it was very possible he did experience some … concern that she was going off to meet Harry. His former friend's son. And what the result of that meeting could be.

"Horribly."

She hung her coat up and made her way to the couch and sat next to him. She was quiet for a few minutes unsure how to approach what had been on her mind since Harry mentioned Lily. Was asking about her going to be a mistake? Would it set them back from the progress and closeness they'd established over the past few months? And especially the past few weeks they'd been sleeping together?

"May I ask you a question, Severus?"

"You may ask me anything you wish, Hermione," he said.

"Is it because of Lily that you did this," she said, gesturing to herself and her ring.

"I'm sorry?"

"Is it because you feel you're incapable of …" she sighed. "Loving anyone else so you settled for me?"

"Is that what Harry said?"

"No, of course not. She did come up, of course, and it made me wonder. I guess a part of me has been wondering even before today."

He sighed. "I don't know why I made the offer, Hermione. I really don't. Please don't take offense to my saying that today about an offer I made months ago. It's not a reflection on you in the least. I have no idea what made me do it. I will admit that unlike other rather important decisions made in my life it is the least … upsetting thus far. I never envisioned myself surviving the war let alone getting married. Yet here I am. And I don't consider marrying you settling. You shouldn't think of it that way either."

"Yes, but, twenty years…"

"I had time to think about things before you stumbled into my shoppe and discovered you'd found me, you know."

"Yes," she said cautiously.

He shifted on the couch so that she could lean against him, resting her head on his chest. They both liked this position, the closeness. Neither had said so, but it was a position they ended up in a lot recently so she could only assume that he liked it as well as she did.

"I'm not going to lie to you and say I didn't love her. I will never lie to you, Hermione. I did, but she never loved me back. Not in the way I wanted. Eventually, had events not unfolded as they did, I like to believe that I would have come to terms with that fact on my own. I think it was the fact that it was James Potter more than anything that I refused to believe she could truly love him. He was such a prat."

"I've heard. I'm sorry."

"So, I loved her. I don't think I was in love with her. There is a difference I believe. She was my only true friend. As pathetic as it may sound to anyone else, I had never had one before her. No one. The people after her, they only liked me because I could do things for them. You actually made me realize that she was perhaps not as nice to me as she should have been."

"Me?" What did she have to do with Lily Potter?

"Yes. I knew Mr. Weasley had left you two. Phineas' portrait reported such to me."

"Oh, of course, I should have realized he would have."

"Yet, you forgave him. You were in a life and death situation, carrying around an item cursed and by leaving instead of splitting time with that item into thirds you and Harry had to divy it up between the two of you. Yet, you forgave him."

"Well, of course," she said with a slight frown, running her fingers over the ribbed collar of his faded Rolling Stones T-shirt. She blushed a bit looking at the tongue logo on the shirt. She very much enjoyed the things Severus did with his tongue. Everywhere. Probably not the time to think about it, but the shirt reminded her of it.

"And yet my friend when we were not in a life and death situation, when I had been humiliated and defended by the last person I wanted to even see me in such a vulnerable position…"

"Chose not to forgive you for saying something bad?"

"Yes."

"Severus," she whispered. She could hear the pain in his voice over twenty years later and felt bad she'd caused him to feel that, no matter how inadvertently.

He kissed the top of her head. "I said a horrible thing. It was in the heat of the moment. I was hurt and humiliated so I lashed out. I begged her forgiveness and she refused." He sighed and she fiddled with the ends of his hair. "Then I realized the prophecy was about her. You know the rest," he said.

"I do," she said

"I spent the years in between her dying and Tom's return dreading having to teach James Potter's son so much that I really didn't think about the rest of it. My feelings. Our friendship. What I thought friendship should be. My version of what a friend should be. Albus didn't help much in that, didn't let me think about anything except the debt I owed."

"Understandable. You were still hurt and you thought you were responsible, which you weren't."

"I know that. Now. I mean, I was, but he had contacts inside the Ministry and everywhere who's to say he wouldn't have heard it elsewhere. The Potters trusted Pettigrew, I still don't understand why to this day. Albus could have done more to ensure they were protected. The Longbottoms could be dead, I realize their state isn't a thing to celebrate but if we find a cure for the effects of exposure to the cruciatus curse they could recover. We all could have done better and the ‘what if' game will drive you nuts. Believe me, I know. I was on that path."

"Right."

She leaned up a bit to look at him. It sort of broke her heart how literally alone he'd been his entire life.

"If it means anything, I would have forgiven you."

"I know that you would have, and that's why I say marrying you is not settling. Lily was overall a good person, but I've come to realize that she was not without her faults and it took me a very long time to acknowledge that. Albus may have had something to do with that delay."

"The headmaster?"

"He needed me on his side, his spy, under his thumb. He drove home the ‘you promised Lily' rhetoric."

"What a conniving…"

"Yes, well. I made my bed, Hermione, I had to lie in it. I've come to realize, too, that instead of spending ten years dreading teaching James' son I could have looked forward to teaching Lily's. I'm not sure until recently I saw him as anything but James Potter's boy," he shrugged. "So, to answer your question, no Lily has nothing to do with us. And she never will. If anyone says otherwise I will apologize in advance for their inconsideration and lack of knowledge."

She closed the very slight distance between their mouths, kissing him.

"Want to come lie in the bed you've currently made and are occupying?"

"You know I do."

"One of these days you're going to say no because you're tired of it going no further."

"Hardly. It's been enjoyable actually. I've never experienced foreplay for foreplay's sake. Merlin, I never truly experienced foreplay. I like getting to know you. It's rather intoxicating discovering all the various ways I can make you squirm and yell my name."

"Do you think Hogwarts will survive our children?"

"Children? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Hypothetically, I presume we'll have two. A boy first and then a girl, of course."

She smiled wickedly at the blush those words brought out of him. Oh ho, so he hadn't really thought too hard on them having children. Kind of as she expected. The heir was an attempt at making an offer but scaring her away from accepting it. From accepting him.

"You do?"

"I do. Naturally. Now, let's see who makes who squirm tonight."

"Saucy witch," he said.

"You seem to like that about me."

"Indeed, Wife, lead the way then. I look forward to that challenge."

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com