Dear Severus,

So, I've had a month let me tell you. I narrowly missed running into Charlie Weasley, if you can believe that. (Don't roll your eyes at me either for opening my letter talking about a Weasley! I can hear you now. You don't want to hear about a Weasley again until Victorie starts her schooling.) I don't think we were in Romania for even remotely similar reasons. Unless his interests have strayed from dragons to vampires. I think that would have been reported in the Daily Prophet or the Quibbler, though. So, I'm sticking with the idea that we were not there for the same reasons. However, we were in similar areas. I caught a glimpse of him and then treat very carefully the rest of my trip. As you can imagine in Romania, his red hair sort of sticks out.

Speaking of vampires.

Did you know that Dracula is real?

I mean, I guess I always assumed he was sort of like Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs , a blend of a bunch of reputed bad guys who were dark and mysterious.

Actually, now that I think about it.

They could have been basing him off of you.

I know you're not *that* old. It's called a joke, honey. Roll your eyes - again - if you need to, though. At least we know I can keep you proficient in doing that! Though I like being able to do it in person, in my bed with my hand or mouth around certain parts of you much, much better.

Okay, enough with the flirting. For now. I don't want to make you smile at the head table. People would faint or, worse, perish. I wouldn't want to be responsible for that!

So, um, yeah, Dracula. That's what I was talking about before I distracted myself with some rather dirty thoughts about you. Hmm.

He's real! She let him bite her! She was under thrall so not truly consensual. She is Buffy. I assume you surmised that. He tried to turn Buffy, which I found very interesting. A slayer as a vampire could possibly be very scary. Would they retain their Slayer strength? I'd love to research that! Not that I wish Dracula had turned Buffy or anything so that I could find out. He turned her friend Xander into a kind of Renfield. Dracula bit her, not Xander. Sorry, I guess I need to be clearer in a letter (though I think that was pretty clear). Her boyfriend, Riley, was not too pleased about that. Then I wager you wouldn't be too pleased either.

You, though, can bite me anytime and anywhere you want!

I told you about Riley? I think I did. I can't remember. He's one of those Army Initiative guys. I hate to say it, but he definitely fits the preconceived notion one might have of a soldier. You know the type? In fact, I think you know the type quite well. Wants to do all that he can to protect the girl and when he can't because she doesn't truly need it he gets angry.

He also seems quite possessive. I'm not sure how that's going to work. She's the Slayer, you know? Like you've mentioned. It's her birthright not something she can just turn off. Then again I think people like knowing our significant others actually do want to protect us to some degree. She just doesn't need it, at least not physically. He seems to think that she does. Or should. It will certainly be interesting.

As an aside, I will gladly let you protect me from evil vampires. Dracula was able to gain entry into Buffy's bedroom, so you'd better come soon and make sure mine's safely warded from anyone but you getting in. Bad guys beware!

I wish you could have met Giles when he was in London over the summer. I think you'd probably get along with him. Maybe. I guess I don't know as I truly don't know who you get along with (aside from me it seems). He wasn't here for that long for me to even think about it. Mostly he met with people higher up in the chain of command than me. We had tea once, but it was in the Council's cafeteria so we didn't go anywhere. That Initiative unit has a lot of people nervous as you can probably imagine.

It seems to be the first time they've been presented with the fact "normal" people know about the baddies the Slayer has been fighting by herself for centuries. How they've managed to keep it a secret for so long baffles me. I guess they've used some pretty lame excuses like gas leaks and sewer backups, etc. I suppose before television and, even earlier, radio it would be easier to brush bad things from happening under the rug, so to speak. If a reporter wasn't there to see something happen they could set the scene anyway they wanted it to match their story. So, I suppose gas leaks and sewer backups worked. Obviously they do even today.

Odd, right? Or I suppose it's not, considering the world we live amongst and that muggles know nothing about Diagon Alley, or any of it. This isn't hidden, though. I mean, people have seen Buffy fight people at The Bronze or at school. Yet, it's like they don't process what they're seeing. So odd.

Let me know if you can get a weekend to visit, otherwise I suppose I could come to you and disillusion myself outside of Hogwarts like I did before.

In other words, I miss you. I've never sat with someone reading before. It was nice. Does that make me sound weird? I've never had that before and always thought there was something wrong with me for wanting it. I mean the sex was great, don't get me wrong. I definitely want to do that again. The companionship when we weren't doing that, though, was to sound like the girl from the movie Valley Girl Mum made me watch for some reason: totally awesome.

Anyway, Buffy told me she's been having a hard time with Dawn. She invited a vampire into their house! You'd think she'd know better by now. She's not a little kid. I'm trying to research if there are better protection spells than just the whole "please come in", but so far I've been coming up with nothing. You'd think there would be something, though!

I feel like I'm letting her down.

Her mom let Dracula in, Dawn let this other vampire in. Joyce at least had an excuse, Dracula hasn't survived this long without a good reason I imagine! She just wants her family safe and I can't find a way to help her do that better!

I can understand that very well, as you know.

Willow is really getting her legs about her. They got attacked by a demon and as a result Xander basically got split into two people. I don't quite understand all of it as it sounds rather farfetched to me (ironic considering Dracula is a topic in this letter), but Willow was able to end the spell. Giles had me look over what they'd found and I could see no side effects or anything they could have done differently. Pretty soon they won't need me anymore! Then what will I do?

Oh, speaking of Giles, he bought the local magic shop in Sunnydale. I had kind of wondered if he would try and get out of his watcher responsibilities after last year. I think he felt a little lost, as if Buffy didn't need him much. At least when she was in high school he had his role as the librarian to keep him busy. He seems happy at least, I'm glad. He's nice. He doesn't talk to any of us as if we're too young to know things. I appreciate that.

Anyway, I'm rambling, and feel as if I said very little. I'm back at home for a while now. I went from Romania to Sunnydale to run diagnostics on Xander and everything. From Sunnydale I went to a remote area in Alaska and then to Costa Rica. After Costa Rica it was a bunch of few hour stops here and there, which I don't like just by the way! That's a lengthy way of saying that I wasn't easily tracked for mail to get to me. Romania, Alaska, and Costa Rica were all very pretty. Would you go with me some time? Like a vacation, not business. I'd love to actually spend time in some of these places I go to instead of going, researching or finding XYZ and then leaving again. I usually get a day or two and can squeeze in a bit of sightseeing, but it's not quite so fun doing it all alone.

Hope to see you soon!

Yours,

H

"You do know who you're talking about, right?" he heard Rolanda ask Mario, the Transfiguration professor Minerva had hired to replace her when she took over as headmistress.

"It's Severus."

Severus snickered at that response. Mario didn't seem to get what Rolanda was implying behind her statement posed as a question. He was a competent Transfiguration professor, but was not an intelligent person overall. Severus tolerated him but that was about the extent of it.

And was very grateful that he could not speak!

There were definitely benefits to it he was coming to find. He wouldn't say he was a nicer person, but preferring to speak as little as he actually had to so his voice was strong enough when he actually needed to it was making him learn to think before he spoke. Something until the war was over he never had to do because everyone just chalked it up to the evil git Professor Snape being rude and nasty.

He was trying not to be that! He imagined some of it would always be there. He was inherently not an overly pleasant person. The wars had not caused that. That was just him.

"Yes, the man who kept it to himself for nearly twenty years that he was loyal to the Order because he didn't want to blow his cover."

"It's mail," the professor said. Severus had obviously missed the initial conversation between the flight instructor and transfiguration professor while he was reading Hermione's letter. The man wanted to know who was writing him it seemed. Severus smirked at that. He knew Mario was not the only one curious. He was just the only one brave enough to voice the curiosity aloud.

"It's private," Rolanda said. "He'll tell us when he's ready."

Severus smirked at the exchange as he folded the letter and slid it into the pocket of his robes.

No time like the present.

I HAVE A WITCH. SHE WRITES LETTERS TO ME. I WRITE LETTERS TO HER. LAST I CHECKED THAT WAS HOW A RELATIONSHIP IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. WHAT MORE IS THERE TO SAY?

Rolanda looked shocked, as did everyone at the head table for that matter.

IF THERE ARE ANY REPORTS IN UPCOMING ISSUES OF THE PROPHET ABOUT THIS I WILL KNOW IT WAS ONE OF YOU.

He scowled as he stood and left the table, anxious to get his Saturday duties done with. He had a witch he wanted to visit.

He got his work done, skipping lunch to do so. He showered, shaved, and changed into presentable muggle clothes before apparating to the vicinity of her building.

He approached the entrance, wishing for the first time he had a muggle mobile telephone. He didn't know her number to phone her even if he wanted to. It was definitely something to think about. He hoped this wasn't a mistake, just showing up here. He made his way to the security desk.

"I'm here to see Hermione Granger," he said.

"Name?"

"Severus Snape," he said.

The man took a minute to type something on his computer device. Hermione tried to show him, explain to him how it worked. It was incredible to him that information … books were available at the press of a finger. It would take him more than a few hours on the occasional weekend to get familiar, but he could admit to being intrigued. Intrigued enough to purchase one for his home for the summer if she'd show him how to use it.

"She's in. Do you know the way?"

"I do," he said.

"You're clear to go."

"You're just going to take my word for it that I am who I say I am?"

The security guard chuckled. "No, I have your picture," he said, pointing at his computer screen.

"Muggles and their technology," Severus murmured. "Thank you."

He made his way to the elevators that would lead to her floor. There was another set here that went to private quarters like hers, but he got the impression they were quarters reserved for people higher up the hierarchy ladder than Hermione. He glanced at his watch, realizing they had more time than he had anticipated when he came up with the idea of just coming here.

After seeing her in May they'd spent quite a few weekends together, and more than a few weekday evenings and nights once school had let out. There was, in fact, a week where they hadn't left his home. She'd gotten permission to bring her research with her and they'd spent the time working on their respective projects during the day. She'd helped him with his garden and he'd shown her Cokeworth. Surprisingly, she wasn't turned off by it and seemed to find bits of it charming. He didn't get it, but it was a relief. Even if he no longer planned to stay here forever, it was currently his home. And he was from here. He had to admit, he saw the bits she'd found charming through a different lens now that she'd pointed things out. As a kid and in his twenties, he'd hated everything about this common town. He had not wanted to be common!

The nights had been the best of his life. He wasn't sure if that was pathetic or not, but he doubted he would ever forget the first morning he'd woken up to her in his bed. It wasn't something he had ever envisioned happening. Never mind with quality and (very) frequent sex as part of the equation.

At her flat in May it had seemed almost surreal. When it had happened more than the one time he assumed she'd come to her senses once he'd returned to Hogwarts and she had time to realize that she didn't want to waste her time on a relatively inexperienced forty-year old dolt. He still had no idea what had come over him to take her in such a way that first time. She certainly hadn't seemed to mind. Or at least that's what he kept telling himself. For all his posturing about being proper he'd had little to no finesse in that moment.

So, either he pleased her better than he realized or she liked dolts. She hadn't ended up married to Weasley so he crossed liking dolts off of the list of choices. He was pleased to find out that first weekend that her curiosity in such things matched his own. That didn't mean he hadn't assumed she'd come to the conclusion after he was gone that she'd prefer to settle those curiosities with someone else. The possibilities as to why she would choose to were endless as far as he could see: younger, not a git, not scarred, not preferring to live as basically a recluse, better looking.

He'd decided that first night at his home, though, that he wanted a lifetime of mornings like it. Waking up to her, making love to her, cooking with her, and sitting in front of the fire reading with her. He wondered at the time if it was it too soon to think that. He wasn't sure, but it was how he felt.

She opened her door and was clearly surprised to see him, but not in a bad way. And that relieved him. He could tell that he'd made her happy by showing up unexpectedly and that pleased him to no end. He loved pleasing her. She made the most arousing sounds in the world when she was being pleasured.

"I thought I'd personally deliver my response to your latest letter."

"I like the personal service."

"Oh?" he quipped.

"Yes," she said. She stepped aside, letting him enter. He crossed the threshold, glancing around as he did. He hadn't been in her flat for a while now. Usually, he'd meet her for a day in London and they ended up at his home anymore.

"It seems I'm an approved guest?"

He'd never come here before on his own so while he knew how a security desk / checkpoint worked he hadn't had to use the one downstairs prior to now to gain entry to her flat.

"Yes," she said. "My list is short and to the point. You and you."

"What of the young lady you met at the coffee shop?"

"Oh, we've seen a movie and grabbed a coffee a couple of times. It's hard when I have to lie about everything I do. And I don't feel comfortable bringing her here. That would lead to questions that I really can't answer truthfully."

"I understand," he said, knowing that it was hard. She had a job, too, that required secrecy so she was bound all around. She couldn't admit to what she researched even.

"So, you really just decided to come see me?"

"I did," he said, sliding his arms around her. "I missed you, too."

"Aww, you say the sweetest things, Severus."

"I'm not sure if you're teasing me. If I am lacking in my duties of admitting that I do in fact miss you while I'm wasting away in a castle while you travel the world, please just assume that you are missed."

"I miss you, too," she said. "Are you staying the night?"

"I can. I don't have rounds tonight."

"Excellent. Take out?"

"Let's go out."

"Okay," she said, "but first, you need to show your witch you missed her good and proper-like."

"Is that right?"

"It absolutely is," she slid her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. "Your witch might be in a mood."

"It seems that my witch is always in a mood."

"Are you complaining?"

He scoffed. He wasn't sure any man would wager a complaint about her appetites. "Not even remotely."

"Show me," she said.

It was the easiest request for him to fulfill that he could remember.

They had dinner and spent the evening playing cards with some music on as background. She tried to show him how to use the portable music player that she had but he was a little out of his element. It was an example of how out of touch with muggle progress he was.

The last, and only, portable device he'd owned shortly after graduating Hogwarts was a Sony Walkman. She'd laughed rather heartily at that admission. He told her next summer when he had more than an evening he'd let her show him how to use these things. He had suggested a mobile phone for him over Christmas holidays might be a good investment. He wouldn't be able to use it in Hogwarts, but if he wanted to visit her spontaneously again as he did tonight he could call her to ensure she was home when he got to London.

They'd spent the night at her flat, which was on the small side but it provided what they needed sufficiently. He apparated them to Hogwarts in the morning, summoning breakfast for them in his quarters.

She spent the day brewing with him and actually seemed to like being there with him doing this.

If there was an ideal Sunday he could envision, this would be it. Sex, a good breakfast, brewing, and his witch with him for all of it.

"So in all seriousness," she said as she stirred her cauldron.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to travel to California with me over the holidays? I know the Council wouldn't turn down my visiting and reporting on Faith's well-being. They're intrigued by a slayer willingly allowing herself to be incarcerated. That seems more psych related if you ask me, but they'd let me do it since she knows me."

"Right." Hermione had sent her a few letters the muggle way Severus knew.

She'd also sent her money here and there so she could get items in prison. Severus wasn't sure why she did it because he did not get the impression his witch particularly cared for the formerly rogue slayer.

He'd come to realize, though, it was just how his witch was. And as she'd just pointed out, Miss Lehane obviously had some issues. Hermione probably thought maybe a little bit of random kindness would help the slayer.

Who was Severus to argue with her on this? He thought over his own youth, a sliver of kindness could have made wonders. It was hard to say for certain, but if it had been at the right time and place. Maybe. If Albus or Minerva had ever once taken his side over Potter and his gang of thugs.

"I'm just throwing that in there because it doesn't have to be the entire time in Sunnydale. We could spend time in Los Angeles."

"I've never been," he said.

"Well, see. There has to be stuff in LA you'd like to see, Severus. Come on, say yes."

"You really want to spend that much time with me?"

That … surprised him. He wasn't sure why. It just did. No one had willingly spent blocks of time with him. In fact, quite the contrary, most people wanted to get out of his presence as quickly as they could. Even post-war.

"I spent a week with you during the summer."

"That was not planned."

"Okay, I'm not sure what you're trying to say. It was still a week we spent together without an issue. I'm planning this trip. I mean, if you don't want to. If planning a trip with me is too soon, just say so. I'm not going to get mad."

He scoffed at that. Did she not realize he was already picturing the rest of his life with her? He hadn't said so because he knew first of all it was too soon to mention it. And, too, he was afraid of coming across as too pushy. He knew what the Daily Prophet reported on him. Obsessed with Lily. He didn't want her to think he was moving his obsession from one witch to another.

He knew, now, that what he felt for Lily was not love. It was not healthy. It was not something he could have built a life out of. She was not who he would have been happy with. The past year or so with this witch did nothing more than drive home the difference. Certainly what he and Hermione had been building was healthy.

"Venice Beach. Hollywood Boulevard. The Whisky a Go Go," he whispered.

"See. Let that sixties child have some fun!"

"And you will get enjoyment out of this? These are things that interest me."

She was quiet until she finished stirring the potion she'd been making for him. He watched her closely given it'd been essentially three years since she'd done potions work but he could find no more fault with her today than he had been able to previously.

There was one difference.

Today he'd been able to tell her that.

She set the stirring rod next to the cauldron and closed the distance between them.

"I would enjoy you sharing your interests with me, yes. I've seen your record collection."

He snorted as he reached for her, sliding some of her hair behind her ear. It was really a hopeless exercise as her hair seemed to have a mind of its own.

"Then yes I will accompany you."

"Excellent!"

"I admit I am curious how someone of Willow's seeming abilities was missed by Ilvermorny."

"Knowing how fanatic her parents are, I wonder if she did get a letter but they didn't give it to her. I told you she restored Angel's soul at seventeen with no real training."

"You did."

"I want you to meet them and everything but that's not the only reason I'm asking."

"Oh?"

"I figured a week in the California sun in December would be good for both of us."

"You might be right."

"I'll request the portkey then."

"Did you want to spend Christmas weekend at home with me and go from there?"

"That would be nice."

"That will be more than a week," he said.

"Yup. I can do math, Severus."

"Just making sure."

"That I can count? Or that I'm knowingly committing to spending like ten days with you?"

She leaned against him, clutching his hands with hers as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. She kissed his neck and nipped at his ear.  She found the love bite just under his ear that she'd given him last night and nipped at it, too.

"Just think of all the sex we can have uninterrupted," she whispered.

"That does sound tolerable," he whispered.

"Say things like that and I will make it intolerable."

"Oh?"

"Over a week of uninterrupted sex is supposed to be more than tolerable, Severus!"

"Oh, I'd planned on demonstrating my true feelings on the idea at the time."

"Did you?" She quipped, kissing his lower lip.

"Indeed."

"Okay. You're forgiven."

"You don't really think that I wouldn't find that enjoyable, do you?"

She shrugged, sliding her hands out of his and putting them around his neck. He wasn't sure if she knew how much he loved when she touched him. He wasn't sure how he'd like it in front of others as they had to this point not been around anyone else. They'd held hands in public and kissed but nothing too untoward. He wasn't a demonstrative person. No surprise since he had not had affection demonstrated toward him ever in his life that he could recall.

"I worry I guess. I mean, I don't know what's normal. It's not something I've gossiped with other girls about since I wasn't doing anything to join in their conversations."

"I assure you the idea that you seemingly can't get enough of me is not upsetting in the least."

"That is good news because I plan on being very active those ten days."

"Would you care to give me a preview?"

"Here? Now?" she asked, lowering her hands to the buttons on his robe.

His breath caught at the sparkle of mischief in her eyes. She would let him have her here and now. In his lab. He'd never engaged in fantasies about students. He wasn't built that way, but he'd be lying if he tried to deny that it wasn't an immensely arousing thought here today. Sex with her here.

"I thought you'd never ask."

"Severus," Minerva said, walking through the door and stopping in her tracks. And stopping Hermione from taking her plans at removing his robe before she could get very far.

"Miss Granger," she said, clearly stunned.

"Hello Headmistress," Hermione said. That made Minerva scowl. He knew that scowl. She was not pleased.

"You've been gone for over two years. Disappeared, worrying those of us who care about you sick. All you can say for yourself is ‘Hello Headmistress'? And, you, Severus! You knew that I was worried about her!"

"It was not my secret to tell, Minerva. Look who you're talking to. You really think that I'm going to betray her confidence?"

She huffed. Hermione, on the other hand, looked both contrite and conflicted. How she managed to pull off both and seem sincere in both emotions she was displaying he didn't know. He did know, however, that this was not how she envisioned anyone seeing her for the first time, least of all her former head of house. And the witch who held great affection for his witch.

"I'm sorry, Headmistress. I'm fine as you can see, but I'm not ready to come back yet."

"But you're here!"

"I'm visiting Severus. He had some brewing to do and rather than spend the day without him I came to help."

She glanced between the two of them, eyes assessing. Severus knew she saw not just how close they were to one another but how comfortable they were with that proximity. Nevermind Hermione was clearly touching him in a familiar way. While she'd stopped working the buttons on his robes she had not removed her hands from his person.

"I came to ask you why Reginald Harris is on detention for the next two nights."

"It wasn't me," he whispered.

"What?"

"If Mister Harris is down for serving detention it's not because of me. He's actually a model student in my class."

"Is he?" Minerva asked. The tone and the arched eyebrow suggested she was surprised at the admission.

"He is."

"Let me guess, Reginald is a Gryffindor."

"Correct, Miss Granger."

"Hermione, please."

"Very well, and you may call me Minerva, but we will be talking about this!"

"As long as you don't tell anyone else."

"But Messrs Potter and Weasley are worried about you. They will be ecstatic."

"I know, Minerva, and maybe Severus would be willing to fill you in on why I left as I did. After I've gone home, that is."

"You are well?"

"I am," Hermione replied.

"And your NEWTs?"

"I sat them in July after the war ended. My employer is holding onto my scores for me until, if, I return to the magical world and need them."

"I see," she said, but her eyes reflected the fact that she clearly didn't. Severus knew he'd be having a conversation with her sooner rather than later. He also hoped it was an until she returned. He truly believed she belonged here. Whoever had spoken to her, threatened her, about Azkaban. He really wanted to find them and threaten them for being the catalyst behind this witch leaving their world.

"I really am sorry I worried you."

Minerva approached them then, eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Severus took a few steps back, knowing what the older witch wanted to do.

Minerva took Hermione into her arms then.

"Oh my dear girl. I've been worried sick that a death eater got you."

"I know, Minerva, I'm sorry. I didn't really stop to think what anyone would think. I swear. I wasn't thinking about anything but myself. I did send the Ministry an owl telling them I was declining their job offer."

"I will sleep easier now, for sure. Oh my sweet girl. You are so missed."

"I miss you, too," Hermione said and Severus knew his witch meant it.

They didn't talk about the magical world often. She didn't ask and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by talking about people and things that she wasn't ready to hear about. He knew, though, that she missed her friends and those she'd grown close to like Minerva. He hoped to one day get her to return, but he was nothing if he wasn't a patient man. He was waiting for the right time. Rushing her would not work.

"You take care of this witch, Severus. See that she comes back to us when she is ready. No ifs about it! The world needs someone like her."

"I can assure you that she is currently in a position to help the world even if you are unaware of those efforts," he whispered.

Times like this he really hated not having his voice completely and the blasted whiteboard was on the other side of the lab. He could summon it, of course, but it was still inconvenient.

"I'd expect no different." She drew away from Hermione then. "How long has this been going on?"

Severus summoned his whiteboard, but Hermione beat him to an explanation.

"I started writing to him for help relating to my job. One day I asked him for something and he said he deserved an explanation for my needing it." Hermione's lips twitched at the memory. "That turned into my visiting him here for an evening. Then he invited me for Christmas."

"Christmas? Almost a year! And you've kept it hidden, Severus?"

"Well I was a successful spy for a very good reason, Minerva."

"I suppose," she said. She turned to face him completely then. A smirk crept to her lips as she lifted a hand to graze his neck with a finger. "I never thought I'd see the day Severus Snape had a love bite under his robes."

"Never?"

"No."

"I'm glad to have disappointed you in this then."

"I'm not disappointed, Severus. If anyone deserves happiness it's you."

"Thank you, Minerva."

"Well, I'm off to find out who gave Mr. Harris detention. Silly me, I just presumed it was you!"

"Maybe someone is trying to compete with me."

"Doubtful," Hermione quipped.

"I will keep your secret, Hermione, for now. Your friends deserve to know, though. They are worried."

"I'll think about it, Minerva. I'm not ready yet. It was a lot to process. All of it."

"I understand. It was a lot to be thrown into."

"Kind of."

IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE WAR, MINERVA. I WILL FILL YOU IN LATER, Severus offered.

"I will hold you to that."

"Thank you, Minerva," Hermione said.

"You treat her right, Severus."

"Of course," he said, bowing his head politely.

She left then and Severus realized Hermione's earlier good and amorous mood was considerably less so now.

"Is it wrong that I've read the "where is Hermione" articles in the Quibbler and really haven't stopped to think about anyone really worrying?"

"No," he said simply. EVERYONE GRIEVES AND HEALS DIFFERENTLY, HERMIONE. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG. WILL SOME VIEW IT AS INCONSIDERATE? I IMAGINE SO. GETTING AWAY, TURNING YOUR BACK ON THIS WORLD IS WHAT YOU NEEDED TO DO TO COPE. THAT WAS A VALID RESPONSE.

"And yet I sought you out."

FOR WHICH I AM VERY GRATEFUL. HOWEVER, YOU SOUGHT ME OUT NOT FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL GAIN BUT TO AID YOUR FRIEND.

He'd thought of that over the past year. How an owl had led to this. What if she had never owled him? What if she'd gotten that call from Buffy and hung up after listening to her friend, content with having offered her friend the supportive ear she called for and gone back to sleep doing nothing more? What if he hadn't responded to her?

He hated to think it, he certainly didn't like the idea of Hermione's friend suffering. He was immensely glad, though, the Slayer had phoned his witch about a poison. A poison she believed he might hold the answer to circumventing its purpose.

"True," she said. She ran the back of her hand over her eyes. He didn't see tears, but they were apparently threatening to fall. "I do miss them."

OF COURSE YOU DO. NEEDING TIME AWAY DOES NOT MEAN YOU DON'T CARE.

"Why are you being so nice?"

"What should I do? Yell at you? What will that accomplish? You did what you thought you needed to do. I have kept your secret because it is not mine to reveal. If it weren't for my position here," he said, knowing she had to strain to hear him say that much at a time. He hated sounding weak, vulnerable, less than a whole man in front of her. He gestured to the room they were in. "Honestly, I probably would have left the wizarding world for a while, too, if I hadn't been able to return to Hogwarts. At least here I am assured more than just some privacy. You wouldn't have gotten that."

"No."

He watched her closely. She looked nervous. There were times he was able to forget her age and when it got down to it despite fighting in a war, her lack of life experience. This moment was not one of them. She looked vulnerable. He wondered if now that someone knew about them she'd have second thoughts about this.

Them.

"So does this revelation change our Christmas plans?"

Her head shot up to meet his gaze. A flash of anger and then sadness was evident in her eyes and he felt bad for putting either emotion there. She thought that he was the one wanting out of it. "Do you want it to?"

"It is not my former head of house who just found out I am involved with you."

"No, but while she's my former head of house she is your boss."

"Not the boss of my personal life."

"I want you to come with me."

He was admittedly relieved. It was one thing to do whatever they were doing without anyone knowing. Once people started finding out, judging, he was not sure the dice would roll in his favor.

"You don't believe me," she said.

"I do believe you. I admit I have concerns as to what happens when people find out about us."

"Why?"

He shrugged. How to explain it. "You are a hero of the Order."

"As are you, Severus."

He held out his left arm. "This Mark speaks to a different beginning of my adult life. One I am not proud of and have come to regret."

He stepped toward her.

"As I've gotten to know Mr. Potter these past nine years, two as an adult and an auror. I am ashamed that when I first heard the prophecy and came to Albus for help that my concern was for his mother only."

"You were twenty years old, the only time you'd been around kids was as a student yourself. You didn't know and you loved her."

"I loved the idea of her. The idea of someone being mine. I have come to realize over the last twenty years but most especially the last year that she was not meant to be mine."

"Oh?"

He swallowed hard with a shake of his head at the amount of strain this much talking was doing on his throat. He had his whiteboard, but he didn't want to use it for this type of conversation. They were both more than slightly adept at sign language, but it was still clumsy and slow. He did enjoy learning it with her, though.

"She did not make me want to be better. She made me bitter and hateful because deep down I knew I wasn't good enough. I wasn't going to compete with the likes of the Potters and Blacks. You, however, make me aspire to be … nicer."

She snorted.

"You do. I am a work in progress, I can admit that. Twenty years serving as a double spy didn't lend itself to much time for personal growth. I very much want to be the man you deserve, Hermione."

"You already were and are, Severus." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "If it's not dreadfully obvious already, I love you, Severus Snape. Just the way you are."

He stared at her, certain he was dreaming or hallucinating. Something. To have this witch say those words to him. He had never had those words directed at him, he supposed since his mum when he was just a boy.

She slid a hand to his cheek.

"You don't have to say it," she whispered, kissing the side of his mouth.

The shocking part about her saying that was that he knew she actually meant it. She would not expect him to say something back out of a sense of obligation. She would not yell and scream at him. She might be hurt but she would not take it as an affront against her and would not end this.

Except he did. He truly did. He just hadn't dreamed she felt the same.

"No, I do. I mean I don't have to, but it is how I feel so I can admit to the fact that I have come to love you very much, Hermione."

She smiled then. A smile that would have lit the night sky it was so bright. He wished he could bottle it to look upon anytime he wanted when she wasn't beside him.

"Well, come show me how much before I have to head home."

"As my witch demands."

"Oh yes. Demand I do," she said with a wicked smile on her face. One that made parts of him twitch in anticipated pleasure. That smile always meant something good. "I demand you behind me."

And he was not disappointed with her request this time either. In fact, it was one of his favorites because of how good she felt that way and he was able to caress her lovely and very shapely arse and watch it respond to his touch.

"So be it."

Story ©Susan Matthews/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com