Just something I thought up at 11 o'clock at night. I love this pairing, I'm working on another, but I need to look it over, because I don't think I quite up to doing justice to a longer Snape/Hermione story yet.

I hope you enjoy this.

Twilight, found a figure of a young woman standing out on the grounds, most would have said that she was escaping from the hustle and bustle of the

Great Hall, which to an extent was true, but there was something else something deeper. An expression melancholy but resigned and almost wise, adorned her face. She stood at the edge of the lake, staring at the forest across the water watching with the descent of the sun the disappearance of details of the individual trees. She listened as the water swam in ripples toward her feet and broke against the sand inches before her toes. She listen to the wind whistle up between the mountains that enclosed everything that had been part of her life the past 7 years. She turned to look up at the school that had been her home, with its lights shining through every window, glowing almost cheerfully. She wondered how a building that housed every able bodied soul that could fight for the light side as they prepared for the imminent battle, could seem so happy. She turned from the building looking up at the pass between the mountains, closing the her eyes she let the cool air rush across her face, she smelt the icy mountains and the smell of forest, there was a quiver in the air, as if it knew what was going to happen. The air was the exact opposite of the women. She was an embodiment of calm and peacefulness. She knew her job and her future not anything or anyone could take away her task. She stayed silent listening to the night world waking up, she could hear the owl leaving the tower, stretching, preparing for the nights catch. The crickets added their song to the night with the frogs. She loved to hear life even in its most minute forms. It made her more resolute and stronger, reminding her of why she was fighting.

As she was about to start her walk around the lake for what would probably be her last time. A pair of strong arms encircled her waist pulling her back against a lean male body.

"You shouldn't be out here on your own." the deep voice spoke softly in her ear. "You should be inside cherishing the time that is left with your friends and the people who love you."

"They know I love them and I know they love me. But what in that time will be said that hasn't been said before, what is it in these last couple of hours that could be said that would change the course of what will happen after these hours are up. Nothing." she set her eyes out to the water again. The man held her close understanding her reasons, and willing her to let him stay.

"What is it you find so intriguing out here?" he questioned, rubbing his cheek against her brown hair.

"I think I like it because it seems untouched, it represent how life should be. A life that exists only so it can live on, making sure it is never forgotten. Where as we as human beings tend to want more than to just procreate and have our species live on. We want power, we want more than we need to survive. This life out here is simplistic, no raving madmen wanting to dominate it, no 17 year old boys under the responsibility to save us all. I calms me to see that no all the world is destined for the fate that we now face." she turned in the arms of the man. He looked down at her, staring at her brown eyes, which he had first seen when she walked into his classroom 7 years ago. They were the not the same eyes he had seen all those years ago. In them he saw a knowledge incredibly vast, a power not yet unleashed, a love that could encompass everything. Yet most prominent was the wisdom, that in one so young should never be. A wisdom that acknowledge what was to come was the inevitable and she was to be part of it.

"Hermione, you are truly incredible and you know that I love you dearly. I also know that what lies in wake for us, could destroy all we know and all we have. So I ask for no promises, just the hope that whenever this ends its sees us both out the other side, alive and ready for a life that we could perhaps share together." he looked solemnly down at her with no false joy only a small ounce of hope.

"When we get through this and I pray to the gods that we do. You and I, Severus will have a life together, devoid of pain and sadness. But we can not let this distract us from now." Hermione reached up. One hand on his shoulder the other sliding to the back of his neck. She gave him a bittersweet kiss, letting him feel for once the emotions she hid so well. Her happiness of his proposal, her fear of never seeing it through, the utter terror of what was about to happen. She pulled away from him looking up into his face.

"I love you, and because of that, I will fight to protect you and everyone else."

Severus pulled her into his arms, wishing never to let go, but knowing he must.

Dark, found a young woman and middle aged man in a close embrace both peering out across the lake. Each remembering their past but both knowing that their destiny lay in the future.

Thanks for reading. Tell me what you think and if I should write a sequel.

NO FLAMES PLEASE!!!!!