She rolled over in the darkness only hearing the soft patter of rain and low rumble of thunder colliding with his breath. She often laid awake to hear him breathe. It comforted her. His breath let her know that he was there beside her always. He was her soul mate, and she realized this after years of searching. Only he could make her happy. He was her one and only, Severus Snape.
Severus came into Hermione's life romantically during her seventh year at Hogwarts. The Dark Lord had summoned him and he came back to the castle only an inch from death. Hermione was assigned by Dumbledore to keep an eye on Severus and help nurse him back to health.
At the time Severus did not like the help and considered her to be a pest only getting in his way. Hermione had to prove to him that she was not only a helpful nurse but could help keep up with his classes. She stayed late every evening helping him sort through different potions that the students had made. They sat alone in the dungeons night after night finishing their work while the silence swallowed them.
A few months down the road Severus was fully healed, but had become quite fond of Hermione's presence in the dungeons at night. Her company raised his spirits even though they barely spoke a word to each other. Somehow they both knew what the other was thinking and had no need for words. They worked at a steady pace looking up once in a while only to catch the eye of one another. Hermione continued to come to the dungeon at night to work before heading up to bed and Severus never objected. Their quiet bond was slowly forming into a friendship.
One rainy night Severus set out the cauldrons from the previous class and prepared Hermione's work she began the night before. He waited... She never came. This was the first time in 5 months she had not been with him. His confusion turned to anger and then to rage as the thunder roared outside in the lonely night.. Severus vanished the work and gave everyone a failing grade. The next evening Hermione arrived in the dungeons. Severus was already working on a project and never looked up at her, but he did speak. "What are you doing down here?" She looked at him with confusion, " I came down to help with the usual work sir?" Still without looking up he answered, "I do not need your help. You are no help to me and I can do this alone." Hermione was taken aback by his rudeness. After a few months of being with him he had never spoken so harsh to her. "Sir if this is about last night...." He interrupted her, "Yes Ms. Granger this is about last night. I had loads of work last night to do and now I know I can no longer rely on your help!" His voice had risen as he took a step closer to her glaring, "I no longer need your help so go!" Hermione could not stand this. The two of them had come to good terms and her feelings for him had started to grow. He was the first man she had met that could read her mind and match her intellectually. " For your information Professor I was taken ill last night and spent the night in the nurses wing. Harry and Ron were suppose to tell you this but I guess they did not. You are being and insensitive man and you are not who I thought you were."
He caught the hurt look in her eyes a they began to fill with tears. Something came over him. It made his heart ache to see her like that over his rudeness. Another persons hurt never touched him in away hers did. He moved toward her taking her in his arms. "I'm sorry." Hermione jerked away, "What...What was that all about." She backed away very startled. "I said I was sorry. Something has come over me. I just don't know how to explain it." He took her hand and pulled her toward him and in one swift movement he kissed her.
The kiss swept Hermione off her feet. She never imagined being with Severus Snape like this. Her potions teacher of all things. The same thing was running through Severus' head too.
The kiss led to a blossoming relationship that continued after Hermione left Hogwarts. Severus asked Hermione to marry him soon after. He was afraid that with the approaching danger of the Dark Lord he may never get the chance in the future.
The two wed on a cloudy day a week later. Their wedding night it poured like it never poured before. The thunder rumbled and the lighting lit the sky as Severus and Hermione made love. Nothing else mattered except for the two of them and the sound of the storm.
Years later the two of the safe and the Dark Lord dead Hermione lay there listening to her husband breathe and mother nature outside. Oh how she loved the rain.