Severus sat in his office furiously grading scrolls written by his third year potions Huffelpuff and Ravenclaws. The Ravenclaws were correct in their essays of course but they lacked imagination. The Huffelpuffs on the other hand just seemed to stop trying. It was a simple question "what are the properties of murtlap essence?" Severus of course knew the answer. He hoped that maybe one of the Ravenclaws would think outside the box and list some possible uses for it, but no such luck.
He was so ensconced in grading that Severus, master spy, did not notice the tall lithe younger woman come up beside him. With a gentle touch to his shoulder Severus visibly jumped at the sudden contact. Hermione merely smiled, it wasn't too often that anyone could sneak up on Severus. But the war was over now. It was now six years since the wars end and five years since the end of his trial. There was no longer a need to be constantly vigilant. Severus dropped his quill in the inkpot.
"Severus its late." Whispered Hermione as she ran her fingers through his hair. It was softer than she had thought and no longer looked greasy now that his stress level had considerably lessened. Severus put his arm around Hermione's waist. She'd changed over the years. Her hair was still wild and her intelligence and power only increased.
Hermione had grown a few inches so that she came up to his eyes and she'd grown into her curves. Though the war did not leave her unscathed. There was the long scar that went from her collarbone to her navel and the other on her left arm that read mudblood. He remembered after the battle when she had seen him in the shrieking shack. She was significantly thinner, was the relative same height as the year before, her hair had dulled and lost its volume. Her eyes were sunken and she had an almost feral look in her eyes.
Hermione once had hope that she would live but during that year on the run she had grown less and less hopeful. All hope was dashed when she had found out before the battle that her parents had been found and murdered. It was a rouse to get her out of hiding but had only angered her. But once Voldemort and his deatheaters had been stopped she was surprised.
At first she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Ron but a few months after the final battle they had both realized their error and parted on good terms. Lavender Brown had survived and Ron had turned to her instead. They were married after a year together and now had four children, two sets of identical twins. It was by chance that Hermione and Severus had come together. He was sent to Hogwarts to heal and she had stayed with nowhere else to go. It was there that at first they but heads but then came together when they realized there was no difference between the two of them. Hermione had spoken up for him and along with Ron and Harry guaranteed his freedom and proved to the wizarding world what he had really done.
Hermione had watched as Severus had changed from the snarky bastard to the snarky man that had shown love and respect towards her. He had begun to trust others and treat others as equals now. Former students that were terrified of Severus now had a newfound respect for their former Potions professor. Because he had taught a good chunk of the wizarding population that had attended Hogwarts they had known to envelope and accept him but to respect his privacy and space. Hermione on the other hand had to learn to be on her own and to become independent before she could be with anyone else. She had to discover herself and find her strengths and faults.
Severus on the other hand had put on some weight after the war. His wasn't as pale as he used to be and the tattoo had faded away once Voldemort was killed. He still had scars on his throat that were now faint do to the expert healers and mediwitchs at St. Mungos. He had begun to look significantly younger as well. Years of stress, of having to split his loyalties between two megalomaniac's, of having to protect and teach a school full of children and to protect the-boy-who-lived-to-be-a-giant-pain-in-his-ass had quickly and satisfyingly melted away.
There was a giant weight lifted off his shoulders. Though there was still the trauma of those years. And that trauma was lifting everyday that he was with Hermione. Together they suffered and triumphed over PTSD and their secrets. Together they had overcome so much and as Severus had his arm wrapped around his wife's waist he leaned in and placed his forehead on her stomach. She was now eight months pregnant. Never had he thought that he would marry and have a child on the way. Severus kissed her belly then looked up in to her eyes.
"I'll come to bed after I finish these essays." He responded. He only had five left it shouldn't take too long. Hermione nodded and kissed Severus on the cheek then turned and went to their quarters. Severus finished the last five and went to his quarters. Hermione was already in their bedroom with the light on. And softly as he could he walked in to the bedroom and removed his boots and clothing, and slipped into bed naked. He'd snuggled up to the back of Hermione placing a hand on her belly. The lights went out and with a mumbled good night from Hermione they both fell asleep.