Ok, I have added and moved some stuff around, so I'm happier with it. I love reading Severus/Hermione fics, and the idea for this one came to me last night at 4am. I haven't written anything in months, and this is my first HP fic, so please keep that in mind.  Also, this has not been beta read.  If anyone is interested in being my beta for this story, please e-mail me @ joycerenee@springmail.com.

Warning: Multiple character deaths, but never fear, I am the happy-ending queen!

Rating: R, just to be safe

Pairings: This story will mainly focus on Severus/Hermione. But there will also be, Harry/Ginny, Remus/Sirius (nothing graphic, mostly implied) Fred/OFC, George/OFC, Percy/Penelope, Bill/OFC, and Charlie/OFC. Whew! J

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea.

I Dream of ….Hermione?

I. Prologue: Dark Times

*Back Ground Info

*It's been six years since Harry, Ron, and Hermione graduated from Hogwarts.  Ron and Harry are both aurors for the Ministry of Magic. Hermione is a potions/chemical specialist heading the Muggle-Wizard Co-ops team in research.  She teaches potions at Hogwarts in Snape's absence.  Arthur Weasley has been Minister of Magic for the past three years, since Fudge was found to be under Voldemort's control. Professor Snape disappeared in the middle of Harry's fifth year.  He has been rumored to be held in Azkaban, along with Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Charlie and Bill Weasley, and Hagrid.  Azkaban is currently controlled by Voldemort; the dementors are his most loyal servants.

*Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny, Arthur, Percy, Molly, and Dumbledore have infiltrated Azkaban for a final showdown. Lord Voldemort is finally defeated. He and his followers are banished to a hellish dimension they can never leave thanks to a spell cast by Dumbledore, Hermione, Arthur, and Harry.

*Our story begins just after the infamous spell has been cast, and the players are slowly emerging from the rubble that was once Azkaban.   

            Twenty-four year old Harry Potter flew over the smoldering ruins of Azkaban in a daze.  His trusty Firebolt 6000 automatically swerving out of the way of the billowing smoke and bursts of flame that spouted from below. 

            They had done it.  Voldemort was gone for good this time, but at no small price.

            The lifeless eyes of Albus Dumbledore suddenly flashed through his mind.  Harry gave his head a hard shake, trying to focus on the task at hand.  There would be plenty of time to grieve later.

            Steeling himself against the thick smoke that stung his eyes, and filled his lungs, Harry descended into the ruins to help the survivors.

            Severus Snape groaned in pain as he pushed a fallen beam off his barely conscious cell mates.  His left arm was twisted at an odd angle, but he was pleasantly surprised to see that the mark that had tainted not only his skin, but his soul, had completely disappeared.

            Remus and Sirius gave him odd looks when he grinned and waved his broken arm in front of them.                                                  

            Severus didn't care.  He was feeling hope for the first time in nine years, and it felt great.  He was momentarily distracted by a figure swooping down toward them.

            "James?" Severus croaked before giving in to the blissful blackness that held no pain.

            "He's not in his right mind, Harry." Remus explained as Harry flew all three of them to safety.

            "He hasn't been since we got here."

            While Severus had spent the last nine years in Azkaban, Remus and Sirius had only been there a matter of weeks.

            "I speak from experience when I say that it will take a little while for him to adjust to reality." Said Sirius, shuddering.

            Harry put them down a safe distance away.

            "I'll be back." Was all Harry said before flying back out into the darkness.

            When Severus awoke, he was surprised to see all the injured people around him.  Some he recognized, others he didn't.

            James was coming back, and he was carrying an unconscious woman.  Lily?  No, no!  That wasn't right!  James and Lily Potter were dead.  That man was Harry.

            "Same difference." He muttered to himself.

            Harry dropped to the ground beside Severus.  He quickly set Hermione down next to him.

            "Watch her! I'm going back for Ginny." Harry said to him before leaving again.

            Severus scowled at Harry's retreating back. 

            A small groan made him look down at his companion.

            He had expected to see a bushy-headed little girl, not a beautiful, silky-haired, curvy, woman.

            She opened her large brown eyes and stared up at him.

            "Professor Snape?" she asked.

            "Hermione?"

            But she had fallen back asleep.  Severus scooped the sleeping woman up and cradled her in his lap.  He rocked back and forth humming quietly as his mind tried to catch up with everything else.

            The man with light blonde hair and a dark purpose, apparated a few feet away from his goal.  His eyes were panicked as they searched for her.

            He spotted her in the old potion master's embrace.

            "I'll take it from here, Severus." Said a cold voice from behind him.

            "Lucius?"