AN: Hello! Here's chapter 1. Hope you like it, let me know!

I've change the title from "Finding happiness in heaven" to "Chance at happiness" because I didn't feel it was right.

Chapter 1

Hermione Granger was currently strolling through Diagon Alley in search of some ingredients for her private studies.

Everything around her was exactly as it should be. By looking at the shops, no one would have guessed that a war had been fought. Two years had passed since that fateful date and people had tried to regain a sense of peace by reconstructing everything exactly as it was before.

Waving her hand at George, who was opening his shop, a flicker of silver on her hand caught her eye. Looking at the ring there her thoughts flew to Ron and his proposal. It had been a month ago and the young woman, along with her parents (happily returned from Australia with their memories back), had been invited to the Burrow for Ron's birthday.

Molly Weasley had, as always, outdone herself in the kitchen and by the end of the dinner no one had the strength to stand. After opening his gifts Ron turned to his girlfriend and knelt in front of her chair.

'There's just one other gift I'd like. 'Mione, will you marry me?'

Hermione looked around herself. Everyone was staring, waiting for her answer. Wasn't this what she had always dreamed? Her and Ron, Harry and Ginny? Together, forever? Yes, of course she had dreamed about it, many times. But since that night…

'No, you can't go there. He's dead, you have to accept it,' she told herself. 'And furthermore, it was only a crush.'

'Only a crush? Are you completely sure? Because from here it seems quite different,' her traitor brain (or was it her heart?) answered.

'Not now.'

After her affirmative answer and a through kiss, they went back to their places. They were meant to be together, right?

She had been so lost in her reminiscence that she didn't see the old woman who was coming right out of the Apothecary.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, helping to pick up her supplies. "I'm really sorry, I was lost in my own thoughts."

"Not to worry, dear," answered the other witch while putting everything in her satchel. "Luckily I put an anti—breaking charm on them."

Helping the witch to retrieve everything, Hermione couldn't help but observe her. The woman must have been around seventy years old. Her face was pale, enhanced by the fact that the hair was completely black. Why was her face familiar?

"Thank you, dear," said the old witch, once everything was in the bag.

"I'm really sorry, madam," said Hermione, looking sheepish. "I'm Hermione Granger, by the way," she added, extending her hand.

"Oh, I'm Eileen Prince, dear," answered the other witch, shaking her hand vigorously. "I'm Severus Snape's mother," she added when she saw the confounded expression on the young witch face.

Another face, similar to that of the witch, but that of a man with raven hair and pale skin came to her mind. A face that had been appearing in her dreams frequently since the war. Tears came to her eyes, thinking about his missing body.

"Madame, I'm so sorry. I feel responsible for the missing body of your son," admitted Hermione, finally freeing herself from a thought that had been haunting her since that night. Tears were streaming down her face now.

Eileen Prince was not a stupid woman. She knew that the wizarding world believed her son to be dead and that young, stubborn man hadn't thought of correcting that assumption. Because you see, Severus Snape was alive and well, probably sitting in his mother's sitting room reading a book or preparing potions in his laboratory. Eileen Prince didn't agree with her son's decision, but she never dared to go against him; it was his life after all and he deserved to be free to choose. But this young woman in from of her was crying because she thought the it was her fault that she couldn't have a funeral. So she did what she thought was the right thing.

"My dear, my son is not dead," she whispered in Hermione's ear.

"What?" exclaimed the young witch. She must have heard wrong.

"Sshh. Come, we shouldn't talk here. My son would kill me if the whole world knew."

Taking the young witch by her arm, Eileen brought her in a hidden corner of the street where she knew no one would pass.

"Muffliato."

Looking around herself pleased, the older witch smiled at Hermione. "Now we can talk."

"Mrs Snape, did you just say that Severus Snape is alive?" asked the young witch, still looking flabbergast.

"First of all, call me Eileen, or Mrs Prince if you must, but I'm not a Snape," answered Snape's mother, a bit coldly. "Secondly, you have heard me perfectly right. My son, Severus Snape, is alive and well. Probably sitting somewhere reading and not caring a bit about the world thinking him death."

He was alive. Hermione couldn't believe it. All these years she was convinced that her Professor had been taken by some Death Eater, while all this time he was at his mother's house. Why didn't he want the world to know he was alive? He was a hero, now. Why didn't he tell HER he was alive? After what they shared that night, she thought he had some sort of feelings. Maybe she had been wrong.

Merlin, Severus Snape was alive and Hermione Granger was engaged to Ron Weasley.

"Why… why doesn't he want the world to know? And why did you tell me, Mrs Sn… Eileen?"

"Merlin only knows what goes through that man's head, girl. I swear, from all the things to take after his father he had to choose stubbornness," grumbled Eileen, shaking her head. "It seems that he doesn't want all the attention that he would get, were he to make his appearance in public. And what a better way to live a quite life, that feigning to be dead?"

"Why did you tell me, then?"

The older witch took Hermione's hand. "Because you were suffering. In vain. And because I believe you can be trusted, were he to choose to continue living like this."

"You won't go around telling everyone this, right?" added Eileen after some time.

"Of course not! I would never!"

"Good, I must go now. Severus will surely be wondering where I've been."

The old woman took away the charm, and sounds began to descend around them. As they were heading towards the main street of Diagon Alley, a foolish idea came to Hermione's mind, and before she could think about it she had turned towards Snape's mother.

"Can I visit?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the young witch regretted them. "I'm sorry, I don't wish to impose. I'm sure the Professor won't care about seeing me."

"Not at all, dear. I think it would be wonderful if you visited," said Eileen. "However, it's better if I warn Severus first. We don't him to cause a scene."

Smiling, the old witch waved at Hermione telling her to wait for her owl with indications as to her address.

Hermione Granger stood there, looking at the spot were the old witch had been. She couldn't believe it. Severus Snape was alive and she had just met his mother. Merlin, that was the mother of the man she had kissed. Of the man she had feelings for. Shaking her head to clear it she Apparated away, still not sure if what had just taken place would end up in a good way.