A/N: Hey guys!

I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who reviewed, some people were wondering how often I update and I have to admit that I don't have an answer to that. I do try and update as frequently as possible. You should get an update at least three or four times a month, but thats all I can promise at the moment.

Sorry for the cliff hanger, I hadn't meant to leave it as such, it just seemed a good place to stop.

Let me know what you think!

Read/Review/Enjoy!

Saying Goodbye

Hermione froze in shock at what she saw as she entered the living room. There, standing only ten feet away were her father and Severus shaking hands. They hadn't noticed Hermione yet, although she was sure that Severus knew she was there. Suddenly her mother let out a choked sob and practically lunged at Severus wrapping him in a very heavy embrace. A moment later Mrs Granger saw Hermione, and finally letting go of a very uncomfortable looking Severus, she ran over to Hermione to capture her in a similar hug. "Oh Hermione! I am just so proud of you. I am going to miss you so much, except I'm not am I?" Her mother laughed tearily, wiping away the stray tears. "I just can't bear to not know who you are, to not know that I have a daughter, a beautiful, talented, brilliant, kind, and very brave daughter!"

"Mum." Hermione said through fresh tears of her own. "You have to. There is no other way."

"I know, I know Severus has explained it all to us." Severus? When did he become Severus? Hermione wondered. "I know that there is no other way. Just promise me to keep safe. Promise me. I have already had Severus promise me to keep you safe and now you must do the same." Hermione's gaze snapped to Severus', he gave her a weak smile of reassurance.

"Severus," Robert said interrupting their silent dialogue. "Thank you for keeping our daughter safe, and thank you for helping us now."

"Of course Mr Granger." Severus answered politely.

"Robert, please," Hermione's father insisted.

"Robert then." Severus nodded. "I'll just give you some time to say goodbye there are a few more things that I have to take care of before we can erase your memories, I will just be upstairs." Severus said turning to exit the room.

As soon as Severus was upstairs Hermione turned to her parents and said, "Do you have anymore questions that Severus didn't answer? What exactly did he tell you?" Hermione asked, more than a little curious.

"I don't want to talk about that! Hermione I am so proud of you! Severus told us about all you did this year, how you helped him create that antidote and working tirelessly to help him above and beyond what was expected of you," her mother praised. "I can't imagine going to school during the day and working in the labs all night. And then having to get up early the next morning and do it all over again!"

"He told you that?" Hermione asked surprised. Why was he telling her parents about their work together?

"I'll be right back," Robert said, going up the stairs.

"Dad where are you going?"

"I'm just getting something from upstairs, don't worry I'll be right back." he reassured her.

Turning back to her mother, Hermione asked, "Mum, why was Severus telling you about our potions work?"

"I think it was his way of reassuring us," Hermione mother contemplated. "Robert and I could tell that he doesn't like to talk about himself that much."

"No, Severus has never been one for talking about his feelings, wait what was he reassuring you about?"

"He was trying to tell us in his own round about way, that he won't let anything happen to you," she answered simply.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, Hermione!" her mother sighed. "Don't you see? He loves you!"

"What?" Well I hadn't been expecting that.

"Oh dear, it's so obvious that you are the most important thing in his world." Mrs Granger answered.

"Mum are you-"

"Do you love him?" Her mother interrupted, enthusiastically.

"Mum!"

"You do, don't you," her mother said giving her a sly look.

It seemed that she had finally been found out at last, Hermione sighed and said, "Honestly, are you sure you're not a witch? Sometimes I feel like you're reading my thoughts."

"Have you told him yet?"

"How can you possibly be okay with this?" Hermione asked.

"There is a ten year age gap between your father and I, and you told me yourself that magical people live to be one hundred and fifty, it's quite different. Plus you have always been wise beyond your years. So? Have you told him how you feel?"

Hermione blushed at this. "Well sort of." She was saved from answering more questions by her father returning.

"Sorry it took so long," her father said coming over to stand next to Hermione.

"Did you find it?" Mrs Granger asked, looking at her husband.

"Yup," Robert replied with a smile.

"Find what?" Hermione asked.

"Your birthday present of course!" Her mother replied. "Since we most likely won't see you on your birthday this year, we thought we would celebrate early."

"Mum, Dad please the last thing I am thinking about is a birthday present." Hermione said beginning to cry again.

"Oh we know that, but we want you to have it," Hermione's mother said fondly.

"I didn't have time to wrap it." Robert said placing a small black velvet pouch in her hand.

"I can't believe you bought my gift this far in advance." Hermione commented.

"Well we weren't planning it, we just saw it and thought of you." her mother smiled teary eyed.

Hermione let out an almost inaudible gasp upon seeing the contents of the pouch. It was perfect. A thin gold band with a small red stone in the centre. It was the most beautiful ring Hermione had ever seen, mostly because it seemed made for her. It wasn't big and gaudy, but simple, light and elegant. "It's beautiful! I'll never take it off," she said putting it on.

"Something to remind you just how much we love you," her mother said in a soft whisper. The moment was then interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Hermione looked over to see Severus standing awkwardly in the hallway. Giving her a meaningful look, Hermione understood that it was time.

…...

"Have you got everything? We have to leave before your parents wake up." Severus instructed.

"Almost I just need to put Crooks in his travelling case." Hermione said picking up the mass of orange fur. Shrinking all of her things and placing them in her cloak pocket, Hermione looked up at Severus, indicating that she was ready to go.

"Don't worry Hermione, they will be fine. They have plane tickets to Australia for this evening and they should wake up in about five minutes. All their things are packed and everything has been sorted out for them in Australia." Nodding her head she picked up Crookshanks and walked over to take hold of Severus' arm, and without another word Severus apparated them to Wales.

…...

"This house really is lovely Severus." Hermione complemented, as she stepped inside Hawthorne Cottage.

"I'm glad you approve." Severus then proceeded to show her the rest of the house, which contained a lab in the basement, a living room, a kitchen with a large kitchenette, which Hermione had already seen, a library, a sun room running the whole back of the house facing the ocean, three bedrooms and three bathes, the one bath she had already been in, near the kitchen, then one on the top floor, and the last being connected to the master suite.

"This is where you'll be staying." Severus said as he opened the door to one of the two guest bedrooms. "I hope it is to your liking."

"I'm sure it will be." She said smiling, inspecting her new room, she paused however when she saw her luggage at the end of the bed.

"Severus? What are my bags doing over there? Last time I checked they were all still in my pocket."

"Ah yes, that would be Nokey," Severus replied.

"Nokey?" Hermione inquired.

"Yes, Nokey, he is my house elf."

"I wasn't aware that you had a house elf. How have I never met him before?"

"He stays here most of the year. He's in charge of taking care of all the plants and keeping the house clean. I never summon him, I'd rather not let people know that I have a house elf. It can be taken advantage of, if known by the wrong person."

"Not even me? You know you could have trusted me." Hermione said, slightly offended.

"Honestly, I didn't really think about it. I wouldn't have hesitated to tell you if it had come up," Severus answered.

"I didn't even see him, how did he get into my pockets?"

"I have trained him well, you most likely won't see him while you're here."

"But I shall be here for three weeks! Surely I will see him at least once or twice!"

"No, as I've already said, I have trained him well. I don't like to be disturbed and he knows that. Unless I summon him, I myself don't see him." As soon as the words left his mouth he regretted them.

"Then summon him! I would at least like to meet him and tell him there is no need for him to pick-pocket me," Hermione said with a huff. "Honestly! You can be so ridiculous sometimes!"

"Hermione, I'm sure he has a lot of work to do."

"The poor thing. I can only imagine him sneaking around afraid to be seen!"

Severus could picture it too, but instead when he pictured it he had to hold back from laughing.

"Hermione it's not as if I ever punished him."

"I know that!" Hermione snapped.

Severus gave her a look as if sizing up the situation. "You're not going to give this up until you meet him are you?"

"Nope." She said giving him a determined look.

With a roll of his eyes and a resigned sigh, he summoned his house elf. "Nokey!"

There was a loud pop announcing the arrival of the pale unattractive creature now standing in front of them. Hermione could tell that he was on the younger side. She was also happy to note that he looked quite healthy and was wearing a clean and fluffy black terry cloth towel as a uniform.

"Is there something you needed master?" Nokey said bowing his head, his nose grazing the ground as he did so.

"Nokey, I would like to introduce you to Miss Granger. She will be staying with us for a couple of weeks. You are to do whatever she asks of you."

"Introduce sir? But why? A good house elf is an invisible house elf." Nokey recited.

"Now Nokey that's not true! I want you to know that you don't have to sneak around me." Hermione said squatting down to be at eye level with him, giving the elf a sympathetic look. "And please call me Hermione like Severus does," she said smiling.

Nokey on the other hand was giving her a look of utter confusion and apprehension. "Is there anything you is needing Miss?"

"No Nokey, I only wanted to thank you for bringing my luggage to my room," Hermione said smiling at him.

"You are very welcome Miss," he said still looking a tad confused. "Will that be all Sir and Miss?" He said looking back and fourth between the two.

"Yes Nokey, thank you." They said in unison, one voice much more chipper than the other. And with another resounding "Pop!" Nokey was gone.

"See he is perfectly fine!" Severus said, gesturing to the spot Nokey had just vacated.

"I merely wanted to meet him, and now that I have, I can see he is very happy here."

"So do you like your room? I made sure you got the room with the best view." Severus asked, gesturing to the window. The last thing he wanted to do was argue about his ruddy house elf.

Hermione had been too distracted by her luggage and then meeting Nokey to really look at her room. Now that she was paying attention however, she gasped at the view that Severus had been talking about. She walked up to the window to see that this side of the house over looked the ocean, and if she looked down she could see a small patio. "Oh Severus! It's absolutely breathtaking! She said pressing her hands up against the glass, trying to take it all in. "Severus?" She said turning around to look up at him.

"Yes?" he had walked over to her, and was now only standing a few feet away.

"Are we ever going to talk about what happened?" She said looking up at him.

'Whatever do you mean? I thought we already talked about what happened on the tower."

"No, no not that. I'm talking about the fact that I kissed you, and you kissed me back."

"Oh." He let out with a sigh. "That."

"Yes, that." Hermione said cracking a smile.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you back." Severus hurried to apologize.

"That's a shame." She said with a wicked smile.

Severus' eyebrows rose at her last comment. "And why is that?" He said moving closer to her, he was now only a few inches away.

"I had been wanting to do that for a very long time. And I haven't been able to stop thinking about doing it again since." Hermione said reaching out a hand and fingering his robes.

Severus swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked down at her. "Have you?" He said willing his voice not to shake as he stepped infinitesimally closer to her. Hermione nodded her head as she fiddled with the piece of fabric. When she looked up again she was instantly lost in his eyes. All she had thought about since that day had been about kissing him again and now that she was here she had no intention of backing down. Slowly she started to lean forward. Just as their lips were about to meet there was a loud, "Pop!" Hermione and Severus both jumped apart from each other, startled.

"Lunch's ready Sir and Miss!" Nokey said with a triumphant look on his face.

"Nokey!" Severus growled out, but he was quickly cut off by Hermione.

"Thank you Nokey, we will be down shortly." The elf bowed his head with a wide grin on his face, not having realized that he had obviously interrupted something and then popped out of sight. "I'm starting to see the benefits to an invisible house elf." Hermione said laughing. "Come on lets go have lunch, I'm starving!" She pulled Severus out of the room as he grumbled about not being hungry and something about stupid house elves, she chose not to listen.

…...

"So tell me, how is Malfoy? Is he all right?" Hermione asked as she cleared the table.

"That was an unexpected question." Severus commented, a small smile playing across his face. "What makes you ask?"

"I just kept thinking about that day that Harry found him in the bathroom crying. Now I know why," Hermione said sadly. "I haven't heard anything about what might have happened to him, and I thought you might know."

"After we returned to the Dark Lord, the Malfoy's were punished severely. Thankfully, the Dark Lord decided to keep them alive, if you ask me he just likes to watch them squirm," Severus said bitterly.

"Yes, that sounds about right." Hermione said quietly. "Why don't we do some gardening? I find it always helps clear my head, and Merlin, is my head too busy at the moment." She said with a smile.

"That would be favourable." Severus answered, getting up out of his chair, leading the way to the greenhouse.

That evening Hermione and Severus retired to the library where they were now sitting together on the couch, each reading their respective books. "Severus?" Hermione spoke softly, resting her book on her lap. She smiled as he looked up, making eye contact with her. "Have I told you how grateful I am for everything you've done for me and my family, and my friends come to think of it."

Severus rolled his eyes at the acknowledgement, "Only about ten times, and that's not including the numerous amount of times that your parents expressed their gratitude as well. I promise you, I did not do any of it for the recognition, I did it in spite of it, in fact, so please do me a favour and stop."

"What did you say to my parents to convince them of your innocence so readily?" Hermione asked curiously. "All my mother would tell me is that you spoke of our potions work together."

"Did it ever cross your mind that that is all there is to tell?" Severus answered.

"No, not really." Hermione said with a small smile.

"Well I am sorry to disappoint you, but that was all I said." Severus said going back to his book on newly researched uses for fungi.

"Oh." Hermione uttered softly, deflating a little.

"You're upset. Why?" Severus asked, looking back up at her now, crestfallen expression.

"Oh, I don't know. I just thought that maybe you... might have said you cared for me." Hermione said stumbling through the sentence. "It was silly of me," she said looking him in the eyes.

"It's not silly, Hermione. I... you're my only friend in this whole world, of course I care for you." Severus said softly.

"I know, I know I'm your friend." Hermione said, the last word coming out as if it were poison.

"Hermione... what do you want me to say?" Severus asked desperately trying understand.

"What do you think I want you to say Severus." Hermione said, putting her book down, moving closer to him on the couch.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking." Severus ground out, trying to keep calm. The last thing he needed was to make her angry.

"I want you to say that you care about me as more than a friend! I want you to say that you want me half as much as I want you!" Hermione groaned, frustrated. Without another moments hesitation she reached across the remaining space between them and grabbed Severus by his shirt and kissed him. This kiss was nothing like their first, which had been soft, and unsure, it was urgent, and filled with desire. Her courage was rewarded as Severus slowly ran his tongue across her lips, requesting access to her mouth. Hermione's hands eventually made their way into his hair in an effort to bring them closer, she was surprised to note that his hair was actually quite silky and baby fine, not greasy like everyone said. She began to moan at the amount of different sensations that were coursing through her body. This had been what she wanted. One of Severus' hands had found it's way to her waist, while the other to the back of her head. She couldn't believe that this was happening. I am kissing Severus Snape, and thoroughly enjoying it! She thought to herself. Severus broke apart slightly as he began to chuckle. "What's so funny?" Hermione asked slightly embarrassed, but at the same time upset that they had stopped for the moment.

"Nothing it was just something you thought that made me laugh."

"Severus Snape are you telling me that you were performing legilimency on me while we were snogging?"

"I can't help it, we have a very strong connection, sometimes things just slip into my mind." Severus answered. "And for the record I was thoroughly enjoying it too," he smirked devilishly, enjoying the blush now spreading across her cheeks.