Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. Chapter 4
After the first week she had started to settle into a nice routine. When the first weekend came Professor Sprout took her to Diagon Ally to purchase new school robes, books, and other materials. While the pair ventured into muggle London to purchase clothes to wear on evenings and weekends as well as pajamas, underwear, and other essentials (toothbrush, shampoo, etc.)
Hermione had been ecstatic when, on her first day of Potions, she had been informed that the class had been working on a project and the only person without a partner was Severus Snape. Hermione knew that with Severus as her partner there was no way they wouldn't have the best project in the history of Hogwarts.
It had been exactly three months since Hermione had landed in 1977. When she woke up that morning she looked around confused for a few minutes before she remembered that not only had all of the other seven-year girls gone home for Christmas, but the rest of Gryffindor had as well. She smiled to herself as she climbed out of bed.
Without stopping to get dressed, Hermione grabbed her robe and ran down the stairs to the common room. When she got to the bottom, she ran to the Christmas tree and shrank the presents she had received from her fellow Gryffindors and even a few from her Professors.
When she had all her presents safely in her pocket, she took off running down the hall toward the Room of Requirement. After 15 minutes of running, Hermione came to a halt in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Hermione looked down the hall on her right; not seeing anyone coming, she turned to her left. Not recognizing the person coming down the hall, Hermione ducked into the shadows, not wanting to explain to someone why she was standing around in a deserted corridor by herself on Christmas morning. When the person was close enough for Hermione to see their face, she realized that this was the very person she was in the corridor to meet. Stepping out of the shadows, Hermione came face to face with none other than Severus Snape.
Hermione wrapped both arms around Snape's neck before leaning in to give him a peck on the lips. When she pulled away, Severus gave her a small smile before saying, "What would Potter say if he knew you were dating a Slytherin?" Hermione smiled back at him before turning away in order to open the entrance to the Room of Requirement. Once inside, Hermione and Severus resized all their presents before placing them under the tree, beside a large couch and two chairs, which had appeared.
When they had all the presents lain out in front of them, they sat down on the couch both afraid to say anything; after five minutes of silence, Hermione couldn't stand it anymore. She reached forward and grabbed her present to Severus. He looked at it for a moment before opening the box. When Severus finally had all the wrapping paper off, he removed the lid of the box. When he looked inside, he saw a book: A Potion Master's Guide to Potion Making. Severus looked from the book to Hermione and back again. When he looked back up, Hermione could see the confused look on Severus face as he sat staring down at the book; with a big smile on her face, she said, "It's the first year text for people taking their Masters in potions." Severus finally looked up at her "I know what it is. I'm confused because I've never told anyone what I wanted to do after I graduated." Hermione quickly recovered from her initial shock that someone might have found out she was from the future. "I just assumed you would be continuing on with potions. I mean, it's the only subject you enjoy; I can send it back and get you something else if you'd prefer." Severus smiled at her for a minute before answering her. "No. It's a great gift, and I was thinking of continuing in potions, so it will come in handy."
Hermione sat still for a few minutes, just looking at Severus, before saying, "Well?" Severus looked at her before responding "Well what?" Hermione gave him a small smile before saying, "Don't I get a present, too?" Severus got up and walked over to the tree; he picked up a package about the size of the one Hermione had given to him. He passed the box to Hermione who opened it as if she had never gotten a present in her life. When she had finally managed to get the paper and the lid off, she looked into the box and saw plain brown leather bound book; there were no markings on it and when she picked up she saw that there weren't any markings on the spine or on the back either.
Severus sat still, not sure if she would like the present or not. He had never put any real thought into presents before. When she looked up at him he said, "I wasn't sure what to get you so I made you a photo album of our time together so far." Hermione looked like she was going to start crying as she said, "I love it; I've never gotten a present that someone has put so much thought and feeling into." Severus smiled back at her before instructing her to open the book. Inside Hermione found pictures of them working in the library and pictures Severus had charmed the camera to take of them by the lake and he even found pictures of Hermione with her fellow Gryffindors. As Hermione continued to flip through the book, she found pictures of Severus when he was younger and even some from his first six years of school.
Hermione couldn't find a single picture of Severus smiling except in the pictures with them both. When Hermione asked him why he didn't put in any pictures of him smiling, he told her that he couldn't find a single picture where he was happy except for the ones of the two of them together. Hermione couldn't believe she was the first person in his life that had made him happy, she couldn't recall a time in her life when she wasn't happy. At that moment in time, Hermione finally understood why this man sitting beside her had turned out the way he had. She knew that he would have to follow the same path that he would have if she hadn't meet him, but she was determined to make sure he at least had some happy memories before that happened.
Hermione and Severus decided to eat lunch in the Room of Requirement, instead of in the Great Hall with the rest of the staff and students. After lunch, the two went for a walk around the lake before finally separating and heading to their own common rooms to change into dry clothes for dinner.
The last six months flew by for Hermione, and it was no surprise to her when she graduated in a three-way tie between herself, Severus, and Lily Evans. On the last day of school, Hermione stood on the front steps holding onto Severus's hand, afraid to let go. He smiled down at her before starting to pull her forwards toward the waiting carriages. When he felt the resistance she was putting up, he turned around, and took one glance at the scared look on her face, before he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the carriage.
When the train arrived at King's Cross station, Hermione got off the train hand-in-hand with Severus, followed closely by Lily and James, and finally Sirius, who was looking every which way trying to see Remus. He had left the week before in order to make sure the wards Dumbledore had put at their new house would hold during the full moon. Remus had written to Sirius and promised to meet them all at the train station with a car big enough to fit all six of them in it.
After only three days together, James and Severus were both just about at their breaking point, which was why, at that moment, Lily and Hermione were both at opposite ends of the house giving James and Severus identical lectures about behaving themselves and putting up with each other for another two days, then they would only have to see each other when it was absolutely necessary.
Severus was the first to give in, promising Hermione that he would behave if he only had to be in the same room as James during meals. Hermione told him that was fine, that she would tell Lily to tell James the same thing. Little did she know that, at that same moment, James was agreeing with Lily to avoid Severus for two more days if it would make her happy.
Two days later, Hermione was awoken to a loud banging noise; when her eyes finally focused on the source of the noise, Hermione let out a groan. Severus turned around when he heard her groan; he had a large grin on his face and about ten of Hermione's books in his hands. He dropped the books into one of the trunks before moving to turn on the light. When Hermione saw what time it was, she quickly told Severus to turn the light off and go back to bed; they would finish packing at six o'clock in the morning, if he was really that eager to leave, but under no circumstances was she getting up at 12:30 in the morning to pack. Severus took one look at Hermione before he turned the light back off and crawled into bed beside her. Hermione rolled away from Severus pulling on his arm so that he would be forced to snuggle up to her back. As much as Severus hated to admit it, he loved to cuddle with Hermione. No one else had ever given him as much as a hug.
When Severus woke up again, he found himself alone in bed; when he rolled over to look around the room for Hermione, he caught a glimpse at the clock. Realizing it was almost ten o'clock, he sprang out of bed and started to run around the room packing all of their belongings. When he had everything packed and waiting beside the fireplace, he went looking for the last thing he needed before he left the hell he'd been stuck in for the last week. When Severus finally found Hermione sitting outside under a large tree with Lily, he ran over, grabbed Hermione's hand and started pulling her back toward the house.
By the time Hermione was able to pull her hand free of Severus's they were standing in front of the fireplace, Severus's hand full of Floo powder. Hermione stood staring at him for a few moments before she shook her head, told him he could go and she would catch up with him in a few minutes. Severus gave her a look that clearly said 'You'd better.' Seconds later, Severus was gone, leaving Hermione and Lily alone in the living room. They gave each other a hug and promised to meet for lunch the following day.
When Hermione emerged from the fireplace a few moments later, Severus was standing there waiting for her. When she looked up at him, he had a smile on his face that Hermione hadn't seen in weeks. "What are you smiling about?" "Do you know the one thing everyone does to make a house officially theirs?" Hermione looked a little confused before she shook her head 'no.' "Well, let me tell you. Tonight we are going to christen this house. We'll start in the bedroom and work our way through the house."
Hermione smiled at him for a minute before throwing herself into his arms, knocking both of them to the ground.