Hermione couldn't tell you how she got to Severus' room; she was so lost, in shock mostly. Then she saw him. He was in a hospital gown lying on white sheets which only served to highlight his paleness. Her knees suddenly gave out but she didn't hit the floor, someone was holding her up. Severus looked dead, he had lost weight and his face looked sad even now. A healer was standing there staring at her starting to speak, All Hermione heard was white noise, and her whole focus was on her husband, the love of her life.

Guilt hit her full force and she could seem to catch her breath. Here she was enjoying the attention of another man, kissing him while he lay here. The hands holding her up tensed on her arms giving her a little movement bringing her back to the present.

"Did you hear me ?"

"No…" It was uttered to weakly the healer barely heard it.

"He is dying and there isn't much we can do. He has had a heart attack, a very serious one. We…can't help him. In his will he has stipulated that he wants no medical aid. I'm very sorry…I'll leave you with him."

Hermione didn't even hear the healer leave the room. He didn't want to be saved; he must have changed his will after they separated. HOW COULD HE!

Hermione wasn't aware that she has yelled

"Hermione I am so sorry, I will leave you with him and get more information." Ciaran swiftly left the room

Hermione slowly approached Severus, the man that had stolen her heart, she realized with a suddenness that rocked her body that separation had done nothing to heal her heart just to bury it. She still loved him; she missed him, even just his presence in a room. Oh no! Tears started pouring down her face. She should have stopped him when she was in the hospital, should have taken it back. He has told her that he loved her, those words she so longed to hear. He had had emotion in his eyes. All those things she wanted he had given her and she had thrown it away in her heart ache.

She fell to her knees next to his bed. He had admitted he didn't know how to love to be a husband and she had pushed him away. Isn't that what she had wanted? NO! She just wanted him. She didn't care about anything else, just to have him alive and ignore her but sit with her reading a book. She would go back to the way everything was if just he would get up.

The realization was choking her. She wanted to lay down next to him and die, she truly did, she was just so tired. Grabbing Severus' hand she said his name.

"Hermione?" It was a pitiful whisper of her name but it was him, his voice.

His eyes opened and a sob came from Hermione

"Oh Severus I am so sorry…I shouldn't have let you walk away"

Severus looked at her with so much love for the first time; she saw it, everything she has always wanted to see. The love was blinding. He smiled something else she had never bared witness too.

"No… you were right…I was a terrible husband…I…am…sorry" His voice was fading but he squeezed her hand

"You can't leave me Severus, I love you too much…I don't want to let go, I don't. Please let them help you…Please. I. I can't live without you, in a world where you are not in it."

He frowned while looking at her, a searching hard look

"I thought you were with the doctor!" It had turned into a low growl; Hermione could have laughed from the pleasure of hearing his voice take that tone.

"No Severus, no. We are friends. He was helping me recover from my injuries. It took me a long time"

"I saw you in the newspaper"

"I went out for the first time after my recovery, Ciaran gave me strength, He's the one that healed me."

The searching look continued

"Do you love him?"

"Yes Severus " A sound similar to a dying cat came out of Severus mouth he tried to pull away but Hermione held fast

"As a friend Severus"

He looked at her then with so much hope her shattered heart broke just a little more.

"Hermione I don't want to live in a world where I don't have you. I need you..I want you.. I want to be a good husband but I don't know how."

His voice was gaining strength, pink was coming back into his cheeks

"I don't know how to kiss or make love and I was too stubborn to admit it. I didn't want you to think less of me, I gave up just settling for you presence. That was enough for me and I'm sorry that it hurt you. I let my pride take over."

"Oh Severus" There was a weepy job in her voice " I don't think less of you, I'm honored that you want to be with me in that way. I know it's hard for you"

He started to hesitate but pushed his pride down

"Will you come back to me?..Will you ?"

"Severus I would do anything for you, of course"

"Would you kiss me? We have never had a true kiss just my stunted imitation of one. Please"

Hermione beamed at him and got off her knees gently sitting on his bed, a true smile on her face. Severus had a mixture of fear and wonder on his face. She leaned toward him and gently placed her lips on his. A choked groan came from Severus throat. He had never felt anything like this and from just a simple kiss. It wasn't a simple kiss it was a kiss full of love. He realized that she would have always kissed him like this if he would have let her. Instead he had become mechanical separate from himself when intimate with her, perfunctory. To keep his wits he acted as he had with the Dark Lord doing some unsavory act. He separated himself, went away deep into his mind. Oh the wasted years!

Hermione pulled away and Severus followed with eyes clinched shut, he didn't want her to stop. Hermione opened her eyes and saw his face, she moved her hand to hold the side of his face and leaned back in for a kiss. There was so much joy she thought she was going to explode. This is what she had always wanted

The kiss started slow, Severus tentative but following Hermione's lead. Just gentle pressures gentle movement of the mouth. Severus needed more so he moved his hand to the back of her head pulled her closer to him he let instincts take over and kissed her harder, almost desperately. Hermione flicked her tongue out and Serverus opened and Hermione gently slid her tongue in his mouth moaning at the taste. Severus groaned never had he felt anything close to this in his life. A light enveloped them and shot into Severus making him break from the kiss and take a giant breath.

They froze and they looked at each other, the door opened and Ciaran came in. He saw them sitting on the bed in each others arms holding one another. Severus looked good to good. They hadn't known he was there so he discreetly cast a diagnostic charm. There was no damage to Severus his heart was healded. How could that be?

Ciaran went to get the other healer. When they came back in it startled Hermione and Severus to their presence, they did not separate however.

"Severus I believe something odd just happened the healer is going to check you again" Ciaran had said this earning a slight glare from Severus, Severus was too happy to make it count.

The healer ran the diagnostic charm and noticed no damage also. The shock must have shown on his face because Hermione notices.

"What's wrong?" She was starting to panic, Severus tried to calm her

"Nothing that's the problem, he is in perfect health."

Severus and Hermione looked at each other and smiled, then not caring who was in the room Severus yanked Hermione on top of him and started attacking her mouth. For the first time Severus took the lead slowly exploring her mouth thinking he might die from the taste of her. The healer left but Ciaran stayed watching them. They were in love that is what must have healed them. True Love. How odd. Ciaran backed out of the room going to help the healer get his release ready. The two lovers stayed in the embrace, kissing as there life depended on it. Making up for so much lost time.