"Would it be beautiful or just a beautiful disaster?
I'm longing for love and the logical but he's only happy hysterical."

He knocked softly on Hermione's door.

"Come in," Came the soft reply and Severus obeyed.

"Morning, Severus," She said quietly.

He looked to his right and found her gazing out the window again. She turned to face him. She was wearing a black dress. It was elegant and appropriate. She wore black heels as well.

"You look nice," She whispered.

He nodded, almost more bowed, "As do you, Hermione," He couldn't say what he truly thought about the way she looked. She was beautiful. All the time she was beautiful.

Her hair was down with only a section of it pulled back by a pin. The curls fell loosely on her shoulders. Her complexion was clear and didn't seem to have much make-up on at all. Her eyes were puffy. She looked so sad.

He approached her slowly and brushed a curl out of her face. She looked up at him.

"I'm not going to push you away today. You need me today. It's hard for me to let go of myself but I know that I need to for you now, and so I will," He whispered.

She wrapped her arms around him and he wrapped his arms around her, "Thank you, Severus."

"Should we get going then?" He said and she nodded.

"We'll apparate to my house and then my Dad will drive us to the funeral home, is that alright?"

Severus shifted nervously, "What if your father isn't a fan of me?"

"He has been asking to meet you, although I'm sure he would have preferred different circumstances…" Her eyes drifted to the floor.

He tilted her chin up with his thumb, "I'm going to be right by your side, Hermione. I know that you may not have faith in me and I don't exactly have faith in myself... But, I won't mess this up. I'll be there for you…"

"I know…" She hugged him again and she apparated them both.

She didn't let go of him when they arrived at her house. She squeezed him tighter. Severus breathed in deeply.

"What are you doing to me?" He said in a low, silky voice.

She let go of him and blushed. She gave him a small smile and he gently touched her jaw line with his thumb. A man appeared by behind them

He was a little shorter than Snape. He was skinnier. He had brown cropped hair that was graying; the brown color was the same as Hermione's but his eyes were a bright blue. They were blood shot and filled with sadness.

"Daddy," Hermione whispered and collapsed against her father's chest. He held her close and stroked her hair, occasionally kissing the curls.

"Daddy, this is Severus Snape," She said pulling away from her father's embrace, gesturing towards Snape, "Severus, this is my father, Robert," She patted her Father's chest affectionately as he outstretched his hand to Severus.

"I've heard a lot about you, sir," Robert looked at him carefully, with a small smile.

"Not all bad, I hope?" Snape said quietly, shifting his gaze away from the two people in front of him.

"No, not at all," Mr. Granger gave Snape's hand one last firm squeeze before letting it go.

Robert Granger appeared to be about five to ten years older than Snape.

"We should get going then," Robert said softly.

"I'll be right out, Dad, I just need to use that washroom quickly," Hermione said and walked off quickly, leaving Severus in a very awkward silence with her father.

"Severus Snape," Robert said firmly.

Snape looked him in the eyes, "Thank you for coming, Severus. Thank you for doing this for Hermione. Please, take care of my darling girl; she's all I've got left…" His voice caught in his throat as his eyes filled with tears.

"I will, sir," Snape said, putting his hand on Robert's shoulder and squeezing it. Robert nodded and walked outside.

"I've never heard you call anyone 'sir' before, Severus," Hermione said softly as she walked out from around the corner.

"Shall we go then?" Severus said, holding open the kitchen door for her.

She walked out and Severus and Hermione sat in the backseat of the Granger's automobile. The funeral home was only a ten minute car ride. They arrived at the giant stone building.

Robert opened Hermione's door, as she was seated behind him and Hermione stepped out graciously. Her face paled upon looking at the building. Her father hung his head and grabbed Hermione's hand.

"Are you alright?" Severus asked in such a low voice that Hermione was sure her father didn't hear him.

She bit her lip and looked away from him. She reached back at him, holding out her hand.

He swallowed hard; his mouth was suddenly completely dry. He looked at her small hand and reached out and placed his slender fingered hand into hers. She intertwined her fingers into his. His hand was exceptionally cold and, combined with the warmth of her hand; it caused both of them to shiver. They walked into the building.

The last female Snape had held hands with, like this at least, had been Lily back when they were in school. Lily. The name still caused a burning sensation in his heart. He still loved her, yes, but it wasn't like it used to be. She had set him free the night Nagini attacked him. The fact that Hermione's hand fit perfectly into his, in a way Lily's never did, scared him.

Hermione held onto his hand tightly. The calling hours passed slowly. Hermione's father suggested she go outside to get some fresh air so she did, leaving Severus behind talking to Remus.

"How is she doing?" Remus asked.

"She's very upset. I think she is doing alright, though," Severus said, taking a sip of his water.

"Are you going to admit it yet, Severus?" Remus eyed him.

"Now is neither the time nor the place, Remus," Severus chastised him.

"So, you do?" Remus said, a small smile flashing behind his eyes.

Severus sighed, "Drop it, Lupin."

"Go outside with her, I'm sure she would like you to be there with her…" Remus said, walking away from Snape.

Snape grabbed his coat and walked out back and found Hermione sitting on a bench. He came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders gently. She was freezing.

"Merlin, Hermione, you're catch your death out here!" Severus said, shaking off his coat and laying over her shoulders.

He walked around the bench and sat down beside her, "How are you doing?"

"It's been a long day, Severus," She breathed.

"I know, darling," He put his arm around her and pulled her tighter into him.

"Do you love me, Severus?" She asked softly.

His breath hitched, and he felt like there was no air inside of him. He pulled away from her slightly and looked down at her. Her amber eyes met his, "If I didn't, do you think that I would be here?"

She looked at him with watery eyes, "So, you do? Remus was right?"

"Hermione, I…I don't think this is an appropriate time to talk about this. Today and tomorrow I am to be the one who is supporting you. I'm here for you. Let's not bite off more than we can chew," He said quietly, pulling her back into him.

She nodded into his shoulder and put her hand on his chest, "I know it hurts you."

"Hmm?" His voice vibrated her ear.

"I know that it hurts you to think about this, about me…"

"Hermione…"

"No, please, just let me talk. I know that there is still so much that I don't know about you. I know that there is so much hurt inside of you. I know that you've got these walls built up around you for good reason. I just need you to know that I am here for you, just like you're here for me now. I'm here as a crying shoulder, a kind ear and I'm here as gentle and comforting words. Severus, I am here for you," She said, grabbing onto his shirt.

He cleared his throat as if he was going to speak. He didn't speak though, but instead he pulled her impossibly closer to him and rubbed his hand up and down her arm quickly. He kissed the top of her head quickly and then coughed again.

"Stop," She said.

He looked at her questioningly.

"I don't want you to say anything, Severus. I don't need you to say anything. Stop struggling with yourself. When you're ready, the words will come, okay? Quit beating the hell out of yourself," She scolded him.

Severus sniffed and stood up and rubbed the insides of the bridge of his nose.

"Are you crying?" She asked him, standing up in front of him.

"No," His voice was far from the usual Snape voice.

She looked at him and he met her gaze. He wasn't crying, but his eyes were shining, with a thin layer of tears behind them. He pulled her into him and hugged her close, "We should get back inside."

She nodded and pulled away from him. She grabbed his hand but he squeezed hers, not moving.

"Severus?"

"I…I need…a couple minutes," He said avoiding her gaze, "To, uh, collect myself."

"Ah, I see, you're vulnerable now. The emotions are sitting just under the surface," She smiled at him playfully, but there was still sadness in her eyes.

She pulled his hand up to hers and kissed it and then she left him to his thoughts.

Severus sat back down on the bench and ran his fingers through his hair, "What am I doing? I cannot possibly let her in. Not the Know-It-All. There is no bloody way. She's dangerous to you, Severus, what the hell are you thinking?"

He bit the inside of his cheek and jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Hermione, I said I needed a minute," He swallowed hard.

"I know, I just…I don't want to go in there without you. I need to get something off my chest, too," She lowered her voice and sat next to him, grabbing his hand.

"It appears, Miss Granger, that you have quite a lot to say to me," His hand was loose in hers, he wasn't responding.

"How very astute of you, Professor," She mocked him and took in a deep breath, "Look at me," His eyes rose to meet hers.

"I'm not going to give up on you. I love you. I don't care if you never return those feelings for me. I don't care! I can't give up on you. You deserve that. You deserve help so that you can heal. You defied everything. You risked everything. You very nearly gave your own life for love. You did all of that for a woman you loved and a woman that never returned your affections. Maybe I'm being naïve, or just plain stupid…I'm not sure which one. But if you were capable of a love as deep as that then you are more than deserving of a second chance at a new love. You suffered so much. You suffered endless tortures and beatings for years. You deserve to be happy for once. Maybe it's not in loving me, maybe it's someone else. Maybe you don't need to love anyone else to be happy. I'm going to help you. I am going to try to help you at least," She studied his face carefully.

His jaw muscle was flexing. It was a gesture she had quickly learned to associate with Snape being at a loss for words, so she continued, "I know that you feel like you can't let go with me, at least not past today. I don't expect for you to stand closer to me than arm's length after all of this is over. I know you think that you should be having this conversation with me today. I know that you think you can't cry," She said noticing the water in his eyes again.

"I do not cry," His voice was so low that his lips didn't even seem to part.

"It's okay, Severus," Hermione whispered.

"No," He said firmly, pulling his hand out from underneath hers.

"When is the last time you cried? The last time you really and truly cried?" She stared at the profile of his face.

She didn't expect him to answer but he sighed heavily and as he exhaled he said, "The night she died."

She looked at him, paralyzed with shock, and said nothing because he looked like he still had something to say.

After a moment of silence she encouraged him to go on.

"It's…nothing. I just, when I 'died'…I cried. I cried a lot,"

"Why?"

"I don't know. I saw her again. I couldn't contain it anymore; it was like she was forcing me to succumb to the emotion. I hated it. It didn't feel good because I didn't want it but I couldn't stop. The only thing I wanted was for her to forgiv-" He cut himself off and swallowed slowly, realizing he had said too much.

"Did she say anything to you?"

"She forgave me and told me she was sending me back," He gritted his teeth.

"I love you," Hermione whispered.

Severus looked at her briefly and then put his elbows on his knees and the palms of his hands on his forehead with his fingers tangled in his hair.

Hermione watched him. His breathing was calculated; slow and steady. It was almost as if he wasn't even moving. Then she saw something fall from his cheek. It was small and clear; a tear. She was sure she was mistaken until another tear fell.

"Mione…" He whispered but his voice was barely audible.

"Severus…" She scooted next to him and stroked his back very softly, shrugging back the long cuffs of his jacket.

She moved her hand up and stroked the back of his neck. He leaned into her touch just barely. He wouldn't allow himself to let go completely. He was regaining control again and quickly. He wiped his face.

She looked at him, "Do you want to leave?"

"What?" He looked at her confused.

"You don't have to stay, Severus," She looked deeply into his eyes.

"I am not leaving," His voice was determined and she wouldn't change his mind.

"Okay…" She didn't really want him to leave, but she would have understood if he chose too.

He stood up and pulled her up with him, "Let's go back inside," He said.