Authors note: I'm really not sure how I feel about this chapter so for this one, more than all the others, I really need your feedback readers cause I really am not sure about this one. Anyway, enough of this cause I'm sure I'm probably detering you from reading. Please read and I really do hope you enjoy this, as much, if not more, than all the other other chapters

Hermione

Hermione hadn't gotten any sleep that night, her thoughts were too wild, and her heart swelled with too much hope. She had never felt so hopeful in her life and she dared to believe that it could be possible. The mind was an incredibly powerful thing so hers could be playing tricks on her. Hermione prayed that it wasn't and that Severus had really wrote the letter she now had tucked into her bra, as close to her heart as she could get. The copy of Wuthering Heights was still with her and she had been pacing, with it clutched tightly in her hand, for the past hour and a half. She had sent her owl with a small note to Severus asking if he would come to her home as soon as was possible, under the guise of being prepared for the quiz she would have to undertake before starting brewing with him as her Master. As soon as the owl flapped its wings and flew gracefully across the sky to it's destination, Hermione had been pacing ceaselessly. She was surprised that she hadn't worn a track into her carpet the amount of time she'd been pacing. Her legs were starting to feel the strain and she reluctantly admitted that she had to sit down else she would suffer for it. With a heavy sigh Hermione collapsed onto one of the sofa's in her living room, fingers still curled tightly round the Wuthering Heights copy. She had been sitting less than five minutes when the flames in the fireplace flared up and turned green and Severus Snape walked calmly out of them. Hermione jumped to her feet, stubbornly refusing to let go of the book.

"Sorry if you wanted to wait for the quiz. The books were just so fascinating and I was just so eager to prove myself" Hermione babbled excitedly, feeling proud of herself for such a good imitation of her Hogwarts self whose idea of a thrilling day was quiz after quiz after quiz. She watched Severus carefully, hoping that she had convinced him that this was her purpose and there was no ulterior motive. He looked at her carefully, almost warily, before sneering slightly at her.

"And here I was thinking you had changed Miss Granger. Sit down then girl and lets get this over with" Severus ordered sharply. Hermione tried not to smile at him, this was something she was familiar with and it was to her advantage. If Severus was comfortable enough to slip into teacher mode then she would have him right where she needed him and she would catch him unaware. Hopefully then, his mask would slip and she would see the truth, even if he attempted to lie to her. If he did, she would not blame him, she would do much the same if she was unaware that the one she loved, loved her back. Hermione complied and sat down, feeling the parchment of the letter scratch her skin as she moved. She did not react, merely let her face fall as she would have done back when she was a student.

"Before we start this quiz, could I speak to you about something? It's important about the apprenticeship and I've been meaning to mention it since I signed the contract" Hermione lied, trying to keep a business like feel to her words. Severus had stiffened slightly then relaxed when she mentioned it was about the apprenticeship. Suddenly a thought struck Hermione and she tried not to laugh at the irony of it Your being rather Slytherin after all, she was the 'Gryffindor Princess' Severus was watching her intently, obviously waiting for her to continue and speak with him about what she wanted to. Hermione would have to tread very carefully here and she took a deep breath before saying anything else.

"It's nothing too big, I just think it's important that we discuss this before we get into full swing with the apprenticeship else I'll never tell you" Hermione smiled shyly and watched Severus as carefully as she could without appearing too obvious about it. Severus appeared to be getting rather annoyed with what obviously appeared to him to be stalling.

"Spit it out woman" He growled, evidencing Hermione's assumption that he was getting annoyed. She turned from him for a moment and reached into her bra to pull out the letter. It was warm from prolonged contact with her skin and she held it tight in her hand as she turned to face Severus again. His eyes were wide and he looked slightly confused. Then his gaze flickered to the letter and immediately he appeared rather panicked. Hermione could see his body tense and he looked ready to run from her at any moment.

"Severus I need to know if you wrote me this letter yesterday? Severus I need to know if you love me" Hermione's voice took on a pleading quality and she reached out for his hand. He pulled back and leapt to his feet, backing away from her like an animal cornered by a predator.

"I wrote no such thing!" Severus snarled angrily and Hermione was not strong enough in her faith that he had wrote the letter to her to think that he was not being truthful. She lowered her head, looking down at the letter clutched tightly in her hand, watching as a few tears fell onto the letter. She tried not to cry, not in front of him, but she couldn't help it. She had felt hope, she had believed that he had loved her, and now she felt that her heart was about to break. It was such a pain in her chest and her sobs were choking her. He could hardly breath and fell forwards, from the sofa, and hit the floor, curling up in a small ball to try and hold herself together as she fell apart. She expected harsh, cruel words or to hear the whoosh of Severus leaving through the floo. What she did not expect was for arms to encircle her and coax her out of her ball like shape. She lifted her head to see Severus' face inches from hers. He was looking at her with that intensity that she had only seen once before. There was no anger on his face, no hatred, contempt or disgust like she imagined there would have been. Instead, just that intensity she could not assign an emotion too. She tried to calm herself and regulate her breathing so she wouldn't pass out from lack of oxygen. She was feeling woozy as it was. Then all of a sudden Severus' hand was on Hermione's cheek and was tenderly wiping her tears away. Hermione held her breath, waiting anxiously for what would happen next

"Hermione" Severus' voice was so low and quiet it could have been a whisper. Nobody had ever spoken to her like that before. The way his lips uttered her name, it was with a reverence she had never heard before. She had stopped crying by now and all her tears were gone from her face. Yet still Severus' fingers stroked along her cheek. Hermione took a deep, shaky breath and her eyes locked with his mesmerizing black orbs which she had always known to be cold, but were now burning with an intense fire, not of anger, but of what looked to be passion.

"Severus. I-I'm sorry. I thought you had. I let myself believe you loved me. Like I love you" Hermione whispered, fearful of his reaction to her confession of love to him. He had already told her that he had not wrote the letter. He had not told her he felt anything towards her and she had admitted to loving him. She was surprised when a ghost of a smile crossed Severus' face and he chuckled. The sound was wonderful and it nearly brought a smile to her lips.

"Hermione. I do. I do love you. You told me you were in love with another man" A shadowed crossed his face at the last and Hermione could see the potential for anger to overtake him. She lifted her hand and placed it against his pale cheek. His skin was so soft, like velvet, not at all what she had imagined. She was very conscious that he still had his hand on her cheek.

"It was you. I didn't know until this morning, that it was you who had written such wonderful, beautiful things to me. If I had known, this would never have happened" Hermione's voice wobbled slightly and Severus could sense that more tears were fast on their way. He swept her hand off his cheek and took it firmly in his own, pulling it upwards slightly so he could plant his lips softly against her skin. Hermione stiffened slightly before relaxing and leaning forwards slightly. Severus removed his mouth from her hand and locked eyes with her again, waiting to see how she would react.

"I-I-I don't know what to say" Hermione stuttered, being totally and completely honest. What happened next surprised and shocked her. She had never expected it to happen and never would have.

"Say you will be mine" Severus murmured quietly, smiling softly at her. Hermione was taken aback by his smile but mostly by his words. It was something she had never thought would pass but had desperately dreamed would. She waited for a moment, unsure what to say. She tried to speak but found that no words would come. Hermione swallowed then took a deep breath again, trying to see if the words she desperately wanted to come would.

"I was yours since the first time you came here" Hermione managed to rasp out, unsure why she was struggling so much to speak. She was preoccupied with trying to fathom this out, so preoccupied that she barely noticed Severus leaning closer to her until his lips were pressed gently against hers. She was stunned and so didn't react for a few seconds. When she felt Severus starting to pull away though, she grabbed hold of his robes and pulled him closer to her, crushing her lips against his eagerly. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and broke off the kiss, much to Hermione's dismay.

"We will wait sweet one. Be patient" Hermione shivered slightly as he called her 'sweet one' but that was not enough to wipe the annoyance off her features. Severus chuckled again and this only increased Hermione's irritated expression.

"I want to show you, that I mean what I say. I want to show you that I love you" Hermione's irritation fled immediately and she felt herself melting at his words. She had dated many men but she had only loved one, loved one more than she could ever have thought was possible. She loved Severus more though and it was not just because of his dark beauty, his keen intelligence and every aspect of his personality. It was because of his heart. Not even Ronald Weasley had ever been so kind and considerate.

"Thank you" Hermione whispered, allowing Severus to draw her closer to him until he was cradling her in his lap. With a sigh he ran his fingers through her thick, soft hair, marvelling at the brilliant texture. Hermione felt safe and comforted in his arms, something she had not felt in such a long time. Here she felt wanted and needed by the one man in this world who mattered the most to her. She never wanted him to let go, she never wanted him to leave. Silently, Hermione placed her hands on Severus's arms and squeezed them, hoping that he would understand that she didn't want him to leave. Severus paused and let go of her hair

"Hermione? Did you sleep any last night?" Severus questioned, looking deep into her eyes so that he would be able to detect in an instant if she was lying. Hermione sighed and shook her head, murmuring a small 'no'. Severus sighed and let go of her, pushing her off of his lap so she was sitting on the floor. Hermione wondered what was happening as he stood up and held his hand out to pull her to her feet. Hermione took hold if his hand, desperate for contact between them. In one, quick, smooth motion Severus swept Hermione from her feet and into his arms. Bridal style he carried her out of the living room and up the stairs. She knew where he was taking her and just relaxed in his arms; content enough to know that he cared and that he was still holding her tightly. It was a lovely feeling. His strong-arms holding onto her as though she were the only thing that he needed in his life. She suddenly found herself tipped rather unceremoniously onto her bed and made a small growl of irritation. She folded her arms across her chest and glared angrily at Severus whose lips twitched as he tried not to smile. This only increased Hermione's irritation and she was ready to take him to task for it but was interrupted by him lunging for her. The next thing she knew she was on her back and was at the mercy of Severus who was tickling her into insane giggles.