A/N: Thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews I have been receiving!! It really is those of you who review for every chapter that are keeping this story rolling, seeing as how I probably would have given up by now without your encouragement! That being said, here's the newest chapter!!

When Severus opened his eyes on Christmas morning, he was surprised to find Hermione gazing avidly at him, not a trace of sleepiness in her eyes. "Good morning, my love," he said groggily, yawning widely. "What are you still doing in bed?"

"Procrastinating, remember? See how quickly I learned my lesson?" She snuggled closer to him, enjoying the warmth of his arms as they enveloped her, pulling her even closer.

"You've always been a quick learner," he replied, savoring the sweet smell of her hair, a mixture of honey and vanilla with a hint of brown sugar. It was intoxicating, and it took him a few moments to get his bearings. Finally, he said, "as good a learner as you are, however, we're about to go against everything I taught you yesterday about procrastination. This morning, we will start our day right away because I have a surprise for you."

Hermione kissed him quickly on the lips and then rose from the bed, excitement flooding through her body as she prepared to perform her morning ritual of getting ready. Before she could move away from the bed, however, she felt Severus' hand on her wrist and turned to look into his eyes.

"Christmas morning is best spent in one's pajamas," he said to her, returning her gaze as he too rose from the bed. He picked up the pants and white shirt he had worn the previous day and put them on, neglecting to button up his shirt.

"Didn't you just say that Christmas morning is best spent in one's pajamas," Hermione asked, taking in Severus' slightly disheveled look.

"I did, but I don't own any pajamas, darling. Why do you think I sleep only in my boxers?" He looked at her, laughing at the look on her face, which was a mixture of slight embarrassment and puzzlement. "It's simply more comfortable that those constricting things that people call pajamas, at least while I'm sleeping. And what's the point in buying a pair that I would use only when I was awake anyway?" This statement brought the giggle from her that he had been waiting for, and he smiled as he led her from the bedroom and into their makeshift sitting room.

A beautiful table set for two situated in the middle of the room caught Hermione's eye. There were plates and bowls filled with various breakfast foods and ornate pitchers filled with hot chocolate and coffee. The dishes gleamed in the flickering light cast by candles that were hovering above the table. "Severus, it's beautiful! How did you…"

"The house elves were more than willing to set it up for us after having heard our good news. Can't hide anything from a house elf." He walked to the table and pulled out a chair for Hermione to sit down, then took his own across from her.

They ate and talked, casting loving gazes across the table at each other while discussing the upcoming term and the wedding that would take place afterwards. Hermione saw herself spending the rest of her life with the man across from her more clearly now than ever before. Despite his cold and dominating presence in classes and among the general population of the school, she had grown to know him as a caring and sensitive individual. In her eyes, he was perfect, though she had just one question that she felt she must ask of him.

Finishing his breakfast, Severus stood, helped Hermione to her feet, and walked to one of the armchairs that now sat in front of the fire. Hermione sat sideways on his lap, a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. He wrapped an arm around her back and felt her lean into his body. This was bliss

"Darling, can I ask you a question," Hermione began, her head resting on his shoulder.

"You can ask me anything you want, my love," he replied, rubbing her back gently.

"Why are you so different when we're around the rest of the school? You're so kind and gentle when we're alone, but in classes you're harsh and mean." She placed her cup of hot chocolate on an end table and then wrapped her arms around him. "Other people should get to see the Severus I know."

He had to think for a few moments, absently stroking her back as he considered how much he should tell her. He knew he should tell her the whole story, but felt that the majority of it could wait for a day that wasn't supposed to be filled with happiness. Instead, he settled for the shorter version. "Hermione, I've always been a guarded person, and I've never been able to fully trust anyone before; not even Dumbledore. I suppose I've just been through too much sorrow in my life to want to have anything to do with the people around me. Intimidating people is what has always kept me feeling like someone with power...someone who's worth something. With you, it's different. No one had ever showed me true love before. The moment you told me that you wanted to be with me, something inside of me changed, a door opened, and I found that I didn't need the false show of power around you." He paused for a moment, considering his next words, wondering what he needed to say to convey his true feelings. Finally, he said, "You make me feel like someone who has true worth, and that's what makes all the difference."

A tear slid slowly down Hermione's cheek as what he said bombarded her heart. She tried to wipe it away without him seeing, but she felt his hand brush her cheek before she even had time to remove her arm from around him. "I love you so much, Severus," she said, trying to keep the tears out of her voice.

"And I love you more than you could ever imagine," he replied, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "That's why I've bought you a Christmas present, one you never would have dreamed of." He used his wand to levitate the velvet-covered box from its resting place on his desk and then handed it to her.

Hermione opened the box slowly and two gleaming rings met her eyes. Both had a tiny onyx stone set between two stones of equal size, one an emerald, the other a ruby. "Are these our wedding rings," she asked, looking up to meet his gaze.

"They're so much more than that, Hermione. I know we'd planned on having a regular muggle wedding because it seemed to be in our better interests, especially since a binding between a witch and wizard lasts until the death of both. However, after a lot of soul searching while you were doing the rest of the planning, I realized that I was the only one holding back from the idea of being bound to you. In the end, I finally found that my love for you could never be replaced or taken by another, even if you were no longer alive." He smiled at her taking her free hand in his and gazing into her beautiful eyes. "The onyx is the traditional binding stone, and in these rings, it is situated between a ruby, symbolizing you, and an emerald, symbolizing myself. I want to be bound to you, Hermione, and these rings represent a binding that is stronger than any other."

"Severus," Hermione whispered, her voice barely audible as her tears consumed it almost completely.

He kissed her gently, tasting the saltiness of her happy tears as they flowed freely. Finally, his life was the epitome of bliss that he had been searching for.