AN: Currently hiding in shame.

Chapter 14:

Hermione took a deep breath as she packed the last item in her room, she looked around and sighed as realized this would be the last time she'd be in there. She would no longer be sharing a room with three other girls, but rather with the man that went from her professor to her lover in the blink of an eye. She was worried about living in such close quarters with him when they haven't had a conversation on what exactly their relationship was, and especially when they didn't know each other's quirks and pet-peeves that they may have.

As she walked down the stairs to the Common Room her mind raced about what she was going to tell Harry and Ron, she knew they weren't going to take the news well, especially Harry… she worried about what kind of fireworks might end up erupting with how his temper had been lately. As she reached the end of the staircase she saw the two boys sitting on the couch by the fireplace talking and laughing. It broke her heart to know that she wasn't going to be able to laugh with them for quite sometime, and if she did then it wouldn't be as herself.

"Hey 'Mione! We were just talking about how Seamus lit another potion on fire today in class, too bad you missed it, it was bloody hilarious." Ron said with a big grin on his freckled face, she didn't realize how much she was going to miss her friendship with Ron, and even Harry. He looked down at her suitcase and then back at her, "What's with the suitcase Hermione?" His tone becoming more serious than it had been a moment ago.

"I, uh, I need to talk to you guys…" they nodded for her to continue, "I have to go… there's been an emergency at home and my parents are demanding I come back indefinitely until everything is sorted out."

"No, you can't go!" Harry screamed out, "I forbid it!"

"Just because you're the boy who lived Harry, it doesn't mean that you're special enough to boss people around. Can't you stop being a selfish PRAT for ONCE in your LIFE!" Hermione had enough of his shit, it was just getting ridiculous how obsessed with her he was.

"Do you really have to go?" Ron managed to get out, with a small voice.

"Yes, I really have to go… trust me, it's the last thing I want… but I don't have a choice…" her heart was breaking from the look on Ron's face. She wished she could fix it, or just go back in time and undo it all.

"I hope you can come back soon, I am really going to miss you… I love you 'Mione, I just want you to be safe." With that he gave her a kiss on the cheek and they embraced in a very tight hug. She broke into tears and buried her head into Ron's chest, thinking of all the hurt he would feel when he found out that she was with Snape… it will break his heart, she thought which caused her to cry anymore. She was so selfish, she had known how her felt about her and she gave Harry a chance and didn't even have the decency to give Ron a chance. She knew it would never have worked, but he didn't know that and now he never would. She couldn't say anything to him about her and Severus, she just hoped that he might find someone else to set his sights on while she was gone.

"I love you too, Ron, I love both of you. You're my best friends, I am going to miss you so much. I have to go now though, they wanted me out of her as soon as possible." With that she gave Ron a peck on the lips and a kiss on the cheek to Harry, "I'll see you soon." She said with a smile and made her way out of the portrait hole.

Severus had been pacing back and forth in Dumbledore's office mumbling words that Dumbledore couldn't understand, but he figured it had something to do with Hermione. Was he getting cold feet about her living with him? Was it too soon for the couple? He wondered, and just shrugged his shoulders figuring the two didn't have much of a choice. After watching Severus walk back and forth for what seemed like a lifetime Hermione finally walked in, with bloodshot eyes and drooping shoulders.

"Hermione, dear, is everything okay? Did Ron and Harry take it badly?" Dumbledore asked, figuring that was the source of her tears.

"Harry did… Ron was really nice about it though and that's what's so terrible! I'd rather them be mad at me! That would make this a whole lot easier! Ron said he loves me for Merlin's sake! I mean can he make me feel any worse!?" She screamed through her tears, which increased after she stopped talking. Severus walked over and she fell into his arms, sobbing hard until she finally tired herself out enough and fell asleep.

"Looks like she's had a bit of a rough day, why don't you take her to your quarters and bring her back tomorrow when she's fully rested and gets a chance to actually catch up with everything that's going on." Dumbledore gave him a soft smile as Severus left. picking Hermione's suitcase on the way out.

Severus was worried about whether or not her confrontation with Ron would affect their relationship at all. Before he'd really given any thought to ever being with Hermione, he'd always figured that she'd end up with Ron… everyone did… he thought to himself. His heart grew solemn with the possibility that she may have some feelings for Weasley, he was… afterall… her age and a much more reasonable choice that he was. With these thoughts Severus began to prepare himself for the worst.

Hermione woke up less than an hour after Severus had laid her down in what was now their bed. His mind had been racing the whole time over what he would say to her when she woke up, or what she might say to him… He knew she loved him, but he also knew that he was far too old for her and she would be a fool to want to stay with him.

"Sev…" Hermione groaned, stretching awake and nearly falling off the bed. "Sev?" She called again when he didn't answer.

"Yeah?" He spoke halfheartedly, trying to put a wall around his heart before she could break it.

"I need you…" She felt like she was going to cry again, having images of Ron's face flash in her mind.

"What for?" He came across colder than he'd intended to, causing her to shed a tear due to her currently fragile emotional state.

"What's wrong with you now? Please don't make this worse… I already have enough on my plate as it is." She was trying to hold back the tears as she looked at Severus, who was holding a sadness in his eyes that perplexed her. What is he sad about? She wondered…

"I think we need to have a little talk…" He said, walking over to the bed and taking a seat next to her on the bed.

"About what?" She asked, confused, automatically thinking the worst. Wondering if he was having second thoughts about being with her… or living together. She didn't want him to say that he didn't want to be with her, she didn't think she would be able to handle that on top of everything else.

"About Ron," he said, resulting in her expression only becoming more confused, "do you have feelings for him?" He asked the question he'd been stewing about for the last hour.

"What in the world? No, I don't have feelings for him! Where did that even come from?" She seemed offended by the question, but didn't seemed shocked that he would ask that.

"Well, you'd said that he told you he loved you… and I just thought-"

"Thought what, Sev? That I was going to leave you just because my best friend has feelings for me? I already knew how he felt before he'd even said anything about it, if I wanted to be with him then I would be with him rather than here in your bed!" She felt a pang of guilt run through her as she thought about how she'd been with Harry and had no feelings for him, but gave Ron no such chance.

"I'm sorry, I guess I just jumped to conclusions…" He looked down, relieved that she wasn't in love with Weasley, but still worried that one day she'd come to her senses and leave him.

"It's okay, I understand why you would think that… after all I did sleep with Harry…" She tried to catch the words before they came out, but to no avail.

"You WHAT?" He erupted, standing up and backing away from the bed and standing over her in a highly intimidating manner.

"It was over a year ago! It wasn't even a big deal! I don't have any feelings for him, I never have and I never will!" She felt tears running down her cheeks, they weren't tears of sadness they were tears of fear. She was scared to death that Severus would leave her over this, she couldn't have that happen, there was no way that she could do this without him… there's no way she could do anything without him now that she had him. "Severus… please…"

"Please what?" He yelled, still angry.

"Please don't let this affect anything… it was long ago and it meant absolutely nothing!" She wished she could take the words back. she wished she could take back ever doing anything with Harry. To be honest, she wasn't even sure how it happened or why it happened…

"I understand it meant nothing, Hermione, I am not angry about your past escapades, I am upset because you did not tell me and led me to believe that Harry's forwardness with you was unprovoked!"

"I'm sorry Severus…" she got up, making her way to him, "please… please forgive me… I love you." She confessed as she choked back her sobs, or at least tried to.

"Hermione… how am I supposed to trust you after this? How can we build any sort of relationship if you hide things from me?" He was beginning to calm down, the three words that came out of her mouth and reached his ears for the first time melted his heart. He knew she loved him, but it meant so much more to hear it.

"I will never hide anything from you again, anything you want to know I will tell you!" She took a step closer and whispered, "I promise."

"I only have one question," he spoke, looking down at his beautiful lover who nodded, "do you truly love me?"

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "I love you with all of my heart, Severus Snape."

"I loved you too, Hermione Granger." He smiled, kissing her as she pressed her body into his. They figured they'd enjoy tonight before having to face the drama that tomorrow held.

A/N: So… don't kill me, please review or PM what you think/where you would like to see this go. I am getting pretty excited to see where I'm going to take this. Please Review, they make me happy!