Here it is, the last chapter of Challenges. This has been an awesome experience writing my first fanfiction. I really appreciate all of you that have continued to follow this story until the end. Here's the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

June: One Week Later

Kyla had a tense yet enjoyable week at the Weasleys. It had been nice to be in a crowded house with an open yard and fresh air. The week had started out tense after they had returned from graduation. As soon as everyone had entered the house, Kyla had been pushed into the nearest chair and was bombarded with questions.

"What were you thinking? You must have broken so many rules!" Hermione had scolded her in a panicky kind of voice. Kyla had thought she would have loosened up some after her year on the run, but she was wrong.

"How can you be with that git?! I mean, he loves Harry's mom! It's weird!" Ron had started a rant, which Kyla had chosen to ignore after he had started.

"Why didn't you tell me you were with Snape?" Ginny had asked her looking slightly hurt.

Molly just kept asking her questions about her relationship with the man: was he good to her, how long had they been together, why were they together, how far had they gone. The questions from her just kept coming. Kyla looked over at Harry and Kayla and was thankful that they were not questioning her. They both knew the truth, but they both looked confused by what had happened. When the noise had finally died some, Harry leaned forward in his chair and asked her, "Whose challenge was it?"

"Mine. My challenge that I had set over one year ago; a challenge I never expected him to complete." Kyla rubbed her face with both hands. She then looked up at everyone in the kitchen and told them, "If you all sit down and calm down, I will explain things to you. I refuse to go into detail, but you all have the right to know the general idea." After everyone was seated, Kyla took a deep breath and began.

"Severus and I, as you all know, had been friends all through my years at Hogwarts. By the time I was in my fourth year, I realized I had stronger feelings for the man. By the time the next year came and Dumbledore asked Severus to kill him…that was when I realized that I loved him. It took us that whole year before we admitted it to each other. Our first kiss was in May." She paused for a moment to regain her composure before continuing. "Over the course of his year as headmaster, we continued our relationship. It grew into something deep, something that I cherished. The night of the final battle, he gave me a promise ring and he promised me that we would be together after the war. You all know what happened that night. I saved him in the Shrieking Shack and that was the first time he told me he loved me." Kyla suddenly stood, hands clenched at her sides.

"I stayed by his bedside for three days while he healed and rested. When he woke up, I had never felt so much happiness than I did in that moment. I knew we would be together then. When he was going to be released a week later, I went down to see him off. He proceeded to tell me that he would never love me and that it was always Lily. He told me that our relationship was nothing but something to get me…him…us through the war. I gave him his ring back and we parted ways." There were sounds of outrage from everyone present except for Harry and Kayla, seeing as they already knew all of this. Kyla raised her hand to silence everyone before she continued.

"Over this past year, we have barely spoken to each other. He wished to rebuild our friendship, but I shot him down. I told him I did not wish to strung along. We had our moments such as a potions class in October and a…meeting at Christmas. I had not spoken to him since December, so what happened today was a surprise. I set him a challenge a year ago to do that, and I was surprised when he followed through with it. I talked to him afterward and told him that if he wanted to be with me, he had one week to decide. After that, I wasn't going to wait for him any longer." When Kyla finished, there was an eruption again in the kitchen. Ron was loudly cursing Kyla's stupidity and Snape's heartlessness. Hermione and Ginny both had tears in their eyes and Molly had gotten up and pulled Kyla into a strong embrace. When she released her, Kyla walked over to her brother and sister and pulled them into a group hug. Kayla had whispered in her ear, "He'll pick you. I know he will." Harry had then whispered, "I've gotten to know him. He will always love her, but he loves you more." Kyla had nodded, but she had said nothing.

The rest of the week passed slowly. Everyone, minus Ron the prat, had done nothing but support her. Kyla would sit outside every night waiting to see if Severus would come, but he never did. It was now Friday night and, after not eating much for dinner, Kyla was back outside waiting. It was his last night, and she hoped that he would show. Kyla heard the door open behind her and turned to see Molly carrying out a cup of hot chocolate for her. Kyla muttered a thanks as she took the glass and Molly took a seat by her. The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Molly said, "He'll probably be here tonight."

Kyla sighed and took a long drink from her hot chocolate. "I would love nothing more than for Severus Snape to apparate right in front of me and sweep me off my feet promising me forever, but I just don't…I don't wanted to get my hopes up and have them crushed. I really think he'll come tonight, but I just don't know." The two women sat there for another hour in mostly silence. Molly had tried to start conversation a few times, and even when Ginny, Hermione, and Kayla had joined, but Kyla said very little. She checked the time and released that Severus wasn't going to come. He really didn't love her and she had been a fool for thinking so. Kyla slowly stood up and emotionlessly told the other women that she was going to go to bed. All of them, with sad and disappointed faces, wished her a goodnight. However, right as she was going to open the door, she heard the pop of someone apparating and a shift in the wards. She whipped around and saw exactly what she had hoped she would see. A black figure with robes billowing behind him was walking down the large hill that led to the house.

Kyla dropped her cup on the ground as ran toward the figure. Upon reaching him, she leapt into his arms and kissed him. When she finally pulled away, she got a good look at Severus. He looked younger than she had ever seen him. He gently put her down as she asked, "What happened to you?"

He chuckled then kissed her again. "I deaged myself to the age of twenty-four. I figured that I needed to relive the last sixteen years of my life and I wished to do so with you." He paused then seriously asked, "Can you ever forgive me? I was a fool. I thought that by loving you, I was betraying Lily's memory. I did some thinking and realized that loving you wasn't betraying anything. She fell in love with someone else, and I knew that it was okay that I did as well. I love you Kyla. I love you more than anything. I want you forever. But first…" he stopped short.

"What Severus? What do you need to know? What do I need to show you to convince you?" Kyla asked, running her fingers through his long black hair.

"Will you show me your memories? I need to know if you truly feel the same. I know you do, but—"

Kyla cut him off by cupping both sides of his face. "I love you more than anything, but I will show you if it makes you feel better. Look at me." When their eyes met, Kyla showed him everything she could think of from her very first night at Hogwarts to graduation night. She showed him every important challenge and every important promise. When she pulled out of his mind, she knew that he understood. They were meant to be together forever.

Severus pulled her in for another kiss and when they pulled apart, he asked, "Do you want to come home with me tonight?"

She leaned up and whispered in his ear, "I would want nothing more." She laughed when he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the Burrow. "Severus, aren't we going back Hogwarts? Why don't we just apparate there?"

"Because then we would have to walk there all the way from Hogsmeade and that would take far too long." Severus explained as they came upon the front porch. The women all raised their eyebrows at the scene, but Kayla gave her sister a huge smile which Kyla returned with a thumbs up.

"Molly, may I borrow her for the night? And may we also borrow your floo?" Severus asked.

Molly gave them both a big smile as she opened the front door, "Go right ahead, Severus. Congratulations!"

Upon entering the kitchen, the two saw Harry, Ron, and Arthur sitting at the table. Harry and Arthur were playing a game of wizard's chess and Ron was having his after supper snack. His food actually fell out of his mouth when he saw the two standing there. He kept sputtering and spitting food all over the place. Severus shook his head. "Charming, . Arthur," he turned to face the man, "Your wife has granted us permission to use your floo if that is amendable with you." Arthur nodded his head seemingly in a daze.

As Severus walked over to the fire place with Kyla still in his arms and grabbed a handful of floo, but before he could, Harry placed a hand on his arm. "Treat my sister right this time. I will not be your friend if you hurt her again."

Severus nodded. "I don't plan on ever letting her go again." He threw the floo powder into the fireplace and shouted, "Hogwarts, Severus Snape's quarters!" And the two of them vanished in the green flames.

In the darkness, Kyla turned over to face Severus before whispering his name. "Severus, are you awake?"

The room gained a dim glow as Severus flipped over to face her. He ran a hand through her hair. "What is it, love?"

"I have to tell you something. I know I just got you back and you might leave me, but I need—"

Severus cut her off with a kiss. "I won't leave you, ever. Tell me."

"Do you remember that day you found me in the hospital wing shortly after we broke up?" He nodded. "I was in there because…because I miscarried. I was eight weeks pregnant with your baby and I miscarried it." Kyla closed her eyes, not daring to look at Severus. She didn't want to see the hurt and disappointment in his eyes.

After a few moments of silence, Severus ran his hand down her face. "Kyla, would you please open your eyes. I wish to look at you when I tell you this." Kyla slowly opened her eyes and stared into his onyx eyes. "Kyla, I am not angry that you lost our child. I do wish you would have told me, but I understand why you did not. You did not wish me coming back to you just because of a baby. I only wish that I hadn't been so foolish. You may not have lost the pregnancy if you hadn't been hurting so much and even if you had, I could have-should have been there. I want us to be together forever." He turned and grabbed something from his bedside table before speaking again. "I know that I should have bought a new ring and made a huge romantic affair out of this, but I know that neither of us would want that."

Severus opened up the box and inside was the promise ring that she had thrown back at him all of those months ago. "I know I told you then that this was not an engagement ring, but I would like to change that. Kyla Amidala-Potter, would you do me the honor of marrying me? Doing me the honor of being my wife and having me love you forever?"

Kyla stuck her hand out and Severus placed the ring on her finger and she leaned up and kissed him. "Loving you forever? Challenge accepted. Always."

Epilogue

Kyla and Severus went to Malfoy Manor the next day so Kyla could tell her godparents the good news. Narcissa was surprised, but Lucius and Draco were not. Severus later explained to her that he acted the part of the proper gentleman and had asked her father, sister, and both of her brothers before he asked her. Kyla had laughed after he had told her that. When Minerva, the Weasleys, and the rest of her friends were told, they all had congratulated them and wished them well.

The wedding took place two years later. They were in no rush. Kyla had wanted to get her potions mastery before they had wed, so Severus had waited. Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione had both married the summer before and Kyla and Mark had married a month before Kyla and Severus. They all taught at Hogwarts now, with the exception of Ron, after an idea from Kyla. She had suggested two teachers per subject instead of just the one and Minerva had agreed with her. The Potters now taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, Kayla and her husband taught Charms, and Hermione taught Transfiguration with another student from Kyla's house.

Kyla and Severus's first child had been born two years after they had wed. A little girl by the name of Scarlynn Lillian was followed two years later by twins Zadie Jae Kyla and Sebastian Severus. Three years after the twins were born, their son Shawn Elliot was born and four years after him, their youngest Serenity Kylynn was born. When they came to Hogwarts, Scarlynn was sorted into Ravenclaw, the twins were sorted into Gryffindor, and Shawn was also sorted into Ravenclaw.

Now it was the night of their youngest sorting. The two Snape's sat side by side as Minerva stood and addressed the entire school. Kyla tuned all of that out looking at her daughter, giving her a reassuring smile. When the deputy headmaster, Harry, finally stood and started the sorting, Kyla felt Severus grip her hand a little tighter. Kyla gave him a reassuring squeeze before muttering, "You know that she'll be a Slytherin."

"I hope so. She can't be in Hufflepuff. I don't know what I would do." Severus said faking exasperation.

"You'll love her not matter what, but we may need to shun her a little bit if she is in Hufflepuff." Kyla said jokingly back.

Minerva shook her head. "You two are terrible."

"We know." Kyla lightly said. "Shhh, Minerva. Your granddaughter is about to be sorted."

Harry held up the list and called out, "Snape, Serenity."

A little girl with black hair and a face that was a total mixture of her mother and father's, nervously stepped forward. Harry placed the hat on her head and they all sat and waited for the sorting hat to make its decision. Finally, after several long minutes, the hat shouted out, "SLYTHERIN!"

Both Kyla and Severus stood and clapped as their daughter went to join her house. Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter, third year students, both got up and shouted, "We got Snape!"

The Potters and Snapes both laughed at that as Kyla and Severus sat back down. "Ready for that challenge Severus? Our daughter in our house?"

Severus leaned forward and placed a kiss on his wife's lips. "Challenge accepted. Always."

"Good, because there will plenty more in the future." Kyla said with a smile. Her first challenge ever was accepted far better than expected. Severus was hers and everything was just the way she wanted it.

Hope you enjoyed! I wrote a companion piece called "Happy Valentine's Day". It shows one shots of Severus and Kyla's Valentine's Days over the years. Also check out my other new story "Scarlynn Snape Year 1".