Chapter Twenty

August seemed like it had just started, and now it seemed like it was ending far too quickly. As Hermione looked out the window of her flat one evening of the waning month, the realization struck her that the days were noticably growing shorter each day. The long, warm days of summer that stretched themselves for days on end were now over, and the first signs of autumn were in the air.

As the sun set, she sighed, wondering what September would hold. That would have normally been the time she would have returned to school, but Harry, Ron, and she had all decided returning to Hogwarts would be too strange after being away for a year. Not only would they all be a year older, but they had fought in a war, had gone on a lengthy and dangerous quest for the Horcruxes, and had seen the horror of death too closely to ever be the same again.

Simply put, they weren't children any longer.

Hermione was anxious to start the accelerated program offered by the Ministry. By Christmas, she was hoping to take her N.E.W.T.s and pass them and then train for a career. With spending Monday through Friday at the Ministry taking classes with a select few students, she wondered if she would have the chance to see Severus.

Also, would she be able to afford her flat come September? Even if she did continue working at the bookstore on weekends and some evenings, she doubted she would have enough income to afford even her small, humble abode. If she wasn't returning to Hogwarts, she wouldn't be staying in a dormitory, so that left only one option: She would have to move back in with her parents.

Hermione wasn't happy with that prospect. While she loved her parents and would visit them occasionally, she felt like it would be taking a step back if she had to move back in with them. She had essentially lived on her own for over a year now... and had even slept outside many times during the hunt for the Horcruxes. She was a survivor and a fighter, not a young girl who needed to run back to her parents when times proved difficult.

She laughed grimly to herself. She had survived far worse!

Maybe I could manage a couple more months here... if I worked both Saturday and Sunday and three nights a week, but... She faltered in her thoughts, frowning. It was bad enough that she would be spending most of her time cramming for the N.E.W.T.s. She highly doubted she would have any free time if she worked.

And that would mean not seeing Severus, she finished her thought, clearly not pleased.

Her last thought would not even be an option, then. Heaving a great sigh, Hermione decided she would turn in her key at the end of the month and give up her flat. She figured with only five days left before the end of the month, she had better start packing.

Hermione headed toward her bedroom, intent on doing just that, when she realized that she had been home from work for over an hour and had wasted time lost in her thoughts. Severus had gotten off work before her today, and he was probably wondering when and if she was going to stop by.

I can pack later, she convinced herself easily. Seeing Severus would be a much better way of spending the remainder of her evening.

Hermione locked up and Disapparated from within the walls of her flat, appearing near some bushes a couple blocks away from Spinner's End. In the gathering darkness, she glanced at the old mill, standing like a morbid watchtower in a graveyard of dilapidated houses in the night. She heard the running brook nearby as she made her way toward her destination and felt the chill in the air. Yes, autumn was definitely right around the corner.

When she finally arrived, she knocked on the door. She didn't have to wait long. Severus opened the door and scrutinized her as she stepped in.

"I was beginning to wonder if you would come," he stated, sounding grumpy.

"I'm sorry," Hermione apologized hastily. "I had to work later than usual, and I meant to return home for a short time before coming over. I got lost in my thoughts, and well, that's my lame attempt at an excuse." She offered him a weak smile.

"Better late than never," he murmured, walking into the living room and sitting down.

He wasn't being rude. They had simply become so familiar with one another than the formalities of receiving a visitor didn't apply anymore. Hermione followed him and sat next to him on the couch. She was glad when he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her closer.

"Rough day?" she enquired casually, but still visibly concerned.

"Yes," he sighed. "What else is new, though?"

She shrugged, having no words to offer. In the past month, Severus had grown accustomed to his new life, and even though it was physically draining, the work was mundane and brainless. When he actually thought about it, working for the Ministry wasn't as taxing as working at Hogwarts had been. There were no dunderhead students to deal with, no marking of poor essays (which would have served better for wiping one's backside than anything), no patrolling halls late at night, and no spy duty. Still, however, without any mental stimulation, Severus longed for Hermione's company, and when she was unable to visit, which was rare, he missed her sorely. She was the only person he knew who was intellectually his equal.

After a few minutes of silence, Severus ventured, "I suppose to ought to be polite and ask you how your day was."

"It was fine," Hermione said, smiling at his attempt to ask about her day. He didn't actually ask, though, at least not in the form of a question. "I realized that my classes start next week, and that means less time to work... and that means... I can't afford my flat."

Severus heard the disappointment in her voice. He couldn't blame her. She had proven herself more than capable of living on her own at the ripe age of eighteen.

"So," she continued, "I guess that leaves me one option: move back in with my parents."

Raising an eyebrow, Severus asked, "And why would you think that's your only option, my dear?"

Puzzled, Hermione furrowed her brow. "Because it is, Severus."

"Hmmm," he said, feigning thoughtfulness, "you have another option, you realize."

Hermione turned to see his face, wondering what he was playing at. "Oh?"

"You could live with me," he stated, although his voice sounded hesitant. "That is, if you want to," he added quickly.

Hermione was touched by the offer, but also stunned. "You don't have to- I mean, if you don't really want to, I would understand. Don't feel obligated-"

"If you misunderstand my hesitation," Severus clarified, flushed, "I mean to say that I would love it if you would consider. I simply meant that I didn't want you to feel obligated if you didn't want to. I would understand."

There was a hopeful gleam to his dark eyes than Hermione couldn't look away from. He had her captured, not only by his gaze, but by the heart. "I would love to, Severus," she finally said lovingly. "In fact, I couldn't think of anywhere I'd rather be than with you."

Feeling very warm inside all of a sudden, Hermione blushed and looked away. Her admission had been the answer he had been waiting for. They had moved to a new level of intimacy.

Severus, for his part, felt like his heart would leap right out of his chest with joy. He squeezed her tightly, making his satisfaction evident, but inside, he was like a child at Christmas. He hadn't felt so happy since the night they had first made love.

"It's settled, then," he stated. "See? That wasn't so hard."

Hearing the almost playful tone in his voice, Hermione giggled. "Well, I'm glad you asked, Severus, because I certainly wasn't about to ask if it was okay to just move right in."

"To be honest, I wouldn't have minded if you had," he admitted.

Although those words were the ones Hermione wanted to hear, she was still somewhat surprised. Severus was a very private man, and even though she was closer to him than anyone, she wasn't about to start assuming that taking certain concessions would be all right with him.

When she remained silent, Severus asked, "When can you move in? I will help you with anything, you know."

"Well, you have to work tomorrow, and I don't think trying to move in the evenings during the week would be a good idea. You're tired enough as it is-"

Severus shot a glare at her. "I'm not that tired when I come home from work, Hermione," he argued. "You talk about me as if I'm an old man. Of course, maybe to you I am."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Hermione adamantly continued, "As I was saying, the weekdays aren't good... for either of us. I have to work as well. Luckily, I have Sunday off, and since Sundays are your only days off, we'll move my stuff come Sunday. That also conveniently happens to be the second last day of the month, so I can turn my key in and be done with it."

Severus frowned a little. "You expect me to wait four days for you?" he asked, although in a teasing manner.

"You and I can wait four days, yes," Hermione said. But I wish I could move in tomorrow.

x x x x x

Four days passed quickly. On Sunday, August 30, Severus arrived with Hermione at her flat. He had never been there before and was surprised to find it nearly empty.

"I assume you didn't have many things to move to begin with?" he asked.

"No," Hermione said with a shrug as she placed some clothes in a box. "I transfigured the few pieces of furniture I needed, seeing as I couldn't afford to buy anything, and I didn't know how long I would be living here, anyway. I guess it's a good thing I didn't buy a whole living room and bedroom set. Where would we have put them in your house?"

Snorting, Severus said, "My house could probably use new furniture." He began shrinking some boxes, so they wouldn't have to make as many trips.

"We can fix up your house and make it a home in time, Severus," Hermione murmured. "You didn't spend much time there when you were at Hogwarts ten months of the year, and you were teaching for, what, sixteen years?"

"Don't remind me," he groaned.

Choosing to remain silent, Hermione closed the box, satisfied that it was the last one. She took some of the spelled-smaller boxes and said, "Shall we?"

"Yes."

With some boxes in their pockets and hands, they both Disapparated and Apparated directly into Severus's house. They made three more trips, and everything was moved by then.

Appearing one last time in Hermione's almost ex-flat, they checked the rooms one last time.

"Are you sure you have everything?" Severus questioned.

"Yes, positive," affirmed Hermione. Glancing around the now completely empty flat, she realized she was saying goodbye to this place.

"I know it sounds odd," she murmured softly, "mostly because I didn't live here long, but it feels strange to be leaving."

Was that a tinge of sadness Severus heard in her voice? Moving to her side, he wrapped his arms around her middle and drew her close. "You're not having any last minute regrets, are you?"

Hermione heard the hesitation in his voice. "No, Severus, of course not. Don't be ridiculous. It's just- this was the first place that I could truly call my own. As happy as I am to be moving in with you, I feel like I'm leaving my old life behind."

Unsure of what she fully meant by her words, Severus frowned. He had left his old life behind on more than one occasion. His world had been turned upside-down and inside-out, and he had survived.

"You don't mean to say that living with me is a scary prospect, I hope? You have faced more than most your age."

Hermione turned to face him. "I'm not scared," she stated evenly. "It's just new territory for me. I love you, and you know that. Living together will test our relationship, you realize."

"Silly girl, of course I realize that. I would be a fool if I didn't. But I believe any... difficulties we face will be worth it. If you can manage to deal with my irritable moods every morning, which you have already seen before, I think we'll be fine." Severus managed a smirk.

"You're horrible, you know that?" Hermione asked, giving in and playfully smacking him on the arm.

"So I've been told," he said dryly.

Sobering, Hermione said her goodbyes to her old flat, and together, they Disapparated, intent on starting a new life together.