A/N: This is the end. This is the very end. This is the very, very end. Okay, I'm done, really.

I'd like to dedicate this fic to all the fanfic readers who believed in me, even when I couldn't. I'd like to thank all the other brilliant writers of HGSS who inspired me to write my own in the first place. And finally, to my two best friends, whose objections (refer to A/N in Chapter 3) only fueled my stubbornness and drive to write it in pure spite, and because I wanted to!

Chapter 21: Of all People-Epilogue

One year later

Hermione and Harry stood with the other seventh years, waiting in anticipation for their graduation ceremony, which was taking place on the day before the last day of school. They were exempt from attending classes that day, much to their delight. However, Hermione was still sad. She would never be able to look forward to an upcoming year at Hogwarts to see her Potions Professor, Severus Snape.

Yes, they had persevered through everything and were still together, much to many people's surprise. It was now common knowledge, that rarely any student or teacher batted an eye at anymore, which was fine with her and Severus. Their relationship continued to grow, and now they were almost inseparable. They never seemed to tire of each other after months of late night visits, heated discussions about potions, meetings for tea or a meal, and countless hours spent reading together. Severus stayed his subtle and reserved old self, but it was a much lighter version than the previous dark haunting of almost all his whole life. When people saw him with Hermione, his dark obsidian eyes radiated with brightness and practically sparkled with his intellectual and sincere side. No one ever thought that there was another side to Professor Snape, but Hermione seemed to bring out the better person in him. Hermione, on the other hand, grew much more mature than ever in his presence, and he made her feel confident in herself and brought out the lighter side in her as well. They shared a unique bond, and they trusted each other beyond anything. Hermione sighed. Now she'd probably never see him again, except during summers, but even that would make all that had happened in her sixth and seventh year slip away. She doubted he would even want to stay with her. Would he forget everything we have gone through? Would it all just circle back to the days when to him she was nothing but a nuisance, Miss know-it-all Granger? She did not know. Of all people in the world, she had to fall in love with Severus Snape.

Hermione glanced over at Harry. She thought about what they'd do after Hogwarts, she thought that this moment would never come. Harry and Hermione had received top marks on their N.E.W.T.S, and Harry was going to be off to Auror School to train. For her, she was going to go to the top wizarding university of Great Britain to learn more and become a researcher in a field of her choosing. This was what she chose, and she hoped she could be happy. Her parents were disappointed that she had not decided to go to a muggle university, but she could not just escape this world to go to a "normal" school. They still did not know about her and Severus, Hermione wanted to no longer be a student before she breathed a word to them. Severus did not mind at all, in fact, he had told her many times that he dreaded the day he would have to meet her parents and would much rather prefer if he didn't at all. She smiled to herself; he always amused her.

"Mione? You ready?" Harry nudged her gently as they walked through the doors to the Great Hall for the graduation ceremony.

"Yeah. As ready as I'll ever be."

Later, after the ceremony was over, the seventh years walked back to their dormitories to enjoy the rest of the day to themselves, clutching their certificates close to them. Right now they would have been in Potions, but they were excused because of Graduation.

"Harry, I'll meet you later in the common room, okay?"

"Sure, Herm. See you later," and walked away, but Hermione couldn't help but notice him take Ginny Weasley's hand. Maybe something will become of them, she thought. They would be good together, but she wasn't going to be Miss Matchmaker for them. Ron would want it, though, if he were still alive...

She went immediately to the one place she had wanted to go all day: the dungeons, to see Severus. He would be sitting at his desk, most likely, either reading or grading end of the exams, alone. She quietly opened the door and let herself in.

Severus had been thinking a lot in particular about Hermione. He was worried that after she graduated, he was sure she'd find some young thickheaded hunk that was her age that would sweep her off her feet. He started to doubt himself. She won't want an old man like me; she'll want someone her own age. And maybe I shouldn't stop her. He looked up to see Hermione standing in front of his desk, he had heard her coming before she even opened the door, but he waited until she spoke first before looking at her.

"Severus, I came to see you." He laughed to himself; she amused him so much.

"I can see that, Hermione. Do you want to talk? Or do you just want to keep your old man company?" Humor danced in his eyes.

"You are not that old, Severus. And yes, I do want to talk about something important," she replied. Oh no, is it what I feared? He thought wildly.

"What is it?"

"Well, now that I've graduated and everything, I'll be going to the university," she began.

"Yes, you have told me. I am happy for you," he answered warmly, but with a tiny trace of sorrow.

"But, that changes things for me, and for you."

"Yes, I know."

"I'm just…afraid that you won't want to be together anymore, for good," she said quietly. "I mean, I know I'm really young and innocent compared to you and other adults, but I'll try not to make your life difficult-"

"Who said you were making my life difficult? I did not, and stop falsely accusing yourself. If I had been picky about your age or maturity, you wouldn't be standing here right now talking to me," he cut in firmly. "And, you would not be the woman of my life," he added. Hermione's heart fluttered and Severus stood up, and began leaning over the desk as Hermione climbed onto it, and sat on her knees, her eyes level with his. Within a moment their lips touched in a passionate kiss. Hermione opened herself to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and his encircled her waist. She let his tongue pass her lips and leaned deeper into the kiss. Hermione felt like Severus was treating the kiss as if it was their last, a thought that puzzled her; she broke away.

"Severus, what's wrong?" Severus laughed, but it was a strained hoarse bark.

"Hermione, you are not blind. Once you enter the adult magical world, you will meet many new people, make new friends, and meet more attractive and younger men than I that will clamber to you on their hands and knees for your affection. Why will you waste your time on a helpless aging man such as myself when there are so many better candidates?" He gently took a lock of her hair and brushed it behind her ear. "You will not want to stay with me, you will want to explore the world and the men in it, and I cannot stop you," he finished, giving her a gentle kiss that lingered for only a moment. Hermione embraced him and rested her cheek against his shoulder. Then she looked up at him, and Severus was shocked to see a playful smile and a mischievous gleam in her eye.

"Why would I want to date such inexperienced men when I've got the Master of Seduction?" She laughed melodically. Severus snorted.

"The master of seduction? Why such a ridiculous title?"

"Goes with your black heart, and I suppose robes, and hair and eyes-" Severus silenced her by pulling her into an open-mouthed kiss, probably showing her a thing or two for her cheekiness. Hermione laughed out loud as Severus kissed her neck gently. She ran her fingers experimentally through his dark hair, enjoying the soft texture. He smelled so good, like peppermint and crisp night air, if that was possible to be a scent. There also was a lingering aura of firewhiskey, but she paid no heed to it. Severus was utterly relieved, his worries washed away as he realized that Hermione loved him and would not leave him, as he would not leave her. Of all people in the magical community, his dull and unfeeling heart had opened and given Hermione Granger the key to the greatest depths and desires of his soul.

%%%

"Hurry up Hermione! The train is going to leave soon," Harry shouted after they said goodbye to Hagrid.

"All right! I'm coming!" Hermione shouted back, and as she stepped onto the train, she saw Severus walking towards her very quickly, his hand reaching for something in his robes.

"Severus, what-" Hermione began, and then stopped. He was holding a black box in his hand; she stared at it in shock. He placed it gently in her hand, and opened it for her. Inside the box, was something she did not expect to see at only eighteen years old, but there it was, a beautiful but simplistic diamond ring set in scrolled silver. She was speechless.

"Hermione, I am asking you to marry me," Severus said, sliding the ring gently onto her left ring finger.

"Well, I guess I have no choice, it's already on my hand," she whispered.

"Then is your answer a yes?" he replied, looking anxiously at her face.

"Are we allowed to-?"

"The minimum age for legal marriage is sixteen," he explained.

"Then I say yes! Yes, I will marry my Potions Teacher," she paused. "Amazing how things work out," she said happily, welcoming Severus's embrace, tears of joy gliding gently down her face.

"And all for the best," Severus whispered and brought his lips to hers in a sweet and simple kiss that lingered.

"Hermione! What the-" Harry yelled from the train.

"I'm coming!" she yelled back.

"I'll be waiting at Grimmauld Place, come as soon as you can," Severus said hurriedly, and Hermione gave him another warm kiss before dashing to the train and just barely jumping on the Hogwarts Express as it began to push off of the station to head for Platform 9 ¾. Hermione blew a kiss before ducking out of sight.

Severus stood silhouetted on the platform by the steam from the engine, gazing at the train as it pulled away. He brought two fingers to his lips and traced over them, the warmth of Hermione's last kiss still lingering. Smiling one of his rare smiles, he whispered, "I love you, Hermione Granger," and turned and began the lonely walk back to the castle. He had always been alone almost all his life. Not anymore.

-The Grim