Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapter.

Chapter 40

This particular afternoon was filled with surprises. If Neville Longbottom was ever asked during his long tenure as a student of Hogwarts, could he ever imagine the Dungeon Bat, the greasy git, Severus Snape at a domestic setting, he would surely faint. To see the tall and thin man bent on his knees with McGonagall's wrinkled hand, held with his own was dramatic. But he had seen more in the past couple of hours. The man believed in love. He loved Late Mrs. Potter so much that he took it upon himself to watch Voldemort and his several death eaters get defeated once and for all.

Sitting next to Hermione, he did not miss those discreet glances the husband and wife shared. Neither did it escape his notice how they two stood close by while visiting those memories. Not even for once did the git called his young wife," Insufferable know it all"! What would the others have to say for it?

He saw those hints of trust and respect; he left those undercurrents of emotions radiating from both. It made him really happy. Even if their pair was not the most desirable on the surface, Severus Snape and Hermione Granger were alike in many ways. He just hoped for the best. Rubbing his palms over his knees he spoke aloud to no one particular," I..I better go, it is already afternoon and Pansy is all alone."

As Snape busied himself into administering soon of the basic potions to McGonagall, the minister replied," That would be advisable given your peculiar situation. Just keep in mind to inform us about the hours you can make yourself available for further investigation."

Standing up, nodding his head, Longbottom replied," I will work it out and owl you Sir." Turning to Minerva, he offered a genuine smile," It is good to see you here at Hogwarts, Madam." The Gryffindor Head of the House beamed at him," Mr. Longbottom I would rather say, it is good to have you here. Frank and Alice would have been quite proud of you. Keep up the good work. And convey my best wishes to Mrs. Longbottom." The former student had nodded to that, and Minerva had bit the insides of her cheek when she saw those blushes colour his face up. The boy had turned to engulf Hermione into a bear hug and made a beeline for the fireplace. Shacklebolt too had literally dashed out after she had looked at him pointedly.

Snape smirked at her and she threw her head back, giggling merrily," Oh! Come on, Severus, I happen to be a teacher for a long time, it is just impossible for me to act in any other way."

He had dipped his tone lower enough," And stare hard enough to make even the Minister flee away from the scene."

Brushing him aside, she sat straighter, testing her weight on her knees," Always remember, you also have a Roaring and punching Gryffindor as a wife." The professor looked at a smirking and awkward Hermione sitting behind her husband and winked. The girl rocked on her seat managing to muffle her laughter with her palm. Subtly changing the topic, Snape suggested," I don't like the idea of you staying away in the Gryffindor Tower. Even the Headmaster's Office allows only me to reside in it. Under the circumstances, I would suggest you stay in the guest quarters of the Slytherin house."

When Minerva had gagged at the offer, He managed to look slightly affronted," I suggest that you hold on to your comments till you get to see them with your eyes."

Hermione had been at her former Head of the House's side while her husband had once again tapped at the bare wall which she knew was the door to the Hanging Garden. Leading them out of the magical arch he had walked about twenty steps and once again tapped on a wall. The entire section started to change, until a glass door and to bay windows appeared over the stone surface.

It was Pin who had opened the door and welcomed the three of them inside.

Minerva had marveled at the quarters and so had Hermione. Instead of Slytherin colours, the room was draped in shades of blue, gold, and red. It had a small sitting area, a large empty bookshelf, and a small round dining table with four chairs tucked around it. The sitting area had well-furnished armchairs placed around the hearth. Walked ahead, the man had thrown open a door at one end, revealing a large bedroom. With a challenging smirk on his face, he peered down at the old Gryffindor witch and drawled," You were saying?"

Smacking his arm, Minerva had hobbled past him, dropping her purse over the foot bench," You don't need to shove it on my face! Never in all these years, have I set my eyes on these guest rooms! I wonder how you learned about them in the first place." The man turned away, hiding his face behind his long hair at that and just added," I would leave the two of you to have that much-awaited chat and retire to my study."

Minerva narrowed her eyes at him," Severus, I would rather like you to rest and not brood on your worn-out chair. We can discuss all of this over dinner or maybe tomorrow morning. And I wouldn't hold on to Mrs. Snape for long." Nodding curtly, Snape excused himself and the two watched him leave with his robes billowing behind him.

Turning to Hermione who had been watching her husband with sad eyes, Minerva drew her attention to her," Could you help me out of these robes? I would like to lay down a bit, and please bring that chair a little closer to the head of the bed. I would like to tell you something important."

If his sudden hasty retreat had drawn Minerva's interest, Severus hardly cared. Stumbling back to his study, he flopped down on his own armchair and closed his eyes, panting hard and shivering all over. Even if he had the luxury to relax his mind during the shower, but that proved inadequate. Everything seemed to be just overflowing out of proportions. He never wished to speak so casually to Hermione in front of the others. And his lack of snarky comments, his uncharacteristic softness towards her was noticed and appreciated by Neville Longbottom of all the people. He did not like the fact. He had always been aloof and alone. His was his safe haven and this encroachment of social circumstances made him nervous.

His own words sounded like he had been surviving only on sugar and desserts for the last couple of months. Only a sap would be this beguiling to say," A tale of lost love." Those Gryffindors would be too sharp to make a parallel connection between his unrequited love and the tale, would they end up making fun of him? But this was not the first time, students, people younger to him by years made fun of him behind his back, then why did it matter so much now?

He brought his palm up to rub his face, but instead of bringing it over his face, he started studying it. His fingers were bonnie and knobby and years of potion-making had left behind its markings in the form of scars from blisters and minor cuts. Instead of finding them revolving, Hermione had held them. Her words still resonate in his eardrums," I trust you." She wasn't joking, was she? Trust, since when had somebody given it to him so bluntly. Every time, someone said it, they wanted him to bleed for them in return.

If there was anything worthy to muse over, it was how she panicked when they talked about watching over the memories in the beginning. It was not that she was watching it, because it was his memories. In the confines of her mind, he had been startled to see those thick mists engulf him. It took him moments to figure out those waves of panic and touch those anxious thoughts. Severus Snape was moved to feel, hear, and sense and see Hermione's thoughts. She wanted him alive. She didn't want to go back to the moments where he lay helpless, his throat barely there, his memories swimming over his temple and eyes on the floor of the Shrieking Shack. She dreaded to see him bleed above all.

A flutter of winds later, Fawkes came to sit in front of him on the edge of the center table. Its ancient voice nudged past his battling thoughts.

"It is new, but it was time, you should start feeling like any other human, don't you think?"

Swallowing hard, snape thought back," Merlin! Even if it is just a tiny drop of emotion, still it is nice to know she cares."

Fawkes tilted his head and looked back," Yes, she was worried. Don't confuse it with the workings of the bond. It is only humane to start to care."

Doubting the bond that made him go so soft, Snape grimaced," So fast, don't you think it is happening all so soon? Surely she hasn't forgotten Ronald Weasley."

Sagely, the phoenix opined," When you have no one to turn to, you grab on to the nearly warm surface to feel alive." Spreading his wings, he flew overhead and left through the fireplace. Its last words pushed him off the edge of sanity.

Hermione entered the study to find her husband fast asleep while reclining over his armchair, his feet stretched over the fireplace, and his head resting over to the left. His hair hung around his sleeping face. Without giving it another thought, she brought her fingers over his face and screamed. Snape had grabbed at her wrist mid-air and had swung to his feet, his face twisted in rage, mere inches away from her frightened eyes. He took some moments to come back to his senses and walked around the chair to put some distance between them. Finding anything else to say, she managed to mumble," Was it a nightmare about werewolves?"

Picking on a loss thread, he squared his shoulders but said nothing. It was painful to watch him stand like that guarded, alone, and fighting with the world all by himself. But McGonagall had told her, this was how Snape dealt with situations and had asked her, rather pleaded her to at least become a friend.

"Hermione, deep down I knew the process would find both Severus and you compatible. You might have had the chance to be linked with Draco Malfoy. But Severus didn't have that luxury. He is a unique person. It is true, he spent most of his life pinned from Harry's mother, but Voldemort is defeated. Harry might have opted for running away. If Severus was a couple of years younger, he too would have opted for just that. But not the one we have with us. He would opt for dying alone, perhaps in a cave, or even poison himself. I had warned Shacklebolt to watch over Snape closely. Why else do you think, the minister has been keeping him close to himself? It is another thing altogether, yes we need him, just as much as we need you, or Malfoy, or all the Weasleys. But don't you think, we owe this man the most? This least we can give him is a valid reason to live. I know you are compassionate Hermione, can you consider to show Severus a bit of that as well?"

Just like their first night, she brought her hand up to him and said," The last couple of days has been quite trying for all of us. I am tired, but you look worse, please, can't we just rest for a while?"

His eyes had flicked from her extended open palm to her face and then he looked away at the burning hearth and said," Why this sudden show of pity, Madam Snape?" Hermione strode forward and had forcefully turned him to face her, biting her words, she barked," Pity, I am not pitying you. Just like you did not pity me two nights ago. Hush! I know we had to consummate our marriage. But I can hear, see, feel and sense you like you are not someone else, but an extension of my own body. So don't you dare insult this connection…" his hand had come from behind and tugged her firmly, so that the very next second, she was in his arms, and his head buried at the crook of her neck. The fact that she was kneeling on his armchair added some inches to make them be at the same level. Breathing in her essence, he closed his eyes and whispered, "why did you say, you trust me, why do you care? You don't want to, I...said before, I don't need anything in return…" pushing at his chest, bringing her face up so that she could look right into his eyes, she said," Because it is natural for me because I want to give this a chance. And don't think, McGonagall talked me into this. I want to do this because it is the right thing to do," throwing caution to the wind, she leaned over to drive her point home by pressing her lips over his slightly parted ones.

But Snape was faster. Cradling her head firmly with both hands, he chose to plunder her mouth with all the surging passion. She said she cared, she said she wanted to be by his side. He knew she meant she would at least try. But he was never the one to opt for things halfway. He vowed he would make sure that she would never find a reason to look the other way.