DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter.

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A/N: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! Thanks for supporting this fic!

Why are some people so insensitive? There was a YouTube vlogger in my country who pranked a food delivery guy! When the rider was already at their doorstep, the vlogger said 'It's a prank! I'll just eat instant ramen!' And then said that he wanted to show the rider to the camera.

And another annoying person is a reviewer who told me that my story is annoying. Well, feel free to leave. This pandemic is already stressful. I don't need another virus.

How's everyone?

I hope all is well with you. Stay healthy and safe!

#WeHealAsOne

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Chapter 27:

September 19, 1976

(nineteen years ago)

Hermione was sitting under her favourite tree, facing the lake. She was hugging her blanket-covered legs, a Charms textbook was lying by her feet.

She wasn't in the mood to read, which was very rare if you were Hermione Puckle. She always loved reading and there was never a day in her life when she didn't read.

But for the past half an hour, all Hermione did was hugged and caressed the blanket wrapped around her legs.

It was her grandmother's. She had her first attack a few days before Easter Sunday and Hermione's parents brought her to their Cokeworth home. Hermione had to cancel her plans with Sev and Lady Prince to return to her family and help in taking care of her gran. Sev returned to Cokeworth with her. He met her grandmother twice and they got along well. After Easter, they returned to school. Her gran recovered, but in August, while Hermione was home for the summer holidays, her gran passed away. Sev was there for her when they buried her gran, and so was Mona's boyfriend, Richard.

It had been a month since, and Hermione could still feel the pang of hurt and loneliness in her heart. She and Mona had been writing to each other almost every day since she returned to Hogwarts. They shared the pain and loneliness through letters, and somehow, her sister made her feel better.

She heard footsteps and suddenly, she was reminded that she hadn't been spending time with her friends anymore, since they all returned for their sixth year. Sev was always there, but they didn't talk much.

"Gran is at peace now, Mione. Mum is right, we have to accept and move on. It's not as if she died tragically. She died happily; peacefully. It's time for her to go. We will all miss her, but we should continue living our lives to the fullest, right? Talk to Sev and your friends. Write to me every Sunday, but spend most of your time with the people who are physically there for you," her sister wrote.

She was right, of course. She had friends who were still waiting for her to join them. She had Sev - the best boyfriend anyone could ever have.

I'm not going to let good friendships and a beautiful relationship slip. I should go back to them and seize every moment with them, she finally decided, so when Hermione heard footsteps, she forced a smile and turned to her boyfriend who was standing beside the tree hesitantly.

"Hi," she greeted.

Sev smiled rather sadly. "Happy birthday," he whispered.

She stood up and picked up her blanket and book. "Thank you," she said, trying to be cheerful. "Do you have something for me?"

Sev looked surprised but recovered quickly. "Yes!" he replied rather cheerfully. "Of course!"

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a teasing look. "Well, where is it?"

"It's in our classroom. I wasn't sure if - " he trailed off, looking hesitant. "If I'd find you."

She smiled genuinely and hooked her arm around his, which deeply surprised Sev, by the look in his face. "Well, I'm excited to know what you got me this year." And she started walking with him.

Sev seemed to relax when she started speaking cheerfully. "I've got you a few things. I hope they're to your liking."

She squeezed his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment. "I cherish anything you give me."

"Thanks," he replied with a smile.

When they reached the steps to the castle entrance, she looked up to him and saw the longing in his eyes when they met hers. They both stopped walking and faced each other and her free hand reached for his other arm. "I'm sorry for not being around."

Sev gave her a reassuring smile. "I wasn't happy but I understand. And I'm glad now that you're... here, with me."

She nodded and released his other arm. They continued walking again. When they reached their shift potions lab, she was surprised to see their friends - Alice, Frank, Remus, Amelia, Alona, James, Sirius, and even Regulus.

"Happy Birthday, Hermione!" they chorused when they entered as if they knew she was coming. The room was decorated with powder blue and pale pink balloons and flying charmed birds made of paper. Their working table was covered with beautiful blue and silver cloth, and there were cake and delicious food obviously nicked from the kitchens.

She smiled and hugged her female friends. "Thank you!"

"How did you know that I'm going back with her?" asked Sev behind her.

"Potter and Black said they saw you coming," drawled Alona, giving the two Gryffindors piercing looks.

Hermione frowned and turned to the two boys, but Remus approached her and hugged her. "We'll tell you later, promise," he whispered.

"Hands off my witch, Lupin," came Severus's annoyed tone and she felt his hand at the small of her back.

She and Remus laughed when they pulled away from each other. Hermione turned to her boyfriend and circled her arms around his waist, inhaling his scent. "He just missed me, I guess."

"Course, I did," he replied sincerely, kissing her forehead.

"All right, that's enough, lovebirds!" Alice clapped her hands to get their attention. "The food and the presents are waiting!"

They all gathered around the table and tucked in after she blew her cake. Sirius was wooing Amelia while Regulus was exchanging a conversation about Magical Law Enforcement jobs with Alona. Frank, Alice, Remus, and Sev chattered about Potions. Hermione decided to catch up with James while her boyfriend was sitting beside her, their hands clasped together under the table, on his knee.

"Why didn't you invite Peter Pettigrew?" she asked casually. Pettigrew was not friends with her, but he was always with Sirius, James, and Remus during full-moons. He had been very supportive of the three boys.

"He's too shy to come with us. And besides, he said he wants to catch up with his mother in Hogsmeade."

"He's welcome to join us next time. He's been very supportive of Remus, you know," she said honestly. "So, how are things between you and Lily?"

James smiled sadly but blushed. "She's still the one, to be honest. But I cannot just declare my feelings for her again. I made myself a fool for more than four years. Mum said I was arrogant at some point," he chuckled, "at that was not the proper way to ask a girl out, but..."

"But Mrs. Potter also said that Lily had no class," quipped Remus whose attention was now on them. "She didn't need to yell all the time. Look at the other girls, especially Miss Amelia Bones. They don't yell at their suitors." Then, he winked at Amelia, making Sirius hit him at the back of his head.

"Find your own witch! This one's mine" declared Sirius.

Hermione was expecting Amelia to roll her eyes and groan, but instead, her friend gave Sirius an appraising smile and allowed him to slung an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer.

Hermione's eyes widened at the pair, but when Amelia blushed deeply, she smiled teasingly. "My, my, my... where have I been living the past few weeks? Looks like our dear Amy fancies someone back."

Alona and Alice chuckled. "Oh, Mione! Don't worry, Alice and I are going to tell you everything," giggled Alona.

"At least, with my brother, she's not a second option," commented Regulus who was licking his chocolate-covered fingers. He was sitting on Amelia's other side.

Sirius sent his brother a questioning look, but Amelia pinched Regulus's ear, making the youngest Black wizard yelp in pain like a little child. "Don't mind him. He's still as annoying as he was when he arrived as a first-year," Amelia told Sirius affectionately.

Hermione giggled and leaned her head on Sev's head. "I never thought I'd see the day Amelia getting soft on Siri," she whispered.

Sev pulled her closer. "I missed you," he whispered back, rather emotionally.

"Hey, lovebirds!" came Alice's voice again. "Time for presents."

Hermione pulled away a bit from Sev but their hands were still clasped together.

"Why don't we leave these two?" suggested James, standing up. "There will be another time to chat with Hermione. For now, let's leave her with Snape."

Her female friends and Regulus looked like they wanted to protest, but the Gryffindor boys were already on their feet and agreed with James. They waved their wands to clear up the table. She sent James an appraising look and smile. "Thanks, Jamie."

"You're welcome, Hermy," he smirked.

"Hey!" she protested, but her female friends kissed her cheek and said their goodbyes.

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"Alone at last," Sev said, looking very pleased as he moved on to the sofa, his elbows resting on the back of the chair.

Hermione moved to sit beside him and his hands instantly held her by the waist, then inhaled her hair. "I owe the girls a Hogsmeade trip," she informed him casually, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Do you mind?"

"No," he replied rather sleepily. "Not at all. As long as they leave us alone for the rest of the day. I really missed you."

She turned to meet his eyes, but Sev was too quick. He inched his face forward to capture her mouth in a searing kiss.

Hermione moaned and shifted on the sofa. She placed a thigh over Sev's lap and wound her arms around his neck. Sev was so tall that he had to bend lower to align their faces, so he took the opportunity to lift her by the waist and settled her in his lap. She shivered when her crotch bumped into something hard against his trousers, but she moaned even more at the contact.

Oh, gods, why did I miss two weeks of this? she groaned inwardly. She felt so good that she even sank lower into his hardness, earning a pleasured moan from her boyfriend.

Then, they pulled away from each other, panting. "Oh, sweet Salazar. I love you, Hermione," he whispered in her ear, gently nibbling it. Her hold to him tightened. "I missed you so fucking much and I want you so bad, but our first time won't be in an abandoned classroom; in this shift potions lab..."

She closed her eyes, imagining herself and Sev in an enormous bed, kissing each other crazily.

"I want our first time to be special; to be in a bedroom, our own bedroom... in our own house," he whispered rather seductively, making Hermione feel wet between her legs.

"Oh, Sev... I want that, too," she admitted and held the back of his head, then licked the shell of his ear.

Sev shifted her in his lap to meet her eyes. "Believe me, Hermione, I can't wait until we can finally live together. That's if you still want to be with me after Hogwarts."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Are you crazy?" she laughed and hit him by the shoulder playfully. "Of course, I'd still want you. I will always want you."

Sev looked relaxed and pleased, then kissed her forehead. "Good. We're on the same boat, then."

She relaxed in his arms, her head was tucked under his chin. "I'll never want anyone else but you, remember that, Sev."

"I love you, Hermione. Since 1970," he whispered affectionately.