DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter.
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A/N: Thank you for supporting this story and my other fics. I am really happy with the number of views and reviews! Please keep them coming!
How's everyone in the U.S.? I hope everything will be better for you all! We're also having difficulties here in the Philippines, but I am safe with my family. Sometimes, it's just too painful to watch the news.
Be safe from COVID 19, everyone!
And hey, I'm granting your request to have a sneak peek at present. But Ron is not that bad... I want to think of Ron in the book. But let me see what I can do for his reactions.
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Chapter 31:
July 31, 1995
(the present time)
Hermione found herself being pressed against her back on the bed, with Severus kissing her face, hovering her. He had her hands pinned on both sides of her head.
She moaned and kissed him back, enjoying the feeling. For five years, she had always admired her Professor Snape and that developed into a school girl crush when she became a teenager again. Now, she didn't have to feel guilty because it had been him all along - her soulmate, the love of her life. There was a valid reason why she was harbouring feelings for him.
And she wasn't a school girl anymore. She was a woman now; a full-fledged witch.
"I love you so much, Hermione. I can't believe you're here," he repeated the same words he said earlier - perhaps two hours ago.
She smiled when he pulled away to meet her eyes. "I can't believe you've waited for me. Fifteen years, Sev. What made you wait?"
He raised an eyebrow at looked at her as if she had grown another head. "Are you kidding me? Of course, I had been waiting for you to be an adult again... to have your memories back. There's no one else."
She motioned for him to release her hands and he obliged. Then, they sat up on the bed, facing each other. Hermione looked at their appearance. Sev was half naked and his hair was disheveled. Meanwhile, Hermione's top two buttons of silk pajama top were undone, revealing her cleavage. When she moved her hands to do the buttons, Sev stopped her.
"You look ravishing," he smirked and his hand made its way to her top, caressing her left breast. She almost moaned, but she gently removed his hand from her body.
"You like it. Why stop now?" he asked innocently. "You used to like it when I - "
She rolled her eyes but grinned. "And we'll do those things later. Be serious for now," she said. "Explain why you've been waiting. And tell me if there had been someone else. I won't be mad."
"Someone else?" he almost yelled. "Why would there be someone else? Are you fucking kidding me? We were engaged and together for many years... we cared for each other for more than a decade. What we had wasn't a walk in the park, Puckle! Have you forgotten, you're the most important person in my life?"
Hermione felt tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. She remembered that day when they spoke by the lake, a month after the incident with Lily Evans; when Sev told her that she was the most important person in his life.
She reached out to cup his face and kiss him. "You didn't have to wait. You could've met someone else... a wonderful witch who - "
Sev took her hands from his face and shook his head. "No. You're the only one. You're my partner, my everything..." he whispered rather emotionally.
Hermione didn't say anything. It was pointless to ask him more and argue further, so she kissed him gently. "Thank you."
Sev smiled and cupped her face.
"To be honest, I'm glad that there was no other woman," she smirked.
"Just another wizard," he replied with a grin.
She frowned and was about to say something when he spoke again. "An adorable little wizard by the name of Leontes Robert Snape."
Hermione laughed and felt relieved. "Of course. I wonder who chose his middle name."
"Maybe I did," replied Sev. "I've always respected your father and he's practically the man who raised me."
She smiled affectionately. "That's wonderful, Sev. Thank you."
He pulled her closer for a hug. "Thank Merlin you're here with me again. I don't have to punish myself for dreaming of kissing a schoolgirl," he murmured against her hair.
She chuckled. "And I don't have to feel guilty for having a crush on my professor."
"Ah. Yes. We have to talk about this coming term..." he pulled away and eyed her intently.
"Let's talk about that tomorrow," she said. "Hey, I want to see Alice and Frank."
But Sev just continued to look at her, not saying anything.
She closed her eyes, remembering Neville and his grandmother... "Oh, fuck. Bellatrix," she whispered and tears began to fall from her eyes. Suddenly, she felt like her heart had been stabbed with a knife. She couldn't help herself from crying and Sev enveloped her in his arms, then moved to the other side of the bed to rest his back on the headboard.
She continued to cry for her friends and godson. Sev didn't say anything, knowing that it wasn't all right. He just held her and ran his hands on her back and head to comfort her. He pressed kissed on her forehead, until she stopped crying.
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January 9, 1977
(eighteen years ago)
"Hey, Hermy."
Hermione looked up from the book she was reading and saw James. He sat on the chair across from her, on the other side of the library table she was at. She gave him a forced smile.
"Remus said you need my help," he told her.
She frowned. "I didn't - "
"You wanted to know where Snape is," he cut her off but not rudely.
"Oh, yeah," she replied, remembering her conversation earlier this morning with Remus. She asked him how they found out on her birthday that she and Sev were already outside the classroom, and Remus said that he would have to ask permission from James, Sirius, and Peter first, before telling her.
But Remus did not get back to her. Instead, James was here, wearing a smug look.
James looked around the library. It was a Sunday, so it wasn't surprising that there were only five people near them, the librarian included.
James moved to the seat next to her and reached for something inside his robe. It was a brownish parchment without anything written on it. He unfolded the parchment and pointed his wand to it.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Hermione snorted, but stopped and gave James a surprised look when ink lines began to appear from the tip of his wand to the parchment. They were like spider webs, joining each other. They crisscrossed and fanned to every corner of the parchment...
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Hermione was lying on her stomach on her bed, eyes were on the map loaned to her by her Gryffindor friends. She had been scouring the map for an hour now. She already knew that Amelia and Sirius were in an abandoned corridor on the second floor, their footprints were overlapping, probably doing what Hogwarts students shouldn't do. Alona was on the third floor with a group of Gobstones players. Alice and Frank were outside the Hufflepuff dormitory and they looked like arguing because her best friend was pacing back and forth. Then, a few seconds later, they went to the kitchens.
Remus, Peter, and James were lounging in the Gryffindor common room. Lily Evans's name was behind James's.
So, she's still hoping he would declare his love for her again...
Severus was nowhere in the castle. He left Hogwarts without telling her.
But he was acting completely normal this morning at breakfast, she told herself. He even waited for her outside the common room, like always.
She wanted to cry. He never kept a secret from her, ever. Until today.
Where in the world is he? If it's an emergency, someone would tell me, right? Where is he?
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August 1, 1995
(the present)
This is fucking unbelievable.
Hermione was already in the shower, shampooing her hair, thinking of everything that has happened and studying her more matured body. Her breasts were bigger than she was in her fifteen year old body, and she wasn't curvy then. Now she was.
And I'm not a virgin anymore, she suddenly thought, feeling butterflies in her stomach.
She heard the bathroom door open and close, then large and familiar hands reached for her hips, pulling her backwards to his body. When their bodies were pressed together, she felt his hard erection, poking her back.
She didn't turn around but smiled, especially when Sev's lips met the crook of her neck, giving her wet kisses. She didn't stop herself from moaning.
"You left me alone in bed," he whispered against her skin.
Hermione felt a wonderful sensation all over her body with just that kind of physical contact. She felt like a teenager, just like their first time eighteen years ago.
"I didn't want to wake you up and nature was calling, so I had to get up."
"And you decided to shower without me," he complained.
She laughed and reached for his face. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I had time to fix something. Your old closet's waiting for you," he whispered.
"My old closet?" She frowned.
"I put glamour charms on the wall, on the right side of the room, to hide your closet. Your other personal things are there," he replied and continued kissing her neck, her shoulder, her arm... His hands were still firmly holding her hips. She turned around to meet him face to face, then she looped her arms around his neck.
Sev closed his eyes momentarily and then stared at her. "You're so beautiful."
She smiled. "Thank you. You're perfect for me." She reached for the shower scrub and applied liquid body wash on it, then handed it to Sev. "Help me?"
Sev took the scrub from her but did not break their eye contact. He started scrubbing her neck, down to her chest, to the valley between her breasts. Hermione closed her eyes, feeling weak just because of his touch. Sev stopped below her breasts and reached for her arms, scrubbing each of them leisurely. Then, he knelt on the shower floor to continue scrubbing her stomach, down to her waist.
Hermione, still eyes closed, was savoring the feeling. She was already planning on making Sev take her in their bed after this... but then, he stopped.
She opened her eyes and looked down with a frown. "Why did you stop?"
"Lean on the wall, Hermione," he said casually, pulling away slightly.
Hermione obliged, and Sev, still on his knees, moved in front of her.
"Make sure your back's firmly on the wall," he rasped before holding one of her legs and guiding it over his shoulder.
Hermione nodded and bit her lowe lip, knowing what her lover what was about to do. The moment she closed her eyes, she felt his hands squeezing her breasts gently and his tongue pleasuring her, and knowing that there were privacy charms in their bedroom and bathroom, she couldn't help but moan as loud as she could be.
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January 9, 1977
(eighteen years ago)
Hermione saw Sev's name on the map, moving to the Ravenclaw common room entrance, but she did not move from her bed. She still felt hurt that he kept a secret from her. They had been best friends since 1969, and probably, the only thing she kept from him was about some girl stuff like monthly period and her reading of erotic romance novels.
She was sure he was also keeping secrets from her, but clearly, leaving the castle without any emergencies was not acceptable.
She closed the map and tucked it under her pillows. She waited in her dormitory, until Alona came in.
"Hey, Sev's looking for you."
She sighed and nodded. When she was walking towards the door, Alona stopped her. "Hey, what's the matter?"
She gave her friend a sad smile. "It's nothing. I will probably get an explanation now that he's here."
Alona eyed her intently. "There's no one else, right? Like a third party?" she asked.
Hermione frowned. "What? No! Why would you say that?"
Alona's expression softened. "It must be a lie. Some Gryffindors were talking about how close you are with James, and of course they are wondering why he isn't pursuing Lily anymore..."
"What's wrong with my friendship with James? Honestly, he's like a brother to me."
"I know," Alona assured her. "Go. Don't keep your wizard waiting."
Hermione sighed heavily but gave her friend a fond smile. She walked briskly downstairs and went outside of the Ravenclaw common room.
Sev was pacing back and forth outside and he stopped when he heard her footsteps. He turned to her and grinned. "Hey, I have some news for you."
Hermione was taken aback because Sev looked very happy. It was like he didn't keep a secret, like he didn't leave the castle without notice.
But upon seeing her face, his smile faded. He took a few steps closer and held her hand. "Let's go to our Potions lab. I have something to tell you," he said happily and led her the way.
She obliged without saying anything. On their way, Sev noticed her mood, but didn't say anything. Hermione knew he wanted to deal with problems in private, so he would wait until they were in their classroom.
"What's wrong?" he asked when he finally closed the door of their shift Potions lab.
She took her hand from his hold and crossed her arms below her breasts, then she stepped backwards, moving away from him. "I've been looking for you since lunch. Where have you been?" she asked unhappily.
Sev looked a bit relieved. "I'm sorry, I didn't tell you. I wanted to be sure before telling you..."
"Tell me what?" she asked impatiently.
But Sev just grinned and closed the distance between them to hug her. "I got my inheritance and I met your dad today. He helped me find a house."
Hermione, still shocked, pulled away only to meet a grinning Severus Snape.
"I'm of age, so I received a letter from Gringotts a week before, telling me that I should meet with the goblin in-charged of all the Prince family vaults. I got a part of my inheritance. Well, just a huge amount of Galleons because grandma's still alive... so I asked your father to help me find a house... for us."
Hermione could not believe her ears. "You... left the castle... to look for a house... for us?"
Severus nodded and grinned. "And I asked your father for something else."
He gently pulled away and reached inside his robe for a small green velvet box. It looked brand new and it had the name of a famous wizarding jewelry store in Diagon Alley...
He opened the box to reveal a sparkling ring... Hermione was expecting him to kneel, but he didn't. He just pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. "When you're finally a healer and I've earned the title of Potiins Master, marry me, Hermione."
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August 1, 1995
(the present)
Hermione's back was still firmly pressed on the shower wall, her fingers were in Sev's hair. The love of her life was bringing her to an orgasm by eating her out and toying with her breasts.
"Gods, Sev, you're good at multitasking," she moaned then screamed when he finally brought her to completion.
She was still feeling weak and found it a bit hard to breath, but Sev got up from the floor and claimed one of her breasts momentarily, before kissing her fully on the lips. "You're beautiful when you come, dear."
She smiled. "You look better when you're like this, not glaring or scowling at me for being a know-it-all."
He laughed and tickled her sides. "I won't apologize for my choice of career, and for still being a spy."
"It's all right. Just don't annoy me anymore." Then, she cupped his face and kissed him. "Shall I return the favor now?"
Sev smirked. "Who am I to deny you? Bed?"
She smirked back and knelt on the floor before taking his long erection to her hand, and eventually, to her mouth.
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After an hour of lovemaking in the shower and on the bed, Hermione and Sev finally joined their son and Eileen for breakfast. Yesterday, before her reunion with Sev, she learned that Eileen was living in Prince Manor alone. She didn't want to leave the place rotten, so she was hiding there from the wizarding community and at the same time, making sure that her childhood home was still taken care of.
Of course Hermione knew why Eileen had to hide. She would be a good target for those who were against Severus.
"I feel like I'm a bad godmother," she suddenly said when she remembered the date after seeing it on her copy of The Daily Prophet. She folded the paper and tossed it on the space beside her. Sev was sitting on the couch across from her, reading a book on curses. Leo was sitting on the floor, near Hermione's feet, drawing again on the tea table.
"Why?" he looked up.
"My godson didn't get presents from his godmother for fifteen years," she told him unhappily.
"You never thought that perhaps I took care of it?" Sev inquired and raised an eyebrow.
"You did?" she asked with pure surprise.
"Of course, I did! Mrs. Longbottom knew that our friendship with Frank and Alice continued, because of Albus. It was easy for me to send Neville birthday presents every year."
"Oh, thank Merlin! You're a savior, love," she smiled and sighed in relief.
"Professor Longbottom, Dada?" asked Leo, looking up to Sev.
"Neville Longbottom, son," he replied.
"Yes. He's your friend, Mummy." Leo turned to her. "I called him 'Unca Neville' at first but he's now a professor at Hogwarts so everyone calls him Professor Longbottom..."
She clapped her hands happily. "Wonderful! What does he teach, Leo?"
"Herbology, Mummy. Unca Harry said he's the head of my future house at Hogwarts."
"Damn Potter," whispered Sev unhappily. "My son will never be a Gryffindor."
"Sev!"
"But you were in Ravenclaw and I'm a Slytherin through and through," he reasoned. "Why did you even end up in Gryffindor the second time?"
She gave him a guilty look. "I asked the Hat to put me in Gryffindor because I want to be brave."
Sev ran a hand on his face. "Too much bravery, you even lied to your professors in your first year. And you stole from my personal store."
She laughed and went to his side. "I'm sorry! It won't happen again."
Sev just shook his head and looked at her unhappily. "You can't stop yourself from being friends with a Potter... and a Longbottom."
"Well, you couldn't stop yourself from caring for and protecting Potters with jet-black hair and eyeglasses."
He rolled his eyes. "Only because he was there for you when I wasn't."
"You were there for me," she countered. "Always."
Sev gave her a sad smile. "Now we have to hide our relationship again... and another Potter brat is going to be there for you, comfort you in public."
She chuckled. "Yes, but it's not like I'm going to pretend dating someone else. It will be like the old times. You and me, always."
"Always," he replied, followed by a kiss.