A/N: Hi everyone! In editing this, I felt that the end I had written was a bit short, so I expanded this chapter a little and added another. So there's one more chapter left before the end of our little tale. Thanks for sticking with it.

Chapter 11

Severus awoke after sleeping for a full day. He felt alert and well once again. His mind went directly to Hermione. She would be awake now, possibly even ready to be discharged. He rose and hurried to shower and dress. Pulling his pants on quickly, he also threw his shirt on, buttoning it as he walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. Running a comb through his hair, he studied himself.

Noting his appearance, he stilled. He questioned what he was about to do. Why would he rush to her side? She didn't care for him. She wanted the man she knew from her past. He was not that man, nor would he ever be. He was fooling himself if he thought he could ever win her heart.

Besotted fool or not, she will not return my feelings. I've been horrible to her. She could never truly care for me as more than a friend, even if I had been nice to her.

His shoulders slumped, and he turned from the mirror. Slowly, he wandered back into his bedroom and pulled out his diary once again. With plume in hand, he sat down on the bed and began to write.

This whole ordeal has made me realize how special she is to me, however, I am not an idiot. I know that even though she has moved on from Perry, she will never see me like that. I know she will be all right. I must not make a fool of myself by rushing to her side, assuring for my own eyes that she breathes and speaks and is back to normal.

I will wait and see her when our paths cross. She must not know what she means to me. She will only pity me...

He placed his quill down on the page and stared ahead. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Frowning, he put his diary down and rose to answer the door.

oooOOOooo

A few minutes prior:

Hermione awoke and blinked a few times to gain her bearings. She marveled at how good she felt after her ordeal at the Malfoy's. The only part of her that hurt was her ribs which ached with the workings of the Skelegro that was helping them to heal. She slowly sat up and eased her legs over the edge of the bed. Standing, she took some tentative steps. So far, so good. She became bolder and began to walk normally. Poppy poked her head out of her office.

"Ah, you're awake, I see, and determined to escape from here."

Hermione looked up to her and smiled guiltily. "Poppy, I can't thank you enough. Except for my chest, I feel back to normal. Can I go?" She gave Poppy a puppy-dog look, hoping it would better her chances of escaping the infirmary.

Poppy came out of her office, wand held high. She waved it around Hermione a few times, muttering a little to herself with each new wave. Finally, she lowered her wand and nodded to Hermione.

"You are free to go. However, if you start to feel achy in any part of your body, you'll need to lie down and rest, and if your chest pain increases in the slightest, I want you right back in here."

Hermione nodded. "All right. I will come back if I need to."

"Take it easy. You shouldn't be walking or moving around too much."

"Okay, Poppy. I will," Hermione said as she turned to leave.

With a wave of her hand, she'd pushed through the doors and was headed down the hall at a slightly slower pace. As she walked, she found that her mind was recalling everything she'd gone through. Scrunching her eyes closed, she stopped where she was. The picture of Malfoy's men's fists crashing into her was a memory she'd rather forget.

She shook her head to clear it and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. The image of the men left her, but a new image came into view. Severus, wrapping his arms around her as she fell from the chains. Images from the night she was rescued flooded into her mind. He had been incredibly tender with her... as if he truly cared.

Then another memory came to her. It was of Severus tenderly kissing her forehead and saying he'd always care for her. She inhaled sharply. He'd borne his soul to her, thinking she had been unconscious.

He cares... I can't believe it, he cares about me!

Spurred to action, she raced to the dungeons, almost tripping as she descended the stairs quickly. She slowed herself. The last thing she needed was to be berated by Poppy for falling down the stairs and breaking more bones.

oooOOOooo

It seemed to take forever, but finally, she stood in front of Severus' door. She knocked and waited, shifting back and forth until he opened it. When it opened, Severus frowned out at her.

"May I come in?" she asked tentatively.

She thought she saw relief flood his eyes as he gazed upon her. It was only fleeting. He nodded curtly and stepped aside to let her through. He closed the door and turned towards her. She sighed heavily before beginning.

"Thank you for saving me, Severus," she whispered.

He nodded, looking uncomfortable because of her words.

"It seems the life debt I owed you is paid," he said stiffly.

She took a step closer to him. "You never owed me anything, that was the other Hermione. I don't care about that in any case. I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I heard you the other night. When you kissed my forehead, I heard what you said."

His eyes grew wide before he schooled his features. "You must have been delirious, Professor, I neither spoke to you nor kissed your forehead."

She shook her head. "Oh, yes you did! I remember it. You said you cared about me." She looked nervously to the ground. "I want you to know that I care about you, too."

Severus scoffed. "I believe the attack has made you delusional, Hermione."

Frowning as she looked up at him, she closed the distance between them. "You're wrong. I've had feelings for you for a long time now."

"I believe you are mistaking me for my doppelganger. You have felt nothing but revulsion when it comes to me."

"That's not true! No matter what has gone on between us and how awful you have been to me, I can't help but want to be with you. I know it's you I want, despite you being different from him. Your admission last night made me see everything clearly. Your actions towards me… you've just been trying to hide everything. You need to stop. You need to accept this for what it is."

"And just what is it?" Severus sneered.

Hermione tilted her head slightly. "It's love... "

Standing in front of Hermione, he stared at her intensely. Suddenly, he pulled her to him and kissed her.

"Is this what you want?" he demanded after breaking away from her lips. "Is this who you want in your life? I am not the man you grew up with!"

"Severus! I don't want him. I want you!" she cried and pulled him to her, kissing him passionately.

He was filled with awe as she kissed him. He wanted to hold her and bury himself in her. Suddenly, he pulled back as he remembered the vision he'd had when she'd first came to this universe. Could this all be some effect of that potion?

He released her and moved away, turning his back to her. "Go."

Her hand grasped his arm. "I won't. I'm not leaving until I've convinced you that you are the one I want."

"Why would you ever want me when you could have had him?" Severus said in defeat.

"Severus, you are him."

He gave a short laugh. "A broken version of him. I can never be Mister Perfect like he is."

Hermione chuckled as she shook her head. "He was not perfect. His temper flared, he could be moody, and he didn't love me like that." Her hand tugged at his arm. "You do, though, don't you?"

"Hermione," he whispered.

He let her turn him slowly toward her. He dared not look into her eyes. He feared that everything would dissolve and he would be in his room, in his bed, alone and only dreaming.

"Look at me," she told him.

He didn't.
"The potion you created for seeing the future, what are the long term side-effects?" he asked through clenched teeth.

She looked at him curiously. "Why?"

"Please, just tell me."

"There are none. The only effect is that when the future vision is seen, you'll have a sharp recollection of the vision from before."

Severus frowned. "It doesn't coerce you to do anything to make the vision come true?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, that's never happened. Why are you asking this right now?"

Unable to bear the look he knew would be in her eyes, he turned even farther from her. "My vision just came true."

She inhaled sharply. "What did you see?"

His arms came up and folded in front of him defensively. "I saw that kiss. I heard myself telling you I wasn't that other Severus. It's impossible for it to not have interfered in what has happened."

"Severus."

He couldn't look at her. He didn't want to see the realization in her eyes that the potion had messed with his mind. That none of what she'd said was true, he'd only imagined it somehow.

"You really don't think a potion could drive the future like that, do you? That would take an awful lot of interference, especially with those who hadn't even taken the potion."

His head snapped around, and he glowered at her. "Then how do you explain this?" He motioned with his hand between the two of them.

She came closer and took hold of his robes near the collar. "I explain this as two people falling in love."

"You can't... " His voice cracked as he went on. "You could never..."

"But I do. You do too, don't you? You've been trying to hide it, but I heard what you said. You can't hide it from me anymore. You shouldn't want to."

"I'm not him." His voice was almost too soft to be heard. His face was pleading with her.

"I'm glad you're not. I want you, not him." She looked into his eyes, and he caught his breath. "I love you, not him."

"I would not have dreamed it possible that you could forget him and love me."

Hermione kissed him again. "But I did. And I do."

"Hermione, I am not…"

Her finger came up and silenced him by carefully touching his lips. "I know what you're not. I love you as you are."

"I... love you, too."

The realization of it hit him and an odd feeling coursed through him. He felt joyful and light as the second part of his vision came true. Unable to control himself any longer, he pulled Hermione to him. Bending into her, he whispered in her ear.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"There will be no going back. No second thoughts. I cannot be that other man. Do you truly accept me as I am?"

He pulled back and saw tears in her eyes. He suddenly felt fear within his heart.

"I want you just as you are. I have now for a while," she whispered to him.

The reality of her words hit him. "You have, haven't you?" he asked in wonderment.

She smiled tentatively and nodded.

"I've been so blind," he murmured before pulling her into himself.

His lips came down on hers, and he tasted heaven. Finally, something had worked out for him. Finally, he had his Hermione. He reveled in her being so near to him and lavishing him with her affections. He pulled back and looked into Hermione's eyes. He saw the affection in them and was overcome with love for her.

"I'm sorry I've been such an arse, Hermione. You never deserved any of it. I've never known how to handle romantic feelings, and I wound up being unbearable. Please forgive me."

Hermione looked into his eyes. "You were attracted to me all this time?"

"To be honest, I was attracted to your double, and when you appeared, I was annoyed that she was gone. But you were so affectionate towards me no matter what that you wormed your way into my heart. I couldn't help falling in love with you."

His hand come up and grasped her chin, making sure she couldn't look away from him.

"And as you said, I love you, not her. She was interesting, but you are… you are everything."

"Oh, Severus…"

His lips met hers again and she could say no more. She groaned as he continued to lavish her lips with tender kisses. They were enraptured with one another for a long time before Hermione pulled back.

"I love you," she told him.

"I love you too," Severus replied before capturing her lips again.