DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.

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A/N: Thank you for sticking with me even though I can't update regularly. Please check out my other SevMione fic: "I Love You, Professor!"

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Warning: Mature content

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Chapter 44:

August 7, 1995

(the present)

Harry Potter was pointing his wand at Severus Snape. "Why was Hermione Granger in hospital wing on December 1992?"

"Because she accidentally drank a Polyjuice potion with a cat's hair," the older wizard replied calmly and his hand gripped the wand pointed at his chest and at the same time, Potter removed his wand.

"I assume this is Potter's house that's why I didn't question him," muttered Severus.

Hermione looked at the drawing-room where the two wizards were standing. Some pictures of Harry and Ginny with a toddler with jet-black hair were hanging on the wall. Then, she nodded. "Yeah, I think so, too."

"Where are my wife and son?"

"Upstairs," Harry sighed and raked his ringers to his hair. "Do you have any idea how they found Hermione and Leo? It's the second time now."

"I am not certain, but it happened when Leo said his full name. So don't say my family name. The little girl's father, your enemy, put a taboo in my name."

Harry Potter gave his former professor a quizzical look. "Because he wants you. You're his new target," he realized after a few moments.

Visiting-Hermione sobbed even more and her grip on Visiting-Severus tightened. In return, her beau wrapped an arm around her and he brought his free hand to her cheek and kissed her forehead. "This will not happen, dear. Calm yourself. I am here."

Visiting-Hermione nodded and turned to the scene again.

"Yes," Severus replied.

"We're going to have a meeting after lunch. Hermione and Leo are in the bedroom on the second floor, first to the right."

Severus nodded. "Thank you, Potter."

The next scene was in the same drawing-room. All of the faces were familiar: Hermione, Severus, Harry, Ginny, Mr and Mrs Weasley, George, Percy, Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Ron, Luna, Neville, and even the Malfoys.

"You're telling me that we need to kill the daughter, your little cousin because she's a Horcrux?" Harry Potter questioned Draco.

"Yes, Potter. She is the reason why the noseless evil is back," he replied impatiently. "And now, he wants my godfather because he's the master spy; the one who fooled him; the reason why he could not defeat a boy like you."

"Don't be daft; it was Dumbledore who protected him," Severus whispered, but only Hermione, who was beside him, heard him.

"But we can't kill a child!" Potter exclaimed.

"Obviously. That's why he is taking his time. As long as the girl is safe, he is safe. All he wants right now is my godfather's head and the rest of us can cower in fear for a lifetime," Draco explained.

Hermione was crying already watching the next scenes. She saw Professor McGonagall's cat Patronus, seeking for their help because Hogwarts had been attacked. She saw her older self saying goodbye to Severus for he went to help along with the other wizards - Mr Weasley, Harry, Ron, Draco and Lucius Malfoy, and the other Weasleys. She saw herself in a bedroom in Harry Potter's house, anxiously waiting while holding Leo. When Severus returned, he was taking them and the Weasley children to a new place because some Death Eaters have captured Neville Longbottom. Harry Potter's house wasn't safe anymore.

She saw Prince Manor, the place they used as a temporary hiding place. They stayed there for months. But then, James, Harry's son, suffered from a terrible disease that Hermione and Severus could not treat. Harry and Ginny brought him to St Mungo's Hospital. Since Voldemort had taken over Hogwarts and the Ministry, nowhere was safe. They had to leave the manor.

And then, they saw the scene Leo talked about: when they had to sleep in a cave, no more home to return to.

Finally, they witnessed how Hermione Snape broke into the Ministry to steal a time-turner and sent Leo back in time.

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"Do you still plan to use Rita Skeeter this time so everyone will be convinced that Potter's telling the truth?"

Hermione sighed and played with Severus's collar. They were in the lounge. It was almost midnight, but they could not sleep because of the memories they have watched. They snuggled and comforted each other with cups of tea.

"I think so. That way, they will never doubt that I'm just Harry's best friend and a regular student. I mean, I have to be careful. I still have to act like the old Hermione... But I will miss Leo. If Umbridge is going to control the Floo networks, you can't invite him into your office."

"Hogsmeade weekends," he suggested, running a hand on her upper arm. "We can meet at Hog's Head Inn."

She nodded and sighed heavily. "I wish Voldemort never returned."

He pulled her closer to him and kissed her. "We can do this, my dear. We just have to stick together and trust each other."

Hermione smiled. "When you say things like that, I feel more optimistic."

"Oh, what would you do without me?" he teased.

Hermione laughed and just like that, she perked up. Maybe, he got her under his spell.

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August 8, 1995

(the present)

"How do I look, Gin?" she asked once she returned from the bathroom to her and Ginny's shared room in Grimmauld Place.

She had de-aged herself, thanks to Sev's potion. Harry and Ron had been asking the Order members about her, and why they could not owl her. She, Sev, and the headmaster decided that it would be better if she'd show up as the teenager Hermione Granger. She went to Grimmauld Place early in the morning while everyone was still asleep except for Mrs Weasley and Sirius. Then, she went to Ginny's room and woke her up.

"Like an almost sixteen-year-old girl, no trace of being shagged by a Potions master," he redheaded friend grinned.

Hermione slapped her friend's arm playfully. "Don't let Severus hear you saying that! And I didn't say anything about having sex."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on! You were separated for fifteen years and before that, you were engaged. You want me to believe you haven't shared a bed?"

"Stop it, Gin. I'm not talking about sex with you."

"But who else are you going to talk to? You don't have female friends," she teased.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, believe me, I had three girl-friends twenty years ago. Two of them are still around."

Ginny pouted. "Damn. I thought I'm your only girl-friend."

Hermione laughed and pinched Ginny's cheek. "But, turns out, you're Leo's godmother."

Ginny grinned, sitting on her bed.

She went to her side. "Enough of Sev and girlfriends... Tell me, did you write Michael back?"

Ginny gave her a hesitant smile. "Should I date him?"

She shrugged. "Maybe."

"But Harry..."

She rolled her eyes. "You're not marrying Corner. You're just going to date him. And maybe, Harry will eventually develop feelings for you because your attention's no longer focused on him."

Ginny sighed.

"All right, if you don't want to write back to Michael, then don't. Just... try to pay less attention to Harry, all right? It will be helpful for you."

"But you and Professor Snape..."

"Gin, it's different," she explained patiently and calmly. "Sev and I are childhood friends, and we've developed feelings for each other early, so there's no time to ogle other wizards."

Ginny laughed at her choice of word.

"Was there ever a time you two broke up?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, once. James, Remus, and Sirius acted like my bodyguards. But he went to my family to ask for forgiveness on his knees," she snickered. "So, no choice but to forgive him."

"You're kidding!" Ginny grinned.

"Of course, I'm kidding, Gin. I love that man and I already forgave him even before I could hear him explain."

The two witches laughed and talked some more until Harry and Ron woke up and knocked on their door.

As soon as she opened the door, the two wizards tackled her.

"Hermione!"

"We miss you!"

She laughed and patted the two boys' backs.

"How touching," drawled someone from behind Harry and Ron. The two boys released her and scowled when they heard Severus's voice.

"Professor Snape," she greeted politely. Her beau was wearing his usual black robes and sneer. Well, they had to keep appearances, after all. Harry was not yet adept at Occlumency, and Ron tended to babble things when he was angry.

"Miss Granger. Just a reminder. You have until dinnertime with your friends. I don't have other time to escort you back to your parents' house," he said in a bored tone.

She gave him a polite smile. "Yes, Professor. Thank you."

Severus left them and she pulled Harry and Ron into the room. "Come on in."

"I feel sorry for you, Hermione. You're spending time with Snape," blurted Ron, sitting on Hermione's bed with Harry while she went to sit beside Ginny on the other bed.

"Does he have to be the one escorting you? What about Tonks? Or Remus?" frowned Harry.

"Well, he was assigned by Professor Dumbledore. Don't worry, he's not that bad." And the two boys scrunched their noses. "So, what's up, Harry? Congratulations you survived the trial."

Harry nodded. "I guess Madam Bones is really fair, like what Tonks said... Hang on, can't you really stay longer, even for one night?"

Hermione wanted to, but she had a lot to do - watching Pensieve memories, meeting and planning with Sev, Dumbledore and the Order, spending time with Leo, and of course, resting her mind. She had to relax her mind from time to time because the things that happened the past two weeks were overwhelming, and watching bad memories was draining her.

"I'm sorry, Harry but my parents..." she trailed off.

"But Hermione, Harry needs you here. I'm sure your parents will be fine."

Hermione and Ginny looked at each other. Her female friend's mouth was slightly open in disbelief.

"Ron," she heard Harry say.

"What kind of family emergency do you have, anyway?" Ron asked again.

"Ron, we only get to spend time with our families two months in a year. You know that right?" she asked calmly.

"Yeah, but Harry had been in trouble... and they are not telling him anything about You-Know-Who," Ron reasoned. "You didn't answer my question. What's your family emergency?"

"There was an accident, and I have to be there for them. Spend time with them before I return to Hogwarts," she replied. It was true. There was an accident: a time0turner accident. And they needed her - Leo and Sev. They were her family.

"Ron, it's all right," Harry replied calmly. "Hermione will be with us starting September, and it's her family, after all."

She gave Harry an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Harry. So, what else are you up to?"

The two boys started talking about the chores Mrs Weasley asked them to do, and their Quidditch plans this year. Seeing Harry for the first time since she regained her memories as Hermione Puckle reminded her so much of James. She felt a bit emotional, but she contained herself and just listened to the boys.

One day, she swore, when there was finally peace, she would share with Harry some stories about her time with James and tell him how wonderful friends they both were.

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When Hermione entered their room, Sev had just finished showering and was drying his hair magically. He was just wearing a pair of green pyjama bottoms.

Upon arriving home after a long day with her teen friends, she took the antidote for the de-ageing potion and spent time with Leo and her son asked her to read to him, so she did.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hello, dear. Is Leo finally asleep?" he asked affectionately.

"Yes. I'll just shower quickly and then I'm yours," she said, giving him a quick kiss and went to the bathroom.

"Don't bother putting on clothes," he called.

Hermione laughed and went on with her evening 'rituals', as Ginny called her routine when they were sharing a room at Grimmauld Place. She dried her hair with the help of drying charms and then joined the love of her life in their bed, completely naked.

Severus placed the book he was reading to the bedside table and pulled her to him. "Thank Merlin you're back to your older body. I hate seeing the teenager in you."

She chuckled and wrapped an arm around his torso, kissing his chest. "I love you too," she replied instead.

Severus shifted so that his upper body was above hers, but he kept his lower body away, then he started peppering her kisses - on the forehead, on the nose, on both cheeks, and on her lips. Hermione opened her mouth to give him a deeper kiss, but Sev's lips abandoned hers quickly, much to her disappointment. She reached for him, but he pinned her hands to the sides of her head and kissed her neck. She arched to give him access, and he didn't fail her. He kissed her neck even more, then licked her flesh there.

Hermione, eyes closed, moaned and cursed as the most sensitive part of her body throbbed, aching for more.

"How was your day?" Severus whispered and continued to kiss her chest until his mouth claimed one of her erect nipples.

"Uh..." she moaned as she felt her core dripping already.

"What?" he asked again in an amused tone and licked her other nipple in a circular motion.

"Stop torturing me, Sev."

"Am I torturing you, my dear?" he asked innocently before returning his mouth to one of her mounds. "I will never, ever do that to you." He licked her nipple again. Hermione's core was throbbing, even more, dripping wet for him.

She inhaled deeply. "More," she pleaded.

She heard Sev chuckle. "So needy." He licked her body downwards - to her stomach, her belly button, her lower abdomen... and then with his hands, he opened her legs wider and licked her down there.

She cursed and moaned his name while his talented tongue was doing wonders to her dripping core until she reached her completion.

Sev kissed her slit once more before crawling back to her side and kissed her passionately. "I love watching you come," he confessed.

Hermione smiled and caressed his cheek. "My turn." He nodded and smiled as she moved down to take his hardness until he screamed her name and reached his own completion.

"I love you so fucking much, Hermione," he declared when she returned to his side after casting a cleansing charm.

"I love you more."

He snorted. "No way."

She chuckled and snuggled to him. "If you say so."

"I say so. Don't argue with your professor," he replied, kissing her forehead.

"Oh my god! I'm sleeping with my professor!" she faked an exaggerated tone.

"Yes, and I will give you an O for your performance. Now, sleep before I take points from Gryffindor."

Hermione giggled uncharacteristically and closed her eyes, imagining herself borrowing Harry's map and sneaking into Severus's private quarters come September.