AN: It's St. Dismas' feast day, so I thought I'd post a chapter in his honor.

Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!

"What do you mean this is our last night together?"

"It means by sunrise tomorrow, I will remain in the afterlife for the rest of my existence, no longer able to visit you at will."

"H-how?"

Severus was struggling to keep his gaze upon Hermione. He had never wanted to cause as much pain to a woman as he was causing her in that moment. Still, she needed to see his expressions, to know he wasn't exaggerating or mistaken. As much as it pained both of them, she needed to grasp the situation so they could make the most of it.

"The Trinity has to rethink this." She slammed the pot full of water onto the stove, splashing some of the liquid onto the burners. "There has to be a way to make them change their minds!"

"Unfortunately, the Trinity has an immutable will." Severus' glow was blue. "If they decree that the program is over, then it's over."

"They have to change their mind. They've changed their minds before. They can do it again!"

"There is no way to change their minds."

"There isn't unless," There was a spark in her eyes. "We'll pray to them."

"I don't think prayers are going to work..."

"Of course they will! After a couple of rosaries they'll be open to anything." She darted towards her bedroom. "I think I still have some beads in a drawer. I've never used them, but I'm sure one of my books will explain everything."

"You want to spend our last night praying the rosary?" Severus floated behind her.

"If it gets them to change their minds, then yes." Hermione thrust open a drawer and began shifting through her neatly folded t-shirts.

"Don't mess those up," Severus warned. It had taken forever to teach her how to fold them properly. The last thing he wanted to do was review that lesson before he left.

"I won't mess them up." Her clothes were wrinkling under her desperate hands. "Where is that rosary?"

"Hermione."

"It has to be here somewhere, it just has to be."

"Hermione," He raised his voice.

"Did I leave it at the bottom of the drawer?"

"Hermione." He took hold of her wrist.

"What?" She barked as she spun around.

"It's over," he kept his arm on hers. "My time on earth has come to an end."

"It can't be over." She removed her arm from his. "We can't let it be over!"

"We have to accept it is over."

"No." She returned her attention to the drawer. "It can't be over."

"We can either accept my time here has come to an end or deny it. Either way," his voice was quieter "I will be gone by the sunrise."

"It shouldn't be that way." She turned to him. "You deserve to be happy. We deserve to be happy. We both deserve to be happy together!"

"Perhaps in eternity we will be happy." Severus' glow became a light yellow.

"How?"

"Dismas says time is meaningless in heaven. Perhaps it will only seem like a moment that we are apart."

"Maybe to you, but I'm still alive. A century for you may be the blink of an eye, but as for me." Her eyes moistened. "It's my entire lifetime."

His glow dimmed.

"I'll have to spend the rest of my life knowing my soulmate is somewhere I can never see him." Her throat constricted. "I'll have to go through my life watching everyone spend time with their loved ones, and go home alone, missing you."

"I'll still be around," he promised.

"Yes, I know you'll be here in spirit, but what about in the flesh?"

"I'll be with you differently, but I will still be present."

"It isn't enough. I'm a corporeal being. I need to be touched, to see, to hear your voice." A tear trickled down her cheek. "I need you to be where you are physically present so my body can sense you."

"I know," Severus whispered. "And I need you to be where I can see you."

"Why doesn't anyone understand that I have needs as a mortal, including the ability to experience love with each of my senses?"

"You have been denied that this entire time though. You have only felt my energy, but I haven't been able to caress you."

"Our connection is unusual, but it was powerful. I felt you in my very essence. I can't fully explain what's happened, but I know our souls touched. My body felt it, and it was," another tear fell down her cheek, "the most powerful sensation I'd ever experienced."

"It was powerful for me too. I cannot explain it, but," Severus' glow was pink at the memory. "It was the most powerful moment of my existence."

Only the ticking of the clock down the hallway and Hermione's feeble attempts to catch her breath could be heard. She bowed her head in an attempt to hide her tears.

"Should I have encouraged you to be in a relationship with Henry Marsh?" He asked in a soft voice.

Hermione glanced up.

"Was it selfish for me to express my love towards you?" Severus continued. "Could I saved us both the heartache of this moment if I'd encouraged you to be with him?"

"I would've been miserable, as would he," she argued.

"You're miserable now."

"Yes, but you couldn't have saved me from this heartache." She wiped her eyes. "I was already madly in love with you when you suggested I date him. Nothing could've changed that."

"He could've made you happy."

"Or he could've run off with his English colleague, who incidentally, he is in a relationship with right now."

"If he'd known how amazing you are, if any man knew how amazing you are, he would cherish you."

"I don't want any man cherishing me though," she argued. "I want you, and only you, to cherish me."

"I will always cherish you." He touched her hand. "Not even the Trinity themselves will shake the love I have for you."

"I feel the same way," she replied.

"I just wonder if we could've prevented this pain."

"Pain is the price of love," she swallowed. "If I had to choose between never feeling this pain and loving you, then I would choose loving you."

"Truly?"

She nodded.

"I would not change a thing either," he whispered. "Save perhaps finding a way to change the Trinity's mind concerning our separation."

"I suppose our separation isn't for eternity." A smile crept across her face. "Perhaps if I trudge through life I can await the day you're with me. If I look forward to that, I can muddle through life."

"You should not be muddling through life, awaiting death."

"What choice do I have?"

"You have plenty of choices."

Her skepticism was evident.

"Hermione, life is for living." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "You should enjoy the time you have on earth, not muddle through hoping it ends soon."

"I'm not suicidal…"

"Not outright, but I know what it's like to bide your time until death. It's a lonely existence, much worse than anything Purgatory ever threw at me. God, if I could live my life again," he shook his head. "I would get as much from it as I could."

"Would you have still spied?"

"Perhaps, but I would have done it because it was the right thing to do, not because I felt guilt over someone who wasn't worthy of my time."

She squeaked.

"Please, whatever you do, don't be like me. I hated life, every moment of it, and now," a smile crept across his face. "I want nothing more than to remain on this earth, if only to experience life with you, and I mean actually experience life."

"How would you experience life?"

"I would go on vacations to tropical islands, feel the sand in my toes and the waves on my bare legs. I would inhale the fresh air, enjoy the taste and scent of cabaret. I would gaze at the stars and tell you each constellation, if I was granted just one more chance."

"I wish you could've experienced that."

"It's too late for me, but it isn't for you." His glow intensified. "You need to live your life. Cling to the life I threw away over bitterness and anger. Enjoy every second you can because as amazing as the afterlife is," his glow dimmed again. "You're still no longer on earth."

"If I'm alone though…"

"The world will still be there to enjoy, offering the best it can. It will only be available once. Don't take that for granted."

"I don't know if I can be happy living without you."

"You'll need to find a way."

"How?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "But you'll find a way, I promise."

Her eyes moistened again.

"And I'll be in heaven watching you. Even if I can't be with you in the flesh, I'll be there."

"I wish you were with me in the flesh."

"We can't change that," he replied. "All we can do is enjoy the moments we have left together."

"Yes," She swallowed. "We have one more night left."

"Let's enjoy it as best we can," Severus' glow was a soft yellow.

"Yes," she relaxed as her lips curled up. "Let's make a spaghetti dinner, snack on strawberry ice cream from the carton, and dance to Barry Manilow."

"You'll never let me live down going to one of his concerts, will you?" He gave her a soft grin.

"Never." There was a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. "I'll tell everyone in heaven that you turn pink and listen to Barry Manilow when I get there."

"I'll have to find a cloud where I can hide you away for an eternity then."

"Yes, that sounds divine," her voice was quieter, "Once I finish getting as much out of life as I can."

"Yes," he answered. "Once you finish living your life you can enjoy eternity."

"Put that way," she took a deep breath. "I can't wait for the rest of my existence."

"I am eager to see how you live out the rest of your existence too," He kissed her on the cheek.

"Right now, I want to spend it with you."

"Then spend it with me, you shall."

It was five minutes to dawn.

Hermione and Severus lay in the bed together, both without robes. He ran his fingers over her hair while she touched his thigh.

"I'll wait at heaven's gates for you," he promised. "I'll be the second person you see, after St. Peter."

"I think I'll notice you before I see him," she replied.

"Perhaps. The Trinity knows the second I see you, I'll run to you."

"I'll run to you too." She hummed before taking his free hand.

"I love you." He kissed the top of her head. "I will always love you."

"I will always love you too," She promised.

"Still, if you find another man who is worthy of your affection…"

"No," She kissed his hand. "You're it for me."

"Don't close your heart to new possibilities."

"I won't, but I will still only be yours."

"Now you sound like a sentimental greeting card." He kissed her cheek.

"I'm merely being honest." She sighed. "Honesty is just cliched."

"I suppose there's something to those old sayings."

The first rays of the sun filtered through the window.

"Nothing quite captures 'I love you' though," she noted.

"No, nothing does," Severus replied.

"E-excuse me."

Hermione turned to the foot of her bed. A spirit with scars on both of his wrists stood before them, his robe a blinding white. His glow was a light blue, as if he understood the emotions surrounding the situation.

"It's time," the spirit held out the robe Severus had discarded on the floor.

"So it is." Severus took it from his hands. Then he turned to his beloved. "Hermione, this is Dismas. Dismas, this is Hermione."

"Pleased to meet you." Dismas extended his hand.

"Likewise." Hermione's hands went through his hand when she tried to grasp it.

"Ooh, I forgot you mortal can't shake hands." His glow flickered.

"I would imagine it's easy to forget things like that after two thousand years."

"Something like that."

"Now Hermione." Severus put the robe over his head.

"Will you take care of him?" She kept her gaze on Dismas.

The saint cocked his head.

"Severus has told me about you. He considers you a friend," she continued. "Can you please make sure he has a friend in heaven?"

"I promise you that he will always have a friend in me," Dismas said.

"Thank you." She turned to Severus. Her voice was shaky. "I suppose, this is goodbye."

"I consider it more of an 'until we meet again,'" His glow was a soft yellow. "And I know we will see each other again."

"I hope so," she choked.

Once more, Severus captured her lips. Hermione returned the kiss as best she was able, willing the moment to last forever.

Unfortunately, like everything else on the finite earth, it ended.

"Goodbye, Love," Severus was pink.

"Goodbye, Love." She gave him a small smile.

With the snap of Dismas' fingers, he and the black clad spirit disappeared, leaving Hermione alone to live the rest of her life.