A/N: Oh my god the responses to the last chapter were amazing! I appreciate you guys tons and I am overjoyed that you all liked it so much!

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE - AN UNUSUAL REQUEST

Hermione gasped awake, sitting upright, her hands clutching at the cloth under her fingers. Her head whipped around, stopping when her eyes landed on Remus. She let out a breath and relaxed her hands. She was in Wilmet Gardens, she knew this bedroom. Remus was in a chair next to her bed, his head lolled back, cradling an infant against his chest. He looked tired, even more than usual, and there was scruff along his jawline.

"Remus?"

He jerked awake, his arms tightening temporarily around his son before he stared dumbfounded at Hermione. "Hermione? You're awake?"

"Yeah. I -" She didn't know what to say, a thousand thoughts flooding her at once, but only one mattered. "Severus?"

"He's here."

"Is he -?"

"He's alive but unconscious. We don't know what the damage is."

"What happened?"

"What do you remember?"

The final battle was a blur of wreckage, carnage, and the void inside her. "We won. And the Malfoys had Severus' body, and I…" Hermione stopped, blushing.

"Yeah that's the important stuff. I don't know what happened exactly, but there was this… wave of magic from the two of you and it seemed to affect other people more than others, mostly Death Eaters and then you collapsed. You've been unconscious since."

"How long ago was that?"

"Three weeks."

"Oh. Is this Edward?"

"Yeah, Teddy."

"He's beautiful, Remus."

Remus smiled at her, but tears formed at the edges of his eyes. "Thank you. It's so hard though. I never expected to be a father, especially not without Tonks."

"You'll be amazing, I know it."

Remus nodded. "So this place is something."

"Yeah, isn't it? I'm guessing you met Sterling."

Remus made a sound. "Yeah, he kind of just… showed up while everyone was clearing out of the castle and demanded you and Severus be brought here. Minerva was the only one who had any idea who he was."

Hermione scoffed, "Yeah that sounds like him."

"He won't say how he knew either of you, and I think he knows what happened at the battle but he wanted to tell you first."

"Is he here?"

"Probably, he and his husband have been in the west wing."

Hermione was torn, Sterling would have answers, but she needed to see Severus. "Is Severus in his suite?"

"The room across the hall? Yeah."

"Can I see him?"

Remus shrugged and stood. "If you feel well enough."

Hermione stood slowly, testing her shaking legs on solid ground. She placed a hand on Remus' shoulder and he walked with her down the hall and across to the other suite. He pushed the door open for her to reveal a bed and a chair. Hermione didn't need to look twice to recognize either man.

"Hermione!" Harry rushed towards her, enveloping her in a gentle hug. "I'm so glad to see you, I mean awake you know?"

"Me too, Harry. How are you?"

"I'm good, I mean considering."

"I'm glad."

"I suppose you want to…" Harry motioned awkwardly at the bed. "I know there's something going on I don't know about, but I've learned there's a whole lot of that in this world. You don't have to tell me anything until you're ready."

"Thank you, Harry." Hermione hugged him again.

Harry smiled and stepped out of the room, his footsteps fading down the hall.

"We've all been on a rotating watch."

"All?"

"Harry, Minerva, Ron, Poppy, the twins and myself. We watch Severus, and then you, and then take a break. Sterling and Alistaire have been making sure we are fed and we sleep."

Hermione squeezed his arm. "Thank you."

"And like Harry said, whenever you're ready. I know you need your own answers first."

Hermione nodded and watched Remus go down the hall and turn, his footsteps light on the stairs. She entered the suite and closed the door, finally turning to face the figure on the bed. Severus was paler than ever, his hair a inky splash in contrast to the white sheets and the white shirt he was in. Hermione took up Harry's post in the chair, and reached out, coiling her fingers around his hand. It was that same not quite cold temperature he had been when she had found him. His neck looked well considering the gnarled mess it had been. What had once been a gaping wound was now a web of healed flesh, some parts more raised than others. Hermione was fairly certain Severus would hate the scar. Just as much as he would hate the reminder of everything bad that burned darkly against his…

Hermione stared at his left forearm, certain her eyes were playing a trick on her. The Dark Mark was gone. In its place was a pale, hairless scar that was really only visible in the right light. Had it burned away when Voldemort died? It seemed likely but it didn't feel right. Something else had to have happened. Hermione ran her fingers over the skin there, the flesh where the mark had once been slightly smoother than the skin around it. So many times she had caught Severus glaring at the mark in wrath, surely this would make him happy, balance out the scar that sprawled across his neck.

"It's curious is it not?"

"Sterling!" Hermione stood, keeping her fingers linked with Severus'.

"Please, sit, we have a lot to discuss."

Hermione obeyed, her eyes locked on the pearlescent ones that shifted as Sterling found another chair down by the foot of the bed.

"You seem well, fulfilled."

Now that he said it, she did feel fulfilled, at peace, at rest, whole. The void that had opened up during the battle was filled with something else, something brighter. "I'm okay. Thank you for bringing us here again."

"My pleasure. I was worried about Severus' safety. People are upset and confused."

"But they know he's innocent?"

"Harry has been fighting very hard for him, and I would dare say he's winning."

"The memories that Severus gave him…"

"They are helping, as are the testimonies of Lucius and Narcissa as well as a few of the other captured Death Eaters who were there at the end of the battle."

"Why would they testify to his innocence?"

"Lucius and Narcissa volunteered, they want to keep him out of Azkaban very badly. The others were persuaded to be asked questions under veritaserum. It seems Severus kept his hands comparatively clean over the years."

"I hope Harry wins."

"They might want you to testify."

"Me?"

"Well, after what happened at the battle several government officials are very curious. I would be cautious about what you say to them."

"I would never endanger Severus. What did happen at the battle? When I… kissed him."

"Your bond was completed. The magic that came from the two of you was the completion of the bond and the fulfilment of the prophecy."

Hermione stared at him and then started to laugh quietly, "That's insane, for the bond to have been completed he would have to love me and admit it to himself. Either is equally as impossible."

Sterling smiled at her. "Then the impossible happened."

Hermione's eyes slid from Sterling to Severus. He loved her. After all of her mental preparation for him to turn her down, to disappear from her life once the war was over, she never once prepared for the possibility that he might return her feelings. Her free hand reached up, shocked that the necklace he gave her was still there. He said the pull made him buy it, but had he partially done it of his own will too?

"Why is his Dark Mark gone?"

"Do you remember when you first met me, and I told you the whole prophecy?" Hermione nodded and Sterling continued, "His mark is gone as a part of the vanishing. When your bond was completed the magic spread throughout Hogwarts' grounds erasing anything that was left of Voldemort and his ideals, for Severus that meant his mark, for others, like the Malfoys, that meant their marks and what was left of their discrimination. The vanishing affected everyone in the radius who had something of Voldemort left in them, whether it was his mark or his biases. For some, there was nothing else good inside them and they were destroyed."

"That sounds too good to be true."

"Perhaps, but it is a massive step in preventing the next megalomaniac to rise to power. There are, of course, plenty of people who were outside the radius who might still hate muggle borns or blood traitors, but the world won't be ready for that rhetoric anytime soon."

"So we are safe?"

"Yes, and I think you've made a lot of new friends in the process. The Malfoys have been eager to speak with you, as well as a Mr Blaise Zabini, but your location is, naturally, a secret."

"I guess I should meet them then. I can't believe this. It feels… unreal that it's all over."

"It's over, and you have your soulmate."

Hermione smiled. "That still sounds fake."

"It's very real."

"I know. There's this journal made by our past lives… I don't really understand how they kept finding it but…"

"How curious. However, at the moment I suggest you get cleaned up and join everyone for dinner. You've not eaten in a while."

Hermione looked back down at Severus. Sterling was right, she was starving, but how could she leave him?

"I'll keep a watch on Severus. We won't go anywhere."

"Thank you, Sterling."

The seer nodded knowingly, moving into the chair Hermione vacated. She looked back at the two men one last time before she slowly made her way down all the flights of stairs to the dining room. It was a strange and welcoming sight to see the Weasleys, Harry, Minerva, and Remus and his son all sitting around the table at Wilmet. With them was the muggle cook Hermione met in passing during her previous stays and a man she didn't recognize. She approached the latter first, the excited rise of voices hushing as she held out her hand to the man.

"You must be Alistaire. It's nice to meet you. I'm really grateful to you and Sterling for everything."

Alistaire was a shorter man with formidable posture and powerful arms. His wavy copper hair was swept back along his head, revealing deep, rich green eyes and a well groomed beard. His jawline and cheekbones were sharp and his brow ridge heavy. The grip with which he shook her hand was firm but gentle. He was a beautiful, perfect opposite for Sterling.

"Hermione Granger, a true pleasure." Unlike Sterling's impossible baritone, Alistaire's voice was mid-range and slightly gruff. "Please, join us."

Hermione nodded, and turned her attention to the gathered group. Ron was the first to break free, hugging her tightly, and the rest followed suit. They all sat, Ginny shoving Harry over so she could sit next to Hermione. Food was served among the rounds of conversation and quick catch ups, quiet falling as dessert was served.

"So, I know you all have a lot of questions." To Hermione's surprise, McGonagall offered her a knowing, encouraging smile. "And I will try to answer them."

"Can we please start with the obvious one," Fred begged, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah, we all saw the nice smooch you placed on Snapey." George grinned.

Hermione flushed. "Erm, yeah so Severus and I are… in love." It felt stupid to say it, and she still couldn't believe Severus loved her, even if there was proof.

"So that explains the dreams." Ginny declared.

"What dreams?" Asked Harry.

"You didn't hear the rumours about Hermione crying out Severus, Severus! In her sleep?"

"God no, Ginny."

"How exactly did this love come to be?" Mrs Weasley was watching her with a keen stare.

"That's… more complicated. The short of it is that we are soul mates."

Remus choked on his tea. "That actually explains so much."

Hermione smiled at him, his predictable reaction was comforting.

"A true soulmate bond?" Mr Weasley pushed his glasses up his nose. "That's very rare and very strong magic."

"Yes, it is. And apparently strong enough that a prophecy was made that if Severus and I were to complete the bond it would vanish the darkness, which is basically what happened with the wave of magic."

"Soulmates with a prophecy? Now that's something." McGonagall mumbled. "So both were completed?"

Hermione nodded.

"What's your plan moving forward?" Harry asked.

Hermione sighed. "I have no idea. I never thought Severus would return my feelings. I suppose that will just have to wait until he wakes up. Maybe until then I can help with the castle rebuild or anything else."

"Of course. And we do need to consider what you three are going to do about your careers."

"Mum!" Ron rolled his eyes.

"It's important Ronald." Mrs Weasley quipped.

"She's right, you know." Hermione grinned. "We never finished our education even."

"But let's please discuss that much later." Ron groaned.

Hermione went to help out with the rebuild at Hogwarts four times. During those two weeks, the rest of her time was dedicated to rotating shifts watching over Severus, spending time with her friends, and walks around the grounds at Wilmet Gardens with Remus. Remus was growing increasingly comfortable with the combined efforts of Alistaire and Mrs Weasley to watch over Teddy, and so their walks got progressively longer, leaving them more and more time to open up to one another. It was the kind of friendship she had seen building between them long ago at Grimmauld Place but hadn't been certain of the viability of until she had built something similar with Severus.

"There's something I want to do when Severus wakes up." Remus pulled open the curtain of vines that marked the beginning of a small rosebush maze.

"What's that?"

"Do you remember when you asked me if I ever apologized to Severus for what happened in school?"

"Yes, you said he'd think it was pity or something of the like." Hermione grabbed Remus' wrist to keep him from turning down the wrong path.

"Yes. I've thought a lot about that since then and I think I was still making excuses. It's clear to me now that I never knew Severus like I thought I did and I'd like him as a friend, especially since… Well, most of mine are dead."

Hermione smiled at Remus. "I honestly think Severus would appreciate it. I don't think he'll have any idea what to do with himself when he wakes up and realizes he survived. It would probably be a great start to have a friend."

"He has you."

Hermione's smile faltered. "Always. But I still can't believe the bond was completed. Severus never expressed any kind of attraction or emotion toward me, and he spent so long hoping we could break it."

"Hermione, I don't know a lot about Severus, but I know two things, he's never been great at emotional expression, even before he mastered occlumency. Once, he wore his emotions on his sleeve and they were all over the place, and then he buried them, fought them. And his childhood was not easy, I know my friends and I did not make that easier."

"It sounds like he never got a chance to just be himself."

"Probably not."

"Spinner's End was so sad, Remus. I don't know what happened there, but I don't think it was pretty."

They were silent for a while as they wandered the maze, their feet guiding them along the familiar path. At the centre was a small pond surrounded by benches and they chose one in the sun.

"Remus, during the battle Harry said something about Severus' love for his mother?"

Remus took a shaky breath. "It's a complex story and not mine to tell, but yes I think he loved her, or felt something like it."

"I was surprised, what I know of the two of them, they sound worlds apart."

"They weren't always."

"Hm. Teddy seems to love Alistaire."

"He does, it's rather amusing to see the two together, Alistaire talks to Teddy the same way he would you or I. I've no idea what to do when our time at Wilmet is over. Harry is remodelling Grimmauld place and the Weasleys are repairing the Burrow and I can't bear to go back home."

"I can't imagine. It was your home with Tonks and now… I don't know if I could go back either."

"What about you? After?"

Hermione heaved a sigh. "No clue. I don't have anywhere to go."

"What happened to your parents?"

"I obliviated them, sold all their things and had them move to Australia. They're half a world away and don't know I exist. I suppose depending on how Severus is, my first step would be to see if I can fix their memories."

"I'm so sorry you had to do that."

"It was horrible, but it saved their lives. Severus was good with me after. And even if I can't undo it, I'd rather them be alive and happy without me than dead."

"I'm sorry the three of you had to grow up so quickly. Coming to teach at Hogwarts, it was staggering to see Harry. He was so much more mature than we ever were in school, and I know it's not just him."

"Yeah, the threat of a returning insane man can do that to you. But imagine the world for the next generation, for Teddy, it will be so much safer."

"Especially with your prophecy fulfilled." Remus grinned. "After you explained what Sterling told you, Minerva and I were curious and have been running tests during the rebuild. We're fairly certain what happened created a permanent barrier against that kind of evil. Sterling seems to agree but isn't sure how long it will last."

"That's fascinating! Hopefully it will last through the next school year in case anyone who's left gets any ideas for retribution or something."

"There aren't many left."

"Did you know the Malfoys wanted to meet with me?"

"Yes, it's rather curious."

"I've been putting it off, but I think I should contact them. Harry said Narcissa Malfoy saved his life."

"A mother's love. I think she was starting to realize the true madman Voldemort was. If you do want to meet them, I'd be happy to come with you if you'd like."

"Thank you Remus."

A week later, Hermione found herself standing outside the gates of Malfoy Manor. She had been told the splendour it had once held: thriving gardens with plants from all over the world in a magical greenhouse, white peacocks, everything lit and shone properly. But now the gardens were barren, not a living thing to be seen. One sad light flickered in a second story window and the metal of the gates and other pieces of the manor were dull. She tapped her wand to the gate three times as she had been instructed in Mrs. Malfoy's letter and they swung open for her. The winding path had probably been nice to walk once upon a time, but now it sent a chill up her spine even in the summer sun. Her knuckles barely made contact with the door when it opened, revealing Narcissa Malfoy. She looked tired and was dressed nice but simply, a far cry from the ostentatious clothing the Malfoys were known for. Yet despite it all, there was a softness to her features, a set in her shoulders that felt kind.

"Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione greeted.

The other woman waved her in, "Please, Narcissa, and I am very thankful you were willing to meet us."

"Of course, although I must say I'm confused."

There was something horrifying about entering a building that embodied everything about a mindset that hated her, rejected her existence. It felt like the hatred Voldemort had instilled here during his takeover was still infused in the walls. Hermione shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

"I apologize for the appearance, normally this building is quite grand, but after the Dark -" Narcissa took a deep breath, "Voldemort took over it fell to ruin, and we have no compunction to fix it."

"Why not?"

"It stands for so much bad, evil that we helped turn into what it was. We are not guiltless but continuing to call this place home is too much even for us."

Hermione raised her eyebrows and then her eyes dropped down to Narcissa's arms. She was, perhaps, paler than Severus, if only because she did not have his sallow hue. As Narcissa paused outside of a closed set of double doors, Hermione could see the sheen of the where the Dark Mark used to be. Narcissa tracked her gaze and the older woman lifted her arm for examination.

"I never thought I would be rid of that. I never had Lucius' surety in Vol… Voldemort, but when he asked my son to kill Albus Dumbledore, well, I could no longer fully support him. My dissent grew, but so did my fear."

Hermione's head jerked up. "Voldemort asked that of him? I never knew."

"Severus never told you? It was always supposed to be Draco, but I had asked him to step in if Draco could not."

"He agreed?"

"I think mostly to save face, now that I know he was a spy. But I'm afraid my sister never trusted him, she demanded the Unbreakable Vow."

Hermione stared at Narcissa's hand, watching as the woman opened the large set of doors, trying to absorb this new information. She knew there had to be some kind of motivation behind what Severus did, but this was not what she suspected, and she felt there was much more to the story. If only Severus would wake up.

The room inside was lit warmly and looked surprisingly cosy compared to what Hermione had seen of the rest of the house. The library was small and compact, though larger than the one at Grimmauld Place. In front of the lit fireplace sat Draco and his father. They both stood as Hermione and Narcissa entered the room. Hermione found herself hovering back, unwilling to approach Lucius despite what Sterling had told her about the erasure of evil. The man didn't come any closer, he looked more kempt than he had at the battle, his face shaved and his hair tidied into a queue. He had the same tired, toned down appearance his wife did and, much to Hermione's surprise, an expression on his face that could only be an apologetic smile.

"Miss Granger, thank you for meeting with us. I know it must not have been an easy choice."

"I'm used to those." Hermione sniped.

The apologetic smile grew. "I am sorry for my part in it. We all are."

"Is that why I'm here, an apology?"

"Yes, and no." Mr Malfoy's eyes darted to Draco.

"Hello, Hermione."

"Draco."

Draco nodded, an unspoken thanks that he didn't explain out loud, but Hermione knew. Saving his life several times in the battle and, she thought, ridding his family of the stain on their souls. If that was what happened, Hermione still wasn't sure what the vanishing of evil had really done. Draco gestured at the spot next to him on the couch, Hermione noticed it was closest to the door and a comfortable distance from everyone else. They had planned this well.

"Despite Harry's rather impressive fight for us with the ministry, we are paying our dues." Narcissa began. "Lucius and I will both be serving time in Azkaban, though perhaps significantly less than we ought to be."

"Thankfully with the dementors gone, Azkaban is not so horrible, though I promise the measures that are taking over in their place are just as useful." Lucius said, his eyes passing from his wife to Hermione. "However, as we are getting rid of the Manor and Narcissa and I will be imprisoned for several years, this leaves Draco in a poor position."

"I am serving house arrest for the attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore among other things. The Ministry expects us to find a keeper, or they will assign me one. I would like it if that keeper was you."

Hermione stared at Draco, dumfounded. "You want to be locked in a house with me? Why not someone else, why not…. Blaise?"

"I asked him. Turns out he's playing foster dad to a bunch of young Slytherins whose parents died or… withered."

"Oh. That explains a lot. We've been in contact, but he's been very vague and asking for random tips."

"So that leaves you really. Anyone else we know is dead or imprisoned and well, we trust you."

"Why?"

"We know what you and Severus are, there's only one kind of magic that creates what happened at the end of the battle." Narcissa answered, "And your face when you saw him lying there, I knew. And if you can love a man like Severus, keeping an eye on Draco should be small in comparison."

"It's gross, by the way." Draco wrinkled his nose.

Hermione heard herself scoff. "I imagine he thought the same thing when he realized who he was bound to."

There was a lull in the conversation and Hermione realized she was actually considering saying yes. There were only several problems with that.

"I wouldn't be opposed to this, but there are arrangements I need to make. I don't have a home either so I don't know where we would stay unless the others are comfortable with you at the safehouse."

"What happened to your home?" Hermione had never heard Draco's voice sound like it did now, genuine, concerned.

"Sold and my parents are...gone." She didn't want to explain, not yet.

"The fact that you are willing to consider being his keeper means the world to us." Narcissa smiled.

"How much time do I have?"

"All our sentences begin in two weeks." Lucius answered.

Hermione nodded. "That should be enough time."

The whole family showed her out, walking all the way to the gate, where apparently, they could go no further. Narcissa hugged her, Draco nodded, and Lucius offered his hand. Hermione shook it, fairly certain that she'd wake up, and this very strange encounter would be a dream.