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

It had been years since Harry had thought about Severus Snape's love life, three to be exact. When he'd last asked about Snape's dating life, Hermione had mentioned the potions master was a workaholic who didn't have time for a relationship. Harry assumed he would never love a woman other than Lily Evans. There was something romantically tragic about it.

What wasn't romantically tragic was the idea of Snape attempting to seduce Harry's best friend.

Harry crawled into bed, his stomach churning. An image of Severus drawing his lips closer to Hermione's lips grew clearer in his mind. He couldn't decipher her look, but he knew Snape's would be that of a man who had found a treasure after a lifetime searching for anything good in the world. Finally, he'd found the love he'd been seeking since the day Lily had left him. It wouldn't matter that Hermione was nineteen years younger than him or that she was his apprentice. Once Snape wanted something, he would stop at nothing to get it. In this case, getting what he wanted required falling off the face of the Wizarding World to protect the object of his affection.

"Harry?"

He glanced at his wife beside him.

"You look like you've just ingested a vomit flavor jellybean," Luna lay beside him, her hand over her swollen abdomen. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing," he shook his head. "I was just thinking about a lead on Hermione's case."

"I've been wondering if that's what it was. You've been quiet since returning from your conversation with Headmistress McGonagall."

"She gave me a lot to think about."

Luna didn't say anything. It was best to allow Harry to speak first. If he went to sleep without saying anything, his dreams would help him work the problem himself. If he spoke with her, she was more than willing to listen.

"Do you think it would be possible to move on from me?" He asked.

She hummed and turned to him.

"If I died tomorrow in some tragic accident, could you move on from me?" He asked.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I hope never to find out."

"I hope you never do either, but," he grew quiet.

She faced him and took her hand off her abdomen.

"I was just wondering how easy it is for someone to move on from the great love of their life."

"It would depend on the person and the circumstances surrounding that great love's death."

"If it was a tragic death and that person had spent a lifetime trying to atone for it, would that person be able to move on."

"Harry," Luna leaned in closer. "What did Minerva say about Snape?"

"Minerva said he is in love with Hermione."

Luna blinked and cocked her head.

"She said he's been in love with her for years, at least since the time she was a year into her apprenticeship."

"I see."

"She said she'd been trying to convince him to date people his own age, but he wouldn't do it. He was apparently so in love with Hermione he couldn't think of being with another woman."

"Which must strike you as odd given how he felt about your mother."

Harry nodded.

Luna scratched the white Egyptian cotton sheets.

"I have no idea what Snape is thinking," He propped himself up. "He was so in love with my mum that he was willing to spy for her, and now he's off on some romantic getaway in the muggle world with Hermione."

"I don't think running away from aurors is romantic."

"Okay, romantic is an oversimplification, but still, he's alone with Hermione because he wants to be with her. He isn't with her because he wants to get off on his illegal potions charge or because he feels guilty about involving her, but because he loves her. Not only did he move on from my mum, but he did it with my best friend."

"That has to feel odd."

"You have no idea." He shook his head. "I have a headache just thinking about it. It honestly feels like a bad muggle soap opera."

"I suppose it's an adjustment to think about Snape as a human rather than a tragic figure."

"Excuse me?"

"You may not talk much about Snape, but when you do, it's clear you still consider him that tragic figure you saw in his memories. Even when you interact with him, it's clear you expect him to be frozen in time, still pining for your mother. It must feel odd to know he's moved on."

"It does, and he's with my best friend."

"Yes."

"Why would he move on with her? Isn't there anyone else he could be romantically involved with?"

"Do you think she's unworthy of his love?" Luna asked with a frown.

"No, but it's all so weird. He was her professor, and then her boss. Does that ever bother him?"

"Apparently not."

"When I thought about them going on the run, I only thought of Snape doing this for Hermione because he was protecting her out of a sense of obligation for starting this whole mess. I had no idea he felt anything stronger than friendship towards her."

"If he is in love with her, that would explain why he pushed her to see Ron for who he was."

"Yes, but he was right about Ron," Harry said.

"I'm glad you see that."

"There's not doubting that Ron was toxic for her. That doesn't mean Snape is good for her though."

"I don't know how good they would be for each other. All I know is their romantic compatibility isn't your decision to make."

"No, it's Hermione's," he said. "But now she's alone with him, and interacting with him every day. She may get close to him, find herself in situations which could lead her to lean on him for comfort, perhaps begin to feel some attraction for him…"

"And that would shatter the last of your childhood fantasies."

Harry closed his mouth.

"Letting go of the fantasy of the Golden Trio was hard enough, but now you need to release your fantasy of Severus Snape as a tragic romantic hero. You now have to admit it's possible to move on from someone as wonderful as your mother."

Harry exhaled.

"I will admit, I question whether or not it is wise for Snape to be lusting after someone who a week ago was engaged to another man, but it's doubtful he had control over that. The heart wants what it wants, regardless of logic."

"The sad thing is even if he was pushing for Hermione to break up with Ron, he was in right. Ron's behavior towards her was abusive."

"Yes, it was."

"Still, Hermione isn't usually a pushover. She can be bossy and opinionated. Snape is stubborn too. Won't her bossiness grate on him?"

"Not if he doesn't mind hearing an alternate viewpoint every once in awhile."

"I don't know if he will."

"I know he tolerates it better than Ron did," Luna said. "They've worked together on potions, and seem to make a great team. They were beginning the project of restoring her parents' memories. That gives me hope that they can work together without tearing each other down."

"True, but," Harry shook. "It's so weird to think of Snape fantasizing about Hermione though."

"Why would he not fantasize about a smart, strong woman? Most men would be thrilled to have a woman like her in their life."

"True, and he's lucky she's his friend." Harry sighed. "And I'm being an arse about the whole thing. I'm insulting Hermione because I don't want to imagine Snape with anyone other than my mum."

"You're being a human about all this. You're allowed to be confused and have conflicting emotions."

"I guess. It isn't difficult to see why Snape would feel something for Hermione. They both like books, and both are passionate about their work."

"But now the tragic hero pining after Lily has been replaced with a man who has emotions and has a heart willing to open itself up again."

"Yes, which is what makes this all the more tragic."

"Oh?"

"Yes." Harry relaxed and lay his head on the pillow. "Hermione will never return his affections."

"Are you certain of that?"

"I'm sure." Harry smiled. "She may be ready to leave Ron, but that doesn't mean she'll go for Snape."

"Why not?"

"Because I know Hermione. When she's recovered from Ron's abuse, she's going to look for someone her age, someone who's a brave Gryffindor like her, someone who doesn't have the kind of baggage Snape has."

"Sure," Luna drawled before putting her head on her pillow.

"Don't get me wrong, Snape deserves, love, but I don't think Hermione will give it to him."

"Do you think Snape is unworthy of her love?"

"Only Hermione can determine that," Harry admitted. "But I know Hermione. Once she lands on her feet after leaving Ron, she'll find some eligible bachelor who can keep up with her intellectually and who is closer to her age. It sucks that Snape will have his heart broken, but it may be for the best. He's going to have quite a few legal problems to sort out when he gets back. There won't be time for a romantic relationship."

"Hermione will have her share of legal issues too."

"I know." Harry frowned. "I still have to figure out how to help her with those. If I can prove she acted in self-defense I could get her off. It's just proving that's the case which will be difficult."

"When you find her everything will be clearer." Luna lay down beside him.

"Yes." He brushed his lips against hers. "Good night." Then he put his hand on her stomach. "Good night, little James."

"Good night," Luna said as an image formed in her mind. She could see Snape and Hermione in a hotel room with a single, creaky bed, gazing into each other's eyes. There would be no fighting, no shouting, no insults, just two people with a deep affection for each other.

From the bottom of her heart, she hoped Hermione could find love, even if it was with Severus Snape.

She had been in the bathroom for too long.

Severus stared at the closed door, wondering if he should knock on it. When they returned home, she mentioned wanting to engage in some self-care before dinner. She hadn't taken too kindly to his suggestion that her self-care should involve fixing the stuck car window. Instead she pulled some clothes out of her suitcase and darted into the bathroom.

That was ten minutes ago.

The door clicked open. He sat up straighter.

She stepped out, clad in her blue bikini, every one of her curves perfectly accentuated by it.

His heart raced as his mouth dried. Over two decades of sexual repression threatened to pour out of him at once. Did she have any idea what she could do to him in such an outfit? It was enough to make him want to yank that bikini off and engage in some self-care of his own.

"Do you like it?" She asked. Even her voice was more sultry than usual, even if she was only excited about the possibility of a swim.

"Yes," he did everything in his power not to let that come out as a whine. He didn't need to embarrass himself in front of her, even if he'd long since forgotten how to interact with a beautiful woman.

"I'm just glad it fit and I got all the tags off." She turned around. "You do think it will stay up, right?"

"It will," he answered, not telling her that he'd love nothing more than for that bikini to slip off of her. She would pick it up, but he would touch her hand, telling her to keep it off. Then, she would meet his eyes, finally really seeing the face of a man who loved her above all others…

"I was thinking we could go for a swim before dinner," she continued. "If I keep my hair in a towel, I don't have to worry about my wig getting wet. It will all stay nice and hidden in our little pre-dinner swim."

"So it will" His mind returned to the present. How could she be so oblivious to what she was doing to him?

"Yes," she continued. "I don't know if you bought any swim trunks when we bought the rest of the clothes. There were so many I lost track of them. If you did, we can get in the hot tub downstairs together."

"That could be arranged," Though I'd rather stay in this room, divesting you fo that bikini. "You did talk me into buying those swim trunks after all. I might as well use them."

"Indeed you should."

He stayed in place, not trusting himself to move.

"I thought taking a swim would be something fun for us to do together, something to relax before we get too involved with our spying, and as a way of celebrating our success."

"Agreed," he could think of better ways to celebrate with her, but swimming would do. "Allow me to change and we can go into the pool together."

"Great." Her grin grew. "It will be fun."

"Yes," he walked over to the suitcase, cursing his raging hormones. "I believe we will have fun indeed."

Merlin help him. If the mafia and the aurors didn't kill him, this woman would be the death of him.