A very refreshed Severus Snape and a glowing Hermione Granger walk into the Great Hall.

"Finally!" exclaimed Madam Pomfrey.

"Finally?" questioned Hermione. "What 'finally'?"

"Took you two long enough."

"What are you going on about, witch?" inquired Severus rather briskly.

"She meant that it took you two long enough to realize what was happening and finally it appears you allow it to- well, actually happen." Minerva explained as Poppy nodded approvingly.

"How do you two know wh-" Hermione began. Her voice hitched and gave out completely at the thought of the two older women knowing what she and Severus had been up to since yesterday.

"Well, we haven't seen you in four days and now you both look in much better spirits than you have in months. I haven't a clue how you both lasted as long as you did. Honestly, you two can be so stubborn."

"Four days?"

"It was rather torturous to watch at first. I will never understand how two of the most intelligent beings I have ever met could miss something so obvious to everyone in this school. I mean, everyone, literally everyone, not only Poppy and myself, has been able to see that you two are meant for each other."

"Dear, I'm sorry I couldn't give you much information when you came to me last week. It was something you both needed to sort out for yourselves. Which I'm assuming you did plenty. Four days together is a tad longer than normal, but I suppose that could be expected after denying yourselves for, what, three months?"

"Perhaps now you two could get back to teaching."

"We should celebrate!" The two witches spoke so quickly, Hermione had little time to process what she was hearing.

"Celebrate our… coitus?"

"Severus!" Hermione looked mortified, but no one took notice.

"No, Severus. Don't be silly." He cocked an eyebrow at the Headmistress as if to say that he was anything but silly.

"Minerva," Hermione started, unsure of how much more she could handle. "What exactly would you want to celebrate if not our, erhm, union?"

"That's it exactly. Your union. Your bonding!"

"Bonding!" Hermione and Severus both nearly shouted.

"Well, yes. Your bonding." Minerva looked from one to the other. "Did neither of you actually figure out what was happening?"

"Oh dear."

"We did not bond. Why would you think we bonded?" The young witch was on the verge of hyperventilating. "Poppy, what do you mean four days? We were here yesterday. I remember being here yesterday."

"Oh dear."

"I know the wizarding world is more traditional and, well, old-fashioned, and generally speaking, so am I. And I certainly do not want you to think less of me, but-"

"Ms. Granger, cease with your nonsense, please. Sex outside of marriage is by no means an abhorrent offense."

"Severus, do not be rude to your wife." Minerva chastised the gruff wizard for his approach to handling the situation.

"I said 'please'," he grumbled. "And she isn't my wife!"

"Oh dear."

"Poppy, stop with the 'oh dear's. You are providing no substance to this conversation."

"Severus!"

"Yes. She is-" Minerva started.

"No, she isn't," he argued.

"Not Poppy, Severus. Hermione. Hermione is your wife. Please do not tell me that neither of you looked into what has been happening."

"Desiring the witch is hardly worth researching."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I only meant that I find nothing suspicious in wanting you. You are very desirable." His words were comforting to the little witch, but she was still unsettled by what was being said.

"Minerva, what did you mean by 'getting back to teaching'? I haven't missed any classes."

"Hermione, you and Severus haven't made it to a class in over a week." While the young witch was quick to look bothered and concerned by the news, it was clear the wizard next to her was prepared to argue this statement. "You haven't, Severus. You will find the notes from Slughorn on your desk." She interrupted his thoughts. "He was gracious enough to fill in when I took notice of your rapid decline. Hermione," she turned to face the brunette, "Filius was happy to fill in for you, I think he finds retirement less exciting than he expected. And you should know, he was very impressed with your students."

"I'm so confused."

"What's confusing, deary?"

"Madam Pomfrey, Poppy, I- well, I don't know. All of it," she huffed. "Three months? The dreams only started a few weeks ago. Three, maybe four at most." She could see in the Matron's face that she was incorrect. "Three months?" She looked to Severus, her… hoping he would have the answers she didn't. "Severus?"

He was frozen, the shock apparent on his face. "Oh, for Godric's sake, snap out of it, boy!"

Minerva's stern tone brought his attention back to the present, but it was clear he was still worried. "Ms Granger, would you please accompany me back to my chambers? I think there is something we need to discuss."

"Severus, do you know what is going on?" They made it all the way to his chambers without a word from either of them. There was a stillness to the corridor that she couldn't bring herself to disturb. As soon as the door closed behind her though, the cold realization spread across her. "What were they talking about?" She watched as he walked across his living room and into one of the doors in the back. She waited a moment, but decided to follow him when he did not reappear. "How is it we were missing for four days? And more than a week of class?" He still hadn't said a word, flipping through a book now looking for something while ignoring her questions. "LOOK AT ME!" It was only when their eyes met did she see the fear in them. "What is happening? Why do you look so worried?"

"There is a bit of rare magic. Uncommonly known as it occurs so infrequently. I shouldn't be surprised that those two romantic wenches know all about it though."

"What does this magic do?"

The worry evaporated instantly and Hermione saw the Occlumency walls quickly assemble. "Simply, it encourages two individuals to mate. When two magical beings are particularly well-suited and are unlikely to find each other on their own, the visions act as a form of persuasion. Theoretically it would have only gotten worse had we ignored it."

"Theoretically?"

"Most do not need much convincing. Minerva wasn't kidding when she called us stubborn. I see no mention of anyone lasting three months." He held his blank expression, giving her no sign of how he felt about the situation.

"And how is that possible, Severus? I don't feel like I have been having these dreams for three months. I certainly don't remember us spending the last four days together! I mean, we only stopped to eat once, how could we have been together for four days?"

"We stopped more than one, but you are right, it was not often. I believe it was the magic. We needed the time together to recuperate."

"Recuperate?"

"Yes, our souls needed to heal."

"Our souls?"

"Must you insist on repeating me?"

"What does sex have to do with our souls?"

"It wasn't about the sex. Sex is simply the easiest way to get any two humans to do anything." He spoke about this with such indifference, as if sex didn't mean a thing to him. "It was always about the joining of our souls." As if souls joining meant nothing.

"What does that mean?" He still didn't react. He has barely reacted to anything since this all began to unravel. "Severus, what does that mean?"

"It means I have taken more than your virtue alone. Which actually makes more sense now. The majority of witches who have a soulmate rarely choose to sleep with other men as they can instinctively understand that something is missing."

"Soulmate?"

"I apologize, Hermione."

"Hermione?"

"Why would you repeat that? Are you truly so confused by all of this that you have forgotten your name?"

"Of course not! It's strange to hear you call me by my first name when we are not in the middle of-" Her words were cut off with a blush. It seems she was still less than comfortable discussing all that has transpired.

"Well, Ms Granger would not be completely correct given the circumstances, though seeing as you did not choose this, I perhaps have no say in whether you choose to take my name."

"So we're-?" This was not what she was expecting. "Are you unhappy with this? Severus?" He continued to stare at her with blank expression, providing no insight into how he feels about being married. "You do not seem to be particularly pleased."

"Neither do you."

"Well, I admit it was quite the shock, obviously, and it took a minute for me to actually process what was going on. It's not everyday I have sex for the first time over the span of four days then end up married to my soulmate." She had to be honest. With herself, with him. Was she happy about this? "It isn't that I am unhappy, I'm worried that I disappointed you."

He took his time. Looking at her. Analysing her response. Deliberating his own. "I told you, love. There isn't a chance you could leave me disappointed."

"Love?"