**A/N** Wow! I woke up this morning and, once again, I am compelled to
comply with the desires of my readers. I thought about putting "the end" at
the bottom of chapter 30, just to freak you all out, but I decided that
would be a little too mean. Anyway, I'm writing this for you before I go
off to Drivers Ed, it's really early in the morning, and hopefully it'll be
up by the time you all come to check on the update. If you happen to like
abrupt, unhappy endings, then chapter thirty was for you. As for everyone
else.... maybe it just won't be so abrupt. ;)
Minutes may have passed, or hours, or even years, but Severus was too distraught to care. For the moment he was trying to come to terms with the fact that he was holding Hermione for the last time, and couldn't bring himself to let go. He had already memorized the way she smelled, but inhaled lavender and cherry blossoms just once more. He was aware of other people around him, but only vaguely. Surely they weren't important enough to bother with right now. Not now that Hermione was dead. Nothing had ever been important to him when compared with her.
The devastation in the Great Hall was heartbreaking. Professor Vector was dead, as was Professor Trelawney. Hooch and Flitwick were barely breathing, and more than a few of the house elves had served Hogwarts for the last time. He'd see them all go to Azkaban with a smile on his face. Seamus Finnigan had died and Neville Longbottom was badly injured. Quite a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were also down. Many of the Slytherins had fought against Hogwarts, including Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode, who had paid with their lives. Some of the younger Slytherins had been wiser and fought for the Light. It seemed Draco would be the only Slytherin to graduate this year.
Snape didn't care at the moment, even though so many had died. Severus thought he was going to die, too, just from the sheer pain of a broken heart
Almost out of tears, physically, but mentally needing more to shed, Severus simply laid his head on Hermione's chest and closed his eyes. How was he going to carry on without her? Against all hope, he silently willed her to be alive, to come back to him.
What happened then made him stop short, barely believing. Just under his ear there came a tickling sensation, and a weak but still clearly audible thumping sound. Suddenly, Severus felt a spark of hope. Looking almost intrigued, he moved his head slightly to see if he was only kidding himself.
The vibration came again. And again. His head began to move up and down steadily with the expansion and contraction of her lungs. Hermione was alive! Suddenly light began to flood back into Severus's future. He looked up at Dumbledore, grinning. He opened his mouth but couldn't speak, so he allowed his eyes to communicate the extreme joy and relief he was feeling at that moment. The Headmaster's eyes began twinkling, when they had been dull before. The onlookers were now even more startled. Professor Snape smiled, too?
Gently, he placed his hands over Hermione's heart and tapped what remained of his magical energy. Everyone gasped when her eyes flew open a few minutes later. Their evening of surprises obviously hadn't ended.
"Oh, God!" he whispered, pulling her close. She smiled up at him and said his name in the way that made his insides turn to mush. "Hermione, I swear if you ever do that to me again--"
And then she was kissing him. The students started to whisper among themselves frantically, and McGonagall looked like she was going to pass out. Harry, Ron, and Draco were grinning broadly, as was Dumbledore. Severus joyously returned the kiss, completely disregarding the gossip going on around him. There was nothing but her, and she was kissing him!
When they broke apart, Severus half laughed and half sobbed. "I love you." He looked at her adoringly, and she smiled. "I love you, too, Severus." Hermione then looked around at their audience, and Severus took the time to glance about as well. They looked at each other and grinned.
"Well," Hermione yawned. "I guess everyone knows about us." They were both shocked beyond belief when everyone began to clap.
Minutes may have passed, or hours, or even years, but Severus was too distraught to care. For the moment he was trying to come to terms with the fact that he was holding Hermione for the last time, and couldn't bring himself to let go. He had already memorized the way she smelled, but inhaled lavender and cherry blossoms just once more. He was aware of other people around him, but only vaguely. Surely they weren't important enough to bother with right now. Not now that Hermione was dead. Nothing had ever been important to him when compared with her.
The devastation in the Great Hall was heartbreaking. Professor Vector was dead, as was Professor Trelawney. Hooch and Flitwick were barely breathing, and more than a few of the house elves had served Hogwarts for the last time. He'd see them all go to Azkaban with a smile on his face. Seamus Finnigan had died and Neville Longbottom was badly injured. Quite a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were also down. Many of the Slytherins had fought against Hogwarts, including Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode, who had paid with their lives. Some of the younger Slytherins had been wiser and fought for the Light. It seemed Draco would be the only Slytherin to graduate this year.
Snape didn't care at the moment, even though so many had died. Severus thought he was going to die, too, just from the sheer pain of a broken heart
Almost out of tears, physically, but mentally needing more to shed, Severus simply laid his head on Hermione's chest and closed his eyes. How was he going to carry on without her? Against all hope, he silently willed her to be alive, to come back to him.
What happened then made him stop short, barely believing. Just under his ear there came a tickling sensation, and a weak but still clearly audible thumping sound. Suddenly, Severus felt a spark of hope. Looking almost intrigued, he moved his head slightly to see if he was only kidding himself.
The vibration came again. And again. His head began to move up and down steadily with the expansion and contraction of her lungs. Hermione was alive! Suddenly light began to flood back into Severus's future. He looked up at Dumbledore, grinning. He opened his mouth but couldn't speak, so he allowed his eyes to communicate the extreme joy and relief he was feeling at that moment. The Headmaster's eyes began twinkling, when they had been dull before. The onlookers were now even more startled. Professor Snape smiled, too?
Gently, he placed his hands over Hermione's heart and tapped what remained of his magical energy. Everyone gasped when her eyes flew open a few minutes later. Their evening of surprises obviously hadn't ended.
"Oh, God!" he whispered, pulling her close. She smiled up at him and said his name in the way that made his insides turn to mush. "Hermione, I swear if you ever do that to me again--"
And then she was kissing him. The students started to whisper among themselves frantically, and McGonagall looked like she was going to pass out. Harry, Ron, and Draco were grinning broadly, as was Dumbledore. Severus joyously returned the kiss, completely disregarding the gossip going on around him. There was nothing but her, and she was kissing him!
When they broke apart, Severus half laughed and half sobbed. "I love you." He looked at her adoringly, and she smiled. "I love you, too, Severus." Hermione then looked around at their audience, and Severus took the time to glance about as well. They looked at each other and grinned.
"Well," Hermione yawned. "I guess everyone knows about us." They were both shocked beyond belief when everyone began to clap.