Beth Ann, ChishionoTenshi, lollylips3, Lucinda Malfoy, Luna Writer, Malfoy, Noctivague, Madam Moony, maridale3, Marston Chicklet, not sure yet, Rhysen, sammy, stonecoldfox, Strega Brava, Zoe - Thanks!

Hasapi - The frozen look on Herm's face that Sev wondered about was when the ring was giving her 'flashbacks'. A time frame for the story? Well, this chapter is set at the end of the school year. However, I can't accurately say what month it is since I live in the Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand) and the school year down here starts in February and ends in December. I believe that school for you Northern Hemisphere people g starts in September but I don't know the month it ends...

MadAboutHarry - Yes, I'm sure Sev would reconsider his 'no dancing' stance if he saw Hermione and Harry dancing, heh.

Sara-Lady-Dalian - I'm glad my latest chapter made you feel better. All the best! A big thanks for mentioning that 'Black Magic' and 'Taboo' are the names of two kinds of nearly-black roses.

Tevkins - Thanks - I believe Dumbledore is more of a schemer than he appears to be. I remember a comment somewhere saying that it hasn't been mentioned what house the headmaster is from. We all assume it's Gryffindor - but what if it isn't?

Azure - Thanks to you as well for mentioning that 'Taboo' is a hybrid tea- rose.

A/N - Well, for those who want a garden of roses Severus would probably like, the names to remember are 'Black Magic' and 'Taboo'. Hmm..gardening doesn't sound like a bad idea now g.

Part 30

From that time on the students all concentrated on their studies as the end of the year now quickly approached. The teachers were determined to cram as much knowledge inside their heads as possible before the final exams - certainly Professor Snape was merciless in doing so. It was an effort for Draco to keep up at times due to his new 'duties' in the boy's toilets and was sullen at the status he had lost.

There was no time for Quidditch, which made some of the Gryffindors, especially Harry, noticeably grumpy.

Hermione found it ironic that even though she and Severus were (secretly) engaged, there was less time these days to see each other for often she would be too tired at nights from studying to Apparate to his quarters, her head dancing with memorised incantations. Somehow she doubted Severus would appreciate Hermione instantly falling asleep in his bed as soon as she came to him...

Though Severus understood why the weary-looking Hermione was too busy to see him, his bed still felt empty without her presence in it. At countless times he would find himself listening for her gentle tap on his door and was irritated at himself for doing so.

With no room in Hermione and Severus' lives to regrettably be other than professor and student to the other, students who were keen to see overt signs of affection between them (which they would view as disgusting of course) were disappointed to see only the times when he reprimanded her for a mistake.

Many people started taking the view that whatever it was between Hermione and Professor Snape it wouldn't last long - that perhaps it had cooled already..

At last the final exams were upon the seventh-years. All of their hard work of the year, and indeed, previous years leading them up to this - a time when you were hunched over a desk, your writing hand threatening to cramp from the amount of writing undertaken. Hastily eaten meals that sat in uneasy stomachs.

When the exams were all over, the students were in a mild state of shock, as if they had been running for a long time and then suddenly halting. Certainly in Hermione's point of view it felt surreal for her to have ceased her studying, most of her time at Hogwarts having been defined by it. Unofficially, the school year was now over. For the next five days until the results would be known, the seventh-years would be allowed those days to themselves, to do anything they pleased (within reason). Then there would the Graduation Dance before Graduation Day, when parents would arrive to celebrate the achievements of their offspring.

Various teachers, including those who were the heads of the four houses closeted themselves in secluded rooms of Hogwarts for the unenviable task of grading the countless exam papers and writing reports. Hermione's (admittedly childish) feelings of neglect by Severus were banished though when she found upon her bed through mysterious means a rose that matched the dark hue of the previous one he had given to her. Smiling, she went to fetch a vase to put the rose in.

The seventh-years were allowed to wear normal clothes instead of uniforms, and there were looks of envy from the younger students when they strolled with the assurance of adults around in jeans and other casual outfits, the occasional sight of designer clothes on some of the richer students an odd contrast in the ancient, cathedral-like corridors of Hogwarts.

All of the seventh-years celebrated this freedom in different ways. Many of them headed for Hogsmeade or straight to the Quidditch stadium for impromptu games.

Hermione and her friends went outside one time to sit in the welcome shade of trees. These weren't the trees of the Dark Forest, but gentler cousins whose leaves did not whisper ominously to them.

On such a beautiful day it was a relief to be outside and not running to and from classes and being at the mercy of bells, assemblies, teachers and homework. There were only a few clouds in the serene blue sky that were more concerned with looking decorative rather than dumping express deliveries of rain.

Harry put a hand up to his mouth to suppress a belch. Having found out that Hermione's bracelet enabled her to Apparate with another person provided they held hands, it had taken little persuasion on his part for them both to go to the sweet shop at Hogsmeade and return with bags overflowing with sweets.

"Ooh..my stomach," Neville moaned happily, chocolate smeared around his mouth. They all had that full, slightly guilty feeling that comes of eating far too many sweets.

"Those sweets were bloody brilliant," Ron sighed where sprawled on the grass, having decided to have a truce today between him and Hermione, given that she had brought back a finer selection of sweets than Harry's contribution.

"You're probably feeling lonely without a textbook, Hermione" Harry teased her, lightly throwing a screwed up chocolate wrapper at her. He decided not to point out that she had fragments of chocolate over the dark red jumper she was wearing over a comfortably faded pair of jeans.

"Don't be silly!" Hermione scolded. "Although," she admitted, "it does feel odd not to be studying."

"Look, can't we forget about books?" Lavender said firmly, licking a garishly coloured lollipop the size of a small dinner plate. "It's a lovely day, we don't have to wear our school uniforms ever again, and best of all, there are no teachers looking over our shoulders."

"Hear, hear," Neville mumbled.

"I can't wait to leave this place," Lavender continued.

"You said it," Ron agreed.

Lavender tilted her head curiously at Ron. "You're going to the Ministry of Magic for Auror training, aren't you?"

It was difficult in a way for the friends to come to terms with the fact that now that their schooling had ended, some of them would choose paths that would take them away from the others. Lavender, Neville and many other Gryffindors would be going away to various universities to specialise in their chosen fields.

"Yes," Ron said, then grimaced. "It means though that I'll have Percy telling me five times a day how important his job is there. But at least you'll be coming along as well, Harry."

Harry was silent for a moment then shook his head. "No Ron, I'm not. Dumbledore approached me recently and offered to make me his apprentice - to help him out as an assistant also."

The others sat up and stared at him with wide eyes.

"You're staying?" Hermione exclaimed.

"No way!" Ron breathed, his eyes wide and a feeling of hurt inside him. He had been looking forward to his best friend training to be an Auror alongside him.

Neville looked confused. "I didn't think Dumbledore had apprentices."

Harry coughed. "He said he got the idea from a colleague of his," looking meaningfully at Hermione.

The others turned to look at her, and Hermione's face went slightly pink.

"Don't say..." Lavender began.

Hermione coughed. "I'm staying on as well - as Professor Snape's apprentice," she said softly.

Lavender hesitated and then said slowly, "But Hermione, with your school record you could go to any university you wanted - with your brains you're probably top of the school with your exam marks anyway. I know you've got something going on with Snape, but you received letters from universities I've never even heard of. Are you sure you're doing the right thing?"

Hermione was silent for a moment. It was true she had had offers from many prestigious universities, who were only too eager to educate the Gryffindor who had played a part in Voldemort's downfall.

When Hermione thought about it she realised that if she had never given a cake to Severus last Christmas and kept her wistful feelings for him secret, then in all likelihood she would have heeded her head and left Hogwarts for one of the universities to pursue a career in potions. In time she would probably have met someone, while Severus retreated further each year into his bitter shell...

"I've always been interested in potion making and this way I'll get the practical experience..who knows what it will lead to?" she said steadily.

"You just want to be near to your precious Snape, that's all!" Ron sneered. Although his dating of bouncy Hufflepuff Penny Springfield had restored some confidence in himself, it was galling for Ron to know that Hermione considered him a poor second to the slimy, malevolent Potions Master. It would be, Ron admitted privately to himself, probably a good idea to put some distance between him and the girl he thought he had known.

Hermione bit back the retort on her lips and looked away. She had no wish to get into a shouting match with Ron on a day like today, but she wished he would stop baiting her.

There was an uncomfortable silence then Harry looked at Hermione with a small smile. "It looks like we'll both be staying on at Hogwarts then," he said with a look of quiet happiness in his eyes.

No doubt Severus would develop new facial tics on his face when he found out Harry was staying on, but Hermione knew that Harry had become deeply attached to Hogwarts at his time here. Indeed, it seemed he had had even more enjoyment in Potions classes than the cheerless existence with the Dursley's that he had told her about. Perhaps Harry could not be truly happy anywhere else but here....

Lavender looked at them both and sought to lighten the atmosphere, waving a finger at them both. "You do know that as Head Boy and Girl you will have to dance together at the Graduation Dance?"

Hermione and Harry both looked sheepish, then Harry looked at Hermione. "Unless you'll be dancing with..." he coughed. Hermione shook her head ruefully. "He hates dancing," she said simply. "So no, I won't mind dancing with you."

"So, Hermione, what will you be wearing?" Lavender asked with interest.

Hermione blinked. "I haven't really thought about it," she confessed. "I suppose I'll find something in my wardrobe."

Lavender sighed. "Get your priorities straight, girl," she said briskly before launching into the various ways that spells could be used to ensure you had the perfect dress.

In the boys opinion, the conversation rapidly degenerated from there.

A few days later at breakfast in the fluttering chaos that was the delivery of mail by owls, Hermione was surprised when an unfamiliar, dark looking owl dropped a letter for her, her name written ornately with silver ink on the envelope. Aware of the curious eyes of her friends Hermione opened the envelope and took out the letter, which looked to be of an expensive quality.

Warily she noticed the Slytherin logo present on the letter as a watermark. What was this about, she wondered as she started reading the copperplate writing. It was a brief note requesting her presence today at 11.15 in the Medusa Room at Hogwarts where the 'authenticity' of her bracelet would be discussed with three members of the Serpent Council.

Hermione blinked. Serpent Council? This didn't sound promising. There were various meeting rooms at Hogwarts and the Medusa Room was one allocated to Slytherins, no doubt with a colour scheme of green and filled with heavy, dark furniture, Hermione thought.

The letter was signed by a Alicia Blackthorne, and at the bottom was written

c.c Professor Severus Snape

indicating a copy of this letter would be sent for his attention. Hermione glanced up at the Head Table and the empty chair of Severus. He had swept in briefly before, coffee cup in hand, only to impatiently grab half a loaf of bread and then leave, though he had turned his dark head in her direction as if he could not leave until he had looked once upon his fiancée. No doubt the owl would ensure a copy of the letter would arrive in Severus' hands - owls had ways of finding the recipients of letters.

Hermione wished she could interrupt Severus now and ask his advice, but it would be unthinkable at this time.

"What's the letter about?" Harry asked her after he had finished a mouthful of toast. His jet black hair was even untidier these days since he had no more classes to go to.

Hermione smiled at him, though it did not reach her eyes. "It seems that my bracelet has come to the attention of a group of Slytherins called the 'Serpent Council'. They want to have a meeting with me before lunch to see if it is genuine, apparently. I'm not really looking forward to it."

Harry looked troubled. "I wouldn't be, either. What if they decide to test the bracelets ability to withstand any curse?" As always, Harry said the word 'curse' as if it brought a bitter taste to his mouth.

Hermione felt a slight chill run down her spine but refused to be cowered. "They wouldn't. Not the Unforgiveable kind, anyway," she said adamantly.

Harry paused. "Probably not," he allowed. "But just be on your guard anyway."

"You don't have to tell me that," Hermione said dryly, looking down at the shining bracelet that these days seemed to have always been there on her arm. Sometimes it seemed to be more trouble than it was worth.

Harry smiled encouraging at her. "Well, afterwards you can come and join the rest of us in a game of Quidditch - that will cheer you up."

Hermione considered her uneasy relationship with her broomstick that just barely at times stopped her from a long fall to the ground. But Harry meant well.

"All right," she said. "But don't you ever get tired of Quidditch?" she said whimsically. "I think you've played it non-stop since the exams ended."

Harry looked at her with bemusement. "Sometimes you're really strange, Hermione."

TBC