Author: Snapecake

Title: Till Death Do Us Part

Summary: The title is fluffier than the story is going to be. After Voldemorts defeat everything is restored to normal. But do Severus and Hermione want it to be restored?

Disclaimer: The whole Potter universe with all its inhabitants belong to the marvelous lady JK Rowling. (Though I would love to borrow Snape from her…*grin*…)

Rating: G

A/N: 1. Please don't read on when you're not into Hermione/Snape fics, or just don't like Snape…

2. I'm terribly sorry for the bad grammar in the previous chapter. I'll fix it ASAP, I promise. For my defense I would like to say that English is not my first language and neither one I use on a daily base ( I'm from the Netherlands actually…*grins*), this combined with the fact I rushed the chapter out…I'm so sorry! I hope I'll be able to make up with this chapter…*smiles shyly*)

3. Thanks to all my fabulous reviewers *bows out*, I hope you will like this chapter!

4. Enjoy reading!

5. Please make my day and leave me a review?!?

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Chapter two: A proposal

In a slow but determined pace Severus Snape continued his search for Hermione Granger. While his eyes searched the area, he let his mind reluctantly replay the past fifteen months. He sneered. Quite something to look back at…

It had all started may last year when the whole lot had been in their seventh year. Mister-overcurious-pretending-not-to-be-a-celebrity had faced the Dark Lord once more. Unfortunately the boy had neither failed nor succeeded.

Severus Snape let out a deep long sigh. For the first time in his life he had wanted the highly irritating boy to succeed at something. And even worse, he couldn't blame him for his failure.

The attack had been carefully planned. The boy, as ever accompanied by his two sidekicks, had been lured away from the safe grounds of Hogwarts. He had run straight into one of the deadliest traps Voldemort had ever set. It had been a miracle they had all returned alive.

But the damage had been done. A poison, even he had found no cure for, was now running through the boys veins. And even though not directly life threatening, everybody had known it would be fatal in the end. Severus had estimated two years at best.

Nobody doubted the need to find the antidote, but finding it had been a whole other story. Knowing his own freedom more or less depended on the success of this boy had made him ferret through the whole library. It had been no surprise that little miss know-it-all had been there by his side, with a determination that had equaled his. And as it had proved, she couldn't be forced to shove off.

Perhaps it had been then that Dumbledore had first come up with the idea.

The NEWTs had kicked in and his overachieving company had left his side, but just to return as the exams where done. As turned out later on, she had passed with fabulous results.

She had left once more for the graduation ceremony and had been back the same evening. As he had started writing letters to retrieve every information possible, she sat next to him reading the books he hadn't covered yet. She continued to do so as he had left to visit other Potions Masters throughout Europe.

When he returned she had looked up at him, eyes filled with a vulnerable hope. He had just shook his head in denial.

None of them had hardly uttered a word to the other during the search, except for the occasional "could you pass me that book?". And then it had all come to an end. There were no more books to be read, no more letters to be written and no more visits to be paid. Neither of them had found as much as a vague notion that might have pointed in a certain direction they would perhaps have been able to use. The whole effort had cost them two valuable months.

When they had faced professor Dumbledore, she had seated herself next to him. Her face pale with exhaustion, but her lips pressed firm with determination. Typical Gryffindor. He himself had felt outrageous because of the failure. He still refused to see it as his failure. And at that certain time he had been ready to project that feeling on everybody that would as much try to point a finger at him.

But then Dumbledore had unfolded his plan and everything had changed.

He could still remember it clearly. It had been the first week of July and the sky outside the Headmasters office had been as blue as it could be. The sun had been shining and enveloped everybody and everything outside in a comforting glow. But inside Severus had felt a chill at the old man's words.

The impact of the little speech had been surprising. All the anger had flowed away from him as he felt like petrified. The girl next to him had turned even paler. Both of them tried to protest, but words didn't leave their lips.

And as they had left the room a strange bond had formed between them. They had spoken more words to each other in their ten minutes walk to the Great Hall as they had in two months working together.

"Stupid old fool" he had hissed.

"Can't believe this!" she had wondered out aloud.

"He really is turning into a fruitcake now!" he had added.

"Must be his age indeed!" she had muttered under her breath.

"It's preposterous!" he had scowled.

"Outrageous!" she had added.

"Impossible!" he had hissed once more.

At this point she had just glared at him.

"I won't be lured into this!" he had declared as he had glared back at her.

"Neither am I" she had stated with screwed eyes while she folded her arms.

As they had rounded the corner they had found themselves face to face with a large mirror. Both had stopped death in their tracks and had stared at their joint reflection.

In front of them stood the odd couple. A tall man clad in black with a white face framed by raven black slightly greasy hair. Next to him a slightly smaller young woman still in school uniform with sparkling hazel eyes and curling brown hair falling over her shoulders. The only thing they seemed to have in common was the look on their face, a perfect mixture of disbelieve and anger.

He had been the first one to speak, this time his voice had held the undertone of utter surprise.

"Wanting us to get married…"

She had let out a deep sigh as she kept staring at their reflection: "Incomprehensible."

They had both nodded and entered the Great Hall in silence.

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tbc very soon!!!

Hoped you liked it! Am already looking forward to present you chapter three, the first version is finished, and so far I'm very proud of it! Loads of special SS/HG moments just around the corner! I'll recheck it tomorrow and post it asap.

Please tell me what you think of it so far! Thx! Have a nice day!