A/N

As promised! Warning – sentimental fluff!! Sort of anyway. I reckon this story will be finished in a few chapters. I'm sort of glad to be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. This fic has been a WIP from the very start – I rushed into it way to fast. Someone remind me to think next time. I will definitely get a beta reader for my next fic.

Chapter Twelve – Secret

The stunned silence continued for a long time after the two lovers broke apart. Ron was looking curious – he thought it was in Hermione's nature to hug teachers and didn't read anything else into it. Millicent and Hannah, however, did.

The Creevey brothers, not too intelligent, didn't really notice anything at all. Draco, being stuck in a plastic container with air holes, probably didn't clock anything had happened.

Snape, ever the master of good timing, said:

"I'm taking Mr Malfoy to Hagrid's hut,"

As he strode off, Harry came out from behind a nearby tree. After hugging Hermione and smiling at Ron, he said quietly to the Head Girl, "So, is it... is it... you know... you and... Snape?"

He didn't sound angry, just incredulous. Indeed, nothing much fazed Harry Potter. With the logical part of his brain he could see how well matched his friend and the potions teacher were. Hermione nodded her head slightly.

"You'll have to watch how you break it to Ron," he said, quieter still. "I think he likes you. And you wouldn't want him to blow up on you. In fact, I think I can find a way. Do you want me to tell him?"

Hermione watched Snape raise an arm and knock on the gamekeeper's door in the distance. "Yes please, Harry," she said, "I'd rather me and Severus weren't in range when he finds out. He might get a bit violent. And as for the other thing – could you tell Ron how I feel? I mean, I love him, but he's a brother. He couldn't ever be anything else to me. It just wouldn't be right."

Harry nodded and made his way over to his other best friend.

Hermione watched Snape – through his body language she could tell he was becoming more and more exasperated. In her peripheral vision, she could see the-boy-who-lived using exaggerated hand movements to prove his point to Ron, who appeared to be turning white, then red, then a strange green colour.

Their friend stumped dejectedly up towards the Entrance Hall. Hermione thought he had taken the news surprisingly well. Soon, she noticed, he was joined by Hannah who seemed to be attempting conversation with him.

When everyone was inside, the Head Girl ran down the hill to join Snape and Scarlet.

Curled in the Potions Master's chambers with Scarlet tucked up in a little bed next-door, Hermione sighed. Graduation was two months away, NEWTs a month away.

"Hermione?" asked Severus after a while, "What will happen after you graduate?"

The girl in his arms stirred.

"I don't know," she confessed. "I'm all mixed up. What would you like to happen?"

"I want you to stay here with me over the holidays," he said. "But it's not my decision. Are you going to university?"

Hermione smiled.

"Well," she said, "It was a bit of a secret, but since you asked – I'm apprenticing with Minerva. I'm really interested in Transfiguration. I'll stay here with you and Scarlet... Am I allowed?"

Severus felt her tense above him, unsure.

"Hermione," he assured, caressing her face softly, "You can stay here with me as long as you like." he smirked and added: "After all, how else would I get Scarlet to eat her vegetables?"

At breakfast ("Millicent's marrying Filch!") news of Hermione's relationship with Snape leaked out. People had even speculated that Scarlet was Hermione's child, although Dumbledore was soon to squash those rumours.

The headmaster, however, would say nothing on the status of Severus and Hermione's relationship. He didn't seem angry or miffed, or indeed surprised. He appeared to be in a bunnies-jumping-through-fields-of-daises mood. His eyes were twinkling madly as ever, and he even dared to loudly announce at the end of breakfast:

"You see, I've been telling Severus here for ages he'll fall in love sooner or later!"

The Potions Master's twitch returned and he was even slightly red. Scarlet didn't help by asking loudly from the next seat down, "So do you love 'Mynee, uncle Sev?"

Hermione herself was holding a glass of pumpkin juice tightly against her mouth, trying not to burst out in hysterical fits of laughter over the whole affair. She dared not look at the object of her affections – a dare was a dare, after all, but she knew he would be thoroughly embarrassed.

As it was, she was very surprised when he stood up, cleared his throat and sneered:

"I'm glad you're all having such a good laugh at my expense - once again, I might add – but just to clear up the rumours, Scarlet is very much NOT my or Hermione's child, although I love her very much indeed. Which brings me add: I also love Hermione very much. So now you're all shocked into silence, I'm going to leave."

He took his 'daughter' gently by the hand and led her out through the staff door.

Hermione continued to sit there, unmoving, thinking of just how much pride Severus had sacrificed to declare his love for her. Getting up, she ran down to the dungeons. His first lesson of the day was just starting, but she didn't care that she was late for her own.

Gathering her strength, she rapped on the now-familiar door.

"Enter," she heard a low, silky voice utter from within.

She slid inside and met the eyes of her lover. Blowing a kiss (and meaning it) she said quietly:

"I love you too, Severus." Smiling, she slipped back out again.

Their secret was well and truly out now, and there was no going back. It felt good.

A/N

Love you all. Keep reading, blah blah. Short chapter I know. But at least it's out, right?

ss13xxx