I hope you all enjoy. Thank you all who reviewed the last chapter. I felt all warm. And if you didn't review...please review...it makes me feel special though you may same I am not special.

Severus Snape's Birthday - January 9th, 1997

"Hermione!" Harry and Remus shouted as they flew into my room and bounced on my bed.

"Good Morning," I said sitting up and rearranging my pillows.

"Well, I supposed that you are eager to hear how my meeting with Hogwarts infamous, irascible potions master went," Remus said as he crossed his legs and sat Native American style near the foot of the bed. He was quivering with excited joy.

"Remus first I would like to order some breakfast from the kitchens for us," I said extricating myself from my thick blankets and going to the fireplace.

Dobby appeared with a loud crack.

"What can Dobby get for Master Harry Potter and Miss Hermione Granger and Master Lupin?" the elf squeaked staring up at me with his tennis ball shaped green eyes.

"Please get me a plate of toast with strawberry jam and a glass of milk," I requested, politely peering down at the tiny elf smiling warmly.

"May I have a scone and some scrambled eggs and bacon Dobby?" Harry asked. "Oh and some pumpkin juice please."

"Bacon and cheese omelet for me please Dobby," Remus asked sitting up straight. He grinned at Dobby. "Cranberry Juice to drink if you please?"

Dobby nodded smiling widely and disappeared returning seconds later with a large tray, which he sat on the bed in the center.

"Thank you Dobby," I said picking up my plate of toast and setting it on my lap and my milk on the nightstand near me.

Dobby nodded and squeaked, "Dobby would do anything for Harry Potter." He vanished with a last loud crack.

"Remus now that we have our food I will thank you to kindly explain all the details of your adventure, your noble quest, which I sent you on last night," I said taking a bite of my toast. Delicious as always.

"You have no idea how hilarious Severus is when he is slightly less than sober," Remus said with a giggle. "Severus likes you...whether or not it is more than in a teacher to an exceptionally bright student way I do not know though I do know that he respects you and enjoys your company. He enjoys the time you spend together daily."

"Remus tell me everything that went on, expressions, tones, and gestures. Everything you remember," I said clutching the collar of Remus' robes.

Remus then proceeded to give a very detailed account of the happenings of the previous night and went so far as to imitate Severus' tone and expressions.

Harry and I were both in a paroxysm of laughter when we watched Remus act out Severus complaining about how all the Fire Whiskey was gone. After I finished drinking the last of my milk before I looked at the clock. CRAP!

"Oh my gosh! I have to leave!" I shouted bolting out of bed and grabbing my school uniform from the chair. I darted into the bathroom slamming the door in my haste.

I brushed my teeth quickly and changed into my uniform leaving my nightclothes on the floor. I hopped on one foot on my way out of the bathroom pulling my black shoes. I scrambled for the door.

"Hermione," Remus called.

I spun. I was rolling on the balls of my feet nervously. "Remus!" I moaned. "I'm going to be late and it will ruin my potion."

"Take your book so you know what ingredients you have to use and what you need to do to them in preparation. I do not think you want to forget your present for Severus do you?" Remus asked tossing me my shoulder bag.

"Thank you," I cried out and took off running towards a certain mirror. I popped out at the bottom of the tunnel and pulled out my container of bicorn horn. The door of Professor Snape's office was open and I sprinted through to my cauldron's side and quickly tended to it.

"Meow," the black cat said and it came over and rubbed on my legs purring.

"Hello handsome cat," I said stooping down and lifting him gently into my arms. I kissed his head and hugged him softly. Professor Snape has the most wonderful cat in the world. He purred and rubbed his head under my chin.

"Will you please go let Professor Snape know that I'm here?" I asked as I set the cat down after I kissed his head again.

He purred and rubbed my legs again before slipping out the door. I quickly grabbed the present that was in my bag and placed it at the table he always worked at. Thank goodness Professor Snape did not have mirrors hanging up in this room.

Pop.

What was that? It sounded like the sound Professor McGonagall made when she transformed into her Animagus form. Could it be that that was Professor Snape? Was he an animagus? I remembered him mentioning wanting to become one. But if he was why would he let me hug and kiss all over on him? Did he actually like having me hold him and compliment him? I hope so. That would be wonderful.

Professor Snape walked into the room in his usual flowing, quiet, and supercilious manner. "Good morning Miss Granger." His voice was smooth and rich. It made me tingle to hear it.

"We must begin working on the Wolfsbane Potion today," he said. "Yours will be given to Lupin."

"But sir, what if I make a mistake?" I asked looking up at him with wide eyes.

"My dear Miss Granger that is like asking 'When would Longbottom have mad it through brewing a potion that any first year can properly brew without blowing up a cauldron? I mean, by the way, without you whispering instructions in his ear," he gave me a small smile before chopping up lionfish dorsal fin to one half centimeter in length.

I blushed softly turning a rosy red. I enjoyed hearing him praise me. I loved it when he smiled even more.

"I didn't know today was your birthday," I mentioned lightly. "Happy Birthday Professor."

He looked up sharply. "What does that have to do with anything and how did you find that out?"

"Sir, there is a present sitting for you there," I said pointing to his desk where I had placed the present.

He approached it cautiously as if he thought it would attack him. I had pulled one of the charms off my bracelet and attached it to the card I had placed with the present. He cautiously picked it up and turned it around before placing it back on the table and taking the rolled up card.

-Severus Snape -

I couldn't remember the last time someone besides Albus had sent me a present of any kind. I broke the seal and unrolled it. The opal charm with my initials rolled out and landed with a clink on the table. I flushed and snatched it. The words flashed in my memory. Watch for Charms! I squeezed the charm tightly. I felt my breath catch. I knew I should get under control as I was in front of a student but a charm. My Jane had sent me a charm. She was here! My Jane.

"Did you see anyone walk in here and leave this for me?" I asked. My voice was a soft whisper.

"The only people I have seen in here are your cat and yourself sir," she said.

I flicked my wrist and saw the gold bracelet slide down. I lifted up my wrist and looked at the charm. H.J.G. and now S.A.S. I held it up and examined it in the light.

"It is beautiful sir," I heard Miss Granger say behind me. "Your bracelet. Where did you get it?"

"It was a present," I answered. I tapped the charm to the bracelet and it attached itself. I smiled and kissed the charm. I then grabbed up the note.

Dearest Love of my Life,

I am pleased to know you are happy to receive this. We will be together soon. Perhaps I am there now. I want you to know that I still love you and want to be with you. I can not be with you just yet. I can not marry you just yet but I am still wearing your ring. I am sure you know what I mean. I told you I would never take it off and I never have. It is killing me to see you and not be able to be with you. I am not sure when I will be able to tell you what is happening and what has happened. Just know that I am waiting for you and we will have each other again soon.

H.J.G. or J.H.G

P.S. The first initials are the initials of my real name. In the name I used in your time I switched my first and middle name and changed my last name slightly. I could not be known by your future selves. It would have been bad. Please forgive me.

"JANE!" I shouted and I ran from the room. I tore through my room. The door burst open as I raced towards the upper levels. Jane was back. She was here! She could not have left that present long ago! She couldn't be far. I tore out the door and raced down toward the lake. "JANE!" No one was there. I sprinted as fast as I could around it in the direction of Hogsmeade. Maybe she was there. She had to be there. I had to see her. I galloped through the main street looking everywhere for her. She just had to be here. I ran up to the Shrieking Shack and still no sign of her. I sunk down into the snow panting. Where was she? She said she was near. I had to find her. "JANE!"

I stood up and looked about madly. She wasn't here. It was silly to rush from the dungeons. But she said she was near.

- Hermione Granger -

I stood watching him race out. Now I felt rather guilty. I hope he came back soon. My poor Severus.

Well I better take care of the potion. Professor Snape would be furious if the work was ruined. He had the book open to the page that had what needed to be done today written down.

I poured the lionfish fin into the potion we were working on together and began to stir. It took five minutes of stirring.

When he was not back fifteen minutes later I got worried. I decided he must have run to Hogsmeade looking for me. I grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote a note on it. I walked over to the fireplace in the room and grabbed a pinch of floo powder from canister and I sent the note to The Three Broomsticks.

- Severus Snape -

I walked back quietly through Hogsmeade. I felt hot tears boiling up in my eyes. It had been a long time since I had sat down and had a good old-fashioned cry without being drunk. The tears continued to flow. I was grateful that it was not a weekend that the students were being allowed to visit the village. They would not see me this way. I sat down on the bench outside Three Broomsticks.

"Professor," I heard a soft voice say. "I have a note here for you."

I looked up knowing my eyes were red and my cheeks were still wet from my recent water works. Madam Rosemerta stood there with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders and she held a note out to me. "It just arrived by floo for you sir, not half a minute ago."

I took the note and unfolded it.

Oh Severus, Darling Love,

I am sorry for my cruelty. I love you so and do not mean to harm you. But please you mustn't come looking for me. I promise you won't find me till I am ready for you too and it is just not the right time. Please understand it is imperative that you wait for me to reveal myself. I love you so and it must be this way. We can't be together yet. It wouldn't be allowed. But your waiting grows closer to an end each passing day. Someday soon this will seem like a distant and terrifying nightmare. But soon my dear, soon, we will have each other again and never again will either of us have the pain of being without the other. Go back and open your present love. We'll be together sooner than you know.

I watch over you.

Your Love,
H.J.G.

I howled before I began to slowly trek back up to the castle. I clung to her note tightly. I went in through one of the quieter ways than the main hall. I hoped my outburst did not cause too much of a commotion. I arrived back at the lab and saw Miss Granger taking care of the potion.

I slunk towards the desk where my present waited. I picked it up before slinking into my office to open it in privacy.

I carefully pulled back the paper and saw a book, Sense and Sensibility. I grabbed it and held it to my chest. I held it out and traced my finger along the border and binding. The tears welled up all over again.

"Professor?" a soft voice questioned. "Are you alright? You worried me when you ran out of here so fast."

"Fine," I said. I held the book to my chest again and stood up. I walked towards the shelf next to the fireplace. I had put all the books and things my love had left behind on the shelf. Her books and her quills and parchment and every material possession I could scavenge.

"What was all that about Professor Snape?" I heard Miss Granger's soft voice ask.

"Nothing I want to discuss. Please just leave me for now. I would like to be alone," I said as I re-rolled my Jane's note. I took down the box that contained her notes, which were chronologically ordered. I placed it on top and shut the box replacing it on the mantle where it belonged. "Miss Granger none of the potions will need any tending till tomorrow morning so you needn't return this afternoon."

I heard Miss Granger pad away. Thank everything good in the world. I did enjoy being around Miss Granger though at this moment I felt most uncomfortable. I knew I was going to end up in tears. I did not want her to see me looking so weak and vulnerable. What would she think? Most of all I did not want her telling all the other students that the greasy bat - Yes, I was more than aware of all the uncouth comments that the students made behind my back - actually had a heart and cried. That the monster was human and not the snarling and quick-tempered potions master that they knew.

I collapsed in my chair and held my head. My hair fell down and secluded my face from the world.

-Hermione Granger -

I stood just outside his door and watched him. I stared helplessly at him. I could not tell him yet. He would want a relationship as badly as I did but I could not have one with him yet. His shoulders quaked and his whole body was shaking in grief because of me. I would risk expulsion and he would lose his job. I desperately wanted to fling my arms around his neck and snog him senseless before telling him I was Jane and we could be together forever now. His dark hair fell into his face blocking me from getting a clear read on his expression and I could not see if he was crying.

I'd been wrong. Keeping this secret from Severus was much harder than breaking up with Ron. I ached and the cold pit in my stomach grew heavier. I felt miserable. I wanted to give my love hope but I just made him sad. Hopefully by this afternoon he would see the brighter side of this.

I fled from the dungeons. By the time I reached my common room I know I was just as anguished as my love was. Poor Professor Snape. Big wet tears streamed down my face. I longed to go to him and have him hold me while I held him so we could comfort each other.

"Hermione?" I heard Harry's soft voice call into my shell and I felt his arms wrap around me. "It will be okay. Tell us what happened."

I shivered into them and dug my fingers into his robes. Then two more arms encircled me and a thin cheek rested between my shoulders.

"Shush...Hermione," Remus Lupin's gentle soothing called to me. "We have to know what happened before we can help."

"I should never have given him that note. He ran out and was gone for almost forty-five minutes. I was so worried. He ran out screaming Jane. I should have left it at the book and charm. But dumb me couldn't resist giving him the hope that we would be together soon. I told him I was nearer than he knew or imagined. When he came back I have never seen him look so terrible. He looked like death. He told me not to come back this afternoon," I sobbed and clung tighter to my two friends. "My poor Severus."

Harry and Remus both held me.

"Hermione, it is not your fault. Severus loves you still. He could not help his enthusiasm," Remus said trying to give me solace.

"I gave him false hope and I knew it would still be months till we could truly be together or married. It was cruel. His pain is my doing. He ran looking for me," I began to quiver. Harry tightened his hold.

"Hermione, it is not your fault," Harry said smoothing my hair.

"I am going to go see how Severus is taking all this okay?" Remus asked and he kissed the top of my head.

Well there you have it...Chapter XVIII...I hope you all enjoyed it. It took a bit longer because it had to almost completely be redone and I have a feeling Chapter nineteen will be much the same way. I realized what I had was bad and needed to change! Sorry for the delay now please press the button and review if you have something nice to say!