Hermione awoke the next day with a smile on her face. Severus wasn't there so she curled up under the covers never wanting to move, but the uncertainty of where he went made her crawl out of bed. When her bare feet hit the cold stone floor a shiver went down her spine. She was freezing. She grabbed a sweater and pulled it on as quickly as she could. She also grabbed a pair of Severus' socks and put them on. She went into the bathroom and washed up her face before going out into the sitting room. She passed her little cot on the way and laughed. It hadn't been long before when Severus had yelled at her for sleeping in the same room as him. How ironic was it that she had just slept in his bed with him right next to her.

"Severus." She said sleepily before she walked out into the sitting room.

"Good morning." Severus said when she came in.

He had been reading again. Before him lay a tray of food. It seemed he hadn't touched a thing. He had been waiting for her.

"Morning." She said warily.

"Did you sleep well." He asked.

He was wearing the glasses again and Hermione loved it.

"The best sleep I've ever had." She answered as she sat down next to him on the couch.

She leaned over and kissed him sweetly on the mouth. He graciously returned the favor. She pulled away and looked into his eyes. They were deep and farseeing. It didn't take her long to start kissing him again. This time it was deeper. He dropped his book on the floor and grabbed the sides of her face. He pulled her closer to him. She ran her hands up his chest and rested them at the nape of his neck. It was more intense than anything she had ever felt, and it was like a drug. She wanted more.

"Wait." Severus said as they parted lips for a moment. "Wait Hermione really."

He pulled back and held her away from him. She couldn't help but feel hurt and her eyes showed it. She knew she was radiating her feelings so she looked down at her hands. She was embarrassed, and she wondered if he was beginning to have second thoughts.

"Hermione look at me." He said as he gently took her chin. "Don't be hurt. Please. We need to talk."

"Well those are four words I never wished to hear from you." She said.

"Please Hermione this is important." He answered as softly as he could. "You know what I'm talking about. We will have to discuss it sooner or later."

She didn't want to admit that he was right, but he was. If they didn't talk about it now then it would be a burden.

"Alright." She whispered.

"Eat first then we will talk."

"Severus."

"Please." He said.

She sighed and turned toward the tray. She grabbed the tiniest thing she could find. Starvation is a disease. It's a mindset, and Hermione had the strongest mind out of any of her peers. She wouldn't be healed overnight. She took a deep breath before shoving a piece of toast in her mouth.

"Good." Severus said as he watched her.

She threw the rest of the bread back onto the tray.

"Severus I can't do this with you watching me."

"Why?" He asked. He didn't understand anything about it.

"Because I feel like you're scrutinizing me."

"I'm not Hermione." He said. "I'm trying to help you."

"I-I know." She said and she put her head in her hands and cried.

He grabbed her quickly and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Hermione, no matter what I will always want the best for you. I've never scrutinized you as you say."

"Ha." She laughed. "Oh no."

"When have I ever?" he asked looking into her streaming eyes.

"How about everyday for seven years. Does that sound about right?"

"What here at school." He asked.

She looked at him as if he were the biggest fool in the world.

"Yeah." She said curtly.

"Hermione." He said. "There's something I need to tell you so that you do not misunderstand. I have always loved you. It's just, it wasn't until recently that realized it. I acted like a little school boy when you were my student, because of that reason. I admired you, respected you. I treated you harshly only so that you would make something of yourself. Only because I knew that there were people out there that would treat you just the same. I wanted to prepare you for it. I wanted you to be the best."

She smiled up at him.

"You always loved me." She said, "Even then."

"Yes." He said smiling back. "And nothing you could ever do will change how I feel.

He had no idea how his words made her feel. In a small way they healed her. she knew that she hadn't been the most attractive thing when she was young or even now, but he had loved her regardless. So what would the difference be if she still had looked the same. He would have loved her anyway. She finally felt as if her appearance made no difference.

"I love you." She said as she laid her head on his shoulder and continued to cry.

"I've hoped for so long to hear you say that." He said cupping her face.

She ate a little more after that and Severus knew it was all he could hope for on her first day of recovery.

"Hermione can I ask you something"

"It depends." Hermione answered.

"Why?" He asked. He didn't need to say more, she knew what he meant.

"Severus…have you ever felt incomplete? Unworthy? Lost?" She asked him. He nodded. "I've felt all those things and more for some time now. I lost control of my life amidst these feelings. I was failing at University. My work was slipping, but then I found something I could control. I found something that I could turn into a goal. As long as I achieved this goal daily everything else in my life would fall back into place. It gave me a false happiness. That is why."

He nodded as she talked. He was no longer as confused as he had been before but he was still in a state of shock. She was perfect yet so flawed in her own eyes. How could she not see it? He feared these things would haunt him forever and he knew that the only way to get rid of them was to move on. They both needed to move on. Together. He wanted to tell her these things, but he couldn't figure out how to put them into words. Instead he showed her.

He kissed her firmly. Her lips were salty from her tears and it only made the experience more intimate. He pulled away for a second and whispered gently in her ear.

"You're perfect."

With that she started bawling again and he hugged her tightly. She hugged him back as if she would never let go. She needed him.

"What should we do today?" He asked her as he tucked loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

"A walk." Hermione whispered.

"Are you up for it?" Severus replied.

"If you're there I can do anything."

It would be a beautiful day. The sun was shining and the sky was clear and on a clear day you can see forever. Severus could see forever. He could see himself marrying Hermione. He could see himself with her as she sat on a porch heavy with child. He could see himself in 50 years sitting with her and his grandchildren. He saw all these things in his mind and instantly knew they were true. Never had he seen something so clearly.

Together they walked hand in hand out to the gardens of Hogwarts. Students and passers by watched in awe. To see the cold, hard potions master actually showing emotion was something to be astonished by. Hermione wore a loosely fitting pair of jeans and a gray sweatshirt. She had her hair thrown up into a loose bun. She had most of her energy back, and so did he. Emotionally he felt better than ever. They talked about nothing and everything.

"Severus, do you ever want to have children." Hermione asked.

"You know I never really thought I did, but now…"He answered. "Yes. I would love to have children."

"I've always wanted children." Hermione said, "Ever since I was little."

"I'd have to say you would make a very excellent mother." Severus said.

Hermione smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

"You think so?" She asked.

"I do." He answered, "I doubt there's anyone more responsible or qualified to be a mother. After all you did take care of Potter and Weasley for all those years, and those two were by far more work than five infants."

"I guess you're right." She said laughing. After she had stopped giggling silence took over. It was a nice, comfortable silence. Finally she spoke up again. "They weren't really as bad as you thought you know. Harry and Ron. They were just…difficult at times. Strong-headed. But they were good to me."

"I know that." He said as he kissed the top of her head. "They would've been fools not to be."

Again the silence took over. It seemed with every step they took their bodies got closer and closer and they couldn't stop touching. One would kiss the other, or one would squeeze the others hand. It was plain to see they were in love. Plain for everyone to see.

"Hermione." Severus said.

"Hm." Hermione answered absentmindedly.

"I want to have children." He said.

"I know Severus you told me." She replied.

"No, no I mean…" He paused to sigh. "I want to have children with you."

She stopped walking and slowly raised her gaze to his.

"Y-you mean…"

"What I mean is," Severus said as he stepped in front of her. He grabbed her arms gently, "I want to be with you. I want to live with you. I want to marry you. I want to know that you are mine, forever. I love you Hermione, with all of my heart. I want you to belong to me, and I to you. I want you to be my wife."

"B-but Severus…it's so sudden. I mean we…"

"I know, but can you honestly tell me that you don't feel the same way. Do you really think that it wouldn't work out. I know it would." He said.

"I-I." Severus stood there more terrified then he had ever been. He didn't know what he would do if she denied him. "I love you."

With that she stretched up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Their kiss mixed with Hermione's tears which were now streaming freely from her eyes. He placed his arm around her back and pulled her closer to him while his other hand worked its way up into her hair. Their faces were both flushed when they pulled away from each other, and they were breathing heavily.

"Are you sure." Severus asked her as he kept himself at a distance.

"Never have I been more sure about anything."