Authoress Notes

I'd like to thank all those who reviewed last chapter. I'm glad everyone likes my new story.

This chapter will be short, I am sorry about it. I just wanted to update before I go to Québec, and I won't be able to update on the weekend. So I'm updating everything today.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and co. They belong to JK ROWLING and her various publishers etc. I only have the privilege to toy and wreck the characters lives to whatever I please. I find pleasure in doing just that. I also don't own Phil Collin's song AGAINST ALL ODDS.

Recap

Hermione breathed in a sigh of relief as she disappeared through the walls of the dungeons. She was almost caught!

Closing her eyes, she opened them again. Looking down at her palms, the color of her complexion was the same. A silvery white, color.

Her throat felt parched. She really would fancy a cup of tea, though she knew it wouldn't happen. She wasn't able to eat anything. Nope, being a ghost, she couldn't even touch anything.

Life was absolutely brilliant.

End Recap

CHAPTER TWO
GHOST

Hermione Granger flew past the castle walls, and didn't stop. Her unexpected flight landed her in the secret garden that her husband had. This garden held all the ingredients that could be planted, and grown. She smiled as she reminisced on the last time she and Severus were here. It had been when she was pregnant, with their baby girl Liana. Severus was getting potion ingredients that would aid her in her pregnancy.

Hermione sighed; she bent down and tried to take hold of a plant. It didn't surprise her when her had slipped right through. It seemed like she was starting to regret choosing the path she chose. The sign had warned her on which tunnel to choose.

There was one with blue light; another with bright white light, and the other tunnel was closed. Hermione was sure that the other tunnel was the tunnel to her life. She was also sure that the bright white light was the tunnel to her death. Somehow, her feet had led her to the tunnel with the blue light.

She was scared of death that was a fact. Yet, what scared her more was a life without Severus and Liana. Her daughter and husband meant everything to her; surely as ghost, she would be able to live with them forever?

When she had come back from the dead, she decided not to show herself to her husband. It seemed, like he was capable of taking care of their daughter by himself. She was extremely proud of him, for doing so.

She then met up with Dumbledore. Hermione remembered the exchanged words between them. It had hurt, yet she agreed with the Headmaster.

- - -

Hermione Snape walked through the door of the Headmaster's office. The Ghost of Hufflepuff summoned her. The ghost had said that Dumbledore had wanted to speak to her. She was surprised that Dumbledore knew that she was here, yet anyone who was anyone knew that Dumbledore knew everything.

As she walked past the door, Hermione could feel herself shiver. She wasn't used to walking through objects yet it didn't feel natural. She looked towards Dumbledore's office, and found him sitting there sucking on a lemon drop.

"Albus," she called to him, and smiled when the old man look up.

"Hermione," he said with a smile plastered on his face. "It's good to see you, come in, come in."

Hermione walked towards Dumbledore, and sat on one of the couches. She didn't know how she was able to still possess the ability to walk without falling through the cement, or sit without falling through the chair.

"I am quite disappointed that you didn't come and say hello to me once you've arrived," Dumbledore said. "That is alright though."

Hermione nodded her head. "I am sorry Albus, but I was still getting used to my ghost body."

"Ah," the old man said, "I quite understand. Have you seen Severus yet?"

Hermione chewed on her bottom lip, and didn't respond. She had been thinking of going to Severus, and tell him that she was back. She didn't though, why? She still couldn't answer that question for herself.

"I haven't Albus."

Dumbledore nodded his head, and leaned forward. "Might I suggest something?" he asked. When Hermione nodded her head in consent, he fell silent for a second.

"Hermione, I know it may seem hard for you to do, but you cannot go to Severus. You cannot tell him that you are alive, or the fact that you are still a ghost. He is still trying to get over your death, and it'd be such a shock for him to find that you are a ghost. You know how he is, he'll go into denial," Dumbledore said. "He has finally decided to see his daughter on a daily basis, and is not shutting her out of his life. You to come back suddenly, would cause him to feel guilty, and once again shut himself off from everyone."

Hermione sat still, shocked. She wouldn't be able to talk to her husband again with this insane request from Dumbledore! She wouldn't be able to tell him, that she still loved him. She wouldn't be able to tell her daughter that Mommy was still here.

Wait; did Dumbledore say that Severus could actually look at Liana? Did that mean he couldn't look at her after she had died? Her mind was made up; she wouldn't tell Severus that she was alive.

- - -

Hermione sighed for the umpteenth time that night. If only she didn't pick that ruddy tunnel with the blue light. Then, she would really be dead like Severus and the rest thought she was.

Though, if there was a good thing about her decision of coming back as a ghost, was that she was able to see her daughter grow up. Her daughter looked more, and more like her each and everyday. Liana had black curls; at least they weren't as bushy as hers. She had a cute button nose, and chocolate brown eyes. She also had Hermione's love for books.

"Oh Liana," Hermione muttered. "Mommy misses you …"

- - -

Hermione watched as her husband scrunched his nose in disgust as he observed the second years attempt to make a potion. Even after they had married, he still was grouchy towards other people. Well, not as obnoxious or grouchy as he used to be, which was a huge surprise to those who knew him.

For years, everyone knew her husband as the obnoxious Potions Master of Hogwarts. Yet, the day that he and Hermione and announced that they were courting, shocked everyone to the core. No one knew that the Potions Master was actually capable of love. They all thought that he was void of emotions, immune to love.

Hermione was shocked when Severus had proposed to her the evening before she graduated. She was always one to obey the rules, yet she couldn't resist the man named Severus Snape. Having a student/teacher relationship was banned from the school. Dumbledore, being Dumbledore, decided that breaking the rules was necessary. After all, his Potions Professor deserved to be happy.

- - -

Hermione walked out onto the empty Hogwarts grounds. Tomorrow would be the day that she was leaving Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had always dreamed of this day, she would give her speech as Head Girl, telling everyone in Seventh Year that she was extremely proud of them.

Yet, she didn't want to give that speech that she had worked so hard on. Actually, she was starting to regret that time flew so fast. She wasn't going to be able to see Professor Snape anymore. They hadn't talked about their future after she was to leave; they never felt the need to talk about it. If only they had, then she wouldn't be dwelling on it at this very moment.

There were so many questions running through her head, would he still want to be with her even after school? How would her parents take this? Most of all how would Ron and Harry take to this news?

"Hermione."

Hermione jumped slightly when she heard her name being called. The woman turned around to face the same person whom was currently occupying her thoughts. She smiled, and spread her arms out towards him. The man walked towards her, and embraced her. She could feel his breath against her neck, and his nose was nuzzled into her brown curls.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked her.

Hermione pulled away from him, and took his hand. She led him towards the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where they both sat down.

"The future," she responded quietly. She didn't meet his eyes, and looked towards the brightly burning stars. "What will happen after I leave…"

Hermione felt her stomach grumble, she looked towards the man beside her. He smirked at her, and then shook her head. "You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

The girl shook her head sheepishly. "I haven't eaten since lunch now that you've mentioned it."

"You should eat you know," he told her. "It isn't healthy for you."

"Oh would you quit talking about my health at this moment? It really isn't the time."

"Oh?" he said in amusement. "Prey tell when will be the time?"

She didn't answer though. Hermione took his hand, and scooted closer to him. With his hand in hers, she encircled it around her waist. Hermione leaned her head down, so that it was resting on his broad shoulders. The man used his free hand, and rested it on her belly.

They were looking at the stars; his question lay forgotten amongst them.

"Hermione," he suddenly called, disrupting the comfortable silence between them.

"Hm?"

"May I ask you something?"

"Sure," she responded. Honey brown eyes looked towards him.

"You know how I've felt about these emotions, and how they're new to me?" At her nod, he sat up and looked her in the eye. His expression showed nothing, his body language showed nothing. This made Hermione feel very uncomfortable.

Was he going to say that he didn't want to continue this relationship with her any longer?

"Is there something wrong Severus?"

Severus shook his head, and took one of her small hands into his big ones. "I've grown quite fond of you, Hermione Granger. You've stirred so many emotions in me, which I've never thought I'd feel in my whole entire life. I've always thought that, I would continue to live my life as a grouchy old Professor. I would have never pictured myself with someone. I would have never pictured myself, actually wanting to share my life with anyone else."

"I always thought, that I would be a lonely. Quite frankly, I was okay with that. Then, you came into my life. At first, I thought these odd emotions would leave me at one point or another. As the months past, I knew that I wouldn't be able to live alone any longer. You gave me something to live for, to look forward too. You, Hermione Granger, are my life. To say that I didn't care about you was an understatement. I want to tell you something, but it's going to take a while for me to get it out right."

Hermione had tears streaming down her cheeks. She urged him to continue. He sat silent for a few seconds, looking at his hands, which were holding onto hers. It seemed, like he was contemplating something very important.

"Severus?"

The man didn't answer; he continued to look at her hand, particularly the left one. He started stroking a particular finger, which made Hermione's eyes widened.

"Tell me, Hermione," he said in a voice that made her shudder. He had never spoken to her in that tone of voice. It sounded so soft, so sweet, so caring.

"Anything."

"If I tell you something, something that I've never told anyone in my whole entire life, would you accept me for who I am?" Hermione didn't need to respond to that question. "I love you Hermione Granger," he whispered. He said it with such great relief, that an unsuspecting smile broke out on his face. He seemed so happy, so full of life. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Hermione cried in joy, the first word she had spoken throughout his entire speech. She pounced on him, and kissed him fully.

- - -

Hermione sat wistfully on her husband's desk, he was criticizing a student's potion, and wasn't too pleased with the way it was turning out. Some things never change, and Hermione wouldn't have it any other way. The bell rang, and the students hurried out of the classroom. Hermione remembered herself to be one of those students, which quickly rushed out of the classroom.

Usually Liana would've come rushing out of Severus' personal quarters to sit with her father. Yet, she hadn't come. Perhaps one of her friends was on duty, taking care of Liana.

Severus waved his wand in the air, and the door closed with a huge bang. He waved it again, and music flowed through the room. Hermione recognized it to be a muggle song. It was one of her favourite songs actually.

How can I just let you walk away?
Just let you leave without a trace
When I stand here taking
Every breath with you, Ohoo
You're the only one
Who really knew me at all

Severus poured himself a brandy, and sighed loudly as he let the liquor seep into his throat. Hermione looked on with remorse.

How can you just walk away from me?
When all I can do is watch you leave
'Cos we've shared the laughter and the pain,
And even shared the tears
You're the only one who really knew me at all

She really wanted to wrap her arms around him, but she knew she couldn't. Her arms would just go right through him. There was no point in setting herself up for heartbreak.

I wish I could just make you turn around,
Turn around and see me cry
There's so much I need to say to you,
So many reasons why
You're the only one who really knew me at all

You're the only one who really knew me at all. That particular line stuck out in Hermione's mind. She really was the only one who knew Severus.

"I love you Severus," Hermione whispered. She allowed an illusion of herself to appear, and then vanish out of sight. She was still in the room, where Severus currently was. He was looking straight at her. Well, what was meant to be her.

"Hermione?"

END CHAPTER TWO

I won't be updating for four days, because I am going to Quebec. So, I'll see you all next week!

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! It is greatly appreciated!

See you all soon,

m1s7ress.