Epilogue

"Night, Hermione!" Ron and Harry called out in chorus. She smiled as she climbed the stairs to her dormitory.

"Night, boys," she called back. "See you in the morning!" A little over twelve hours from now they would be Hogwarts graduates. She had rehearsed her Head Girl speech to Harry and Ron earlier in the common room, having memorized it several days ago. Her family would arrive on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow. The house elves had kindly pressed her graduation robe and it was laid out over a chair along with Lavender's and Parvati's. Her roommates were still downstairs at the pre-graduation party, but it was all a little too bittersweet for Hermione. She had mixed feelings about leaving Hogwarts and needed some peace and quiet to deal with them.

No small part of her confusion had to do with Severus Snape. During the last few weeks before the end of term they had reverted almost completely to their former teacher-student relationship. In class he didn't yell at her like he used to, nor make an example out of her if, through no fault of her own, she made a mistake, but of course he didn't treat her with any more deference than any of the other students either. For her part, she showed no outward signs of the turmoil within herself; her friends noticed no change in her manner and she was even sleeping better than she had been. Outwardly everything was going fine.

Inside, however, Hermione was still torn up over the whole situation with the Potions Master. He was a great man, a highly intelligent, rather impatient, very proud, quietly kind, very… tall… man. With a wonderful voice. And slender, talented hands. And shining black hair. And… Oh, it was no use! She couldn't forget him and knew she would never be able to. Were it not for the age difference and the fact that he was her professor (though only for one more day) they would be perfect for each other!

Wait. After tomorrow at one o'clock… he wouldn't be her professor anymore! Then they actually could…

But no. It could never work. If she started a relationship with a former professor – one that everyone hated, no less – what would her friends think? What about her family? It would look awful and everyone would suspect them of dating while she was still a student. What would they even talk about? Potions? That was really all they had in common. Their lives were so different: he had been raised in a pureblood, Slytherin family, she in a Muggle one. No.

Scratching Crookshanks behind his ears, Hermione sank down onto the edge of her bed with a heavy sigh. Her eyes fell on the small white jar that had sat on her nightstand for months. It contained one dose of Sweet Dreams Syrup. What could it hurt? she thought as she picked it up and turned it around in her hand. It's just a dream. Not real. No one would know. A sort of final farewell. Her mind was made up. After setting it back on the table, Hermione dressed for bed and slipped under the covers. Severus Snape, she thought as she flipped the lid off the bottle and gulped its contents. The purple liquid was warm as it trickled down her throat and she immediately felt calm and cozy. Severus, she thought, Severus, Severus, Severus. Her eyes closed and she settled further into the blankets.

There was a great green field stretching out before her…

x.x.x

They would all be gone tomorrow. The castle would be silent once more. For Severus, though, it had been silent for some time. Without her voice to fill and warm it, Hogwarts – and more specifically, his dungeon – was cold and empty. Without the light of her eyes and the sheen of her hair, it was dark. Without her hands and lips and smile, it was lonely.

He might never see her again. She would go off to university and surely do great things to further the world of potion-making and perhaps even medicine, and he would be left at the school, stuck in a job he despised in a dark, dank dungeon. It was no more than he deserved. And she deserved so much better than him. She with her springy brown curls and laughing eyes. She was a beautiful girl with the highest intelligence in the student body, small, skilled hands, a head full of ideas, a perfect… petite… body. With a soft, gentle voice. And thick, full hair. And lush pink lips. And… Oh, it was no use! He couldn't forget her and knew he would never be able to. Were it not for the age difference and the fact that she was his student (though only for one more day) they would be perfect for each other!

Wait. After tomorrow at one o'clock… she wouldn't be his student anymore! Then they actually could…

But no. It could never work. If he started a relationship with a former student – one that everyone knew and loved, no less – what would his colleagues think? What about Dumbledore? It would look awful and everyone would suspect them of dating while she was still a student. What would they even talk about? Potions? That was really all they had in common. Their lives were so different: she had been raised with a muggle family, was a Gryffindor, and he was a pureblooded Slytherin. No.

Setting his book down he rose from the chair with a heavy sigh. His eyes fell on the potions cabinet, to the second shelf where a small amount of Sweet Dreams Syrup was. There was just enough for one dose. What could it hurt? he thought as she went to the cupboard and removed the little bottle. It's just a dream. Not real. No one would know. A sort of final farewell. His mind was made up. After setting it on his nightstand, Severus undressed for bed and slipped under the covers. Hermione Granger, he thought as he took the cork from the vial and gulped its contents. The purple liquid was warm as it ran down his throat and he immediately felt relaxed and sleepy. Hermione, he thought, Hermione, Hermione, Hermione. His eyes closed and he settled further into the blankets.

There was a great green field stretching out before him…

x.x.x

At opposite ends of a beautiful grassy field, two figures stood. They sighted each other and walked slowly to meet in the middle. The sun shone in a cloudless sky and a gentle breeze blew wildflowers against stalks of tall grass.

"Hello," she said when they were only a few feet away from each other.

"Hello," he replied, holding out his hand. She took it and they walked leisurely down a dirt path that suddenly appeared at their feet.

"I'll miss you," she said, her voice small and sad. They stopped and he wrapped his arms around her small form.

"I'll miss you too," he admitted. He breathed in the scent of her hair, lilacs and apples.

"Do you love me?" she asked.

He was silent for a moment. "I think I could."

"I think I could love you too." He kissed her forehead and they walked on, hand in hand in silence.

At length, they came to the edge of a forest. The warm breeze stopped but the sun still shone as brightly as ever. "I don't want to part like this," she said.

"We must," he replied. He held out his other hand and she laced her fingers with his. He tugged gently and she stepped even closer. Once more his arms went around her. She inhaled his scent, wool and wood smoke. "Goodbye," he whispered, tilting her chin up and pressing his lips to hers. The kiss lasted an eternity, turning their insides to water, setting their pulse racing.

"Goodbye," she whispered when they finally parted. She stepped backwards but held his hands as long as she could. Their eyes locked. Only their fingertips were touching, then they were alone.

They turned in unison. She walked one way along the edge of the forest, he walked the other way.

Neither of them looked back.

x.x.x

Author's Notes: Oh my gosh, it's finally done! I can't believe I've been working on this for a year and a half! I took several very long hiatuses (hiati?) but that's still a long time to work on one story, especially for me.

Thank you all so much for reading! Thank you also to Lexi and Kat for being my beta readers for the first few chapters. And thanks, of course, to JK Rowling for providing me with such wonderful characters. I've had a lot of fun writing this story. In a way I'm sad that it's fanfiction and will never have a chance to be seen anywhere but the internet, but in a way it's good too; it encourages me not only to spread my fanfic around the web, but also to keep at my original work as well in the hopes of someday getting something published.

There is certainly going to be a sequel to this story some time in the indistinct future. The hustle and bustle of every day life clouds my Inner Eye, so it's hard to see. Check back here occasionally if you liked this story; the sequel should start fairly soon.

Thanks again to my readers! Your reviews and support really made writing this fic worthwhile. Farewell for now!