Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me. But oh, how I wish they did……

"He can't be dead. He can't be dead."

"Hermoine! Wake up. It's just a dream. No one is dead."

Hermoine opened her eyes and stared into the deep green, very concerned eyes of her best friend.

"No one is dead, Hermoine. You've just been having a very bad dream."

As the shock from the nightmare washed over her, Hermoine sat up and wrapped her arms around her friend, who had been standing over her, next to the bed.

"I thought that I'd lost him," she cried.

Harry held her as she cried, "Hermoine, Poppy and McGonagall have already came and went over an hour ago. We all arrived shortly after Luna said the seizure had ended. Poppy did a quick scan of Snape and he looked fine. You looked so exhausted that we decided not to wake you. I was just downstairs in the lab, cleaning the mess you left, when I heard you calling out in your sleep."

"Oh, Harry. It was the most awful dream. I dreamed that Severus had died. All his has been so emotional for me. And then he has a seizure, it was just too much. I only wish he would get better. I don't know how much more I can take." Hermoine said, as she brushed the hair away from Snape's temples, in a gesture that had become a loving habit.

"Poppy said that the seizure was just what Snape needed. He has finally decided to fight against the poison. In fact, Poppy said that he has greatly improved and should be coming out of this any day now."

Hermoine gave a small cry of relief and hugged Harry again. This time he held her while she cried tears of joy, instead of grief.

After several minutes her tears ran out and she pulled away, "Thank you, Harry."

"Hey, that's what best friends are for," he shrugged. "I think I'll retire for the night, that is, unless you want me to stay?"

For the first time, Hermoine noted that it must have been the middle of the night. Harry had to teach tomorrow and as much as she wanted someone to talk to, to share her joy, she knew she could not keep him. Besides, the crying had tired her, and so she waved Harry out of the door. With a smile on her face, she raised her wand and with a flick of her wrist the lights on the wall dimmed. Curling up next to Snape, where she could hear his breathing, feel his warm skin, and smell his spicy sandalwood scent, she closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning, Hermoine opened her eyes with a snap. Daylight filtered through the windows, causing a soft glow to fill the room. Her head rested on Snape's shoulder, and then it hit her. His arm was wrapped around her. Titling her head up, she stared into the most gorgeous pair of dark black eyes she had ever seen.

"Good morning," he whispered. His voice sending shivers down her spine. Gods, how she had missed the sound of that deep sound.

Hermoine pushed herself up on the bed. "You're awake."

"It would seem so," he replied, while pushing an arm under him to sit up. "How long have I been sick?" he asked before his arm fell out from under his body and he collapsed back on the bed.

"No, don't move," she told him. "Let me help you. You've been out for several weeks. Next week is the end of term." She placed some pillows behind his back, allowing him to set up.

"I can't have been out that long," he scoffed.

"Yes, you have," Hermoine stated. " You missed Easter Holiday at Grimmauld Place, and end of year exams. I hear your students where so scared you would wake up in time to test them, that they put in extra effort and all received outstanding scores."

"You hear? You weren't instructing the classes?" Snape questioned her.

"No, I've been here, taking care of you. I've been here every day. I couldn't leave you. I…. It was all my fault!" Hermoine broke into tears once more as all of the turmoil she had been going through finally caught up with her. She wrapped her arms around Snape's middle and held him as she softly cried, releasing her emotions. " I should have known better than to sneak up on you while you where in the lab."

Snape cupped the back of her head, "Yes, you should know better, but this was not all your fault. I have preached many times to my classes about keeping the hands protected while handling aconite. I thought myself too experienced and too capable to have the need of gloves. My ego got the better of me."

Hermoine titled her head back and smiled at him, as tears glistened on the tips of her eyelashes, "Yes that's right. This was all your fault."

After she had pulled back, Snape looked at her in confusion, "Minerva actually allowed you to nurse me?"

Hermoine blushed as she recalled the conversation that had led to her being his nursemaid. "Yes, but not willingly. And she promised that we would all have a discussion, once you had awakened. I'd better go and tell them that you are awake."

Running out of the room, she quickly stuck her head in the fireplace and called through the Floo to her friends that Snape was awake. She walked into the room, and once again was overjoyed to see him awake. She rushed over to the bed and placed her head on his chest. The heartbeat was strong and steady.

"I missed you so much," she told him, before placing a soft kiss upon his lips.

"Hey! Hey! Break that up!" They heard coming from a voice in the doorway. Turning behind her, Hermoine saw Harry walk into the room. Within a minute, the room was full of friends, all wishing Snape well. Poppy shooed everyone out so she could take a look at the patient, and then McGonagall and Lupin asked if everyone would allow them to talk to Hermoine and Snape in private. Harry looked at Hermoine, concern in his eyes, before he backed out of the bedroom doorway.

Minerva waited for the sound of Harry disappearing through the fireplace before she spoke. She had conjured chairs and placed them next to the bed, where Hermoine sat beside Snape.

"You wanted to talk, Headmistress." Hermoine stated.

"Minerva, dear."

"Sorry, Minerva."

"Hermoine, what Remus and I need to discuss with you is very important. I need for you to answer me truthfully."

Hermoine shook her head in understanding.

"Did you speak truthfully, when you said before, that you had seen Severus unclothed? And that this had happened on more than one occasion?" The Headmistress asked, concern in her wizened eyes.

Hermoine stole a quick look at Snape, who squeezed her hand, and nodded for her to answer.

"Yes."

McGonagall pursed her lips and looked at Remus, "This is exactly what I was worried about, after you told me what happened at Christmas."

Snape shot an accusing glare at Remus, "There is nothing to worry about, Minerva. Hermoine is still a virgin and I will see that she remains that way. I'll resign from my post as soon as I am back on my feet."

Hermoine jumped from the bed onto her feet, "Listen to the lot of you! I'll be damned, Severus, if I spent all my time nursing you back to health, just to have you walk out of my life. And you two," Hermoine pointed at the shocked pair in front of her, "What business is it of yours if I did see Severus naked? Or if I am a virgin or not?"

Minerva's voice shook as she tried to speak to the upset young woman before her. "We are only trying to look out for your best interests, Hermoine."

Hermoine faced her former instructor and current headmistress, hands on her hips, a cold gleam in her eyes, "I am not a child, Minerva. You'll do kindly to remember that it was I who stood at your side, right here on these school grounds, during the final battle against Voldermort. I was the one who killed Fenrir Greyback, before he attacked you."

Remus motioned for Hermoine to return to her seat beside Snape on the bed. "No one has called you a child, Hermoine. We just want to make sure that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into, if you continue on with this relationship with Severus."

"There is a reason why I chose to wait two years before retiring, Hermoine." McGonagall informed her. "We are all aware of the accusations that have been wrongly made against Severus' character. Even though he is more than capable of handling the job, rushing him into the role of Headmaster would be disastrous. People have first to trust him again."

Hermoine sent a questioning look at Remus, not understanding where this conversation was going.

"What would people think, if they learned that the two of you where to carry on an affair, here at the school?" Remus asked, "You are young enough to be Severus' daughter. You are just recently graduated from this very school, where a few short years ago, you where his student. You are a single, young lady, working as his apprentice; living in his quarters, under his influence at all times. People will accuse him of manipulating the situation."

Hermoine looked at Snape, who sadly shook his head, seeing the reasoning behind the words. "I won't let your hard work go to waste Minerva. You have spent so much time, trying to help people see that I am not the monster they all thought I was. Hermoine may have these quarters and I will take up residence elsewhere. Our relationship will be strictly professional. You are right." He stated, as Hermoine looked at him in disbelief.

Turning to Hermoine he told her, "She is right. A relationship with me would ruin you. It would do irreversible damage to your reputation. I could care less about mine, we all know that, but I could never bring harm to you Hermoine."

McGonagall waved his words away, "It's too late for that now, Severus. It's obvious to everyone who sees you that you care deeply for each other. I can see that now for myself. I've even been told the students are discussing it. As long as the two of you continue to work here together, it will only be a matter of time before your relationship stops being strictly professional. I see no reason to wait for that day."

Hermoine pleaded, "Please, Minerva, Don't punish Severus for something that I initiated. Let me rectify this situation. I will transfer to another school. I am sure that Victor can find me a position at his school."

Minerva smiled at the brave young woman before her, "I have no intentions of either of you leaving this school, Hermoine. I would never allow Severus to step down from his role of Deputy Headmaster. He will make a wonderful place of Hogwarts after I am gone, I'm sure of it. And, I will not give you up to another school. You are the cleverest witch this school has ever known, correct?"

Hermoine looked around the room, "I don't understand. If neither of us are leaving, what are you wanting us to do?"

"I understand," Severus said.

"And do you agree that this is the best solution?" Minerva asked.

"Yes. It was only inevitable," he agreed. "When do you think it should happen?"

"I think it should happen soon. A week from now should allow enough time for Molly to prepare, and also allow you time to rest and gain your strength back."

Motioning to Lupin, the headmistress stood, "I'll leave you two alone now that this has been settled."

After the room was quite, and the fireplace had again become just a fireplace, Hermoine turned towards Snape, "Will you please explain to me what is going on?"

Severus sighed, and pulled Hermoine into his arms. He kissed the top of her head, before pulling back from her, to look into her eyes. "I hope you aren't disappointed by the lack of romance, but Hermoine, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Hermoine was stunned. "They want us to get married?"

"Yes, it appears that way. Do you object to a marriage with me? I know this is a horrible proposal, horribly unromantic, and most likely nothing like you thought a marriage proposal would be, but I promise to make you a good husband. I will always be faithful to you. I will always provide for you. I will do what ever it takes to make sure that you are happy."

Hermoine was quite as she took in his words. She had never expected a proposal from the man in front of her and it certainly hadn't been the romantic gesture she had pictured in her youth, but she knew listening to his words, that he was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

"Yes, Severus, I will marry you."

A/N… I have said before that I really don't like putting notes at the end of the chapter because I feel it distracts from the story world, so I apologize to everyone for doing so, but I felt strongly compelled to speak to you all. I wanted to say thank you for all the kind reviews I have gotten so far. It really helps me when I write, to know that I am doing this not only for myself, but for all of you as well. I know this is a short chapter, but I felt it would be best to put this out now, after some of the emails I received from my last chapter. Did you all honestly think I would kill off the man of my dreams? Did anyone not read the title to Chapter 7? It was my clue to you all that things would be ok. I actually try to write ahead (currently working on chapter 12), in case I have writers block, so I can have a post ready for you each weekend. I shortened this chapter to post early, because I felt you all deserved a treat, so chapter 9 will be an extra long chapter, as it will include what I originally left out of this one while writing it. I should have it typed up and posted by Sunday afternoon. I have also started another story, from Snape's POV, which is a bit darker, and once I have a few chapters into it, I will start posting it as well.