Something was touching her arm, gently prodding and insistent. "Missus Hermione. Wake up."

Hermione moaned and addressed the intruder. "What?"

"You gots to get up now. The new headmaster is here." Pinkel was trying to wake her as gently as possible, but there wasn't much time.

Hermione's eye's blew wide open and she sat up a bit too quickly. The nausea and dizziness passing slowly. "You said he's here Pinkel? What time is it?"

Pinkel was worried she had done wrong to wake her masters. "Pinkel is sorry to wake you. It's just after three in the afternoon. He's waiting in the great hall for you and master. What should I do?"

Hermione smiled at her little friend. "It's okay Pinkel. Offer him a cup of tea in the headmaster's chair. We'll be right down. Oh, and Pinkel? Could you take the boxes out front to our new quarters and make the bed when were gone?"

Pinkel nodded smiling and disappeared. "Severus! Sev wake up! The new headmaster is here waiting for us."

Severus Snape groaned and then sighed deeply. "How in-con-ven-ient." He got out of bed and headed to the loo. His traveling bag was still there, and he took it with him. Hermione heard the shower running and envied him. No time for hers. She went to the wall mirror and tidied herself as best she could. Her hair was it's usual stubborn birds nest but she managed to get it into a rather neat bun at the back.

He came out a few minutes later looking like a prince among men. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Always look so composed and prepared."

He shrugged his shoulders and said nonchalantly. "Twenty years of having to do it or be dead."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief, "Let's go."

Severus took one more look at the room to be sure nothing had been left behind. Pinkel had opened a window and was already stripping the bed. He noticed all the boxes Hermione was working on were gone. That elf is a treasure.

They were quiet walking to the hall. Hermione was a bit sad to be leaving the place where their love had blossomed and grown. Just another thing in her life to be left behind. Severus on the other hand was pleased to cut loose another chain that had held him to his past and this place.

James Bloom was sitting in the headmaster's chair when they entered the room. He stood and came to them, meeting at the enormous fireplace. "Headmaster Snape, Mrs. Snape. An honor to meet you both at last."

Severus shook his hand and was cordial. "Headmaster Bloom. I hope you will find Hogwarts fills all your expectations. We are delighted you have come."

Hermione evaluated the man in front of her. He was an older man in his late sixties. Short salt and pepper hair and kind, striking blue eyes. He reminded her of an older Remus Lupin for some reason. The same thin, but wiry build. His robes were neat and elegant, if open. Hermione was surprised to see he wore muggle jeans and dress shirt under it.

His eyes turned to her and he took her hand and kissed it. "So you are the remarkable woman who defeated the Dark Lord when all others failed. Quite extraordinary."

Hermione blushed and smiled. "Perhaps you would like a tour of the castle to see the work we have done, and what is left to be done headmaster." Hermione grinned as Severus slipped his arm around her, frowning and possessive.

The man looked again to Severus amused. "I'd be delighted, and please, call me James. May I call you Severus and Hermione?" The man practically sparkled flashing his perfect white smile. Severus twitched as memories of Gilderoy Lockhart surfaced.

She answered before Severus could get snarky. "Of course James. Your house, your rules." Severus' fist clenched in her robe, his lips thinning, grimacing into as close to a smile as he normally gets. "This way."

The tour lasted the rest of the day. James asked lots of questions and contributed a few rebuilding suggestions. He was very informed on architectural design and engineering. No wonder he made the headmaster short list. It was a skill that would definitely be handy here. Hermione managed to tease his qualifications out of him. He had indeed attended Hogwarts, Ravenclaw, and went on to uni where he got his degree. He had been working for a large magical construction company. Though he had no children of his own, he had been very active in his local school council for many years. True he had no real educational degree, but he knew how to get things done and was very insightful. The perfect administrator. He had taken his measure of both of them and handled their concerns skillfully.

They settled back at the great hall for dinner. He insisted that they sit at one of the house tables. "This is one of the things that will change. The head table will only be used during assemblies and special events. I intend my staff to sit among the students, so they are more accessible in a relaxed setting. I also intend that the students sit wherever they like. I always believed that isolating a child just because of a house affiliation was very wrong. Children should be encouraged to congregate and build strong bonds no matter what house they are in. Eating together is one of the most basic forms of socialization. No child under my administration will be bullied, or given preference, simply because of the house they belong to.

Hermione was fascinated. Such reforms would revolutionize Britain's wizarding society in a few short years. "I think that's brilliant James. There is too much mistrust and jealousy in our world, mostly unfounded, and all because of prejudice. You're going to be a fine headmaster."

James smiled at Hermione's compliment and put his hand on hers for a moment. "Thank you Hermione. That means a lot to me. There is much that will change, but much that will stay the same. As long as I'm in charge, I intend to push for reforms to bring this school out of the dark ages. There is so much the muggles have, that we need to incorporate here. I am muggle born by the way. Same as you Hermione." He was looking at her with those smiling eyes. "Everything from the convenience of ball point pens to computers and printers. It's time to embrace a new millennium. To…take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, and see that our world has a new birth of freedom."

Hermione gasped as he quoted her speech from the memorial. "You… You were there, at the memorial?"

"I had a nephew here during the battle. My sister's son." James bowed his head for a moment and then looked up again. "Thank you both. It must have been terrible. The memorial is beautiful and a great comfort."

James released her hand with a pat, trying to dispel the sudden darkness. "I was impressed from the beginning by what you two have accomplished, even more so now that I've seen what you have done since. It is a remarkable achievement, considering your shameful lack of support from the ministry. Something else that will change."

She looked at Severus with pride shining in her eyes. "Severus and I have worked very hard, but we didn't do it alone. The house elves and a great band of aurors, who were here from the start, have made my dream of reconstruction come true. I even think Hogwarts herself has helped. Many's the time I left some small project undone, only to find it completed the next day."

James yawned and covered his mouth. "Oh! Excuse me. I am a bit tired. It's been a long day."

Hermione was aghast. "Of course James. I'm sorry we didn't show you your rooms at the first. It's this way."

She stood and led the way to the phoenix stairs. "The current password is 'Baby Snape, but of course you can change it immediately." As she said the phrase the stairwell began to turn and they hopped on for the ride. At the top the heavy wooden door opened to the headmaster's office. All the portraits were back on the walls. The heavy desk was cleared of paperwork except for a few pressing things for the new man in charge.