A/N: Wow, it's been a while. First of all, I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! May 2022 bring you all the blessings in the world.

This year will be quite busy for me, personally. I'd like to tell you all soon why that is, but for now, I hope you'll bear with me until I feel I can say what's going on. I am truly sorry I kept you waiting after that last chapter. I would like to point out, however, that the chapter was supposed to end with Hermione going to Grimmauld Place, so really I could have been a lot more cruel!

Anyway, enjoy the new chapter :)


Chapter Thirty-Five

This kiss was somehow even more intense than their first.

Hermione's entire body was awakened by his lips pressing into hers, by his fingers tangling in her hair. Her hands were clutching his back, pulling him tightly to her as she arched into him, and he responded by moving a hand down to her backside and pushing her against him. She stumbled, her legs weak, and he followed her movement, setting them on a path across the room, until her thighs hit his desk.

Shoving the chair out of the way, Severus put both hands on her hips and lifted her until she was sitting on the edge of the desk, all without breaking their connection. He stepped in between her legs, and she spread her knees apart to accommodate him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she opened her mouth to him, allowing his tongue to circle hers. She moaned; she hadn't meant to, but the mere taste of him was intoxicating, let alone what his hands were doing to her backside, pulling her tightly against him so that his erection was pushed firmly against her core.

He groaned in reply and leaned into her, and she arched backwards; his mouth slid down to her neck, trailing kisses from her ear to her collarbone, and her need for him grew further. Desperate, she pulled his face back up to hers, and he smirked before returning his lips to hers in a greedy, lingering connection that set her very being on fire.

When his hand slid under her shirt and began trailing up her side, when his thumb swiped across her breast through her bra, she froze.

Sitting ramrod straight, she pulled away from him in a hurry. Too much, she thought in a panic. Too much, too fast.

At the first sign of her discomfort, Severus took a quick step back. He was panting- though, she was as well- and red spots were high on his cheeks. His hair was tousled, and she could only imagine the state of her own. They stared at each other, and his eyes were wary; while she could still see the heavy need in them, that wariness held him back.

Attempting to swallow, she took a few calming breaths. "Sorry," she breathed. "I... erm..."

"There's no need to apologize." His words were just as breathless, and he ran a hand through his hair as he watched her. "Too fast?" he guessed.

She grimaced. "A bit." Eyes on his kiss-swollen lips, she added, "I wouldn't mind continuing what we were doing before, though."

Letting out a huff of laughter, Severus smiled. "Neither would I."

He took a step forward, put his hands on her shoulders, and as she turned her head up to his, he left a feather-soft kiss on her temple. "However," he said as he pulled back just enough to see her face, "we still have more to discuss."

Hermione's stomach sank. "Are you going to keep convincing me that this is a terrible idea?"

Defeatedly, he asked with a soft smile, "Would you even let me?"

"I would not," she answered firmly, and took his face in her hands. "I have wanted you for a long while, Severus. I have thought about countless ways this could go poorly for us, and still I want you just as badly. If I can't convince myself out of something, what makes you think you'll do any better?"

With a long sigh, Severus rested his head against her shoulder, a subtle sign of giving in. Wrapping her arms around him once more, she smiled as his arms came around her just as tightly. "I don't deserve you," he whispered, his breath tickling her neck, and it took a moment for her kiss-addled brain to catch up with what he had said.

She pushed him back again so that she could stare into his face, and was taken aback at the roiled emotions reflected in his eyes. "Don't ever say that," she scolded, scowling. "You deserve so much more than me, but that isn't what this is about- deserving each other or not. This is about love."

When he didn't reply except to take a step back, she dropped her hands and slowly slid off the desk. "Well, that's what it's about for me, anyway," she mumbled, looking down at the floor. What was she saying? It had just now occurred to her that he had not once implied that what he felt for her was love. She could potentially be reading this situation very incorrectly-

He stepped forward, his fingers reaching out to lift her chin. She closed her eyes against the pity that would surely be reflected in his, but he simply rubbed her cheek with his thumb and whispered, "For me as well."

Her eyes flashed open, staring at him in surprise, and his thumb moved to her bottom lip. His gaze rested there too, she noticed, and soon he was leaning forward, replacing his thumb with his lips in a soft kiss that ended too quickly. When she looked up into his eyes as he pulled back- only slightly- she noticed they were closed.

Resting his forehead on hers, he sighed and admitted, "You terrify me, Hermione. Not for who you are, but for who I am when you're around." His eyes opened, and this close she could see just how dark they truly were- she could barely see where the pupil ended and the iris began. "You make me lose all sense of self," he whispered. "I never thought I'd feel this way again. You have awakened a part of me long thought dead, and those feelings grow stronger every time I see you, hear you- hell, all I have to do is think of you."

He kissed the corners of her mouth before whispering over her lips, "The most terrifying thing of all is that despite my better judgement, I don't want you to stop."

She didn't wait for him to say anything else. She simply wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him properly.

When they parted at last, both panting for breath, Hermione rested her head on his chest, listening to the sound of his heart beating as fast as hers. "What is this?" she asked, and his arms tightened around her.

"I don't know," he said after a moment, and he sounded as confused as she felt. Exhaling, he rested his chin on her head. "I still have reservations."

"I know you do."

"I still don't think this is a good idea."

"I know you don't."

He huffed in laughter and leaned back, looking down at her with a slight grin. "Anything else you know?"

She looked up at him confidently as she responded. "I know that I don't want to go back to the way things were." As his expression turned serious, she continued, "I don't want to go back to pining for you behind closed doors. I don't want to go back to the tension, the awkwardness. I'm sick to death of hiding how I feel. I'm willing to risk it all for you, Severus. Are you willing to risk it for me?"

He swallowed audibly. "If you would have me, flaws and all, there's nothing I wouldn't risk for you."

"Even if it meant being with me properly? Publicly?"

He eyed her warily. "Do you... want that?"

She tilted her head, giving it some thought. "Eventually," she decided aloud. "I want the world to see our happiness, when the time is right."

"But not now?"

She shook her head, a sly grin crossing her face. "No, not now. I want you to myself a while."

Sighing in relief, he pulled her close again. "Merlin knows I feel the same."

"We don't have to rush this," she spoke into his chest. When he looked down at her, she said, "I'm not against taking it slow."

He opened his mouth to reply when the clock on the mantle chimed, startling them both. They turned towards it as one, and saw that it had finally reached midnight.

He smiled at her then, a gentle smile filled with tenderness as the last chime came to a close. "Then let's take it slow," he said in return, and leaned down to take her lips once more in a deliberate, lengthy kiss that sent her reeling.


When Minerva flooed into the living room shortly after midnight, irate and exhausted, she glared at the two before her as they shifted on opposite sides of the couch. "What in the name of Merlin's white beard is the meaning of this? Hermione, we had an understanding that I would be delivering you back here tomorrow, did we not?"

"Technically, Minerva, it is tomorrow," quipped Severus as he set a book upon his lap, and she threw him a nasty glare as he began idly turning the pages.

"You, lad, are not helping."

"I'm not trying to help. And don't call me 'lad'- it's unsettling."

She opened her mouth to retort, but Hermione interjected. "I'm sorry, Professor. I wasn't feeling well, and wanted to come back early. Didn't Harry or Ginny tell you?"

She paused and took in Hermione's appearance with a scrutinizing eye. The flushed cheeks certainly gave her a feverish glow, and she seemed to be having some trouble catching her breath. The general unkempt look about her- hair a mess, clothes rumpled- gave off the impression that she had been laying in bed until very recently. "Why are you down here, then?" she asked. "You should be resting!"

"Could you stop mothering for one bloody second?" Severus asked, closing the book with a snap. "She came down to ask me for a potion. As you can see, we're fine- there's no reason for you to linger on my hearth all night."

Her lips thinning, she looked him over as well. "You look about as ill as she does, Severus. Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'd be better if I didn't have to defend myself every time you made an appearance," he snarled, standing and stalking over to the doorway. "Now, if you will excuse me, it is late and I am tired. Good night."

Minerva rolled her eyes as he stormed out, then turned back to Hermione. "Why didn't you find me when you wanted to go back? I would have brought you here at any point."

The young witch fidgeted, playing with a curl. "I know," she mumbled, before saying clearly, "I didn't want to interrupt. It looked like you were enjoying yourself. And I still think it's silly that I need to be escorted back; it's completely safe!"

"Safety aside, Hermione, it was not a pleasant feeling when I noticed you were gone. And no, Potter and Miss Weasley did not tell me anything, as they were nowhere to be found. Goodness, could you imagine what would have become of me if you hadn't been here when I arrived? Severus would've had my head on a spike!"

The red flush grew deeper on Hermione's cheeks, and Minerva sighed. "Well, no matter. You're here, you're safe, and Severus is right- it's late. I'll see you both soon enough."

Returning the girl's quiet good-bye, Minerva turned back to the fireplace and floo'd home.

It wasn't until she was nearly asleep when she realized exactly what she had walked into. Throwing herself straight up in bed, a rather foul Scottish expletive left her mouth, her sheer and utter shock transforming into irate indignation.

"Like hell she wasn't feeling well!"


Severus was torn from his brief bout of sleep by the sound of the floo activating in the other room. Grumbling to himself- he couldn't have managed more than an hour or two of rest- he sat up quickly in bed and summoned his discarded shirt to his hand. By the time his door was assaulted by aggressive knocking, he had shrugged it on and magically buttoned it up.

Ripping the door open, he glowered at Minerva as she dropped her fist. "What is it?" he hissed, taking in her condemning glare and her lips pressed into a thin line.

"I need to speak with you," she said forcefully as she shoved past him into the bedroom.

Brows furrowing, he shut the door before turning to her, crossing his arms. "Speak to me, or shout at me?"

"That depends entirely upon the answers I am given," she replied tersely, casting a silencing spell around them. He raised an eyebrow at the gesture.

"And what questions am I to be answering?"

Minerva folded her arms across her chest and asked point blank, "What exactly did I walk in on yesterday?"

Inwardly cringing, Severus rubbed his eyes. Of course we couldn't manage a day of peace, he fumed.

As tempting as it was, he knew there was no point in denying the witch the truth of the matter. She was well aware of what she had seen; she was simply giving him a chance not to deny it. "Which time?" he muttered under his breath, before dropping his hand to his side.

The witch's eyes widened. "So there was something going on!" she hissed, staring over his shoulder as she considered the implication. Flitting her eyes back to his face, she grounded herself and asked, "What did you do?"

"What did I do?" he snapped. "Why do you assume it's something I did?" When she only stared, he exhaled and ran his hand through his hair. "I'm not the one who stood in the living room and admitted everything moments before you floo'd in to take her away!"

"Moments before- Is that why she was crying?" At his pointed look, she put a hand on her cheek. "I had just assumed- I mean, the decision she faced-"

When he crossed his arms and leaned against the door, she looked up at him again. "What, exactly, did she admit to you?"

He stared out the small window to the back garden as he sighed. After a moment, he said softly, "Everything."

Minerva was silent for a moment, studying him for any further information. When he spoke nothing else, she asked cautiously, "And how did you respond?"

I bloody well attacked her, didn't I? With a grimace, he wiped his face. "I may have... responded favorably."

At her sudden frown, he narrowed his eyes. "I'm not painting you a picture, woman, so stop staring."

She snorted, then shook her head. "I don't want a picture. I want to be assured that I need not remove her from the premises after all."

He sneered at her insinuation. "Always so protective of your little cubs, aren't you? Yet you fail to realize that they grow claws as deadly as any viper's bite. Do you honestly think Hermione would have volunteered to return here if I had done anything untoward to her? Let alone return by herself as she did last night!"

With a sharp exhalation, Minerva dropped her arms and sat on the edge of his bed. "I wasn't worried about you being untoward, Severus."

"Then what has brought you pounding at my door at the break of dawn?"

Staring at him from her position on the bed, she raised her eyebrows and said, "I seem to recall you having a bit of an emotional breakdown the last time her feelings had been brought to light."

Shifting uncomfortably, he rubbed his neck. "So you wanted to make sure I didn't hurt her emotionally."

"Not intentionally," she clarified. "For all your work as a spy, you seem to have trouble keeping your wits about you when it comes to her."

Closing his eyes, he rested his head against the door. He was well aware of how unhinged Hermione left him, and was vastly annoyed at the fact that it was so obvious to others. "I assure you, I kept my head." Relatively speaking.

"So she has no reason to want to leave?"

"Against my better judgement, she does not."

When he opened his eyes, she was smirking. "And can I assume you have no desire to send her away?"

Glaring, he stood up straight. "I have a strong desire to send you away."

Snickering, she stood. "I just had to be sure all was well."

"And now that you have done so, am I to expect your company at breakfast?" Shoving away from the door as she approached, he asked, "Or will I be graced with a quiet morning after all?"

"One would think you'd be happier after yesterday," she muttered just loud enough for him to hear, and he sent a withering glare straight through her head. When she stopped before him on her way out, she placed a hand on his arm. Ignoring his frown at the offending appendage, she said, "Happy New Year, Severus. It looks like it's off to a wonderful start."


When Hermione woke the next morning- if it was even still morning, she couldn't quite tell- she stared at the ceiling deep in thought. Yesterday had been... well, it had been rather intense. Was it wrong for her to feel nervous about facing today?

The way they left things last night had been nothing short of awkward. After McGonagall's terribly timed interruption, Severus had declared it to be in their best interest to retire for the evening- separately, he had hastily clarified. Ignoring the intense mortification at that implication- that was a stage she was nowhere near ready for, as much as her body reacted otherwise- she had agreed, and retreated to her rooms with a quiet good-night. But sleep hadn't come easily for her, and she wondered if he had suffered similarly.

From what she could tell, the house was still quiet, but the same could not be said for her stomach. As it made its complaints well known to her, she groaned into her pillow. I should really get up.

But knowing she should and doing so were entirely different things.

Fifteen minutes later, she rolled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom, where she caught a glimpse of her reflection mid-yawn. She grimaced, taking in her countenance with shrewd, overcritical eyes.

Her hair had never looked good in the morning, but that was easily fixed. She had taken to some of Ginny's suggestions and had been able to tame the unruly mess into a mostly manageable mane since the summer when she had cut it. She would never have luxuriously soft curls framing her face, but she no longer resembled a frayed q-tip, and she had ceased to look upon her hair with indifference- she rather liked the chaos of it all. The question was, did Severus?

He certainly liked tangling his hands into it. Twirling a strand through her fingers, she shivered at the memory of how his own had woven through the curls, pressing into her scalp as he held her in place. But did he like the look of it? Tilting her head to the side, she watched as her hair shifted with the movement. If he didn't, he hadn't given any indication beyond the occasional smart comment about potions safety and hair nets.

What if he did mind it? Would he have the nerve to ask her to change it, and if so, would she agree to do so?

No, he knew her well enough to know that she would never change herself in that way for anyone. And being who he was, she could never see him asking her to do so in the first place.

She turned on the tap and grabbed her toothbrush. He may not be bothered by her looks, but he would most certainly be bothered by her morning breath.

When she was finished, she washed her face, and as she patted her skin with a soft towel, she looked over her features once more. Plain eyes, unremarkable nose, and teeth that, with a snort, she surmised he would be much happier with than previously. She would have to give him flack for that comment at some point- she knew better than to take it personally, even back then, but it had still stung enough at the time for her to remember his exact words. "I see no difference," she mocked. "It isn't like he's the poster child for perfect teeth."

As far as the rest of her... a faint blush crossed her face when she considered what else he may soon see. She had no way of knowing if she was shaped or filled out in ways that pleased him, but she did know that she looked healthier than she had since the end of the war, and she had confidence enough in that. Ron had certainly had no complaints this summer, and with his level of tact, she was sure she would have heard from him if anything was out of place. Besides, there wasn't anything she could do about it now. She was who she was, and that wasn't going to change any time soon.

With one more glance at herself, she gave up the examination and began the process of detangling her hair. Nothing about her had seemed to bother him so far, so she must be doing something right.


Hermione entered the kitchen just as he was pouring tea, and he nearly spilled the hot drink over his hand at her approach. Smooth, he reprimanded himself with gritted teeth, grabbing for the tea towel to wipe up the few drops that had managed to hit the counter. When he turned, he was relieved to see her standing on the other side of the counter, nervously biting her lip but otherwise exactly as she should be. She wasn't hiding from him; he had been concerned that she might.

Setting the teapot back on the counter, he wiped his hands and turned around. "Good morning," he greeted, and returned the soft smile she sent his way.

"Hello," she said quietly, and he found he couldn't think of anything else to say.

They stared at each other, neither knowing where to go next, and in that moment of indecision he felt the doubt begin to trickle back in. All of his fears, his concerns and reservations came swimming back to him as he stared into her bright, hopeful eyes.

What was he doing? She was so young- so innocent. Who was he compared to her? This was foolishness, pure madness; he had no right to-

"Don't do that."

He blinked, refocusing his vision. Lost in his spiraling thoughts, he had failed to notice the change in her expression. Brows furrowed, her gaze was filled with the same unspoken determination reflected in the rigid set of her mouth. "Don't do... what?" he asked uncertainly, discomfited by her intense scrutiny.

She stepped around the counter, and he followed her movements with mild suspicion. Reaching out a hand, she gently touched his cheek. "Don't pull away from me again."

His breath hitched. "I'm not-"

"You are, though," she argued, frowning. "I can see it in your eyes."

Staring into her face, he felt his gut clench. His hand reached up, and pressed her palm firmly to the side of his face. The contact rooted him, and his mind cleared in an instant. "I'm not going anywhere," he breathed, and the smile that bloomed across her cheeks spurred him on until his lips were gently placed upon hers once more.

The kiss was gentle, and fleeting. She was soon leaning back, grinning ear to ear. "I'm glad to hear it," she told him as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

His hands drifted up and down her arms as he studied her closely. "I admit I'm rather out of my element at the moment, Hermione," he said as he reached up to twist a curl around his finger. "What is the next step? Where do we go from here?"

She slowly disentangled his digit from her hair, entwining her fingers amongst his instead. "We go wherever we want to. However fast or slow we choose."

"And you're truly all right with that?" His other hand moved to the small of her back, rubbing circles over her spine. "Taking it slow?"

"I said as much last night, didn't I?" Her head tilted, and he was nearly overcome with a desire to move her hair away from her neck, to lean down and-

"So you did," he said instead, settling for a swift kiss to her forehead.

Stepping back from her, lest he push her farther than she was comfortable with, he reached for the teacups behind him. "Speaking of last night, I had hoped to follow up on some of my concerns. Not to dissuade... this," he clarified at her sudden frown, "but to... well, discuss them more at length, I suppose."

Taking the proffered cup, she nodded and moved towards the table. "Of course, Severus. What is still concerning you?"

Moving to join her, he sat with a sigh. "My issue isn't which concern so much as which will be a concern first."

"Well, let's see." Setting her cup down on the table, she held up her hands and began counting on her fingers. "If I remember correctly, you're concerned that I'm too young, that my future at the ministry will be at risk, that my friends will abandon me, and that you're too much of a cantankerous bastard." She smirked at him. "Did I miss anything?"

He narrowed his eyes. "A cantankerous bastard?"

Shrugging, she said, "Well, you never did get to go into that argument, so I filled in the blanks. Did I assume incorrectly?"

Rubbing his forehead, he muttered, "No, that was about it."

"Well, as far as that last one goes, do you not think I've proven myself capable of handling your cantankerousness?"

"It's not a matter of whether or not you can handle it." Tapping his fingertips against the table in agitation, he continued, "I don't want to treat you in any way you don't deserve. You shouldn't have someone shouting at you over every little thing. It's beyond unfair to you."

"You don't shout at me over every little thing. And you seem to be confusing fighting with bickering." When he stared at her quizzically, she leaned forward and reached for his hand. "Severus, you aren't inherently cruel. You have a short temper in certain situations, but I hope you've come to learn that so do I. So do most people."

Looking down at their hands, he squeezed her fingers. "I don't ever want you to feel unsafe around me."

"I don't." At his disbelieving look, she emphasized, "I have never felt unsafe with you. In fact, it's quite the opposite." He released her fingers, pulling back, and she sat up again. "You spent the entirety of my school years training me not to take your nastiness at face value. Now you're worried that I've suddenly developed thin skin?"

He stared at her, studying her face for any sign of dishonesty and finding none. Inhaling, he shifted before he tried to explain himself. "I don't mean to doubt you, Hermione, and I apologize if I'm coming off that way. I'm just not used to this sort of affection. I'm used to suspicion, or fear, or vexation. This kindness, this positivity of yours is... it's going to take a while to get used to."

Thinking over his words a moment, she propped her head on her hand. "I don't know if I believe all that. The Headmistress seems to have a great deal of fondness for you."

Snorting, he scratched his chin. "Minerva's views on my person are more along those a mother would have for a child. She wants to see me safe and cared for, to see me content. While I appreciate her efforts- and don't you dare tell her I admitted to such a thing- it isn't the same as having a true equal."

"I would argue that's precisely what a friend would want for someone they cared deeply for."

Shrugging, he remained silent.

"Well," Hermione finally said when it was clear he wouldn't speak on this any further, "I suppose you'll just have to trust me when I say that I don't think this concern of yours is going to be a problem. If you hurt me in the future, I promise you that you will know."

With a small huff, Severus nodded. "Of that, I have no doubt."

When he didn't elaborate, she moved on. "What else, then? It will be a while before I'm ready to join the ministry- in any meaningful capacity, anyway. And really, if you think of it, I'll always be twenty years younger than you, so there isn't much to do on that end anyway. I'm afraid it's just something we'll have to get used to."

At that, he grimaced. "The sooner the better on that one."

Pausing to take a sip of tea, she finally asked, "Would you like to discuss my friends, then? According to your logic, they're the circumstance that would rear its head next."

With a great sigh, Severus nodded. "I suppose that would make the most sense. I can't imagine their reaction will be favorable."

"You know, I'm not so sure about that," she mused, scratching at her cheek. At his raised eyebrow, she chuckled and shook her head. "I have a feeling Ginny has been aware of my feelings for you long before even I figured it out. Harry- well, he's never been the most observant person, but he also understands me, and he certainly hates you far less than he used to. He will most likely need some time-" Severus rolled his eyes at the sentiment- "but in the end, I have no doubt that he will accept it."

She paused then, nibbling her lower lip, and Severus had to fight the urge to reach out and rescue the poor thing from the abuse. "What of Mr Weasley, then?"

Her lip assault paused. "Ron will- Ron will take a while. The fact that he saw this coming before anyone-"

"He what?" His eyebrows rose in surprise, and she smiled awkwardly.

"Did I never tell you about our break-up?"

He shook his head. "Only that you were ill-suited to each other."

"Yes, well, I guess what I mean is, what happened during the break-up." Shifting uneasily, she chewed on her lip once more as she considered what to say. "From the beginning, Ron sensed something between us- you and me, I mean. We fought- frequently- about how much time I was spending with you. Between the Task Force and the Occlumency lessons, and his heightened Auror training, I was seeing more of you than I was of him. Those two activities were keeping me sane, and I let them consume me- unfortunately, to the point that I talked of little else.

"Keep in mind that Ron has always been a jealous person," she continued. "It understandably rubbed him the wrong way that I was having a seemingly better time with you than with my own boyfriend, who I often fought with in defense of the man that was taking up all my time. And then when he found out I was writing you more than I was writing him-"

Severus scratched his forehead with a long finger and sighed. "So you broke up because of your friendship with me."

"No, we broke up because I told him I couldn't do it anymore," she corrected, running her finger along the edge of her teacup. "We fought because of my friendship with you." Shifting, she pushed her hair behind her ear and met his eyes. "He blamed you for how busy I was over the summer, and accused me of caring for you far more than I cared for him. When I denied his claims and came to your defense, it got... it got ugly." She shrugged, pausing a moment before continuing. "Ron has always been a jealous prat. He's come around since then, but his explosions have always been... astronomical over-reactions."

Frowning, he asked her, "Are you prepared to handle another? The last time-"

"The last time I was unprepared for the conversation." Her words came out rather harshly, and he noted her forcibly softened tone when she added, "I can handle him if I know what I'm walking into."

That brought him back to the question he had been pondering. "And when do you suppose you'd like to tell them?" he asked, carefully keeping his tone as neutral as possible. If it were up to him... but it wasn't, and he would do well to remember that.

She stared out the window contemplatively for a few moments before answering. "I don't want to keep it from them," she told him, "but I don't see a reason we need to rush and tell them, either. It isn't like I'll be seeing them very often in the near future." She turned to him then. "Is there a certain amount of time you'd like to wait?"

"Actually, yes." Clearing his throat, he picked up his teacup. Swirling the liquid, he stared at its spinning surface when he suggested, "I was thinking, after you graduate..."

When he peered over the rim of the cup, he was relieved to find her nodding. "I can wait until then," she said, and he sipped his drink to hide his immense relief.

People would talk regardless of when they became public. But giving Hermione and him that much time, to solidify this as something they wanted, something that could work... The stronger their bond, the easier it would be to ignore the whispers and accusations. The more 'legal' she was in the eyes of the public, the better. "To your graduation, then," he cheered, lifting his teacup. Laughing, she did the same.

A few moments passed in silence, and Severus sat up straighter. "I do have... one more concern," he began, and his uneasy tone made Hermione eye him warily.

"It's not the Ministry, is it?" When he just shook his head, she asked, "What is it, Severus? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he assured her, then paused. "I only wonder... your parents..."

The shift in Hermione's demeanor was instantaneous. Rising from her chair, she took her teacup to the sink in what he knew was a mask to cover her sudden discomfort. "What about my parents?" She asked, and he nearly winced at the tension in her words.

Severus swallowed; he had been afraid of this type of reaction. What sort of parent would approve of such a relationship- one in which their only daughter falls in love with her grown professor? "I do not know them," he said softly. "I do not know anything about them but for what you've shared with me. I can only imagine their response would be-"

"I don't know them any better than you do at the moment," she snapped, then rubbed her hands over her face. "Sorry," she mumbled from behind her palms. Dropping her hands, she turned to face him. "I just- they aren't an issue right now, so I'd really rather not worry about them."

But for how long will they not be an issue? And how long will she want to hide it? Shaking his doubts from his mind, he stood and slowly approached her. It was not his call to make, telling her parents, and while the thought of leaving this concern unaddressed left him with a sense of unease, there was nothing he could do about it- at least, not at the moment.

He stepped closer to her and touched her cheek, where a single tear was making its way down to her chin. "Then I apologize for bringing it up," he said softly, wiping the moisture from her skin.

Though she shrugged and averted her eyes, she leaned into his touch all the same.

Determined to set the issue aside, at least for now, he lifted her chin. "Hermione?"

Apprehension painted on her face, Hermione's brow furrowed. "Yes?"

His gaze flitted between her eyes and her mouth. Leaning forward, he left a soft kiss upon her lips. At her sharp intake of breath, his heart beat faster- as she wrapped her arms around him, as she kissed him more firmly in response, he felt his chest tighten.

She pulled away after only a moment, and he met her wide-eyed stare. "So, is this it?" she asked. "No more concerns? Are you... Are we..."

Pushing her hair away from her face with two gentle hands, he smiled, knowing that despite his concerns, nothing could give him the will to step back from her now. "We are," he answered simply, confident- at least for the moment- that he was making the right call.

The smile she gave him warmed every inch of his flesh, and when she fell against him once more, her touches burned.


A/N2: Okay, we have an established couple now! The next chapter will introduce a bit more plot, so I do hope you're ready for that. As far as when it will be posted... well, it isn't quite done yet, and I do like to write ahead, so I don't have a good date for you all. I do apologize and hope that you will continue to be patient with me! I promise there's a good reason!