AN: For some reason, I'm having trouble pulling up my reviews. I have tried looking for them on this site, but they will not pull up. I am getting them via email though, so I know they exist. Still when I try to answer them via email I get an invalid message. I would love to respond to my reviews, but until they pull up I can't. I can always respond to them at the bottom of the chapter as some other authors do, or I can wait until the problem resolves itself. Just know that I am reading each other them, and they all really brighten my day. It's amazing having readers like you!

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His daughter was different.

There was a lightness to her gait, as if the cares of the last seven years had never occurred. She had a spark in her eyes he had not seen since she had restored his memories. Even her posture was straighter, as if a weight had been lifted from her.

Wilford couldn't help but grin has his daughter continued to discuss the cure. The signs of her condition were clear, though getting her to admit her emotions would be next to impossible.

"Oh Sweetie, I am so happy you've made so much progress on this potion," Muriel sat back in her rocking chair.

"As am I," Wilford pushed his walker away from his blue recliner and sat in a more comfortable position. "Than again, I'm biased."

"As you should be," Hermione sat on the couch.

"Even if I wasn't in the condition I'm in, I'm proud of you. You're doing some amazing work. The whole world will benefit from your research."

"Thank you." Hermione blushed.

"It's nice to see you happy as well."

"Happy?" Hermione cocked her head.

"Yes," Muriel cut in. "You haven't stopped smiling since the second you came in. It's nice to see."

"Why wouldn't I smile? I've found a potential cure for Dad, at least I hope so."

"Yes, but you weren't as winded as you normally are when you apparated here. You seem more energetic."

"A new discovery gives you energy, at least it does me." Hermione shrugged.

"I think researching gives you energy," Wilford replied.

Hermione swallowed.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm proud you're running a bookstore. You are good at business and are doing a marvelous job of keeping it afloat. Still, it was sad to see you give up on your dreams of creating cures and new spells after, well, you know."

"I didn't completely give them up."

"It wasn't until I got sick that you decided to so much as crack open an academic book," he replied.

"I guess so."

"You're reclaiming an important part of your life. It was long overdue."

"It feels nice to research again."

"It should. We've been telling you for years that you had the resources to research and run your bookstore. It was sad that you took so little interest in the former though," Muriel replied.

"I just needed a break from academia."

"No, you needed someone other than us to support your endeavors."

Hermione closed her mouth.

"I don't know where Severus Snape's change of heart came from, but his visits have been the best thing to happen to you since enrolling in Hogwarts," Wilford began.

"What can I say? I enjoy his visits."

"Given your history it sounds odd to hear that though."

"It honestly seems odd to say it, but it's true. He isn't the person he was when we were at Hogwarts."

"How has he changed?" Muriel asked. "Other than the being dead of course."

"His priorities have shifted. He wants to be the person he couldn't be in life," Hermione answered.

"How?"

"He wants to be the teacher he couldn't be at Hogwarts. Since he was spying he couldn't educate any of us, at least not effectively. He sees me as his second chance to do what he couldn't do at Hogwarts."

"Creating a potion sounds more like research than education."

"Yes, but he's helping me brush up on my old classes." Hermione picked up a purple pillow beside her and held it to her chest.

"True, but if he wants to be the researcher he couldn't be at Hogwarts it seems sad he's only creating your father's cure."

"Oh we aren't just creating this potion. We're brewing a few he'd wanted to do in life but couldn't. Also he's teaching me how to cook."

"He's teaching you how to cook?" Muriel's eyes were wide.

"Yes."

"How is it going?" Muriel drawled, fearing the worst.

"I'm enjoying it very much. The food we make is actually great."

"I never thought I'd see the day you'd cook anything," Wilford muttered.

"Until Severus came I was hopeless in the kitchen. I didn't think I had time to cook either, so I didn't bother trying," Hermione admitted. "I'm happy to report I was wrong on both account.

"He's encouraging you to take care of yourself and put yourself first then?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Exactly how long is he planning on staying on earth?" Muriel asked.

"I don't know," Hermione sat back in her chair. "Just until I obtain eudaimonia."

"In other words, not much longer." Wilford muttered.

"Perhaps." For the first time all day she frowned.

"That would be rather unfortunate, given your closeness to him," Muriel noted.

"It will be, but I suppose we'll be friends in a sense."

"Are you sure that's all you want from him?"

"What?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Sweetheart, I haven't seen you this happy before."

"I'm not that happy." The light in Hermione's eyes died. "There are still things going on in my life which stress me."

"What things?"

"I mean." Hermione bit her lower lip. "Cormac is still an arse, and I'm not quite over what Ron did to me."

"The Cormac situation is an issue which hopefully Severus can help you resolve. That being said, you are more than over what Ron did to you," Wilford noted.

"No, I'm not. I'm still not ready to move on."

"No, you've moved on."

Hermione's frown deepened. "How would you know if I've moved on?"

"Because from the minute you've walked in you haven't been able to stop talking about Severus. Heck, you're even calling him by his first name," her father answered.

"I mean, he's my friend. Why wouldn't I talk about him and call him by his first name?" Hermione picked at a loose thread on the purple pillow.

"True, but things seem to be much deeper than they are with your other friends," Muriel noted.

Hermione twisted her lips.

"Let me asked you something." Wilford shifted in his chair. "If Severus was still alive, would you have asked him to dinner by now?"

"We technically have dinner every night, only he watches me eat," Hermione answered.

"Do you look forward to his visits?"

"They're the highlight of my day." Her smile returned.

"Do you only discuss your research?"

"No, we talk about other things."

"What other things?"

"It varies." She set the pillow aside.

"In other words, everything and nothing?"

"More or less."

"Do you feel as if he understands you, and that you understand him?"

"Yes."

"Does he make you laugh?"

"Is there a point to this interrogation?" Hermione squirmed.

"I think what your father is trying to say is that you seem to want a deeper relationship with him," Muriel's voice was gentle.

"No!" Hermione recoiled. "I don't like him like that! He's just my best friend, that's all."

"Harry is your best friend, but your face does not light up like this when you're discussing him," Wilford replied.

Hermione paled.

"You love him, and from the way you talk, he may love you too," Muriel replied.

"No!" Hermione answered. "I don't think he loves me. Sure we're friends, and we can talk about anything, but he's trying to get to heaven. Once they tell him I'm happy then he'll be there. He won't give me a second thought, at least not until I die."

"That creates quite a dilemma," Wilford admitted. "He makes you happy, and if he leaves you will be miserable. The only way for you to obtain eudaimonia is if he stays, but you obtain eudaimonia then he goes to heaven."

"No, that is not it at all."

"Then what is it like?"

"It's like…it's like…" Hermione groaned.

"Sweetie, it's okay to admit how you feel," Muriel replied.

"There's nothing to admit," Hermione put her head into her hands. "I do not love Severus Snape, and he will never love me."

"Why wouldn't he love you?" Wilford asked. "You are extremely lovable."

"Maybe to you, but not to many other people," Hermione glanced up.

"Forget other people. What about Severus? Do you think you show him the best parts of himself?"

"I try. Even when I don't, he accepts it and moves on."

"I know this is all tough for you. Love is scary, even under the best circumstances," Muriel began.

"Your situation is complicated," Wilford added. "Still, there must be someway of navigating it."

Hermione groaned. "Can we please talk about something other than Severus?"

"Certainly," Muriel replied.

"Anyway," Hermione's lips curled up. "My cooking is going great. Severus showed me a great way to make rice."

"Oh?"

"Yes, it was real rice too, not the kind you put in the microwave. Who knew that all you needed to do was be patient and keep the lid on the pot?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't teach you that over the summers you were home," Muriel replied.

"No it's fine. Severus is a great teacher though. He is very patient, and finds a way to make cooking fun."

Muriel and Wilford glanced at each other.

Their daughter was deeply in love with this spirit. She may feel like she's in heaven with him, but would he, or could he, give up heaven to be with her?

Hermione's mystery suitor couldn't stay hidden forever.

Cormac scowled as he sat on a green leather chair. He turned his attention to the parchment atop his cherry wood desk. After rereading the names upon it, he scratched one out and scowled.

Despite his efforts to eavesdrop on Harry and others who knew her, he was no closer to discovering who Hermione's secret suitor was. It was only a matter of time until he was exposed though. When Cormac found him, he would wish he had never heard the name Hermione.

What he planned to do to this man would depend upon what dirt he could dig up. The easiest route would be to find a crime and prosecute him for it. With his position in the Ministry, Cormac was more than capable of pulling off such a feat. If this suitor's history was clean, he could always frame him for a crime. Still, it had to be clear that Cormac wasn't behind any of it. The last thing he needed was a scandal.

Better yet, Cormac could find a secret on him and have Rita write a story on him.

Cormac sneered. Jail may be to overt, but running a story would be doable. He'd make the other man so socially toxic nobody in their right mind would date him. Yes, that would be perfect!

Now who was he?

Before Cormac could review the list, an owl pecked at the window. Grumbling, he stomped across the room and flung the window open. With little grace he tore the paper from its leg.

After noting the headline Cormac snickered.

Screw the other man! All Hermione needed was for someone to play hero, a role Cormac could perfectly play.

Tomorrow morning, she wouldn't know what hit her!