AN: Thank you for all the support! It is very deeply appreciated!

Dismas said that the best way of communicating with Hermione was to send a powerful affectionate thought her way once every so often. They needed to be done with care though. If the powerful affectionate thoughts occurred too often then the mortal would become overwhelmed and too distracted to function. If they were infrequent or too weak then she may not feel his presence at all.

It was a balance Severus hope he had struck throughout the course of the day.

"I uh, don't know how this works, but here it goes…"

Severus' glow intensified as her voice filled his mind. It was as if she was in the room with him, although he could not see her. Surreal, yet peaceful and comforting.

"You were right, the paperwork is more than tedious. The longer it went on the more wound up I became. Then again, I may have been too nervous about going in front of the ethics board to concentrate."

"I was nervous when I presented in front of the ethics board too," Severus answered in a soft voice. "It didn't help that if I glared at them, they had the courage to return the favor. The other researchers may have feared me, but the ethics board was more than willing to put me in my place."

"I thought for sure they would disqualify me because I had overlooked something. It turns out I was wrong," she continued.

"I knew we'd covered all our bases."

"They said it was among the most thoroughly put together experiments they had seen. I believe one panelist said that only one person was more thorough in his ethical standards, that person being you."

Severus' glow pulsated. Due to his Death Eater status he had wanted to make sure his method of experimentation was irreproachable. He didn't know anyone had noticed though.

"That wasn't the only time your name came up." She continued. "When I told them that you inspired my work, they all shared their stories of you. Some of them were quite hilarious, like the time you made a subject cry because he insisted on your potion be grape flavored instead of cherry. You were less than amused, and let him know it."

Severus chuckled. He'd never seen anyone shrink before him like that. It would be a lie to say he didn't enjoy it.

"Then there was another who said your eyes would light up whenever you explained a particular novel concept. She said nobody had as much presence or charisma as you did. If she wasn't married she said she would have asked you out for a dinner."

Severus rolled his eyes. If only she'd realized what a git I really was.

"You were much more respected than you realized."

You mean they didn't hate me?

"They cared about you, and were proud to call you their colleague. All of them wish you had survived and could have taken a professor position at a university," she continued.

I would have liked to have been their colleague too. Even if I didn't show it, I did respect them.

"I wish you could've seen the whole conference in person. Still, you were there in spirit, quite literally."

He couldn't help but smile.

"I don't know what else to say, but I felt you with me from time to time. Tell everyone who made this possible thank you for me. I don't know how I could have gotten through this without you."

"You would have done just fine, though I am pleased my presence helped."

"Anyway, good night I suppose. Try to think of me tomorrow."

"You are ever-present in my mind." Severus' glow was pink.

"Good night."

"Good night." His glow brightened.

"What on earth?"

Severus' glow turned white as he turned to his right.

Sirius rubbed his eyes and blinked.

"Is there a problem?" Severus drawled.

"Yes," Sirius' voice was louder than usual. "I think my vision is a little off."

"What is wrong? Have you seen the error of your ways and wish to repent?"

"No, I think you were pink!"

Severus' glow dimmed.

"I thought you were pink and honestly." His lips curled up. "It was cute."

Now Severus was red.

"You were adorable, it was almost like you were…"

Severus glared at him.

"Almost like you were a strawberry daiquiri!" Sirius burst out laughing. "A delicious, sweet tasting daiquiri! Like the kind I had in Martinique, only with a nice helping of chocolate syrup!"

Severus scowled.

"I'm sorry." Sirius stopped. "I just never thought I'd see something so adorable."

"I fail to see what is so funny about your failing vision."

"No, my vision isn't failing. You were pink."

Severus opened his mouth, only to close it. Hermione had claimed he had turned pink a few times. Could he be malfunctioning in front of Black as well?

"I never thought I'd see the day Severus Snape was pink!"

His glow was stark white. What could being pink mean? Was he falling ill and he was unaware of it? How could a spirit fall ill anyway? Was this something he needed to see someone about, or would it pass?

What the hell was happening to him?

"Anyway, you'll be happy to hear my latest news." Sirius strolled to the couch.

"Did the Trinity reevaluate your sentence and decide hell was a more appropriate place for you to spend eternity?" He smirked.

"No." Sirius' smile remained. "That news would be too devastating for you to bear."

"Excuse me?" Severus would've spat out the words if he could've.

"Admit it, you'll miss me when I'm gone."

"I'll miss you as much as I miss filing taxes."

"Say that now, but I'm told I grow on people."

"Like a bad case of genital warts."

"Normally that would get under my skin, but today it will not." Sirius plopped onto the couch. "Not when I have such a brilliant plan."

"I'll be the judge of your brilliant plan," Severus growled.

"Of course you will be. You can't help but judge everything, can you?"

"No, I cannot."

There was a gleam in Sirius' eyes.

"What have you done anyway?" Severus' glow was yellow.

"I just found Hermione's soulmate!"

"Who could possibly be worthy of her affection?"

"Dr. Henry Marsh."

"Dr. Henry Marsh?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he's perfect for her."

"How exactly did you determine this?"

"I saw them together at lunch. He was hanging on her every word. She seemed to take an interest in what he was saying too."

"They were probably being polite to each other, nothing more," Severus answered.

"I don't think so. Unlike you, she takes a genuine interest in people," Sirius noted.

"Taking an interest in something does not mean you wish to date it."

"Mr. Marsh is a 'he,' not an 'it.'"

"That's a small technicality."

"Perhaps for you, but," He shook his head. "No, we need to get back on track. Dr. Marsh values her for her intelligence. He will be someone who listens to her and builds her confidence."

"He could build her confidence if he wasn't a pushover Hufflepuff."

"Wait, you taught him?"

"Of course I did," Severus answered. "His first year was my tenth year teaching."

"I take it, you struck fear in his heart every chance you got."

"No, I simply made it clear that if he did not stop talking in class he would spend the rest of his Hogwarts career scrubbing cauldrons for someone who was unhappy at the prospect of spending the evening with him."

"I'm sure he was skipping to your class."

"Skipping is a strong word, but I will admit he enjoyed it far more than any other Hufflepuff ever did," Severus admitted.

"Which means he didn't cry at the end of it."

Severus smirked. "More or less."

"So." Sirius sat up and folded his hands. "Tell me about Dr Marsh."

"Again, he enjoyed my class, and he was pleasant enough. He was studious and loyal to his friends, almost to his detriment at times."

"In other words, he would never cheat on his wife."

"If he remained the boy I knew, then no, he would not cheat on her," Severus replied. "Though that is a low standard."

"And he's intelligent as well as loyal?"

"More intelligent than most other people in his house."

"In other words, he's a genius."

"No, I am a genius." Severus replied. "He is merely an adequate researcher."

"Oh of course everyone is a simpleton compared to you." Sirius groaned.

"Dr. Marsh is not a simpleton, but he is not of my caliber," Severus answered.

"How have you not been sent to Purgatory for pride?"

"Because there is a difference between being prideful and being honest."

"You are honestly the most arrogant man I've met."

"I am more than willing to admit when someone's brilliance rivals my own."

"But nobody's does."

"No." Severus' glow and voice softened. "Hermione's does. Given enough time, she could surpass me."

Sirius' mouth hung open.

"There's no reason to gape at me like a fish without water. Now Dr. Marsh is intelligent in his own right…"

"You'e actually capable of friendship!"

Severus pursed his lips together.

"I thought you couldn't be anyone's friend, but now you're Hermione's friend!"

"Is it that difficult for you to follow what has been happening with me?" Severus put his head into his hands.

"No, but it's weird to see you care about anyone."

He raised his head. "I care enough about Hermione to know Dr. Marsh is not assertive enough for her."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sirius asked.

"Dr. Marsh is a fine individual, but he does not always stand up for himself. He will not challenge Hermione in her personal life. She is going to need to make most of the decisions, and this will wear on her."

"Would it wear on her, or would it wear on you if you were her?"

"Both."

"Look," Sirius' glow was a bright yellow. "Diotima said two lovers needed to create things together. Dr. Marsh and Hermione could brew potions and create cures the Wizarding World could only dream of."

"His indecision in personal affairs is going to drive her crazy," Severus argued.

"That is a small detail."

"It is going to become a significant one given enough time."

"Listen, I understand he is flawed, but that's something we're going to have to expect. I cannot find her a perfect man."

"I am not asking you to find her the perfect man, just the one who is perfect for her."

"Let me guess, someone exactly like you."

"Of course not."

"Because you're too good for her."

"No," Severus bowed his head. "Someone like me is too flawed. She deserves much better than someone like me."

"Oh so you're flawed now."

"Yes." His glow was a dull blue. "I am too flawed for her. She deserves much better."

"I never thought I'd see the day when the mighty Severus Snape would admit he possesses any kind of flaw."

"We have veered off topic."

"We have." Sirius straightened his posture. "I think you need to nudge Hermione towards Dr. Marsh."

"Even if she doesn't feel any kind of attraction towards him?"

"Yes," Sirius replied. "She needs someone to see what's right in front of her. That's where we come in."

"I suppose it is," Severus' glow turned dark blue.

"You'll see." Sirius leaned back on the couch. "Hermione and Dr. Marsh will be perfect together."

"Perhaps they will be," Severus muttered, almost wishing the same could be said of him.