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

Did he know how attractive he was in that tuxedo?

Hermione's mouth watered as she gazed upon Severus. His spiritual robe, while attractive in its own right, had never done his form justice. The fact that his hair was pulled back only added to the effect. He was like a hero from a romance novel, only much snarkier, a trait she found all the more endearing.

In addition to his outfit, his glow was a radiant yellow. His dark eyes glistened as his glow throbbed. A few times it appeared as if he wanted to say something, but the words seemed lost on his tongue. Then again, why ruin the moment by uttering a syllable?

Did she have any idea how attractive she was in that black dress?

Any words Severus considered failed to exit his mind. Her black dress framed her body perfectly, as it always had. This time the effect was more striking though. Her posture was straight, as if she had confidence in herself and the power she wielded over him. The makeup, while unnecessary, only accentuated the effect. She was a woman, and knew it.

In a rational world, she would not give a spirit such as Severus a second glance. Thank the Trinity this world was anything but rational! For the first time, Severus found something good in the world, something pure, something certain. If only he could find the words to express these sentiments….

Her eyes glistened as her lips curled upwards into a seductive smile. "You look very dashing, Severus."

"Thank you." He turned pink. "You look stunning, Hermione, absolutely stunning."

The gleam in her eyes grew.

"What did I do so right that the afterlife gifted me this moment?" Severus whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, a man such of me doesn't deserve to be here like this. What did I do right to win your heart?"

"You've done a lot right," she answered.

"No, I may have done enough not to damn myself, but to see a woman more beautiful than the angels, one who rivals even heaven's sunrises in beauty," he floated towards her. "What did I do that was so brilliant in order to earn your love?"

"You were yourself," She stepped closer to him. "And you loved me."

"I do love you with my whole existence."

"I love you with my whole existence too."

Severus stared at her, wondering how a woman could reduce him to wordlessness. He could recite a speech about the benefits of potions, lecture for hours on end, yet now, he was coming up empty. Also, he was pretty sure he was supposed to be reciting a poem he'd written to her. All of the words were inadequate and nonsensical.

"Would you like to cook dinner with me?" She purred.

Dinner! Yes, she needed to eat, except she was supposed to be sitting and allowing him to do the work.

"I would love nothing more than to cook for you," he replied.

"I think we should cook together."

"No, tonight is about wooing you. I need to cook."

"Tonight is about being together," she touched his hand, sending her love through him. "I would like nothing more than to cook with you."

"You do not play fair, witch," He moaned as her love radiated through him.

She giggled before releasing him.

"Very well, we will cook together," he returned to the moment. "If I am supervising you, we can make any dish you would like without too much trouble."

"Only if you're supervising me?" She gave him a look which she usually reserved for the bedroom

"You are quite capable of cooking on your own," his pink glow returned. "You could make anything if you set your mind to it. I am well aware of that."

"I know you are."

"All that being said," his glow was back to normal. "What would you like to eat?"

"I would like chicken parmesan. I've always found that meal romantic."

"Have you had it on a date?" He turned white and cringed. Way to seduce a woman by bringing up her ex! No wonder dates were lining up at your door, Severus!

"No," she glided towards the refrigerator, overlooking his alleged blunder. "It was a fantasy I had once while I was a couple eating a plate of it at Giovanni's. It was as if they were the only two people in the world. I always wanted that."

"Tonight you shall have that."

There was a spark of anticipation in her eyes.

"So," He followed her. "We can make some chicken parmesan, and then dance."

"Dance?" She stopped dead in her tracks.

"Indeed," he replied.

She directed her attention to a speck of dust on the floor.

"Is there an issue with that?"

"No, except I am a terrible dancer," she muttered.

"I am shite at it too."

She returned her attention to him.

He wanted to sink into the ground at using such vulgarity. Once again, he was proving his lack of proficiency in speaking with women.

"I always thought you would be a good dancer," she began.

"I am not," he admitted. "Perhaps it's all irrelevant. I am not even sure how we could dance in our current forms."

Her lips parted.

"Yet I want to feel your body in mine, even if it is just energy. I believe we should acclimate to each other if we are to do what we seem to be planning to do," he continued.

"I wouldn't mind being near you, especially if it prepares you for whatever is about to happen."

"If you don't want to fuse we can spend this evening eating dinner. I don't want you to feel pressured into anything."

"No," She raised her voice in passion. "I want this more than anything."

He sensed a "but" was coming.

"I just…" Her posture was no longer as straight. Within seconds, she morphed from a woman to a timid child.

He opened his mouth to say something.

"Never mind." She shook her head. "Dinner and dancing sounds amazing. Let's do it."

"If you do not want to…"

"Now," she opened her freezer. "Let's see how long I'm supposed to put the chicken patties in for."

"Excuse me?" Severus tilted his head.

"I kinda cheated." She blushed as she held out a box. "I bought a chicken parmesan starter kit. I know how to make the spaghetti, but I didn't want to waste time breading the chicken. I hope that's okay."

"It is more than okay." He chuckled. "It is very much like you to bring frozen food into a romantic dinner.

She shut the freezer, unsure if she dared trust the humor in his eyes.

"Which is amazing, for I love you just as you are."

He'd never seen anyone smile so widely.

"I did not know you were a soft rock fan." She waltzed around her kitchen, her empty plate already in the sink.

"It is my dirty secret." He followed her every movement, keeping the time of the song. "The cheesier the seventies song, the better."

"What is your favorite song?" She slid her body closer to his.

"I honestly cannot pick one." He raised her hand.

"Which means it's too embarrassing to tell!" She twirled around before facing him again.

"Something like that." He admitted.

"Come on, it cannot be terribly embarrassing."

"Actually, it is."

"What is it?"

His glow was white.

"Remember, were supposed to be open and honest with each other. Telling me your sing is one way of doing so."

"Fine." He was neon pink. "I don't know which song of his I like the best, but my first concert was Barry Manilow."

"Barry Manilow?"

"Yes." He raised her hand again.

"How old were you?" She twirled once more. "And who forced you to go?"

"I was twenty-two, and went there alone quite willingly. I sat in one of the front rows to get a decent view. It was far more enjoyable than I have ever admitted aloud."

She blushed.

"I have probably ruined my reputation once and for all." If he could have sighed, he would have.

"Quite the opposite," her eyes were sparkling in mischief. "In fact, I can relate."

"Have you seen Mr. Manilow?"

"No, but the first CD I 'borrowed' from my parents was Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits Volume 1."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I played it so much I scratched it, so they had to buy a new one."

"There is something quite sweet about meditating on you listening to Barry."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Perhaps next date, I can dig up one of his albums and we can listen to it."

"I would love that." His glow was bright yellow.

In silence, they continued to dance, their body inching closer to each other with every song. Everything within Severus wanted to fuse with her. A spiritual urge he could not understand demanded he press himself to her and reveal everything about him to her, to be one with her forever.

Yet she was holding back.

She stopped, sighed, and deflated.

"What is wrong?" His glow dimmed.

"There are things you need to know before we fuse," her voice was soft.

"What?"

"I," a tear trickled down her cheeks. "I have scars, some which are quite nasty."

"As do I."

The record stopped.

"I am not an angel, nor could I compare with some of the more beautiful saints. All I ask is that if my scars are too much, if you cannot tolerate the idea of being with a scarred woman, please tell me before I remove the glamours. I would rather hear you say no then watch you recoil."

"I promise never to recoil," he replied. "Still, I do not want to pressure you. If the glamours make you feel more comfortable there is no need to remove them."

"No, I need to show you everything," she replied. "If we are to be one, whatever that means, you need to see them."

"Perhaps, and in the interest of honesty," His glow pulsated. "I have scars too, some which are quite disfiguring."

"So the scars do not disappear in the afterlife," she muttered.

"No, they do not."

"Then I suppose no matter what happens tonight, you will see them eventually."

"You will see mine as well," he warned. "They may prove alarming."

"I can handle them," she promised.

"I can handle yours as well."

She reached over on the table and picked up her wand. With a shaky breath, she ran it over her body. The word "mudblood" became clearer on her arm.

"Oh Hermione," Severus whispered.

Hermione couldn't look Severus in the eyes. It was too much to hope he could ever be with a woman with that word on her arm, especially given his worst memories.

"Did Bellatrix do this to you?" He whispered.

She squeaked and nodded.

"Look at me."

She did so.

"You should be proud of this scar. It proves you are a survivor."

"I am a marred woman."

"You are someone who has survived so much, more than anyone should ever have had to survive. You should be proud of yourself, not ashamed."

"How can you say that? You hate that word. Doesn't it bother you that I have it on my body?"

"I hate the word, not the person who unwillingly had it tattooed upon her."

She looked into his eyes. Instead of a glib man who only wanted to brag he'd shagged a member of the Golden Trio, she saw a man who felt nothing but love for her. How could she ever have been so fortunate?

"There are other scars," she warned.

"Perhaps you should allow me to examine them in the bedroom."

"So long as you show me your scars." She gulped. "I mean, I do not mean to pry or gawk, but I do feel we should be on equal footing."

"Indeed we should be," he replied.

When he first entered her bedroom, he would never have imagined that he would be stripping before her in that same space. It would have been unfathomable to think someone would love him so completely that she would want to see all of him.

Now he had taken off his trousers, leaving him naked before her. She stripped herself of her bra, leaving her exposed. Her eyes fell on her arm. There was no need to ask the obvious question.

"The Trinity removed the Dark Mark," Severus began. "They do not tolerate marks made by people who want to own others, so they remove them."

"I am glad to hear it," she replied. "It must be a relief not to be beholden to anyone ever again."

"Indeed."

The silence returned.

"As for the rest of them, the ones I obtained due to the war and the revels." His glow was almost extinguished.

"They prove you are a survivor who died saving the Wizarding World," she whispered. "Just as mine prove I'm a survivor."

"Exactly," his glow brightened again.

He looked at her. None of her scars intimidated him. In fact, there was a haunting beauty about them. They proved she was someone who had been placed in circumstances beyond her control, yet had found a way to thrive. Without them, she would not be who she was. Never in his afterlife had he been so sure that he loved her. Now, that fact was as real as the existence of the Trinity themselves.

So many words could be said, yet the silence was sacred. He needed her to see in his eyes that he loved her, that he was not leaving. Once and for all, his expression needed to prove to her that there would be nobody but her.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too." He paused. "I love you so very much."

She relaxed.

"If you want to back out of this fusion, if this is too much…"

"I don't know what to expect" She stepped closer to him. "But whatever it is, we will face it together. Our love will be strong enough to overcome anything fate throws at us."

"Yes, it will be," he promised.

"If you want to back out, feel free to do so. I will not be offended," She trembled.

"Never," he whispered.

He gave her a kiss as best he could. Not satisfied with merely brushing against her lips, he embraced her.

A power swirled about them as he pressed her closer to him. His glow was brighter than the sun peeking over heaven's golden gates. He hesitated.

She stepped into him, further intensifying the sensations. Closer still she moved, until he felt her touch quite unlike any he'd felt.

Her soul was touching his. At long last, their essences were intertwined.

Energy flowed through him, animating and calming him. The emotion coursing through his existence could only be described as ecstasy, yet it was unlike any potion he'd taken or night with anyone else. It was pure love, pure trust, pure need, pure adoration, and most importantly, pure Hermione.

Hermione had never been touched like this.

Although her skin felt nothing rubbing against it, her essence was peeling forth from her. Yet she did not feel as if she was dying. Rather, a life enhancing energy was crashing into her like a tidal wave. It was more powerful than any orgasm, more exhilarating than any academic achievement, and more invigorating than any lover. It was pure love, pure trust, pure need, pure adoration, and most importantly, pure Severus.

At long last, they were one.