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

How was he going to tell Hermione what the Trinity had said?

Severus stared at the white wall of his Purgatory room, still processing what Dismas had said. If the Trinity thought his relationship with Hermione might be unsustainable, then what hope was there? Granted, the Trinity never said outright that it was unsustainable, only that it might be. Perhaps if he behaved differently he could convince them it was sustainable, and that he needed to be by Hermione's side regardless of the forms they were in.

"Do you need me to go down there with you?"

Severus turned around.

Sirius put down Nicomachean Ethics. "I can go down with you, if only to give you moral support."

"I appreciate your concern but I need to do this on my own, especially since only I can talk to her," Severus replied.

"I know." He wrung his hands. "But I still don't want you to feel alone when you speak with her."

"I will be fine." Severus' lips curled up. "Though I never imagined you'd care so much."

"I don't," there was a gleam in Sirius' eyes. "I'm just shaken up by Metatron. The second I get over my fear of him I'll go back to not caring about you."

"That time may come sooner than you realizes. It sounds like he has more important things than us to worry about that this program."

"True." Sirius smirked. "But I mean seriously, tequila? The least he could do was introduce Theresa to some drinkable alcohol."

"His tastes leave a lot to be desired." Severus cracked a smile. "But if obtaining that bottle keeps him off our case for a time then I will be forever appreciative."

"As will I."

Silence fell between them.

"I will let you know how things go." Severus returned his attention to the wall. "Perhaps if I'm lucky, Hermione and I will find a way to make our relationship sustainable in the Trinity's eyes and I can spend the rest of her days with her."

"I hope so."

Without another word, Severus appeared in Hermione's kitchen.

The first thing he heard was the clank of pellets falling into a metal cat dish. Crookshanks let out a soft meow.

"You don't need to look at me as if I'm starving you." She sighed "I take very good care of you, and you know it."

Crookshanks let out a louder meow, in clear disagreement. Feeding him five minutes late was anything but giving him the care he deserved.

"Honestly." She put the cat food up. "You are one of the whiniest beings I've ever met."

After a short glare, the half-kneazle began eating.

"Hermione?"

"There you are! I was wondering…" the playfulness evaporated the second she noticed his blue hue. She gulped. "What happened?"

"Dismas and the Trinity had a conversation about the program." Severus floated towards her.

The color drained from Hermione's face as her heart slowed.

"They are impressed with our progress, but they fear our relationship is unsustainable." His shoulders fell.

"What's unsustainable about it?" She asked. "I'm happy, you're happy. What is the problem?"

"I don't think they agree with my methods of making you happy."

"What's objectionable about them?"

"My mission was to give you eudaimonia, not become your lover."

"But you're being my lover is giving me eudaimonia."

He shook his head.

"Don't you believe I'm happy?" Her voice cracked.

"Of course I do." He touched her hand. "Although I am at a loss as to why I make you happy."

"Must I go over the list again?"

"No, it is clear enough for your own reasons, you like me."

"I love you."

"And I love you."

Hermione held her breath, waiting for his "but."

"Will I help you flourish in the long run?"

"Why would you not be able to?" She asked.

"You must admit this whole relationship is unconventional. It could prove distracting to both of us."

"How?"

"It could inhibit your long-term happiness."

"That point still confuses me. I am enjoying spending quiet evenings alone with you instead of fretting about my father dying."

Severus' glow brightened.

"If the Trinity cannot understand that I am happy then they are not as all-knowing as people claim they are," she concluded.

"That is part of the problem though." His glow lessened. "I am meant to meditate on the things of heaven, and you on the things of earth."

"Oh yes, I would love nothing more than to meditate on how my friends are happily married while I am alone stroking my half-kneazle." She rolled her eyes. "Nothing excites me more than eating ice cream out of the tub while hating half the world. Truly the things of this earth deserve my undivided attention."

His lips quirked upwards.

"I was going nowhere before you came, and you made me happy." Her throat constricted. "Does nobody care that you make me happy?"

"I care about that, Sirius does, as does Dismas," he bowed his head. "Sadly, they do not have the power to keep the program going indefinitely."

"That's all up to the Trinity." Her voice softened.

"Ultimately, yes."

Only the sound of Crookshanks devouring his food could be heard.

"So they don't think you can make me happy forever?" She began.

"They have their doubts," he admitted.

"They don't care about my feelings as a mortal or about how we can improve the lives of others together with our potions…" Her voice trailed off as her eyes lit up.

"I'm certain in their own way they care, but since when has an all-powerful being ever made its intentions known?"

"We need to help others flourish!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you get it?" She clasped her hands together. "We need you to make other people happy. That way, it's clear that you're bringing more joy than pain on earth."

"I thought we were doing so," he began. "Three of the potions we made are in their final stages, and a fourth is set to be tested at the center this weekend. If that isn't helping the world I am at a loss as to what is."

"Yes, but I'm thinking we need to do something more direct," she replied. "I'm thinking you could bring peace to Draco and Harry."

Now he was white.

"When Draco was here at the same time as you were, he felt so much peace. He feels as if you're close to him, which means more than he can express."

"I would have made my presence known much sooner had I not been detained."

"i know, but what if you can do something more direct?" She suggested.

"Do you want to tell them about my visits?"

"Not yet, but I could give them a special afternoon, like, oh…" She gasped. "I could make them your cookies!"

"Are you sure that's advisable?"

"Why not?" She frowned. "Are you afraid I cannot make them?"

"Far from it," his glow brightened. "If anyone could make them it would be you."

"Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me for honesty although," his glow was blue again. "How would you have gotten my recipe?"

"For a time I can tell them I ran into it while reading a magazine

"Then they could have my cookies without believing you were talking to me."

"Exactly." She snapped her fingers.

"I would like that." His glow was softer.

"Then there's Harry…"

"No."

She startled at the harshness in his voice.

"I am more than happy to give Draco peace, but I cannot say the same for Potter." His glow was a light red.

"First of all, I thought we agreed he was Harry."

"Harry, Potter, whatever you want to call him," Severus crossed his arms. "I have no interest in listening to his hero worship."

"But you are one of his heroes."

"He is sorely lacking in them then." He muttered.

"It would give him so much peace if he could speak with you, even if it is through me."

"If he wants inner peace he can see a therapist. He is probably in desperate need of one anyway."

"He is doing just fine." Her voice lowered half an octave.

"Then he doesn't need to make peace with me."

"Maybe he doesn't, but if he knew you were safe and happy, it may help him thrive. Just knowing you're at peace could have a huge impact upon him."

"Haven't you indicated I'm at peace?"

"Yes, but as far as he knows it's all conjecture. He doesn't know the truth," she replied.

"He does not need to know the truth."

"Look," she pinched the bridge of her nose. "If you want to stay on earth we need to prove your presence is needed. This is one way to do it."

"I hardly think I was put on earth to be Harry's charity project." His glow was redder.

"How is having a conversation with him being his charity project?"

"Because I can't figure out how I feel about him!"

She took one step back.

"This boy was nothing but a pain in my arse throughout my life, in large part because he was the-boy-who-lived!"

"He never asked to be that though!"

"I know!"

She fell silent.

"I know he never asked to be adored by half the Wizarding World, just like he never asked to be Lily and James' son! Yet until I fell in love with you, that mattered deeply to me."

"And now?"

"I am almost happy James and Lily were wed." He turned yellow. "No, I am happy they married each other."

She relaxed.

"It is difficult to explain. I wish Lily hadn't died. If I could undo one mistake, it would be never to tell Voldemort that prophecy. Still, she could never make me happy. I understand that now."

"I suppose I'm glad to hear that you don't feel passionate towards her anymore, given that I'm a petty, jealous woman."

"You aren't petty and jealous." He stroked her cheek. "You are someone who is sometimes insecure, as am I."

She touched his hand.

"It makes thinking about Potter complicated now because I no longer hate him because of his parents. Even if I wish he had respected my privacy, he was only trying to help." He released her.

"In other words, you want to like him, but you can't quite bring yourself to do so."

"Don't put words in my mouth." He gave her a playful scowl. "He's still an obnoxious twat who caused more headaches for me than I care to count."

"Technically, I'm still the know-it-all who tried too hard to impress you. That matters little to you though."

"Oh no, you are far from a know-it-all," he whispered. "You are an amazing woman who I am lucky to have known in my afterlife."

She gave him a small grin.

"I still need to wrap my mind around what seeing Potter will mean to me."

"In other words, we'll start with Draco."

"Exactly."

"I can do that," she replied. "When do you want to see him and his family? I'm sure all of them would love to feel your presence."

"Whenever they can come is fine with me." He shrugged. "I have all of eternity."

"I hope so anyway."

"Oh I do." He brushed his lips against hers. "The only question is what form I will take."

"Whatever form you are in, I will be madly in love with you," she held his hand.

In silence, they gazed upon each other. For one moment, they were at peace.

Shouldn't that be all that mattered?