AN: Thank you all so much for the support! It is very deeply appreciated!
"Severus Snape?"
The spirit examined Harry. His face was drained of color, his pupils so wide there was little emerald in his eyes. A few times his lips parted, but closed. At least he was attempting to be careful before he spoke. Perhaps he was capable of tact.
"Harry?" Luna turned to her husband.
"Severus Snape?" He was regaining his color.
Hermione nodded.
"By Severus Snape," He cleared his throat. "Do you mean our former potions professor?"
"Yes," Hermione's voice was confident.
"Severus Snape, the person who called you a bushy haired know-it-all, the person who refused to give you any indication of whether or not he was pleased with your academic work, the person we saw die at the Shrieking Shack. Is this the Severus Snape you're referring to?"
"Yes." Her smile remained in place.
Severus' glow lessened. Things were not going as well as Hermione thought they were.
"The same Severus Snape who was in love with my mother and spent all his adult life atoning for his sins against her. You mean to tell me he is in love with you?"
Severus' glow flickered as he scowled. There was no reason to bring up Lily, as if she could ever compare to Hermione.
"Yes, I'm in love with him," she paused for emphasis. "And he's in love with me."
The way Harry furrowed his eyebrows was not encouraging.
"How?" Harry drawled.
"I don't know, but it happened," Hermione answered.
Harry blinked.
"I know this all sounds impossible, sometimes I can't believe it myself," Hermione's eyes glistened. "Still, he's been seeing me for the last four months. In that time we've started a relationship and fallen in love."
"No," he shook his head as his expression softened. "You felt guilty about selling a book full of lies about him, and a few weeks later found out that Ron was engaged. That's what's brought all this on."
Hermione tilted her head.
"You were upset about your father falling ill, so you began to dabble into potions. When you found the cure you felt an affinity with Snape."
"Severus."
"Excuse me, Severus," he replied. "It must have been amazing to feel like you finally impressed him. It was as if he was alive, even though we'd seen him die."
Severus began to glow red. Potter better not be going where he thought he was going with this…
"I can't blame you for any of this. If anything, I blame myself for not understanding how much pain you were in."
"What are you trying to say?" Hermione drawled.
"You need to understand." Harry took a deep breath. "I only say this as someone who cares about you."
"What are you trying to say to me?"
"I think." Harry sighed. "I think you need to speak with a professional about this."
Severus' glow was orange.
"Excuse me?"
"I know the names of some professionals who could help you sort out some of these feelings. They will keep your information confidential…"
"You want me to see a therapist?"
James whined at the volume of Hermione's voice.
"Are you calling me crazy?" Hermione exclaimed.
"No." Harry held up his hands. "I'm saying that things have been stressful, and you may have created a fantasy to help cope with it. I couldn't blame you. It's a common defense mechanism. It's one that cannot last though, and you'll need help to resolve."
"In other words, I am mad!"
Harry glanced at Luna for support.
"Perhaps you should feel the presences in the room," Luna suggested with a serene smile.
"I feel Severus just fine," Hermione growled.
"I know you do." Luna winked.
"What presences?" Harry asked.
"Just feel the presences." Luna suggested. "More may be going on here than you realize."
"Are you encouraging this?" Harry snapped.
"I'm only asking you to search your heart," his wife answered. "You may find that Professor Snape is closer than you think."
"You've gone mental too," Harry muttered.
"No, I'm being supportive."
"You're supporting an unhealthy delusion."
"I am not delusional!"
James scanned the room for the presence he had felt earlier. Perhaps that energy could calm the adults.
"I am quite sane! I know Severus is in this room. I," her eyes lit up. "I can prove it."
Severus quirked an eyebrow.
"Severus," she turned to him. "I want you to pick up a pillow."
He grinned. Such a clever girl.
"Hermione, he's not going to…"
Severus picked up the purple pillow beside Harry. For good measure, he struck Harry with it.
"Now do you believe her?" Luna asked.
"I believe her magic is misfiring," he grumbled.
"What?" Hermione shouted.
James burst out crying.
"It's a common thing. Sometimes when a witch is under a certain belief her magic will conform to it, just to make things more real and protect her psyche," Harry continued.
"I am not crazy! I'm seeing Severus Snape! I'm in love with him!"
"The only woman he'll ever love is my mother!"
"So you think I could never compare to her?"
"I'm saying that's the only woman he'll ever love!"
"He changed his mind."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because Lily threw him away like he was nothing," Hermione argued. "She spent time in Purgatory for her wrath against him…"
"Where is Purgatory?"
"It's between heaven and hell. If you are saved but not ready for heaven, you go to Purgatory."
"You're telling me my mother did not go straight to heaven?"
Hermione's eyes said it all.
"How dare you?" Harry stood and pointed at her. "How dare you insult my mother, as if you knew anything about her!"
"I know more about her than you think," Hermione warned.
"You're only saying this to hurt me! You know how amazing my mother is, but you're too caught up in all this to admit the truth!"
"I am telling you the truth! She wasn't perfect! She was wrathful and was punished in the afterlife for it with a decade of Purgatory. Even Severus admits as much."
"No, you need her to be imperfect so you can live in your crazy fantasy land!" Harry was panting.
"I. Am. Not. Crazy." Hermione glowered at him and gritted her teeth.
Not even during the longest of Death Eater meetings had the silence been so intense. Severus felt as if he could not breathe, even if there was no chance of him ever taking another breath.
"Let's all calm down," Luna settled her baby.
"You heard her Luna," Harry choked as his eyes became misty. "She insulted my mother."
"No, she told you the truth."
"What truth?"
"That perhaps Severus saw Lily as a person, and not an angel."
"She's lying," he hissed. "My mother was an amazing woman who would go straight to heaven, not be sentenced to Purgatory."
"She told you a hard truth because you're her friend," Luna's voice was gentle. "Lily wasn't perfect. Severus needed to learn that, and now so do you."
"Who's side are you on?" Harry's voice was dripping with venom, but he did not raise it.
"This isn't about sides," Luna replied, her expression just as serene as when she'd first sat down. "This is about admitting truth."
"What truth?"
"Perhaps you are afraid Hermione is not crazy."
"What?"
"You heard me." Her expression was wistful. "You are afraid of what Severus being on earth and being in love with someone else means."
"What would that mean to me?"
"It would mean you need closure."
Severus twisted his lower lip. What closure could Potter need? Didn't he already have Severus figured out?
"Why are you doing this?" Harry choked. "Why are you feeding into her delusions?"
"Because you need to heal." Luna rubbed Harry's back. "Regardless of whether or not Severus Snape is here, you need to heal from his death."
"Hermione needs help. She's carrying on a relationship with a figment of her imagination."
"I'm still here," Hermione snapped. "I can answer for myself."
"I'm sorry." A tear trickled down his face. "I'm sorry I didn't see the signs sooner. I'm sorry you've been suffering for so long."
"I'm not suffering!"
"No, you've had a breakdown, and I need to help you."
"He's real! Severus Snape is real and in this room!"
Harry turned to Luna.
"You know the truth," she answered.
"I need to go."
With a POP Harry was gone.
Silence reigned the room.
"He probably hates you now." Hermione's throat constricted.
"No, he's just scared." Luna stood. "But he'll admit the truth to himself soon enough. Then perhaps we can all heal."
"I don't think he will." Hermione squeaked.
"You know Harry, he loves you." Luna adjusted James in her arms. "And he loves Severus Snape. Once he dispels his fears, he'll be able to make peace with what's happening."
"Thank you for the vote of confidence."
With one arm, Luna embraced her friend. Then she whispered in her ear, "Try not to let Severus become too wrathful. It must've been hard to see what happened, but he needs to make peace with Harry too."
With that, Luna released Hermione. Then she went to the fireplace and flooed away.
Another endless moment passed.
"I apologize," Severus was blue. "I did not mean to cause this much trouble."
"No, you didn't cause any trouble." Hermione outstretched her arms. "I just need you close to me."
Slowly and with much care, Severus enveloped her in his arms, until they fused into one.