Epilogue

Hermione could hear the faint sound of giggling coming from the upstairs loo. She looked up from her book towards that direction, smiling to herself and chuckling. She shook her head in humour, attempting to return to the book in her hands.

The continued giggling piqued her interest, and she set the book down on the nearby coffee table, standing up to make her way upstairs. She stopped by her husband's chair, his face covered by The Daily Prophet in his hands.

"What on Earth is that child up to now?" Hermione said, placing her hands on her hips and looking up towards the source of the giggling again.

"Are you asking me," Her husband replied. "or are you just asking yourself out loud in the hopes it will help you understand what goes through that young child's mind?" He spoke in a low voice, trying his best to sound annoyed. "Brightest witch of her age and she can't even figure out the mind of her own child." He teased.

"Oh you hush, mister." She giggled, giving him a playful smack on the arm. "She thinks just like that stubborn father of hers all the time and I can see it coming from a mile away."

"I pity that child, being anything like her father." He droned, again trying to joke and tease.

"Oh you stop." Hermione said before leaning down to place a kiss on the top of his head. "If she is anywhere near like her father, which she very much is, she's going to be one successful witch."

"You better find out what she's up to before she conjures up an earwig or "another ghastly creature" as you called it to hide under your bedroom pillow." He said with a small chuckle.

"Severus Snape, that was you who put that awful thing under my pillow and you know it!" She said pointing an accusing finger at him.

"Yes but she was in on it with me." He replied, lowering the paper from his view to make eye contact with his wife. "Do you ever think I'd get such a horrific idea all by myself. It was the brain of that mischievous child." He said with a small smirk, attempting to play innocent.

"Yes well, you didn't get away with it without punishment, love."

"If you considered that a punishment last night, then I should hide earwigs all over the place from now on." He said, giving a quick goose to her backside as she turned to go upstairs.

"Oh!" She yelped, blushing profusely. "You devious little git." She replied through a laugh. "I'll get you back one of these days!"

"I'll be counting the days..." he playfully droned as he returned his attention to the paper.

Hermione ascended the stairs, making her way down the hallway and reaching the upstairs loo. She stopped in the doorway, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against the doorframe, smirking to herself.

Her five year old daughter stood in front of the bathroom mirror, her toy tea kettle and a wax candle in her hand. The young child had jet black hair just like her father, but scattered about were dozens of slightly messy ringlets that were identical to her mother when she herself was a child. Her skin tone was closer to Hermiones, a mixture in between Severus' pale tone and Hermiones slightly tanned. Her brown eyes matched her mothers as well, with big beautiful eyelashes accenting them. Her eyes filled with childlike humour and as she focused on her task at hand. Hermione chuckled, which caught her daughters attention.

The child's eyes caught sight of Hermiones in the reflection, and she turned her head to look at her mum, smiling and giggling like crazy.

"Hello, mummy!" She squealed in delight.

"Leona Severa Snape, what on Earth are you doing you silly girl?"

"I'm going to travel, mummy! I'm going to go see a different place!" She jumped up and down excitedly as she spoke. "You and daddy, come with me?"

Hermione walked over to her daughter, kneeling down beside her. "And how exactly do you plan to travel, love?"

"With these!" Leona exclaimed. Holding out the toy and candle she had in her hands.

"Ohhhh I see. And where did you hear such a thing?"

"Cousin Lily told me about it! She told me about the woman who travelled through the mirror, mummy! She went to a mysterious place."

"You know Leona," Hermione began. "a mirror is what started your story. This was no ordinary mirror, but because of it, that's how you eventually came into our world."

Leona's eyes grew wide with wonder, "Really, mummy?! Ohhh, tell me the story, tell me please!"

"Well alright then. Come, let's go to your room. It's getting late and your father will be coming upstairs to tuck you in soon, anyway." She reached for her daughter's hand and took it, walking with her to her bedroom.

"Severus!" She called from upstairs. "We will need you upstairs in a few minutes to say goodnight!"

"I'll be up in just a few." She heard her husband reply from his spot in the living room.

Hermione helped Leona get changed into her pyjamas, bringing her over to her toddler bed and getting her situated underneath the covers.

"Now you see Leona," Hermione began. "When I was just a few years older than you, I too tried to do the trick with the mirror that you were trying to do just now. However, I didn't have the magic I do now. You do have that magic, lioness, so you must be very careful. Mirrors in the magical world are extremely powerful things."

"So you mean it really can work?!" Leona asked.

Hemione nodded. "Yes, it certainly can work, but with very specific magic. It is very complex for someone to do, but that doesn't mean I don't want you to be careful."

"But mummy, how was I brought into this world?"

"Let's just say there was a very special mirror at the time when I was older than the first time I tried that allowed me to bring your daddy into my life. It showed me what I truly wanted and needed, because mummy was not very happy at that point in her life."

Leona's eyes grew sad at that statement. "You were sad mummy, that's not okay..." Hermione nodded. "No, you're right, it was not. But all of this brought your father and I closer together, and we both realized what was meant to be. The strength of the love between us then eventually brought you into our life, and we will forever be grateful to have a blessing like you, isn't that right, Severus?" Hermione said as she noticed her husband appearing in the doorway.

"Mmm, indeed you're right, my witch." He said as he walked over to sit on the bed next to Hermione. She placed a hand on his thigh, glancing up at him for a brief moment to give him a soft kiss, before turning her attention back to their daughter.

"So you see, Leona," Severus chimed in. " We have indeed been lucky for what the mirror and magic have brought to our life, but it is very important you don't attempt the things that you hear from your silly cousins without one of us present, is that understood?"

Leona nodded her head, her curls bouncing along with it. "Yes, daddy..."

"Good, now it's time for bed you little monkey." Severus teased, leaning forward to attack his daughter with kisses all over her face. Leona shrieked in laughter, failing at her attempts to get her father to stop.

"No more, daddy, no more!" She yelped through a fit of giggles, her contagious laughter causing her mother and even her father to start to laugh as well.

"Goodnight, my little witch, sleep tight." Severus whispered, giving her one more kiss to the forehead and dimming the lights with a wave of his hand.

Before they could exit the room, Leona waived her small hand and the lights flickered back on for a second. Leona giggled as her tiny spot of magic worked.

Hermione turned around and gave 'the look' to her daughter. "OK that's enough. That was very well done, love, but like I said before, you must be very careful."

"Yes, mummy" She said softly.

"Goodnight, sweetie." Hermione said, adding her own kiss to their daughters forehead before following her husband out of the room.

"Good night, Mummy and Daddy. I loves you." the young witch said, while still giggling to herself. Hermione could still hear her giggle as she shut the door behind her.

Hermione exchanged a quick glance with her husband, both of them coming to the realization that their young daughter was a little bit more advanced with magic at her age than they had thought.

"We are going to have to keep a closer eye on that little one." Hermione chuckled.

"We?" Severus said, trying to act aghast. "What is this 'we' business you speak of?" He continued, turning away from Hermione to head to their bedroom.

"Ohhh Severus you..." She followed him in, just about ready to tackle him onto the bed when he spun around quickly, catching his wife in his arms and wrapping her tightly so she couldn't move.

"Let me go you cheeky git." She warned, trying to sound serious.

"Is that supposed to be intimidating?" He teased, a smirk reaching his face as he watched his wife struggle to break his grip. "You're married to a former death eater, you insufferable know-it-all, you're going to have to do better than that..." He said, rolling his eyes.

Hermione was held onto tightly, but she managed to reposition her hand, placing it right on the front of his trousers. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her.

"Trying to punish me again, are we? I'm shaking in my boots."

"Less shaking in them and more taking them off." Hermione huffed. "And that goes for the rest of your clothing as well."

"Only if you do as well." He replied.

"Deal."

--

Hermione and Severus lay curled up in bed, Hermione snuggling her head against his shoulder and draping her arm around his torso.

"And where on Earth, may I ask, did you learn that you cheeky, devious witch?" Severus asked through slightly heavier breaths, brushing his fingers through her mess of curls.

"A book Ginny gave me for my birthday." Hermione replied, mumbling sleepily into his shoulder.

"First of all, where have you been hiding a book like that from someone like me who sees everything in this home and second of all, remind me to buy Ginny a diamond necklace for her next birthday." That statement got Hermione to chuckle.

"One, it's none of your concern where I keep some of my books and two, I'm sure she will love the gift." She replied, giggling again.

"You will be the death of me, witch."

"Not anytime soon I hope."

"Not that I'm planning."

They shared another kiss, Severus giving a wave of his hand to start the fireplace to have a low burn.

"I never thought my life would turn out to be like this, Severus. It really is amazing to think about sometimes."

"You and I both, my love."

"I remember going through the motions of the past just wanting to be anywhere but then and there. I am so extremely lucky that this has become my life, my now, and I can't wait to spend the rest of it with you and our family."

"Mmm. I couldn't have said the words better myself, my witch."

"I love you." Hermione whispered, before drifting off to a peaceful sleep.

"And I, you." Severus replied, continuing to stroke her hair, enjoying the sound of his wife's breath and she succumbed to sleep.

My Hermione...

I would've begged and pleaded to be anywhere but in the now for most of my past life. . .but now I wouldn't change anything for the world.

Never thought I would use the word perfect...but I'm pretty sure this is it.