"So help me, Mi, if are not here..." Harry's voice floated down the hallway of her flat. She was in her office, sorting and stacking books.

"You'll what, Haz?" She giggled. "Scold my empty flat for my absence?"

Harry appeared in the doorway to the room, green eyes alight with irritation and relief at seeing her. "Where the bloody hell have you been? It's been 3 days!"

Hermione startled at his biting tone. Her heart panged with guilt and mild frustration. "Don't you shame me, Harry James! I sent the otter letting you know I was alright, that I would be with Severus."

"And where exactly is that?" He groused. "I have no idea because it is secret-kept! If I needed to find you, Mi, I wouldn't be able to! I was beginning to think something had happened. Malfoy-bloody Malfoy, Hermione-owled me telling me you had skivved off work the last two days. I have never known you to voluntarily miss the opportunity to work! I went to Andi's looking for you, but she said you hadn't been there since before the moon. Teddy's fine, by the way. I was beginning to lose my head. Don't do that to me again. I need to-you have to-I can't lose...just don't disappear like that again."

Harry's anger had peaked sharply and fear laced his voice in his last sentence. Hermione watched his shoulders curl forward and she felt terribly sad at having caused her best friend such deep concern. Some of the deeper bonds they had forged while on the run were not dampened over time it seemed. Hermione walked over to him and gently ruffled his hair before grasping his hand in hers. "I am truly sorry, Harry. I did not mean to cause you so much concern, and I will endeavor to be more explicitly clear with my whereabouts and well-being in the future."

She watched him crinkle his nose at her words and release a breathy chuckle. "Merlin, you're starting to sound like him."

That broke the tension. Hermione laughed and returned to her stack of books. She watched Harry look around the state of her office. The majority of the shelves had been cleared, the books either taking residence in boxes or went to join a small stack near the door he had entered through. The various knick knacks Hermione had previously had displayed, as well as all of the photographs, had been removed. Hermione set about closing a box and labeling it "photos and office" next to the books still on her desk. She could feel Harry's mind begin to align all of the pieces. She braced herself.

"Hermione," Harry queried. "You're moving in with him? What have I missed? Were you going to tell me?"

She could hear the hurt in his voice. She was afraid of this reaction, and she had no one to blame but herself. The decision to move in with Severus was logical to her-she was there more than her own flat, and since the change in their relationship three days ago, she didn't want to be anywhere he wasn't. Thistlebook had felt like home for a long time, and Hermione could not find a reason not to make it even more so by moving her things into the house. It wasn't until she had returned to her flat mere hours ago to start packing that she knew this decision was going to be more emotional than logical. And that started with not telling her best friend of the monumental changes her life had undertaken.

"Harry, I love him." She started simply, watching Harry's face closely to gauge his reaction. His eyes widened momentarily, but there was a slight nod of his head. "I'm not sure how exactly it happened, but it did."

She suddenly felt weary at the realization that she had spent the majority of the last three days in a bed, but had barely slept. She slipped carefully to the carpeted floor and leaned back against her desk, indicating Harry do the same. She knew he deserved as fully of an explanation as she could provide. "When I went to him with the desire to help Teddy, I think I knew there was potential."

Harry had moved to her side. He was vibrating with unspoken questions, but with age had come restraint, and he allowed Hermione to continue at her discretion. She laced his fingers with her own, placing their hands on her thigh, the physical connection reminding her that Harry would not abandon her. She continued.

"He...he isn't the same as he was before. None of us are," she paused. "His time away from the pressures of his previous life have made him...softer, somehow."

She heard Harry scoff. She gave a breathy laugh. "Oh God, don't ever tell him I said that."

"Oh, never fear, Mi," he gave her a smile. "I'm quite attached to all of my parts and pieces. I'd hate for him to use any of myself to prove he can still be a right bastard."

Hermione laughed at this. "His is most certainly still a bastard at times. Oh, the rows we can get into! He is still so aggravatingly stubborn and egotistical-as if his is the only correct opinion on any matter. He still gets too absorbed in his work, and can be unflinchingly cold and cruel."

At this she felt Harry tense his hand around her own. "Mi, he's never-"

"Oh, Haz, no." She cut off his worry and affectionately rubbed his shoulder with her head. "Never. The unpleasant moments are fleeting. Reflections of a past life that was so unfairly controlled by forces beyond his own making."

Harry nodded at her. She knew he could understand that. His own temper still flared at times in a manner reflective of his teenage years than who he was now. Some traits imposed on the young could never be outgrown. "But he challenges me. He respects me. He makes me feel seen, and accepted, and desired."

Hermione blushed unexpectedly, and Harry's complexion mirrored her own. She plowed forward.

"Harry, if we could have ever been more than what we are...if we had ever wanted more than what we gave each other all those years ago..." she swallowed thickly. They never spoke of that time of their lives. It had meant nothing and everything. No one had ever been closer to her, knew her as well. Until now. "That is what it is like with Severus. He makes me feel whole in who I am, but I also am incomplete without who he is too. There are things I see with him that I've not pictured in my life before. Does any of that make sense?"

Harry released her hand and chose to wrap his arm around her. "Of course it does, Mi. It's why I have Ginny."

He squeezed her shoulder and she turned to face her best friend. Her brother. Her first. Her...Harry. "I love you, Harry James. Are you okay with this?"

She wasn't sure why she was asking. If someone forced her to choose between having Harry in her life or having Severus, she wasn't sure she would be able to make a decision. Perhaps that is why she asked it of Harry. "I'm okay with it, Hermione Jean."

He bused a quick kiss to her forehead. She exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Thank you, Harry."

"Just one thing," he said.

"What's that?"

"He's going to have to tell me the secret. I have to be able to get to you, and I can't do that if you're living in some unplottable, secret location. Is that going to be a problem?" Harry's face had turned stoney, determined.

"I don't believe it will be be, Mr. Potter."

Hermione's breath caught as she swiveled her head to the open door to find Severus Snape looking down on the pair. She watched the corner of his mouth turn up.

—xx—

Severus had arrived in Hermione's flat to the sound of a sharply irritated witch's voice.

"Don't you shame me, Harry James! I sent the otter letting you know I was alright, that I would be with Severus."

Severus ceased his rapid movement toward the hall. He knew Hermione could handle Harry, and a part of him was curious about how this conversation would go. It was one of the reasons she had delayed in returning to her flat over the last three days. Not that he had minded much, any excuse to keep her in his arms-and bed-we welcome. As Severus stood in the small hall, he listened to the two friends and thought back on the previous days.

They had fallen back asleep after their profound love making, twisted up in each other's arms. When they blearily awoke again, it was to the smell of hot tea and breakfast. It had been dutifully delivered to their bedside by Winky during their required recovery period. Hermione had given him a soft smile before making her way to the bathroom door, pausing only to pick up a few articles of clothing from the floor. He watched her walk about his room as if she had always belonged there. He postulated that she did belong there, that the room-strike, the house-really was hers to command as she would be the only woman that shared it with him. Severus knew his mind was making grander plans than he was entirely comfortable admitting to, but Hermione had seen his wishes and she enthusiastically agreed to wanting them. No, it was alright to acknowledge Hermione as this house's mistress. With that thought, he rose to collect a pair of sleep pants from a dresser drawer and prepare their cups of tea.

When Hermione emerged from the bathroom she was clad in his blue button down from the night before, and her grey panties. He had set up the tea and breakfast tray between the two chairs and was currently occupying one. His breath caught at the sight of her. She appeared truly resplendent after sleep and thorough rounds of shagging. He smiled causing her to respond in kind. He watched her pause to pick up the remaining teacup and bring it to her lips. He knew how she took her tea, but still relished the feeling of pride when her eyes closed in bliss and she licked her lips. She settled herself in the opposing chair, tucked her shapely legs under her and wandlessly summoned the throw blanket from the end of the bed to cover her lap. Words still had not been exchanged by them, but it was all exceedingly domestic, Severus felt, and as he relaxed into his own chair a wave of peace enveloped him.

Eventually conversation did come between the two, and very little was left off the docket of discussion. Throughout their late breakfast they discussed Teddy's potion, and were encouraged by Andromeda's patronus delivering a positive report of Teddy's waning lycanthropy symptoms and no side effects from their concoction. This news prompted new philosophical discussion as to how the placebo potion properties could be combined with the existing Wolfsbane brew to offset true lycanthropic symptoms. They lost themselves to this pursuit of academia for the better half of the day, only realizing the hour when Winky had called to see if they required lunch.

Hermione finally rose from her chair and walked to Severus after they had sent the elf away. "I think I shall need a shower before then. Do you mind if I use yours?"

Having risen from his own chair, he reached out a hand to wrap around her waist and pulled her body against his. "Not at all. Do you mind a bit of company? I find myself in need of refreshment as well."

She stretched on her toes to kiss him in response. Severus wasted no time in deepening their embrace and bodily removing them to the shower stall. It was almost an hour later they re-emerged, hair damp and smiling broadly. They had set about dressing, when Hermione had the realization she had no spare clothes with her. His solution was to pull her back into his bed, ravishing her fully until the need to sleep became to great and the pair napped fitfully.

He woke briefly before her, disentangling himself to call for Winky. The elf arrived with a smirking grin and a small suitcase. The clever elf had taken it upon herself to return to Hermione's flat for clothing and sundry needs. Winky placed the valise at the foot of the bed, disappearing with a pop that awoke Hermione. She was embarrassingly pleased by the elf's forward ness, and coiled herself around Severus enticing him into an enthusiastic snogging session.

And so the days went. They hadn't spent every day in bed. They would wind up on the couch in his office, or the floor of the sitting room, and one time the lab bench in the potions shed. All the while, the two spoke at length of their histories and how they saw the future beginning to take shape.

After a particularly slow and sensual shag over the arm of the office couch, Hermione had brought up the topic of returning to her flat. She never called it "home", a fact he had noticed some weeks prior. "Severus, I don't want to make too many assumptions about what is the right way to do this, but you did ask me to stay with you. And I want to, but I don't wish to live out of a suitcase again."

He arranged her more comfortably against his chest as he leaned into the corner of the comfortable lounger. "There is nothing to assume. I want you here. With me. No suitcases. No second residences you feel obligated to maintain. This will become your home, if you so wish."

"Then tomorrow morning I will need to return to the flat to begin packing. It is my scheduled day off, and I think I will be able to manage moving the contents in a day."

He kissed her temple. "I will come to help you. This is not your task alone."

She twisted in his arms. "I would like that. It's not as if I can ask anyone to help me."

Severus felt the undercurrent of her statement. Yes, they were going to have to discuss his re-introduction to the wizarding world. He couldn't very well expect Hermione to willingly give up all of her connections and life beyond Thistlebook to remain hidden away with him. He had promised her that she would not love a dead man. He found the prospect of this phase of his life to be less nerve wracking than he anticipated. Perhaps it was the knowledge that Hermione would be by his side, he wouldn't be alone to shoulder the slings and arrows of the fickle world they lived in that eased his mind. But he gripped her a little tighter and guided her mouth to his. He hoped the searing kiss he placed there had assuaged any doubts she had felt.

—xx—

Severus full attention was brought back to the conversation currently taking place just beyond the office door between Hermione and Harry. He had heard it all, and while he smirked at being called "soft", he internally conceded that his edges were not as jagged as they once were. Time, healing, and love had dulled them to dull points. He was content with that, but regretted that he would be unable to use Potter for brief target practice. The man was undoubtedly loyal to his witch, and he was becoming more and more grateful that Hermione had always had Harry by her side.

When the opportunity to make his presence known arose, he didn't hesitate to make a dramatic entrance. He watched as Hermione smiled at him, and he fought to keep his mouth in control. A corner of it turned up against his efforts. No matter, Hermione was the only one to know what the action meant, and he distracted himself by taking in the sight of Harry Potter.


A/N: Leave all the comments, they really mean so much. This is my first story, and I am feeling the writer's insecurities with this chapter. It's more plot development and less lovey stuff, but it felt necessary. Plus, I had a bit of a smut hangover after the last two chapters. So much love to all you readers staying with me. Let me know you're out there! -Archer