A/N: Again, I've gone back and fixed this one, so it isn't really short anymore:) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything; I'm just playing on J.K. Rowling's playground!

The first month-and-a-half of the year had gone by without a hitch. Hermione's classes were excellent, and most of the work she'd graded thus far had been considerably better than the previous year's.

It was now mid-October, and Hermione hadn't had a panic attack for nearly a month. She was doing better than she ever had been. As she marked her first years' essays, her thoughts wandered to her birthday the a few weeks ago.

It was a Saturday, so she'd had a lie-in. Hermione hadn't had one in far too long, and it felt wonderful. She hadn't gotten out of bed until nearly noon, and when she entered the sitting room, she found a small package with a rolled up parchment next to it.

Hermione unrolled it slowly, knowing who it was from before she looked at the familiar spiky script.

Hermione,

It has come to my attention that today is your birthday. Enjoy, and have a good day. I'll see you around six; I've gone to Hogsmeade for the day. Happy birthday, Hermione.

Severus

She'd had to read his name about six times before it registered. He wanted her to start calling him by his first name. Hermione knew that this represented his trust and respect for her, and her heart swelled at the thought.

Then she remembered the package and picked it up gently. It was wrapped delicately in sapphire-blue paper that sparkled when it hit the light in just the right way. She considered keeping it wrapped just so she could keep looking at it, but her curiosity got the best of her. Again.

Hermione tore the paper away and found a box. It was intricate and ornate and absolutely beautiful. It was made of stained glass, and the plate tracery was delicate. The glass formed flowers of all sorts around the box in a variety of colors that changed constantly. It appeared to be shimmering, and she could only sit and stare at it before she thought to open it.

Inside the box was another piece of parchment, and it was much smaller than the first. She took it from the box and read it. There was an address she wasn't familiar with and a time.

She couldn't help but grin like an idiot for the rest of the day, but it was allowed since it was her birthday.

When it was a quarter to six, Hermione grabbed the parchment and apparated to the address he'd left her.

It was a park, and she was standing at the front gates. The playground was in poor shape, but the woodsy area surrounding it was beautiful. The trees were tall, and they were spread so that their branches created a canopy overhead, and Hermione could hear water moving somewhere in the distance. As she walked farther into the trees, she came across floating candles. They formed a circle around a small patch of grass, and there was a blanket awaiting her with a basket. She approached it quietly with a smile on her face. The whole thing was absolutely beautiful, but then she realized she was alone. She checked her watch; it was only five till.

Hermione sat on the blanket and noticed that, next to the basket, were a few books and a lone iris. She'd always thought they were beautiful; she loved the sharp contrast of the colors, which made her think of Emmie. Picking up one of the books, she laughed out loud when she saw that it was Hogwarts: A History. She flipped through it affectionately; this had been a big part of her introduction to the Wizarding world, and she'd come to love the book dearly.

"Hello, Hermione."

Her head snapped up and she smiled at Profess- Severus. That would take some getting used to.

"Hello, Severus. This is lovely; thank you so much!"

"I'm glad you like it. This is the park where I spent much of my childhood. I remember spending many afternoons in this very spot."

Hermione certainly hadn't been expecting that, but she didn't say anything about it. She didn't want him to shut down because she couldn't control herself; she knew this was probably hard for him.

"It is a beautiful park. I understand why you came here so often. It's the perfect place to curl up with a book," she said, indicating the well-loved tome on her lap. He smirked at her before joining her on the blanket.

They enjoyed a dinner of cheese and crackers, fruit, and small sandwiches from the kitchens. The conversation flowed as easily as it ever did between the two of them, and soon they had finished eating. Severus told her a bit about his childhood. She knew it hadn't been good, but he'd never really opened up to her.

"I grew up not too far from here, in a small, impoverished neighborhood. It was bad enough before the mill shut down, but after that, it went to absolute shit. My father had always been resentful of our magic, and he would often take it out on us by means of a thorough beating. Before I started at Hogwarts, my mother would heal me after Father had gone to bed, but that all changed after I got my letter. The beatings became more severe and occurred more often. Mother really gave up then, and she sank deeper into her depression each year; she had to put up with her husband all alone for nine months. When I returned for the summer, my father's anger was redirected to me. Those three months that spent at home were awful, but they were only as bad as my nine months at Hogwarts. The Marauders were as brutal as Father, even if it was in a different way. You see, my father would lose himself in his drink- much like yours- and that fueled his anger. The Marauders didn't need that, or any substitute. Their immediate hatred of me was enough for them.

"To be fair, Black was far worse than the others. Potter- arrogant arsehole he may have been- saved my life once; Lupin's condition wasn't technically his fault, but I do still hate werewolves; Pettigrew wasn't even really part of the group. I think they used him, and he was so desperate that he went along with it without complaint.

"Did you ever know why, exactly, I hated Black so much?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Well, you know that while Lupin was a student, Albus would send him to the Shrieking Shack for his transformations. I had seen him and the others leaving the castle and crossing the grounds once a month for the entire school year, and knew that they were hiding something. Let's just say that I was determined to learn what their secret was, and Black found me on a day of the full moon. He told me that if I wanted to know what they were hiding, all I had to do was get past the Whomping Willow by pressing the knot. That night, I crossed the grounds, ready to catch them in whatever they could possibly be doing, when Potter intercepted me. He was eventually able to stop me from going through with it, but only after I discovered Lupin's lycanthropy.

"By the time I made it back to the castle, I was more than a little shaken, and somehow ended up in the infirmary. The Headmaster came to visit me in the morning, and he made me promise not to say anything, or he would erase the event from my memory.

"So, Black got off with a single detention, the rest of the Marauders went free, and I was given a month of detentions with Filch, as well as a nice mental scarring. Needless to say, my hatred for the Marauders grew, and I was immersing myself further into the Dark Arts. I think you know enough to piece together the rest of the story."

Hermione placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed before pulling away, turning her head to hide her blush.

After he finished speaking, they packed up and left the park. Severus offered Hermione his arm as he escorted her through the streets of his childhood town. Cokeworth, while small, was like an older version of Hermione's home.

They had been talking freely as they walked, but Severus led them around a corner and slowed. Their conversation all but ended as he led her to his old home. He'd given up ownership of it long ago, but he could still show her where he'd grown up. As hard as it was for him, Severus knew that he wanted to open up to her as she had to him.

It wasn't much to look at. The house was small and still in shambles, even now that it was in new hands. The yard was unkempt and the paint was peeling off, but it was easily the nicest home on the street. Once the mill had closed, the neighborhood had just fallen apart.

He didn't look at Hermione's face as she took in his childhood home. Severus was afraid that he'd see pity on her face, and he hated being pitied. She was quiet, though, and this worried Severus. Risking a look at her, he saw that she had turned to face him. There was nothing but understanding in her eyes. She knew that this was difficult, and she wasn't taking this lightly.

At the same time, she felt even more connected to him. Here they were, two damaged souls, standing in front of a place of pain and hardship for Severus. Hermione hated that he'd been abused as a child; she knew better than anybody else that it just shouldn't happen.

They didn't stay long. When they Apparated back to Hogwarts and went back to their rooms, Hermione released Severus' arm and looked up at him. She smiled and hugged him softly.

"Thank you, Severus. This has been the best birthday I've ever had."

It wasn't surprising to feel him stiffen in her embrace, but she soon felt a tentative pair of arms wrap around her.

"It was my pleasure, Hermione. It is late; you should go to bed. Sleep well."

"You too, Severus."

Hermione finished marking the last of the essays that needed to be returned tomorrow and retired to their sitting room. Severus wasn't back yet; he'd had a meeting with Dumbledore. She made tea and stretched out on the couch, picking up the first book her hands found. It was Hogwarts: A History.

She sat and read the book for what must have been the hundredth time. She was just finishing the section describing Hogwarts' elemental magic when Severus walked in. He looked tired. Hermione summoned the kettle and poured him a mug, fixing it how he liked before handing it over to him. She moved so she was no longer taking up the entire couch in an invitation for him to join her, which he did gratefully. Severus took the mug from her, smirking when he saw what she was reading. Hermione rolled her eyes at him as she grabbed his book from the table and tossed it at him, hitting the arm that wasn't holding his tea.

He shot her a glare, but she could tell that there was no malice behind it, so she grinned at him. This made his glare darken slightly before it was replaced by a small smile of his own.

They sat side-by-side and got lost in the words on the pages before them, ignoring the clock until Hermione's eyes began drooping. Severus somehow noticed this and sent her of to bed, retiring to his own room. She complied without a fight, so tired that she just threw herself into bed and fell asleep before remembering to silence her room.

They were in the Shrieking Shack. It was the night of the Final Battle, and she, Harry, and Ron were hiding and watching Voldemort confront Severus. As he went on, Hermione connected the dots and she gasped loudly. The Dark Lord stopped talking abruptly, and she knew she'd given them away. Hermione was able to Disillusion her friends and got them to run, telling them she'd be right behind them. Ron had to get Harry to safety. She was expendable. And, most of all, she didn't want Severus to die.

Voldemort rounded the corner quickly, obviously hoping to catch her off guard. She'd been waiting for him, though, wand at the ready. He cast a nonverbal Expelliarmus, and her wand flew from her hand to his. He was smiling madly at her, and she was suddenly terrified as all of her Gryffindor courage left her.

"Well, it's the Mudblood! What a lovely surprise!"

Hermione winced at the sound of his voice; the rasp was unnatural and reptilian, just like him. Voldemort looked at her for a long moment, and then she could practically see the light bulb turn on. Whatever it was he was planning, Hermione hoped it'd be over soon.

He trained his wand on her and murmured, "Imperio."

Caught unaware, he forced his way into her mind. She tried to put her shields up, but he was too strong; he just tore them down time and time again. In her head, he rasped, "I want you to kill Severus, little Mudblood." The small part of her mind that was still her was fighting as hard as it could, but it was no use. Voldemort was pressing her wand into her hand ad she was walking towards her professor.

"Hermione?"

She raised her wand and, with no inflection in her quiet voice, cast the Killing Curse, ending Severus' life. As soon as it was done, she was released. Hermione looked at what she'd done in horror. She knelt down beside him and ran her fingers through his hair as she sobbed for him. The guilt was overwhelming, and she stood to face Voldemort, but he was gone. It was just her and the dead professor.

Severus woke with a start to agonized screaming that night. He sat up in bed, trying to figure out what it was when he realized it was Hermione. Running to the door that connected their private rooms, he threw it open and ran into the room.

She was thrashing around in her bed, and she was drenched in sweat. He pulled the covers off of her and knelt beside the bed, trying to avoid being hit in the face. Pinning her arms down with one hand and running his fingers through her hair with the other, he tried to wake her.

"Hermione, wake up. It's just a dream; you're safe. It's alright, it's okay."

It was a good five minutes of his murmuring that eventually brought her out of her nightmare. Her eyes fluttered open and Severus released her arms, but kept running his fingers through her dark curls. She turned her head to look at him and burst into tears. Severus could only pull her into his arms and hold her as she cried.

After a while, she pulled away, but not enough to separate them. "You're alright!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck.

He was taken aback, but held her once more. "Hermione, why wouldn't I be? Was it your nightmare?"

Severus felt the witch nod against his chest, and she explained what she'd dreamed of. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. Why was she so distressed? They were friends, but surely this was an overreaction. Nobody had cared this much about the prospect of his likely death.

"I don't understand. Why are you so upset, Hermione?"

This time she pulled away completely, sitting up. She stared at him, and he could see emotions warring on her face. Hermione took a few deep breaths before she spoke.

"Severus, how could I not be? You have done so much for me, and I'll never be able to thank you enough. Never before have I been able to say that I feel completely safe, but, with you, I do. I trust you whole-heartedly. I respect you far more than you'd ever believe. You, Severus Snape, are a wonderful man, and you deserve the second chance the war's end has given you.

"I really don't know where I'd be without you. Life hasn't been kind to either of us, but maybe things are changing. I have you. You certainly have me- you know that, don't you? But it's more than that.

"This has taken me a long time to come to terms with, but I promise you that it was by no means unwelcome. I'm absolutely terrified, but I trust you. Severus, I'm in love with you."

He could only sit there, shell-shocked, as what she said sank in. She loved him. She loved him!

She was looking down at the sheets, clearly afraid of his response. Severus gently cupped her face in his hands as he looked into her deep brown eyes. He searched for a sign that it wasn't true, but there was none. She meant it. He pulled her towards him and touched his lips lightly to hers.

It was a soft and gentle kiss, and it ended far too soon for Severus, but he pulled away slowly, wiping tears from her face with his thumbs.

"Hermione, you have become very important to me in these past months. When I found you that day in the corridor, I never would have expected this. I took you on as my apprentice with hopes that you would become the next great Potions Mistress, and I'm sure that you will, but as I came to know you, things changed. You are intelligent, strong, and beautiful. You are kind, brave, and loyal. I have grown to enjoy spending time with you, seeing that lovely smile, hearing that musical laugh. You, Hermione, are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you, as well."

Severus hadn't meant to say all that, but once he'd started he was unable to stop. Seeing the happiness and love on her face was definitely worth it, though, and he soon found himself with his arms full of a crying witch, who was kissing him with enough force to knock him nearly breathless. Her tears fell from her cheeks onto his, and all he could do was hold her closer and kiss her with equal fervor.

They were unaware of how much time had passed, but it didn't matter. Severus rose after they'd broken apart, not wanting to leave but needing to go back to bed. He kissed the top of her head before turning back to go back to his room.

"Goodnight, Hermione. I will see you later this morning."

His hand had just touched the knob when she called out to him.

"Severus, will you stay?"

He turned and faced her. Severus was hesitant, but he gave in and climbed into bed with her. She snuggled into his chest, her ear just over his heart, and he wrapped a long arm around her. They drifted off into a peaceful sleep, kept safe by their embrace.

A/N II: Well... It finally happened! I was so happy to start writing this part; I'm super excited that they finally saw sense and got together:) Oh, and if you guys wouldn't mind, I've recently started posting my second story, Natural Disaster, and I would love it if y'all would check it out! Thanks in advance!

Anyway, all feedback is appreciated, and I'll see you guys next week!