Two days later Hermione found Severus in his lab brewing a few potion orders. He knew she came in and added the last ingredients before letting the potion simmer for a while. Confident he was at the right stage he cleaned off his hands and went over to Hermione who was sitting on the couch on the far wall with a tea service in front of her. as Severus sat down she handed him a cup and they say back and relaxed.

"So where are you on deciding the apprenticeship?" asked Severus.

"I'm going to do it. I've sent Garrick the signed contract and everything. I'm waiting for a reply from him." Severus nodded his head and smiled. He was proud of her. Severus put down his cup after draining it and sat back and pulled Hermione closer to him for a searing kiss. Hermione quickly placed her cup on the table and climbed on to Severus' lap. Severus held her and buried his face ni his hair.

"I'm proud of you." He said as he held her. Hermione felt her heart beat race and tears at the corner of her eyes. If there was anyone's thoughts she cared about it would be Severus' and he just admitted that he was proud of her. With a nuzzle to his shoulder they laid out on the couch and took a nap.

Monday morning found Hermione standing in front of Olivander's shop. Though he told her to be there at eight in the morning, she new that he would take a little longer to open the door. he didn't move as quickly as he used to. He opened the door and let her in.

"Good morning Hermione." He said as she passed him.

"Good morning Garrick." He closed the door and with a wave of his hand he beckoned her to the back of the store. They entered a room that was so neatly organized. There were drawers with cores on one wall of the room and on the other was a wall of wand woods all organized by wood type and rigidity.

"this is where we will be working. I know that you've been reading up on wand lore so we can skip that bit of the apprenticeship and go right into the hands on stuff. The first thing I'm going to want you to do is go through all the drawers and cubby holes and remember what is what." He said as he looked around the room. "You can tidy up as well if you feel the need. I'm going to be in the front dolling out wands."

"Okay." Was all she could say. Hermione was overwhelmed but in a good way. Olivander left her to it and returned to the front. Hermione systematically went through the cores first. Some of the drawers were empty and she noted which needed to be refilled and which were dangerously low. But she went through anyway and was amazed at all the possible combinations of cores. She was amazed when she found Gorgon scales amongst the items. That was a hard item to come by and very expensive. Severus would be jealous of a lot of these cores as a lot of them were used in potion making as well. This took her four hours of starting from the top on a ladder than working her way down. When she reached the bottom Olivander came in.

"Would you like to go out for lunch or should I order in?" he asked as he looked at his apprentice on the floor. Judging by her reluctance to leave he decided to order in. Twenty minutes later their lunch came and they sat and ate.

"You should introduce Severus to your supplier is for these cores. A lot of them are useful in potions as well." She commented.

"I'll do that." He responded as he looked at his apprentice. She'd grown since that day he gave her her second wand. She was healthier now and more confident. Of course he knew of the circumstances of why she was with Severus Snape. And to his surprise after their second meeting he had seen a change for the better in the two of them. He could see a relationship between the two and it's was that relationship that caused her second wand to not work as well as it should have. Her magical growth had increased exponentially and thus her current wand, Thestral and unicorn core, blue sakura wood, soft was her new wand. Now that she was to be his apprentice he wondered if she would need to create another wand for herself down the line.

After lunch Hermione returned to the back and this time tackled the wall of wood. The cubbies reached all the way to the ceiling and each was properly labeled and sorted according to the rigidity. She sat on the top of the ladder and was amazed by the different woods. They came from all over the world and a lot of them she had never heard of. It took her the better part of five hours to memorize placement.

At five in the evening Olivander had closed shop and sent Hermione home for the day. She arrived home tired and happy. Severus was sitting in his wingback chair by the fire waiting for her while he read. He put down his book and stood as she walked over to him and kissed her.

"How was it?' he asked as he sat and pulled her onto his lap.

"It went great actually. The back of his shop is more organized than you would think." She explained. "Also, I asked him to introduce you to his supplier. He has a lot of things there that I think would be beneficial to potion making."

"Oh?" Severus responded with a raised eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

"Severus, he had Gorgon scales." Severus froze that was probably the most expensive thing he could have and they were so hard to get as Gorgons themselves were rare. "So I guess expect and owl to send you a message in the next few days."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Two Years Later

Hermione stood in front of the mirror fixing her robes. She wore a long deep blue dress that was open at the neck with the collar folded down. She wore her boots and a long black robe over everything. Around her waist was a gold belt that had a gold laurel leaf on its ends. She put her hair up and out the way and proceeded down to the front door with Severus.

"Ready?" he asked as she stood next to him.

"Yes." Severus smiled and they walked outside and Hermione wrapped her arms around her lover and he did the same. They disappeared and appeared again at the apparition point not too far from Olivander's shop. They walked in and were met by the press who, due to Severus' glares, suppressed themselves. Severus found a seat and Hermione walked to the front with Olivander.

"Ready for this?" whispered Olivander, as he took her hand.

"As I'll ever be. Yes I'm ready." She answered with a smile. Olivander turned to the crowd gathered and put his wand to his throat.

"Today is the day that I Garrick Olivander retire. Taking my place is Ms. Hermione Granger, my former apprentice." With that a magic wind went through the shop and a new ownership was recognized. The press took pictures. This was an event indeed. For the first time in God knew how long a wand maker had had a successful apprentice that wasn't related to them to take over the business.

After pictures were taken and interviews given the press left. In the room was Harry and Ginny, Severus, Hermione, and Garrick Olivander. Hermione was still holding Garrick's hand.

"Must be nice to finally retire old man." Said Severus.

"It really is. And I can leave the shop in good hands." He commented. Hermione had completed her apprenticeship in a year and a half and continued to work with Olivander in his shop. Six months after completing her apprenticeship Olivander was confident that she would be the best person to carry on his business. And so here they were having their own little retirement party with firewhiskey, elven wine, and some food to soak up all that alcohol.

"Its time I take my leave." Said Olivander as he stood. "It was a pleasure working with you Hermione and I hope to see you successful." Hermione stood and gave him a hug. "I wouldn't be here if you and Mr. Potter hadn't saved my life before the battle. Thank you." Both had blushed at the thank you. Olivander hobbled out of the shop for the last time and disapparated home. Harry and Ginny left a few minutes later to return to their children and so Hermione and Severus were left in the shop.

"I know I keep assaying this but Hermione I am proud of you." Whispered Severus as he pulled her into his arms.

"Thank you Severus." she said as she pulled him even closer for a kiss. When they pulled away to breath Severus smiled and dropped down to one knee.

"I figure right now is a good time for this." He said as he pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket. Hermione stood their stunned. "Hermione Jean Granger would you do the honors of being my wife?" He kneeled there with the box open and looking longingly into her eyes. Hermione couldn't speak and instead nodded her head yes while happy tears fell. Severus took the ring and placed it on her finger before standing and sweeping her up into his arms.

Five Years Later

Hermione closed up shop and looked around for a moment to make sure there wasn't anything else she needed to do. As she looked around she took in the changes she had made. Apparently in the time that Garrick had been in the shop he didn't clean because he was horrible at house hold charms and he refused to have a house elf in his shop as he didn't want their magic interfering with the wands or the of the raw cores and wood.

So after becoming owner of Olivander's shop she set to cleaning it. The windows were now clear, the floorboards fixed, the shelves were straightened and the wands that were ready to be sold were placed in appropriate cubbies instead of haphazardly stacked on top of each other. the room was brighter and cleaner now. She kept the sign on the front of the shop and gave it a fresh coat of paint.

Sadly Garrick had passed in his sleep two years after retiring. His funeral was attended by most of wizarding Britain as almost all those who had lived in the whole of Great Britain had gotten their wands from him. He was interred in a mausoleum. Sitting on the top was a bronze likeness of him with wands in his hands.

Three months after Severus' proposal Severus and Hermione married on Hogwarts grounds. It was a small affair. The guests were only immediate friends as neither had family to attend. Harry and Ginny, Luna and Neville, the professors of Hogwarts and some of those of the Order who survived and Draco Malfoy came to the wedding. They had chosen a full wizarding ceremony and their rings were covered in runes. Once they had pronounced man and wife an aura of magic surrounded them and then faded as was customary of magic weddings.

Three years after becoming an official wand maker Hermione got pregnant with her and Severus first child. A little girl they named Ella Marie Snape.

Once Hermione was satisfied that everything was clean and in its place she apparated home and was ruched by her two year old as Severus followed behind. He leaned forward and kissed his wife on the lips once she held Ella in her arms.

"How's my baby girl doing?" she asked Ella as she kissed the toddler on the cheek eliciting a squeal.

"She's behaved well today. She stayed on the couch today with her toys and watched me brew quietly.

"Really?" She asked surprised. Severus nodded yes and wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her towards the kitchen. The small family sat and had dinner. "I have some news Severus."

"Oh?" he asked as he put down his fork and paid her his full attention.

"I went to St. Mungos to deliver a new wand to a patient and was accosted by Healer Lloyd. She took me aside to run a few diagnostics on me because I haven't been a while for a check up. nothing is wrong but I'll be eating for two for a while." She said mater of factly. Severus stared at her dumbfounded for a moment before leaning forward and once again kissing his beautiful wife.

"How far along are you?"

"A month and a week."

"We're going to have two trouble making geniuses running around the house." commented Severus with a smirk. Severus pulled his wife into his alp and kissed her soundly but were interrupted by a giggling Ella who was currently levitating the rolls out of the basket on the table. Trouble making geniuses indeed.

Fin