Dean Erastus held out his hand. "Congratulations, Miss Granger."

"Thank you, sir. I've really enjoyed my time here." Hermione smiled brilliantly as she shook the older wizard's hand. "It's been a privilege to study with you."

"Ah, my dear, the pleasure is mine, I assure you." He winked. "It's not too often that an old geezer like myself has a beautiful and brilliant young woman such as you grace his presence."

Her smile turned grateful. "I'd just like to thank you for giving me this opportunity. Thanks to your help, I'll be getting back home a lot sooner."

"Ah, well. What else could I do for my favorite student and her fiancée? Now you will keep in touch, my dear?"

Amazed that the powerful wizard was interested in continuing their association, Hermione nodded mutely.

"Good, then. Well, my dear, I suspect you have a very important place to be. Your Portkey activates in an hour, does it not?"

"Uh… yes, sir. Headmaster Dumbledore arranged for it to take me back to Hogwart's after you gave me my diploma."

He gazed sternly at her over his moon-rimmed spectacles. "This does not, I hope, mean you will be missing your own graduation ceremony."

"Oh no, sir! I'll be back. I just want to let Severus know I'm graduating early and discuss our future plans before I give you my answer."

"Good, good. Then I will see you in a week."

She gave him a quick hug. "I'll be here, Dean Erastus."

When Severus left to return to Hogwart's, Hermione had another two and a half years left to her schooling. After only a few weeks without his presence, she realized that her desire to finish school was in direct conflict with her need for Severus. They had been separated for far too long, and she no longer wanted to be without him.

A long and surprisingly insightful discussion with the dean of Salem University yielded the very positive result of her being placed in an accelerated program under Erastus himself. It was rare, he said, for students to perform as well as she, but sometimes it happened and as the dean, he had the authority to advance the student's schedule. Under his tutelage, Hermione would be immersed in an intensive study program designed to end her schooling more than a year early.

The desire to surprise Severus led her to mislead him with the half-truth that she was working under the dean's direct supervision, and she prayed he would forgive her the deception when she showed up a year earlier than expected. She thought she owed him, however, for fooling her with his visit a month previous.

Despite the acceleration in her education, Hermione still managed to graduate at the top of her class, but her post-graduate plans were still up for speculation. She was quite reclusive during her final year of study, and her boyfriend was conspicuously absent. No once could forget the tall, mysterious man who obviously meant so much to her, but whether or not they planned to be together after she finished university, no one knew. Selene snidely observed that her former roommate must have driven the deliciously dark man away with her studiousness, while others speculated that she was hurrying her education so she could get back to him. There were few who failed to recall the enthusiastic greeting she had given the man, resulting in a complete revision of the students' view of Miss Hermione Know-it-all.

Hermione found it amusing that that one incident was enough to change her image of the "plain, boring bookworm" into something worthy of young, university men's attentions. Who did not remember the shock of seeing the "school spinster" (Selene's words) leap into her boyfriend's arms, who was an older man, no less, and wrap herself around him in a wanton way that male students still fantasized about?

With Severus gone, Selene returned to their room for a short time, before happily moving out to stay with another schoolmate. Hermione was left alone by her request, justified by her enormous class load and her assertion that anyone staying with her needed to function in a specific manner as to not disturb her studies. Needless to say, no one wanted to hack off a veteran of the war against Voldemort, so she remained blessedly alone, which helped in her near-daily Floo communications with Severus.

Those short moments of time they shared were the only things the dark wizard swore kept him sane while she was away. With Dumbledore sparking about the castle like a Weasley's Wizarding Wizzbang, smug that he finally got his dour Potions master to thaw his heart, and Minerva McGonagall constantly badgering him to tell her everything about his and Hermione's relationship, it was a miracle he did not hex them both into the Dark Ages.

As the time passed, Severus began to seriously consider what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, aside from being married to Hermione, and some of the answers surprised him. He found himself imagining their children without fear for the first time in his memory. When he pictured the lives of him and his future wife, it was not at Hogwart's as he always thought it would be. His mind's eye found him happily ensconced in his own Potions business, living at home with their children (plural!), while Hermione taught at a nearby university or worked as a researcher for someone deserving of her talents.

Which pretty much left out the Ministry.

In the years Hermione had been gone, the British Ministry of Magic changed very little, which meant they were as insular and political as ever. Harry Potter was offered a job as an auror before he got his final grades, while Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were ignored for their contribution to the defeat of Voldemort. Truth be told, Hermione was perfectly happy to leave the fame for others, but Ron Weasley had been hoping for a bit of the spotlight and felt very cheated. The immediate consequence of the Ministry's actions was a long and rather embittered argument between the friends resulting in a four-year war of silent hostility.

Harry Potter married his Hogwart's girlfriend, Alicia Henderson, over a year later in a small ceremony attended only by Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Remus and Nymphadora Lupin, Ginny Weasley, Draco Malfoy, and Luna Lovegood. Hermione was invited, unfortunately unable make it due to her educational obligations, but she sent a beautiful gift and a promise to visit the next time she was in England.

Harry turned down the position at the Ministry, further angering his former friend Ron, and chose instead to become an author, penning several books on Defense Against the Dark Arts and the psychology behind Dark wizardry. He consulted with several people, including Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy, for information, and the published works were quickly chosen as part of the curriculum for fifth-year students at Hogwart's.

Severus had been very surprised when Harry Potter showed up at Hogwart's to interview him about his time as a Death Eater. He was tempted to turn the boy away, but he was Hermione's best friend and he owed it to her to hear him out. What he heard surprised him. Harry possessed unusual insight into the workings of the dark side of magic, a by-product, no doubt of his time linked to the greatest Dark Wizard in the past four centuries. The young man showed him his proposed outline, leading Severus to understand for the first time in his life that Harry Potter craved the same approval he had as a youth. He gained a certain respect for the young wizard, and finally put to rest the ghosts of his father's treatment of him so long ago.

It was these maudlin thoughts of the past and his uncertain future that brought Severus Snape out of his dungeons and atop the Astronomy Tower, where he lost himself in his own mind. He did not, as a consequence, hear the door creak open, nor did he hear the soft footsteps of Albus Dumbledore moving toward him. His wand was out faster than conscious thought, however, when the elder wizard cleared his throat for the morose man's attention.

"Good afternoon, Severus. In a fine mood, I see." Ignoring the black shaft mere inches from his face, the headmaster shuffled past his young friend to gaze out one of the windows. "Thinking, were we?"

Severus sighed, knowing this was one discussion he was not going to escape. "What did you wish to speak of, Albus? I highly doubt you are here to inquire about how I am occupying my time."

"Ah, Severus, my boy, surely you can't be saying that I am not permitted to come visit with an old friend?"

The glowering wizard snorted. "Not bloody likely."

Albus sighed, regarding the man he thought of as a son. "Very well then, Severus. I was checking up on you. The Bloody Baron said you were 'moping about as if someone set fire to your favorite Potions book', and I thought I would investigate." Wise blue eyes met his. "So how are you doing, Severus?"

Normally, his response would have been something sarcastic and rude, but today he was feeling lost, uncertain as to which direction he needed to go. He gazed back at his mentor. "I don't know, Albus. I… I feel… I feel as if I am balanced upon a precipice and I am not sure if I should jump or start casting levitation spells."

"Still trying to figure out what to do about Miss Granger?"

Severus smiled slightly. "I know what to do about Hermione, Albus. I'm going to marry her, whether she changed her mind or not. I just don't know what I'm going to do afterwards."

"Return to Hogwart's?" suggested the headmaster.

He shook his head. "I'm not sure I want to."

Albus looked surprised at that.

"Hermione has said nothing, but I know she has been offered several very lucrative positions around the world, only one of which is here." Snape turned away to gaze into the distance. "She is so young and deserves so much more than to be tied to an old Death Eater who happens to be a Potions professor at the school she once attended. The Ministry could never appreciate her talents, and she would waste away trying to prove herself for a group of people who judge her for her heritage."

"The Ministry could perhaps use someone like her to shake it up a bit."

Snape whirled to face his mentor. "Albus, I don't want her to take a dead-end job with the buggering Ministry of Magic just so she can be near me! I do not like teaching at Hogwart's enough to sacrifice the future and happiness of my wife!"

The old wizard seemed taken aback. "I was unaware you felt this way, Severus."

"There's a first time for everything," muttered Severus.

"What?"

"It's not you or the school, Albus. It's what it represents. What it reminds me of. What it will always be like for me."

Albus' raised his eyebrows in inquiry.

"I grew up here. This is where I learned the ways of darkness, thanks to Lucius and his friends, all while enjoying the so-called 'pranks' of the Mauraders."

"You fell in love here…"

"And learned what true rejection felt like when she chose another over me!" Severus turned away. "Perhaps things might have turned out differently if I had someone like Hermione back then, but it is very possible I was far too consumed with darkness to even know what love was." He started at the warm hand of the headmaster on his shoulder.

"Things happened they way they did, Severus, because they needed to. Without that rejection, you would never have joined Voldemort, and would not have turned against him to spy for the Order. We would have lost without you, Severus. You should know that."

"And that is precisely why I feel I must leave." He turned, his obsidian eyes meeting the saddened blue of the headmaster. "I need to go somewhere that is not tainted by the mistakes of my past. I need to build a life with Hermione that does not include a rehashing of the past whenever the Prophet is having a slow news day. I want Hermione to be provided with the best life possible, but I am not sure I can do that while here being subjected to seven years of dunderheaded students with no true desire to learn."

"You should teach at a university, Severus."

The dark wizard smirked. "It's a thought."

Albus sighed. "I feel as if I have wronged you, my boy, by keeping you here all these years."

Snape shook his head. "No, do not feel that way. I needed to be here until I was ready to leave, and I appreciate your tolerance."

"There was no tolerance, Severus. It has been a privilege having you behind these walls. I do hope you will come to visit."

The look in the younger wizard's eyes was unusually vulnerable. "We'll see, Albus. First I have to find out what Hermione wishes to do with her life."

Had Severus been watching, he would have noticed the headmaster's slight smirk. "Then I will leave you to your thoughts, Severus. But remember one thing." Snape arched an eyebrow. "Never go to bed angry, and never jump to conclusions." In a flash of flamboyant blue robes, he was gone, leaving Severus to wonder what on earth the dotty wizard was talking about.

Hermione arrived in the headmaster's office moments after he returned from his chat with Severus. He greeted her with a broad smile and a lemon drop, letting her know that the young wizard was up in the Astronomy Tower, thinking. An excited wave was all Albus saw as his friend's fiancée swiftly left his office.

"Well, Fawkes, let us hope Severus does not take Miss Granger's deception badly."

The phoenix chirped hopefully, joining his master in his optimistic wish for the Potions master.

Severus was still pacing, muttering to himself when Hermione arrived in the tower. He was more alert, this time, and his wand was out and pressed against her throat mere moments after she opened the door.

"Hermione?" He regarded her incredulously.

"Hello, Severus."

"What are you… I thought you…"

She smiled, gently moving his wand hand aside so she could kiss him. "I couldn't wait."

Without thinking, he responded to her kiss, unconsciously stowing his wand so he could pull her into his arms. The two lost themselves in their passion for a short while, before the curious voice in Severus' head could wait no longer.

He pulled away slightly to meet her glazed eyes. "You… you didn't drop out, did you?"

The silvery bells of her laughter echoed through the tower. "Of course not!" She touched his face. "I just… I missed you so much. Dean Erastus let me study with him so I could finish early."

It took a moment for her words to sink in, but once it did he gifted her with an extremely rare smile. "You little minx! You told me he let you study with him. Not that you were going to graduate early." He shook his head. "That was very Slytherin of you, my dear. I suspect that you've fallen in with bad company."

The sexy smirk she gave him went right to his loins. "Perhaps, but what's life without a little… badness?" she purred.

Oh. Dear. God. Severus smirked. "Boring, perhaps," he whispered, the soft, velvety tones that caressed her like a lover. "And we all know Gryffindor's thrive on… adventure."

Forever after Severus was unable to figure out how his diminutive fiancée managed to leverage him to the ground while casting a spell that turned the stone to a down-soft mattress, but it ceased to matter once her lips found her favorite spot on his neck. With a growl he began to return the favor, oblivious to the smiling old wizard who closed and locked the door, happy for his friend at last.

Everything was going to be fine.