The usual disclaimer applies. I own nothing and make nothing, and if you recognise it, it is because it belongs to J K Rowling.

This is it...the last chapter before the epilogue. Hopefully this will answer a few of the remaining questions from the story, and everything else will be covered in the epilogue. Thank you for reading, reviewing, and following this story. It means more to me than you know.

Chapter 14

Hermione took a deep breath, inhaling the spring scents that surrounded her in the courtyard. The grass had just started to return to a nice green color; the mosses and lichens on the prison walls growing once again as well. She was enjoying the aromatic fragrance that now permeated her senses with each large inhalation. She closed her eyes, and leaned back against the wall, listening to the faint sound of gulls that had braved the North Sea to stop at Azkaban.

The past few weeks had passed quickly, and Hermione wavered between excitement over being released and dread that Severus would still be remaining. She had cherished every moment of their visits, which still included the occasional book discussion, but lately had included as many moments of intimacy as the guards would allow. Chaste kisses were rarely noticed, but the guards almost always gave disproving glances over deep kisses and soft caresses.

She was gently touching her lips, thinking about the last kiss Severus had given her when she heard his footsteps coming towards her. She swallowed deeply, trying to hold back the tears, as she realised that this would be the last time she saw him before she left Azkaban.

Severus sat down beside her, and gently grasped her hand and started to rub circles on her arm.

"It's almost time." He smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her on the forehead.

"I know." Hermione sighed slightly and turned towards him, offering a hesitant smile. "I'm going to miss you so much, Severus."

"We've talked about this." He grasped one of her short curls, and twirled it between his fingers. "We will see each other just as often when you are released as we do now."

"But it won't be the same."

"It will be better. I will be happy knowing that you are starting a new life, Hermione." He repositioned his body so that he was facing her. "Have you given any thought to what I asked you last week. I did not mean to upset you, but it is something you needed to think about."

My parents, she thought sadly. Yes, she had given plenty of thought to whether she would contact her parents once she was released. She wavered back and forth with the decision until she had met with Harry. That discussion had been more than insightful, and it hurt her more deeply than even her conviction.

"I'm not going to contact them. They no longer want to be involved in my life, and they have made that abundantly clear." Her voice had lost all trace of emotion as she turned away from him.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Positive." She steel in her voice started to waver as she spoke once again. "Did you know that Harry contacted them after my attack? When I was en route to St. Mungo's, before anyone knew whether I would live? Harry spoke to them personally, and told them they would be allowed to see me, and they refused. Harry told me that they had made peace with the decision to prosecute me, and that they had decided once I was sent here...," she choked on the words and had to pause, "...that I was no longer their daughter. They said that I had made the decision for them when I tampered with their memories."

"Hermione, I'm so sorry." He pulled her closer and ran his fingers gently up and down her arms.

She wiped the tears from her eyes, and tried to smile at him. "Can we talk about something else, please? I don't want to be sad when I have to say goodbye."

"Of course." He replied quickly, shifting slightly closer to her before speaking once again. "What are your immediate plans once you leave with Mr. Potter."

"Harry, you can call him Harry." Her lips curled up almost into a smile. "He is taking me to Grimmauld Place for a shower, and to change clothes. Ginny bought me some clothes so I don't have to go anywhere looking like this." She tugged on the threadbare robes and looked down at them with disdain.

They continued to talk about her plans until a faint noise distracted her.

Hermione looked towards the gate and gasped, letting out a small sob as her guard started walking towards them. Severus turned his head sharply, then gave a knowing look when he realised the source of her distress.

"It's not goodbye, Hermione. I will see you soon. Please take care of yourself." He gently grasped her chin, and turned her head towards his. He leaned forward and kissed her, gently twining his fingers in her hair to pull her closer.

She returned the kiss with a passion that had been restrained since before she had come to Azkaban. In this instant, she knew that Severus meant more to her than anything else.

-ooOOoo-

Hermione walked solemnly towards the door, wiping a stray tear from the corner of her mouth before entering the room. This should be a happy day, yet it was bittersweet. In less than an hour, she would be a free woman, yet the man she cared for more than anything would still be staying.

It had been almost a week since she had seen Severus, and it would be at least another week before she could get back to visit him. There was so much to do once she was free, the most important being getting settled into her new flat. And she had to fill out papers once she was free to get on the approved visitor's list, which could take more than a week to get everything approved and through the red tape of the Ministry. Why she had to fill out all those forms was beyond comprehension, since her life had been an open book thanks to the trial.

She was brought back to the present when she heard her guard clear his throat as he motioned for her to take a seat.

Hermione sat down at the table, and was momentarily taken aback when her hands and ankles weren't restrained. Of course I wouldn't be restrained today, she shook her head slightly at the thought. Within a few minutes, Harry and two Aurors that she wasn't familiar with came through the door. Harry smiled radiantly at her, and she couldn't help but return the smile.

"Today is the day." Harry grasped her hand tightly as he pulled paperwork out of his robes. "I'm so happy for you Hermione. You should never have been here...even the one year was one year too many."

"Thank you, Harry." Hermione knew she should say more, but she was unable to put into words all that she needed to thank him for. He, along with Minerva, worked tirelessly to get her sentence reduced or get a new trial, and without the both of them, she doubted she would be leaving today.

It was quiet for several moments before Harry pushed the paperwork in front of her, explaining in detail what each piece of parchment was for. One page was acknowledgment of the restrictions placed upon her, and several other ones explained how many years her prison record would stay on public documents, possibly hindering job opportunities. She finally reached the final sheet, and paused when she read it.

"Don't sign that one yet. You need to have this before you can sign it." Harry reached into his robes and pulled out her wand. She stared at the familiar piece of wood for several seconds before Harry gingerly placed it in her fingertips, watching the tears appear in her eyes as she took it. "This form acknowledges that the Ministry has returned your wand, and that you are now a free woman. Once you sign it, you need to touch your wand to your signature to make it legal."

Hermione signed her name, and gingerly pointed her wand at the signature. It was a strange sensation performing magic since she had not been allowed to in more than a year. Yet it did not feel foreign to her; it felt like getting reacquainted with an old friend.

She handed all of the documents back to Harry, and watched his silent communication with the guards. No words were spoken, but a simple nod of heads let her know that she was now free to go.

The walked out of a door that she had not been through in almost a year, and her heart raced as she walked through the corridor towards another gate. The final gate between her old life and freedom. As Harry pulled the gate open, she gasped as she saw the small patch of grass, and beyond that, the rocks surrounding the prison. Her gaze drifted upwards, and she watched in fascination as the waves of the North Sea battered along the wizard-made coast of the island.

Harry gently squeezed her hand, and she turned towards him to look at the smile on his face. They walked several more paces beyond the prison walls, and then stopped once they were within several feet of the water.

"Are you ready to go?"

She thought about it for a moment, thinking about all that happened the past year. Am I ready? She smiled at Harry, and nodded affirmatively.

Hermione Granger was more than ready to start a new life. She would leave her old life behind, and plan for a future that she had almost dismissed a year ago. And, fate willing, she would be living it with the man she loved, yes, loved, within another year.

A/N...Again, thank you for reading. As always reviews are appreciated. Just the epilogue remains, and hopefully I can have that posted within the next two weeks.