A/N: Whooo! Two chapters in one day! So I have decided to add another few chapters just to round things out. Thanks for the support!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to Rowling. I'm just playing in her world xD

"Of course I'll hurt you. Of course you'll hurt me. Of course we will hurt each other. But this is the very condition of existence. To become spring, means accepting the risk of winter. To become presence, means accepting the risk of absence." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

They lay in bed after making love, Severus' arm around Hermione his fingers tangled in her hair. Hermione stared up at the ceiling smiling in contentment, her head on his shoulder she traced patterns on his chest with her fingers.

"What are you thinking about little witch?" Severus questioned

Hermione adjusted herself so she could look at him "Just about you. I love you, you know. That's not going to change even if Ron can't accept our relationship."

Severus stayed silent for a few minutes continuing to run his fingers through her hair. Hermione had turned back to tracing patterns on his chest when he finally spoke.

"How long will you stay with me?" Severus questioned softly.

"Forever, if you'll have me." Hermione whispered.

Severus sighed and pulled Hermione tight against his chest. Hermione smiled against his chest, she knew he cared, she could feel how much he loved her even if he struggled with saying it out loud.

"Consorting with a mudblood, Severus? Ssshe will die. Oh no Severus, I wont make it too quick, this will be a lesson to any other wizard that sullies themselves with such scum." Voldemort whispered into Severus' ear. Severus watched in horror as The Dark Lord proceeded to torture Hermione. She writhed on the floor screaming in agony begging Severus to make it stop. "No! No! Stop don't hurt her! Kill me but don't hurt her!" Severus screamed

"Severus! Wake up Severus! It's just a dream."

Severus shot up in bed gasping for air "Hermione. Hermione." Severus repeated her name over and over again as he grabbd her and pulled her tightly to him. Hermione wrapped her arms around him and held him as he pressed his face into her shoulder shuddering. Hermione rubbed his back whispering calming words to him until the shudders stopped. He pulled away and looked away in embarrassment but Hermione put her hand on his face and turned it back to her.

"I have nightmares too Severus you've seen it. Don't be ashamed." He sighed and nodded.

"Do you want some tea?" Hermione asked knowing his throat must be sore after how he had been screaming.

Severus shook his head and lay back down pulling Hermione close to him again.

"Don't leave me." Severus whispered.

"Never." Hermione whispered back.

The next morning Hermione and Severus sat in the living room , Hermione studying at the coffee table while Severus graded papers at his desk. Well, Severus was attempting to grade papers, to his immense annoyance he couldn't help but continuously glance over at Hermione. He couldn't seem to stop thinking about that ring he had bought. Even though they had not been in a relationship long he knew that he loved her and this was it for him. Severus nodded to himself determined to ask her soon.

Hermione for her part couldn't seem to concentrate on her studying either. Her thoughts turned to Severus and their relationship wondering where it was going. She had meant what she said to Severus, she would stay with him forever. She almost died several times during the war, while she still wished to do something important mostly she just wanted to live her life quietly reading, making potions, and loving.

"Severus?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to be a teacher forever?" Hermione questioned.

Severus looked up from his work in surprise "Where did that question come from may I ask?"

"No where it just popped into my head and I was wondering if you had ever thought about it."

Severus put down his quill "I have. I don't wish to continue being a teacher. I would not have even come back this year but Minerva had no one to fill the post and she was quite insistent."

"What would you do if you weren't teaching?" Hermione asked coming over and leaning against his desk.

Severus looked up at her then chuckled slightly and pulled her down onto his lap. He waited for her to adjust herself on his lap before speaking again "I've had enough of spies and teaching and reporters that can't leave the war and us alone. I have a small cottage in the cotswolds that I might move to. It needs some improvements of course, I intend to make the basement into a potions lab. I'll need a library of course."

Severus' eyes took on a far away look as though he could see the cottage in front of him and Hermione smiled as she listened to him make plans. She played with the ends of his hair as he continued telling her of his plans for his cottage.

"It has two bedrooms and two baths. I might put a garden in the back, I could grow my own ingredients. The library will need to be large to hold all our books."

Hermione's fingers froze at this. Severus did not even realize and continued on. Hermione's mind raced.

Should I say something? He doesn't even seem to realize he said our. Maybe it was an accident? Or maybe he wants you to move in with him Hermione. Do you want to? Are you ready for that? Don't you want to go to college and do something important?

"Of course, the house is a bit large for one." Severus loooked at Hermione intently, his meaning clear. "Stay with me little witch?" All of a sudden where there had been nothing before there was now a black box open on the desk a ring glittering inside.

Hermione looked into Severus' eyes and her mind was made up.

"Always."