Disclaimer: All characters that are from the Harry Potter series, along with locations & other things recognizable to Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling.

Chapter 10

"Severus, when are you going to ask her to marry you?"

"What?" Severus looked at the old man standing in front of him like he had just threatened his life.

"Trust me, I know these things. You want to ask her, I'm just wondering when you will do it," Albus said.

"Merlin's beard you are crazier than when you where headmaster," Severus said turning his back on the older man. Severus was in his old potions office. He had always wanted to teach Defense but Potions was what he was great at and he loved testing himself by trying to make a potion better. He smirked to himself as he thought how Hermione always tried to impress him. Poor witch never did understand why I didn't call on her, he thought as he turned back to the old man.

"Well, you going to continue to reminisce about Hermione or you going to tell me?" Albus asked somewhat impatient.

"If you must know, I'd only just began to think about it, so I don't know when I'll actually do it. I haven't even gotten a ring yet." Severus said, shaking his head at his impatience. "You know, for a man with all kinds of time on his hand, you're rather impatient. It must drive you nuts to not be able to hide in passageways like you use to, to eavesdrop on students and teachers, what with your wife going from deputy headmistress to headmistress, giving her a better way to keep a close watch on you." With that Severus grabbed his papers and latest Advanced Potions book and left for his old chambers.

"Hermione?" Severus called out as he walked into their chambers. He was mulling over what Albus had said to him, he just couldn't figure out how the old man had any idea that he was thinking about popping the question.

"Back here, Severus." Hermione called out from the bedroom.

Severus dropped his books and papers off on the dark brown solid oak coffee table that was by the fireplace, and tossed his robes over the over stuffed coffee brown armchair, leaving him in black jeans and a forest green silk button down shirt, as he walked back to their room. He stopped dead in his tracks, the air knocked out of him when he saw Hermione sitting on her knees on their bed. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, curly and frizzy as can be. The way he liked it the most. She was in one of his many silk black button up shirts, with the buttons undone. He could see her barely there black panties through the gap of the shirt and the curve of her breast. His mouth watered when he realized that Hermione had decided to seduce him and had obviously taken the time to plan a special night for them.

There was chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling cider, they weren't fans of the taste of champagne, on the little table by the bed. The fire was blazing and there where a few candles set through out their room. The drapes on the bed where pulled back and tied to the posts, leaving the dark forest green sheets visible.

"Well, you just going to stare at me or you gonna make love to me?" Hermione asked as she slowly got off the bed and walked over to Severus. She started to unbutton his shirt as he stared down at his witch. She amazes me everyday, he thought to himself as he pulled her against him and kissed her. Then he picked her up in his arms and walked over to the bed where he laid her on her back. He quickly took care of his clothes, and then stood between her legs completely naked, do to the fact that he never wore anything under his slacks.

"I can't believe you'd do something like this for me, Hermione." Severus whispered as he leaned over her body, and kissed her sweetly. He slowly moved his hands down her body to push her panties off, tossing them into the corner, before pulling her up to slide his shirt off of her.

"Well, you seem to have a lot more to do to get ready for the school year then I do, so I figured you'd need to unwind. And what better way to do that, then to make love to you all night?" She asked as she pulled him down onto her and began to kiss him. Severus felt like the luckiest man alive that he had someone in his life that understood him completely.

The next morning found Severus and Draco in Diagon Alley. He'd owled his godson, asking him to meet him there. After his talk with Albus and his night of love making with Hermione, he realized he didn't want to wait any longer.

"So why are we here?" Draco asked.

"I need your help in finding a ring for Hermione." Severus said, and went on to fill in Draco once he saw the confused look on the younger man's face. Severus updated Draco on what had happened in the last three weeks. Thanks to Hermione, Severus was allowed to tell one person about what had happened, giving him someone to talk to besides Hermione and the few Weasley's that had helped, but with all the craziness that had happened when everyone else found out about him surviving the war, they hadn't managed to have their lunch meeting.

"Are you sure, Uncle?" Draco was surprised that Severus wanted to marry. He just never pictured Severus as the marrying kind. "I don't mean any disrespect toward, Mia. I just didn't think you would ever want to get married."

"I understand, Draco. And I use to think that as well." Severus took a sip of his tea, musing over the last year and a half. "But just before Dumbledore hatched his little plan to 'die', I began realizing that I wanted Hermione in my life. Then during her time off in the forests with Potter and Weasley, I realized I wanted to make her my wife, but I made peace with the fact that I would never be able to have that, knowing that I would have to die."

"So I take it, Weasley trying to take your witch reminded you of what you wanted before Dumbledore's supposed death?" Draco inquired.

"Yes, and the fight at the Burrow showed me that if I don't make it known how I feel, I'll lose her for good." With this last statement, the men got up from their table at the Leaky Cauldron and headed out to the back to enter Diagon Alley. Severus wasn't sure what kind of ring he was looking for, but he knew he wanted to stay out of Knockturn Alley. He didn't want to chance getting something that could harm is witch. He decided to check out the jewelry vendors on the street of Diagon Alley before asking Harry for help shopping at muggle jewelry stores.

Date posted: 2/20/2012