Hermione had only just entered her classroom after coming from the Great Hall and breakfast when the door burst open behind her. She turned around quickly, surprised, and found Severus glaring at her and breathing hard, having obviously run after her from the Great Hall. He looked positively furious with her and there was ferocity in his unyielding gaze.

"Severus?" Hermione asked politely. They were nothing but polite and professional to each other during school hours, as there was always the chance of being overheard. This was an agreement that neither had suggested nor stated but both were following through with. "Is something the matter?"

He only growled as he caught his breath, scowling and still glaring at her murderously. Hermione merely smiled at him patiently in return; his ferocity was alarming to Neville and the students, but the rest of the staff, including Hermione, had grown used to it and he was no longer so fearsome. This was especially true in her case, as she had, though only once, seen that his hard, cold exterior was just that; an exterior. Inside he was warm and kind and loving, it was just hard for most people to bring that side of him to the surface. Hermione kept her smile polite and patient though she wanted to smile wider at the thought that she was probably the one person alive who could make Severus' softer, gentler side emerge.

He had caught his breath and was glaring at her in silence. She raised her eyebrows at him, waiting. "Granger," he growled.

She smirked at him. "I've told you to call me Hermione, I believe."

He rolled his eyes. Hermione didn't smile, though she was grinning girlishly on the inside; these times when they acted like nothing more than colleagues were occasionally fun, though she knew that Severus was, through and through, completely serious about what he was feeling at the moment. He did not treat her specially during school because she was not special to him then and he resumed his duty as potions master and no more. "Hermione, then," he sneered.

She pursed her lips, waiting. This animosity from him was not normal and would have made even the headmistress flinch, but Hermione was used to his personality and behavior and had come to find the secret, not-so-unkind messages hidden within his actions. He was, however, actually very irked over something or other at the moment, that much was obvious. "Please, Severus," she said with an air of annoyance at his presence, "What's the matter? I have classes that will start and students who will arrive soon. Hurry up, will you?"

His glare, though bad enough before, intensified. She only waited, eyebrows raised, expectantly. "This is the matter," he said coldly, stepping towards her and holding out an envelope at arm's length.

Hermione glanced up at his still-cruel face and took the envelope. She did not take her eyes off of Severus as she took the parchment from the envelope and unfolded it, setting the empty envelope on the student's desk beside her. Then she lowered her gaze to the parchment and read.

Miss Granger,

Please be present at the Ministry of Magic to attend the trial of one Severus Tobias Snape, who has yet to be announced guilty or innocent of such crimes as are listed . . .

There was quite the list below it, and then more of the fancy writing ensued. Hermione looked up at Severus and frowned. "I see nothing wrong with-"

He interrupted, snorting loudly but not saying anything.

She looked at the letter again and then scowled up at him. "Why are you reading my owls?"

He walked forward and reached past her, never letting his glaring eyes leave her face as he grabbed the envelope. He held it so close that it touched her nose. She leaned back, surprised by his sudden actions, and stepped back, taking the envelope from him. Printed neatly across it: To Hermione Jean Granger, regarding the trial of Severus Snape.

Hermione was glaring now, too. She could have been puzzling over why the Ministry of Magic would send her the letter rather than sending Severus his own court summons, but was a bit upset at the moment and forgot to care. "Severus," she said scathingly, actually angry now, "How dare you? Just because your name is on it you think you can open it and read it? And how did you get this rather than me?"

"An owl came just after you left and I thought I would deliver your letter to you," he snarled, "and I had every right to open it and read it. It is my court summons!"

"I don't care what it is," Hermione retorted hotly. "How dare you?" she repeated, very upset with him. It was not, but it could have been a very personal letter from Harry or Ron or even Luna or someone else.

"How dare I?" he said incredulously. "How dare they!"

This confused Hermione. She blinked and looked up at him questioningly. "How dare they?" she repeated quietly, obviously not comprehending his meaning. He was still livid with rage and his face showed it so she knew he had not meant to be funny. "What do you mean?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes at her bewilderment. "They sent you the summons. After all this time! You! Do they not know that I can take care of myself?" he snarled.

Then Hermione understood; the Ministry of Magic was still counting her as his caretaker and they would correspond with her rather than Severus over anything that had to do with him. Of course, he was perfectly recovered now, but they had still sent his summons to her rather than him. Now she understood why Severus was furious; he felt humiliated and as if he was being treated like a helpless child once more. She shook her head at him. "Calm yourself. I must accompany you"—she waved the letter in his face—"obviously, and while there I can give you back full responsibility for yourself and make it official."

He glared at her, but his scowl softened.

"Severus," she said, rolling her eyes. "Don't be dramatic. This is nothing and it can be fixed. And stop glaring at me! I didn't ask them to keep sending me all letters regarding you! They did this, not me. Now calm yourself."

He sighed deeply, though still glaring at her. She reread the letter and nodded to no one in particular. "Three days," she said, looking back up at him.

His face changed to slight confusion. "What?"

She rolled her eyes again. "Three days, Severus. We'll be in court in three days, on Saturday."

He glanced at the paper and she blew out her breath in exasperation. "Seriously? You read enough of the letter to be furious that it was addressed to me but not enough to know when you're to be tried?"

He said nothing, but held out his hand for the letter. Hermione made sure she knew the proper time to be at the Ministry for the hearing, and then folded the parchment and put it back in the envelope, which she set into his waiting hand. He snatched it, and turned quickly, stalking out of the classroom with that familiar strut and going just before a group of people could be heard moving down the hall outside.

Hermione went and sat behind her desk, waving her wand quickly to clean the classroom before students filed in through the door and moved to their desks. She smiled at them in greeting, and when they had all sat she had them get out their books and turn to page twenty-three, where they could read along while she explained a more difficult level of magic to them. As Hermione thought back to Severus while the students were all practicing the lesson, she thought, it looked like he actually washed his hair . . .

Three days later Hermione and Severus left the castle early Saturday morning. They walked side by side to the edge of the grounds and Severus held out his arm, which Hermione took, and they apparated to the secret entrance to the Ministry of Magic. Stepping into the telephone booth together, they closed the door and typed in the code on the phone. The strange, female, ringing voice that Hermione had last heard when she, Harry and Ron had broken into the Ministry, spoke once more.

They stated their business and two badges appeared and Hermione put hers in her pocket. She could show it to anyone who asked. Severus didn't touch his, and she rolled her eyes, putting it too in the pocket of her robes. The ground seemed to be rising, though Hermione knew they were actually sinking downward. When it stopped they went to the desk and got their wands inspected, after which they headed to the proper courtroom. Hermione had contacted Harry and Ron and McGonagall and several others would be there as well as the two. She took a deep breath and then Severus opened the door, holding it for her, and she entered first. Severus followed, and Hermione felt a chill creep down her spine when she saw that there were two chairs in the center of the room rather than one.

The level they were on, the same floor as the two chairs, was lower than the rest of the room, like a bowl almost. Seats rose up on all sides to look down at them, and the Wizengamot were seated together in one section, while other members of the Ministry were seated around the room as well as plenty of people who had come to see the trial. Harry, Ron, McGonagall, and Arthur and Molly Weasley were seated together to her right, and Hermione felt slightly heartened to see them. Harry and Ron rose from their seats and came down some steps to the same level as Hermione and Severus. They nodded to Severus and Harry said quietly to both of them, "You can go sit; Ron and I will be testifying first." and then the two boys walked over and sat down in the chairs on the floor. Hermione glanced at Severus, who turned his back on her to walk to their seats, and she followed him.

Harry and Ron were asked questions, which they answered with as satisfactory explanations as they could give. Then they were given time to speak regarding why they thought Severus was innocent and deserved to go free. Hermione had been so sure that he would be a free man after being tried, but that was before and now she could barely breathe for fear of Severus' fate. At last they were finished with Harry and Ron, who came back to sit down. Hermione was called next, alone, and she walked down and sat, feeling quite terrified with everyone looking down on her. They asked her the same questions they had asked Harry and Ron, but there were more; they wanted to hear, from her lips, how Severus had been saved. Hermione realized that the Malfoys had been tried before the dark mark plagued their family, so they would not be tried again. But while he was here, the Wizengamot would surely feel the need to question her and Severus over his survival and they would feel awfully suspicious. She told them how he had been healed, no longer feeling embarrassed as much as she was simply happy that he had lived.

When they were at long last done questioning Hermione, she went to take her seat and the Weasleys went and answered questions about the Order of the Phoenix. Kingsley Shacklebolt was the one acting as judge and running the trial, and Hermione knew that he himself had been a member of the Order and knew the answers to most everything he asked, but the Wizengamot and other spectators did not. The Weasleys then took their seats and Severus himself went to sit alone beneath the gazes of all in the room.

Hermione couldn't breathe until it was over, and her chest was still feeling constricted as the witches and wizards who held the power all raised their hands in a unanimous vote for Severus to go free. Hermione noticed scowls from some of the witches and wizards whose votes did not matter, but there was no one of the Wizengamot who raised his or her hand when Kingsley asked who was in favor of Severus being taken to Azkaban.

Hermione clung to Harry's arm as they left the Ministry in one large group. They stopped and McGonagall bade them all farewell before disapparating back to Hogwarts. Severus nodded curtly to each of them, and Hermione knew better than they how grateful he actually was for their kindness in coming to his aid at the hearing. Then he, too, disapparated back to the school.

Hermione hugged Arthur and Molly, telling them to give the Charlie and Bill her best. They nodded and Molly hugged her again, kissing her forehead in a motherly way and smiling before taking her husband's hand. And then they were gone, back to the Burrow. Hermione turned to Harry and Ron, smiling at them both. "Thank you for coming," she said as she hugged them both. They only nodded. Ron looked a bit sour, and she got the slightest suspicion that perhaps he wasn't quite as relieved as she that Severus was walking free. He nodded and was obviously pleased when he looked over her shoulder, and Hermione turned to find Percy and George Weasley walking towards them. She hadn't noticed them in the courtroom, but they assured her they'd been there.

"We would've spoken for Snape and sided with him," Percy said as he walked up, "but Kingsley was so sure he'd be fine with just you lot that he wouldn't let us!"

Hermione smiled at this; so Kingsley had known all along how it would turn out. She hugged George, who grinned at her, and then hugged Percy, who returned her smile warmly. Hermione hugged Ron, expecting him to leave with Percy and George, but he muttered something to Harry and disapparated before she could say more to him. Harry noticed her questioning look and said, "He'll be waiting for me at the Burrow. Then we're going to Bulgaria again; they think they've found Rookwood . . . or what's left of him anyways."

Hermione cringed at this and Harry hugged her. "Sorry, but you only have to hear about it. Ron and I have to go see if it's really him." and he himself blanched at the idea.

Hermione turned back to George and Percy. "Don't mind Ron," George said, "He's just still a bit sour over losing his girl."

Percy nodded and said, winking at Hermione, "I admit I thought maybe I'd have a chance since you're single and all when Ron first told me," he paused for a moment and Hermione stared at him, surprised; she'd honestly never thought of Percy as anything but an older brother, and before that, a slimy, Ministry-loving git. He went on, "but rumor has it you're not so single after all."

Hermione was surprised and confused by this. "What?"

Percy and George grinned at her. George piped up, "Word is you and one Professor Snape are a bit sweet on each other."

Hermione choked out, "What?" before going into a coughing fit. When at last it subsided, she stared up at them. "That's not tr-"

"We know," Harry interrupted before George or Percy could tease her more, "don't worry; we don't believe it for a minute. I mean this is Snape we're talking about."

Hermione sent a grateful glance his way and turned back to the Weasley boys. They smiled and George added, seeing the quizzical look on her face, "We've got a few friends who're in school still. They're in their last year, but say that quite a few of the younger Gryffindor girlies are swooning over you and Snape's forbidden romance."

Still grinning, the two linked arms and disapparated without another word.

Hermione turned to Harry and knew before he said a word that he wasn't quite as disbelieving as the two redheads who had only just left. One look into those green eyes and she was convinced; he knew. "Harry," she said, worried that he would leave, angry with her, and tell Ron what he had discovered.

Before she could go on, he cut in with, "Being with him, does it make you happy?"

She blinked at him in surprise. "Um, yes. But I-"

"When you're with him, does anything else matter more than just being close to him?"

"Nothing else matters, but-" She was cut off once again when he spoke one last time.

"Then don't make excuses. I know how that feels," he hugged her and then looked her in the eye and said, "And as long as you're absolutely sure that he's the one you want," he sighed as if exasperated with her, "then go for it."

Hermione was surprised. "You're not going to lecture me or yell at me or tackle me and try to free me of Amortentia?" she asked.

He smiled. "No. And I won't tell anyone, especially Ron. Though I don't want you to think you'll be able to hide this forever. I know McGonagall won't like it much, but you'll have to be honest eventually and you are his colleague, not his student, so it's not some forbidden love, not really."

Hermione stared at him for a minute. "You're not mad?"

He laughed. "No. In fact, I think I kind of saw this coming; you're the kind of person who gets extremely attached to those who you go through hard times with; you're my best friend, and we got closer when we were out hunting horcruxes. And it seemed like loving Snape was something that would come a lot easier to you than hating him or just being friends, especially after you saved his life and practically broke up with your boyfriend over him and cried over him when he was dying."

Hermione bit her lip and looked at him. He smiled at her, though he shook his head. Hermione had the fleeting desire to tell him about everything that had transpired between her and the potions teacher, but thought better of it and just hugged him before saying goodbye and watching him disapparate back to the Burrow. Then she herself turned in place, and was sucked into the smothering darkness before finding her feet and opening her eyes. It was midday and she pulled her cloak more tightly about her shoulders; the dark clouds above were flecked with the small bits of white as snowflakes tumbled down from above. She looked around and knew she was alone, but had barely taken a step towards the boundary of the school grounds when someone whispered a charm and she looked down and found herself invisible.

She looked around in surprise but saw no one. Obviously he—or she—had used the same disillusionment charm on themselves. Not exactly panicking, but still on edge as she had been during the war, she pointed her wand around her and started to say the counter charm to unveil the invisible stranger. But why would they have put the charm on her? Then they themselves wouldn't be able to see her . . .

She had stopped mumbling the counter charm because she was thinking, but when she started again she was cut off by invisible bonds wrapping around her and a voice in her ear saying, "Don't."

Before he spoke, she had begun to panic. But now she relaxed; it was Severus. He himself was invisible. Hermione thought of what a sight it would be if only one of them was invisible and smiled; one of them would appear to be embracing the air around them rather warmly. "Severus," she whispered even as she leaned into his embrace, "what are you doing?"

In reply she felt his hands as he felt his way up her back and around to her face. She smiled; he could see her no more than she could him, and if he was trying to find her face with his he would have some trouble. She was, needless to say, surprised then when his lips did indeed find hers. Then he broke away, but still had his arms around her. She hugged him, feeling slightly foolish because she couldn't see what she was hugging though he was there. She remembered the night that she, Neville, Luna, and Ron had accompanied Harry to the Ministry of Magic under the impression that Sirius Black was in mortal danger and she and Ron, who had never seen someone die, could not see the thestrals they were riding. It had been just as disorienting and strange then as it was to hug Severus now, because she could feel him, but not see him. Closing her eyes, she buried her face in his chest and was able to imagine that she would see him if she opened them again.

She had her arms around his waist, but hadn't worn gloves, and in the cold weather her fingers were cold. Severus was warm and the rest of her was comfortable and plenty warm against him, but her unprotected fingers began to hurt with cold. She shivered a bit, and Severus pulled back, though he held her arms with his hands. He slid his hands down and took both of hers into his. Then he lifted them to press her fingers to what she guessed were his lips, before letting go with one of his hands and releasing her completely, mumbling the counter charms so that both of them were visible once more. Their embrace had been far too short for Hermione's liking, but it was something and she reminded herself that now they could be seen and it would be very unwise even to touch him.

They walked back to the castle together and passed plenty of students who were outside, even in the cold. Apparently the hope that came with the falling snow—no matter how sparsely the flakes fell—was enough to bring some of them out. They all stared at Severus as he walked by, and he gave each and every one who looked his way a withering glare.

They entered the school and parted ways in the entrance hall; Severus went to McGonagall's office and Hermione went down to the dungeon to spend a while in her rooms before lunch in the Great Hall. They had missed breakfast, and she was a bit hungry. She was sure Kreacher would be waiting for her return so that he could bring her hot tea and hurried to her rooms in anticipation of her warm rooms and the steaming tea.

Severus went to the headmistress' office and knocked before entering. She was sitting behind her desk, alone, and though she put on a convincing smile when he walked in, he could tell that she had been nervously awaiting his return. Apparently she had not been as sure as she'd insisted that he would remain a free man. He sat and they discussed what had happened at the trial until lunch.

Hermione reached her rooms and sure enough, as she'd anticipated, Kreacher was waiting there. Before he could apparated to the kitchens to get her tea, however, she put in a special request. He left and she sat in the corner of the couch where she and Severus had been only a week before and sighed, watching the flames while she waited for Kreacher's return. He came back and handed her a steaming, foaming tankard of hot butterbeer. She smiled at him and patted the seat beside her on the couch. He looked surprised by the invitation, but took it none the less. Hermione sipped her butterbeer and was immediately flooded with memories of times spent with Harry or Ron or both in the Three Broomsticks, and then in the Hog's Head.

She didn't notice when Kreacher scooted away from her on the couch. But she wouldn't have minded; she was well aware of his cold feelings towards half-bloods and muggle-born witches and wizards. She was quite surprised when he willingly made conversation and turned to him when he asked, "Does Mistress care for Mister Snape?"

He cringed when she turned to look at him and she knew he expected to be punished for speaking out of turn. Sighing at how horrid some magical folk were to their house elves, she smiled at him small and said, "Yes, Kreacher. But you must never tell anyone."

Kreacher nodded. "Master knows of Mistress' shared feelings with Mister Snape."

Hermione was startled by his referral to Harry, but not by what the elf had said he knew. "I know," she said.

The elf did not look at her. She knew he didn't exactly enjoy seeing her most of the time and wondered how he could possibly stand serving her. "You may go," she said with a smile, though he did not look at her still. He vanished with a loud crack and left her to finish her butterbeer in peace.

She went to lunch and remembered her thoughts about Severus' hair that she'd had a few days before, glancing casually beside her to where he was. Sure enough, his shoulder-length black hair was no longer greasy and looked clean and not quite so unkempt. She smiled at her food when she had turned back, knowing it was for her that he had started to care for his appearance. When the meal was over there was a staff meeting in the teachers' lounge after they had all gathered there. It was not long, and then they were all left with the rest of the day to themselves.

Hermione went back to her classroom to clean and grade more homework, and when she had finished that, it was only an hour before dinner. She wasn't really hungry, and decided to visit the library, where she had so often spent hours at a time when she was a student at the school. She walked in and found what had once been her usual spot, choosing an ancient book from the shelves and curling up in the corner, losing herself in the words on the page.

She had only spent a short while reading when a first year came over and sat down near her, not seeming to notice that she was even there. The girl had glasses and long, straight, dark brown hair, and she was a Gryffindor. Hermione kept her head bent over her book but watched the girl from the corner of her eye. She sat there, curled up in just the same way as Hermione, with the book resting in her lap just as Hermione's. The large book bag beside her was full of books and Hermione wondered whether the young witch was like she had been; book-smart and full of all the knowledge she could get her hands on.

Smiling to herself, Hermione turned back to her own book and blinked in surprise when a small hand appeared in her line of vision, hovering over the page. She looked up at the girl, who was gazing at her through her glasses. "I'm Elise," she said, smiling. Hermione smiled back and reached out to shake the girl's hand.

"I would think you already know my name?" Hermione asked, smiling at her.

The girl nodded. "Of course. You're only basically the whole school's favorite teacher of all time, Professor."

Hermione blushed and said, "Thank you," at the compliment. She still had moments when being called Professor that she forgot that her students were speaking to her. It was still so new to her, to be spoken to with such respect and a professional name rather than personal.

She and Elise started talking quietly, and they spent all the time before dinner, rising quickly and hurrying to the Great Hall together. Hermione was pleased to find that Elise was indeed just like her, in that she loved books and thought that the library held all the answers. She was also a very bright young witch and Hermione realized that she had been teaching the first year Gryffindors in her class often enough, but had never really thought about just how much more advanced Elise was at transfiguration and magic in general than the rest of the students her age. She gave the girl a smile and a nod for goodbye as they entered the Great Hall and parted ways, the girl to the Gryffindor table with her friends and the young woman to the staff table with her colleagues.

Dinner itself was nothing exciting, apart from the fact that Hermione and Severus were beside each other and no matter how silly or childish and immature it seemed, they were pleased to be able to be so close to each other in public without any suspicions from the other staff members or from the students. Hermione noticed Elise looking at her more than once during the meal, and she always smiled at the girl.

After dinner, Hagrid asked Hermione about coming to see Buckbeak, the hippogriff, who they had renamed Witherwings to protect him from the Ministry of Magic, who thought him a dangerous creature. She agreed to visit them the next day, and then they all parted ways and she went to the teachers' lounge. On her way out of the Great Hall, Hermione noticed Elise talking to two other girls and explaining something excitedly before pointing to her. Hermione realized they were talking about her and wondered if she had just stumbled upon her own small fan club. Smiling, she went to the dungeons and made her way to her rooms from the teachers' lounge. She was surprised to find an envelope lying on her bed waiting for her. It was from Harry.

Dear Hermione,

Ron and I are in Bulgaria. Didn't take long to find what we thought was Rookwood, but we're having some trouble; the evidence suggests that maybe it's all a setup. Kingsley isn't ready to accept it just yet, but Ron and I think he survived somehow and staged his death so we wouldn't go looking for him. We also think he's up to something. It would only make sense for him to go after the Malfoys and Snape, wouldn't it? I mean, they're free and he's only free as long as he can keep away from us. Just thought I'd warn you in advance. Like I said, Kingsley doesn't want to believe that he survived until we have no other option, but you might want to be on your guard. Oh, and I called Kreacher here so he could deliver the letter. Don't worry about him. You can call him if you need him. Right now he's back in Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Good luck with classes and the other professors.

-Harry

Hermione smiled at the letter. She knew that Harry had been alluding to Severus in his last few words. Yawning, she changed into her pajamas and went to the bathroom to brush her hair and her teeth. She curled up in bed and turned out the lights, smiling into the darkness; Severus loved her and he was still walking free and officially innocent, Kreacher was back where he wanted to be and probably groveling on the floor before his old Mistress' portrait in the hall at the Black's old property, Elise was a new friend she had, and Harry knew about Severus but loved her and supported her anyways. Now she just had to find a way to break the news to McGonagall gently but with conviction and see where that led. She closed her eyes as Crookshanks curled up beside her and the two of them fell asleep.

Thank you all for yesterday's birthday wishes, they totally made it the best birthday ever! I am so happy you are all enjoying the story so much! Sorry this one's being posted so late but I had school and other stuff so I just now had the time! But here is chapter 16 and I hope you liked it. Remember to review if you have any questions/comments/advice/corrections for me! Every review is appreciated and I thank you all so much for being such dedicated readers/reviewers! I love you all! ~Taelr