Hermione sighed and stood to answer the door. She hated this. Severus stepped inside and closed the door behind him, two trays of food floating to rest on the desk in the study. Hermione frowned at him, but couldn't hide how pleased she was to see him. He brought her meals to her room every day, and her only joy about it was that he stayed to eat with her. She had been declared well enough to take care of herself only a day after she woke up, and Severus had gone back to teaching classes. Slughorn had asked Minerva if he could take a short holiday to visit an ailing friend, so Draco was still teaching defense against the dark arts. The headmistress was still teaching in Hermione's place.

There had indeed been many visitors to her rooms after everyone heard that she was awake. Harry and Ron had showed, though Harry did most of the talking and asked Hermione all the questions and Ron hung back and stood awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. He apologized for what he'd said and done at Saint Mungo's and Hermione had forgiven him and hugged him, but he still seemed nervous around her. Severus had left to allow her privacy with her friends and the people who came to visit.

She was well enough to walk around her own rooms even that first day with Severus, but she made anyone who came to see her swear that they wouldn't tell Madam Pomfrey that she'd been sitting in the chair by her bed or on the couch in the study talking to them rather than lying obediently in her bed. So far, it seemed, the school healer knew nothing of the fact that her orders were being disregarded.

Draco had even come to see her, but before he could thank her she was thanking him and congratulating him on his position in defense against the dark arts. "It's only temporary," he had argued, turning slightly red at her congratulations. But she had laughed and waved his complaints away. He had then apologized for the way he'd treated her in school and given a different, shorter version of the things he'd said when he thought she was dead in the Chamber of Secrets. She had accepted his apology and forgiven him as soon as he finished speaking. Then they had actually talked about how busy it kept them to be teachers and how different it was to be called "Professor" by the students when both of them were still young enough to have come back for another year of school.

It was odd, a bit disorienting, to talk and laugh with Draco Malfoy. Hermione could hardly believe she wasn't dreaming up some strange world where he wasn't so cruel and unkind. He was still the same, but also different. Of course, his personality hadn't changed deep down and he still put in an unkind or haughty remark or comment here and there. But Hermione was completely unaffected by these. She never truly realized that he'd been short with her or said something harshly until after she'd processed what he'd actually said and answered him. She supposed it was just something that came of spending so much time with Severus and loving him in spite of his disposition; she had grown accustomed to hostile or unpleasant behavior or things he said and had learned to look deeper and find the true meanings behind them.

Draco had changed, and was much more mature and actually pleasant to be around, just as Severus was with her. But just as Severus did, he would occasionally fall back into his cold, hard behavior and say or do something that was mean and uncalled for. Hermione knew that no one else could understand or see past Draco and Severus' actions when they were ill-tempered or unfriendly, and felt proud and pleased that she had learned to do what others couldn't.

She had the feeling that Draco had expected things to be slightly awkward between them, and she herself hadn't thought that they would be able to talk as if they were actually friends. But things had become comfortable once they started talking and said hello and now she actually did consider him a friend. How strange for the enemy of her past to be the friend of her present. Then again, she thought, she had counted Severus an enemy just before the last battle ended the war and now she was in love with him.

Neville had come to visit as soon as he could, although when he arrived, Severus was there with her. The potions master had risen from his seat and left the room as soon as the younger man entered, but Neville had still seemed ill at ease until the door was shut and it was only he and Hermione. They had sat together and talked for hours. From teaching to his apprenticeship, letters he'd received from and sent to Luna, and the rumors spreading between students, they talked about almost every subject. And then they came to the topic of Severus and Hermione's romance.

Neville was terrified of Severus, so naturally, he couldn't understand how Hermione could care for the man, let alone love him. He had asked politely how her love for the potions master had come about, and made it clear that if it was personal, she needn't tell him. Hermione had stared at him for a long moment, thinking. She mused shortly over whether to tell him everything or just bits and pieces. But then she remembered that he had been completely honest with her about Luna and about his parents, among other things. He had trusted her completely, so she might as well trust him. So she told him the story as she had told Ginny, playing down some parts more because he wasn't a female and wouldn't giggle at the more romantic parts of the story.

In fact, Hermione was the one giggling as she told it because Neville's face grew pale and he often looked incredulous when she told about a kiss or a kind moment. His facial expressions over certain parts of the story were very diverse and there were many; from disgust to pleasure to disbelief to horror and fear. Hermione thought them quite hilarious, but managed to keep most of the laughter inside and giggle only occasionally. She could have sworn that he even turned green when she talked about Severus admitting that he had lied and confessing his love for her.

After the story, Neville had some questions like Ginny had, though his were far fewer in number and it was obvious he was apprehensive and didn't really want all the details. By the end of it, though, he seemed a bit more capable of accepting that Hermione and Severus really were in love, though he was still dubious.

They had finished on a happy note, talking more about Luna, who was apparently heading home after an outing with her father, hunting for Blibbering Humdingers, or as Neville put it, "She's on her way back with her dad. They were gone looking for a blubbering Dinghummer or something of the like."

Neville had left when Severus returned with lunch. Severus left as soon as they had finished eating, as he had classes to return to, while Neville had been given the morning off because Pomona had wanted him to come and see Hermione so that he could go back and tell her "how the girl's recovering."

Ginny came in after lunch and didn't even cringe when Severus glared at her and asked, "Aren't you supposed to be hurrying to your next class, Miss Weasley?"

She had only smirked at him in return and said, "Thank you for your concern about my education, Professor, but Professor McGonagall's given me permission to skip classes for the rest of the day and spend some time with my best friend."

Severus had scowled at her and left without a word. Hermione was sure he would be complaining later that his reputation as a horrid and terrifying man was being ruined by the news of a Gryffindor being able to love him. Smiling to herself, Hermione jumped up to hug Ginny, who was surprised that her friend was so well and able to get around fine already. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Pomfrey's being a bit too careful over my health," she sighed.

Ginny giggled and plopped down on the bed beside Hermione. "She's just worried and wants you to recover completely, that's all."

Hermione rolled her eyes and then grinned at her friend, who grinned back. They were silent for a moment and then they became serious.

Ginny grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. "I missed you."

"I missed you," Hermione said, nodding.

Ginny smiled. "It's been so different this year, without you in Gryffindor tower with me. It wasn't so bad when I could talk to you after classes, but it's terrible now, without you to talk to."

Hermione smiled back. "I'm sure it is, but how do you think I've felt? I'm stuck in here, and I love having Severus with me and talking to Neville and Harry was nice, but they're boys. You've actually got other girls around to talk to!"

The two of them talked the rest of the day, and Ginny didn't even leave when Severus came with dinner. Hermione, in spite of Severus' glare directed her way, made a duplicate of her tray of food for Ginny, and the girls talked more during the meal while Severus sat and ate in silence.

Ginny left and Hermione sat back on her bed, looking at Severus. She thought of some things that hadn't occurred to her before. "Severus, did they ever find out how Rookwood got into the castle?"

He shook his head. "He's dead and can't give us answers, and apparently he obliviated the other to be safe should anything go wrong. Potter's convinced he used a secret entrance, but Minerva and Dumbledore had all of those taken care of-"

"No they didn't," Hermione cut in.

He raised his eyebrows but didn't ask for her to explain. "Perhaps it was a secret entrance, then," he said, sounding as if he was still skeptical.

Hermione smirked at him. He stood to leave and she moved from the bed to his side. He kissed her before he left and she curled up in bed, turning out the lights before she fell asleep.

The next day was Saturday, and there was no school. Hermione was surprised when there was a knock at her door before breakfast, and it wasn't Severus. Instead, she opened the door to find the headmistress and a certain student standing there. Minerva left and said that the girl could leave whenever she liked. Hermione was thrilled. The two of them sat on her bed and she looked down at her student. Before she could say anything, the girl threw her arms around her and hugged her.

Laughing, she eventually got her to let go and then they just sat in silence for a few moments while Elise looked around the room and Hermione smiled down at her. "Can I ask you something about the night you went to the Chamber of Secrets with Professor Snape?" she asked after a while, her eyes returning to Hermione's face.

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Anything."

Elise smiled at her, but then it faded and she frowned. "If you went through the halls on your way there, why didn't anyone see you?"

Hermione didn't understand the question. "All of the students were either in their common rooms or in Hogsmeade, and besides Professor Snape, myself, and the headmistress, all of the teachers had gone to Hogsmeade with the students."

The girl shook her head. "No, I know that. I meant, why didn't any of the portraits see you?"

Hermione nodded, understanding. "Oh, the portraits." She frowned and said, "Most of them are rather deep sleepers, I suppose. I'm not sure why none of them did!"

Elise nodded. Then they talked about portraits, past and present teachers at the school, and how soon Hermione thought she could be back and teaching again. They were interrupted by Severus' arrival, and he had—at Minerva's instruction—brought three trays of breakfast along with him. Hermione watched Elise's face carefully when Severus entered, curious to see what the girl thought of him.

He walked in and sat down in the chair beside the bed without looking at Elise. The girl regarded him as she would have a random stranger; as if he didn't really matter or interest her all that much. Hermione found this amusing. It was even funnier to her when Severus left after the meal and Elise turned to look at her as soon as he had gone. "You love him?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows, but then nodded. "Yes, I do."

Elise made a face. "How? He's not very nice. And he isn't exactly very handsome. No offense. And he's always so cold and hard and secretive about everything!"

Hermione laughed. "It's . . . complicated."

Elise tossed her head and rolled her eyes. "It's . . . complicated," she mimicked in a good imitation of Hermione's voice.

Hermione bit her lip and watched the girl, more and more amused as this went on. "You made some valid reasons not to like him," she said, and Elise looked up, "but he has some good qualities as well."

Elise folded her arms across her chest and looked up at Hermione, raising her eyebrows. "Forgive me for being fresh, Professor, but really. Name three good qualities in Professor Snape."

Hermione felt a smile tugging at her lips, but she managed to keep a straight, serious face. "Let's see," she mused, biting her lip for a moment and looking down at her student again. "He saved Harry, Ron, and my lives multiple times and protected us when we were younger."

Elise nodded. "Okay, fine. You have one reason to like him. One. I asked for three."

Hermione laughed, shaking her head at the girl's demeanor and tone of voice, and said, "All right, here's another: He's only hard on the outside because he's had a very difficult life; on the inside he's not so cold and he's really quite charming.

Elise raised her eyebrows. "Charming? Please, Professor, of all the descriptive adjectives that you could use to define Professor Snape, that doesn't seem like the right kind of word."

Hermione smiled, watching Elise's face with amusement.

"You've still got another to name before we have three," the girl reminded her.

Hermione nodded. "He is passionate; when he dislikes someone, he loathes them, and when he loves someone, he loves them. How's that for the third?"

Elise frowned. "Fine. You've found three. Can you name more? How about naming ten good things about him?"

Hermione shook her head. "Three is plenty for now. Besides, we'll be here all day and half of the night if I list everything I like about him."

Elise sighed, looking exasperated with her teacher.

Hermione changed the subject, and they talked about studies and Elise's favorite subjects and her favorite books for a while. Severus came to bring lunch and Elise ate with them again, talking up a storm all the while. She left after lunch, and Hermione smiled once she had gone. Elise seemed to be the only young person currently attending the school as a student who actually knew where to find the teachers' quarters and what the password required to get inside was. Thinking back to certain special privileges she'd been given and things she'd been trusted with because of being a good student when she was in school, she turned and looked at Severus.

And then the complaining over students not being quite as afraid of him as they used to be came. Hermione managed to bear it with a grim and serious expression, but when he finished and gave her an exacerbated glare she started laughing. He scowled and she moved to his side. "I'm sorry," she said, looking sincerely apologetic.

Severus looked down his nose at her, but smirked. He brought up their earlier subject of what they would have regretted most had they died in the Chamber of Secrets. This change of subject surprised her, but she didn't argue or change it back. He was still disbelieving that of all the things she could regret most, it was that she hadn't made him smile. "Has your opinion changed or do you still regret what you did the day that you woke up?" he asked, smirking at her once more.

She frowned as she thought. "Hmm," she mused, "I'm still annoyed that I haven't made you smile yet, but I suppose that now I think about it, I would regret something else more."

He raised his eyebrows. "And that would be . . .?"

Hermione laughed. "It has to do with you, but I don't think I'll tell you."

He glared at her.

"Severus, please," she said, rolling her eyes at him, "You never gave me an answer and that question was one that I originally asked you. So I'm not giving you an answer."

He scowled. "You make me suffer even though I don't know the answer to your question?"

Hermione grinned and nodded.

He shook his head at her, irked by her behavior. "But your deepest regret does have to do with me still?"

Hermione was smirking now. "Yes."

Severus fell silent, thinking over this and pondering the different ideas of what her regret could be. He stared at the wall blankly until Hermione leaned her head on his shoulder. Then he came back to her from his thoughts. "Will you ever tell me?" he asked, trying to look and sound indifferent though it suddenly meant quite a bit to him whether she told him or not.

"Someday," she said, smiling at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Have you any idea how much I despise that word?"

Hey guys, sorry this one's short but between Halloween and school and everything I was too busy to make it longer! Hope you liked it! Please review if you have a moment. Thanks! Love you all so much! ~Taelr