Author's Note: First let me thank everyone who had reviewed, alerted, or put this story on their favorites it means a lot to me.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do I really need to say that I don't own them? I'm just playing with someone else's toys and do return them in the same shape I have found them (well that may not always be the case).

That night sitting in Hermione's living room she said,

"Severus."

"Yes." He looked up from the book he was reading.

"I cannot ever live at Spinner's End again."

He looked at her for some time before saying,

"I don't think I can any more either."

"When we get to the point of wanting to live together can we live here?"

Severus looked around before saying,

"I don't see why not."

"And can I keep a stuffed otter on our bed?"

"What is it with the stuffed animal?"

"It was the last thing my mum ever gave me."

Severus reached for her hand when she took his he pulled her toward him setting her on his lap before saying,

"You can have anything you want on our bed, as long as you're in it with me."

She blushed when he said that so he continued with.

"I was thinking,"

"Oh no."

"I know, anyway over spring break why don't we go to the see your parents. I know they won't know you but you can at least see that they are well and doing good."

"I don't know, that's a part of my life that I don't want to revisit it hurts too much to know that they have a life without me."

"I understand, if you change your mind…"

"Thank you for offering, I do appreciate it greatly."

He hugged her to his chest saying,

"I may not be much on grand gestures of love and such but I don't want you to ever forget that I care about you."

"You know there are still things that haven't been said."

"Of this I am aware, and I'm sure they will come up in time. We will both take a page from your mum and count to ten then talk about it like adults for I don't want to ever have to find you on a ledge again."

"Tell me about your mum."

"Hermione…."

"Please."

"Okay, she use to make potions in the kitchen when I was little. She'd set me on a stool next to the counter, the older I became the more she gave me to do."

"So your passion for potions came from her?"

"Yes I suppose so."

"What was the first magic you did?"

"When I was four we were visiting Grandmother Prince, Tobis came in wanting to go. Grandmother told him to find a bed and sleep it off she was not done visiting with her daughter, he started to advance on them then the rug came out from under him."

"You didn't, did you get into trouble?"

"Not by Tobis, I was on the other side of the room and he couldn't prove I did it. But when we got….."

"I'm sorry, I didn't think it would have a bad memory along with it."

"No, it's part of my past that I've never shared with anyone. I want to share it with you, it's just some of it is hard to talk about."

"In time Severus."

"Yes, in time."

~~^~~SSHG~~^~~

The next morning Hermione asked,

"You know it's only two days until the week end."

"Yes?" Severus knew where she was going with this.

"I am doing much better now."

"Yes, you may as well just ask. I might just fine with it."

"I know I said that I would stay with you at Hogwarts but can I stay here? You'll be back tomorrow night anyway."

"Promise me something."

"Yes?"

"That you won't lift anything, you won't over do, and if you're going to clean anything make it a light cleaning."

"I promise, I wasn't intending on any of that."

What she was intending on was trying to make her way back into the wizarding world. Of course she had no idea what she was going to do, but she knew she would never ask him to give it up for her and she was sure he wouldn't ask her to give up her life for him.

"Very well, but I want to hear from you tonight."

"I'll floo you at nine?"

"That will be fine, I'll be back in my rooms by then."

He reached out grabbing her arm as she went to pass him, pulling her to him his mouth captured hers in a searing kiss that took her breath away. When he pulled away she stared up at him then smiled a smile that he was sure was only meant for him before saying.

"You're going to be late."

"I would risk it for another kiss."

"And what would the students say of the old git of the dungeons if they knew you were late just to grab another snog? I would think that you would lose ground in trying to separate them when you caught them."

"I would much rather snog you all day than teach that bunch of dunderheads."

Hermione felt her stomach tighten at his words, then she said.

"Would you just go make potionteers out of the next generation of dunderheads."

He kissed her again before saying,

"Two days." He turned walking to the floo as she watched him.

A half hour later she threw powder into the floo calling out Minerva's name,

"Is everything alright dear?"

"Fine, I wanted to talk to you about something. I was wondering if you could find a little time to get away today or tomorrow for tea."

"I can come around this afternoon, are you sure everything is well?"

"Yes, fine. I just made a choice and I would prefer to surprise Severus with it."

"I shall be there at two, is the floo okay to use?"

"Yes, I'll see you then."

Hermione went to the café she worked at, after everyone came out to hug on her and see her and tell her how much better she looked than before she finally sat down with Robert who asked,

"So when are you coming back?" he asked.

"I'm not, or I will for a few weeks until you can find a replacement for me but I am moving on."

"Well hell it's about time, I always thought you were better than this dead end job."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't misunderstand, I'm grateful you chose to work here. You are honestly one of the best employees I ever had, everyone respects you. You work hard, but I always felt you could have been so much more than waiting tables. Though you should know that some of the regulars have asked after you every day, maybe we can work something out after your released to work for a few weeks, but I'm thinking the twelve hour days are out."

"Yes, the doctor already said that for a while I shouldn't work over about six a day. But I can come back for a little while, I'm surprised that they even worried. I really didn't mean to make anyone worry about me."

"They love you Hermione, Simon, John, and Nick ask every morning about you. Then a lot of the regulars want updates on how you're doing."

Hermione swiped at her eyes, she never really thought about it. It was nice to know that everyone cared about her.

"So when you are able come back and we will work something out for a few weeks."

"I will, thanks Robert."

He nodded as she left his office, when she reached the dining room she was almost attacked by two ten year olds who both threw their arms around her. She cringed when it caused a little twinge of pain then she heard their mother saying,

"Now boys what did I tell you? Miss Hermione had to have surgery on her tummy and it's going to be sore for a while."

"Sorry Miss Hermione." They said in unison as they both took her hand leading her to their table.

Once she was sitting with them the boys asked,

"When are you coming back….." Dakota started.

"Miss Grace never gives us extra whip cream like you do." Dillon finished.

They reminded her so much of Fred and George when they did that, she leaned over whispering to them,

"I'll have a talk with her okay, see if she'll give you a little extra for me."

"Okay." They both said.

Their mother smiled before saying quietly,

"You're not coming back are you?"

"No, not permanently anyway."

"Good, I'm glad to see you finally moving on."

"I think I'm finally ready to."

Author's Note: Comments really do make me smile and brighten my day.

So virtual cookies to anyone who can tell me where I got the names of the three men. (Yes there is a common factor there;)

Also I wanted to let you know that I have a couple of Severus/Hermione videos on youtube, the link is in my profile.