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 and keeps me writing.

On another note I made the video, the link is in my profile. The song is Far Away by Nickleback and when I heard it on Friday I knew it was meant for this story, if you listen to the lyrics it's almost as if they go together. It was unintentional, I hadn't heard the song in a while and if I had this story would have a different title;)

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).

Hermione went to stand when he wrapped his arms around her saying,

"Just where do you think you're going?"

"I was going to find a book, maybe a cup of tea."

"No, I've missed you and I'm not ready for you to move just yet."

Hermione sighed, it was hard to be upset when she was wrapped up by him.

"You do realize that it's only been two days."

"Yes, but it seems much longer."

"Bad dreams?"

"Yes."

"I have them too."

"I know, you had a reoccurring one in the hospital."

"Really, what was it about?"

"The boat house and Nagini."

"Oh no." Hermione wanted to die, she knew that dream woke her screaming.

"It wasn't that bad, the doctor let me sit with you in recovery because of it."

"Huh, I don't remember. But…."

"What?"

"Well it seems kind of silly now."

"I can't imagine anything from you being silly."

"And here I always thought you thought I was just a silly girl."

"You were eleven, of course you were a silly girl. Now what do you think seems silly."

"I kind of remember telling Harry that Ron would get upset if he knew that Harry was holding my hand. But it's like it's in a fog."

"You were very heavily medicated."

"I did tell him that didn't I?"

"Yes you did, but I told you I would take care of it."

"I remember that too."

"Do you regret it?"

"What, the surgery? No, even if I did I wouldn't say anything for I never want Harry to beat himself up over the choice he made for me. It was the right choice to make, one I would have made had I been able too."

"Good, I have something I want you to read over on my desk."

"You know I have to get up to go get it."

"Are you or are you not a witch."

She went to take her wand out of her pocket when he handed her his, she took it saying.

"Accio Snapes writing."

A long parchment flew to her from the desk, she grabbed it settling in to read it as Severus rub his hand up and down her back. When she finished she looked at him shocked saying,

"Are you serious?"

Severus smirked with the first thing that came to his mind, but then thought it might not go over well.

"Yes I know your Severus."

"Yes, very much so."

"But this….. but…."

"Mark the day, I made Hermione Granger Snape speechless. You were the one who wanted an equal partnership, this gives you the potions mastery you desire and me what I desire in trade."

"But I'm not a master in the subject, far from it."

"I'd bet you know more than I do."

"Still how am I….. when….. what if I still am not….."

"I'll still apprentice you until you are."

"But this gives me all the power in…."

"And being your master will give me all the power in the classroom, it is a fair deal. We both get what we want and I thought that was what equal partnerships were about."

"It is, how long do I have to think about it?"

"As long as you want. Though it is better if the apprenticeship starts at the start of a term."

"I'll have an answer by Christmas."

"Very well."

After several moments of silence he said,

"So can I convince you to stay until the end of the week?"

"No, it's back to dress shopping in the morning."

"I see."

"Though I am looking forward to seeing you on Friday at home."

He smirked at her before asking,

"How are you feeling?"

"Good, no pain at all now. My appointment with the doctor is next week, Thursday afternoon."

"Are you going back to work then?"

"No, well yes but only until Christmas Eve apparently I am missed and worried about. The grandfathers are very worried according to Julie, the twins just don't like that Grace doesn't give them extra whip cream."

Severus shook his head thinking he was going to be going out to breakfast or for coffee a lot in the future.

"Your going back just to make sure that they will know your okay."

"Yes."

Hermione laid her head on his shoulder, they sat in silence. She played with the buttons on his coat neither speaking, finally Severus said,

"Hermione."

"Umm."

"Let's go to bed."

She sat up looking at him, then stood pulling him up with her. He led her into his room where they both took turns in the bathroom changing their clothes, Hermione came out climbing into the bed. Severus wrapped his arms around her pulling her close him. Right now this is all he wanted from her, just her allowing him to hold her as they slept.

"Severus?"

"Yes."

"Something's been on my mind but I don't know how to ask it."

Severus was pretty sure it meant that she wanted to know something about his childhood, that he said he would share with her.

"Just words Hermione."

"That night on the astronomy tower you said death by a thousand cuts, how did… what did you mean about him?"

Severus sighed before saying,

"Once he found out she was a witch he…. Did everything in his power to break her down, broke her sprit, then her wand, then her until there was nothing left. She had nothing left to live for."

"She had you."

"I wasn't enough, I never was."

Hermione turned in his arms to face him before saying,

"Severus, none of that was your fault. Your father beating you, your mother's coldness toward you. You did nothing wrong, you didn't ask to be born to them. They chose to have you, even if they didn't deserve you. They took a clean slate and damaged it. Your father taught you how to hate and be angry, your mother taught you that you can count on no one that no one would ever find you worthy of their affection. I'm amazed that you can be as loving and caring as you are, for no one who was suppose to teach you how to be did their job."

Severus reached up tucking her hair behind her ear, this amazing witch who forgave him of a lot of the things he did to her out of anger. This beautiful woman who only ever wanted to love him, wanting nothing in return. He swallowed past the tightness in his throat. All she wanted from him was his forgiveness, she never asked for anything else from him. Yes she told him what he had done to hurt her, but she never asked him to apologize for it. Even now, almost thirty plus years later she was upset over his parents treatment of him. He wanted to tell her so much, how much her love for him changed him. Made him want to rise above everything to be a better person for her, someone worthy of her affection.

"Hermione….. " he couldn't say it yet. There was nothing he could say until she had forgiven him for all he had done to her, if that day ever came. He pulled her to him holding her, she wrapped her arm around him rubbing his back before saying,

"There is one other person you need to forgive, yourself."

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

I also wanted to say I went with the movie version of what happen in regards to Nagini's attack, I thought it fit this story better than the book.

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