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.

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).

Severus sighed he knew she would want to know, he just wasn't sure he wanted to tell her. Finally he said,

"I had every intention of doing so, but your last words to me hit me harder than I….. I only had one thought at the time I gave them to you to sign and that was freeing you to be happy." he stopped, he had no idea what to say. "I don't know what to say Hermione, yes I didn't follow through with filing the papers. But you didn't either."

"I assumed that since it was the first possible chance that you would have finished filing them that day and there would be no need for me too."

Severus stared off into the forest, finally he said.

"I couldn't do it, not after overhearing you and Potter. To know that you felt that way after everything I said and did to you was…. Overwhelming. Those few words broke down walls to feelings that I hadn't had or dealt with in a very long time. When you left I honestly didn't know how to stop you, I thought you would finally tell me that you cared and didn't want to go. When the door slammed I was lost, I knew you couldn't stay no matter how much I wanted it to be after everything I had done to you. I just couldn't figure out why you would care when I gave you every reason in the world to hate me, I still don't."

Hermione stood staring at him for sometime not knowing really what to say, she knew the truth would be the best but she wasn't sure she wanted to admit to anything from then. Finally she said.

"I saw through it, the mask that you wore…. Wear to the outside world, even me. I knew that something was wrong, that you were not happy with me. I just had no idea what it was. I knew your vile words or actions were a defense meant to keep people back. Hell I even understood that you felt if you keep everyone away then there is no way anyone can hurt you."

"That turned out not to be true."

"Yes I know that now."

"When you left" Severus took a breath before saying "It did hurt me when you left."

"Do you think you were the only one?"

"No." he realized that the answer was true, he knew the moment he saw her that morning she was hurting.

"Were you ever going to tell me the bonding was still there? Or were you hoping that I wouldn't find out and in May it would be automatic?"

"I wanted to tell you several times, but then again I didn't. I didn't want you to be angry that I didn't follow through and then we have words again. I'm wanting…" Severus trailed off.

"Unless you tell what you want I won't know." She said when he didn't continue.

"I want us to move forward, you know this."

"Yes I do, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded of it."

He looked over at her for the first time since she stepped up to him. She moved to stand in front of him before saying.

"Severus, ask me what I want."

He looked down into her eyes, he quietly asked.

"What do you want Hermione?"

"I want to get over my past and our past so we can move forward." Then she smiled saying, "Oh and I want you to kiss me."

He smirked at her before lowering his head touching his lips lightly to hers, her arms snaked around his neck as she ran her tongue across his bottom lip. He deepened the kiss letting her deepen the kiss. When he felt her tongue slid across the roof of his mouth he moaned. He ended the kiss laying his forehead on hers, finally saying.

"We need to stop."

"I know."

"Will you please tell me what happen."

"I caught Ron sleeping around, several times. He never believed that I was… that Redding did what he did. He even went so far as accusing me of screwing you while I was a student because I saved your life and visited you while you were in St. Mungo's. When I finally had enough, after a huge fight that got violent, I left. He just never wanted to accept things were over and lied to anyone who would listen to him about it. Of course I made his lies true when a week later I filed the bonding intent. Ron and I were over long before that, but he had found out about the bonding from Harry and it gave him all he needed to pretty much make everyone believe him that I…. that we were having an affair."

"How is it I never heard of this?" Severus asked.

"I don't know, could be that when you woke up you were in Azkaban almost at once and by the time you came back here to teach it was mostly a forgotten story. Ron had married Lacey by the….. why was she not here?"

"Off topic." Severus said smirking when she looked up at him.

"Anyway they married, I had already cut ties with the Weasley's by then and I assumed that all of that was over with. Hell I hadn't even seen Ron in almost ten years until yesterday."

"Does it really matter what they believe? I've seen what happen, I believe it. We also know the truth that the first time….."

"That when I was a student nothing went on."

"Yes."

"No it doesn't, that was why I cut the ties with them. Really everyone else was just because I left this world. Now it really doesn't seem the big deal it was at the time."

"You won't do that again." He stated.

"No I will not."

"Hermione, I need you. Don't abandon me again." Severus said looking directly in her eyes, Hermione gave him a small smile before saying,

"Never." Yes she still held something's against him, but she truly wanted to get past them.

Severus took her hand leading her back to their rooms in the castle.

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

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