Author's Notes: Howdy everyone! So I've been a very busy bee and not done as much writing as I had hoped, however I did squeeze in this chapter so I hope you enjoy it! As always thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to read the story up to this point and especially to all of you who have left a review!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, the characters, books, films or anything recognisable as JKR's work and make no money from this little story.

Chapter Nineteen

Hermione sighed and stood to put the book back on the shelf before flopping back down on the sofa in defeat. The students would be arriving in a couple of days so she was about to get very busy and lose a lot of her research time.

"I take that as a sign that you have finally given up." A voice called from the doorway.

"No, well...sort of." She admitted. "It's a temporary surrender at least."

"You found nothing?" he asked, removing his outer robe and summoning an elf for tea. Hermione had been amazed when he had not only allowed her to go through some of his books but also left her alone in his rooms, trusting her not to touch what he had told her was off limits.

"Unless of course you want to lift the ban on the books over there?" she asked cheekily.

"No, anything in there will likely have more unsavoury ingredients in it that the option you already have." He told her firmly pouring himself a cup of tea from the tray that had appeared.

"I found a few options but...they aren't overly difficult and I may not even be able to brew them." She frowned.

"No harm in trying." He shrugged.

"Well no...but I just have a feeling that the guild will find a reason that I cannot do it, they will say it isn't hard enough or something else that suits them to get their way I'm sure." She explained.

"I was wondering if you would pick up on that. They don't mean to be complete bastards Hermione, however this is a chance for them to see a potion that in all likelihood none of them have ever seen brewed before. It is old magic, could you imagine brides brewing this on their wedding night with their mother's to practically guarantee an heir?" He asked her. She shook her head. "That does not mean that you cannot ask though."

Hermione had researched and read all that she could about the potion. It hadn't exactly been a commonly brewed potion back in days gone by either, it was mainly used for important arranged marriages to guarantee a swift conception of an heir. Apparently the usual course was for the young bride to bathe and "obtain" her ingredient by thinking of her wedding night to come. She would then be dressed for her wedding night by servants and elves would do her hair in intricate designs with all sorts of ceremonial flowers woven into it. Meanwhile her mother was to brew the potion, sometimes with the assistance of the mother-in-law for the bride to take no more than an hour before entering her husband's bed for the first time. Whilst Hermione had been originally under the impression that the wizarding world was somewhat prudish it would seem that the end justified the means in this case. A lot of couples the world over who couldn't have children, not through any serious problem but just due to low fertility and infrequent ovulation and such problems would easily give much more to conceive.

In her mind, whilst this was an embarrassing task for her to perform she did think that if perhaps she could keep the potion for herself, if perhaps the potion could enable her to conceive despite the curse damage then the end would definitely justify the means in her eyes.

"No I guess not, I'll give you a list of the alternatives that I found to send to them shall I? After all it's worth asking isn't it?" she asked, shaking the thoughts from her head. The internal damage was too extreme for this kind of potion to work; even if this potion could cause her to ovulate, the damage to the walls of her womb was too great to carry a child to term. "I should go to lunch, I missed breakfast already." He nodded sagely and on impulse she gestured for him to follow her. "Come on, you've missed as many meals as I have over the holidays and it's time to get back into good habits."

"Are you ordering me to come to lunch with you?" he asked in disbelief. When she simply gestured for him to stand he rolled his eyes and did so. "What happened to the Hermione Granger who was afraid of me?"

"Long gone, come on hurry up." She shrugged.

"Bloody Gryffindors!" he groaned. "I must be losing my touch."

They made the trip in silence and took their seats also in silence. Hermione was interrupted by an owl flying overhead and dropping a parcel in front of her.

"Oh! What on earth could this be?" she said, eying the parcel curiously.

"More than likely the same as the one I received this morning." Minerva smiled as Hermione unwrapped the package.

Inside she found a book with a picture on the front of the sorting hat, titled "For All Magickind".

She opened the cover to the title page "For All Magickind – a collection of tales of the Great Wizarding War and all its victims alive and dead". She flicked through the pages briefly scanning the contents.

"Luna's articles...she wrote a book instead..." Hermione said softly.

"Oh bloody wonderful..." the man next to her muttered. Hermione ate a few bits from her plate as quickly as she could, so that she could excuse herself. "Oh no you don't! You dragged me here, so you can damn well sit here and eat lunch properly!"

Hermione and Minerva looked at each other and grinned.

"I see that Hermione has learnt how to handle you Severus." The Headmistress said.

"I wonder whose fault that is." He murmured dryly.

"I can't help it that you're just so likeable." Hermione smirked. "Just think, all this time sat here next to you at the table is more time we can bond."

"Go read your sodding book." He snapped, causing her to beam in triumph.

"My heavens...what have you done to Hermione?" Minerva asked, looking appalled. "You're Slytherin tendencies are rubbing off on her."

"Yes, there might be a bit of Slytherin in her yet." He smirked.

"A bit of Slytherin in me would solve a whole lot of problems." Hermione muttered under her breath as she left the table causing the potion's master to promptly choke on a mouthful of his tea.

Hermione sat in her room and got comfortable with Luna's book.

'I originally started interviewing people about their part in the war to use for an article in the Quibbler, but once I had started speaking to people I couldn't stop. How could I? There was always another story to be told and I wouldn't have wanted to miss someone out. In the end an article just would never be able to say what needed to be said, so I began this book. A year later here it is.

This book contains interviews, stories and statements directly from many of the people involved in the events of and leading up to May 1999. There are also dedications to many of those not with us today and a complete list at the back.

I cannot actually take credit for this book, since most of it isn't my story to tell but these stories needed to be told and someone had to do it.

I would like to thank those who have provided me with pictures for this book; particularly the pictures taken by Colin Creevey who can't be here today.'

Hermione expected the book to either start with Harry because he was the most famous or to go in some kind of alphabetical or chronological order but in true Luna fashion there was no order.

On the first page she found a picture of Colin Creevey from his fourth year in his Hogwarts uniform with a brief set of statistics followed by the story of how he had been a member of the DA and although he had been expelled for being muggleborn and could have gone into hiding he still snuck back into the castle as an underage wizard to fight for the cause.

Next Luna wrote her story which had Hermione laughing most of the way through, Luna had spent months in the Malfoy's dungeon and despite the terrifying circumstances she seemed very light-hearted about it all. Apparently Draco used to sneak her and the other prisoners food and Luna had been fortunate enough not to have been tortured during her stay there. Her story was then followed by a rather long piece about Dobby. The house elf who had fought against his Master's plans to help Harry Potter, although it began somewhat disastrously his intentions were good. How he became a free elf and then chose to aid Harry and his friends. If it weren't for Dobby Hermione didn't want to think about how they would have escaped Malfoy Manor.

This was followed by a small statement made by Narcissa Malfoy who was currently under house arrest for her involvement but free from Azkaban due to helping Harry in the battle. She explained that to her and Lucius they had been raised to see muggle blood as less, it was what they had always known and been groomed to believe. Narcissa herself said that she didn't believe muggles and muggleborns deserved death and torture and never had, but the place of a pureblood witch is to obey her husband and her family, so she never spoke up. She admitted that she would have done anything to save her son. Lucius refused to make a statement directly but had written one that he gave to his wife to relay. Lucius Malfoy was sentenced to a life long term in Azkaban prison for his involvement but due to his wife's change of heart he was allowed a more luxurious stay than most to make his stay bearable but he couldn't hurt anyone else from inside a prison. He admitted to his beliefs and although he wasn't completely sold on the killing and torture he admitted that he did sometimes get caught up in the power lust of it. He had been corrupted by dark magic and the dark lord and to try and leave would mean his wife and son's death. So he stayed and followed orders.

Hermione expected Draco's story to follow but it didn't, instead it was Molly and Arthur's stories, including a piece about Remus Lupin and Sirius Black respectively. This was followed by Kingsley's account of events and the dedications to many Auror's and Order members lost. Neville's account followed, explaining the events of the school while under Deatheater ruling and dedications to all of the students. This was followed by a piece by Blaise Zambini on the Slytherin students. This was followed by a few more accounts from Slytherin students...the children of Deatheaters many of which no longer had any parents.

Hermione read well into the night, she read Ginny's piece and Ron's and hers...all of the staff. She cried most of the way through it, even at the stories of some of the deatheaters. Luna had done an amazing job. So many of the deatheaters that took part in battle and torture had joined the cause while Tom Riddle was still human and charismatic, they had believed purebloods were better but not necessarily that their lowers should all die painful deaths. By the time they realised the extent of Riddle's plans it was too late, he was too powerful and to defy him was death. There were of course those that did truly believe that muggleborns and blood traitors should suffer, that enjoyed torturing and killing them. The ones that killed muggle families for no reason other than fun. Seeing as how most of these had been killed or kissed there was little written about them.

She was surprised to see that even Severus had given a short statement, it was more of an interview really, Luna had asked him a couple of questions that he confirmed or denied and then he had given a short statement saying that he didn't want any praise; the things he had to do for his position were still soul damning and there was no glory in that. He was however grateful that the whole ordeal was over and hoped to live the rest of his life in peace.

The last two stories were told together. Most surprisingly it was the tales of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. They had obviously worked together with Luna on this piece to tell their story from the day they met to the present day. Harry wrote how he had to come to terms with saving a world that he was still trying to learn about due to missing out on it for the first eleven years of his life as well as a long list of thank you's. Draco wrote about the beliefs that he was raised with and how he came to question them, how when he saw a teacher killed in front of him he found it hard to believe that it had happened and then seeing a fellow student being tortured in his home by his own Aunt he had found it hard to believe that she had actually deserved to be tortured just for existing. It had opened his eyes to exactly what the world would be like with the Dark Lord ruling it and made him seriously reconsider his loyalties. They both agreed that they were now on civil terms and although they would most likely never be friends, they held no more animosity towards one another either.

Hermione flicked back through the book at the photos, most amazingly there were some incredible shots of the battle and Hermione was not surprised to find that Colin Creevey had taken some of the photos leading up to and during the battle. There was an amazing photo of the shield going up around Hogwarts and another of the Weasley twins both in action...it was incredible. There was a picture of Remus stood in front of an injured Tonks, protecting her fearlessly to the end. Hermione closed the book with a sob and cried herself to sleep on her bed.

When Hermione woke it was colder and darker in her room, she realised that it was past dinner and groaned as she felt her stomach rumbling loudly. She rubbed her eyes and straightened her crumpled clothes before standing. She noticed an envelope on her table and picked it up.

"If you wake up before tomorrow come see me. S.S." Was eight o'clock too late to go and see him? What did he want with her this late anyway...and how did he know that she was asleep?

She straightened herself out and headed to his rooms just down from hers. It was only after she knocked that she realised her feet were cold and noticed that she hadn't actually put her shoes back on.

The door swung open to reveal Severus still fully dressed and much more awake than she was. He moved back to allow her in.

"Sit, eat." He told her, directing her to the sofa where a plate of roast beef dinner sat under a stasis charm.

"Thank you." She said quietly, feeling slightly uneasy about eating alone while he watched but dug in none the less as she was starving. She noticed the book on the end of the table, still sat on the brown paper it came wrapped in. "You got a copy too?" He nodded. "Have you read any of it?"

"I have." He replied. "That is how I knew that you would more than likely miss dinner."

"You knew I'd miss it before I did?" she asked, looking at him in surprise.

"There aren't exactly pleasant memories in those pages Hermione, not to mention that your friends are in it and you have not seen them in weeks." He said gravely. "I would have been surprised had it not affected you. I sent the meal to you assuming that you probably would not wish to be in the hall, the elf told me you were sleeping."

"So that's how you knew I was asleep." She nodded.

"You thought I had snuck into your rooms uninvited?" he asked raising a brow. "Although I could undoubtedly do as much, I would not. Not unless there was a justifiable reason for doing so of course."

"Such as?" she grinned, knowing both of them were avoiding the subject of Gideon when Severus had appeared in her rooms on hearing them fighting.

"I shall let you know when I think of something." He replied, heading over to his desk and sitting over there to work while she ate. She was grateful and had soon polished off her meal.

"I'm not going to sleep tonight now." She murmured to herself, stretching her back out and glancing over to her Professor. She remembered something that she'd seen in the book and realised that she should have paid more attention to it before. She picked up his book from the table and opened it to the page she was looking for. It was a picture of Professor Snape duelling Minerva in the great hall just after the DA and Order had all snuck back into the castle. She crossed the room and placed the book in front of him.

"You didn't fight back." She said softly. "You didn't want to fight her. That's how I knew you weren't truly a traitor and that's why I couldn't leave you to die."

"That could have been a rather large mistake." He said after a few moments silence. "I expected you to be smarter than that, that wasn't much evidence to go on was it?"

"You put yourself between a werewolf and us, even after your past experience. Not a single student actually died during your time as headmaster which seems a bit odd for a loyal deatheater who had killed the previous head master." She said forcefully.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing." He snorted, standing and striding over to cabinet to pour himself a drink.

"I tried to save you before I knew Dumbledore ordered you to kill him!" she shouted, knocking his glass from his hand in anger. "Why do you spend your time making people hate you?!"

He turned back to pour another drink and downed it before grabbing her arms and tugging her against him.

"One would think that you would pick up the hint." he snarled. She looked up at him in confusion, his body was pressed against her and playing tricks on her mind. She couldn't think and then he was kissing her, or she was kissing him...she wasn't actually sure which one of them had moved first. She let out a moan as she gripping his jacket tightly, trying to pull herself closer. As suddenly as it had happened it was over. He was pushing her away.

"Out." He said, she didn't move. "Get out now!"

"I'm sorry Professor, clearly I made a mistake." She huffed before leaving and slamming the door behind her. "Arsehole!" She shouted and cringed when it echoed around the corridor.