Severus carried Hermione through the back door without pause. He had managed to get them home without further incident, though Minerva had done her utmost to see that she would escort them, he had made it very clear he didn't want to see any of them at present. His mind was rioting against the words Harry had spoken, their lingering hidden meaning hadn't been lost on him and he had tried to assure himself that he hadn't changed; but even he, could not believe such a falsehood. His eyes turned down to the woman who had turned his reality on its end. Her passive face, her long lashes resting against the slope of her cheek, her lips lightly parted wafting a bit of hair trapped between them. She shifted and pressed her face closer to his chest, flexing her legs when they brushed the door frame and took in a deep breath opening her eyes to the dim light of the hallway.

"Bath...bed..." Hermione wanted nothing more than to rinse away all the memories of the day. Her head ached and her body thrummed with the restorative potions he had given her. She could also feel the vault growing weaker, small memories were slipping from around the crack dissolving into the whiteness, lost before she could even dare to look but the feeling they carried inside stayed with her.

She heard Severus' low hum of agreement and closed her eyes again as he took the stairs. When she felt herself being sat down she reopened her eyes to the pale blue walls of her room. She pouted but understood it was the most logical choice, she ran her hands over his chest feeling the ripple of muscle shift beneath the thin layer of his shirt.

"I can manage." She said kindly letting her hands fall to her lap as he stood.

"I'll be downstairs. Should you need me." He paused as if reluctant to leave her but a look to her face stilled his concern.

Hermione watched his back as he left. He looked tired, she could see that he tried to hide it but it was there, in his slight shift of his hips as he favored one leg and the slight almost imperceivable arch near his neck. She hugged herself, never wanting to leave the warmth of his coat, she gathered her energy with a small yawn and smiled into the collar, breathing in deeply.

Severus moved into the kitchen setting his potions chest on the table. His mind had calmed somewhat from the lingering burn her touch had left over his chest and it allowed him to focus on his task. He pulled out the empty vials and replaced the others setting them neatly and precisely in their place.

He turned to the ice box pulling out an apple, he took a knife taking the time to cut it by hand. He could feel her wand humming against his thigh, singing a soft tune to the one strapped to his forearm. He paused and slowly pulled her wand from his pocket watching the wood roll gently in his palm. It was indeed powerful and when he welded it he had never felt such control or precision. It was truly a wand to be revered. He could tell its allegiance still laid with her and he bowed his head in respect to having been allowed to use it on her behalf. The wand glowed softly before going still again. He slipped it back into his pocket resuming to his task as the pipes rattled over head.

Hermione sighed softly as the warm water ran down over her head. She carded her fingers through her hair rinsing away all the dirt and dust. With great effort, she tried to wash away the feeling of clumsy boyish fingers. Her hands rubbed down her face harshly when the first sob welled in her throat. Her head bowed as she felt remorse rampaging through, her fist hit the side of the shower as she fought down all that rose inside her. Like a typhoon, it swept her under, her heart crying out as her body shuddered with lament.

She wanted to simultaneously remember and forget. The happy pictures of a life she must have lived flowed through her mind. Her fist moved from the wall to her broken heart as she slid down to her knees. Another suppressed sob echoed around her as she leaned over her legs wrapping her arms around herself. Her hair shielded her face from the world, but it was still there, marching on. Shame and regret swirled down with the tanned water and she rested her head the wall, finally just allowing herself a low keening wail of release.

His name passed her lips broken by another sob. She knew some part of her had loved him and a part of her would always care. But she also knew, she couldn't be his. No, her heart belonged to another.

Severus looked up, his chest growing tight as he felt her sorrow. His back straightened in attention but wouldn't go to her. Not because he didn't want to, his fingers itched to take away her pain, no, he stayed because he knew she needed to come to a resolution on her own. She was strong and confident, she would survive. She was forged in fire. He felt his own face drop as he mirrored her pain of a love lost.

The water had started to run cold as she came down from her emotional spike, for once, she was grateful that she was alone. Her chest fluttered feeling lighter and she pulled herself up. Though her eyes shone sadly, her jaw was resolute.

She finished without pomp or circumstance stepping out onto the cool tile wrapping a large towel tightly around her. She hesitated for only a brief moment before turning away from her door. She moved to the bench and pulled on her underwear and sleeping shorts before pulling the towel away. She ruffled it through her hair before looking down at the shirt she had chosen laying next to his coat. The deep fabric caught her strict attention and her arms languidly came down to wrap the towel back around.

Unable to resist, she ran her fingers down the buttons watching them turn under her touch. She would have to return it, there was no way he would allow her to keep it.

As she pulled it up she heard something small and metallic ping against the floor. Turning, she followed after it curiously. It came to a rest at the threshold that led to his room and when she picked it up, it grew warm in her hand. She had seen this ring before. It was his ring, his promise ring. Her eyes widened as the ring glowed softly shrinking in size and turning from silver to gold in her palm. A word formed along the band in soft glowing green.

"Always..."

The word ghosted over the ring as she stared in wonder. The promise glowed brightly before fading into deep crimson, engraving itself into the band. Forever there.

Hermione swallowed as it started to fade from her palm only to reappear on her middle finger. She turned her hand in shock and awe at the inspiring magic. Her arm tightened on his coat and she looked to his door. Her hand tingled as the magic of the promise spread through.

With a nervous swallow, she cautiously pushed open the door. It was empty, feeling a new confidence in her steps she moved over to his closet. The ring shined in the moonlight as she opened the doors. She raised his coat to rest on a hanger away from the others before taking just a moment to take in his meager wardrobe, she suddenly realized that the 4 coats he possessed were not identical. They were similar, yes, but there were small alterations to each one. How had she missed such a crucial detail? Her eyes turned to his white shirts, they too, had small imperfections or size differences, like they had been kept through time. She took hold of the smallest pulling it down. The stiff pressed cotton felt like heaven beneath her fingers and she made no pause as she pulled it around her shoulders. She pulled the towel free letting it fall to her feet before she working her way down the buttons.

Severus' hand jerked away from the book he was idly reading. Looking at it with extreme consternation, his head tilted slightly in confusion as a gold band stretched out over his middle finger. He leaned forward as he saw a soft red light change to green, the gold melting away to silver as it burned deep emerald green over the top.

Always.

He turned it cautiously feeling an energy run through him. Lily. Her ring had come to him. How had it come, why had it changed? His inner musings were interrupted by the soft shuffle of feet coming down the stairs. He stood slowly, his brow growing soft at the gentle damp curls that fell over the shoulders of his white shirt. She looked nervous, fidgeting, her head bowed. He moved closer, she was turning a band on her finger, he was certain, hadn't been there before she showered.

"It...fell out of your coat...I'm sorry I didn-" His finger silenced her as it pressed to her lips.

He lowered his eyes to her hand, pulling back his own, showing her the matching band. Her eyes widened and her hands came up to take his, turning it in the light as she examined it.

Her small finger tips traced his finger, her eyes sharp and concentrated before relaxing in understanding. Her fingers pulled back and he waited for her to share what he still didn't comprehend. Instead, Hermione drew her hand up his arm to his chest. His jaw twitched, his eyes watched them dance lightly over his heart before moving higher. He took in a sharp breath, frozen in place as her smooth fingers disappeared and slipped through the opening he had recently unbuttoned, running along the sensitive scar along his neck.

Her other hand joined its mate's intrusion, her finger tips explored the ridges of his sharp cheek, tracing the bottom of his partially parted lip frozen in protest, before gliding up to push his hair back behind his ear. His eyes flared as she rose herself up, the hand on his neck slipped behind into his thick hair as her face came near. His eyes fell into hers as she hovered for only a moment over his lips before turning to brush her cheek against his. He felt her entire frame press into him. She held him tight, her face buried into his neck, hands holding the back of his head and shoulders. Alarm bells rang from a great distance. His hands twitched with indecision before slowly running up the small of her back. His eyes closed as he allowed himself this one reprieve.

Hermione pressed her lips to his pulse, her arms tightening as his long fingers ran up her back. The tension of the day melted away as they rose to wrap around her waist and shoulders completing the embrace. Her heart swelled when his head lowered and his lips pressed against the underside of her jaw. She could feel the ring on her finger growing warm and knew she had made the right decision.

She held on as long as she could but knew they couldn't stay forever. She shifted her head slightly leaving a faint whisper of a kiss along his throat before lowering herself down. She didn't need words as she pulled back looking into his softened eyes.

Stepping back from his hold she ran her hand down his arm taking her hand in his, she twined their banded fingers together and turned slowly. She didn't feel even the smallest hesitation as she started to take the stairs with him in tow. She led him without protest to his room before slowly turning back to face him.

She kept him under her spell as she pulled him backward toward his bed and when her knees pressed against the edge of the mattress she released his hand, coming up to the buttons on his shirt. She could tell he was starting to come around when she made it to the halfway mark and her eyes shot to his in warning. She was just as scary, if not more so than he and she wasn't about to let him stop her now.

She watched his brow twitch in confusion but didn't raise his hands to stop her. His thoughts were swirling by in her mind and she let them in but didn't allow them to take away from her task. She gave a small tug at the bottom pulling the hem from his belt. Dropping it away she finished the last two buttons before turning her eyes back up. Her fingers lingered over his stomach that fluttered and flinched away at her touch. She curled her lips in taking a deep breath through her nose, eyes lowering back to his chest that was teasingly peeking out from behind his shirt.

Did she dare? Her chest rose with trepidation and excitement, the tips of her fingers tapped lightly against his skin testing his reaction before pressing fully against its warmth. She could see from the corner of her eyes that his hands were rising to stop her but she shot him another warning glare. His jaw went tight but he stayed his hands. His eyes were burning somewhere between indignation and resignation.

With all the courage her Gryffindor house gave her, she pressed her palms flat running her them under the shirt before up and over his shoulders pushing the fabric away. Her brow twitched with sorrow at all the harsh lines that marred his otherwise flawless skin. She pulled the shirt down a bit further pushing down his arms so that it would fall away on its own.

Her eyes traveled to the wand sheath on his forearm and slipped the wand free. She felt him tense as she laid it gingerly on the bed side table. Turning back, she released the leather paying no mind to the mark that had been hidden underneath even though he turned to shield it from her view. She set it beside his wand with care.

Returning to his chest Her fingertips lightly traced down a scar that ran over his lower ribs. She felt him flinch and pulled back marginally. Her lip was going to bleed if she chewed any harder on it so she released its swollen flesh, turning her eyes up to his. Her hands trailed down to his belt watching his face as she slipped a daring finger under the black leather, keeping his gaze locked in, she slipped it through the catch and gave it a long slow pull behind her before letting it clatter heavily to the floor.

His hands came to hers then, holding her wrists firmly from going any further. His grip didn't hurt but it was a very stern reminder that she had gone as far as she should and she relented to him. Her fingers ran over his exposed arms lightly tracing the dewy dark hair that dusted over the top.

"Come to bed..." Her voice was soft, like an enchantress. She used his grip to keep her steady as she moved backwards onto the bed, one leg at a time before she was kneeling on its ledge. "Please..." She gave him a soft pull feeling his grip gradually relax. Wiggling free she shifted back, waiting for him to join her. She pushed down the covers and reached out again, her fingers curled around his and pulled once more, she felt his reluctance but kept her hold. When he finally conceeded and crawled onto the bed with her, she beamed.

Releasing his hand, she moved to the far side. She waited for him to kick off his shoes before shifting. Patiently, she waited, allowing for him to sit before pulling the blanket over his long legs. She shimmied down next to him pushing against his chest so he would lie back as well. After a tense pause, he finally did as she wished.

Hermione moved closer, her arm coming around his waist. Nestling herself under his arm she nuzzled her ear against his heart. His skin felt unbelievably warm against her face and her fingers lightly traced the deep ridge that ran right under his pectoral, she felt his muscles tense and stilled her hand instantly, her palm coming to rest over it instead. Only one word came to her mind as she felt the arm she was tucked under come up to lightly hold her waist, mine.

"Tell me what happened, " Ginny pulled back her hair in a loose pony tail and worked on taking off her make up in front of the vanity, she watched Harry from the reflection rubbing their son's back trying to get him to sleep.

"It was awful... Ginny, I don't think you should really be a part of this."

Ginny huffed rolling her eyes, "Not that you idiot." She glanced back at him over her shoulder as she worked an earring free. "With Snape. You said he came after Ron like he was leading the demons of hell." She turned back setting the earring down and moved to the other.

"Right...so after we'd finished, Hermione she was...and Snape he was weak you know? Whatever they created is super powerful." He paused as Albus turned his head, "He told us to take her inside. And Ron, he just took off with her."

"Idiot." Ginny huffed moving to her necklace, "I warned you he wasn't stable, hasn't been in a long time." She glanced into the mirror at her husband's solemn face. "Anyway, you came to the burrow and invoked mom's wrath." She had heard that part from George who had been watching over Teddy in the living room. "Did Snape get there before you? Why wasn't someone watching him?"

"Yea and McGonagall was, but I guess he had a backup wand or something it was white when he pointed it at me."

Ginny paused pulling the chain from around her neck, she turned in her chair with a calculative brow, "Didn't mom say that Hermione's new wand was made of Beech wood?"

"Yea so?"

Ginny rolled her eyes, leaing over the back of the chair, "Beech is a white wood." She jortled softly as she watched understanding flash in his eyes. Men were so thick sometimes.

"It was her wand?" He leaned forward.

"Obviously." Ginny chuckled softly shaking her head, she loved him but sometimes she could swear he wouldn't be able to find the nose on his face even if he was holding it shut.

"Right so, when I got there it was dark, I thought maybe I was too late, I could see his outline and I fired off a stunner."

"You tried to attack him? " She snorted and shook her head, "You're lucky you're alive."

"I knew he'd block me," He back peddled with earnest, "I was worried about Ron you know?"

"Alright, alright. You're obviously in one piece, I'm going to guess he didn't fire back?"

Harry leaned forward a bit shifting their son so he laid over his arm, "No, that's just it like, he raised the wand to me, but I felt this voice in my heart, and it told me to stop. Told me to give him the potion chest and he wouldn't hurt me."

Ginny's brow rose and she leaned over the back of the vanity chair in rapt attention. "He took it?"

"Without a single word, his focus completely shifted from Ron to Hermione." Harry looked down at Albus who had finally fallen asleep. He shifted him up resting him against his chest sighing softly into his soft hair. "I don't think I have ever seen him so focused, even your mom didn't bother him. He was like in another world entirely."

"Hermione's okay though right? I mean my brother didn't make things worse? "

"If he did Snape repaired anything he did. When I got over to them he'd put his jacket over her and-"

"Wait, he took off his coat?" Ginny's face lit with childish excitement. "What did he have underneath? Was it another coat? Did it have thousands of buttons?"

Harry gave her a must perplexed look, "What, no he was wearing a normal long sleeve button up." He blinked as she giggled going off somewhere in her mind.

"What color was it?"

"White...?"

She hummed in the back of her throat nodding to herself as a goofy smile grew on her lips.

Harry chuckled at her stary eyed far off look, he came closer sitting on the end of their bed rocking slightly from their son's small protest of movement. "Should I be jealous?" He teased catching her eye again, "I havn't seen that look since we went to see the quidditch world cup last year."

Ginny laughed and smacked his knee coming back into focus, "You don't understand, back in school, the girls would always get together after curfew in the dorms and share our little exploits and of course fantasies." She watched his brows raise into his hair line.

"That doesn't seem fair." He chuckled softly as she swatted him again.

"Anyway, one time we actually got Hermione to join us, right? She was so embarrassed and really Lavender wasn't helping, and then Marie, you know the one from a year under me that was really nice, did the flowers for our wedding?"

She waited for him to nod before continuing on, "Anyway, she got the topic turned onto teachers and what they wear under their teaching robes." She waggled her eyes brows suggestively while Harry just made a face.

"But they're all so old."

"That's what made it funny, but you know, Snape was the youngest professor, he would've only been..." She counted on her fingers, "Like 36 years old, anyway, every girl loves a bad boy. So, some how we got onto the topic of him and Hermione finally decided to join in the conversion, she mentioned the many buttons and the room flew into a myriad of different things."

"One of those being whether or not all his clothes had a maze of buttons?" Harry was starting to catch her humor.

"Exactly." Stifled her giggle behind her hand, "I wagered he had like a vest or something over a black or green shirt..." She paused thinking back, "Hermione got it right...I think it was her who said she'd noticed a bit of white near his collar one day and insisted his shirt was white."

"Girls." Harry chuckled, "Anyway, back to my evening," Ginny nodded with mock seriousness before calming herself down to listen properly.

"When I got there Ginny, I swear I had only seen that look on his face one time." He held up a finger to accentuate his point. "In the memories, he left me, the one with my mother. It disappeared really quick but I know I saw it."

Ginny's brows rose and she shifted closer, "Like the one I give you right before you kiss me and tell me you love me?" She leaned in and he kissed her softly with a smile.

"Yeah just like that."

"Do you think he loves her?" Ginny sat beside him on the bed lightly brushing some hair from Albus' brow.

"I don't know, but I think she loves him."

A slow smirk grew on the red heads lips, "100 points to Gryffindor."

Harry chuckled and tilted his head to look at her, "For what?"

"The Gryffindor Princess has finally found her a Prince."

Harry scrunched his nose a bit a little uneasy at the idea.

"Oh, honestly." Ginny rolled her eyes standing up her fists on her hips, a very good impression of her mother. "If things had turned out differently do you seriously think Ron and Hermione would have made it?"

Harry tried to imagine but even he couldn't see the relationship lasting too long. They were two very different people. Hermione was controlled and focused while Ron... was constantly floating all over the place. He shook his head slightly, "No, I guess not..."

"Exactly, at this point Ron and Hermione would have split up and Ron would probably be sleeping through every witch who would give him the time of day while Hermione would probably be holed up alone in some depressing little flat taking care of a troop of cats and other creatures unable to fend for themselves, working herself to death." Ginny leaned down cupping her husbands cheeks her eyes bright, "You see? It's as it was meant to be."

He still made a bit of a face, "But, he was in love with my mom, hell he's old enough to be my Dad." He shivered at that image.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "Boy's take forever to mature. I honestly couldn't have ever pictured Hermione with anyone near her age anyway."

"I guess but..." He counted in his head, "19 years? That's more than a generation or two..."

Ginny huffed softly, "You're just stuck on the image of him being your father." She tapped his forehead, "Think of it this way," She gently lifted Albus into her arms, "There is a man, who has lived his life without a single ounce of love or joy and a young woman, living her life without the memory of the love and joy she's lost; and they've come together to make something entirely new. A world where both of them can feel love's tender kiss as they move through the world together."

Harry watched her take their son to bed too shocked at the beautiful description to protest.