"Ginny is safe! Oh my baby! She's okay!" Hermione and Severus were broken from an incredibly uncomfortable staring contest by an exclamation from the next room. It was boxing day and everyone was packed into her home, all of the order members and their children gathered after their holiday celebrations.

"She's okay?" Hermione was the first to respond, rounding the corner and sliding across the floor on her socks as she had since she was a child, her eyes wide and bright at the idea of hearing from her friend.

"Yes, yes she's okay!" Molly passed the letter in Hermione's direction and she took it without hesitation, her eyes consuming the words before eve had a moment to regain her balance. Severus was there, behind her with a hand on her lower back.

She read the letter four times.

Mum, Papa, Idiot Brothers, and of course my best friend,

I am perfectly fine, safe and well taken care of. I had a beautiful Christmas, though I wish you had been here to enjoy it with me.

I cannot disclose to you where I am, but I can say that I honestly don't know if I ever want to leave.

Mum, Papa, I love you both so terribly much. I'm sorry you've had to worry but I know that you must be holding it together well, you are brilliant, after all. I love my idiot brothers as well, of course. Ron, you better be taking good care of Rose, Fred, George, I expect several wonderful gags when I return, tell Percy he can suck my big toe, and Bill that I love him so much. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas even though I wasn't there, I wore my sweater mum, I swear.

Now, this part is for Hermione only, you won't be able to read it mum so don't even try.

Go ahead, hand over the letter before you muck it up with your blubbering.

Hermione cleared her throat with a laugh, shot a look to Mrs. Weasley and smiled.

"I promise if she says anything more than something about boys I will tell you." She laughed, her voice crackled and Hermione felt sad for them but turned to glance at Severus.
"I need my wand, will you come with me?" As if he could deny her anything. He gave a soft nod, and with his hand still on her lower back lead her up the stairs.

They entered the room they had decided to share, his room, and she pulled her wand from the nightstand on her side of the bed.

"I hope she hasn't written that she's really in great danger and just didn't want Molly to know." Hermione worried her lip and Severus grabbed her hand, his fingers holding hers for a long moment.

"I have a feeling that it is nothing so terrible, love." He kissed her forehead and she tugged him to sit beside her, her head on his shoulder as she tapped the letter with her wand and watched the words on the bottom of the page shift and become legible.

Hermione.

I think I may be in love. I know this sounds ridiculous and you have to know that I don't take these things lightly.

Hermione covered her mouth, eyes wide as she stared at the letter.

"Severus…" She breathed, knowing he was reading over her shoulder.

It's not nearly so bad as you would have thought. I am safe, and well, and cared for, and- I'm confused.

I wish you were here so I could ask you if the chocolate frogs in my stomach and the starbursts behind my eyes meant it was true. I look at him, him who I will not identify because I have promised to give no clues as to where I am, and I see something different.

I don't see a bad person with a terrible agenda, I see a man who is confused, who needs help. I see a man who needs love. I'm afraid that I'm going to give it to him, I can only hope you won't hate me when you find out.

You are my best friend, Hermione, I look forward to the day we can look back on this and laugh- and Merlin I really hope that happens because otherwise I may lose my mind. I miss you and I hope you are safe, and well.

Also, if you haven't already, tell Snape how you feel, you've wasted enough time.

Ginevra Weasley

"Cheeky witch." Hermione groaned and cleared her throat, her stomach settling for the first time since her friend had been taken.
"She's safe, Sev, she's safe." She breathed and turned to look at the wizard, the wizard who was looking down at her with so much affection that she couldn't stop herself from launching her body against his.

He grunted as he fell back into the bed and chuckled as she hugged her body to his, her face buried in his chest, his arms wrapped around her, holding her to him and guaranteeing she couldn't leave him with any kind of a haste.

The crumpled letter seared away to nothing as soon as it hit the floor and she assumed it was added protection for whoever had her friend. She didn't care, she was so relieved, so incredibly relieved to know she was safe, and well, and not at all unhappy.

"She says I should tell you how I feel." Hermione gave him a grin when her face lifted to look into his, it stole his breath, the way her amber eyes twinkled, her body pressed flush against his.

He'd longed to have the witch in his arms for so long, so many years, now he had her he was certain he would never let her go.

"And how do you feel, sweet Hermione?" He brushed thick curls back from her face, he wanted to see her, all of her.

It was everything in him not to flip her and take her just there. No, he needed to wait, wait until she was ready. This was not the past, they had not done this a thousand times, even if she could remember in little bursts, she'd not known touch.

But gods he wanted to show it to her.

"I love you, Severus." She smiled, her eyes twinkled and he brought his mouth up to hers, his hands fisting in wild curls as he kissed her with passion.

She moaned and pressed tighter to him, her hands hooking onto his neck and holding on as if for dear life. He broke them apart, his eyes searching her face.

"Are you ready to view the memories you gave to Lupin?" He finally managed the question, he knew now would be the best time, now she was comforted over her friend.

"Yes, get them for me?" She pecked his lips and slid from his body, a slow drag across him that made him ache with want, with need. He gave a low growl and sat up, his black eyes flashing as he took in her rumpled appearance.

"I will return shortly."

She grinned, a beautiful glowing smile that caught his breath and gave a nod.

"I'll be here." A smirk and he was gone, gone to collect the memories.

He wondered briefly, which memories she'd left with him to begin with.

SSHG

Hermione felt warm as she lead the first memory to her temple, her eyes closed and her breathing even. She could feel Severus' eyes on her but it was immediately lost as she was pulled into the first memory.

She was pressed against a wall in the girl's lavatory, her eyes closed as lips pulled across a thick carving on her arm.

'Mudblood' the carving read and she remembered receiving the mark. It was Severus there, much younger than he was now and he was touching her so softly, such care in his motions that it made her heart swell. She realized she was crying, the memory closing as he leant in and asked the question that had told her how much she truly did love him.

"May I kiss you, Hermione?"

Her eyes snapped open, she was briefly aware of thumbs that brushed tears from her cheeks as her eyes focused on black in front of her.

"Which was it?" His voice was gravelly, she was so pleased that he shared these memories. These were not just her memories, they were theirs and it felt so good to think it.

"The first time you kissed me." He smirked, his black eyes sparkled in the light of their room, she brought her lips to his, giving him a gentle kiss before heaving a breath.

"The next one?" She nodded and pulled the next to her temple.

She was dancing, her head against his chest as they swayed to soft music. She immediately recognized the Room of Requirement, immediately knew it was Severus she was pressed against. He held her fast, swaying her to the music in the firelit room.

"For you, I will be anything. I cannot imagine a life without you in it, not anymore." His chin was propped atop her head, his hands held her hips firm and she took a deep breath.

The memory shifted, she was beneath him, tears streaming down her face as he held her cheeks. They were nude, obviously having just had their first time.

"Hermione?" He rasped. "Hermione, gods, I haven't hurt you have I? Are you okay? Oh, my beautiful witch I'm so sorry if I was too rough."

She gasped as she ripped herself from the memory, threw her arms around his neck and hugged herself to him so tightly.

"Gods Severus! Everything, I remember everything!" She cried into his shoulder, stood on her toes and he hesitated for a moment before he hooked his arms around her lower back and lifted her gently from the floor, holding her to him as tightly as he felt safe.

"Thank Merlin, Hermione, I've waited so long." His voice cracked when he spoke, the first time she'd heard such emotion from him and she dropped to her feet, her eyes sparkling as she stared up into his face.

"Tomorrow, I want to be bound tomorrow."