Chapter 106: A Matter Of Right

My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers-S.S.

Hermione's Childhood Bedroom, The Granger Residence, Muggle World...

A sigh briefly passed from her lips as Hermione Jean Granger-Snape found herself staring up at the ceiling for a few moments following another well spent afternoon with her parents. She made up her mind to cherish every moment she spent with them and then some. She'd been well on her way into a contented slumber when thoughts of her husband came flooding her already contentious mind. She rather enjoyed the last time he'd come by for a visit but that had been days prior and she didn't think it wise for him to do so again no matter how much she wanted it. Her parents were home after all and sleeping.

Hermione had barely gotten over the notion of a visit from Severus Snape when she heard the distinctive click of something tapping against her bedroom window. Wondering if she'd been going mad in her drowsiness, she climbed out of bed and ventured toward the window where she took note of a figure clad in black and standing outside her home. She recognized the figure as it got closer levitating some what as it got closer to her rooftop. She went for her wand, but smiled when she noticed that the figure had been none other than her husband, once more de-aged as a precaution no doubt and looking as if he had a lot on his mind.

She approached him wondering what had gotten him so upset that he needed to see her at this late hour. Snape stood with his hands stuffed into his pockets and looked down at the ground when she came up to him. She didn't like the look on his face, as it seemed that something was eating away at him.

"Severus?" she said arching a brow as she took further note of his uncomfortable stance. "What's happened?"

Snape met her gaze, his youthful face not in the least fooling the one whom had seemed to know him best.

"The old fool has finally decided to grant me the position as Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor." replied Snape evenly.

"That's wonderful news, you've been seeking that position for years as I understand it." said Hermione wondering why news of this caliber put him in a melancholy state if it was something he always wanted.

"There is a catch of sorts." replied Snape meeting her gaze once more. "He wants me to...end our association outside of name recognition for the purposes of fooling the Ministry of Magic..."

Hermione didn't seem to understand as Snape attempted to put this as delicately as he could manage.

"I don't follow." she said still confused.

"He wants me to stop fucking you without it having to do with complacency for the magical decree." replied Snape not really feeling the need to tip toe around it much more than before.

"What?" asked Hermione unsure she liked where this was headed.

"Yes." replied Snape with a sigh. "I am to only touch you when it is required, but not to love you as I do...if I am to have the position I always wanted which will benefit you lot in the long run due to the dangerous war ahead, I am to ignore my feelings for you and everything that we've come to mean to each other...an idiot's attempt at keeping control no less."

"He can't do that!" said Hermione outraged. "That has nothing to do with you teaching and we are properly married need I remind him, due to his manipulations."

Snape sighed as he continued to stand with his hands in his pockets.

"As much as I...have come to enjoy our notion of spending time together." he began. "I can't have you at risk during this war."

"Then we'll stay away from each other in his line of sight." replied Hermione not at all pleased about this new arrangement. "He can't watch us all the time."

Snape couldn't help but to smirk in reaction to her rather Slytherin line of thinking despite her being a Gryffindor.

According to his most recent observations, Hermione was getting to be more Slytherin like in her thinking with each passing day, but then again she'd always been the cunning sort. He wondered briefly if she'd been sorted into the wrong house for all the right reasons.

"I love you, Severus Snape." she said defiant in her resolve as she approached him. "And nothing is going to change that."

He had hoped that she'd hold true to her words when the vile act he had no choice but to commit was revealed to her in due time. Still, it was a small victory to have at least informed her of what Dumbledore had planned for them this time around.

The dour wizard wrapped the determined witch into his embrace and they shared a kiss despite the late hour and her parents being home not far from them. She had not known it, but she was his only reason for living as it were. The horrors of his long and checkered past had weighed on him considerably and with the daunting task bestowed upon him via the Headmaster himself, he wasn't sure that anything good would remain for the likes of him in this cold cruel world, be it Wizarding or Muggle.

He had hoped to redeem himself in the upcoming battle but given the situation he now knew this was a distinct impossibility as many a witch and wizard would be after his head on a pike for the atrocities he'd been forced to commit past and present. It never ceased to amaze him that a beautiful young woman such as Hermione Granger would have even bothered to take an interest in him, he wasn't always kind to her but had admired her spirit none the less. It was something he had wished he could have had as a lad growing up in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts and Spinner's End.

She had a fierce determination like no one he'd ever known to protect those she loved and he had hoped to return the favor when the time came. Even if it meant him taking his final breath before uncertain doom and she never again wished to look upon his dying face, he would ensure that she had a future worth fighting for and that Potter, despite his loathing of the idiotic boy would be there to weather whatever storm would come her way.

Try as he might to put the upcoming events out of his mind, he knew all too well that his time with his wife was growing shorter by the day and the drums of war were not far off in the distance. Still, his heart dared to hope against his vast and keen reasoning that she'd find her way to forgiving him, even posthumously if need be.