"Don't sit down." Severus snapped as she met him at the grave.

"Yes SIR." Hermione responded, grinning as he scowled. "May I ask why?"

"I want to show you something." He said quietly. "Don't ruin it."

"I'll try." She said cheekily. "But you're such a grump sometimes I could easily ruin it just by existing."

They had been walking towards the forest, but Severus stopped and turned to look at her, the expression on his face completely unreadable.

"What?" She asked.

"Sometimes I don't know whether to laugh or shout at you."

"My vote would be for laughing." Hermione said seriously. "Do I get a say? I'd rather avoid the shouting."

"You're not ... you're not mocking me?"

"God no!" Hermione said, all thoughts of humour vanishing. "I would never mock you. It was just ... just teasing I suppose. Fondly. It wasn't meant with any malintent, I swear it."

Severus studied her face for several seconds, his eyes dark and intense.

"Fine." He said seriously.

"Okay." Hermione stepped forwards and squeezed his upper arm, pleased when he didn't pull away.

"Fondly?" Severus asked, smirking. "You're fond of me, are you?"

"Now who's teasing?" She rolled her eyes and did her best not to blush. "Of course I'm fond of you, you pillock."

At this, Severus did laugh, and finally relax.

"That's the most pathetic bad name I've ever been called." He said imperiously. "You'll have to do better."

"I'll try." Hermione said, as they began walking again. "But you didn't like being called an arse and I was raised well."

"Were you?" Severus asked mildly. "You set a teacher on fire in your first year here."

"I was trying to save a friend!" Hermione said indignantly. "And I did! Much more effectively than you, I might add."

"Hmm." He said noncommittally. "With hindsight, I can see it might have been easier to just turn around and punch him."

Hermione laughed at the image.

"It would have livened things up for sure." She said dryly. "Although you would have had some explaining to do."

"And probably quite a bit of paperwork."

He led her deeper into the forest, through the trees rather than any sort of path she could see, seemingly knowing his way by memory alone. She half wanted to ask him where they were going, curiosity was burning through her, but he seemed to want this to be a surprise, which was ... sweet. And it felt right, somehow, to just follow him. To show him she trusted him too. They followed a stream for a while, pausing as Severus watched her watch the flowing water, his face blank, while she smiled at the beauty of it, before he softened, and smiled too. They turned at a small waterfall and headed deep into the trees.

"The giant spiders won't get us, will they?"

"No." Severus gave her an odd look. "Minerva had them dealt with before the start of term. The colony was destroyed."

"Oh." Hermione frowned. "I know I should feel sorry about a whole species being killed, but I can't quite manage it."

"Acromanuta-spider hybrids should never have existed in the first place." He said softly. "The size and aggression of an Acromantula but without the brains, the ability to reason, is far too dangerous. Aragog could control them, to an extent, but the colony went rogue after his death. They should have been dealt with then, if not before."

"They've been in the forest since Hagrid was a student here." She said. "Won't this completely mess up the eco-system?"

"Maybe." Severus answered, unbothered. "But they never should have been here to begin with, I think it's more likely the eco-system will finally stabilise."

Gradually the trees were thinning, and soon, they approached a grassy, mossy clearing, lined with ancient tress, some of their gnarled, twisted roots sinking into a large pool of clear, blue water in the centre.

"Oh." Said Hermione, breathlessly. "It's so beautiful."

"Come." Severus said quietly, leading her to a fallen tree. "Sit."

Hermione did as she told, smiling as Severus sat next to her.

"Tea?" She asked softly.

"Yes." He answered. "And quiet. Can you feel it?"

Hermione closed her eyes. She could smell moss and leaves and something fresh. She could hear the rustle of the trees. And...

"Yes." She whispered. "I can feel it. Old magic."

"The oldest." Severus confirmed. When she opened her eyes, she found him watching her, but he blinked and looked away, his cheeks slightly pink. "This pool is connected to all the water that flows through the forest, all the way to the great lake. It has been a source of water for magical creatures for centuries. A lifeline."

Hermione nodded, looking around again.

"It leaves a trace." She said softly. "All that magic, coming here for all those years."

"More than a trace." He amended. "Magic is imbedded in everything you see here. And this water has kept thousands upon thousands of magical creatures alive. That is magic too."

"Yes." She agreed.

They sat in a comfortable silence, drinking their tea and taking in their surroundings.

"Thestrals." Hermione whispered, smiling as the creatures came and lowered their bony necks to the water to drink.

"Could you see them before the war?" Severus asked, his voice hushed.

"No." She whispered. "I knew they were there, but I'd never seen them before."

They watched them drink, and a few of the smaller ones paddled and played together, before moving on.

"Do the centaurs come here too?" She asked, thinking of how they had acted towards her and Harry uneasily.

"They used to. The Ministry rewarded them for the role they played in the final battle by doubling their land. We're unlikely to come across them now, and even if we did, they've become much more tolerant of humans. And I have never had any issue with them." Severus turned and looked at her, his expression one of annoyance. "Do you really think I would bring you in here if there was any sort of a risk to you?"

"No." Hermione said softly. "I suppose not. And I have no doubt there has never been anything in this forest you couldn't handle. But you can't blame me for being slightly nervous, almost every time I've come in here I've nearly died."

"A fair point." Severus smirked. "There will be no near death experiences today, however. Is that clear?"

"Yes." She smiled. "Thank you."

They continued sitting quietly at the pool. Severus seemed relaxed and at ease here in a way she rarely saw from him. Hermione felt perfectly content to spend the rest of the day here, if that was his preference. It was beautiful beyond belief, and so magical. As the day wore on, fairies fluttered overhead, their colourful wings glinting in the sunlight. Severus met her wide smile with a small, shy one of his own, before turning away and looking over the water again.

Then, later, as the light was just beginning to fade, Severus abruptly stiffened, and sat up straight.

"What is it?!" Hermione whispered, instantly on edge.

"Hush." Severus said, turning to her, black eyes wide and glittering.

It took Hermione a moment to place the emotion on his face, as she had never seen it before. But he was ... excited. Undeniably so. She smiled without really understanding why, and Severus turned to look at the thicket of trees at the far end of the pool, where she could vaguely hear something moving.

Then ... a unicorn walked into the clearing. Whiter than snow, far larger than a horse, its horn sparkled in the light. Without knowing what she did, Hermione gripped Severus' arm.

"Wait." He whispered.

A moment passed ... and then a foal, perfect, bright gold appeared from the trees and joined its Mother by the water.

"Oh." Hermione breathed.

Both creatures bent to drink as she watched, breathless and stunned by their otherworldly beauty. Abruptly, the Mother lifted her head, and looked straight at them. She whinnied, tossing her mane, then began walking over to them, her foal following behind. Severus prised her fingers off his arm, ignoring her blush and mumbled apology, then stood, and walked several paces forwards.

Hermione looked on, spellbound, as the unicorns approached him where he stood. They were coloured so brightly it felt that everything around them faded, even the black of Severus' robes seemed less vivid. The Mother walked right up to him, and he raised his pale hands up to stroke her, while she pushed her nose into his neck. The foal followed a few moments later, butting the back of Severus' arm to get his attention. The Potions Master chuckled, and turned to stroke the baby as well. For some reason, the scene before her made her want to cry. Unicorns were such beautiful beings, so selective about what humans they allowed near them, and here they were, so at ease around a man who had walked into such Darkness and suffered so much.

After a few minutes, Severus turned to her, his face warm and open, and indicated she should join them. Heart beating so hard she could barely breathe, Hermione stood and took a few hesitant steps forward. The foal ran from her, and the Mother backed away, tossing her head. Hermione stood still, but Severus beckoned to her again, then held his arm out, placing his hand on her back when she reached his side. With his other hand, he reached towards the adult unicorn.

"It's alright." He said softly, his deep, even voice rumbling across her body. "Come and see."

Slowly, she approached them both once again, hesitatingly placing her nose against Severus outstretched hand.

"Good girl."

Suddenly, mortifyingly, Hermione felt a swell of hot, pounding desire sweep over her, but she was mercifully distracted as the unicorn came closer and sniffed her hair.

"Hold your hand out." Severus said. "She might let you touch her."

Hermione's hand trembled slightly as she did as she was told, and when the creature lowered her beautiful head and allowed her to rub her velvet nose, tears burned, unshed in her eyes. Her mane was soft as silk, silver in colour, only more vibrant, more beautiful. The baby had apparently decided that there was no danger, and didn't want to miss out any longer. He went back to butting Severus with his nose, lifting his head to allow him better access to be petted. Hermione was now stroking the creature's neck, unable to stop herself giggling when she found an itchy spot, and the mother tilted her head to the side appreciatively.

"She likes you." Severus said softly, his mouth lifted in some semblance of a smile, still bestowing his attention on the foal.

Eventually, the foal decided he wanted to meet her as well, and allowed her to stroke him, his nose ruffling her hair.

Severus had taken a step back, and was watching her fuss the two creatures with an odd look on his pale face.

"You're crying." He said finally.

"Oh." Hermione raised a hand to her cheek, which was indeed wet. "I'm ... I'm just happy."

The mother leant down and rubbed her nose against Hermione's face, wiping away the tears while she laughed.

Both creatures then returned to Severus, nuzzling him gently before they took their leave with a last glance back at them.

"Are you alright?" He asked her softly.

"I'm overwhelmed." Hermione said, just as quietly. "I've never experienced anything so ... so magical."

"Are you alright to begin the journey back to the castle?" He asked, looking tense. "It's already beginning to get dark and it is quite a walk."

"Yes that's fine." She said, squeezing his forearm, still feeling breathless. "I just ... I've just had the best day."

Severus relaxed and smiled softly at her, before turning and leading the way home.

"You knew they'd come, didn't you?" She asked, several minutes later.

"Yes."

"How?"

"I've been going to that clearing since I was just a boy." His dark voice was quiet, contemplative. "I knew the mother when she was just a baby herself."

"You've been going there all this time?"

"Yes." He said softly. "Sometimes often, sometimes not for months, but always, I see her. She always comes for me."

"Does she have a name?"

"Perhaps." He said. "I would think they have names for each other. But I have no need to call her anything. And she is not a common beast to be named so casually by a human, is she?"

"No." Hermione agreed. "She isn't."

They followed the stream back north for a time, the sky growing darker by the minute. Instinctively, Hermione lit her wand, and a few moments later Severus did the same. It was quiet in the forest, and though the night felt slightly oppressive, she knew she was safe with the man before her, and allowed herself to simply follow his dark figure, watching her footing as they made their way through the woods.

"Do many people know it's there?" She asked, wondering how on earth Severus was managing to navigate so well in the dark.

"As far as I know I am the only one. I have never seen any signs of another person being there." He said quietly, moving through the trees with ease. "And I have never ... I have never taken anyone there before."

Hermione caught the sleeve of his robe with her hand, forcing him to turn towards her, though he kept his eyes averted.

"No one?" She whispered. "Not ever?"

"No." He said shortly, moving to turn away from her, but she kept her grip on him and tugged him towards her.

"Thank you for sharing it with me." She said softly, looking up into his dark eyes, finally locked with hers. "It was an honour to go there with you."

He searched her face for several minutes, before he seemed satisfied with what he saw there, and nodded. Hermione released him reluctantly, and they walked the rest of the way in silence. It was a clear, crisp night. They walked under a starry sky, the halfmoon light filtering through the trees. She listened to the noises of the forest, to the rustle of the trees, the crack of a twig underfoot. And she watched Severus as he walked, admiring his black-clad form, so at ease in an environment with so many potential dangers.

"Severus." Hermione said softly, before they entered the castle. "Thank you so much. I can't tell you what that meant to me."

The man before her only nodded slightly, keeping his eyes on the ground.

"Will you ... will you take me again sometime?" She whispered, barely daring to hope...

"Yes." He said firmly, his eyes finally meeting hers. Hermione could see the blush on his sunken cheeks, even by wandlight. "Whenever you wish it."

"Harry!" Hermione shouted as she barrelled her way into Grimmauld Place. "Get out! I need Ginny!"

"What?!"

Harry and Ginny had both jumped to their feet as she'd thrown the lounge door open. She had a slightly uncomfortable feeling she'd interrupted something.

"Ginny! She repeated. "I need Ginny!"

"What's happened?!" Harry said, his voice rising. "Hermione, is everything okay? You're freaking me out."

"Everything is FINE!" Hermione shouted. "But I need Ginny! Now! I need girl talk!"

Both of her friends were staring at her, the shock and confusion clear to see on their stunned faced.

"Harry." Hermione said, forcing herself to sound less like an insane person. "Everything is absolutely fine, but I need to talk to Ginny. Please will you leave?"

"But the TV is in here." Harry whined. "Can't you two go upstairs?! I won't listen. I don't think I want to know."

"Yes okay, fair enough." Hermione turned to Ginny and grabbed her hand. "Come on then! Upstairs! Now!"

Hermione all but dragged the redhead with her, running right up to the top floor, and her bedroom.

"Bloody hell, Hermione." Said Ginny, sound halfway between annoyance and curiosity. "What is going on?!"

"Ginny." Hermione said breathlessly, her heart pounding in her chest. "Severus took me deep into the Forest today, into a clearing with this massive pool. We sat there all afternoon, and then two unicorns came, a Mother and her baby. And they knew him, they came over to him, and he brought me over and they let me touch them as well. It was ... It was just ... I don't even have the words, Ginny! He's been going there since he was just a little kid! And he told me he's never taken anyone there before. And when I asked him if he would take me again, he said 'whenever you wish it.' All dark and earnest and sincere!" Hermione was practically jumping up and down on the spot. "AND HE WAS BLUSHING WHEN HE SAID IT! He was! I'm absolutely sure of it!"

"Oh sweet Merlin." Ginny breathed. "Hermione ... Hermione that's ... it's so ... it's so romantic!"

"it is!" Hermione shouted. "Isn't it? IT IS! Right? Like I'm not being insane am I? It is really romantic?"

"Hermione it's so romantic." Ginny was bouncing on her heels. "'Whenever you wish it' in that voice?! Fucking hell maybe I have a crush on Snape!"

"And it was the most beautiful place I've ever ever seen! The trees and the crystal clear water and we sat there all afternoon, the sunlight filtering through, fairies fluttering overhead! And a couple of times, on the way there and through the day ... the way that he looked at me, Gin. It was so..."

"Fuck." Ginny flopped herself down on the bed. "Merlin's fucking balls, you're going to marry Snape!"

"Ginny!"

"He's going to be my brother-in-law!"

"Ginny, we're not technically related, remember."

The youngest Weasley flicked this point away with an irritated jerk of her wrist.

"He doesn't just like you, Mione, he must really like you, to do all that." Ginny said seriously. "To share something like that with you? And he's never taken anyone there before? Not even ... not even ... Lily?"

"He didn't mention her by name." Hermione came sat down next to her best friend. "We've never discussed her. But he said no one, ever. So I think it's safe to assume that he didn't."

"Fuck." Ginny repeated. "Fuck. What are you going to do now?! Wait for him to propose? He's got game! Who knew?!"

"Ginny!" Hermione half shouted, half laughed. "He's not going to propose. And I don't think he has any game whatsoever. I think he was just being sweet. He seemed... like younger, somehow, all excited to show me something special, you know?"

"You're not seriously going to try and convince me he doesn't have feelings for you, are you?!" Ginny asked indignantly. "Because I don't think I can be friends with anyone quite that thick."

"No." Hermione laughed. "No I don't think even I can manage to interpret this differently."

"What are you going to do now?!" Ginny demanded. "Now you know for sure?!"

"I don't know." Hermione frowned, slowly coming down from her near euphoric state. "I don't know if he'll realise he's given himself away like that. And if he does realise, he'll probably withdraw and be all sullen and difficult. If he doesn't lash out at me again."

"Merlin, he must exhaust you." Ginny said sympathetically. "And look ... I know you love him and I know he's a good person under all that damage, but I do have to ask. Does the way he looks not bother you?"

"No." She replied easily. "I like the way he looks. Close your mouth, Gin! I do! I think he'd look better for a serious hair wash, a good long walk in the sun and a trip to the Dentist, but even without any of that, I still find him attractive."

"I think it's the greasy hair." Ginny said, frowning. "I don't think I could get past that."

"Mmmm." Hermione said. "Fair enough. It would look a lot better for good wash. But it doesn't smell does it? He smells good, so he'd not unclean. Maybe it's just the texture or bending over cauldrons all day."

"Bet you can't wait for the day he bends you over a cauldron. Ouch."

Hermione had whacked her over the head with a pillow as they both laughed.

"How do you know what he smells like, anyway?" Ginny asked. "I know he doesn't smell bad, because I've never smelt him, but I certainly couldn't say he smelt good. I don't think I could say what he smells like if my life depended on it."

"Oh." Said Hermione. "I ... I supposed I've just stood closer to him, a few times. And ummm ... he gave me his robes once, when I was cold. They smelt of him. Like ... sandalwood I think? And herbs. With a hint of smoke."

Ginny was staring at her, wide eyed, her mouth slightly open.

"He gave you his robes?"

"Yes. I was cold." Hermione said defensively. "It wasn't a big deal."

"Not a big deal?!" Ginny said incredulously. "You're gonna marry Snape! He wants to marry you! Merlin's fucking balls Hermione, what does he need to do? Write it on his forehead?! Declare it by song in the middle of the Great Hall?!"

"Ginny!" Hermione half laughed, half shouted. "It wasn't like that!"

"It absolutely was." Ginny said firmly. "He's so into you! Merlin, open your eyes!"

"They're open!" Hermione said. "They're well and truly open now, okay?"

"About bloody time!" Ginny shouted, grinning. "Now when are you going to grow a pair and ask him out?"

"I don't know." Hermione frowned. "I'm still not convinced that's the best way to handle it."

"You're still not going to make a move, are you?" The redhead asked.

"I don't think so." Hermione said slowly. "Not exactly, at least."

"Explain."

"I think ... I think I'll just keeping going as I am, for now. Maybe be a little bolder, or a little more obvious about my feelings, to get him used to the idea. But I think right now if I took a direct approach he'd panic. And I maintain he needs stability and friendship and kindness, first and foremost."

"That actually sounds really sensible." Ginny said evenly. "You really think you can do it, then? Be with him, love him with all the damage, all the bitterness and brokenness and darkness?"

Hermione thought of the look of boyish anticipation in his eyes that afternoon. She thought of the blush filling his face with life.

"Yes." She said calmly. "I really think I can."

As she lay in bed that night, Hermione thought over everything that had happened. She still couldn't quite get her head around the idea that Professor Snape could have feelings for her. But here she was. And she certainly had feelings for him, she felt more for him than she could have ever imagined. Frowning slightly, she cuddled Crookshanks closer. She thought of Harry and Ginny, finally able to be together at last. She thought of how relaxed they were around each other, how easy the affection and comradery was between them. She certainly couldn't imagine it ever being like that with Severus. But then even a year ago she wouldn't have been able to comprehend the dynamic between them being what it was now. She was going to have to just take things one step at a time. She could manage that. A stab of anxiety made her inhale sharply. Okay so going with the flow wasn't her preferred way of operating. But she could do it, she would do it. Hermione thought of his dark, hungry eyes watching her with the unicorns. He was worth it.

But just for a moment, Hermione let herself imagine. She put herself back in that moment in the woods, surrounded by dappled sunlight and ancient magic, his black eyes on her. She let herself imagine he had walked over to her, and wiped her tears away with the rough pad of his thumb. She would have blushed, and gazed up at him, and he would have gently cupped her face, and stared deeply into her eyes, before leaning down and meeting her lips with his own. His other hand would have slipped into her hair at the base of her skull, pulling softly to tilt her head. Her arms would have wrapped around him, pulling him close to her, claiming him as her own as the kiss deepened.

Hermione let out a shallow gasp and blinked several times, forcing herself back into the present. But thoughts of him, flush against her, thoughts of his hands and his body and his voice followed her as she fell asleep, and laced through her dreams.

"Thank you so much for your help, Hermione, I really appreciate it." Poppy smiled.

"You're welcome." Hermione smiled back, accepting the tea from the Mediwitch and settling down to drink it. "It's great to get some real life experience."

"Beautifying charms." Poppy shook her head disapprovingly. "They're bad enough as they are! And then two fifth years thinking they can tinker with them! Miss Spinnet is lucky she didn't vanish her whole head!"

"She did get rid of her spot though, to be fair." Hermione said dryly.

"Along with her eyeballs, eyebrows and nose!" Poppy shouted, as Hermione laughed. "She's lucky her friend managed to get her here, given that her own eyelashes were so long she kept tripping on them!"

"Being a teenager is hard." Hermione smiled. "We all made bad decisions occasionally."

"I don't ever recall having to recreate any of your facial features though!" Poppy said indignantly.

"No. But I did have an unfortunate episode creating some birds to attack Ronald."

"You did?! Tell me more." Poppy looked delighted.

"Mmmm, that's kind of it." Hermione felt herself blush. "He made the mistake of kissing someone else when I liked him."

"Stupid boy." The mediwitch sniffed. "He could never have done better than you. He was a fool to lose you."

"Poppy." Hermione smiled, feeling a rush of affection for the older woman. "That's sweet, but we're just better off as friends. There are no hard feelings now."

"Well, as much as mishaps like these drive me mad, I am grateful for them."

"Grateful?" Hermione asked. "How so?"

"During the war the students wouldn't have dared trying anything like that." Poppy said seriously. "They were all too scared to risk drawing any sort of attention to themselves. And too busy trying to survive to worry about things like spots and short eyelashes. It's nice to see it. A bit of return to normality."

"I can't imagine what it must have been like." Hermione said slowly. "Obviously I've heard from Ginny and the others, but I just can't imagine Hogwarts being like that."

"It was awful." Poppy cupped her hands around the mug and hunched over herself slightly. "All I did all day was patch up students. Children who had been beaten, tortured. Their little bodies all broken and bloody."

Hermione put her arm around the mediwitch as Poppy swiped angrily at the tears that were spilling down her cheeks.

"I'd never seen anything like it." She whispered. "I could have never imagined it either. We were all so scared and angry and helpless. It was like living in a nightmare that just wouldn't end. Everyday I dreaded what mess of a child would be brought in to me. And I could do was patch them up and send them off to be hurt again. I used to be pleased if it was just a minor hex. Can you imagine that? Pleased that a teacher in this school had only caused a student minor injuries?"

"No." Hermione said softly, tightening her arm around Poppy. She had never seen this side of the Mediwitch before, she obviously kept her trauma well hidden.

"And I was awful to him." Poppy continued, her eyes dark and haunted. "Every time he brought me a barely conscious child, twitching from the cruciatus, or bruised from being beaten, bleeding from a slicing hex. Every time, I cursed him, insulted him, told him he was disgusting, pathetic, told him I hated him. And I could tell it hurt him, that's why I kept doing it. And the only time he would ever reprimand me was if there were other people who could hear. Otherwise he just took it. I should have seen. But I was too hurt and scared and angry. Don't you see?"

Poppy discarded her tea and turned and grabbed Hermione's hand, staring deeply into her eyes.

"Every time he carried a child in here, it must have been because he had intervened. He had saved them. And he brought them here himself to keep them safe, as best he could. Why else would the Headmaster personally bring an injured student to me? And all I did was make him feel worse. I could see it in his eyes, but I didn't look, I didn't understand. He must have been so upset, so hurt-"

Poppy covered her face with her hands, her lined face filled with shame.

"I've known him since he was just a little boy." She whispered. "He was always getting hurt, and I always had a soft spot for him. I was so glad when Albus vouched for him and he came back to teach. He helped me with so many incidents over the years. And I had to patch him up a few times in the later years, it was after meetings with You-Know-Who, I realise now. But at the time he never said what had happened and I never asked. But he used to let me fuss over him, when it was particularly nasty, so I knew whatever it was, it was bad. I knew he was in pain. He was such a dear little boy. And I turned on him. I turned on him like I've never turned on anyone, Hermione. And it hurt him so badly. I should have seen! I should have known!"

Poppy's shoulders shook as she cried, and Hermione could do nothing but put her arms around the older woman and let her cry. Her own eyes were stinging, and there was an ache deep within her chest as she thought of Severus, bringing children to Poppy and being met with such vitriol from a woman who had always been kind to him. That whole year must have been tortuous for him. He would have been unbelievably strong to survive it, even without the pain of Albus' death thrown into the mix as well. Yes, he was difficult, but she couldn't have fallen for a better, stronger, more worthy person. And she loved him so.

"You didn't know, Poppy." She said quietly, as the mediwitch began to calm. "How could you have known? No one knew. What happened is awful for everyone. And I can see why you feel such guilt, but you didn't know. You were grieving Dumbledore, you'd been thrown into the middle of a war, you were watching students being tortured and doing your best to save them, knowing it was all going to happen again and there was nothing you could do to protect them. Give yourself a break. You did what you could for the students, Severus will know that, and be grateful for it."

"I miss him." Poppy said softly, conjuring a tissue to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. "We used to have this, affinity. I enjoyed his sarcasm, and he enjoyed mine. We had such fun with Lockhart, and Umbridge. He can barely even look at me now. Not that I blame him, of course."

"Have you tried talking to him about it?"

"Of course! But he won't hear it. He'll never forgive me, and I don't blame him for it."

"It might not be that simple." Hermione said thoughtfully. "He might not be able to believe you forgive him."

"What would I need to forgive him for?!" Poppy demanded.

"Students were hurt, very badly during his time as Headmaster."

"And they would have been hurt much worse and probably killed without him!" Poppy said indignantly.

"I know that." Hermione reassured. "And you know that. But I'm sure he feels badly about what happened during the last year of the war. He seems to hold himself to a very high standard."

"That's true enough." Poppy sighed. "I must try again. I just don't think he's ready to hear it. And I'll just cry at him and he'd hate that."

"He would." Hermione smiled. "There's no rush. But I think even just being friendly with him, being normal would be helpful."

"Really?" Poppy asked. "But I feel so badly about the way I behaved. I don't feel like I deserve that, when I haven't had the chance to properly apologise."

"But he's not ready for it." Hermione said gently. "And neither are you. In the meantime, a bit of normality would probably be good for him."

"Yes." She said thoughtfully. "I suppose it would. Maybe I'll tell him about Miss Spinnet and Miss Green then. We used to laugh about things like that."

"Well Miss Spinnet is a Slytherin." Hermione smiled. "It wouldn't be weird for you to tell him, as her Head of House. But remember he'll be suspicious if you suddenly start acting differently around him. Don't expect too much to begin with."

"Merlin, he will be suspicious, won't he?" Poppy rolled her eyes. "He's such a difficult boy."

"He's been through a lot. He's probably more damaged than us all. Be patient."

"I will." Poppy gave her a shrewd look. "You're very insightful about Severus."

"I'm just observant." Hermione said dismissively. "And I know a fair bit about guilt and trauma. And it's easier to look at things from the outside, sometimes. I wasn't here last year."

"Hmm." Poppy said thoughtfully. "Well thank you. And I'm sorry for crying all over you like that."

"That's okay." Hermione squeezed her hand. "We all have our own scars to contend with. No one escaped that last year unscathed. And you went through a lot, Poppy. You do need to give yourself a break."

The mediwitch just smiled sadly, and pulled Hermione into a rough hug.

Hermione hadn't seen much of Severus that week, and when Sunday did come around, he was indeed quiet and withdrawn. Sighing, Hermione sipped her tea and tried to tune into his emotions. Frowning slightly as she looked over at the grave expression on his face, she decided today he was ... sad. Halloween was next week. It had been on her radar since the beginning of the month, he was undoubtably going to find it difficult. Her conversation with Poppy was still fresh in her mind, and something twisted painfully in her chest as she thought about the pain he must have suffered as Headmaster.

Throwing caution to the wind, Hermione shuffled closer to him, pressing herself against him so they were touching. His whole body tensed at the contact, but he didn't reprimand her, or pull away. They continued drinking their tea in silence as the breeze rustled the leaves in the trees around them, beginning to turn golden. Gradually, he relaxed against her, and once both their cups had been pushed to onside, Hermione slipped her arm through his, linking them, and allowed herself to drop her head to rest against him.

"You're insufferable." He said gruffly. But it seemed a knee-jerk reaction, an instinct to insult when uncomfortable, rather than any sort of real objection.

"Mmm." She agreed softly, bringing her other hand up to squeeze his upper arm before she got comfortable and let him be.

The nights were beginning to draw in, and it wasn't much later that darkness began to settle over the grounds around them. Severus seemed disinclined to move, though. And Hermione certainly didn't want to. It wasn't often she got to be so close to him, and his warmth and solidness and compliance were irresistible to her.

"Have you heard from your parents?" He asked her softly.

"No." She answered, surprised that he had initiated conversation. "But it hasn't been that long. They might not be settled at a permanent address in France yet. I've sort of decided I'm going to give it 6 months before I let myself consider that they don't want me to know where they are."

"That seems sensible."

"Thank you." She said softly. "I'm trying to be objective about it."

Silence lapsed between them again. He seemed better than he had when she had first arrived, but still the sadness pulsed in the air around them.

"Are you okay?" She asked, unable to resist. "Or is there anything I can do to help?"

He didn't answer her. Silence and darkness had settled all around them. Eventually they made their way back to the castle, still not speaking. The thought of leaving his side when he was so unhappy was causing her near physical pain. Outside the castle doors, he caught the sleeve of her cloak in one of his pale hands.

"Your existence helps." He murmured, his dark eyes meeting hers for a heartbeat, before he turned, threw open the doors, and swept away, leaving her still stood outside, gazing after him.

The overwhelming consensus on AO3 was for a bonus chapter, so here it is!

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Seasons Greetings!

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my story, it is SO appreciated.

I hope you have a peaceful Christmas season and a very happy new year :)