AN: Still don't own Harrry Potter and don't make profit with my writing, but I love writing.

When Hermione entered the Great Hall the next morning she nearly bumped into the Head Boy.

"Good morning, John. I mean Mister Bell. I'm sorry," she said cheerfully.

"Good morning. Professor Granger!" he smiled astonished by the change in her appearance, her eyes had a sparkle to them he had never seen before. She looked gorgeous to him.

"Is that the Daily Prophet?" She pointed to his hand, holding a newspaper.

"It is. I'm just not sure you want to read it," he said carefully.

"Let me guess it's something along the lines of 'The Gryffindor Slut. Hermione Granger's way from the Golden Boy to the Dark Mark Bearer'," Hermione said.

John just nodded, "But the picture is really nice."

"Let me have a look, please." The photographer had captured a very intimate moment. Hermione and Severus were looking into each other's eyes, holding hands across the table.

"Do you still need the newspaper?" He shook his head and handed it to her.

"I wish I would have the real picture," she mumbled to herself.

"Thanks Mister Bell," she smiled at him.

"You're welcome. Have a nice day, Professor Granger."

"Good morning!" Hermione said cheerfully, when she arrived at the teacher's table, passing Severus she lightly brushed the tips of her fingers over his neck, making him shudder and close his eyes in delight.

"So I told you they'll tear you to shreds," Severus said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"To be honest I'm not bothered and I won't be, because I'm not going to read it. But I love the picture," she said piling up scrambled eggs and bacon on her plate, rivalling Ron.

"Hungry my girl," he asked quietly with amusement in his voice. She nodded shovelling food in her mouth.

"Don't forget to swallow," he chuckled. Suddenly she stopped, the fork with some scrambled egg on it hovering in mid-air in front of her mouth. She slowly lowered the fork to her plate, obviously deep in thought.

"What's wrong Hermione?" Severus asked with a furrowed brow.

She suddenly turned around, looked at him sternly and asked whispering, "Are we even allowed to be in a … you know what I mean?"

Her eyes were wide with anxiety of the idea to have to give up, what just started. Severus reached for her hand under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry my girl, you are my apprentice but you won't be taking your final apprenticeship examination with me. So it's perfectly fine," he smiled at her.

A wide smile spread across her face, she squeezed his hand in return and whispered, "I'm glad!"

She turned back to her food and nibbled on some bacon.

After a few moments she said, "I was thinking of going to a stationery shop today. Do you want to come?"

"I would love to," Severus said eagerly.

"Do you want to come too Neville?" Hermione asked seeing the longing look on Neville's face.

"I wouldn't want to intrude your togetherness."

Severus huffed, "Don't be ridiculous. She is not going to seduce me in the middle of the shop. You're welcome to join us."

"Really?"

"Sure," Severus and Hermione said in unison.

"What's that?" Severus asked.

"A magnet board! It holds little notes, parchment, postcards,…"

"What are postcards?" Neville interrupted Hermione.

"See that rack over there, with all the colourful pictures. Those are postcards. It's like a letter, just shorter and with a picture on the front."

Suddenly Hermione started giggling.

"What's so funny?" Neville asked slightly irritated.

"You guys are really funny, how can you not know what a postcard is or a magnet board. That's just hilarious."

"I know what a postcard is," Severus growled.

"What's that?" Neville pointed to something.

"It's sellotape," Hermione chuckled.

"What?"

"Sellotape. It's a sticky tape you can fix postcards or or other stuff to whatever you want."

"Interesting, but I don't need it," Neville mumbled, "I would just use a sticking charm, but I need some more of these red fineliner pen and I think I need some more copy paper, I'm just so sick of this bloody parchment rolling itself up all the time."

"Hey what's that?" Severus asked pointing to the rack with all different stickers.

"Stickers," Hermione replied.

"Why would I need them?" Severus asked slightly irritated.

Hermione sighed, "You wouldn't need them you are an adult. They are for kids, for decorating …" her voice trailed off, since her gaze fell on some large wall decorating stickers, "Hey Severus, look at that they also sell stickers for decorating walls. It would be nice for Elena ... especially these," she said taking a pack of funny colourful animal stickers out of the container and showed them to Severus.

"They are really nice. She needs her own room soon anyway, so we should really get them for her new room," he said and took them out of her hands.

Hermione's heart seem to fluttered, when she heard him address them as 'we'.

After another half an hour of answering questions Hermione started to whine, "Boys can we please go now, I'm bored and hungry. I can't believe how little you now about muggles, especially you Severus you are a half-blood for Merlin's sake. Shame on you!" Hermione scolded.

At the cash desk it turned out Severus and Neville hadn't exchanged enough galleons.

"Not cool boys," she glared at them and to the cashier she said, "You have to excuse my friends, they are new to this country."

She nonchalantly handed over a credit-card. Severus and Neville looked curiously at the cashier handling the card, who gave them some pitiful looks.

After the three friends left the shop Hermione held up the credit card and explained very slowly, like she was talking to someone mentally retarded, "This is what we call a credit card. You can pay with it, it will take the money directly from your account and transfer it to the shop's account."

"Are you making fun of us," Severus growled.

"No, never," she chuckled.

Severus suddenly took her in a slight headlock, while Neville started tickling her, prompting Hermione to squeal and in a shrill voice she said, "Please can we go to the Leaky Cauldron now. I'll stop teasing, I promise." She yelped.

A couple of minutes later they were enjoying a hearty minestrone at the Leaky Cauldron, when Severus said, "You should really hold a seminar for the Hogwarts staff 'How muggle stationery can make your life easier.'"

"Are you taking the mickey out of me," she looked at him.

"No I'm being serious," he smiled.

"But I'm not going shopping with all of them. You two already drove me crazy. I've had enough of that. So change of topic. How are your parents Neville?"

"They are okay."

"That doesn't sound too good," Severus said with a worried expression.

"They are fine. I'm just not sure if St. Mungo's is the right place for them to be. They spent about half of their life in a hospital. It's such a stark place, they are surrounded by medi-witches and healers in their uniform, they hardly get outside, there are no trees, no sun. It's no home. You know what I mean?" Neville said his voice thick with emotion, prompting both of his friends to nod.

"Ever since we visited at Christmas I had this idea in my idea about a residential home for witches and wizards like my parents. There is only St. Mungo's, that's just ridiculous really. I want my parents to have a home, to feel at home. I think I want to open a wizarding nursing home. What … What do you think?" Neville asked shyly.

"Wow Neville that's a great idea," Hermione beamed and hugged him tightly.

"I'm very proud of you, Neville. You have really grown-up over the last couple of years," Severus said quietly squeezing his shoulder.

"Thank you Severus. That coming from you actually means a lot," he smiled, brushing away a tear that escaped his eyes. After they finished their meal they went meandering through Diagon Alley and had a lovely afternoon.

It was a couple of days later, Severus having an exceptionally bad day, needing to escort three of his students to the Hospital Wing and having to restore half of his classroom, due to two way too strong curses colliding in mid-air. When he entered his quarters he found a screaming Elena and a stressed out Trinky.

"Trinky doesn't know what to do Sir. Elena has been screaming for two hours now," the house-elf said, it's ears quivering and lips trembling.

"I'm sorry Trinky. Please relax it's not your fault. Thank you for watching her." Trinky nodded and disappeared.

Severus picked up Elena, who was bright red in her face.

"Shh sweetheart. What's wrong?"

It took him several minutes until she fell asleep in his arms, due to her exhaustion. He was about to pour himself some Odgen's and relax, when suddenly Hermione's head appeared in the fire, "Severus I need your help and bringing Elena with you wouldn't be a good idea," Hermione said and her head disappeared again.

Severus rolled his eyes and sighed. This was going to be the most awful day. He flooed Minerva, who came to watch Elena.

When he stepped out of the fire place, Hermione flung herself into his arms and kissed him soundly on the lips. Well maybe his day could still improve.

"Happy Birthday, Severus!"

Maybe not. Severus entangled himself from her and went straight back to the fireplace.

"What?"

"I don't do birthdays!" he scowled.

"Oh!" she said.

"Good night, Hermione!"

"Wait! Just think of it as a dinner with your … um … girl," she looked at him with a pleading expression "…please!"

"But no birthday stuff."

"I promise. Are you hungry?" He nodded.

"You look tired. Are you alright?" she asked concerned.

"I just had a really bad day." She ushered him to her dinning-table, which was set with a white linen table cloth, some candles and a small bouquet of pink roses.

"So I got fish and chips from around the corner of my London flat. I remember you saying they make good chips. What can I offer you to drink?"

He smiled and hugged her, "Thank you my girl! Have you got some red wine?"

"I do. Red wine and fish and chips? Really?"

"My day, my rules," he growled.

"So what's your problem with birthdays?"

"Does my life seem so happy to you, that you got the impression I might enjoy my own birthday?" he asked sarcastically.

"Well no, but maybe next year."

"Why next year," he asked taking a bite.

"Let's talk about it next year and see," she winked at him. He just shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of his wine.

"These chips are exceptionally good," he popped one his mouth.

"I hope it's alright, that I asked you to leave Elena behind?"

"It's fine actually I like spending time with you alone," he bent over and engaged her in a kiss, which quickly deepened. She tasted like salt and vinegar.

"How much vinegar did you actually put on your chips?"

"A lot. I love it when they're drenched in it," she grinned. "You do surprise me," he stated matter-of-factly.

After finishing their fish and chips, Severus leaned back and said, "That was really good. Thanks!"

"You're welcome. I know you said no birthday stuff, but I already bought the present, so I might as well give it to you."

"If you insist?"

"I do."

She went to her desk and pulled the present, she had wrapped in silver paper, from one of the drawers.

"Happy birthday, Severus!" Hermione said shyly, kissed his cheek and handed him the present.

He carefully unwrapped it and a smile spread across his face.

"It's beautiful," he whispered, his hand caressing the very dark brown leather of a personalised notebook. When he opened it, his eyes fell onto her tiny handwriting. And he read what she had written earlier that same day.

Severus, my love,

This book is nothing special, but I hope it can hold all your special thoughts.

Love,

Hermione

"Thanks so much," he said and softly kissed her on the lips.

"You know what this is missing? It is after all a birthday party," Severus said.

"So you admit it is a birthday party?" She grinned mischievously.

"Only because I want to dance with you," he growled into her ear, flicked his wand, causing soft music to play and pulled her closer.

"Mmh," she sighed contently into the crook of his neck.

"Maybe having a birthday isn't too bad after all," he mumbled in her hair.

"I don't know how I deserve you," he whispered.

She suddenly broke apart from him holding him at arms-length.

"Why do you keep saying that?" she glared at him.

"Because it's true. I have no idea how I de…"

"O shut up!" she cut across him.

"You won my heart, that's how. Don't degrade yourself and lift me on a pedestal. That's not going to work. We are in a relationship now. Aren't we? We should be at the same level, " she said somewhat annoyed.

"I'm not sure. You are so kind, goodhearted, good-looking, brilliant and I'm …"

"Brilliant, attractive, witty, kind …"she cut across him.

"Hermione I'm a murderer."

"Please don't go back there. We've already discussed that. You've been forced to be a murderer by some meddling old fool."

"Don't call him that!"

"Sorry!"

Hermione stepped closer, cupped his cheek and whispered, "I don't care about your past. I think you've paid enough. I've seen you with Frank Longbottom. You have a lot of love to give Severus Snape. Come on let's move to the settee."

And with that she slumped down on her sofa. He followed her hesitantly and slowly sat down at the very far end from her. She barely raised an eyebrow, reached over and pulled him closer by his neck, which made him end up with his head in her lap. He didn't look at her, but stared in the fire crackling in front of him. They stayed silent for a couple of minutes. Hermione was playing with his hair and tenderly stroking along the outline of his ear and along his jawline.

"Hermione I just want you to know, once and for all, I'm not an easy person to be around and I'm twenty years older than you," he suddenly said.

"Nineteen actually," she replied, causing him to roll his eyes.

"Severus, look at me." He turned on his back to face her.

"I don't care. I want you and nobody else," she said.

"My girl," he whispered in a choked up voice.

AN: So what do you say?

The next update might take a while, because I need to write a chapter I haven't thought about writing. It's about the outcome of Luke's trial. We want to get rid of him once and for all, don't we?