The night sky in the Great Hall was beautifully clear, showcasing glimmering stars and planets that shouldn't have been visible to the naked eye. It was exceptionally serene in comparison to the reunion party happening beneath it.

Enchanted, unmanned instruments played, drinks flowed, and people mingled. All excited to be back where they had spent their youth, surrounded by magic and friends rather than mortgages and meal prep.

Hermione took a sip of her Pinot Noir before tilting her head back to look at the cosmos, allowing the buzz of conversation and music to numb her thoughts as she appreciated the view above her. Even though she spent nearly every day here, she was often too busy to look up and just appreciate what was there. Tonight was a rare occasion where her focus wasn't on her students but rather on the gathering of her peers and old classmates.

"You know, Ceres is actually much too far away to be able to see normally," Luna said conversationally as she sidled up beside Hermione and pointed to a glowing dot above the head table. "Leo and Ursa Major are also much brighter than they should be. I suspect the party has drawn in an influx of wrackspurts, likely because of the alcohol. In groups, their invisible crystalline structures can cause magnification. It's especially dangerous on sunny days, where they are the leading cause of wildfires."

"That's… very interesting Luna, thank you for that. I… had no idea," Hermione replied with a placating smile.

"Oh you're welcome, they can also affect inhibitions, so try to take care with the wine! Or don't actually… now that I think about it. You seem tense, you deserve to have your inhibitions loosened. I thought you would appreciate a little learning, since everyone is here together again," said Luna brightly, a brilliant smile on her face at being listened to.

Hermione smiled indulgently and slipped her arm through Luna's, giving a squeeze. "I'm glad you're here, these things are tough without a friend to help you through it."

"I'm glad too, even if Ron has trampled my toes each time we've danced."

The women giggled while staring at the stars for a few more seconds before turning to tune back into the conversation their friends were having.

"Brilliant! I think it would be a right good time," Ron exclaimed before turning to address the two girls who hadn't been paying any attention. "Don't you two think so?"

"I do love a good time!" Luna replied immediately with a broad smile.

"Sorry, I missed the question, what sounds like a good time?" Hermione asked, having learned long ago that she should never blindly follow something that Ron deemed as 'fun'. That was how she got forced into doing an obstacle course, blindfolded, on a broom. Never. Again.

"I think this is a splendid idea!" exclaimed Headmaster Dumbledore who had appeared, out of nowhere, behind the two women.

Apparently he had been paying attention even if he was not a part of the conversion to begin with. Hermione pursed her lips and shook her head thinking, Well if it's something the Headmaster wants to do, it's bound to be terrible. And I can only imagine he has some goal in mind, the busybody.

"I give you all permission, in fact, why don't we make it a real to-do and have everyone join in on the fun? I'll make the announcement!" Without waiting for a reply, Dumbledore popped out of existence and reappeared on the raised teachers' dais at the front of the hall.

"Good evening Hogwarts Class of 1998! It is a pleasure to see so many familiar faces enjoying their time together almost as if no time has passed. I do hope everyone enjoyed dinner and some dancing! Now! I would like to announce an activity that was only just suggested to me and I think it would be a delight if we were to all participate."

Some uncomfortable shuffling noises could be heard throughout the room as everyone tried to think of what activities Albus Dumbledore might consider fun. Memories of dragons, merpeople, basilisks, acromantulas, dementors, and toad-like women wearing pink all came to mind. Several party goers shrank towards the wall in the hopes of avoiding involvement.

"I expect this will be a first for the castle of Hogwarts, but truly where better to do this? In this building, even now, so filled with secrets that even I have yet to unravel - which we have all called home - we will be playing a game. The game is called 'Hide and Seek' and is rather self explanatory, though I believe it is something that even muggles played as youths, not just magic born children. Does anybody NOT know how to play?"

Everyone remained still although there was now some murmuring from the assembled.

"Wonderful! I can't believe I haven't thought to do this before, it shall be great fun! We will start with a single seeker and each person they find becomes an additional seeker. I expect everyone to be very careful, we are all adults here so I don't think I need to lay any severe restrictions upon you. Let us stay within the castle and immediate grounds, no Forbidden Forest. And as a treat, just this once, you may run in the halls," Dumbledore chuckled, amused at his own joke.

"Oh! I think also, that both teachers and guests should be a part of the activity, barring any that physically cannot join in. The last witch or wizard standing will win a substantial prize! Which will be determined by myself. After the game. Now, I shall pick a name to be the first seeker."

With that, Dumbledore summoned the sorting hat and dipped his hand in to pull out a slip of paper. "Ah, alas! I suppose none here would be surprised to hear the name that was drawn." Dumbledore chuckled heartily, " Once I read the name, you will all be given 10 minutes to hide. You need not stay in one place. Only minor distraction spells will be permitted, after all, we are all friends here. And with that, our seeker will be: HARRY POTTER!"

Throughout the hall. eyes rolled and laughter bubbled up, because how could anything happen at this school without Harry Potter being at the centre of it.

Harry had the good sense to look abashed and duck his head in discomfort before giving a half smile to the crowd.

"Let the game begin!" shouted Dumbledore, who grabbed his glass of wine and Minerva's hand as he hurried to the door to find a hiding place.

People began scurrying about. Ron loaded up a plateful of snacks before grabbing Luna's hand and hurrying out of the door. Several people made sure to top up their glasses before rushing from the room, including Hermione, though, as an afterthought she grabbed a full bottle as well.

With the bottle of wine hovering behind her, she hustled from the room via the teacher's entrance, knowing that would lead her to a less crowded hallway and closer to her office.

'Shoot,' she thought, 'Harry will know to look for me there. Or the library. I can't be predictable. Think!' Hermione wasn't particularly competitive with most things, but she could easily deduce that Headmaster Dumbledore would provide a decent reward to the winner, and a few extra galleons or a rare book would certainly be very welcome.

Letting her feet guide her, she hurried down a spiral staircase that hid behind a large tapestry of Samwise the Brave and his trusty steed, Bill. She knew the hidden space had been on the Marauder's Map though and Harry would likely know of it as that was how she found it in the first place. So down she descended to the next landing.

Here she knew of a passageway only known by the faculty, hidden behind a portrait of Legolas the Lustrous and Gimli Gloin-son the Grumbly, after uttering the password 'Lembas' it swung forward, allowing her to continue down several flights until she was below the Slytherin common rooms and instead on the storage corridor where all extra furniture and wall hangings were amassed. Having done her fair share of exploring since becoming the Charms teacher, she knew that the extra sofas were kept in the third room on the right, and that seemed as good a place as any to settle in and wait.

In the middle of the room, she found her favourite hiding place, a plush, grey sofa that was surrounded on all sides by towers of sofas and end tables in all shapes, sizes and colours, creating a room within a room. Nobody would find her here, of that she was certain. This had become her secret hideaway when she needed to gather her thoughts, away from prying eyes.

She sank into her favourite spot, curled up with her feet tucked under her and to the side, and she pulled over an end table to rest her wine upon. Just as she unshrank her latest read she heard a commotion in the hallway before the door was thrown open and a tall, shadowy figure fell into the room, door slamming closed behind them. The figure jumped up and started trying to open the door, though she could hardly see in the dim lighting.

"Peeves you piece of floating waste, you let me out this INSTANT!" demanded a very deep, angry voice that she recognized all too well.

"You know, Professor Snakey Pants, Peevesy finds that very rude and disrespectful! I don't think I shall open the door!" taunted Peeves, who had phased his head through the wall for one last jibe before disappearing .

"You foul… menace! I'll make sure you get yours Peeves!" Severus Snape growled as he pounded his fist against the wooden door.

"Hullo Severus, fancy seeing you here!" Hermione called from her seat, not bothering to stand.

"Ms… Hermione," Severus cleared his throat and turned toward the general area where the voice had come. " I apologise for the intrusion… and the outburst. That was unseemly."

"It's fine, Severus. Peeves has that effect on the best of us. Please join me. Lumos maxima. There, some extra light might help. Besides, I have wine. With any luck we will be the last ones found and can share the prize," Hermione replied with an amiable smile. Quietly glad for the company, especially when it was his. He had finally started to treat her as an actual person and she, well she had seen him as an actual person… an actual man, for quite a while now.

"Ten minutes is up! Mr. Potter will now begin seeking. Be sure to hide well!" announced Dumbledore's seemingly omnipresent voice.

At Dumbledore's declaration of the ten minutes being up, Harry turned and looked up from the snack table and the plate of assorted treats he had gathered for Ginny. He knew that his 7 month pregnant wife would be grumpy and hungry whether he found her quickly or it took all night. And that was not a good combination to have to deal with. ' Better to be prepared,' he thought.

Opening up the doors to the Great Hall, he turned to look left then right, trying to decide the best direction to go in, when he saw movement behind a curtain to the right. Slowly walking towards it, he pulled the heavy material to the side, revealing his wife.

"Oh… noooo… you found me. This sure is terrible and I'm ever so disappointed!" to accentuate her dramatic tone, she closed her eyes, tipped her head back and rested the backside of her hand on her forehead as if feeling faint.

Harry snorted, "Here, a peace offering, I brought food."

"Give it here then, husband! And let us go do what we Potters do so wonderfully. I mean, I am the only one who made it professionally. Until you did this to me at least!" She pointed dramatically to her rounded belly. "But you were a pretty good seeker in your day too. Long. Long. Longggg ago. Don't worry though, I'll help you! Let's get to it."

Ginny grabbed the plate from his hand and led the way down the corridor where she knew of several great hiding spots. Harry followed her, grinning at the back of his sassy wife's head.

Grumbling, Severus made his way through the maze of chairs over to Hermione's hidden alcove, "I hadn't even meant to partake in this blasted game. It seems Dumbledore anticipated that and told Peeves to make sure I played along. The bastard chased me all the way down here."

"Well, I'm glad he did. Hiding here alone would have been incredibly boring. But I am quite certain Harry won't find us here. It's just about a guaranteed win. Wine?"

"Please." As they sipped on their freshly poured glasses, Severus noticed the book under Hermione's thigh, and smirked, "Do you always have a book on you?"

"I try to." Hermione giggled as she subtly scooted the book under her leg to hide the spine.

Severus caught the movement and narrowed his gaze. "And just what are you reading?"

"Nothing that you would like, I'm certain. Just some light reading."

Curiosity roused, because Professor Granger was always interested in talking about literature, Severus asked, "May I see?"

Hermione stiffened, "I'd rather you didn't."

"Well now I must, you've piqued my curiosity!" Severus replied, holding out his hand.

With a huff, Hermione slid the book from under her thigh and handed it to him before turning away as her cheeks pinked in embarrassment.

"Ahh, I understand now." Severus chuckled before handing the book back. "I wouldn't have expected that to be the sort of thing you would read in your down time, Hermione. I thought you'd be more of a Jane Austin person."

"Well I do love Austin, of course, but sometimes it's nice to read something and not have to think too much. Just fall into the story… well in this case, there isn't much story to it." Hermione scrunched her face up to play off her discomfort.

"May as well read it aloud, we've not much else to do," Severus said, settling into the seat and resting his head back.

"I… Severus, I could not do that. You'd never let me live it down. There's plenty we could do. We can talk about classes. The fourth year Gryffindors were particularly rowdy this year, and I expect they'll be even worse next year. We could talk and prepare a game plan for the Autumn term. I also read in the latest edition of Potion's Today that a seventh use has been discovered for scarab beetle carapaces and that is certainly exciting, don't you think?"

"Fine, I won't make you read but we are not talking about work. Particularly work that we shouldn't even be thinking about for another two months, thank you very much . And discovering that scarab beetle carapaces can strengthen teeth is hardly worth discussing. They are calcium based, it was obvious and not worthy of a three page essay. And I can't very well sit here and do nothing. Give the book here. I will read it aloud." Severus did not wait for the book to be handed to him, instead, he deftly tugged it from Hermione's loose grasp and opened it to her bookmark.

"No, please Severus, I will literally die of embarrassment," Hermione begged, her face warmed and flushed a deep pink and eyes widened in horror.

"You cannot literally die of embarrassment, Granger. You're smart enough to know that."

"You know what… that was almost a compliment, I'll take it. But also please don't do this. You can even have the rest of the wine," Hermione pouted, exaggeratingly sticking out her lower lip and giving him puppy dog eyes as she clasped her hands in front of her. She knew that she couldn't bear to hear his sinfully rich, deep voice reading from her trashy romance novel. Particularly when she was four glasses of wine deep and feeling so pleasantly muzzy not to mention being hyper aware of his close proximity.

Only one cushion away. Deep in the sub-basements of Hogwarts. With absolutely nobody else around.

She was not in a headspace to be embarrassed or aroused let alone both at the same time.

"There isn't much wine left anyway."

"I'll do your grading for a week?" Hermione offered, pursing her lips.

"Not much of a punishment for you. You like grading. Besides, I couldn't make good on that promise for months."

"Huh… Give me a moment, I'll think of something."

"Let's try it this way. You let me read it and we can have a laugh and I'll owe you something."

"Like what exactly?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm sure you will think of something suitable later. You can borrow something from my library or I'll take on your detentions for the Autumn term or youcangotodinnerwithme or I can cover your Hogsmeade weekends or something."

"I'm sorry Headmaster… but I'm afraid your hat is sticking out above the portrait, sir."

"Alas! It is indeed! Well done, Mister Potter! Madam Potter!" Dumbledore said cheerfully as he stepped out into the open, downing the rest of his wine.

"Umm… Professor… is there a tail? Coming out of your beard?"

"Indeed there is my boy, indeed there is. Minnie was feeling rather in need of a cat nap, as it were. I may have had wine, but she had her flask on her and was feeling a bit snockered. Count her as found, lad. Shall we go hunt for some others then?" He set off without waiting for a response from the Potters, stumbling slightly as he went.

"That's the way we came from, sir!" Harry called after the uncoordinated elderly wizard.

"This way I think!" Dumbledore continued confidently down the hallway and straight into the solid stone wall beside the hidden passage he had been aiming for. THe Headmaster bounced off the wall and fell right on his behind, taking on a stunned look.

After several beats and a deep sigh, as if he had come to a very important decision, Dumbledore grumbled, "Or, perhaps I'll just wait here and take a cat nap of my own." At that, he conjured a pillow, laid out on his side, and soon began snoring.

"Leave him to sleep it off?" Harry asked his wife, who looked surprised.

"You sure he's alright? Should we check on him?"

"He's fine. A quick power nap and he'll be right as rain, he just gets a little clumsy when he drinks too much. He does it almost every Thursday when we meet at the Hogs Head. Passes out for a good 15 minutes and pops right back up like nothing happened," Harry snorted in amusement at his mentor's strange quirks, then continued walking.

"We always have the same Hogsmeade weekends, Severus. That's not much of an offer. And what was the second to last one? I didn't quite catch that."

"I don't recall, sorry. Either way, we've little else to do." His shoulders lifted in a shrug, as if he had no power or say in the matter and was only doing what he had to.

"Please, Severus." Hermione pulled her legs the rest of the way under her and leant over the middle cushion of the sofas. ' He could hardly say no when cornered like this, right?' She thought.

"Neville! How did you even get into this suit of armour?" Ginny demanded as she worked the helmet off his head, it was rather stuck on his ears.

"I don't honestly know, Gin, it fit on easy enough when I went to get in."

"Well, this is going to have to be your problem, Neville. We found you, so you're out, now you can figure out how to get out of that thing on your own. We'll send someone your way once we've found more. Bye!"

"Harry! You cannot be serious!" Neville shouted towards the pair's retreating backs.

"Well, I never thought to hear you beg. I rather enjoy it. While I appreciate your efforts, they are for naught, do sit down." Severus chuckled and gave a half grin, his dark eyes showing their mirth in the dim lighting. He then leant back and opened the book to begin reading.

" The rain pounded down on the roof while Lorna sat in her cosy window nook, watching mother nature wiping the slate clean. Forlornly, she wondered where she had gone wrong. Where all her efforts had gone astray.

She had tried so hard to get Garretts attention.

She had tamed her unruly brown hair and set aside her books to try her best to make a good impression. Yet he hardly acknowledged she existed. During their one dance at the ball, he had hardly spoken a word, instead staring at her hard as if judging her.

Yet at the touch of his hand she felt as if her flesh had turned to flame and spark. His hand clasping hers left her breathless, made her feel as though she had only just come to life. How had he not felt it too? Then the dance had ended and he politely bowed before quickly retreating.

She had eyes only for him and yet he treated her like she was nothing, only dancing with her because it was proper and as a favour to his best friend, her eldest brother, John. As a tear slid down her cheek, she closed her eyes and rested her forehead on the cool glass. Hoping that the chill would help to ease her overwrought, womanly emotions.

A loud bang echoed below as the front door burst open. Lorna leapt to her feet and ran to the railing to see what was happening below. In the dark doorway, only illuminated by the flashes of thunder that lit the sky beyond, she saw him. Long, wet, black hair framed his pale face, highlighting his most prominent features, his obsidian eyes and aquiline nose."

Severus looked up to give Hermione his most dramatic raised eyebrow and smirk combination, silently questioning her book choices.

Hermione blushed prettily and subtly clenched her legs. His voice was already getting to her.

Severus continued his dramatic oration.

"Garrett.

But why was he here?

Was he alright?

He looked up and saw her at the top of the staircase and raced up the steps two at a time. Once he reached the top, all she could think to say was,"Hello."

"Hello," he replied breathlessly.

In silence, they stared at each other for several heavy heartbeats of time before Garrett lifted his hand as if to touch her cheek. But he stopped himself, "I… shouldn't have come. This is… this is wrong. I must leave."

"Wait!" Lorna cried out, brazenly grabbing his forearm before he could turn away. "Why did you come here?" She gulped and stared at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

"For you, my lady." His shoulders slumped and he tried to gently pull from her grasp.

"For me?" she asked, not able to believe the words that he spoke, not daring to hope for her wildest dreams to come true.

"I have been unable to get you out of my head. You are," he whispered as he stepped closer and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, "You are all I can think of. You have consumed me and for the chance to be near you, I would gladly be consumed. I am in love with you, deeper than I thought possible and I am ashamed. You deserve far better than I. But when we danced, I felt something, like a spark, a glimmer of hope ,and I dared to wish that you might have felt it too."

"I did. I felt it. I had no idea that you felt the same way as I," Lorna breathed in exaltation.

"Lorna Ophelia Lexington," Garrett said reverently as he knelt down before her and reached into his pocket, pulling out a large gold and sapphire ring , "will you do me the greatest of honours and make me the happiest of men by becoming my bride?"

Harry whispered to his wife, "I really don't feel comfortable interrupting… whatever it is going on behind that tapestry. I know those noises and… I really don't want to see who's causing them."

"Well, neither do I, Harry, but we have to do something." Ginny pulled the tapestry back from the wall, revealing the alcove to the light of the sconces overheard. Determinedly, she kept her eyes fixed on the wall itself. "Look, whoever's back there. We found you. You're out. Once you've… finished, feel free to either go back to the Great Hall or find us and assist seeking. As you were, don't let Filch catch you."

Poppy looked over her shoulder to meet her partner's eye and coquettishly giggled. "Oopsie, looks like he already has caught me, now whatever shall he do with me?"

Grasping more firmly at her hips, he replied, "Oh I'll show you exactly what I'll do with you, love."

"Yes! Yes! I will marry you Garrett! This is a dream come true!" Lorna gushed as tears of joy ran down her cheeks.

"This is what you read in your free time?" Severus asked dubiously.

"Well it's no Shakespeare, obviously, but it is sweet and…" Hermione stopped herself.

"And?" Severus prodded.

"Well, I suppose it's rather hopeful? I don't know! As if that could happen to anyone. You could just be going about your day and the object of your affections bursts through the door and declares their love for you." Hermione's eyes widened and pursed her lips in concern that she had let too much slip.

'Damn wine!' She thought.

"Hehehe oooh Draco, I've missed you! How come it took you so long to come back and visit me?" Myrtle asked in her most flirtatious voice as she peered over the top of the stall.

"I'm sorry Myrtle, but I really do need to stay hidden, you'll help me right?" Draco whispered while offering Myrtle a sweet smile, hoping to keep her on his side.

"Of course I will help you! Who are you hiding from? Do you need me to distract them? Hurt them? They'll regret messing with you!"

Her volume increased alongside her concern, making Draco's eyes widen in fear as well. "No, no luv, it's nothing like that. Come down here, let's catch up. Quietly."

"Draco!" came a theatrical whisper from the door to the girl's lavatory. "Draco darling, are you in here! I want to hide with you! All the other good spots are taken."

"Yeah, Pans, I'm here, come on in, fifth stall on the right," Draco whispered back.

As Pansy Malfoy opened the stall door and nuzzled into her husband's embrace with a sigh of relief, they didn't notice Myrtle floating higher and higher as her anger built. "You don't even want to know what I've seen. I never wanted to see the damn mole that Goyle's always complaining about! But there he was in the closet with Millie, pants at his ankles and a hairy mole the shape of Denmark on his arse. I'm going to have nightmares for life, darling."

'YOU!" shouted Myrtle. "You're the reason Draco hasn't come back to see me! You witch! You stole him from me! We could have died happily miserable together!" Then she swooped down and through the pair and began circling the lavatory, screeches and wails echoing off the tiled walls.

"Guess Myrtle is useful after all," grumbled Harry to his wife, walking towards the doorway to the lavatory. Moments later, Draco and Pansy ran right out at them as they tried to escape the eternally hormonal teenage ghost.

Ginny summoned some cotton balls and handed them over to the Malfoys, "Should help your ears a bit. Rotten luck guys. Wanna help us look for some others?"

"Ha!" Severus laughed, "Well by that logic, since I burst through the door while you were here on your own, that must mean that we are desperately in love with each other." Severus froze and clenched his jaw.

'Damn wine!' He thought.

"Oh… yes!" Hermione resumed her seated position and forced a laugh, unfortunately it sounded fake even to her own ears. Looking at him from the corner of her eye, she continued, sounding a little more hollow than she intended, "that would be rather ridiculous, I suppose."

"Hermione?" Snape asked, concerned at the change in her tone and demeanour.

"Yes, Severus?" she breathed, meeting his gaze searchingly.

He gulped and tensed his jaw before continuing,"A wizard would be lucky to have your adoration, I hope you someday find one that is worthy."

Reaching over to her half-full wine glass, she raised it to her lips and downed it. The liquid courage helped her to ask, "And if I've already found him?"

"Then what on earth are you doing, hiding in the dinghy storage rooms at Hogwarts? I'm quite sure most of the castle took this opportunity for what it was meant to be. A chance to misbehave in the castle without losing house points."

"I'm quite sure he doesn't see me the way I see him, so it's just as well." Hermione gave him a sad smile.

"Well then, I can confidently say he's an imbecile," Severus scoffed before he downed the dregs that remained in his glass of wine.

"Now that is something he definitely is not. In fact he's one of the most brilliant men I've ever met."

"That's absurd. I don't see how that's possible. How could an intelligent man not jump at the chance to be with a woman of your calibre?" Severus asked heatedly before looking at his empty glass as if it had betrayed him. 'What is in this wine? I'm turning into Hagrid, I should not have said that," he thought.

"I don't know, how could you?"

"How could I what? You are making no sense."

"Severus." Hermione shifted in her seat to face him fully once more and took a deep breath, even with the wine, she wasn't sure she could say what she wanted to. " You're the imbecile."

"Excuse me? Here, I thought we were having a pleasant time, and you go and call me an imbecile?" Severus asked, affronted, not grasping the context of her comment.

Hermione scooted over into the middle seat and reached out a calming hand to rest on his forearm. " Severus…" she murmured, imploring him with her eyes to understand, to hear her so she wouldn't have to completely embarrass herself and say the words.

Severus froze under her touch and met her gaze with his own far more confused one.

"You…?"

"Yes."

"... me?"

" Yes ."

"Oh."

The fight left his face, which softened and his eyes widened in understanding. Slowly, as if moving underwater, he lifted his free hand to cradle her cheek.

She immediately nuzzled more firmly against his warmth, letting out a soft sigh before turning to place a light kiss against his wrist.

Absent-mindedly, Severus set his glass down before turning fully towards the woman beside him. Leaning forward, he let his lips brush against hers before he pulled back to search her eyes for any hint of trepidation on uncertainty. But instead he saw hope and anxiety that was surely reflected in his own gaze. Leaning in once more, their lips connected in a tender, exploratory kiss.

In between soft sighs and nervous giggles they found a comfortable pace that kept them busy and contentedly embraced until nearly midnight, when the Headmaster's voice echoed once more through the castle.

" We are down to two final contestants in the game, please do return to the Great Hall to claim your rewards. As it seems most hid in pairs, I am happy to pronounce both remaining contestants as the winners ."

"Shall we?" Severus stood, offering his hand to Hermione who had been lying beside him on the sofas while they snogged.

"Yes! I do hope we won something nice, I've my eye on several of Albus' books."

"I've no doubt that you do."

"I would say that either way, this was an exceedingly successful night," Hermione grinned up at the man beside her who was looking uncharacteristically rumpled.

Severus lifted the small hand clasped in his to his lips and kissed the soft flesh on her wrist, "I agree completely."

The End

A/N Thank you so much to SnakegirlSprockett for beta reading and editing for me! This is my first beta read fic (I feel so fancy and cool)! Any errors remaining are 100% my own.

I guess I also need to say: I don't own Harry Potter. Writing just helps me de-stress and deal with life and it feels really nice when people like things that I made.

In case anyone is curious, I'm thinking their reward was 50 Galleons a piece… BUT… the real reward was the love everyone found (or made) along the way… in the hallways… behind the tapestries… on desks or sofas.

Also, hopefully Neville got out of that suit of armour… maybe someone should check on him?