AN: I've been stressed out lately, so I decided I needed some fluff in my life! Hope you all enjoy!

Thank you for all the support. It is very deeply appreciated!

Severus couldn't help but be moved by Hermione's parents keeping her old art works and most cherished assignments. His parents had tossed out anything he'd created within seconds of finding it. Muriel and Wilford held their daughter's creations as precious mementos, at least until it was time to clean the attic. Then they would tell their daughter to shift through them, keeping whatever she wished and tossing whatever she did not.

Thus, Hermione and Severus found themselves in their bedroom, shifting through a box of old papers. She was on the floor, while he sat above her on the bed, amazed she could recount a memory associated with each paper she pulled out. He knew she had a good memory, but even he didn't think she'd remember the kind of chocolate ice cream her primary school teacher bought the class the day she painted her parents a picture of a rabbit.

He had told her she could go through the box without his presence, but she wouldn't hear of it. Somehow, it would strengthen their marriage if he got a glimpse into her childhood. He felt their marriage was strong enough as it was, but who was he to argue with a headstrong witch who insisted on showing him every sappy love poem she'd ever written?

"Do you remember this?" Hermione handed him a parchment as she dug around the box.

He took the parchment from his hand and smirked. Oh he remembered it all right. He'd moaned and grumbled the entire time he graded it. The headache he'd endured after grading it had lasted well into the night, making him all the crankier come the dawn.

"I cannot believe you kept your old potions parchments," he reread it, cringing at how harsh he was towards her. Even if he wasn't wrong in his assessment, he could've spent less time tearing down her self-esteem with each stroke of the quill. He was lucky the witch even looked in his direction given how many veiled insults he'd thrown her way.

"Actually I only saved a few of them. This is the first one in which I received an Exceeded Expectations," she looked at him.

"Yes," he muttered.

She looked up at him. "Is there a problem?"

"No, though I wish I wasn't so harsh," he replied. "I almost squelched one of the greatest potions mistresses in Britain with my sharp tongue."

"You consider me one of the greatest potions mistresses in Britain?"

"Yes, I esteem you above all other researchers because you've proven yourself. You are more creative and logical than the rest combined. It would have been a shame for you to have given up because I was too harsh on you."

"You were harsh, but you pushed me to be better. I'm the researcher I am because of you."

"I still ran the risk of hurting you."

"No, you were harsh but fair. Look," she took the parchment and reread a few sentences, "See, you're right, I didn't quite get the nuances of that formula, and I could have used fewer words there."

"It was not terrible for a first year, a fact I should've recognized."

"You may have been harsh, but, ooh," she shook her head. "Yes, that could have been phrased better." She ran her finger further down. "Ooh, that was not worded well and," her eyes grew. "A misspelling? How could I misspell 'leviosa?' I knew how to pronounce that before anyone else. How could I have misspelled it?"

"Love, the essay is more than acceptable given your age at the time it was written."

"Yes, but I am happy my subsequent publications are of much higher quality. This is," she cringed. "I can see why you took off for it."

"Your publications are perfect. Just as you are perfect for me." Severus kissed the top of her head before his eyes fell on a parchment in the box. He stood above her and asked, "what is that?"

"What?"

He pulled the parchment out of the box and examined it. It took everything within him not to laugh. "My Traits for Prince Charming?"

"Oh Merlin they kept that," she groaned.

"Now I'm intrigued. What is it?"

She turned to face him. "When Ron was dating Lavender, Mum and Dad were trying to help me see he might not be worth my time. They were too nice to say anything aloud, so they had me write down the traits I wanted in a husband. Then, I was to see if he lived up to them. If so, I should pursue him. If not, it was time to move on to someone better."

"So you took them up on the offer."

"Yes."

The spy in him perked up. As open as Hermione was with him, it was rare to find something so personal from her youth. If she wanted their marriage to grow stronger, wading through this document may be the perfect way to do so

His wife's face was scarlet as the Gryffindor banner. His heart sank. As a professor he'd put her through enough humiliation. How could he put her through any more?

"We can just toss this." He handed it back to her.

She examined it before turning to him again.

"Anyway, you seemed to have collected other parchments from your classes…"

"I don't even know what I wrote," she began.

He grew silent.

"I wrote it so long ago, and it seemed so insignificant at the time. It didn't have the effect of dissuading me from Ron, though," she scratched the floor. "It would be a great insight into my mindset."

"Perhaps we should focus on the present and not in the past."

"Are you telling me you aren't the least bit interested in this?"

"I will admit to being interested in its contents, but not at your expense."

"I doubt there's anything too harsh in them. These are just the ramblings of a girl who watched too many romance movies. Still, I don't want you to feel as if you're an inferior spouse, unless you're curious about it."

"My curiosity isn't the issue. Your happiness and comfort is."

"You can stop being such a gentleman now. Tell me, are you interested in what this says?"

"Yes, I am curious how I stack up compared to this mysterious prince charming."

"I was hoping you'd say that. I'm just as curious to remember what I wrote," she held it up. "I remember bits and pieces of it, but I wrote it and tried to forget about it because I gave up on any man meeting my requirements."

"I see."

"Still." She sat on the bed beside him. "I did want you to know about my childhood, and if we don't read this document, it's always going to be between us."

"I won't stay up at night wondering if I live up to your teenage fantasies."

"Oh don't lie to me. You're enough of a spy to want to know every little thing about me. It's always going to be between us if we don't read it."

"It won't be between us, but if we're interested in the contents, there's no reason we can't read it together."

"I am only fine with reading it if you are fine with sharing it."

There was a spark of mischief in her eyes as she handed it to him. "Open it."

"Very well then," he opened the letter and cleared his throat.

First let me begin with the shallow traits:

He must have a smile like Lockhart's

"I was still considered Lockhart attractive when I wrote this?" She exclaimed, her face even redder than before.

"Apparently," Severus deadpanned.

"Oh God," she buried her face into her hands. "That is so embarrassing."

"We all make mistakes in our youth." He rubbed her back.

"Yes, but Lockhart? Ugh! I mean, I really wanted my husband to give me a sleazy smile like his every morning?"

"In your defense, his smile is more pleasant than mine."

"What do you mean?" She looked at him. "You have a beautiful smile."

"My teeth are crooked and not nearly as white as his were. I'm hardly anything to look at."

"Your teeth are fine. My parents even said so after your last dental appointment."

"I think they were trying to avoid the embarrassment of having a daughter who married a man with disgusting teeth."

"Your teeth are fine, though you do eat too much sugar some days. It cannot be good for you to eat so many jellybeans without flossing."

"My sugar intake is fine."

"Sure it is," she drawled.

"This is all a moot point," Severus answered. "I rarely smile, so no critique of my smile holds any weight."

"You smile enough around me," Hermione replied. "When you give a genuine smile, when you are genuinely happy playing with our children or speaking with me, it puts anyone else's to shame."

"I suspect your eyesight was much better as an adolescent than it is now if you think my smile is better than anyone else's."

"My eyesight is fine. So fine, I can read this next part," She leaned over to read the next line.

He must be handsome. Viktor wasn't terrible looking. Perhaps someone built like him would be nice.

"Now I know I am inferior to your mystery ideal husband," Severus argued. "Nobody would ever accuse me of being handsome, or built like a Quidditch star."

"You're right," she replied. "You're much sexier."

"Sexier?"

"Yes, I have not seen any man as sexy as you."

"Remind me to schedule you an optometrist appointment tomorrow if you think anything about me is sexually attractive."

"But it's true," she argued. "You are sexy."

"What is so sexy about a former professor almost two decades your senior?"

"For starters, I like older men."

"Even older professors?"

"Yes, especially one's who speak to me in a certain way with a deep, rich voice. I go mad for them."

"What way do you want him to speak to you?" He purred.

"That way," she laughed.

"What way?" He purred lower, knowing how crazy his voice could drive her.

"Oh stop it, you're just teasing me now."

"Love, if I was teasing you, you'd beg me never to stop."

She blushed. "I didn't know the power a voice could have until you married me. If I was thinking harder, I would've realized a deep voice is just as sensual as a man dressed in all black."

"Black is an elegant color."

"Yes, much better than the Quidditch uniform Krum wore."

"Now my wardrobe is more attractive than Krum's?"

"Infinitely more so," She scooted closer to him. "I love it when you wear black."

"You must love me all the time given it's the only color I wear."

"Yes, I love you all the time."

"And If I stopped wearing black?"

"Now that would test me love for you," she rubbed his thigh.

"Then I shall remain in black, if only to keep your love."

"You have my love even if you wear pink."

"Yes, but I would lose my self-love if I did that," he gave her a mock scowl.

"You are sexy in whatever you wear."

"You are in desperate need of an eye appointment," he answered.

"No," she replied. "Though I forgot one aspect of appearance I appreciate about you."

"Do I want to know what it is?"

"A man should be cute."

"Now I know I am inferior to the man in your head! He is cute. I never will be."

"Oh no, when you're denying you are handsome, you are adorable about it."

"Adorable?" He swore this witch was going to be the end of him. Merlin knew if he didn't find a way to free her from her delusion of his alleged cuteness she would begin to tell others. What would become of him then?

"Yes, and when you're playing with our children and showing them the tenderness you hide from the world it only makes you cuter."

"I swear you and the children are on a crusade to end my image as a greasy git."

"Would it be so terrible if we did?"

"I would give it up for them," his voice was much more tender. "If they wanted to tell the world I loved them and recall all the times I was subjected to their fantasy games without a word of protest from me, I would not deny the charges."

"See, you're already better than my fantasy man," she said. "He was never cute with children."

"I would not go that far," he replied. "There's still quite a bit of this list to go. There's plenty of time for me to fail to live up to standards."

"Or exceed expectations."

"Now you are stealing my lines."

She smirked before continuing.

Now for the more important things.

He must love books. At evenings, he must loving reading with me by a fireplace

"I cannot argue that your mystery man and I share this in common. Some of the happiest moments of my life have been reading books and researching with you beside the fireplace," he replied in a soft voice.

"Yes, I gave up on finding a man who liked books," she admitted before kissing him on the cheek. "Thank Merlin I found him."

"I will admit it was difficult for me to find a woman who enjoyed reading. Most of the women I knew were more interested in pursuits other than reading. I do not begrudge them for preferring other activities, though it was obnoxious that they insisted I join them in pursuits I took little interest in."

"Lavender used to tell me no man wanted to read with me. She told me if I wanted a man I would need to set down the book and look right in front of me." She smiled. "I guess she was wrong."

"Indeed." He read the next point. "Though this next point baffles me."

He must be a Gryffindor. Okay, perhaps he can be a Ravenclaw, but no Slytherins. I would never marry a Slytherin!

"Oh Merlin," Hermione moaned again. "I can't believe I wrote that."

"I will admit, it is odd for the Prices of Gryffindor to be with the head of the Slytherin House, though you wouldn't have even considered me earlier?" He asked.

She burned her head into her hands.

"I now wonder how your younger self would've reacted to finding out you'd married me."

"She probably would've been shocked, at least until she knew the truth."

"The truth that I'm not a completely snarky bastard."

"First of all, you aren't a bastard," she answered. "Second, who said I despised snark?"

"That point on the list implied that very thing."

"I've always liked a little snark. I just didn't think anyone would be funny about it rather than cruel."

"I am cruel."

"Not towards me, at least not anymore."

"True."

"Back to my original point," She met his eyes. "I would have been impressed with the truth that you were always on our side, fighting for the light. My younger self would have needed to understand that while she faced prejudice from other Slytherins, not all of them were the same, especially not you. Once she realized those things, she would've been deeply in love with you."

"That is borderline romantic."

"Only borderline?"

"Perhaps it is romantic."

She grinned.

"Though I do wonder how she would've reacted to her spouse being almost two decades her senior," he replied.

"I think she would've been concerned, until she saw your library," Hermione's eyes glistened. "All you need to do is show me your library and I am putty in your hands."

"And here I thought you loved me for my sexy, cute, appearance."

"Of course I do." She met his lips. "Still, the books are what keeps me by your side."

"So if I were to ever get rid of my books…"

"I would take you to St. Mungo's because you've lost your mind."

"I cannot argue with that point." He returned his attention to the list.

Oh, he must have a brain, or at least half of one

"Would you say that I am more intelligent than your mystery man, or am I equally as intelligent?" Severus asked.

"Much more intelligent," she answered. "You are a brilliant man, a fact I appreciate every day of my life."

"Any man who would marry you cannot be a complete dunderhead."

"Actually I think that was one of your crazier decisions, though I do not regret it."

"Why would you call me marrying you crazy?"

"You must admit, on paper we appear mismatched, and my decision to marry you was impulsive."

"Do you regret it?" His voice was quieter.

"Not in the least. There is nobody I would rather have as my husband and as the father of my children." The kiss on the lips she gave him left no doubt that she was in fact pleased with her decision.

"Mrs. Snape, if you continue touching me as you are, we'll never get through this list," he let out a low laugh.

"That would be terrible," she said. "I do want to see what else I wrote."

"As do I."

He needs to accept that I am bossy. If he cannot handle this, then he may not be worth my time

"I wish you'd stop calling yourself bossy," Severus began.

"Why? I am bossy," Hermione answered.

"No, you are assertive and know what you want, which I appreciate."

"You do?"

"Yes," he said. "I like knowing where people are coming from and what they want. I do not need to play guessing games with you, or spend hours trying to discern why you are upset with me. You are open about what you need and what you want me to do. After a lifetime of trying to discern the motives of two masters, I appreciate someone being direct with me."

"There's being open and being bossy," she replied. "I nag you to do the dishes at times, and I can lose patience with you when you won't pick up your socks."

"Yes, but those fights occur in any relationship. At least you tell me what I am doing wrong instead of storming off and leaving me to make up for some wrong I cannot discern."

"True."

"Besides, I've found bossiness is necessary when dealing with children," he continued. "Some days it is clear they have no interest in listening to me because I'm afraid of being too harsh with them. You've mastered getting them to do what you need them to do while being gentle about it."

"Don't sell yourself short. You are an amazing father. Our children love you. They would do anything to make you happy."

"I excel at being a father in large part because I have an amazing partner who's guiding me in how to be a gentler person than I was as a professor."

"You always had that gentleness in you." She took his hand. "You just needed to feel safe and secure enough to be vulnerable."

"I have never felt more safe than when I am with you."

"I can honestly say the same thing."

"Then in that safety, let us continue," he returned to the list.

He needs to have more emotional range than a teaspoon

"Would not occluding count as having an emotional range?" Severus asked.

"I didn't know you occluded around me," she appeared hurt by the very idea that he would shut her out in any way.

"I don't, but I do wonder if after all those years of occluding I am ever too closed off for you."

"If you're asking have I ever doubted that you love me and the children," she kissed his cheek. "No, not once have I ever doubted your love for us."

"I am glad to hear it."

"Though it wouldn't kill you not to scowl so much in public."

"You expect me to appear pleasant in public?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps smiling at others is out of the question, but you don't need to scowl when you walk down the stuffed animal aisle, like you're being tortured within an inch of your life."

"If I didn't scowl people would think I've gone insane. You wouldn't want someone to send me to the Janus Thickney Ward because they thought I appeared too pleasant."

"You'll never let go of your greasy git image, will you?" She asked.

He purred in that voice he knew she loved, "never."

I wouldn't mind a sensitive man, one who isn't afraid to display his emotions

"I draw the line at sensitive," Severus said.

"What do you mean? You can be very sensitive," Hermione argued.

"Yes, I was so sensitive to my students' emotions I was called the dungeon bat."

"True, but you take the needs of our children into account, and are much kinder to them."

"They are much easier to love than the students because they are not dunderheads," Severus said.

"Not all of your students were dunderheads."

"Yes, but you and Draco were the only ones who weren't total dunderheads," he argued. "Besides, I do not need to worry about one of our children setting my robes on fire."

"I said I was sorry," she replied. "and I've more than made up for it."

"Yes, but you weren't the first person to want to set me on fire. You were only the first one brave enough to do it."

"Perhaps."

"Back to the sensitivity issue," he replied. "If you wanted a man who will share his every emotion with you I fear you married the wrong one."

"Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I appreciate your way of showing affection," she answered. "You aren't demanding I tend to your every emotional need. Even if you aren't open with others, you're open with me."

"I've always believed that in a marriage there must be some mutual give and take. It wouldn't be fair to you to be married to a stranger."

"I appreciate that. It's quite," she grinned. "Sensitive."

"Witch I swear you'll be the end of me."

"Yes, but what a pleasant end it will be."

"It certainly will be."

Most of all, he needs to respect and cherish me. I need him to love me as much, if not more, than I love him

"That is why you are better than any prince charming I conjured in my head." Hermione squeezed his hand. "You truly respect, cherish, and love me. That is worth more than any well-built man with a sleazy smile."

"So you finally admit Lockhart's smile is sleazy."

"I am still aghast that I ever fell for it."

"As stated earlier, we all make mistakes in our youth."

"At least I ended up with the right man."

"You married a greasy git," his expression softened. "Still, I love you and our children more than I thought I was capable of loving anyone."

"We love you too." She embraced him, allowing the letter to fall to the floor.

Severus took her into his arms and captured her lips. He may not be prince charming, but he was her loving husband.

In the end, that is all she ever needed.