On the last friday in July, Hermione is in her library at Grimmauld place. It is three o'clock in the afternoon, and she is tucked into her chaise with a steaming mug of tea. She is on her third read through of Proctor's book. Beside her, she has a notebook full of questions for Snape and notes for a letter she intends to write the Headmistress when the time is right.

A knock at her door breaks her concentration. "Come in!" She calls.

It's Harry. "A hogwarts owl came," he says, holding an envelope out to Hermione. "It had Ginny's NEWTs, and this for you."

Hermione is almost jumping up and down with excitement. "How did she do?" she asks Harry as she tears her letter open. "Really good, right?"

"She did great," says Harry, "She's really pleased. If that's not your NEWTs then what is it?"

It's a note from Snape.

Hermione-I have your NEWT results. I will be arriving at Grimmauld Place no later than four o'clock this afternoon. -Severus

When Hermione doesn't answer him, he reads the note over her shoulder.

"He's Severus, now, is he?" he teases Hermione, but his green eyes are dancing with humor.

Hermione puts the note down on her desk carefully, then turns to Harry.

"Is Ginny downstairs? I want to go congratulate her!"

Ginny is ecstatic. She has received all Exceeds Expectations and Outstandings, including an Outstanding in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Her marks are more than good enough to get into Auror training, but Hermione knows she's hoping for a call from the Chudley Cannons.

At three forty-five the doorbell rings. Hermione rises, but Harry is closer to the kitchen door and beats her into the hallway to answer it. Hermione hangs back in the hallway and watches Harry let Snape through the door.

"Potter," Snape says, and reaches out his hand.

"Snape," says Harry, and shakes hands with him.

Hermione's eyes drink in the sight of him. Snape is wearing all black, as usual, but he has forgone his usual frock coat and billowing black teacher's robes. The top button of his black dress shirt is casually opened, and- astonishingly- the sleeves are rolled up halfway to his elbows. The Dark Mark stands out stark black on the pale skin of his forearm. Apparently, he doesn't care.

Snape's black and grey hair is pulled back from his angular face, and Hermione can see that he has purposely put on his non-scary face for this meeting with Harry, and she loves him for it.

"Thank you for having me in your home," he says to Harry formally.

"You are welcome any time, sir," replies Harry. "This house is always open to members of the Order."

"You are most generous, Mr. Potter," says Snape.

"Please call me Harry," says, Harry, "When you say 'Mr. Potter' like that I feel like I'm about to end up in detention."

Snape gives him a sardonic half smile. "Very well," he says.

"I'll leave you guys to it," says Harry, gesturing to Hermione, who is approaching behind him. He quickly exits the hallway.

Hermione stops a few feet in front of Snape. He can see that she is trembling slightly as she looks up at him. He cocks an eyebrow at her as if to say, really? are we back to that?

Hermione smiles, then. She takes the last few steps to him and he takes her in his arms. He feels even better than she remembers. She stands up on her tip toes, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face into it. His hands, low on her waist, pull her into him and hold her tight against him.

She is still trembling, he can feel it. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" he asks her, moving a hand up to stroke the back of her head. She nods, her face still pressed into him. He shifts her gently so that he can see her face. She's flushed, and her eyes are bright with unshed tears. She is obviously overwhelmed. He kisses her forehead, then her temple. He cups her face with his hand.

"Would you like to see your NEWTs?" he asks.

She smiles at him. "Please," she says. reluctantly, she moves out of his embrace. "Come on," she says, taking his hand, "I've claimed the library."

They bypass the kitchen, where Harry, Ron, and Ginny are celebrating loudly. "Dinner's at six!" Ginny calls to them as they pass. Hermione leads Severus up the stairs to the first landing, through the big double doors and into the Black Family Library.

Severus sighs as he enters her space, so comfortable and familiar to him. He takes it all in- the floor to ceiling books, clearly recognized by her. Her desk with his note still on it. The chaise lounge, clearly her favorite place to read, with the Proctor book open and her leather notebook beside it. He's looking forward to answering the month's worth of questions for him that he knows it must contain. He can't help but notice the door to the library closet is open, and- is that a bed?

"Hermione," he says sternly, "Have you been sleeping in a closet?"

She looks up at him, indignant. "I expanded it and added a window! It's perfectly adequate."

"It's a fucking closet," he says, looming over her. "Can't Potter give you a proper bedroom?"

"Harry," Hermione says, "wanted me to take the biggest one. But I didn't plan on being here very long, so-"

Severus reaches out to tuck a stray lock of her short hair behind her ear. He still can't quite believe that he can touch her. That he is allowed. That she wants him too. But she clearly does. She quits talking as soon as his fingers brush her cheek. Her eyes close in pleasure. She uconciously licks her lips.

"Wherever do you plan on going so soon?" he asks her, his voice low.

She opens her eyes and looks up at him. "Somewhere with you."

"Hermione?" he asks as he takes her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tipping her face up to his.

"Yes?"

"May I kiss you?"

"Please," she says.

He studies her face for a breath longer. Her lips are parted, eyes bright. There is no uncertainty in her face, Her body language is relaxed, open, trusting him. He brushes the pad of his thumb against her bottom lip, and gauges her reaction. Her tongue darts out to taste where he touched her. She gives a little sigh. Everything about her is telling him, yes.

So he bends down and sets his lips on hers. Apart from his thumb and forefinger holding her chin, no other part of him is touching her. If she wants to break off the kiss, all she need do is step back, or just turn her head.

But she doesn't. She presses back into him, parting her lips beneath his, inviting him to deepen the kiss. He does. She raises one hand up and puts it tentatively on his face.

Hermione has never been kissed like this. Severus is obviously trying to be as gentle as he can, but there is nothing soft about him, nothing soft about the kiss. His lips are firm, pressing down on hers from above, demanding submission. His face is rough, all sharp angles and five o'clock shadow under her hand. When she opens her mouth to him finally, he takes her bottom lip between his teeth. He doesn't bite her, not exactly, but she makes a surprised sound in the back of her throat, and he ends the kiss abruptly. She pulls her hand slowly away from his face. Her eyes are still closed. He doesn't let go of her chin.

"Hermione," he says firmly, "Look at me."

She looks up at him. Her eyes are wide and serious. He finds he cannot read her expression. She isn't broadcasting anything to him either.

"What are you thinking, sweetheart?" he asks her.

"That I've never been kissed like that before?" she says, breathing a little fast. She reaches up to touch his skin where his shirt is open at his throat. He forces himself to keep still, when all he wants to do is pull her back into him and give her a real kiss. Her fingertips are soft and light, touching his adam's apple, then his sternum. The look on her face is pure fascination. Then she notices him smirking down at her and jerks her hand away.

"Sorry," she says.

"For what?" he asks, kissing her temple. "You don't have to get permission to touch me."

She nods.

Severus reaches into his pocket and produces an envelope. He holds it up to her. "Don't you want to see how you did?"

She snatches it out of his hand and moves to the chase, When he makes no move to join her she looks up at him expectantly, then pats the cushion beside her. He sits next to her, his arm behind her on the back of the chaise, his hand resting lightly at the juncture between her neck and shoulder, his thumb lightly stroking the bare skin there.

Distracted by his touch, it takes Hermione a few tries to get the envelope open. Inside, an official congratulatory letter from the NEWT commision, and her results:

Transfiguration Outstanding

Charms Outstanding

Arithmancy Outstanding

Ancient Runes Outstanding

Potions Outstanding

Defense/Dark ArtsOutstanding

Muggle Studies Outstanding

History of Magic Outstanding

Magical Creatures Exceeds Expectations

Herbology Exceeds Expectations

"I didn't even know you were planning on sitting the last three," Snape tells her, "We didn't study for them."

"I wasn't," Hermione says. "They were just kind of- impulse tests."

"I am so proud of you," he murmurs into her hair. "With marks like that we can go anywhere. Have you decided where?"

Hermione nods. "Vernice," she says. She looks up to him. "Can we go?"

"Why are you asking me?" Snape counters. "Do you think you can get in?"

"Yes," she says. "Will you really come with me? Where ever I decide? Just like that?"

"To the ends of the earth. Just like that." He strokes her hair for a moment. Then, "Can I ask you about my letter?"

"You can ask me anything, Severus," she replies, "Just don't stop touching me."

He strokes his long, elegant fingers down the nape of her neck, then across her collarbone and back up again. "Did you give some thought to the things I asked you to think about?"

"Yes, I did," she said.

"And?" He asks.

"Are you actually worried about that?"

"Yes," he says. "Its disturbs me deeply that I may have somehow- may be somehow- taking advantage of you. It was a stressful year for you to say the least. And I-"

"You didn't seduce me. You gave me a shelter from the storm," Hermione says gently. "You made me feel safe. You helped me put the pieces of my life back together in a way that made sense. And when I stopped being afraid of you, I started to really look at you. Then one day I was watching you decanting a potion and I was fascinated by your hands, and all of a sudden I was fantasizing about you touching me and-" She stops for a moment. Severus is staring at her mouth. He moves closer to her on the chaise until she is pressed up against him.

"Hermione," he says, "I want to kiss you properly this time. But first I need you to promise me that if you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed, or if you want me to stop for any reason that you will tell me to."

"I promise," she says.