10 Years After

10 Years After
Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own nothing of what you’re about to read, with the possible exception of the plot, although I’m sure it’s been done before. The places, characters, etc. belong to JK Rowling. Thanks.

Outside Hogsmeade: April 16, 2008, morning; Hogwarts.
Hermione smiled when she stepped out of the fireplace in Severus’ private quarters. She wasn’t sure that she would be able to access his quarters via the floo network when uninvited. Clearly he has his wards set to allow her full access, just as she had set her wards to allow him full access to her homehe rhe realized that he would be in his classroom and she exited his quarters and walked down the corridor to the Potions classroom, planning on peeking in and then going to find Albus to ask about moving into the castle a little early and finding out where her quarters would be. She heard his voice as she approached the room, she had been right. It was like velvet. The dangerous velvet, considering he was clearly annoyed by one of the students. She smiled as she heard him through the half opened door.

“Miss Hellebore, is there a reason you found it necessary to add angelica root when it is not an ingredient for this potion? Do you understand the ramifications of your carelessness? Mr. Walker, please escort Miss Drange to the hospital ward.”

“I’m sorry sir,” said a meek voice.

“Sorry will not return Miss Drange’s ears to their normal state, Miss Hellebore,” dismissed Severus, “hopefully, Madame Pomfrey can assist in that endeavor.”

The classroom door opened fully and a young Gryffindor walked a sniffling Slytherin girl with tremendous ears toward the hospital ward. Hermione recognized the results of the Elephant Ears potion. It was very similar in composition to the Memory Boost potion, with the exception of angelica root in place of wormwood bark. Neville had made the same mistake in their first year. Hermione peeked into the room and saw him leaning against his desk, pinching the bridge of his nose. Seeing him was always a sight to sooth the eyes. He was familiar and comfortable and a reminder of amazing memories that she filed away for eternity. She vowed to remember every moment spent with him, for the rest of her days, regardless of what the future held. She took one more look as he got up and stalked the classroom, taking note of the potion results. Hermione tore her eyes away from her man and headed for Albus’ office. She tried the password that Severus gave the last time she was there and found that it worked. As she reached the top of the stairs, she heard Albus’ voice.

“Come in, Hermione, come in.”

Hermione shook her head. He truly knew everything. Of course, he had many spies around Hogwarts; the house elves, the portraits…She remembered how magical he seemed when she didn’t realize how he got his information. Now, she thought it was funny. She entered the round office and smiled at the headmaster.

“What brings you here this morning?” he asked, smiling back at her.

“You mean you don’t already know?” replied Hermione.

“I know you’ve been to the dungeons where you spied on Severus for a few moments.”

Hermione laughed, “I couldn’t help myself. I do so enjoy seeing him put other students through the same thing we had to go through. Actually, Albus, I was wondering if there was any way that I could move to Hogwarts when my term ends in mid May. I would love to get a jump start on full time research.”

“I see no reason why not, as long as I can count on you to possibly give Severus a hand when exams are up. You’re a potions mistress and I’m sure he would appreciate having another pair of hands help him grade.”

“As long as he has no complaints about it, I don’t.”

“So, Hermione, how are you doing these days? Have you spoken with Harry since the divorce?”

“This morning, actually. He came over and was a bit out of sorts over my personal life. Then he dropped a bomb on me.”

“Oh really?”

“Albus, do you know where my fellowship to Trinity came from?”

“Where or who?” inquired Albus.

“Fine, who.”

“As a matter of fact I do. And I imagine you do too.”

“Why, Albus? Why did he do that for me? Did he love me back then?”

“Heavens no, my dear. Severus was not in love with you. I do know, however, that he had a great deal of respect for your mind and he knew how difficult paying for University would be. As for any other reasons he may have had, you would have to discuss them with him. But no, he was not in love with you when you were a student. I don’t think he fell in love with you until he presented at a conference about 3 or 4 years ago and you attended. I don’t even know that he was in love with you then, I do know that he came back infatuated.”

“So you know about us, then.”

“About you and Severus? Yes, Hermione, I do. Severus came back from New York a different man then when he left. There was some guilt over what happened, and he needed to tell someone. Of course, then was his return from Greece…He was completely besotted my dear. I have never seen the dear boy like that ever. You’ve been good for him, Hermione. And I’m sure he’s been good for you. There are many facets to Severus that he never let anyone see. I think you’ve been privy, however.”

“He’s a wonderful man,” agreermiormione, “and he makes me happier than I have ever been in my life. Sometimes the generosity of his spirit is overwhelming, in the most positive of ways.”

“And now you know about Trinity.”

“And I love him even more because he did that with no ulterior motive other than to see a student exceed and attain her dreams.”

“It’s all he’s ever really wanted from his students, Hermione. He may not always know the best way to show it, but by being tough and unwavering, he prepared so many of you for the harsh realities of the war.”

“I know that now, Albus.”

“And, for the record, Hermione, when I mentioned the internships available, the first thing he thought of was that this would be the perfect opportunity for you to do what you really wanted to do. It was only after I mentioned that you would be living in the same castle as he was that he realized that he had something to gain from this as well.”

“I have so much more to learn about Severus,” said Hermione, “I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface yet.”

“You will. Of that I am certain,” said Albus, “you’re the first woman he’s ever really let inside.”

“And I will never betray that confidence, Albus.”

“Well. My dear Hermione, he has a free period right about now. Perhaps you should talk to him about Trinity.”

“Yes, that is why I am here. I have an afternoon class to get back to soon.” Hermione stood up and shook Albus’ hand before making her way back down to the dungeons. She lightly tapped on Severus’ office door, earning a tired sounding “enter” in reply.

“Hello, Severus. You sound like you had a long night.”

Severus looked up at the sound of her voice and greeted her with a warm smile. He shut his office door and took Hermione in his arms, kissing her tenderly.

“What brings you here?”

“Harry visited right after you left.”

“Are you all right?” he asked, concern edging into his voice as he led her to the small leather couch to sit down.

“I’m fine. He just told me as few things I didn’t know.”

“Such as?”

“Where my fellowship to Trinity came from.”

Severus looked at the ground, afraid to look in her eyes. He wasn’t sure how she felt about finding out that he paid her way through university. Was she angry? Did she think that he had an ulterior motive back then? Hermione gently lifted his chin so he was looking into her eyes and sd.
d.

“You are an incredible man. Do you understand that, Severus? With my parents gone, I thought I would never be able to attend the University of my choice. I thought I would never be able to afford it. And due to the war, the scholarships were dried up and few and far between. But I’m sitting in the Great Hall for dinner not long before graduation and this owl swoops in with a letter from Trinity accepting me carte blanche, all paid for, including books and supplies, with an open field of study. A fellowship, they claimed. I had Albus check it out and it was legitimate…”

“I remember the look on your face when you read the letter,” said Severus, “your whole face lit up. It was perhaps the truest emotion I had ever seen in my life. It was like all the hope that had left your eyes after the tragedies that befell you flooded back in.”

“It did,” said Hermione, her eyes shining with tears, “and you put it there. You saved me with that gesture. Did you know that?”

“I hoped that would be the case. I hated to think of the brightest light the wizarding world had being snuffed out over money and prejudice.”

“I thought you hated me.”

“Never Hermione. I never hated you. I never hated ANY of you, even though I can admit I never liked Potter or Weasley. I just knew what was coming and I knew I had to make you tougher than you ever imagined you could be. I knew there would be loss and death and destruction. I didn’t know what else to do, how else to be. I made so many mistakes in my life. I joined Voldemort, took the Dark Mark, subjugated myself to the insane whim of a raving lunatic. I lived a hard life, but it was a life I chose. I became bitter, petty, jealous…But Hermione, seeing that look in your eyes when you thought you would never be able to be what you wanted to be, study what you wanted to study…that broke open something inside of me. I chose to lose my dreams. They were being taken from you. You were my best student. I couldn’t look at the defeat in your eyes. All I had was money sitting in a vault at Gringott’s, but with that money, I could give you back your dreams, the dreams the war took away.”

“And you never asked or expected anything in return.”

“I had no right to ask anything in return, nor did I want anything in return. I never wanted you to find out about it in the first place.”

“You gave me my life. Did you know that, Severus?”

“I just wanted you to have one.”

“And now my life includes you.”

“SomethI neI never expected,” he said, holding her closely.

“I love you so much, Severus Snape. And every day that love grows stronger. I could spend my life getting to know you and never learn all there is to learn. That fascinates me.”

“My past doesn’t scare you?”

“I learned a lot about you, my love. Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Fair enough,” he said, kissing her gently, “I love you so very much.”

“I wish I could show you just how much I love you, but I have to get back to Aberdeen. Are you free tonight?”

“I can arrange to be free, I would imagine.”

“Then be at my place, 8:00 sharp. And don’t eat dinner,” she kissed him harder, brushing her hand over his cock, “I have such plans for you tonight. I have years of thanking you to catch up with.”

“I will be there.”

“You’d better.”

Hermione stood up and headed for the fireplace. She gave him a sly glance and quickly unbuttoned her robes, letting them fall open to show Severus that she was completely nude underneath. Hermione bit her lower lip.

“I was in a bit of a hurry to get here,” she said, “When Harry showed up, I just grabbed my robes off the chair to cover up, then came right here after talking to him. I just figured I’d give you a sneak preview of what you will have full access to tonight.”

Severus gazed at the curves that he so loved to explore. He doubted he could ever truly get enough of her luscious body. He knew he would be counting the seconds until he could be with her again. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with blistering passion, pressing her bare breasts against the roughness of his teaching robes. With a grin, she buttoned up her robes, tossed some floo powder into the fire and flooed back to her cottage in Aberdeen, leaving Severus impatient for the night to come.