All the way IIII: Change

Hermione and Eileen sat on the sofa, while Severus and Sirius found themselves sitting in chairs close by.

Hermione put her arm around her daughter, "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to -"

Eileen shook her head adamantly, "No. I... I really need to do this..."

Hermione listened silently as Eileen told her story. A few times she looked over at Severus, but he seemed to be deep in his own thoughts. Sirius was staring down into his lap.

Eileen sniffed a few times and paused to gather herself together. Hermione couldn't believe she had missed all of these problems. What kind of mother was she? She had been in nearly the same situation, but because of the potion, she hadn't been able to recognize that Eileen was going through the same thing.

What were the chances of the same thing happening to both mother and daughter? Not very high, Hermione guessed.

When Eileen finished, Hermione hugged her tightly, "My poor baby. You've been so brave! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Eileen sniffed, "I... I thought you wouldn't believe me because I didn't tell you when it happened. I know you never would, but I was a bit scared that you would tell me to grow up because... well, I mean, nothing really happened -"

"Don't be silly," Hermione told her softly, "Of course something happened. My poor baby."

There was a knock on the door.

Sirius stood up, saying quietly, "I'll go."

He went through the office to give them some more time.

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Eileen looked over at her father, "I'm sorry."

Finally, he seemed able to raise his gaze to hers. There was a sadness in his eyes that she had never seen and it invoked a guilt in Eileen, the sort that only a parent could bring to their child.

Eileen looked away and her mum put her arm around her. She should have told them sooner. She couldn't stand that look in her dads’ eyes and she couldn't stand the fact that she had caused it through her cowardice.

Now she knew why she was a Slytherin.

She placed her head on her mothers shoulder, but looked up again when a third hand rested on her arm and some one sat next to her.

Eileen turned and buried her face in her fathers black robes, crying quietly. He put his arms around her carefully, heaving a deep sigh.

It wasn't that Eileen didn't love her mother, but... well, she had always been a daddys girl and she... she just needed him at that moment. Needed him to understand and to be there.

And he wasn't disappointing her.

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Hermione looked up as, finally, Sirius re-entered the room, followed by... Lucius and Annie. Eileen looked up at the sound of the door closing behind them, wiping her eyes. When she realized who it was, she jumped up and threw her arms around Lucius.

The blonde looked slightly bemused, but he hugged her back. They all sat down again, Eileen still clinging to Lucius. Hermione was pleased that her daughter was happy to see him and had brightened up a bit, at least for the minute; she hated to see Eileen upset, as any parent would.

Lucius jerked his head towards the black haired woman, "What's up with her?"

Hermione shook her head, smiling slightly, "She'll tell you when she's ready."

"Is it serious?" Annie asked, frowning.

"She'll tell you when she's ready." Hermione repeated quietly, then she looked back to Lucius, "So... you said you wanted to show me something the other day...?"

The blonde jumped up excitedly, "Oh yeah! Right, watch this!"

One minute, Lucius was standing in the middle of the room but, a second later, an enormous platinum blonde owl had replaced him.

"He's been trying so bloody hard," Annie smiled, gazing lovingly at the owl, "He wasn't very pleased about the animal he changed into but... well, he did want to be an animagus. He's just lucky he wasn't a Giant Squid or something; there's no way I would have any type of Squid any where near me! Or any of the houses."

Eileen laughed. The owl was glaring at Annie, its beak seemingly pursed tightly.

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A few hours - and lots of glasses of whatever type of alcohol they could get their hands on - Eileen sighed. She was curled up in Sirius' lap and feeling happier than she could remember. Everything was going to be alright. Better than alright.

Everything was going to be brilliant.

She looked up at Sirius, "I love you."

He looked down at her, a sweet, surprised expression on his face. Smiling, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. She didn't care that other people were in the room; they were all too drunk to be bothered with what she was doing.

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Sirius was... well, ecstatic didn't even cover it. Eileen had kissed him. Eileen had kissed him! She had made a move towards him.

It was better than him kissing her because it proved that he wasn't pushing her into anything.

Of course, what she had said seconds before gave him a bit of a clue that she liked him. Loved him even.

People used that word very flippantly, but Sirius had never told a woman that he loved her before.

Well, that was going to change...

... But not at that second, as his mouth was rather busy engaging in a completely wonderful activity.

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Lucius brushed his fingers through Annie’s fiery hair. She was sitting on the floor, leaning back on his legs and resting her head in his lap.

She was high maintenance - there was no doubt about it - but she was worth it. He told her he loved her, of course he did, but - as most songs seemed to say - words just didn't seem to convey the emotion he actually felt for his wife.

Hermione had reassured him time and time again that his father and grandfather did love him, but in their 'own special way'. He had never believed her, but if it was true... well, what if he loved Annie in his 'own special way', but she couldn't see it? Like when he hadn't seen his fathers’ love, when he was young.

He was always worried about that and he tried in every way he could think of, to tell her, or show her, that he loved her.

Lucius leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Annie’s hand slid up around the back of his neck, sleepy and affectionate.

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Annie sighed, as her husbands arms slipped down around her waist.

She loved him more than anything else in the world and she told him that so much, yet he still tried to buy her emotions. It was impossible for her to say that she didn't like all the things he bought her - every woman loved presents, jewelry, expensive restaurants - but she just wished he would realize that she would love him even if he was poor and living in a cardboard box.

She would love him forever, not matter what.

""""""""""""""""""""

Hermione liked to pretend she was asleep. Severus was always gentle with her when she was awake, but when she was asleep - or seemingly so - his full attention was on her.

And he seemed so content to just sit and watch her. Hermione found it strange, but... if it made him happy.

She was curled in the corner of the sofa, with Severus one side and the arm of the sofa on the other. His hand was running slowly up and down her leg.

She loved him so much.

She loved her grumpy, grouchy, snarky, sarcastic, over-protective, utterly possessive husband. And, Hermione admitted to herself for the first time, she liked the feeling of some one looking after her. Of not having to deal with her problems alone, even though she liked to.

She liked the feeling of being his.

She may seem independent to some, but... when she was younger, she had seen so many people she loved die or leave her in some way. She hadn't wanted to fall in love with anybody, scared that they would leave her too. And she definitely hadn't expected to fall in love with Professor Snape.

But she had.

And he hadn't left her.

Hermione had nearly died, leaving him, a couple of times, but he had never left her and she had a feeling that he never would.

And thank Merlin for that, because she loved him so much.

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Severus leaned down and kissed the top of his wife’s head. She was the most incredibly beautiful woman he knew. He was her husband; of course he would think she was gorgeous. He imagined that every man would feel that way about the woman he loved.

And he did love Hermione. With every single cell of his body, he loved her. She was his whole world, like oxygen to him. How had he ever lived without her? How could the wonderful creature he was holding ever have been that annoying, bushy haired, know-it-all?

If some one had heard his thoughts, they may have thought he was going soft, but that was so far from the truth. She made him dangerous. The thought of any one touching her made him furious and the thought of some one hurting her made him murderous.

As soon as Minerva would let him, Severus was going to retire and take Hermione well away from any danger. That sounded very appealing right now.

He loved her so much and he told her quietly.

Slowly, her lashes lifted and she gazed up at him. Her eyes said everything before she even spoke.

"I love you, too." She whispered rubbing her hand up and down his chest, "You know I do."

She placed a kiss on his jaw, before pressing closer to him and closing her eyes again.

Severus sighed and wrapped his arms tightly around her, his hold everlastingly possessive.

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Nobody ever noticed the portrait in the corner or the old man that often sat there.

He slipped a Lemon Drop into his mouth, wincing slightly at the cardboard-like taste. As he looked out over the dungeon living room, he realized that for every Slytherin there was a Gryffindor. Severus and Hermione. Lucius and Annie. Eileen and Sirius.

It was funny how rival Houses seemed to make the best couples. Well, they were the best couples in Albus Dumbledores opinion.

If both Houses would just open their eyes... It seemed that they had enough love to give to each other.

And perhaps...?

...Would Lord Voldemort have ever lived, if Tom Marvalo Riddle had found a Gryffindor to love?

THE END!

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A/N: You can all breathe a sigh of relief! It’s over! Thanks for the people who has reviewed any of the stories in this series and I only ask you to do it once more. Please?

Thanks!

:)

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