All That's Left

A/N: I want to thank everyone for all the wonderful reviews I've received! Also, many thanks for my beta, MadBrilliant. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

***

After dinner, Hermione said she wanted to see Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady had scarpered, so the entranceway was unguarded. It was so dark and lonesome. Snape lit the torches in the common room and started a nice fire in the fireplace. Together, they walked up to the seventh-year dorm room. Here would have been where Harry and Ron would have lived, and where Neville and Seamus had lived. They had been the only ones that had been allowed to return. Dean Thomas had been on the run along with all the rest of the Muggle-borns. She sat on a bed, not knowing whose it had been. It did not matter. Not anymore.

"I wish there was something here of Harry and Ron's that I could...Oh! Ginny!" She dashed out of the room and went into the sixth-year dorm room. Snape slowly followed her, looking concerned. Hermione eyed the room carefully and saw Ginny's locker. The Unspeakables had packed it up and had placed it on top of her bed. She draped herself across it and sobbed. The wizard walked in and saw her weeping. He walked up close beside her and saw the initials GMW, for Ginerva Molly Weasley. She rose up from the locker and opened it. Inside, she found a picture of Ginny, Lavender, Padma, Pavarti, and herself. They were laughing, so happy and carefree.

She glided her hand across the picture, and her tears fell freely again. Snape cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned and flung herself at him, holding on for dear life. She felt so lost and small; she needed to feel his strength. She never thought she would be so happy her snarky, rude, sarcastic professor was alive. She held on, breathing in his scent, happily knowing that just as his arm had felt like steel when she had touched him earlier, his chest was just as hard and strong. She felt safe. He did not know what to do in such a situation. His arms were stiffly held out, refraining from touching her.

"You understand, don't you, Professor?" she murmured against his chest. "After all, you lost friends from your youth. Even if they turned to Voldemort and changed, they had been your friends. We've lost everything now. We couldn't save them...any of them. All we have now are pictures and memories," she said as she sobbed.

That did it. Snape knew then that all they had was each other. Poppy and Kingsley would know what it meant to survive, but only the two of them had fought, killed, and lived to see the end. That carried a unique pain.

"Hermione," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her in return. "We shall endure. We shall."

She looked up at him. "Promise me?" she whispered. "Can you promise I won't always hurt like this?"

He looked so sorrowful as he brought up a large, white hand to stroke her face. "I can't promise you anything that is out of my power, Hermione. However, you will always have me around to talk...that is if you wish..." he finished abruptly.

Hermione looked into his eyes and found a fellow soul with whom she could be herself, the only one who would truly understand the loss. Then she realized how close she was to him and how intimately they were looking at each other. She felt nervous and untangled her arms from him. He did the same. She put the picture in her pocket and softly closed the lid. She ran her fingers gently across the gold letters.

"How shall we endure, sir?" she asked softly.

"You and I will assist the Minister in starting over. And we shall do it together, Miss Granger," he said firmly. "Come," he said simply as he offered her his hand as he led her out of the tower. They were silent as they walked through the empty halls. Hermione kept her hand grasped tightly in his.

***

He led her to his office, and she gave a cry of delight at Dumbledore's portrait. She dashed to where it hung and sat where she could speak to him closely. "Headmaster!" she called to him. "Please, it's Hermione Granger. Talk to me!"

"Miss Granger! What a pleasure to see you. My, Severus, she is no longer the little girl she once was. You are all grown-up!" He twinkled his blue eyes at her, and she burst out crying anew.

"I-I'm s-sorry, I j-just miss everyone s-so m-much!" she choked out.

"Miss Granger, you have endured such losses. I am so glad you can find comfort with me in this form. You are always welcome to talk about anything on your heart and mind. I trust Severus will take care of you as well. Right, Severus?"

"Yes, Albus," replied Snape. "Miss Granger shall be sitting for her N.E.W.T.s soon, and she shall join us here as Charms instructor, Deputy Headmistress, and Head of Gryffindor house."

Dumbledore's blue eyes were solemn. "That is such an undertaking, Miss Granger. You and Severus will have to work hard not only to build up a new teaching staff, but also to usher in a new era of Hogwarts. However, I have complete faith in your abilities, Hermione. You have always been an intelligent and brave young woman!"

Hermione beamed. "Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. I'm so glad you're here. I miss Harry and Ron so much! I just don't know how to get on without them." She began to sob in earnest. Snape knelt down and placed his hands on her shoulders, and she flung at him again in her desperation.

Dumbledore smiled painfully. "Take care of her, Severus. And Miss Granger... Hermione?" he called.

"Yes?" she asked softly.

"You will help Severus as well. As Deputy Headmistress, you need to assist him in making many decisions. Severus is a most capable Headmaster, but he does tend to overtax himself and gets rather grumpy at times."

"No! Really?" she exclaimed in fake shock. She looked over at Professor Snape who was scowling at Dumbledore. She burst out laughing at the look on his face. She was so glad for this, at least. She looked at her companion. They were friends now. They both knew that. There were just some things two people could not go through and not become friends on the other side. A fleeting memory of a Mountain Troll her first year came to mind. That's when things had changed for her with Harry and Ron. She had been just a girl then. Now, she was all grown-up.

Equals. They were now the same. No longer student and teacher, together they would support the other and fill this hollow and empty castle again with the sound of laughing children. But they would remember forever how sad it was to have seen their fallen friends on the battlefield...

***

The following morning, Kingsley arranged a Portkey for Snape and Hermione to visit the graves of the Weasleys' and Harry Potter. Luna's estate was counted as forfeit by the Ministry, since no family member had come forward to claim her body. She was buried on Hogwarts grounds as a fallen hero with full honors, and was awarded a posthumous Order of Merlin; First Class that Hermione would keep in her new office, along with the bottle cap necklace she always wore.

Snape and Hermione stood at Luna's grave, saddened and grim.

"This is going to be so hard, Professor," she said weakly. "I'm afraid."

Snape looked at her profile that seemed so strong, staring sternly into the distance. "What are you afraid of, Miss Granger?" he asked softly.

"I am afraid of the finality of it all. I am afraid of all the feelings that are inside me. I'm afraid I shall be swallowed up by my grief." She shook her head as the tears began to flow. "I'm so tired of crying. But I don't believe I shall ever be able to stop."

"You shall, Miss Granger. You will cry less and less, and if you are very brave, you will allow yourself to laugh a little until your laughter outweighs the tears. Then you shall be able to bear it." He turned to her and forced her to look at him.

"Hermione, you must bear it. I would hate for you to become a bitter old sod like me!" he said disparagingly.

She smiled faintly and slid her arm in the crook of his. "I know you only say such things to make me laugh, but it is entirely unnecessary, I assure you, Professor."

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Honestly, Professor. How old are you, late thirties? Early forties?"

"Something like that," he muttered.

"Well, you are not old, and you most certainly are not an old sod!"

"Thank you, Miss Granger," he said uncomfortably.

"You're welcome, Severus."

He looked at her in surprise. "I suppose we can officially make that adjustment to our relationship," he said wryly.

She tightened her grip on him as they readied themselves to be transported. Both enjoyed their nearness to one another.

***

They huddled close as they visited the burial sites. They stood under a large oak tree as they pondered the three graves next to each other. James, Lily, and now Harry Potter. Hermione knelt down and touched the headstone that bore his name. Her fingers traced his name. She softly whispered things Snape could not hear, and didn't care to try. He was looking at the grave of his first love. His only love.

Lily. Goodbye, Lily. You have your boy with you now. You can now rest. Voldemort can't hurt anyone anymore. It's all over.

It's all over, he thought as he looked at his crying companion while she knelt upon Harry's grave. He scooped her up into his arms, and she rested her head on his proffered chest. It was right and comforting that she should take her solace and comforting from him. They were the same now.

"I can't bear it that I was unable to be here for Harry's burial," she choked out through racking sobs.

"I know, Hermione," Snape said softly. He didn't know what else to say.

"Come, Hermione, We have to Portkey to Ottery St. Catchpole," he reminded her.

She nodded dumbly and allowed him to lead her. She was just too weary to think for herself anymore.

Snape held the young witch to him as she cried over the loss of her dearest friends, the Weasley family. It was too much to bear...seeing all the graves in a row. She had hoped that she would be strong enough to attempt to visit Andromeda Tonks and see Teddy Lupin and visit the graves of Remus and Dora, but after seeing the graves of the entire Weasley clan, she was emotionally spent. She gratefully and without resistance allowed Severus to pick her up, carry her away, and Apparate them back to the school.

Snape carefully brought her back to the castle and carried her to Poppy's quarters. Poppy fussed over her like a mother hen, which was what she needed most. Snape turned to leave the young witch, and she called out to him.

"Please, Severus! Where are you going?" she asked desperately as she reached out for him.

He extricated himself from her grip. "Hermione, I must return to my own quarters. I shall see you in the morning."

She looked at him with so much pain and fear, he wished he could gather her up in his arms, take her back to his own quarters, and care for her. He would love nothing more than to just hold her for the night, close to him, and soothe her with his embrace.

He left then, shaken by the intensity of his feelings for her. He tried to rationalize it, but as he sat alone in his quarters with a glass of firewhiskey, all he could think of was how soft she had felt in his arms, how small and delicate. Yet, there was a firebrand hidden somewhere inside her. He had seen her boss around her fellow Gryffindors enough and had heard stories of her dueling capabilities. Even in his class, she was an exceptional Defense student. Of course, she did not possess the raw talent that Potter had, thanks to the transference of the Dark Lord's powers, but she was tough and determined. Otherwise, how would she have been able to survive? That's what he would do, coax that fire out of her, and make her inert bossiness rear its head. This weak damsel in distress role appealed to his ego, and certainly, he would not mind taking a demure and shy Hermione into his bed, but how would she be if she were her dominant, bossy, determined self? A series of various erotic images of a sensual, take charge Hermione ran through his mind. He shook his head. Stop this, Severus! he chided himself.