Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Harry and Hermione sat in the Defense classroom, talking together. Harry lounged behind his desk while Hermione sat cross-legged atop the end of it. Hermione was diligently outlining everything that had happened to her since her trip to the past had begun.

"I actually knew that you had traveled back, Hermione. I found out in our fifth year when I was having Occlumency lessons. I saw a memory in Severus' head about you being his teacher. He was really closed-mouthed about it."

"You knew I went back in time? Did you tell me?"

"Severus swore me to secrecy. He didn't want to mess with your future, or to scare you for that matter."

Hermione thought on that. "I suppose it would be quite disconcerting to know ahead of time that I would go to the past."

"That was his theory. So, Severus was a bear in your reality?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

Hermione nodded. "He was awful. He constantly berated everybody so much that he scared every student in the school. They would run away from him if they met him in the halls. He hated you, Harry. He really went out of his way to make your life miserable. It seemed that he berated you at every possible opportunity. Need I go on?"

"Wow!" Harry exclaimed. "I guess I owe you a great deal of thanks for doing what you did. I can't imagine not having Severus as a friend."

"Nor I," Hermione said absently.

Harry got a curious look on his face. "You two were a couple back then, weren't you?"

Hermione blushed and nodded. "Yes! I didn't want to come back to the here and now, to be honest with you. Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice. Voldemort had threatened to kill me. I would have wound up coming back eventually anyway, whether my life was in danger or not."

"No wonder Severus always cultivated your talents."

Hermione gave him a quizzical look.

"He always encouraged you. Mostly secretly because he didn't want the Slytherins to think he was favoring the Muggle-born friend of Harry Potter, but he always let you know how capable you were. He worked with all of us to prepare us for the confrontation with Voldemort. He even suggested that you become a Potions mistress."

Hermione was amazed. She wondered how she would have been different if she had received encouragement from him in her reality.

"Was I ever attracted to him?" she asked.

Harry looked at her seriously. "You had a crush on him. You told me about it a couple of months ago. I guess you had been attracted to him for years, but with the age difference and all, you decided to take a chance on Ron instead. I advised you to tell him, but you had only broken up with Ron about six months ago. I think you were worried that Severus wouldn't want a relationship with you. Ron really messed your head up."

Hermione felt a glow inside of her at the thought that she had loved Severus in this timeline also. She smiled at the thought of it, but wished her counterpart had been a little more forward. It probably would have made Severus happy to see her affection for him. Her mind switched away from that topic and back to Ron.

"Harry, what's going on with Ron? You don't even speak to him anymore?"

"I don't know what he was like in your past, but he's a right-awful git here." Harry said in annoyance.

"Severus said he was so jealous of you and him that your friendships are over."

Harry nodded. "I won't go see him, whether he's my brother-in-law or not. First of all, he's full of himself. He's playing for the Cannons. The attention has made his head swell so big that it's impossible to have a normal conversation with him. Then, while you guys were dating he would constantly yell at you for spending time with me. It was even worse with Severus. He hated the fact that you had to spend so much time brewing with him. It was totally innocent, but he thought you both were having a torrid affair."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You know, the reason I broke up with Ron in my timeline was because of his jealousy, but he never went as far as he seems to have done in this timeline."

"Hermione, he was verbally abusive to you almost on a daily basis. Both Severus and I urged you to break it off with him and find someone who would appreciate you, but you held on to hope for a long time. Finally, after what seemed like the thousandth accusation, you finally got disgusted with him and broke it off. I'm sure he still thinks you'll run back to him eventually. He's just that full of himself."

"I'm kind of embarrassed that my counterpart would let herself be walked on for so long," Hermione said gruffly.

"I don't know why you stayed with him, Hermione, but I don't fault you for it. You only wanted the best for everybody."

Hermione nodded absently.

"In any case, I'm glad you're back. We were all worried when you disappeared suddenly. I'm glad you're okay and that there weren't any real problems."

"It feels odd that a whole different 'me' with different experiences just ceased to exist like that. I'm not quite sure what to think about it."

"Hermione, you're right here. She's part of you, you're part of her. She didn't really disappear, she got absorbed in time."

"But her experiences are gone."

"There's nothing you can really do about that. You have your own experiences to draw from. It seems like the two of you led pretty similar lives from what you've told me. There are just the discrepancies with you becoming a Potions mistress and staying with Ron for so long."

Hermione nodded. "Oh, well, there's no use obsessing about it. It's not like I can pluck her back into existence. That's probably a good thing. Can you imagine what I'd say to myself if I was confronted with her?" She began to laugh.

"Hi there, I'm you, but from a different reality," Hermione said in a high pitched voice. "I'm in love with your friend, Severus, and you were a fool to hang on to Ron for so long. By the way, how could you have been so stupid?"

"I think you might hex yourself if you said all that," Harry said with a giggle.

They both laughed at the thought of such a conversation and its outcome.

"Oh, I'd better get going," Hermione said. "I have a lot of catching up to do for my classes."

She went over to Harry and gave him a hug. "In any case, I am glad to see you again. I missed you terribly while I was in the past. Your father just isn't the same."

Harry nodded. He had long accepted the fact that his dad had been quite the git in his youth. He still had wished that James Potter had lived long enough for Harry to know and remember him. What he had seen of him through the Resurrection stone had made him proud to be his son again.

"Why don't you join Severus and me for dinner tonight?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, didn't Severus tell you? It's teacher's night out," Harry informed her.

"Teacher's night out?"

"Yeah, we all go down to Hogsmeade and have some drinks at The Three Broomsticks. There are seven of us regulars, Ginny and me, you, Severus, Hagrid, Neville, and Hannah. Three others come on occasion, too, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick."

"Severus goes out weekly with a bunch of you and has a good time?" Hermione asked skeptically.

Harry nodded. "Yep, he suggested we start the group soon after the war. It's been going strong ever since."

"He suggested it?" Hermione cried.

"Yes, he did," Harry said with a look of puzzlement. "Is that something that the other Severus wouldn't do?"

Hermione laughed hard. "The other Severus was as close to a recluse as you could get! He barely tolerated conversation with his colleagues around the dinner table, let alone him being seen going out with them on a weekly basis!"

Hermione shook her head. Would she ever be able to adjust to this different Severus Snape? He never ceased to amaze her.

oooOOOooo

Later that night, the group sat in the Three Broomsticks. They all sipped away at their drinks and shared some appetizers. Everyone chattered amongst themselves, and there was a lot of laughter at the table. After chatting and laughing for a while, Severus cleared his throat to get the group's attention.

"I wanted to let you all know before the rumor mill begins cranking out lies, that Hermione and I are now dating."

The table sat in shocked silence except for Harry and Dumbledore. The former was grinning broadly at them while Dumbledore's eyes twinkled furiously. Minerva, who was sitting to Hermione's left, was looking at them curiously with a glint in her eye. All of a sudden everyone began talking at once. Congratulations were extended, questions were asked. None of the party seemed to be able to stop chattering about the newest event.

"That's great, you guys," Neville congratulated them. "It's just been a matter of time," he continued. "We all have seen it coming for months now."

Hermione blushed. Oh, if only he knew the truth!

Albus piped in with a smile, "Oh, this relationship has been long in the making."

Hermione smiled at him and then looked at Severus. "That's for sure," she agreed.

The group settled into quieter conversation as Minerva leaned over to Hermione.

"That was a sudden announcement, Hermione. Is there something you have forgotten to tell me?"

Hermione smiled at Minerva. "It's not that I've forgotten, Minerva. It's only that I have just gotten back this afternoon. The only person I've had time to visit, other than Albus and Severus, is Harry."

Minerva smiled and grasped Hermione's hand.

"I'm glad you're back, Hermione, Severus has been lost without you."

Anyone listening to their conversation would think that they were speaking of Hermione's two day 'trip,' but the two women knew full well to what they were referring.

"Minerva, I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be back. It seemed like I was gone for years."

Minerva laughed at her and squeezed her hand. "I assured Severus over and over again that things would be right when you returned."

Hermione looked sadly at Minerva. "I wish I could have come back sooner."

Minerva patted her hand. "Now, now, Hermione, there was nothing you could do about that. Things weren't easy, but Severus survived." She reassured Hermione quietly, so only the two of them could hear. "Honestly, I haven't seen him looking this happy since before you left. He looks as if he's about to dance on the table."

Hermione glanced over at Severus and watched him as he chatted with Neville. He did seem completely carefree. He smiled as he spoke and cast small glances at her when Neville was saying something. She grinned at him and his eyes shone with love toward her. Her heart fluttered at his glance. Boy, did she have it bad for him!

"Well, we've got a little news of our own," Harry piped in.

Everyone turned their attention to him. He glanced over at Ginny.

"Do you want to tell them?" he asked his wife.

"No, you go ahead," she said blushing furiously.

Harry looked back to the group. "We are going to have a baby."

More chatter and congratulations came. Finally the table quieted down a little. Severus rolled his eyes at Harry.

"Please tell me he isn't going to look like you, Harry. I would hate to have the poor boy cursed with your face for the rest of his life."

"Look who's talking?" Harry quipped. "The bat of the dungeons himself."

Hermione gaped at Harry and then burst into fits of giggles. She felt Severus' arm go around her as his mouth came close to her ear.

"He's been calling me that for years. He has no clue as to its significance, but I find it hilarious." Severus whispered into her ear.

Harry looked at them curiously as Hermione started laughing even harder. She never felt my nickname for Severus was that funny before, Harry mused. Then he remembered that this wasn't the Hermione from before. He would need to ask her about her reaction privately.

Neville eyed Hermione also. He'd never heard her laugh so hard at Harry's little 'term of endearment' for Severus either. As a matter of fact, she usually rolled her eyes and glared at Harry whenever he'd said that before.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" he asked.

Hermione fought to maintain some semblance of propriety, but couldn't help herself. Her guffaws only became louder as she hid her face in her hands. Pictures of a different Neville were popping into her head. In those memories, the young man referred to Severus as 'bat of the dungeons' repeatedly. The contrast between his sneers then and his innocent face now were just too much for her. She shook her head as the laughter continued to gush from her.

"It's an inside joke," Severus drawled with a look of boredom.

Neville looked as if he was about to say something else, but Severus interrupted what was surely to be a question that would be hard to answer.

"Well," Severus continued quickly as Hermione finally controlled her laughing fit. "With Ginny for a mother, the baby is at least likely to have some common sense. Perhaps he'll actually be able to use a wand correctly."

"Seeing that you taught me everything I know, that's not saying much for your wand skills either, Severus," Harry shot back, proud that he had one upped his friend.

Severus grinned at him as Hermione watched the banter. Never in a million years would she have ever pictured herself at this table with Severus and Harry shooting barbs at each other in a friendly way. Even more of a surprise was that Neville was not cowering from Severus, afraid he would be called something terrible. Everyone got along famously, and she couldn't be happier about it.

oooOOOooo

Severus' arm rested lightly on Hermione's shoulder as they walked slowly back from Hogsmeade. They'd been the last to leave the pub. The couple had stayed late until Harry and Ginny had Apparated back to their home. The Potters had refurbished Grimmauld Place, and Harry spent his nights there, coming back to Hogwarts by Floo every morning.

Hermione tilted her head until it rested against Severus' chest. She breathed in the scent of his cologne and marveled once again that she was with him.

"Did you have fun tonight, love?" Severus asked as they slowly meandered their way back to Hogwarts.

"Mmm," she mumbled.

Severus squeezed her shoulder. "You must be tired. It's been a long day."

Hermione picked her hand up and rubbed Severus' chest. "It's been wonderful, Severus. Just being with you again has made me so happy."

Severus stopped and turned to Hermione. She looked up at him, and Severus caught sight of a chain around her neck, descending underneath her robes. He reached down and fished the necklace out from its hiding place. The half-heart he'd given her so long ago shone brightly up at him. He smiled.

"You still wear this?" he asked. His voice seemed to be husky.

"Of course I do, Severus. It's my most cherished possession."

Severus reached up and pulled his own necklace from beneath his robes. Hermione's eyes grew wide. He grasped the heart and took hers in his other hand. He brought the two together again, as they'd been so very long ago.

"One mind, one heart," he whispered.

"Forever," Hermione added, her own voice nearly breaking.

Severus' eyes moved to meet hers. "Now that you're back, Hermione, I will never let you go again."

"I will never give you a chance to, Severus." Her lips curled into a small smirk. "I will never leave your side."

"Is that a promise?" Severus asked with his own smirk.

"Yes, my love. You are stuck with me."

"Thank Merlin!"

Severus pulled her to him then. His hand cradled her head as his lips sought hers. Her touch as she drew his face in sent shivers throughout Severus' body. Waiting for his Hermione had been excruciating, but it had been oh, so worth it just to have her here now, showering him with her love. His life was here once again, and he finally felt complete.

A/N: Next up: What did I do again? (a.k.a.: a trip down memory lane.)

There were quite a few questions about who the Undersecretary was in the last chapter. Thankfully, as you now know, it's not Ron! I don't even think he would be that much of a jerk!

Major thanks to Lilith Kayden for her beta work. I definitely appreciate your wonderful suggestions!