Epilogue

A/N: Here we are then. Thanks to all who have read, hugs to those who have taken the time to reveiw and a thank you to the admins here at TPP for being so kind.

Last but not least, a round of applause and a shiny award in the shape of a mis-placed comma for my fantastic beta, kizzy7, who has been educational and a very good friend. Thanks, honey.

Severus walked down the long corridor with wide strides, his robes billowing around his legs, and his silky, long hair blowing softly around his face.

He arrived at the outer office of the Ministry of Magic with only seconds to go, and he put his hand forcefully onto the desk of the small Reception Wizard.

'Snape. I have a meeting with the Minister,' he murmured.

Archibald Fothergill looked up at Severus over the top of his half-moon spectacles. He wasn't intimidated by the Professor for various reasons, the main being that he worked closely with the tall man's wife and she had, on occasion, shared some of their more comical domestic occurrences. Archie knew that deep down, Severus Snape could be a bit of a softie.

'Professor,' he replied, nodding, 'nice to see you again. I will let the Minister know you are here.'

Archie stood and walked across the impressive space, knocking loudly on a large oak door. A muffled voice spoke, and he smiled and opened the door, peering inside quickly. 'Professor Snape to see you, Minister,' he said clearly, and then he nodded and turned to Severus. 'You may go in, sir.'

Archie held the door open, and as Severus swept past, he said, 'Oh, Professor?'

'Yes?' Severus looked down at Archie, who bowed his head slowly.

'Congratulations, sir.' He smiled.

Severus flashed him a rare smile of his own. 'Thank you, Mr Fothergill.'

Severus walked into the office and the door shut firmly behind him. Archie felt a prickle of magic, and he knew that the Professor had cast his own wards and a Silencing Charm over the Minister's office. His face remained passive. He was the Minister's right-hand man and never revealed any secrets.

*********

The Minister was standing behind a large oak desk, waiting for Severus to cross the room.

'Minister,' he said, nodding.

'Professor Snape.' The Minister smiled at him. 'Don't bother sitting down. Get yourself over here right now.'

'What you are suggesting would be inappropriate, given the circumstances.' He smirked.

'It is very appropriate. Now, come and kiss your wife, Severus.' Hermione put her hands on her hips, and Severus knew she meant business.

'Well, if you put it like that.' He grinned at her and walked around the ridiculously large desk and took her in his arms. He bent his head to hers and paused.

'I have dreamed of this moment.' He smiled.

'Me too,' she said softly, and her eyes filled with sentimental tears. Their lips touched and tongues met, and with a swift movement Severus lifted Hermione to sit on her desk. He pulled her legs around his waist suggestively and deepened the kiss. Hermione moaned into his mouth and reluctantly pushed him away.

'Not here,' she said quietly. 'I would never get any work done if I knew you had taken me on my desk. It would be too distracting.' She smiled at him as she fingered the buttons of his robes.

'That's why I always try and tempt you,' he whispered in her ear, making her shudder.

'Is everything ready for this evening?' she asked him.

'Of course it is. You have everything planned, so stop panicking. Nothing will go wrong.' He stroked her face gently and smiled at her.

'And the children?' she asked him.

'Organised to the nth degree, naturally. They take after their mother.' He smirked.

'Personality wise, at least,' she replied, laughing softly.

'I love you,' he whispered, and his eyes sparkled brightly at her.

Hermione smiled up at him softly. 'Even after all of this time?'

'Let's think.' He put his finger to her lips to keep her quiet, knowing she would try and cut to the chase as usual. ' Seven years as my insufferable student, one year as a friend, another year and two months as my intended, and twenty-five years as my wonderful, loving, and incredibly sexy, wife. I would say that's love, wouldn't you?' He grinned at her, and Hermione laughed out loud.

'You've been practising. Well done.' She grinned.

'I fall more in love with you each day, Hermione. I always will.' He smiled and kissed her tenderly, stroking her hair with his long, pale fingers.

'Oh, Severus.' Hermione sighed deeply and hugged him close, inhaling the musky aroma from his robes deeply. 'You were in the Potions lab,' she stated.

'I was, yes. I had to cover a class before I came here,' he said, stepping away from her a little.

'And how is Minerva today?' Hermione frowned slightly as she thought of her old Head of House.

Severus sighed deeply. 'She is not improving. I fear if she doesn't get better soon, I shall be stuck at Hogwarts for the rest of my life,' he muttered.

'It's only temporary, Severus. I wouldn't have asked you to cover for her otherwise and you know that. Who else would you have trusted to run the school? Most of the professors are far too young now to handle that level of responsibility. Anyway,' Hermione said as she pushed herself off the desk smoothly, 'Minerva only needs to rest for another few weeks, and then she will be up and about again.'

'Let's hope so,' he grumbled, and then he sighed deeply. 'To business?'

'Yes.' Hermione nodded briskly and sat in her chair as Severus sat in the one on the other side of the desk.

Pushing her hair behind her ears, Hermione lifted her quill and charmed it to take the minutes of the meeting. 'What's first?' she asked.

Severus smirked. 'House-elves, naturally.'

Hermione flashed him a winning smile. 'Excellent' she said.

*****************

Amber Snape rushed into the house, her long black hair rippling behind her as she ran up the stairs two at a time.

'Noah,' she called, 'where the hell are you?'

She threw open her bedroom door and dropped the shopping bags she was carrying into the centre of the bed.

'Noah!' she almost screamed. She was about to go and search properly for her brother when she looked up and saw him leaning against her bedroom door, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, his black hair tucked behind his ears.

'Was there something, sister dear?' he drawled slowly, his eyes dancing in amusement.

'Please, tell me you finished the jobs list I left you.' Amber put her hand over her heart dramatically, and Noah laughed out loud.

'Of course I did. I wouldn't risk getting on your bad side, but more than that, I know this is a special night, Amber. Trust me.' He flashed her a smile, and Amber visibly relaxed until she saw the involuntary shuffle of his feet. Amber's eyes narrowed and she stepped towards him.

'What have you done?' she said quietly, staring him in the eye.

'Look,' Noah said, putting his hands up to protect himself, 'it's all done. That's all you need to know.'

Amber looked at him closely and bit her lip. She paused, and her brow furrowed a little, and then she clicked her fingers in triumph.

'You used Winky,' she hissed in disgust.

Noah groaned. 'Please don't say anything to Mum. She will totally freak out. Winky wanted to help, anyway,' he muttered.

'"Helping" is fine, Noah. It's when she does all the work and you just watch her – that's the problem.' Amber curled her lip slightly.

'I paid her, okay? Happy now?' Noah looked indignant.

'Paid her with what? There is no way she would accept anything, Noah: I'm not stupid.' Amber looked at him incredulously.

'No, well, I offered to pay her. It's not my fault she refused it,' he muttered.

Amber sighed and ran her hands through her hair. She glanced at the clock. It was old and a little careworn, but it was one that had belonged to her grandmother on her father's side, and she loved it for that reason.

'Shit! Look at the time. We have to be there in half an hour. Go and get ready. I'll meet you downstairs.' Amber dismissed him with a wave of her hand and turned her attention to the shopping bags, tipping them up and emptying the contents into disarray. She pulled out the Slytherin green dress and heels, took off the price labels quickly, and then dashed into the shower.

********

Noah looked down at his shoes. They probably weren't as clean as they should be, so he rubbed at them with his sleeve just as Amber walked in the room. He looked up at her quickly and then did a double take. He had never seen his sister looking so beautiful and his eyes widened. Her hair was piled high with ringlets that she had pinned to her head and the black colour stood out starkly against the shimmering green of her dress. She was wearing the emerald necklace their parents had given her for her twenty-first birthday, and around her shoulders she was wearing a lacy, sparkly shrug to match the dress.

'Wow, look at you.' He whistled slowly.

Amber smiled and then shrugged a little. 'I wanted to look my best for Mum and Dad.'

Noah snorted and muttered under his breath, 'More like Albus.'

'I heard you, Noah Snape. If you breathe a word to Dad, I will personally tie your bollocks in a knot. Do you hear me?' Amber's eyes flashed dangerously.

'He will find out eventually, Amber. You know he always finds out your secrets.' He grinned at her.

'Is that right? I always suspected he had a little help in that area, myself.' She glared at him, and Noah averted his gaze, blushing furiously.

'Anyway,' Amber continued, 'you have a little secret of your own, Noah. Don't think I haven't seen the looks you've been giving Lily Potter.' She smiled smugly as Noah's face went from red to white in a matter of seconds.

'I don't know what you're talking about!' Noah snapped at her.

Amber just laughed at him, and then she turned to lift the gifts she had neatly wrapped the previous day.

'Portkeys?' she asked Noah quickly, her mind racing ahead.

'Sorted. Uncle Harry helped me out with them.' He nodded.

'And you haven't told them anything?' She glared at him again.

'No way. I can't wait to see their faces, actually.' He smiled. Noah loved his parents very much, but they had been particularly strict, especially when he and Amber were small. The thought that something had been organised without their knowledge made him rub his hands with glee. This would shut them up for a change.

'Right. Let's go.' Amber lifted a handful of Floo powder and stepped into the fireplace.

***********

The party was in full swing. Ministry dignitaries, friends, family and even business acquaintances had been invited to the formal reception to celebrate the silver wedding anniversary of Hermione and Severus Snape, Minister of Magic, and acting Headmaster of Hogwarts School, respectively. A photographer from the Daily Prophet was zooming around the room, telling everyone that such an illustrious event was guaranteed a two-page spread.

Hermione's laughter could be heard punctuating the polite conversation occasionally as she and Severus mingled with their guests. She was wearing a tasteful velvet gown in a rich shade of chestnut brown, her hair styled in an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck. She was also wearing an understated necklace in gold, with a heart shaped pendant hanging from it that had been cut from a piece of amber. Severus had given it to her as a gift just after Noah was born. If she spoke the incantation and tapped it with her wand, the heart would flash up various memories of her, Severus and the children. But only she and Severus knew that. To the general observer, it was just a piece of jewellery.

Severus was being particularly attentive to her, cupping her elbow with his hand protectively as they moved from one group to the next, smiling and nodding their thanks at various wishes of congratulations, some genuine and some most definitely not. Once they had finished a circuit of the room, Severus guided Hermione over to the buffet table subtly.

'How are you holding up?' He eyed her with concern. The Ministry job was a hard one at the best of times, and the added pressure of organising the reception had started to tell on her face. She looked tired this evening.

'I'm exhausted, to be truthful. But it's going well, don't you think?' Her eyes scanned the room of guests in their finery, a small smile on her face.

'Have something to eat,' he murmured, handing her a plate of food.

Hermione shook her head slightly. 'I'm not hungry, Severus. Really, I'm fine. I could do with a glass of something.'

Severus stared at her a little askance. Hermione hadn't taken any alcohol since before they married, and this was the first time he had heard her mention it in many, many years.

'Do you want some champagne?' he asked her quietly.

Hermione turned and looked at him, her face clouded a little. 'No, I don't think that's a very good idea. I'll have some fruit juice.'

'What is it, my love?' Severus put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

Hermione sighed deeply. 'It's nothing, really. I was just thinking about my parents. They would have loved all of this,' she said as she waved her hand around the room, 'and it made me realise how much I have missed them over the years. They never met you. They didn't see their grandchildren. Neither did your parents, for that matter.'

Severus frowned down at her a little, and then he pulled her close for a hug.

'Your parents would have been incredibly proud of you. And the children,' he murmured into her hair.

'And you,' Hermione mumbled as she squeezed him tightly. 'Is it too early to leave, do you think?'

Severus chuckled slightly. 'A little early, I think.'

Hermione started to laugh and pulled away to look into Severus's face. 'Can you imagine the headline in the Prophet? "Minister leaves early to shag Hogwarts Head senseless?" Not a good idea.' She grinned.

'Great idea, actually. But it may raise a few eyebrows. Not least from these two.' He nodded over her head and she turned, smiling as her children came towards her.

She pulled them into a hug.

'Having fun?' she asked them, grinning.

'Amber is.' Noah grinned. 'She's getting loads of male attention.'

Amber rolled her eyes and caught Severus's eyes glinting a little as he looked at her interestedly.

'He's just joking, Dad. Honestly,' she muttered and glared at Noah, who winked at her.

'I hope he is not joking. You look beautiful this evening; it's only right you get attention,' Severus murmured. 'However, Albus is my godson, and I wouldn't want his heart broken, Amber.'

Amber's jaw dropped as she stared at her father, who smirked at her knowingly, and then she turned on Noah, her hands on her hips and her eyes flaring.

'You said you wouldn't tell him,' she shouted.

Hermione stood quickly between them as Noah took a step back.

'Hang on, Amber, just wait before you blame your brother as usual.' Hermione put her arm through her daughter's and pulled her to one side.

Hermione stared up into Amber's face. She took so much after her father in looks, her eyes the same dark obsidian, her hair jet black. And tonight she was stunning.

'You do look beautiful tonight, my darling,' she whispered and softly stroked the side of her face.

'Thanks, Mum.' Amber smiled, showing off her two dimples as she did so.

'I told your father about Albus, Amber. I thought it was better coming from me. Albus has been fretting for weeks, worrying about what your Dad would do to him if he thought he was sneaking around behind his back. You know they're close,' Hermione said calmly.

Amber closed her eyes and sighed. 'Was Dad cool about it?' she murmured, trying to catch her Dad's expression as he spoke with Noah.

'He has concerns; we both do. Albus is almost a cousin to you, and you have grown up together. But we won't interfere.' Hermione smiled warmly at her, and Amber breathed a sigh of relief, hugging Hermione tightly.

'I love you, Mum,' she breathed softly.

Severus walked over to them and placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder.

'Duty calls, I believe.' He peered at her, his lips twitching. Hermione glanced over to where a huge cake sat on a dais, and they saw they were being beckoned over by the Chief of Catering, a house-elf named Bernard.

'Right.' Hermione nodded.

Linking her hand into his arm, Hermione walked with Severus as a huge round of applause rang out from the crowd. After a few congratulatory words from the Head of the Department of Mysteries, Hermione and Severus cut the cake to another round of applause. As they stepped down from the dais, Amber and Noah met them, smiling.

'Come with us,' Amber murmured, linking her arm through her fathers as Noah took Hermione and lead them through the crowd. On a small table in the corner of the room, a pile of gifts was sitting waiting for them, along with Harry and Ginny and their children, who were grinning broadly at them.

Noah looked at his parents and smirked. This was going to be priceless.

'You have to open your gifts,' he said and held up a small package and waved it at them. 'This one last, though.'

Severus looked at his son with a practised eye. 'What's going on?' he said, chuckling.

'That would be telling.' Noah grinned, and as he looked away he caught Lily Potter's eye and blushed. She smiled at him slowly, and he grinned back at her sheepishly.

Hermione noticed, as did Ginny, and they looked at each other with a "here we go again" roll of the eyes before starting to giggle together.

'Well, wife. Here you go. Open it.' Severus handed her one of the gifts, and Hermione smiled as she unwrapped it. It was a framed photograph of them on their wedding day from Harry and Ginny.

'Lovely.' Hermione smiled and gazed down at the picture, tears forming as she looked at Severus gazing into her face adoringly.

'Your turn, Severus. Take this one.' Hermione handed him a smaller package. A small, illustrated copy of the "Kama Sutra" fell out of the wrapping paper, and as Severus flipped over the label, he chuckled.

'Thanks, Son.' He said, smirking.

'Noah!' Hermione exclaimed, a little shocked.

'I thought a little spice might be a good idea.' He laughed slowly.

Amber dug him in the ribs and glared at him, but he didn't stop laughing. Instead, he handed them the smaller parcel and grinned.

'You have to open this together,' he said.

Hermione smiled up at Severus, and between them they picked at the Spell-o-Tape to reveal a snow globe, containing two crystal lovebirds, flying and spinning around each other within the glass dome. Severus held it to the light, and Hermione gasped as she realised the birds were real. She lifted a finger to the dome and touched it softly just as it began to glow with a soft blue light.

Severus looked at her in horror, and they stared back at their family as they realised the gift was a Portkey. The last thing they saw was Noah, waving at them cheekily as they felt themselves start to spin away from the party.

*******

After what seemed like twenty minutes but was in reality much less than that, Hermione and Severus landed on their feet in a very familiar part of London.

Severus looked at Hermione and smiled warmly at her.

'Clever.' He nodded. Hermione put her hand to her mouth in surprise and started to laugh.

'Hungry?' he asked her, holding out his hand.

Hermione laughed. 'I am now.' She grinned at him.

Together, they pushed open the door of the shop and went to sit in their usual table. They got a few glances from the customers as they walked past in their evening clothes, but neither of them cared.

The waiter came to their table and grinned.

'Mr and Mrs Snape, congratulations, yes?' He smiled warmly at them.

Hermione smiled at him. 'You knew about this?'

'Yes miss. Miss Amber organised everything, and Mr Noah.' He smiled.

Severus chuckled softly. 'Might have known', he murmured, and then he turned as he heard familiar laughter behind him.

They watched as the door opened. Amber entered, followed by a grinning Albus, looking very smart in a black suit. Next came James, taller than his brother and already engaged to a blonde witch from Beauxbatons. Noah and Lily came in together, not looking at each other but blushing all the same. Then, Harry held the door open for Ginny, who was carrying the rest of the gifts. They grinned and waved at Hermione and Severus, who were laughing to themselves.

Severus took Hermione's hand in his and kissed her gently.

'Curry nights might never be the same again.' He smiled at her.

The End