Chapter 40

Finally, the chapter everyone's been waiting for. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you, all, for your many, kind comments and thoughts about Raven.

Hermione woke and stretched. When she opened her eyes, she found Severus lying next to her, watching her with a smile on his face. 

"Severus, are you okay?"  She reached up to caress his face and was pleased when he turned his face into her hand and kissed her palm.

"Hermione, my Hermione. I thought I loved you yesterday, but now... now I understand.   I really understand all of it," Severus told her.

"What do you understand, Severus?"  She looked at him in puzzlement.

"I understand what happened to me after I lost my memory; I understand how your finding me saved me and how we grew to love each other."

"SEVERUS," she screamed, throwing her arms around him.  "YOU REMEMBER!"

"Yes, my dearest love, I remember," he said softly, standing and drawing her to her feet right in the middle of the bed.

They grabbed each other and hugged, and soon they were jumping up and down like little kids. Grendel was making a barking sound and bouncing there in the middle of them, nearly knocking them off.  They screamed and hugged and rolled with the big guy.

Finally, they sat and just looked into each other's eyes. "I'm truly, truly free, Hermione.  You cannot fathom how light I feel.  I have never felt so free, so loved, and I've never looked so forward to my future in my entire life.  My mother's final gift gave me my life back.  It's allowed me to leave all of my past behind.   And it allows me to love Harry, truly love him.  His mother was my best friend, and she always will be my childhood friend.  But you are my love...the one and only true love of my life."

Hermione leaned forward, and they kissed deeply and then sat and held each other.

After a while, Severus said, "It's time to put those memories back in my head.  I want to remember our first kiss firsthand. I remember the first time we made love.  It was exquisite.

"We will do that first thing when we get back to our house." 

"Our house?" He grinned at her.

"Well, if I'm the love of your life, I expect it will be our home one of these days."

"Perhaps we should sell it.  It's time to let go," he said. A certain dread touched his heart.

"No, Severus, it's time to bring light and life to that old house.  Let me remodel; you won't recognize it," she promised.

He frowned and gave her a faux stern look.  "So it starts, there goes my money."

Hermione frowned. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to help."

He grabbed her up and kissed her. "I am just teasing you.  I think remodeling would be an excellent idea.  I can hardly look at the place as it is.  I hadn't gone in my parents' room, before I found the beads, for many years.  You can help me give their stuff to someone else who might appreciate it."

She smiled up into his face. "I'm going to enjoy my life with you, Severus."

He took her face into his hands. "No, it's we who will enjoy our lives.  You always had the capacity to love me no matter whom I was."  He gave her another soft kiss, "Now I think it's time we go wake that young friend of yours.  I have a lot of explaining to do.  If he will accept me, I want to try to be his friend."

Hermione tried to focus on his face, but her eyes were swimming with tears.  "I will make him understand!"  She grabbed his hand. "Let's go."

Grendel, who had been sleeping at the side of the bed, hopped up as they climbed out of the bed. 

Severus said, "Perhaps we'd better shower and put some clean clothes on."

Later when they had showered and prepared for their return to Hogwarts, Hermione stood next to Grendel with her hand on his head. "I wish we didn't have to leave Grendel alone so much.  It must be so hard for him."

"He's an empath, Hermione; he can't be around people all the time.  It takes time for him to regain his strength.  I've been here a lot lately."  He placed his hand on Grendel's head.

"We will be back soon; I promised a band of Gypsies I would bring you for a visit," he told the animal.

Grendel licked Severus' hand and then Hermione's. He turned, climbed back onto the bed, flopped over, and was soon snoring.

Hermione laughed and then reached out to take Severus' hand.  "Let's go home."

Severus nodded and grabbed a hold of a Portkey, and they where whisked away.

Spinner's End hadn't changed, but Severus no longer felt the oppression it had always had on his heart and his mood.

With great care, they returned the memories to his mind and to Hermione's.  He held her close as the memories integrated themselves into his mind. Experiencing the alley memory for the first time was hard, but it no longer held the sting of the desperateness it once had.  "When you let me kiss you that first time," he explained, "I felt so normal; all those months of hell seemed to fade away.  You were so beautiful, Hermione. I could not believe my fortune."

She laughed. "You were so handsome; I could barely keep my thoughts in order.  I wanted you from that moment on. I had never realized how handsome you where, under those many layers of garments."

He grinned at her.  "Handsome is not a word anyone else has ever used for me."

"Nevertheless it's true."  She pressed a hand against his chest. "Deliciously handsome."

"Well, for now I will accept your word for it."  He grinned at her double meaning. "We must be about the business of bringing Mr. Potter back from his sleep."

They sent messages to Minerva, the Weasleys, and Davenport at St. Mungo's telling the time of their arrival at the hospital that night. Then they returned to Hogwarts late that afternoon to change and collect a vial of the potion for Harry.  At the appointed time, they Apparated to St. Mungo's and entered the hospital. Christmas decorations overflowed in the halls of the hospital, adding to the feelings of renewal they had in their hearts.  When they turned the corner to Harry's room, they found chaos because the Weasleys were milling around the hall.  Even Hagrid and Minerva were there. The half-giant filled the hall as he moved to intercept them. Hermione and Severus both found themselves buried in the huge man's stomach with the breath nearly squeezed out of them.

Severus bellowed, "Unhand me you great oaf!"

Every one froze, and Hagrid released them so fast that Hermione and Severus grabbed on to each other for support. 

"Sorry about that there, Snape. I was just so excited 'bout Harry," Hagrid apologized.

Severus stepped toward him, and everyone gasped when he held his hand out to Hagrid. "Understandable."  Then he whispered to the giant of a man, "Thank you for Grendel. He has been an invaluable tool and a great friend."  He stepped back and saw great tears of happiness fall out of Hagrid's enormous eyes.

The old half-giant brought out a huge handkerchief, the size of a baby's receiving blanket, and blew his nose so loudly everyone clapped their hands over their ears and laughed.

Ginny managed to sidle past Hagrid and threw herself in Hermione's arms. Her face was red from tears of happiness and fear.

Hermione said encouragingly to her, "It will work this time, Ginny. I promise you.  Severus is ready."

The rest of the group gathered in front of Hagrid, and their faces were alight with optimism. 

Minerva held out her arms to Severus. "You remembered, didn't you?"

Severus nodded and stepped forward into her waiting arms. He rested his cheek against her shoulder for a moment.

Minerva held him close and ran her hand over his hair.  "How did you know?" he whispered into her shoulder.

"Your face is so alight with happiness. It's about to burst from you...Hermione as well.  I'm so happy for you and so proud of you for letting go," Minerva whispered.

"Letting go?" he asked, stepping back a bit.

"For you, letting go of the past was the only way to step into the future," she said softly so only he could hear.

He looked around at the now silent group, who were gaping at him with open mouths.

"Well," he said, pulling his robes straight as he saw Davenport open Harry's door, "let's get this show on the road."  He reached out to Hermione and drew her close.  He addressed the crowd, "I would like it if you would all join us; everyone who loves Harry should be in there. He must be sung alive with love, and I think we all agree, we can do that together.  I would ask you to be as quiet as possible during the song, and not smother the boy when he does awake, but you all have supported him, and I think it's important that you be there. Don't you agree, Hermione?" he asked, looking down into her face.

She nodded, unable to speak.  Tears swam in her eyes, and she had such pride in her chest she felt like she might burst.

Severus waved his hand. "Arthur and Molly, you go first.  Stand on the other side of Harry's bed, and Ginny...I may call you Ginny, can't I?"

Ginny nodded.

"You stand in front of them and hold his left hand.  Hermione will be at my side, and Healer Strout will administer the potion." 

Hermione took the vial of potion out of her pocket and handed it over.

"Alishus," Severus said, "I would be proud to have you stand at my side.  We have much to talk about later."

"Severus, you honor me."  He took a spot near Severus who now stood at the foot of the bed, looking into Harry's sleeping face.  Asleep, he still looked so young, and Severus felt a love for this young man that he'd never allowed himself to feel.  Harry's sacrifices had freed Severus from a life of bondage, and he was the son of his best friend.  He could dismiss James Potter now; after all, he was the past. He had pushed Lily away himself. Now all his hate and animosity had vanished.  They had all made terrible sacrifices for the war effort and for wizarding freedom, and James Potter had given his life trying to protect his wife and son.  That deserved respect.

The rest of the group filed into the room quietly.  George, Bill and Fleur, Percy, and Hagrid tried to hang back inconspicuously. Severus realized that the loss of Ron and Fred still weighed heavily on these people.  Why had there seemed to be such a crowd before? The group wasn't that big.  Minerva slipped in last and was about to shut the door when she opened it and looked toward Severus with a question on her face.

There stood Neville and Luna, and behind them came Frank and Alice Longbottom.  Frank had a cane, but looked very well, and Alice needed no aid.  She looked the picture of health, and Neville's face looked so happy.  Severus felt it was almost like looking in a mirror.  He knew what the young man felt like. "Please, come join us." 

The door was shut, and the room was crammed full of life and love. Severus could feel it like a blanket of warmth.  Yes, Harry would waken this night; he could sense it.  Hermione's body was pressed against his side, her fingers entwined with his.  He nodded to Miriam, and she gave the potion to Harry.

Then Severus closed his eyes and began to sing.

His voice resonated throughout the room; his deep baritone sounds vibrated through each person, making them feel like they were part of the music.  His voice filled the room with light, and the lights moved and surrounded Harry's body. As the sounds and words were sung, the lights brightened and the colors were more brilliant than any colors anyone had ever seen.  The web of light tightened around Harry's body like a soft, pulsing cocoon. It slowly ran up his body, and then it encased his head, trapping a darkness that was leaking out of his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.  It was inky and black; it turned like a tornado, the colors closing in on the blackness, funneling it away from Harry's head.  It flowed away, leaving the freshness of a spring breeze in the room.  Harry's eyes opened and then Severus' did, too, and they looked into each other's eyes.

Severus smiled and said, "Welcome back, Mr. Potter."

Harry exclaimed, "Sir, you really are alive!"

Everyone laughed.  Ginny bent to give Harry a kiss, and he pulled her into the bed with him, and then it was a free for all.  There was hugging, kissing, and tears enough to flood the room...certainly no one went away dry eyed that night.

Severus and Hermione slipped back against the wall and watched the sheer joy of it all. They stood facing each other, and Severus bent his head to kiss her deeply, drawing her body up so close he nearly pulled her off her feet.

They heard Harry exclaim as he caught sight of the couple, "When did that happen?"

I want to thank all the people who have helped me read and correct this chapter. I could not do it with out you, Beaweasley2, Becky and especially, Lisa, my beta. Thank you all so much.