Chapter Fifteen

Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR, I just play around for fun.

A/N: As always, my thanks to the lovely ladies Rhiannon & Psykiapa for their much appreciated support and assistance. And with that, enjoy the final chapter.

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Hermione sat up groggily, rubbing her eyes. Where am I...?

Oh, yes. Tonks' library. Oh, shit. Hangover. What was I thinking...?

She rose to her feet shakily, thankful to note that she still had her clothes on. Tonks, clad in boxer shorts and a bra, was still passed out on the floor in front of the still-roaring fire.

"Tonks?" Hermione asked quietly. "Tonks..." She shook her friend's shoulder.

"Hmm?" came Tonks' sleepy reply.

"Tonks, do you have any Hangover Potion?"

"Kitchen... just do the 'Point Me'... too many directions..."

"Alright, I'll brew us a batch; go back to sleep."

Tonks murmured groggily as her head sunk back to floor.

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Hermione shrunk her wand and put it back in her pocket as she approached the kitchen. Something's brewing... Hangover Potion?

She tip-toed to the door and peeked in.

There stood Severus Snape brewing a batch of Hangover Potion on the kitchen table.

"What...?" she started.

His head rose sharply as he turned around to face her.

His eyes were almost as bug-eyed as hers.

"What are you doing here, Miss Granger?" His voice was low but not venomous.

What am I doing here? What are you doing here! Why are you brewing Hangover Potion... Oh my God, did you see Tonks and I... Why the hell is he here with... is he with Remus? Why else would he be here? Oh my God, please let me explain...

"Are you going to say anything?" he snapped, his eyes narrowing.

"Y-yes," she stammered. "I was just coming down to..." She pointed helplessly at the batch he was making.

He paused for a moment. "Ah."

"Ah what?"

"Were you and Tonks here last night?"

"Yes," she said cautiously. "On the second story of the library..."

He chuckled darkly. "I thought I saw a fire going."

"You were...?"

"I was with Remus. I... ran into him while visiting with Minerva," he said, his voice even.

"Oh."

There was silence for a moment.

"I was just coming down to brew a batch, but I see you've got it taken care of..." Hermione started. God, why do I have to make such an idiot out of myself whenever he's around me? Can't I just think clearly for once! I've got a second shot at this. I need to make this right.

She took in a deep breath. "Have you made any coffee?"

"No."

She nodded. "I'll brew some then."

He didn't respond.

She reached for the coffeemaker and set about to work.

---

The silence was deafening.

Why isn't he saying anything?

She was focusing as hard as she could on the task at hand: brewing coffee. However, making coffee was harder than it looked when he was standing four feet away, silent as the grave, radiating disinterest.

Damn it.

She watched as the coffee started to drip.

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"Here you are." She handed a cup of dark roast to Severus.

"Thank you," he murmured, not looking up as she set the cup next to him. She stood there, inches away, for what seemed like hours.

"I'm not sleeping with anyone," she blurted out.

Oh, fuck. Good job, Hermione.

His face was expressionless. "Is that so?"

"Yes." She set her cup down next to his with a loud thud.

"Pray tell what has your knickers in such a knot this morning, Miss Granger?" he said snidely.

"You bastard!" she screeched, her control breaking. "You bloody well assumed that just because I bought a bustier I was fucking someone else! How DARE you think that! I went shopping with Ginny, and I dare any woman to go shopping with her and not buy some inappropriate piece of lingerie! And I was thinking of you when I bought it because, fuck you to hell Severus Snape, I still love you, and I am furious with you for going to Italy! You didn't tell me anything! You run away at the first sign of any trouble, even if there isn't trouble! You create trouble! Long distance relationships can work – bloody Christ did you really think I wouldn't have come to you in Italy? – but wait! I didn't even have the chance to see you in Italy because you never told me where you were going! You are a bloody infuriating man, and I want to rip your eyes out right now for putting me through that kind of hell!

"You are afraid, Severus, and it is maddening! I love you, damn it, and I don't like being treated like a common whore by the man in question! You have no idea what it's been like for me this past year," she said through gritted teeth. "NO idea. How I've thrown myself into research, the pain that I've had every time I had to hear about your life from someone else! Minerva, Molly, Remus – Christ, I heard about you from all of them, and if you would just stop jumping to conclusions for once, you'd realize that I want you and I need you and why the bloody hell can't you just come and talk to me instead of them? Why do you shut yourself off from me?" She paused, chest heaving.

He handed her a vial of the potion.

"Take this. It'll help with the hangover," he said simply, and he walked out of the room.

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She blinked.

He did not just do that.

I'm done running.

"SEVERUS!"

She followed him out of the room at a furious pace, catching up to where he was standing in the middle of the candlelit hallway.

He was in the middle of the hallway, his back turned to her, hand in a pocket, drinking his coffee.

"So, Hermione. You've finally decided to come after me."

"No, Severus. You're going to stop running."

He turned sharply and breached the few steps between them. He leaned down towards her, intimidating.

"And why do you think I have been?" he asked through gritted teeth. "You lead the life I did, and you tell me whether you would be able to adjust so quickly. You tell me whether you would implicitly trust others, if you would automatically assume the best as opposed to the worst. You tell me whether you would be willing to fight a losing battle – or would you simply walk away? Twenty years with Death Eaters, Hermione. Years of fighting, of spying, of living a double life – you tell me if you would be any different."

"I don't know," she said challengingly, looking up to meet his eyes. "But what I do know is that I love you, and I am willing to work through everything to be with you because when I'm not with you I am miserable, and I am furious with you for the things you have said to me."

"Oh, I know that I have made mistakes," he answered in a low, velvety tone. His hand rose up, almost as if to caress her chin, but was lowered just as quickly.

"Then apologize to me," she said evenly, "and don't run from me when I tell you that I love you."

"It won't fix everything." He crossed his arms.

"Of course it won't."

They stood in silence.

"Well?" she asked. Please let him love me. Please let him come to me.

He paused. "I've missed you," he said quietly. "And I'm sorry."

"I've missed you, too. And you're forgiven."

There was a heady moment.

"Severus..." she caught her breath, hands flexing, wanting to draw him closer.

He took her by the elbows and pulled her close to him, skin to skin. She could feel his breath hot on her hair, hot on her face, hot on her neck.

"Has anyone told you what an incredible woman you are, Hermione?" he asked softly, brushing her ear with his lips, barely touching.

"There's a first time for everything," she said, a smile spreading across her face.

"Mmm, yes."

He leaned his forehead against hers and placed his hands gently on her neck.

"I love you."

"Oh, Severus..." She let out the breath she had been holding.

She closed her eyes in anticipation.

Thank you, Jesus.

...Why hasn't he kissed me yet ...

"Severus?" she started, opening her eyes. His head snapped back a few inches from hers.

"I appreciate the slow moving," she said, "but I have been waiting for you for over a year. A year of foreplay is more than enough. Would you kiss me already?"

He smirked. "With pleasure."

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A/N: I'd like to thank all of you for your wonderful reviews and support! I never imagined that the story would become as successful as it has. You're all wonderful. :)