III

Disclaimer: It all belongs to JKR.

A/N: The last segment. Inspired by the Fight, Page 197, Snape Has It All, and 2nd person POV challenges at the gs100.

*

As the letter dropped to the floor, she heard a distinct pop of Apparition.

Finally.

“It’s about time, Severus,” she remarked softly.

She heard him walk towards her and stopped, but didn’t bother to turn around.

“You knew I was coming.”

A statement, not a question.

“Tonks wrote me.” She sipped from her wine glass, shutting her eyes, willing her tears away.

She felt a hand move against her shoulder. It took the glass from her and dropped it.

He turned her around roughly. “I did what I had to do.”

“And what was that?” she asked tersely, gritting her teeth.

*

“It wasn’t time,” he responded calmly.

“Wasn’t time? Two years after Voldemort’s death, Severus, good timing!” she yelled, her hands waving erratically.

“Albus wasn’t healed!”

“Albus has been DEAD for three years! I can’t HANDLE this!”

“Hermione,” he said, catching her as she fell to the ground.

“He’s alive, you’re here, you’re innocent, you were overwhelmingly guilty and I still tried to prove them wrong…”

“I know,” he said, holding her to his chest.

“And still, you lied to me!” she yelled in a renewed force of anger, pushing against his chest. “There you are, a mature man with experience of the ways of the world, who ought to be able to tell right from wrong!”

*

“Tell me what was right, Hermione!” he insisted, hands on her shoulders, eyes piercing hers. “Was it right to tell you the truth, to reveal Albus to all of you when he was not ready? Was it right for me to betray my mentor?”

“Was it right for you to fuck me and leave me?” she asked, heaving breaths. He looked down, his hand moving to his forehead.

“I wouldn’t have pegged you for that type,” she muttered softly, eyes downcast.

There was a long pause.

“It wasn’t right. I am sorry.” He took her chin with his fingers, forcing it up. “I am sorry.”

She looked in his eyes, tears welling in her own. “You never say you’re sorry.”

“I’m saying it now,” he said simply. “I’ve had a year to think about that day – that night – and a year to contemplate what it would mean when I returned.”

*

She shut her eyes tightly. “I’ve been here for a year,” she whispered. “Miserable for thought of you, desperately wanting you, berating myself over how I let you seduce me…”

“Do you regret it?” she heard him ask, feeling his fingers drop from her chin.

She also heard the unwritten question.

Do you want me to leave?

“No,” she whispered. “Stay.”

“I didn’t ask…”

“Yes, you did,” she said, opening her eyes, looking at him. “I want to talk with you.”

He reached over to her face, tracing the path her tears had traveled. “Let’s talk.”

*

Two Years Later

Dear Hermione & Severus,

Congratulations! Took you long enough.

Tonks is done writing now.

Best wishes,

Remus and Tonks ;)

*

The quote is taken from Marguerite de Navarre's The Heptameron.

Thanks for reading. :)