To Complete

The halls of Hogwarts were quiet, empty. Most of the students and professors were gone, watching the final Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Hermione felt persistent twinges of guilt at missing the match, but it couldn't be helped. She had seen Sinistra leave the stands, undoubtedly heading for the Astronomy Tower, and Hermione was determined to talk to her alone.

Professor Snape had successfully avoided Hermione since their conversation in the corridor yesterday morning. Last night, Hermione had spent a good ten minutes pounding on his office door to no avail. He hadn't been in the Great Hall for any meals, leaving Hermione to surmise that he was taking his food in his own quarters merely to avoid her. The man, she concluded, was worse than Harry and Ron combined.

And since Snape wouldn't talk to her, perhaps Sinistra would.

As she climbed the stairs up to Professor Sinistra's office, Hermione considered her situation. Clearly, she had misunderstood a few things. It was time she took matters into her own hands.

After reaching the top of the tower, she knocked sharply on Sinistra's door, hoping that she was correct in her belief that the professor had gone to her office.

Sinistra's light, melodic voice sounded through the door.

"Come in."

Hermione nervously straightened her skirt and stepped through the door into Sinistra's office. A large, moving model of the solar system dominated the room, and the Astronomy professor had bewitched her ceiling to portray a glimmering Saturn in the night sky. The walls were adorned with posters of the ringed planet, and Hermione smiled when she caught sight of a large plaque on Sinistra's desk. 'I Love Saturn,' it proclaimed, and the 'o' in 'Love' periodically transformed into the red planet.

A large bookcase in the corner of the room held hundreds of magically shrunk books on a surprisingly diverse number of topics, given the general décor. Unable to resist, Hermione began reading the titles she could see and noticed in particular a large collection of Shakespearean plays as well as a number of Muggle how-to knitting books. On Sinistra's desk, Hermione saw a collection of knitting needles and several unfinished scarves and hats, all uneven and misshapen. Thinking immediately of her own knitting craze in her fourth year, Hermione almost laughed out loud. Perhaps she and Sinistra had something else in common other than Snape.

Snape. Sitting centerfold on Sinistra's desk was a picture of a scowling, dark-haired man, his large nose featured prominently on his face. He was determinedly attempting to walk out of the picture frame, but a laughing Sinistra persistently pulled him back whilst she merrily waved her left hand at the camera, the ring upon her finger twinkling happily.

At the sight of the picture, Hermione suddenly felt as if she could fly unaided by magic throughout the castle. Throughout the world. Surely she was floating...the light, bubbly feeling coursing through her body could lead to nothing less. For Sinistra was indeed marrying a Snape...the overlarge nose and harsh features could belong to no other family...but the man struggling in the portrait was not Severus Snape, war hero and Potions master of Hogwarts. His hair was too short and his eyes too light...more gray than piercing black. He was older than Severus as well...the lines in his face were deeper and more numerous. And he wore olive green dress robes. Surely her own dear professor wore nothing but black cloth and buttons!

Though the picture only proved what Hermione had strongly suspected since yesterday's conversation with Snape in the empty corridor, the sight still made her tingle with an emotion which threatened to bubble out of her manifested in laughter and tears. Smiling broadly, Hermione looked up to face Sinistra, no longer an enemy but a dear friend. Sinistra smiled in return.

"I am glad you've come to visit me, Miss Granger. Please do sit down. I believe we've a few misunderstandings to discuss."

With a murmur of thanks, Hermione took the proffered chair and sat down. Sinistra clasped her hands together and nodded.

"So. Severus tells me that you have been repeatedly... visiting his office since last night."

Hermione flushed. "If he would but open his door..."

Sinistra chuckled. "The man is at times worse than a petulant child. Believe me, I know. I am marrying a man very similar, both in looks and temperament." She gestured with her shapely hand towards the framed picture, a smile playing on her lips.

Looking back at Hermione, she paused. "I take it, Miss Granger, that you believed that I was marrying Severus."

Hermione nodded her head, a blush spreading across her face.

After a moment's consideration, Sinistra nodded her head. "Yes, I see how one could reach that conclusion. But please let me explain, as I am sure his odd behavior has confused you."

"It has, ma'am."

"Severus and I have never been truly close, for I do not believe it is humanly possible to be 'close' to a man such as he. But I expect that he considered me a friend when he introduced me to his uncle about two years ago. His uncle and I... well, we became... friendly. More than friendly." She smiled and blushed. "And now we are getting married."

Hermione gaped in surprise. "You're marrying his uncle? But...but in class you said you were marrying 'Severus.'"

"Hermione, Professor Snape's uncle is also...perhaps unfortunately...named Severus. Professor Snape was named after him, you see."

"Oh!" In her mind, pieces began to fly into place like a puzzle.

"And why is Professor Snape helping you plan the wedding? Forgive me, but that doesn't seem to particularly suit his... character."

At that, Sinistra smiled devilishly. "Partly, he is helping at the request of his favorite uncle, as the wedding is to be here at Hogwarts. However, at the beginning of this school year, he asked me for a favor. I agreed to help him insofar as he would, as he fondly puts it, be my 'errand boy' for the wedding."

Hermione blinked. "What favor did he ask of you, Professor?"

Sinistra smiled. "I am afraid that I can't tell you that, Miss Granger. Professor Snape will have to tell you that himself. It'll do him good."

Snorting, Hermione settled back into her chair. "He won't talk to me," she mumbled.

Sinistra leaned forward onto her desk, her eyes positively dancing with amusement. "And when has that ever stopped you, Hermione?"

******

Monday came rather quickly, and Hermione's stomach fluttered with nerves. She couldn't eat a thing all day. Noting the concerned and determined looks on the boys' faces, she muttered something about possibly having a touch of the flu. Harry and Ron accepted her diagnosis without argument, though Ron did thoughtfully suggest that she pop in to see Madame Pomfrey.

The evening came all to soon for her. Double Potions. Despite her best efforts, she had not seen Professor Snape since the confrontation in the hallway. Since he was putting such considerable effort into avoiding her, Hermione reasoned that the only way she would see him was in class. They both had some explaining to do.

After breakfast, she followed the boys into the dungeons to find Snape already in the classroom, writing instructions on the board and laying ingredients out on students' desks. He did not look at her when she took her seat.

He did not look at her throughout the entire class.

Hermione spent her time meticulously preparing her ingredients and counting off the minutes until class ended. Until she could finally talk to him.

At the end of class, Professor Snape stood up and reminded his students of the assignment on Vanishing Solutions due next week. With that, he dismissed the class with a wave of his hand and turned to the chalkboard.

Hermione waited until her all of her classmates left in a flurry of robes. She was so nervous her hands were shaking. She took a deep, steadying breath.

"Excuse me, Professor? I was wondering if I could perhaps talk to you?"

Snape started at the sound of her voice but did not turn around to face her.

"As I believe I said before Miss Granger, I have nothing to say to you."

"Sir, please. I thought... I thought Sinistra was marrying you."

Suddenly, her professor went very still. She saw the muscles in his back tense. Very slowly, he turned to her.

"What did you say?" His voice was tight.

"I thought she was marrying you. I just wanted... to apologize. For everything. I'm sorry, sir."

He stared at her blankly until she saw comprehension dawning in his dark eyes. This is it, she thought excitedly. This is it for me. This is what I want.

Smiling slightly, he gestured vaguely towards a nondescript brown door.

"Come," he said. "Let's go to my office."

She followed him into his office where, turning to her, he asked, "Miss Granger. Would you like some tea?"

"I would love some."

Grabbing a kettle from the fireplace, he walked over to his desk and poured two cups of a dark, strong tea. Hermione noticed that his hand was shaking slightly. He was nervous.

Grasping the tea with both hands, he directed her towards a couch nestled in the corner of his office. He sat next to her and put the cups down on the table in front of the couch with force. Hot tea slopped out of the cups, spilling over the sides.

"Now," he said. "You thought I was marrying Aurora."

"I did, sir. I wasn't aware you had any family," she added helpfully.

"Am I to assume that I am too irritable for relations?" His voice was amused.

Hermione laughed. "No! That's not what I meant. I simply... I was very relieved to discover you are not marrying her."

His eyes narrowed. "And why is that, Hermione? Why were you relieved?"

Hermione flushed, not knowing how to answer him. And so she remained quiet.

After a moment of silence, he continued.

"Hermione, a few days ago, you came into this office and asked me two rather unforgettable questions. Do you remember?"

She nodded. "I could never forget, sir."

"You wanted to know the extent of my relationship with Aurora, I believe. Now, however, you know the truth. We are friends, and she is marrying my only living relative. Are you satisfied with this?"

"Yes, sir."

"Can you recall your first question?"

"I wanted to know why you called me 'Hermione' that day in class."

"I'm afraid I was not completely honest in answering you. I desire to... rectify this by answering your question now. Truthfully." He swept a hand through his dark, lanky hair.

He leaned in closer to her. "Do you want to know why I called you by your given name that day in class? Hermione, look at me." He reached out and gently cupped her chin with his lightly calloused fingers. Their eyes met.

"I wanted to see how your name would taste on my lips...."

He slowly began caressing her cheek, tracing small patterns with his thumb, leaving her breathless. And ever so agonizingly, he tilted her face upwards and lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was chaste, yet Hermione had never known anything more beautiful. He urged her mouth open with his tongue, deepening the kiss, and with a scrap of irrational thought, Hermione imagined he tasted like freshly fallen rain.

All too soon, he ended the kiss and looked at her uncertainly. She smiled.

"I think I've wanted that for a long time."

"Me too," he whispered. He pulled her close and she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Hermione," he said quietly. "I have to know. Why did you not visit me in the hospital when I awoke?"

She looked up at him. "What?"

He ran his fingers through her hair. "I awoke because of you," he admitted. "An angel, I thought. An angel had come down from heaven to save me. The Healers told me my angel was one Miss Hermione Granger. But you never came again."

Her eyes filled with tears.

"I didn't think that you would want me there. I was... I was just your student."

"Silly girl, don't you know that I have thought of no one but you since I awoke? I have since hardly allowed myself to hope until that night in my office."

Hermione nuzzled his neck contentedly. "I was very foolish, then, Severus."

He scowled at her. "Indeed you were."

She kissed his cheek and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "I think that I am in love with you, Severus Snape."

In response, he tightened his hold on her. "I know that I am in love with you, Hermione Granger."

She reached up to kiss him again, and he twined his fingers in her wild hair, pressing her mouth to his desperately.

"Stay with me, Hermione."

"Oh, yes. Forever."

******

Much later that night, Hermione lay in Severus' arms, her fingers tracing delicate patterns across his chest. Unbidden, a question popped into her mind.

"Severus?"

"Yes, love?"

"What is this deal you made with Professor Sinistra?"

He stiffened and attempted to break away from her embrace.

"That... that's nothing that concerns you."

She laughed. "I want to know. She said you asked her for a favor. What was it?"

He sighed heavily. "I suppose you will give me not a moment's peace until I've answered you?"

"Absolutely not."

"Fine. But you can't laugh." He glared at her.

"Severus, just tell me."

"Tell me, Hermione, have you noted any... unusual changes in my behavior this past year?"

"I have," she said thoughtfully. "And so have Harry and Ron. You've been behaving much less dark and foreboding than you usually do."

"And that, my little sprite, is the favor I asked of Aurora."

Hermione blinked, confused. "I don't understand."

He rolled over onto his side and put his arms around her, pulling her close. "Hermione, I have been madly in love with you for an entire year now. I didn't know what to do about it. The fact that you stopped visiting me once I awoke was proof to me that your bedside visits were simply motivated by pity."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her.

"However foolish that may seem to you, it is what I believed. And I didn't know how to... persuade you to love me. So I asked Aurora, and she told me I should... lighten up a bit. Let you see me smile, maybe laugh." He grimaced at the thought, and Hermione broke out into peals of laughter.

"For me? You... laughed for me?"

His scowl deepened, and he suddenly pulled her close against him, running his hands lightly across her breasts.

"Let's see if I can't stop your infernal laughing, shall we?"

"Oh!" she gasped as he traced small circles on her inner thighs, making her writhe against him with desire.

All thoughts of laughter left Hermione's head as he again claimed her mouth with his own, as he again brought her to dizzying heights of pleasure.

******

The next morning, Hermione barely made it to breakfast on time. Harry and Ron were almost done with their meals.

"Hiya, 'Mione," Ron said. "Where were you last night?"

Hermione blushed. "Oh, I was just at the library. Reading."

"Oh. Harry and I were just talking about Snape again." He pointed at the High Table where their professor was laughing heartily with Professor Flitwick. "You can't deny it anymore, Hermione. He's actually laughing! He's definitely had a good shag."

Hermione ducked her head, hoping that the boys wouldn't notice the red blush staining her cheeks. "Perhaps you're right, Ron. He certainly looks happy."

She looked at Severus again and at that precise moment his eyes caught hers. They both smiled.

A good shag, indeed.

*Fin*

A/N I must apologize for the extensive delay in bringing you this chapter. Please feel free to contact me for proper excuses ☺ As always, my undying gratitude to my beta, the admins at TPP, and my readers. Love to you all!