"I'm nearly a nervous wreck!"

"Don't be harry," Hermione smoothed his tuxedo and straightened his tie, "my, you clean up well."

Harry gave her a lopsided grin, and then grew nervous again, "what if it turns out a big disaster?"

"I don't doubt your ability to make anything a disaster."

He couldn't help it, and it was worth the glare he got from Potter and the scandalised "Severus!" from Hermione.

"Potter," he growled, "you're not having cold feet, are you?"

Potter whipped out his wand, and Hermione snapped, "Severus! Behave!"

"Must you admonish me as you would a wayward pup?"

Hermione grinned and shook her head, "Come now, love, you're not making matters easy for him, and besides," she raised an eyebrow, "you do want him out of your house and my sight, yes?"

Severus made a great show of thinking it over, and then sighed in defeat, "right, well," he cleared his throat, "Potter!"

The barked order had instant effect, and potter was on his feet in rigid attention, and a hopeless look on his face.

"Potter," he re-iterated, "the young girl obviously thinks of you as if you hung the moon," he said in obvious distaste, and noted the look of censure Hermione shot him, "but," he continued, "although I would never repeat this under threat of turpentine, I believe you two suit each other. There is only one way to find out, Potter."

Potter wrung his hands and Severus rolled his eyes. Hermione gave him a small smile.

"If she says no?"

Severus carefully thought out his words, "I wouldn't be so hasty, Potter, but I do believe it would be prudent if we cross that bridge when we get to that." We?

"You've been with the woman over a year, Potter," he continued, "if there is a future to this... relationship," he said it with a curl of his lips, "then it should be proved sooner, rather than later."

"It'll be alright, Harry," Hermione smiled and patted his arm; trust Severus to give the cold rational logic. Someone had to be the voice of compassion, "She clearly adores you, and what Severus is not saying outright," she chanced a look at the now irritated portrait, "is that he approves of her."

"I said no such thing!" he snapped at the now grinning Gryffindors, and crossed his arms across his chest.

Harry laughed, and kissed Hermione's cheek, before approaching the portrait. He hesitated and then took a deep breath.

"Severus," he said, and said man turned slightly, "this really means a lot to me, you know? I... Thank you."

Severus looked at the open and genuine gratitude on the boy's (man's?) face, and curtly nodded.

Hermione had tears in her eyes, and was watching the scene with undisguised happiness, "Go Harry! Before you talk yourself out of it!"

One last hug, and checking his pocket, Harry stomped down the stairs, and a few moments later, they heard the front door slam shut. They stood watching the empty doorway.

"I can't believe Harry's going to propose!"

Severus snorted softly, and Hermione turned, approaching the portrait, "Thank you, Severus," she said softly, tracing her fingers on his painted chest, "he really looks up to you, you know?"

"I fail to understand why," he said tiredly, and ran a hand through his hair, "he has better people to look up to."

"No," she admonished, "ever since he found out about the marauders, and Dumbledore's plans, he was really lost," she looked up into his eyes, "and then he found you... rather, we found you."

"Hermione," he sighed, and moved to sit in an armchair, "if the girl agrees, he will be gone soon."

Hermione nodded slowly, obviously saddened by the prospect, "it was bound to happen."

"And then?"

Hermione shrugged, and Severus' shoulders slumped, "Is Draco coming by soon?"

"He said he would come by for supper, to," here she assumed the best imitation of Draco, "see Potter's crushed self."

Severus chuckled, and Hermione grinned, "I still can't believe how this strange friendship came to be."

Severus rubbed his knuckles on his chin, "I suppose I can understand it."

"How so?"

"Ragged bunch of misfits, the lot of you."

Hermione smiled, "you're right. We all needed some place to go, where it would not matter who we were, or who our friends were."

Severus nodded, and stared at her profile, a small frown creasing her forehead. "Draco has changed remarkably," she whispered, "even though he is a git often, there is something great that has changed."

He just watched her and let her talk.

"For instance, he hasn't called me mudblood," Severus hissed at this, "in ages."

Severus didn't tell her that he had promised Draco untold horrors if the boy ever called her that again, then again, he suspected Hermione knew. She was a smart witch.

Severus also suspected something else, but he kept his mouth shut. Hermione didn't realise, for the most part, that his were not the only eyes that watched her.

"Dana's a nice girl," she said, and Severus had to take a moment to understand whom she was referring to.

"I suppose Potter could have done worse," he admitted, albeit grudgingly, and Hermione laughed.

"Care to share the joke?" A familiar voice drawled from the doorway, and Hermione started.

"Draco!" Hermione said, and took an aborted step towards the blonde, "you're early! We didn't expect you till later."

"Severus, Hermione," Draco nodded to them in turn, and locked his gaze with Severus. Something passed between them, and Hermione looked between one and the other, in apparent confusion.

At length, Draco turned his piercing gaze onto Hermione, who flushed a little under the gaze. Severus was startled at how like his Father, the boy had turned out to be, and yet, so different. In the years between the war and now, he had matured into a fine young man. Severus paused to think; had it been really that long? Four years?

Nearly Five, a voice in his head corrected him.

"The last meeting was cancelled," Draco said in a softer tone, eyes still on Hermione, "and I thought I'd stop by, if that's alright of course?"

"It's fine," Hermione smiled at him, and nodded, "why don't you talk with Severus, and I'll just make some tea. I'll call you when it's ready."

Two heads nodded in response, and Hermione brushed past Draco to go downstairs, closing the door behind her softly.

"How have you been?" Severus gestured for Draco to sit, and did the same himself.

"Fine, I suppose," Draco ran a hand through his hair, showing how tired he truly was, "Mother sends her regards."

Severus snorted, and Draco smirked. Neither said anything for a while. Downstairs, a tea kettle whistled, and Draco raised his eyes to Severus'.

"Still making it the muggle way?"

"Indeed."

Draco shrugged, and then leaned back on her bed, supporting himself with outstretched arms, "I've taken a liking to the infernal stuff."

Severus smirked, and Draco stared out of the window, as if he found the brick wall opposite rather interesting. Severus watched him.

"Tea!"

Draco's reverie was broken by Hermione's voice and he stood, smoothing out his trousers, and made to leave.

"Coming?" he raised an eyebrow, seeing that Severus had made no move to leave.

Severus waved him on, and muttered distractedly, "Later, perhaps."

Draco stared a moment longer and then left, leaving the door open. Severus stared at the bed for a while, listening to the faint sounds of conversation drifting up from the living room. Closing his eyes, he laid his head back, and thought about how everything had changed.

This house, something that had held nothing for him but unpleasant memories, now was a sanctuary for misfits and lost souls. But eventually, he mused, everyone found a place to belong.

He had finally found his.