Chapter 7 – Invincible

As the school year drew on, Hermione was relieved to find that having Severus beside her at night was extremely effective in keeping the nightmares and the pain at bay. She wished she could say the same about him, but he would still wake up once or twice every night without fail, always covered in cold sweat and gasping desperately. She didn't mind that he usually woke her up as well – it felt bittersweet to be the one to soothe him and lull him back to sleep. She swore silently to always be there for him, for he was no longer alone. And neither was she.

The other teachers noticed that the usually mercurial professor had begun to relax more and more, and as the exams got nearer, he even deigned to make a few jokes which missed the usual sting of acidic sarcasm about them. Hermione overheard McGonagall speaking to Madam Pomfrey once, as they walked a little ahead of her after lunch. The Headmistress said with wonder in her voice, "Severus seems much improved from what he used to be. I wonder what has happened to mellow him."

"I suppose it's natural, Minerva, he's not risking his neck on daily basis now, and can relax and take some of those thick shields down."

"I believe you are quite right, Poppy." Yet McGonagall didn't sound entirely convinced with that explanation. Just then, however, a nearby clock chimed the hour and the Headmistress exclaimed, "Oh, my, look at the time! I need to hurry up, or I'll be late for my class. Really, I can barely manage to find the time for all the paperwork I have to take care of, what with teaching all years, and that's without overlooking detentions... I hope I can find someone adequate enough to take on Transfiguration next year, I really do."

The approaching exams meant Hermione was extremely busy during the day, and thus sufficiently occupied not to miss being with Severus until late in the evening quite as much as at the beginning of their relationship, when she had often daydreamed wistfully during classes, only barely avoiding her absent-mindedness being noticed by teachers and students alike. Still, the highlight of her day continued to be the moments spent in the Potions Master's arms, or reading beside him on the sofa, one of his arms tightly draped over her shoulders as he occupied himself in a similar manner. He had connected his fireplace to the one in the Gryffindor common room, so that Hermione could go to him every night without the fear of being caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris while roaming the corridors way past curfew. Since the students didn't have access to Floo powder and to their knowledge the Gryffindor fireplace was not connected to the Floo network, it was reasonably safe, although Severus had grumbled at first when Hermione suggested it. However, he simply didn't seem to be able to refuse her anything.

The girl tried not to think about the future, taking everything one day at a time instead, but she couldn't entirely avoid occasionally worrying about what would happen with the two of them once she was no longer living in Hogwarts, and he had returned to his position of a teacher there. She hoped they would be able to come up with a solution when the time came.

At one of the occasional meetings with Harry in Hogsmeade, he unexpectedly stared at her for a few seconds, as if only just realising something important, then said, "You know, 'Mione, you look so much better now than at the beginning of the school year. It must be all that studying," he grinned at her with amusement.

"Thanks, Harry. I feel much better. I... seem to have finally come to terms with everything."

"Great." He paused, then carefully tested the waters, "Maybe you can think about getting back together with Ron then?"

Hermione noticed the badly-hidden hope in his voice, and rolled her eyes.

"Harry, you know me and Ron just doesn't work. We don't have common interests and believe it or not, I didn't break up with him because of how I felt about everything after the war. It was a factor, yes, but I became aware we simply didn't fit together, and that was the main reason."

"Is there anyone else, then?" Harry looked at her with interest. Hermione thought for a moment of lying to him, but decided against it. He deserved to know at least part of the truth. So she smiled.

"Yes. But don't think you are going to wheedle his name out, because I'm not telling you anything else about him just yet."

"But why, 'Mione?" The disappointment in his voice was very obvious.

"Because..." she had to improvise quickly, " we are not entirely sure where it's going, right now. I'll tell you more when everything's more certain." It wasn't a lie, after all, Hermione thought. Just a slight distortion of the truth.

"Okay, but I'll hold you to that promise," he frowned for a while but at seeing Ginny walk through the door of The Three Broomsticks, his face lit up and he waved at her enthusiastically. As soon as she was seated next to him – wrapped around him was the more precise description, Hermione thought with a hint of Severus-like sarcasm – Harry forgot all about his friend and she decided it was time for her to quietly and tactfully make her way out.

The exams finally came, and went, and on the evening after the last of them – Potions, ironically enough – Hermione sat cuddled with Severus on the sofa, just enjoying the rest and the fact there were no more exams to worry about. Suddenly, the Potions Master moved his arm from her shoulders, untangled the fingers of his other hand from hers and knelt down before her, taking a small box out of his pocket. He looked rather nervous, which was quite a sight, part of Hermione's brain thought, while the rest of it thrummed with anxious curiosity.

"Hermione Jean Granger, would you do me the honour of marrying me?"

She was speechless. It was sudden, and she wasn't sure what to say. Her heart shouted loudly "Yes," but her brain unhelpfully reminded her he hadn't told her he loved her yet, even if she could feel his affection every time he touched her, or looked at her with uncharacteristic tenderness.

As the look in his eyes slowly became one of grim dejection, though, she knew what the right thing to do was.

"Yes, Severus Tobias Snape, I will gladly marry you." And she smiled softly at him. At that his eyes lit up in a way she had never seen before. He took the exquisite ring out of the box and slid it gently on her finger. When he sat back beside her and held her in his arms, he whispered softly, "Thank you..."

Hermione gave him a few minutes' reprieve, then she said mischievously, "You do realise we'll have to tell Harry and Ron about it, don't you?"

He growled. "Am I never going to be rid of that-" here she shot him a warning look and he grudgingly finished with "boy" - obviously not his original word choice, if his dark scowl was any indication.

"Harry is my friend, Severus, and so is Ron... well... at least I hope he still is... You have to accept that I interact with them occasionally. And you know after Harry saw your memories his opinion of you has changed a lot," although whether that would be enough for him not to explode at the news, Hermione didn't dare predict.

"What? You are marrying him?!" Harry's incredulous look quickly transformed into full-blown indignation. "You... You can't! He's old enough to be your father, for Merlin's sake! And what about Ron?" Obviously Harry's opinion hadn't changed that much then.

She sighed. "Right, let's start from the last one, Harry. What about Ron?"

"Well, I... I hoped you would eventually get back together... I mean, seriously, Hermione! Snape? He's an ugly git!"

"Be careful what you say, Harry, as that 'ugly git' happens to be my fiancé," she warned him with deceptively calm voice.

He huffed in frustration. "Oh, fine! Do whatever you like! But it doesn't mean I like it!"

"Of course not, Harry. Although I admit I was under the impression that you thought Snape was 'probably the bravest man you ever knew'."

"That was before you announced you were going to marry him," he scowled darkly.

Severus, who had acquiesced to Hermione's request for some time on her own with Harry, chose that moment to enter The Three Broomsticks and Harry glowered at him as he approached them.

"I see you've told Mr. Potter the news?" the Potions Master drawled, raising an eyebrow in a challenge to Harry.

"Yes, she did. And I don't approve of it at all!" the messy-haired young man muttered defiantly.

"For your information, Potter, I couldn't care less," Severus sent him a cold, disdainful look and sat beside Hermione, possessively wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Harry scowled even more.

"How do I know you'll make her happy? Do you even love her?"

Here Hermione held her breath. Severus scowled back at the young man, but after a few moments of grim silence drawled grudgingly, "Not that it is any of your business, Potter, but yes, I do love her. And she loves me," here he looked at the girl, the question in his eyes visible only to her. She nodded and smiled at him softly. Not the most romantic way of saying it for the first time, but it didn't matter.

"Yes, Harry. We love each other, and I really don't know why I am still sitting here arguing with you. We have a lot to do," she put her hand on Severus' thigh, and he looked at her gently.

"Fine. Congratulations," Harry muttered reluctantly, then as he stood up, he added, "Oh, by the way, don't bother giving Ginny a separate invitation to the wedding, she'll be with me."

"Who says you are invited, Potter?" Severus drawled silkily, and winced almost imperceptibly as Hermione kicked his leg hard under the table.

"I'm glad you'll come, Harry. And, about Ginny, you should consider popping the question to her yourself, you know," she quipped, grinning mischievously.

Severus sneered with satisfaction at the slightly worried expression on the young man's face.

"You should listen to her, Potter, she was always the only one with brains in your 'Golden Trio'."

"Snape, you do realise that if I tell you you'll always be a nasty old bastard you can't threaten me with detention or taking points off Gryffindor anymore, don't you?" Harry said smoothly and grinned, then moved to leave, throwing over his shoulder, "See you at the wedding, 'Mione. You deserve that I let you break the news to Ron yourself, but I'll take pity on you."

Hermione looked alarmed. "Actually, Harry, I'm seeing him tomorrow. Don't tell him anything if you talk to him, please."

Harry shrugged. "Fine. Better you than me, but you know he'll take it bad."

Hermione sighed. "Yes, I know. Anyway, see you at the wedding."

"Well, that went... well, I think..." Hermione muttered as they made her way out of the pub.

Severus nodded. "He'll come round. Now, as you said, we have a lot to do. Not least of all breaking the news to Hogwarts' honourable teaching body."

Their announcement found few teachers react more favourably to it than Harry, even if they politely tried not to look shocked, and failed. Trelawney was hazily surprised, Flitwick looked reprovingly up at them from his diminutive height, Sprout looked scandalized, Binns - vaguely concerned, Hooch was rather astonished, Vector threw them a doubtful glance, Greenleaf, the current Potions Mistress, looked nauseated, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies teachers exchanged curious glances, Sinistra looked intrigued, and even the Headmistress appeared to be slightly uneasy. Only Madam Pomfrey smiled at them kindly, and somewhat knowingly.

The couple stood close to each other, Severus' arm wrapped protectively over Hermione's shoulders, hers draped across his waist, as they listened equally politely to the teachers' concerns about their age difference and the fact that she used to be his student, then the Potions Master drawled, "If you are quite finished with the admonitions, you are all invited to the wedding. If you have any objections to our relationship, do not trouble yourselves with attending."

Hermione smiled at his bluntness. "We hope to see all of you at our special day. After all, we fought together in the war against Voldemort," here almost everyone flinched, "so wouldn't it be wonderful if we can unite again for a much happier occasion - one inspired by love and hope?"

The nods of agreement slowly, if still slightly reluctantly, spread among the teachers and the Headmistress stepped forward.

"On behalf of all my colleagues I wish you a lot of happiness – Merlin knows you have both more than deserved it! - and we will all be honoured to attend your wedding." She meaningfully swept her gaze over her colleagues.

Everyone clapped, some more reluctantly than others.

"WHAT?" Ron roared furiously. "YOU LEFT ME FOR THAT... THAT... FUCKING OLD BASTARD? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR BLOODY MIND?"

Hermione groaned and pressed her hand on Severus' arm to stop him from lifting his wand, and looking at his eyes shook her head, silently begging him to be patient. It was worse than she had hoped. "First of all, Ronald, that 'fucking old bastard' happens to be the man without whom we would have never defeated Voldemort and if you don't stop shouting and offending him, I swear I'll never speak to you again. And I might just hex you in addition to that. Second, you know as well as I do, that me and you just did not work. I love you, Ron," she felt Severus' arm tense under her hand, but went on, "but I've always loved you as a friend. I think we both mistook that for something more, but it wasn't. Believe me."

"And it is for you and the greasy git?"

Here Severus drawled, "Mr. Weasley, you and Mr. Potter show amazingly limited vocabulary. If you are going to try to offend me, at least have the intelligence to find insults neither of you has already overused rather pathetically."

Ron spluttered indignantly. "I'm not calling you anything, because I'm leaving! Hermione, I can't believe you've fallen for him, but in the future, keep me out of it. Actually, keep me out of your life!" With that he flung his chair back violently and stormed out of The Three Broomsticks, the staff of which had already been giving Hermione and Severus alarmed looks after the lively conversation from the day before. At that point the looks rather quickly transformed into something that suspiciously resembled hostility.

"I would suggest we leave as well, my dear," Severus said silkily and the girl silently slid her hand in his and followed him out.

"Well, that went splendidly, I thought," she said desolately as they were walking back to Hogwarts. The Potions Master stopped and drew her close, then kissed her rather thoroughly. By the time they separated, both of them were breathing heavily, and Hermione's mood had improved somewhat. She was almost certain Ron would come to his senses at some point anyway. He always did.

Severus interrupted her thoughts by tugging her hand gently. "I believe, my dear, that a hot bath would be exceedingly useful in taking your mind off Mr. Weasley's stupidity. Let's get back to my rooms."

"Thanks, Severus, you were right, I do feel much better," Hermione whispered, as she lay in the bath tub with his arms safely wrapped around her, then she twisted to give him a loving look. "When you hold me like that, I feel invincible, as if nothing and no one can hurt me anymore."

He only smiled at her – a proper, genuine, happy smile which still took her breath away every time she saw it – and kissed her passionately.

A/N. No.1: Like it or not, please let me know - it takes less than a minute to review and feedback is very important to me. Also - would anyone like me to write an epilogue set around a year later to see how our two characters are doing? If more than five people get back to me with a positive answer, I will write it, otherwise I shall leave the story as it is. Hope all who followed it have enjoyed it to the end :)

A/N. No.2: Big thanks to everyone who has reviewed for the great feedback, and be reassured that an epilogue will follow. I can't say when, since I'm currently working on editing my original novel and getting it ready for the Big Agent Search, but I promise I will write it. Just bear with me, please.