Author's Note: Here we are. I hope you enjoy as we peek through the curtains and catch a final glimpse of Severus and Hermione. Thank you again and again for reviewing and letting me know that you enjoyed the story; your reviews have made this such a fun experience for me.

Epilogue

Bill Weasley ended up being a true friend rather than a "plots and plans only" friend. Professor Langham lasted through the Christmas Break that year, ensuring the curse was broken. In January, Bill was named as his replacement. He knew that Minerva and Bill had been discussing the position and Severus had agreed with Minerva that Bill was a good fit. So it was no surprise when Minerva announced the appointment at the staff meeting. What was a surprise, however, was that Fleur moved into the castle with him. He obviously knew that Bill was married to Fleur, but he thought they would live in Hogsmeade or a similar arrangement.

"How did that work, exactly?" Severus asked Bill a few evenings later in the staff room. He had been using the staff room significantly more since Hermione left.

"How did what work?"

"How did you convince Minerva to let Fleur move into the castle?"

"I didn't do anything," Bill responded. "Have you ever argued with a Veela? She just told Minerva she was moving in and how she envisioned it working."

Bill and Fleur became instant celebrities at Hogwarts when the students returned. The students loved them and having a married couple made Hogwarts feel much more like home to many of the younger students. Fleur quickly became a mentor to the older female students and her influence was tangible.

Every time Severus saw Fleur he saw a future with Hermione at Hogwarts. Every time he daydreamed about Hermione living in the castle with him, he ended up with the same thought: he couldn't believe the change in his life over his now forty years. Each decade was clear in his mind: Pre-Hogwarts and then Hogwarts, his twenties were marked with the transition from Death Eater to Spy. His thirties were all about the Second War and its aftermath. But this decade would be the Hermione decade and he was so thankful to be alive.

Severus and Hermione's first date was Muggle, on his birthday. Their "Plots and Plans Committee" - as Hermione had dubbed them - had already set up their first date in the Magical world and it wasn't for another week. So they decided Muggle would do just fine. They returned to "their chippy" - as Severus had dubbed it - and sat in a booth side by side facing the door. No one looked at them odd when Severus kissed Hermione outside the front of the shop as he opened the door for her, nor did they find it odd that Hermione paid the bill this time. It was lovely.

Their first date in the Magical World was not as smooth. It was a group date with Bill and Fleur and Harry and Ginny. It was casual and Severus didn't kiss Hermione outside any shop. But the atmosphere chilled in the magical pub as the group sat down. Severus was quite obviously paired with Hermione and the looks they were getting told them that public opinion was not on their side, at least not today in this pub.

"Damn," Ginny said, looking over Severus' shoulder. "There's a group from the Daily Prophet at the bar having drinks. Damn, damn, damn."

"Ginevra!" Severus chastised, making the whole table laugh, except Ginny who flashed him a rude gesture with her hand.

Severus sighed. "I've faced worse, Ginny. We all have. Let's just enjoy our dinner." So they enjoyed their dinner together, laughed and told stories like normal people.

The next morning, the Daily Prophet ran a scandalous article about Severus and Hermione, implying exactly what they knew it would: that Severus had seduced his apprentice while she was at Hogwarts. Severus noted that the article was, perhaps, one of the more factual articles he had read of late.

Minerva was not pleased. "You couldn't have waited a little longer?"

"There's not an expiration date on quality gossip, Minerva. I waited years. I'm not waiting or hiding any more. It'll die down eventually. Or Hermione will be sent to Azkaban for cursing a reporter. Either way, the Prophet will move on."

Severus' predication came true alarmingly quickly. The next morning's Prophet printed a full retraction citing "sources" that the couple were never seen interacting at Hogwarts and other "sources" that cited Hermione's apprenticeship had been tightly controlled by Filius Flitwick and Minerva MacGonagall. The reporter went so far as to wish the couple every happiness.

Severus read the paper after Minerva almost choked on her tea and handed it to him. "Sources? Who? Did you or Filius give an interview?"

"What? Hand that here," Filius said, now sitting directly to Severus' right since Hermione's chair had been taken away. He read the article. "No one asked me anything," he said, handing the paper back to Severus. "But I wish you every happiness, too," the diminutive professor said affectionately.

"I didn't do this. I was planning to write to the Daily Prophet for all the good it would do, but I hadn't done so yet," Minerva added.

Just then more post owls swooped into the Great Hall dropping letters on the student tables and delivering packages. An owl landed on the table in front of Severus. He took the letter and looked at Filius and Minerva. Minerva took her wand and made a movement over the letter. "It's safe." She nodded at him to open it.

Severus read aloud: "Professor Snape. I apologize for any inconvenience our article may have caused. I got a howler from my granddaughter. She informed me that it was 'none of my business who Professor Snape loves'. She then went on to let me know that you are the only reason she is successfully apprenticing at St. Mungo's. You have always been a polarizing, interesting character for our readers, but my granddaughter is my life. All the best, Barnabus Cuffe, Editor-in-Chief, Daily Prophet."

Minerva and Filius looked as shocked as Severus felt. He left the Great Hall and arrived in his quarters to find a glowing notebook, just as he expected. Hermione was in awe when Severus relayed the story.

Hermione became a frequent visitor in the castle. Between Barnabus Cuffe's proclamation in the Daily Prophet coupled with an exclusive breaking story the following week in the Quibbler about Severus, Hermione and the Sequitur Simul, Hermione's presence next to Severus in the Great Hall was never questioned again. The plan to let the public know about the Sequitur Simul was birthed by Hermione the day the negative story broke. She decided to go forward with the plan even after the retraction.

Luna was very pleased to quote herself in the story as an eyewitness. "I've never interviewed myself before. Of course, my regular readers obviously knew what Sequitur Simul was, but I was so pleased to educate other witches and wizards."

At the end of January, Minerva contacted the Floo Regulation Department and instructed Severus' fireplace to be connected to Hermione's fireplace in her room at Grimmauld Place. She was tired of Hermione and Severus using her office like a train station.

The first time Severus woke up in the middle of the night next to Hermione, he startled and woke her up.

"It's me," she said sleepily, drifting back to sleep.

Severus laid his head back on his pillow. Hermione had stepped out of his fireplace that night wearing the blue dress. Severus didn't ask her if she was sure. Hermione never did anything without being sure. When he had fantasized about making love to Hermione the first time, he thought about things like going slowly and her comfort level. He wanted to be a considerate lover. But he was quickly reminded that Hermione also never did anything without researching first. And she was excellent at research. Questions like, "How would you like to be touched?" died on his lips as she grabbed his hand to show him exactly how she liked to be touched. Thoughts of being a loving guide went away in favor of, "Where did you learn to do that?" and "More, Hermione."

He worshipped her body with his mouth and hands and voice. But his voice caught in his throat as he saw the thinnest silver line bisecting her chest, the scar that his potions had helped but could not totally erase. She had received that scar the day he received the Sequitur Simul. She moaned as his tongue followed the scar. That scar was a dogeared page holding the favorite paragraph in a beloved book. A passage underlined and highlighted, memorized. He wanted to be reminded of that day every time he made love to her.

Severus, too, had always been an excellent student and filed away what he learned with every moan and every arch of her back. Hermione's body was a pristine copy of Advanced Potions Making: he itched to brew every recipe and the margins begged to be scribbled on.

Ever since the Ministry Ball, Hermione had been all in and both of them had been letting go of their fears: he was not Ron Weasley, and she was not Lily Evans. He was forever and Hermione had the ability to forgive. He had been patient and allowed her to catch up to his longer strides. He was ready for them to walk in step together.

~oOo~

"Stupefy!" The spell fizzled from Hermione's wand, just as they knew it would.

Severus sent a Petrificus Totalis curse her way, which also fizzled.

Hermione tried a Jelly Legs curse, while Severus tried a Tickling curse. Everything fizzled.

Their friends laughed. They were all at Grimmauld Place and of course it was Draco and Ron that egged the group on to demanding a duel between the two. Everyone was genuinely curious to see what the Sequitur Simul looked like. Severus had rolled his eyes, but was secretly glad to have a chance to curse Hermione. Up until then, it had only been Hermione trying to curse Severus over the years.

Severus sent one more curse at Hermione after she put away her wand. The look she gave him told him that he would pay for that later.

He was looking forward to it.