Hermione had enjoyed their reunion very much. The texture of his hands on her skin. The scent of him invading her nose. It was this magic that just worked. She had stayed over despite Monday being a workday. The witch could afford to be a little late, she had always gone in early, but she'd make an exception.

She was stretched out on the sheets stroking Bast as her partner was missing. Where was Severus? Glancing around, she noted the lovely letter on his pillow.

Hermione,

You looked far too lovely to disturb. I went out to get you something to mark such an occasion. Don't climb from bed until you're ready, and I have tea in the kitchen for you.

Always,

Severus.

She smirked at the feline who purred and ran against the witch's hands. "He is quite exceptional, you know?"

Bast meowed and wandered over his side of the bed. Hermione sighed as she tucked back in and enjoyed the slow rise and acceptance to the whole evening. Was he going to say yes? Oh, Merlin, she hoped. Nothing really mattered to her but the contentment and companionship he offered. Anything else was a bonus.

Bast tilted her head, and the door had sounded. She leaped off the bed and stared back at Hermione with a flick of her ears. Severus must be back. The witch slid from the mattress and collected the black robe from the post before sliding it onto her form.

The incredible feeling of contentment overwhelmed her. She had never felt so comfortable with someone in her life. They didn't just shag, though that was an excellent additive. They spoke between heated sessions and confessed secrets. He honestly had her heart, body, and mind to his full use.

Hermione had just stepped off the last stair when she noticed Bast hissing in the corner of the sitting room. Her wand, it was up in Severus's room. Stepping with a stealthy crouch, she attempted to go retrieve it.

Her face paled as the figure stepped from the kitchen. Dolohov. What was he doing here?

"Now, witch, what are you doing here?" He asked with a smirk as his wand was in one hand and a teacup in the other.

Could she outrun his spell?

"I wouldn't if I were you," he raised his wand as his cup slid to the floor. "I'm still the best at acute curses."

Hermione chewed her lips as she stepped into the room with her hands up. "I'm unarmed," she stated.

He smirked and paced over to her. "I can see that, love. Why don't you shimmy out of those robes for me? It had been a long time since I'd seen a supple pair."

Hermione clenched her jaw and stood her ground.

Dolohov reached out to touch her, and she moved to strike his hand away. Antonin grinned as he gripped her arm only to note the scar. "I know you. That little mudblood girl Potter had. You gave me this," he growled and gestured to the scar on his chin with the wand. "Are you shagging ole Severus Snape now? He must have a soft spot for mudblood lions."

"Unhand me," she spat and yanked at her arm. "It's none of your business."

He arched his eyebrow and pointed the wand at her. "Take off your robes, girl. I want Severus to see the crime he committed while servicing both you and Potter."

Dolohov had that glint in his eye. Hermione could identify it well. She yanked her arm from him and threw the cloth on the floor with a glare.

"Now that's more like it. Severus must fuck you well enough. Give me a little tease enough before I find a place to put my cock that he hasn't touched."

Hermione was plotting at a rapid rate. If she took his wand, she might be able to race off to get hers. Odds were against her—stacked odds with the fleeting panic of what he had planned when Severus arrived.

The witch brushed her hair back from her bare shoulders.

"On your knees, girl. If you bite me, I'll kill you before you can take it off. Understood?"

Hermione nodded with tight lips. As long as she was alive, Severus was in danger, but if she died, he would surely be killed in his despair. No, she just had to buy some time.

Taking a page from her partner's book, she smirked and walked toward Dolohov. "Don't you want to see what I can do? It would be a shame if you didn't give me the opportunity."

He arched his eyebrow and watched the young witch press her fingers to his chest. "Which is?"

Hermione coaxed him back into the kitchen with a marvelous grin. "It's a secret, but it will make you wish you thought of this sooner."

He was against the counter as she pressed against him and reached down to grasp his bulge. Thankfully she didn't have to do much else. Hermione heard Bast yowl through his moan, and the door creaked. The witch kneeled and acted as if she was going to comply with his wishes. Antonin groaned and gripped her hair before noticing Severus standing in the sitting room.

Hermione yanked roughly, but he pulled her hair, causing the witch to slide to his feet.

"Good morning, Severus. It seems I found your slag," Dolohov smirked as his wand was aimed at her.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Severus asked without breaking the glare he was giving Antonin.

"Yes," Hermione huffed.

"You see, Severus, we know much about each other. I know you love swotty bitches who sing like songbirds. But, you Snape, you knew a few my contacts. You knew how to find me, where to reach me, and what my agendas were in Russia. You were the only wizard alive, who I wasn't in contact with, that knew about my safehouse, and that is where Potter found us."

"Your quarrel is with me, not her. Let the witch go. She was just coming over for a shag and was leaving."

Antonin tutted and yanked the witch's hair. "If it was just for a shag, then maybe you should let me do so. Unless she has sentimental value?"

Severus was calm and relaxed as he gripped his wand. "Let her go."

"Oh, sentimental?" Dolohov chuckled and yanked the witch to her feet. "Do you remember what Fenir called this little bitch?"

Severus's eyes darted around him as Hermione struggled away from Antonin's free hand, attempting to grope her. Bast had snuck on the counter close to Dolohov. Severus retained his attention by snorting. "Do what you will with her then."

Hermione howled as she pulled in his grip. "Let go of me!"

Antonin smirked and turned in the slightest to press the witch's wrist to the counter. The kneazle was behind Dolohov and launched for his shoulder, scratch at his eyes. "Blasted beast!" He hollered while struggling with the feline.

Hermione sprinted from the room and hid behind Severus as he flicked his wand, causing the felon to scream. Blood was dripping down his torso as he fell to the floor writhing.

"Don't kill him," Hermione gasped.

"He touched you, he deserves such," Severus mused with a sneer as the man was coughing up blood.

"He deserves to rot in Azkaban with a dementor's kiss awaiting him," Hermione urged while touching his arm, hopefully coaxing the angered wizard.

Severus flicked his wand and exhaled as the bleeding stopped. Dolohov was gasping, but he wasn't given time to recover as Snape cursed him with tight bindings. Hermione gripped his arm, and he shifted, his eyes lost their fire, and he lost his breath before kissing her face.

"My brilliant witch," he sighed while his hands caressed her cheeks.

Hermione fought a bit against his grasp as he kissed her with urgency. "Sev, we," she paused as his lips touched hers. "We have to," again. "Tell Kingsley," Hermione finished.

"I know," he breathed and pressed his forehead to hers. "I'm so sorry. I had not considered placing up ample protection while you were alone."

"I'm fine," Hermione reassured him as she touched his cheek.

Severus pulled away just enough to point to the staircase. "You get dressed. I'll contact our Minister."

Hermione took his fingers to her lips before waving and bouncing out of view.

"Aren't you two insufferably emotional," Dolohov squeezed out as he returned to consciousness.

Severus snapped his vision toward the imprisoned man. "Did Lucius send you here?"

Dolohov smiled before grimacing at the bindings. "It would be a scandal, wouldn't it? However, he didn't tell me you were fucking some mudblood. Things never change."

Severus's fingers twitched in his wand as he flicked it. "Minister, I have your fugitive at my residence. Please send for immediate assistance."

The decent-sized bird stretched its wings and flew off from the house with a cry. It was different for Severus to see the change, and had pondered over the alteration for the last month. Hermione reappeared in clothing and huffed while stroking Bast in her arms.

"Are we expecting more company?" Hermione questioned.

Severus arched his eyebrow before glancing at the man on the floor. "Are we?"

Antonin smirked and sighed. "I wouldn't be me without help, Snape. Whispers of my capture will certainly bring out the devils."

"Well," Hermione sighed as she wrapped her arm around the Potion Master's waist. "I suppose we'll have to prepare."

"Yes, it wouldn't be ideal for you to go home."

Hermione was staring at her reflection in the mirror after she was clean. The long blue scar on her abdomen made her cringe as memories of the morning rang in her head. Ghosts of the past seemed to rise when life found balance.

"Scars aren't relevant to worth," Severus's voice interrupted her self-inflicted torture.

Hermione's eyes met him in the mirror as he rounded her view. "I know."

He smirked and stroked her shoulder with elegant fingers. "You aren't startling as easily."

"I'm used to sneaking up on me now," she smiled.

His hand roamed down her body, and her vision focused on the pale digits tracing her curves and scars. When he reached Dolohov's curse signature, he frowned. "This must have taken some time to heal."

"It did," she glanced away from the mirror.

"What is it?"

Hermione sucked on her lower lip before meeting his gaze again. "Some scars leave permanent damage, Sev. Not just emotionally but physically too."

He scowled and ran a thumb along the line above her left hip and down above her center. "Organs?"

Hermione bobbed her head. "That contributed to my issues with being normal. I had to take several potions daily after the incident. Pomphrey didn't promise a full recovery, and I didn't."

His brow creased as he could see the inner torment. "What was the diagnosis?"

"Hippocrates told me if I were going to try, it would have to be soon. That's why Ginny had been pressing so hard," Hermione whispered and tore her eyes from the mirror. "It doesn't matter."

"Is it something that will make you happy?" He questioned.

Hermione shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

"It does to me," Severus whispered as his hand traveled back up her body. "Your happiness matters to me more than my discomfort."

The tears that left her eyes glittered in the lower light of his bedroom. "We shouldn't talk about this. It's better if we don't. I can't afford to lose you again."

His fingers reached her neck and tilted her face back toward the mirror. Severus's eyes were softer than Hermione had ever seen them before. Their gaze was hypnotizing as his free hand ran along her hip. "Hermione, if it means so much to you, after today, I know that I would do anything you need to keep you. You are the captivator of my wounded heart. You've healed wounds I never knew existed. When you are ready, all you will need to do is request it, and I will be at your mercy."

"Why?" She breathed.

His lips quirked to a one-sided smile. "You only asked for my heart. Nevermore, never less. I was never required to save you or be yours to save. There was no prerequisite to our friendship, and you are truly my equivalent in mind and intelligence. I gave many things away over the years to repent, but my heart. It was one thing I denied anyone to keep. You've coaxed it from my chest, and it is completely yours."

She turned in his grip as tears splattered her pert chest. "Truly? Severus, I," she couldn't finish.

He bent to Hermione, and his mouth found hers. It was this soft textured kiss that held so much more than just his words. This was the announcement of all declarations he would make in the future. It was the relief of her safety. There were hints of longing and hope all within seconds of a powerful kiss that held no dominance. His action was explicit, she was forever his equal and kept his heart in completion.

"I love you," he whispered when they parted, and he remained only inches from her.

"I truly love you, Severus Snape," Hermione breathed and smiled.

His hand cupped her cheek in an affection manner. "If you give me the benefit of not having the knowledge of this subject, you will need to assist me. I'm willing to learn the language of your heart if you instruct me. I never planned on loving another soul alive, but then again, I had not planned on being pulled from my former time."

She gripped his face and laughed. "Well, firstly, we will need to agree about what to eat for dinner tonight."

He snorted and arched an eyebrow in feigned annoyance. "You are quite the silly witch."

Crookshanks wandered into the room and meowed as Bast followed him. "I'm sorry, you're going to have to learn to live together for a bit, Crooks," Hermione sighed as she bent down to pet him.

Severus tilted his head and hummed. "I think we have company."

Hermione snapped up and paled. "What kind?"

"Harry is here," Severus smiled and touched her shoulder. "We'll be having a drink. Come join us when you're ready."

Hermione clapped and rushed to the wardrobe, yanking out clothing. Severus admired her a moment and left with a swell of warmth in his chest. Did it take him eons to learn how to love someone? The fear of death always brought back moments of regret, but this one he wouldn't. Hermione was the best thing he would ever agree to in his life. He would be sure to keep her safe and happy for as long as he was alive.