Disclaimor: All things Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling.
Thank you Corazon for all your help and advice with this story and beta reading it!
Epilogue
Severus and Hermione decided to move into Severus' mansion and out of the dungeons of Hogwarts. Severus thought about his future and made a decision, which Hermione supported as long as he was happy.
"Albus, here is my resignation," Severus placed the parchment on Dumbledore's desk.
Dumbledore nodded, "I was suspecting this. We will miss you here at Hogwarts, you know."
"And I shall miss it myself but this is what is best for me. You know teaching isn't my forte."
Dumbledore grinned, "I suspected that also."
Severus smirked at this. "Please let me know if you need any help though. I know finding a potions master to teach isn't easy. If you need some one to teach the upper level classes I would do that until you can find some one of course." Severus didn't know why he made the offer but he felt he owed so much to Dumbledore, his life was his again and he had Hermione in it.
"I'm sure I can find someone. My name does carry some weight among the elite potion masters. Acquiring one will not be too difficult but they sure won't have your flare," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
Severus snorted. "Good day Albus."
Dumbledore stood up and offered his hand, "I'll talk to you soon Severus."
Severus shook his friend's hand and departed down to the dungeons where Hermione waited with their belongings, all packed and ready to go.
~~~~~
Severus and Hermione got settled into the mansion. It was a two story with many bedrooms and an extraordinary library, which Hermione instantly fell in love with. Severus knew she would and was thrilled she liked his house -- their house. There were dungeons below the mansion that he had turned into some research labs. They weren't as dreary as the ones at Hogwarts but still were menacing to outsiders. Hermione felt right at home, after so much time in Severus' dungeons she had no problem with such places anymore.
The time at the mansion was spent in great fashion for the two lovers. Hermione decided to go to London University of Magic in the fall to study Potions and Charms.
The two discussed when they should marry. Her parents didn't mind her just living with him because of the Amo Animus, but she still wanted to marry, as did he.
"Angel, would you like to get married before you go back to school or wait?" Severus asked one night in the library.
Hermione thought about it and smiled, "I would love to get married before school."
Severus smiled himself, "Would you care to get have the ceremony at Hogwarts and Albus officiate?"
"That would be perfect," Hermione said.
~~~~~
The wedding was magnificent; the Great Hall was decorated in white, gold and silver taking the colors from each of their houses and white for the wedding.
Hermione's friends and family all showed up. She was able to meet her mother's side of the family she had never met before and was thrilled to finally meet them. Harry and Ron were supportive of Hermione. Ginny was the maid of honor while Remus was Severus' best man. The two had become friends of sort through all the training they did with the former students. Hermione made sure Draco was also in attendance. He had brought his date Padma Patil from Ravenclaw and Ron had brought her sister Parvati Patil as his date. Of course Harry and Ginny were there together.
Severus' family didn't show because he didn't want to invite them and Hermione had left this decision up to Severus. She hated the thought she was the reason for him not being able to get along with his family but he reassured her it had been years since they were a 'family'. Hermione decided, when hearing this they would create their own family in time though.
To Hermione's surprise, her dad and Severus got along quite well considering everything. Her dad was still the protective type.
~~~~~
Severus had been offered many positions when companies learned he no longer working at Hogwarts. He accepted one position that would let him work at home and let him do any type of research he pleased as long as the company was able to publish the results, Severus agreed to this. He didn't need the money but he felt better bringing some money into the home, after all, he did have a new wife to support he would tease Hermione.
Hermione graduated from University in the three years with both degrees in Charms and Potions. She still wished to further her education in potions though and claim Master/Mistress title. Severus was glad to help in this department and took her on as his apprentice.
The company he worked for were also glad to pay Hermione with the same details they had Severus under. This left Hermione and Severus able to do what they both loved, researching potions.
Severus' parents came over several years later to check up on him, but he refused to listen to their demands of him divorcing Hermione and settling down with a proper pureblood witch. Hermione was tempted to say she was a pureblood but Severus stopped her, she had no reason to explain herself or defend herself against his parents. Whatever their problems were, were not going to be transferred to him and he clearly told them so before banishing them from Hermione's and his house.
Several years later, after Hermione claimed her title of Potions Mistress, she had a surprise for Severus.
"Lover, come here," she called to him.
Severus looked up from his cauldron to his wife and did as she asked; the potion he was making needed to simmer for 24 hours anyways. "Yes my angel?"
"I have a surprise for you," she smirked.
"Will I enjoy this surprise?"
"Sometimes yes, sometimes no," she teased.
Severus scowled.
"No scowling lover. What have we been trying for?"
A smile crept across Severus' mouth, "You're pregnant?"
Hermione nodded yes.
~~~~~
Severus and Hermione just sent their youngest child off onto the Hogwarts Express train. Kyle would do excellent and Hermione and Severus were clearly thinking he would be in Ravenclaw, while his brother, Fallon, was in Slytherin, and their oldest child Alysia was in Gryffindor. Alysia was in her fifth year, Fallon in his second, and soon to be joined by Kyle in his first.
Hermione and Severus went back to their home and enjoyed silence and opportunity to make love in any room they pleased now that their children were at school.
~~~~~
Expletio
Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and support for this story! I also have to say thank you to those who added constructive criticism, I hope my future stories will show the support and help you have all given me.
The last several chapters may seemed rushed but I hit a writer's block for about 2 weeks doing the last few chapters so I tried to push through it and it wasn't the best results even with it being rewritten several times.
Thank you Corazon for all your help and advice with this story and beta reading it!
Epilogue
Severus and Hermione decided to move into Severus' mansion and out of the dungeons of Hogwarts. Severus thought about his future and made a decision, which Hermione supported as long as he was happy.
"Albus, here is my resignation," Severus placed the parchment on Dumbledore's desk.
Dumbledore nodded, "I was suspecting this. We will miss you here at Hogwarts, you know."
"And I shall miss it myself but this is what is best for me. You know teaching isn't my forte."
Dumbledore grinned, "I suspected that also."
Severus smirked at this. "Please let me know if you need any help though. I know finding a potions master to teach isn't easy. If you need some one to teach the upper level classes I would do that until you can find some one of course." Severus didn't know why he made the offer but he felt he owed so much to Dumbledore, his life was his again and he had Hermione in it.
"I'm sure I can find someone. My name does carry some weight among the elite potion masters. Acquiring one will not be too difficult but they sure won't have your flare," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
Severus snorted. "Good day Albus."
Dumbledore stood up and offered his hand, "I'll talk to you soon Severus."
Severus shook his friend's hand and departed down to the dungeons where Hermione waited with their belongings, all packed and ready to go.
~~~~~
Severus and Hermione got settled into the mansion. It was a two story with many bedrooms and an extraordinary library, which Hermione instantly fell in love with. Severus knew she would and was thrilled she liked his house -- their house. There were dungeons below the mansion that he had turned into some research labs. They weren't as dreary as the ones at Hogwarts but still were menacing to outsiders. Hermione felt right at home, after so much time in Severus' dungeons she had no problem with such places anymore.
The time at the mansion was spent in great fashion for the two lovers. Hermione decided to go to London University of Magic in the fall to study Potions and Charms.
The two discussed when they should marry. Her parents didn't mind her just living with him because of the Amo Animus, but she still wanted to marry, as did he.
"Angel, would you like to get married before you go back to school or wait?" Severus asked one night in the library.
Hermione thought about it and smiled, "I would love to get married before school."
Severus smiled himself, "Would you care to get have the ceremony at Hogwarts and Albus officiate?"
"That would be perfect," Hermione said.
~~~~~
The wedding was magnificent; the Great Hall was decorated in white, gold and silver taking the colors from each of their houses and white for the wedding.
Hermione's friends and family all showed up. She was able to meet her mother's side of the family she had never met before and was thrilled to finally meet them. Harry and Ron were supportive of Hermione. Ginny was the maid of honor while Remus was Severus' best man. The two had become friends of sort through all the training they did with the former students. Hermione made sure Draco was also in attendance. He had brought his date Padma Patil from Ravenclaw and Ron had brought her sister Parvati Patil as his date. Of course Harry and Ginny were there together.
Severus' family didn't show because he didn't want to invite them and Hermione had left this decision up to Severus. She hated the thought she was the reason for him not being able to get along with his family but he reassured her it had been years since they were a 'family'. Hermione decided, when hearing this they would create their own family in time though.
To Hermione's surprise, her dad and Severus got along quite well considering everything. Her dad was still the protective type.
~~~~~
Severus had been offered many positions when companies learned he no longer working at Hogwarts. He accepted one position that would let him work at home and let him do any type of research he pleased as long as the company was able to publish the results, Severus agreed to this. He didn't need the money but he felt better bringing some money into the home, after all, he did have a new wife to support he would tease Hermione.
Hermione graduated from University in the three years with both degrees in Charms and Potions. She still wished to further her education in potions though and claim Master/Mistress title. Severus was glad to help in this department and took her on as his apprentice.
The company he worked for were also glad to pay Hermione with the same details they had Severus under. This left Hermione and Severus able to do what they both loved, researching potions.
Severus' parents came over several years later to check up on him, but he refused to listen to their demands of him divorcing Hermione and settling down with a proper pureblood witch. Hermione was tempted to say she was a pureblood but Severus stopped her, she had no reason to explain herself or defend herself against his parents. Whatever their problems were, were not going to be transferred to him and he clearly told them so before banishing them from Hermione's and his house.
Several years later, after Hermione claimed her title of Potions Mistress, she had a surprise for Severus.
"Lover, come here," she called to him.
Severus looked up from his cauldron to his wife and did as she asked; the potion he was making needed to simmer for 24 hours anyways. "Yes my angel?"
"I have a surprise for you," she smirked.
"Will I enjoy this surprise?"
"Sometimes yes, sometimes no," she teased.
Severus scowled.
"No scowling lover. What have we been trying for?"
A smile crept across Severus' mouth, "You're pregnant?"
Hermione nodded yes.
~~~~~
Severus and Hermione just sent their youngest child off onto the Hogwarts Express train. Kyle would do excellent and Hermione and Severus were clearly thinking he would be in Ravenclaw, while his brother, Fallon, was in Slytherin, and their oldest child Alysia was in Gryffindor. Alysia was in her fifth year, Fallon in his second, and soon to be joined by Kyle in his first.
Hermione and Severus went back to their home and enjoyed silence and opportunity to make love in any room they pleased now that their children were at school.
~~~~~
Expletio
Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and support for this story! I also have to say thank you to those who added constructive criticism, I hope my future stories will show the support and help you have all given me.
The last several chapters may seemed rushed but I hit a writer's block for about 2 weeks doing the last few chapters so I tried to push through it and it wasn't the best results even with it being rewritten several times.