Beauty and the Beast

AN: I am sooooo sorry that it has taken so long to update my stories! I got caught up over the summer and my last year of high school is upon me does a happy dance Enjoy! R&R! And remember that Raven never abandons a good story!

Chapter Five

There was a period of silence after Hermione's declaration and Hermione felt the balloon in her chest start to leak its buoyant load. What if Severus changed his mind? What if he didn't really love her? What if, what if, what if? But her thoughts were cut short by muffled paw steps as Severus strode forward and wrapped his long, strong arms around Hermione's shoulders.

"I love you too, Hermione." Hermione sighed and leaned into the Beast's embrace, sighing as his wonderful scent wrapped around her senses. Her arms lifted themselves from her sides, and she wrapped them around Severus. Hermione wondered at how easily she slipped into calling him Severus. By his name, which would soon be her name-her heart fluttered and her breath caught.

Severus pulled gently back from the embrace, his long snout pressed gently into her cheek, his eyes focus on hers. Hermione stared back at him intently, and was astonished to see his eyes were no longer a stark yellow, but a deep onyx black that was so dark that his eyes almost vanished into his black fur. He was becoming human again, right before her eyes.

His snout receded into his face as his hair vanished from most of his body. His clawed paws narrowed in long, spidery fingers. His shoulders narrowed, in fact his whole body was shirking, his clothes-luckily- shrank with him. Soon, a human and barefoot Severus Snape stood in front of Hermione, his hands still resting on Hermione's shoulders. Hermione moved her arms from around Severus, reaching a hand out to trace the details of his face: the strong bridge of his nose, the sharpness of his cheekbones, and the thin line of his lips.

Severus' fingers drew small circles in Hermione's shoulders. He leaned down to press his face into Hermione's soft hair. He could finally touch her without fear of disgust or recoil. It was magnificent for him to be able to feel the smoothness of her skin, the warmth of her flesh. He mumbled into her hair.

"What was that, Severus?" Hermione turned her face towards him, so that her nose brushed his neck. His skin was delightfully cool and smooth.

"I said, thank you, Hermione." Hermione smiled, although she was slightly puzzled.

"For what?" Severus kissed her neck and Hermione hummed at the sensation.

"For setting me free, and for loving me, and for letting me love you in return." Severus pulled away from Hermione's hair and Hermione stared into his onyx eyes. She brought a hand up to his cheek.

"You don't need to thank me, if anything, I should be thanking you. For being so patient with me, for loving me, and for letting me love you in return." She smiled, and tilted her chin up in invitation for a first kiss, and Severus could not decline.

The End

AN: Yes, this is finally the end. Very short, I know, but I didn't know what else to do. Any suggestions for a sequel or extension of this story should be included in reviews. Thanks, raven