AN: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my story and a special thanks to snarkyroxy for her beating :)

7. The Final Battle

The fight broke out the next day while they were calling the names of graduates. Both sides were ready and the battle began.

The Death Eaters were using killing curses while the side of the Light tried, at least in the beginning, to use milder hexes and curses.

When students started seeing their friends fall victim to the Unforgivables however, they lost any remorse they may have previously felt in killing their adversaries.

Severus was trying to locate Hermione, Weasley and Potter, while also trying to defend himself and help the Order without blatantly announcing his loyalties to the Death Eaters all around him.

He finally spotted the "Golden Trio" on the other side of the battlefield. They were rapidly approaching the Dark Lord. He made for Hermione's side; he would make sure she was not hit by any nasty spell.

Lucius, who was fighting valiantly with the Death Eaters, noticed that Severus was trying to reach the Mudblood, and also made towards the young trio.

Hermione, Ron and Harry finally found themselves in front of Voldemort.

He looked at them venomously and hissed, 'Finally we meet again, Potter. This time I will end the job that I started many years ago.'

Harry looked at him with absolute loathing. 'You will die at my hands, Tom Riddle. You will now pay for all the suffering you caused me, my loved ones and the rest of the world.'

Hermione and Ron stood back-to-back with Harry, determined to protect him from any attack by the Death Eaters.

The battle was raging, Harry and Voldemort were duelling but for a long time neither of them managed to overcome the other. Finally, Fawkes reached Harry and then managed to distract his opponent. Harry aimed his wand at Voldemort and said clearly, 'Avada Kedavra.'

The Dark Lord was no more.

All the combatants stopped their fighting and the Death Eaters, without their leader, scattered and Apparated away. The Aurors followed them.

Lucius did not Apparate and, reaching the place where Hermione was, turned his head to Severus. With a mad grin on his face, he spat, 'Watch your Mudblood die! Avada Kedavra!'

Severus didn't recall hearing the spell, or seeing the flash of green light. All he was aware of was throwing himself bodily in front of Hermione. The crowd watched, horrified, at the scene unfolding before their eyes.

Severus fell hard to the ground and before Lucius could cast another spell he was captured and taken away.

Hermione knelt near Severus' still body and reached out to touch his face with a trembling hand. 'Severus... Severus, please wake up.'

When he didn't respond she grabbed his shoulders and shook him, crying for him to open his eyes until she was screaming.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her own, and looked down to see him watching her. 'Why are you screaming Hermione, I can hear you perfectly well.'

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. 'Severus.' She hugged and kissed him, the people watching the scene either amused or shocked. Nobody could believe that he had really protected Hermione Granger from a killing curse and survived himself.

Albus walked up to them, smiling, and suggested taking Severus to the infirmary to make sure everything was all right.

Madam Pomfrey ordered for him a day of rest in the infirmary; she wanted to keep him under observation and forbade any visitors.

Hermione and the rest of the winning side proceeded to the Great Hall for the arduous task of counting the dead. Everybody had lost at least a friend or a relative and there was much grief and sorrow, despite their victory. The Weasleys had lost Percy, who had fought valiantly with his family.

Neville had survived but he had lost Luna; they had been together for a year and he was heartbroken.

Ginny had lost Dean Thomas and was being comforted by Ron and Harry.

…the spell is lifted…

Albus spotted Hermione sitting alone and approached her. 'Miss Granger, may I have a word with you?'

She nodded.

Albus sighed. 'I know that today we have lost many but we have also freed the world from this evil. I must now admit that I found a cure to break the spell between you and Severus, but I did not tell either of you.'

Hermione stared at him in shock and he went on. 'I know that I was wrong in meddling with yours and Severus' lives. I apologise for the delay with which I administered the cure. Hermione, you are free. You deserve to have a choice. I will tell Severus as well. Go and live Hermione. You are young and I hope sooner or later you will forgive me.'

Hermione stood up from the bench and ran. She packed her belongings and after leaving the castle she Apparated away.

Albus saw her disappearing and proceeded to break the news to Severus. He was surprised, when after telling him the story, the Potion Professor did not utter a single word.

After a while he just said, 'Thank you, Albus, for freeing Miss Granger. As for myself, I resign.'

Albus tried to apologise and to convince Severus to stay but he did not succeed and sadly, saw the man he loved like a son Apparate away from Hogwarts and his life.

Hermione was at home. She had read in the Daily Prophet that the magical world had been celebrating the victory for a whole week.

She had written to her friends, telling them not to worry about her, she was home to spend a bit of time with her family.

During the week she thought about Severus, the spell and the Headmaster's meddling. She had been informed that Severus had resigned and disappeared.

Nobody knew where he was but she suspected that she could find him… the question was whether she wanted to.

She weighed her options and finally, she arrived at the conclusion that she did love Severus Snape. He was a bit annoying at times, petty in his little jealousies, but after all that, he still made her happy.

She said goodbye to her family and with a small trunk she Apparated in front of a cottage in Cornwall.

She stood in front of the door for a few minutes, composing herself, and then bravely she knocked once.

There was no answer from inside. She knocked again and again, until a voice shouted, 'Go away, Albus. I do not wish to talk to you.' The voice seemed slurred. Had Severus been drinking?

She knocked again and he finally opened the door. The sight of him almost frightened her, he had not shaved his beard for a week and it seemed he had not changed his clothes for that long either. Behind him at least ten empty bottles of whisky could be seen.

He looked at her malevolently and sneered, 'What do you want?'

She sighed, this was going to be more difficult than expected. 'Severus, I came here because I love you. I don't care whether it was a spell that made me fall for you but I want to be with you. I am here asking you to give us a chance.'

He sneered again. 'Miss Granger, I can assure you that now that the spell is broken I do not wish to see you ever again. You are not my type and I do not like to repeat myself. Go away.'

Severus saw her hurt expression and felt something pull inside his heart, but he squashed the feeling and just shut the door in her face.

Hermione stayed rooted to the spot in front of the door for a moment that seemed to last forever. When she finally regained her senses, she turned away from the door and prepared to Apparated away. But she hesitated…

She considered that he had never been easy to understand and that maybe he thought that she felt pity for him. Besides, he had lost almost all his seventh year Slytherin students and may be bitter and upset because he couldn't save them.

He usually disliked himself quite a lot and in this moment in time she couldn't put it past him that he hated himself to such an extent that he was convinced he didn't deserve a chance to be happy with her.

She got angry at the injustice. He had been brave and he had fought harder than anyone else for the safety of the magical word. He deserved a chance to be loved and she deserved that too. So, turning back to the door and drawing her wand, she shouted, 'Alohomora!'

The door flung open with a bang.

Hermione entered the cottage with a very determined look. Severus was watching her with a mixture of admiration and anger.

Ignoring his expression, she simply said, 'Severus Snape, if you thought it was that easy to get rid off me then you are sorely mistaken. I know for a fact that you feel the same way about me as I do for you. Why else would you have thrown yourself in front of me to die? Because I am not your type? So, you either give us a chance or I swear that I will annoy you until you surrender. You deserve to be loved and to be happy like everyone else!'

Severus watched the witch in front of him with wonder. He would have never thought that she could love him but here she was. He knew that she would have given a lot of thought to her proclamation before coming here tonight, and that she was free from the spell. She really loved him and for once in his life, he did exactly what his heart was shouting him to do.

He took her in his arms and kissed her.

THE END

AN: Next fiction is "How to Forget a Granger Every Month"