*** CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN ***

Severus' eyes traveled up Hermione's nude form from where he knelt on the bed astride her knees. "Beautiful," was all he whispered as he kissed a trail up her thighs, across the soft skin of her stomach, over the expanse of skin on her chest to the middle of her neck and back down. She smiled and blushed reveling in the strange fact that this man – her professor – was now also her fiancé. She pushed an unbidden thought of Harry and Ron's reactions to the furthest corner of her mind as Severus' soft tongue pushed its way between her wet folds. He grabbed her hips and held them down firmly as her back arched and she writhed around in pure pleasure.

"Please, Severus," she whispered with a ragged breath, but he responded by lapping at her more forcefully. Her eyes started to roll back as the wave of her climax was about to break, and he immediately stopped, much to her whimpered protests.

"Shh, my dear," he purred, crawling up her body. "I won't leave you unfulfilled, oh no, in fact," his voice had dropped to barest wave of sound carried out on his breath as she felt his erection pressing at her entrance, "I would like nothing more than to fill your every need and desire… Hermione…"

She looked into his half-lidded eyes and moved to kiss him, stopping just millimeters from his lips. "Then fill me, Severus," she pressed her lips to his and he returned the kiss, both of them moaning as he slowly entered her, allowing her body to adjust to his size. When his entire length was nestled deep within her he gently broke the kiss and stared into her eyes, satisfied to find his own thoughts reflected there. A perfect fit, like two pieces of a puzzle finally joined together to finish the picture.

He moved to her ear and began kissing and nibbling the sensitive flesh there as he pulled back his lower body and stroked it back in. He quickly recaptured her lips to keep her moans from undoing him as her nails raked the scarred skin of his back. The motions became faster as he fondled her breasts, leaning down to worship them with his tongue as her body fell into a quickening rhythm with his. "Hermione," he growled sensuously with his teeth clamped gently over one nipple. Her own bucking became more forceful and he slipped a hand between them, rubbing her swollen clit expertly.

"Oh, gods, Se- Severus…" she breathed out as her eyes started to glaze over. His lips came crashing down on hers as he increased his pace, giving over to his animal need and pistoning himself in and out of her. She started moaning loudly into his mouth as her muscles clamped down around his hard cock, and his lips released hers allowing his moans to echo throughout the chambers as her orgasm triggered his own. His body convulsed and he pressed himself into her as far as her flesh would allow, pulling back only minutely before pushing in again as her tight muscles contracted and suckled the seed from his sensitive member. His head rolled back in time with hers as they moaned out in ecstasy before he crashed down on top of her, both of them shuddering as the tingling in their nerves began to subside.

With their bodies relaxing and their breathing slowly returning to normal, Severus looked deep into his Hermione's eyes and whispered, "Beautiful."

Severus stood there at the front of the Parlor where the piano usually resided, his hands wet with nervous sweat. Dumbledore clapped him on the shoulder in what was to be a calming gesture, but in fact almost knocked the formidable man down as if it had been Hagrid instead who had touched him. Draco grabbed his elbow for support and Severus smiled somewhat apologetically. Daimion and Harry asked if he needed anything, but he merely shook his head and closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath. The music started up softly and he opened his eyes wide, Draco doing the same as he momentarily forgot his still held his mentor by the arm.

Hermione sat in her room thinking about everything that had happened since that night all those months ago. When she broke the news to Harry and Ron they had reacted… Well, she couldn't easily say how they reacted. Ron fainted and Harry's face turned ashen before he sat down on the floor beside the limp form of his best male friend. Eventually they left the Head Girl's room for their own dorm in a tense silence and seemed to be lost in a haze for the next several hours. But the fog cleared and Ron was the first to bang down her door demanding answers. She explained it to him as best she could and tried to relay the feelings she held for Severus, but, while he listened with a patience she didn't know he possessed, he left her room looking faint and she was left with only the company of Ginny and Draco for next couple of weeks.

Harry finally came around to speak with her after Draco and Ginny made their relationship public, and she once again found herself explaining everything. But Harry didn't leave, at least not until he had come to terms with the situation. He knew he didn't have to like it, but Hermione was the closest thing to a sister he'd ever had and he could clearly see the love and happiness that seemed to radiate from her as she talked about her intended. He agreed to at least attempt civility with the man he had loathed for so many years, and Hermione in turn helped him over the heartbreak of losing Ginny. Over a friendly game of Monopoly one evening something sparked between himself and Dead, whether it was her keen interest in Quidditch or her sound beating of Malfoy that caused it, Hermione would never be quite sure.

Harry's acceptance of the events caused Ron to come around, but everyone was surprised when he offered a truce to Draco. Ginny looked as though Christmas had come early and was so happy that she cried, which caused Ron to momentarily round on Draco. Ginny settled the whole thing with a slap on the back of her brother's head and a round of laughter from the place. Since Ron had taken Harry's lead, he returned the favor by extending a hand to Draco as well. It was tense for a while, but no one expected them to become friends. Then again, no one expected many of the things that had happened since the previous July.

"It's time, Hermione," Ginny said from the doorway where she stood with Dead, both dressed in ivory silk dresses accented with a soft antique pink and matching wreaths of roses atop their heads. Hermione smiled and stood, smoothing out her own ivory gown and checking the cream flowers in her hair one last time before leaving with the pair.

The girls preceded Hermione into the room as everyone stood and turned their eyes towards her. She almost giggled at the sight of Severus being held up by Draco while the twinkle in Harry's green eyes rivaled Dumbledore's. Her family, friends, teachers and the occupants of the Parlor all smiled warmly, some of them wiping away tears, while others, namely Fred and George, waggled their eyebrows and shot suggestive looks back and forth between Severus and herself.

She stopped in front of Severus, who was now standing without aid, and he took one of her hands in his. His eyes never left hers as he kissed her knuckles softly and whispered, "Beautiful."

The End.

A/N: When I started this story I was worried about the fact that I would be posting a fanfiction, something I've always kept private in the past, in a public domain for all to see. I thought the story's concept would be pretty far-out and not very interesting to others and that perhaps I would make it up to 5 chapters and, if I was lucky, maybe 20 reviews. I have to say that I am incredibly surprised that this story has not only climbed to 35 chapters, but also the fact that I surpassed 100 reviews, and have never received a flame. I am also still in awe of the fact that this humble piece of work has been added to the Favorite Stories lists of others, and even more astonished to find myself on several Favorite Authors lists. Many of you have been faithful reviewers, and I'm glad you have all stuck around for so long, and that a number of you have also found favor with my other stories. I sincerely look forward to writing many more, and I also look forward to seeing some of you again.

Thank you, to all of my readers and especially my reviewers. You are truly the only reason this story has survived, flourished and made its way to completion. I dedicate this final chapter of "Parlor of Shadows" to all of you.