AN: Last update. Say bye-bye to this story, people :) I still disclaim the ability to spell or owning these characters.

The beta of this chapter is dani's random fox.

The Soul's Heart

Epilogue

Hermione had not been a good girl. She had promised to wait until today, but she hadn't been able to.

She had cornered him in dark corridors forcing him in to kiss her on countless occasions.

At first her stubborn professor had fought her on the matter, but he had given in. Just like she knew he would, all though he had also reprimanded her every single time.

She felt giddy standing there on the grassed grounds of Hogwarts. Soon, she would be a witch. Not a witch in training, but a fully fledged witch and she could start calling her Severus her Severus. She wondered if the smile that had taken her face hostage that morning would ever fade.

Hermione looked around her. Harry was there looking grim and serious. Yeah, he probably didn't really want to leave the school, the first real home for him. He was going to study for Auror, she had helped him fill out the applications.

She looked beyond Harry and saw Ron. He and Tara Glennen had been owling each other all term. They were almost an item. She was so happy for him.

In another slightly greener cluster stood the friend she never thought she would make. Draco Malfoy, he still grumbled now and then because she had thought him gay. She suspected they would have that subject to tease about for as long as they cared to know each other. He and his stick-figure Artemis Winter were together now and they seemed contented. It was nice seeing Draco happy, and if Artemis Winter could bring him that, then maybe even Hermione could warm up to the girl.

She looked at all her friends one by one, knowing that she would miss them, yet not wishing that she wasn't about to graduate. She wanted to graduate.

Professor McGonagall was making a speech and behind her stood the four representatives for the four houses.

Her Severus looked grim and bored just as always. He really thought himself dark and mysterious with a hint of evil. What a silly notion. She was sure no one on the planet could kiss and hold her as tentatively as him. How could she have ever feared him? How could she have ever been disgusted by the thought of him?

She almost waved, but giddy though she was, she hadn't lost her marbles. He would probably hex her for it.

He had not been pleased about her telling her friend about them. No indeed. Harry had been very difficult about it. Good thing Ginny could make him jump through hoops. Making him accept the fact about Hermione and Snape had been no match for her.

Severus had grumbled about the loss of respect he had faced when their secret had been shared by Harry, Ginny, Ron and Draco. Draco had himself hadn't lost any respect for the professor, but he had told Miss Winter and apparently she hadn't shown Severus any respect to begin with, and this hadn't helped…

Hermione had told him he would just have to live with it, suck it up and be a man. Soon her friends would be out of his classroom.

"But I won't get rid of them, will I?" he had asked her, looking about as pleased as a wet cat.

"No. They are my friends so after school you'll have to get to know them. Won't that be nice?" She had smiled most maliciously.

He had groaned and bore a face of true pain

"Can't I just kill myself? Death never was this bad."

"Me and Miss Winter will just regenerate you again. Frankly, you would only be stalling."

He had not looked pleased. She had, on the other hand, looked very pleased.

Hermione woke up from her little reminiscing as the crowd she was standing in started to move.

It seemed like McGonagall had finished her speech.

The queue they had been informed to form started to shape itself. It had a simple system. You got two names. Stand in the middle of those two people.

It took mere minutes to form the line and Hermione felt her heart flip. Hogwarts liked alphabetical orders. Her surname was Granger and so she would be called up there quite fast.

She peeked out from the throng and glimpsed him.

Hanna Abbott was receiving her diploma from the headmistress and then went down the line of Heads of Houses and shook each hand.

Hermione almost shook in anticipation. Slowly the line emptied out before her and it was her turn.

"Granger, Hermione," sounded McGonagall's magically magnified voice. The parents, friends and family of the entire school watched the former Head Girl walk up the stairs.

Maybe her applause was a little bit louder than the others but in fairness, she was a little more known than the rest.

She quietly wondered how many out there in the mass of people were not related to anyone, but where here to see Harry Potter, Boy Wonder, graduate.

She gave a small wave to her family.

McGonagall gave her the scroll.

"Well done girl, didn't doubt you a second" she whispered. "I'm very proud," the headmistress added with a wink.

They shook hands.

"Thank you Ma'am" Hermione curtsied.

The she moved over to the new Gryffindor Head of House, a nice woman but Hermione hadn't really had the time to form a true opinion about her. But she had received an O from her so Hermione smiled and curtsied as they shook hands.

"Good luck."

"Thank you, Professor."

Flitwick blubbered something about her being outstanding and that it had been a privilege to teach her. Hermione curtsied and felt stupid, she didn't come down to his level even when she did that.

"Thank you sir, it was an honour to have been taught under you, sir." She would miss him.

Professor Sprout wiped a tear away as they shook hands.

"You've been a good girl, Miss Granger. Good luck out there"

"Thank you, Professor. I will miss you."

That did not help Professor Sprout's tears.

And then there he stood. Tall, pale, with long dark hair that wasn't particularly slimy looking on this day of honour. He looked angry. Sure bet that he was scared. He wondered if she would kiss him here in front of the entire school, and her parents.

She extended a hand since he didn't much else but tower over her and stare.

"Sir" she said curtly. That would throw him off.

He pulled out his beautifully shaped hand form his robes and took hers.

"A pleasure Miss Granger."

They shook hands.

With that she jumped of stage.

She could hear his outlet of breath. He might think she let him of easy, but he still owed her a kiss.

She walked through the crowd to her family. On her way, she saw Daphne Greengrass hug Seamus Finnegan in a not-just-friends way. So they had made up, that was nice.

.

She hugged her parents and presented them with her scroll. They were very proud with her grades. It was her eighth year as a witch, and now both Mr. and Mrs. Granger knew the grading system.

"Wasn't there a new boy in your life, dear, that you wanted us to met? I am sure the owl you sent me said something about that." her mother said as they watched student after student shake hands with their professors.

"Maybe you could point the lucky fellow out when he gets on stage" her father suggested.

Draco Malfoy walked of stage and in to his mother's arms. His father was out of Azkaban and ruffled his hair leaning on his walking stick. Artemis Winter stood next to them waiting for Narsissa to stop depriving her son of air so she could do it.

"Well, you see.. um.. There isn't a new boy in my life…" Hermione said looking very guilty.

"No?" asked her mother "have you broken up or.. or is it an old boy?"

"In a sense…"

"Is it Harry Potter, dear?" asked her father, looking surprised. "Because I always thought him…not quite the right man for you."

"It's not Harry"

"Are you back with Ron then?" her father looked worried.

"No."

It was an ear deafening roar as Harry took the stage. The Grangers all clapped as Hermione's friend shook the hands of all the professors.

Hermione observed as Harry seemed to say something displeasing to Severus; the older man's eyes darkened.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley hugged him as he walked into the crowd. Then the poor boy was ambushed by reporters.

After the Potter inflicted hubbub died down Mr. Granger turned again to his daughter.

"Well then, Hermione, who is this mystery man of yours?"

Hermione smiled apologetically. This was going to be a bomb.

"Severus Snape, my now former Professor."

Her father didn't move a muscle. Her mother on the other hand…

"WHAT! YOUR PROFESSOR!"

"Well, we haven't started to see each other yet since he thought it improper to date his student, all though former even when this subject was…" between her teeth Hermione added "finally" in a very small whisper "…discussed. We tried hard to fight our feelings mom, we really did. And before you blow steam out of your ears I'll have you know that it was I who pursued him and he fought me very long and hard."

Her mother stood there trying to form words but seemed unable to do so.

"Is he a good man?" her father asked casually.

"The best dad, truly the best"

"And has he done…anything inappropriate to you, dear?" he asked as if the thought just struck him, still in that casual tone. Mr. Granger was, after all, a dentist and dentists have the prospect of great evil presented to them every day. Don't mess with a dentist.

"No dad, he barely let's me touch him. I think he would leave me if I even suggested inappropriate behaviour. Not that we have officially started to date yet. He said I had to wait until I graduated."

"That sounds sensible." Her father nodded and then stared to clap. Ron had been called up on stage.

Hermione's mother had finally found her voice.

"How much older than you is this Severus Snape? Severus Snape… That name rings a bell. Wasn't he that appallingly nasty man you saved from death?"

"He is exactly nineteen years older then me and yes, he was the one who had risked his life for seventeen years to atone for some bad choices he had made in his youth, he was the one who died infiltrating Voldemort's inner sanctum. Yes, he is that one, yes."

"I remember you coming home every summer complaining greatly about a certain professor treating you horribly, and now you are going to date him?!"

"Yes, mother. After this little ceremony he will come over here to meet you." Hermione beamed at her emotionally now closed down father and her bewildered mother. Hermione thought to herself that if he wasn't on his way over here after this, he was going to get a new definition of hell.

"Isn't that nice, dear." Mrs. Granger looked pale.

There were no students left and McGonagall had a very short goodbye speech.

Some people listened.

The bushy haired graduate had friends stopping by and hugged her.

The Weasleys, the Lupins and Harry had gathered in a cluster with the three Grangers and seemed content to stay there.

They were talking animatedly about Harry, Ron and Hermione and how well everything had turned out, especially the weather.

It was then that she saw Severus. He was walking their way from a distance. He stopped for a few seconds staring uncomfortable at the throng of happy people but with a grimace started towards them again. Towards her.

Hermione smiled.

He unceremoniously pushed his way through the group and stopped in front of Hermione.

Everyone fell quiet. That made Severus grimace again. Hermione giggled.

"Mom, Dad, this is Severus. Severus, these are my parents."

Harry smirked as he hugged Ginny and Ron chuckled, holding his new girlfriend Tara's hand. The rest of the people stared in confused disbelief.

"Very nice to meet you Mrs. Granger, Mr. Granger. You'll have to excuse my poor hand-shake. I have been shaking a lot of hands today."

"Very nice to meet you too, Mr. Snape" Said Hermione's father, managing a rather nice burn with the Mister titillation.

Severus was gracious enough to let it pass. This time.

Hermione's mother settled for a fake smile and a "How do you do."

To the rest of the gaping fools Severus just nodded glumly. They gradually started to move and mumbled various greetings.

Severus ignored them and turned back to Hermione.

"You promised something just after I graduated…" The girl cooed taking a hold of Severus robes.

"I rather don't think that applies anymore since you've been stealing said thing from me all term."

Hermione pulled at his robe making him bend slightly down to her.

The gathered people shuffled to give them some space and also to grill Harry, Ron and Ginny on what the hell was happening.

"Ewww" was the combined voices of the Weasley twins as Ron tried to explain the mirror, the ball and the feelings of very confused and stubborn people.

"A promise is a promise Mister Snape" Hermione said poking him accusingly in the chest. "Or is the Head of the House of wit exempt from the rule?"

He gave her a lopsided grin.

"I am above every rule. But I should refuse you, since you're only making me do this to embarrass me."

Hermione pouted.

"I would never."

"You would," he said still smiling.

"Oh, shut up and kiss me, you evil man!" She pulled him towards her and he didn't resist.

As Severus let his slender hands slip around her waist and her neck, kissing her even more passionately, Hermione determined that day, her graduation day…

…was the most wonderful day of her entire life.

The End