His fingers ran lightly over her body as her breathing slowly returned to normal. She thought that being married for fifteen years would have made her used to the tingling effect his fingers left on her skin, but they excited her every time. Even more so now that they had been able to find some time to be together to have the kind of sex they did back when they were dating.

She looked into his face. As much as she had changed in fifteen years, he had stayed mostly the same. Her face had grown the soft wrinkles Harry and Ron had warned her that her constant worrying would leave across her face. Her hair now had a few flecks of gray, and her figure, while still slender, was not the same as her twenty-seven year old self. Severus, on the other hand, looked more or less the same as when they had first started seeing each other. The only difference was that his hair had a few more streaks of gray. When she had lamented the fact that she was aging and he was not all he could do was shrug and suggest that having a younger wife was keeping him young. She retorted that having an older husband was making her old, and they had stared down each other before breaking out in simultaneous laughter.

His eyes were closed now, she could tell he was just reveling in her smell and concentrating on the feel of her skin under his fingertips. She was happy to let him take all the time with her that he wanted. By now she knew he had memorized her body from head to foot, but he still wanted to explore her every chance he got. And nothing made her feel more wanted.

"We're going to be late," she muttered, not wanting him to stop.

"I've been there how many years? I've earned the right to be there late once. I've seen it too many times."

"You'd be there late this time?"

He sighed. "You're right. Of all the times I shouldn't be late, this is the one. But I finally have you alone, and this dirty old man's mind is going all over the place."

She chuckled. "You'll be having me alone much more often now."

"I know. And I'm greedy. I want every second that I can get."

"You can't get this moment," she replied, sitting up as he growled lightly. "We have to get ready and go."

Sighing he followed her to their walk in closet and they each started throwing on clothes. They quickly fastened their robes around themselves, and, glancing at the clock and seeing that they had ten minutes, rushed downstairs to the fireplace. She went first, disappearing in the green flames, and he followed close behind.

"What do you think it'll be?" she asked as they walked quickly through the hallways.

"Ravenclaw," he answered with certainty.

"What makes you think that?"

"Because it wouldn't work out with the other three."

"I think that it'll be Slytherin."

He shuddered slightly. "Certainly not."

"What makes you so sure?"

"It's one of those things I'm sure of. What makes you sure?"

"Intelligence, with a certain level of cunning that nearly puts you to shame."

"No where near it."

She rolled her eyes as she laid her hand on the handle of the door. "Ready?" she asked with a smirk, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

He straightened up and painted a sour look upon his face. It was all the same routine he had done so many years before. She snickered and opened the door. Immediately they could hear hundreds of excited voices chattering about nothing they could make out. They walked along the table, nodding in acknowledgement to each of the teachers already engaging in conversation, stopping twice to exchange pleasantries before finding their seats. He sat, back stiff, arms crossed, and she took her place beside him, rubbing his leg lightly under the table.

Suddenly the doors on the other side of the room opened with a bang, and Hagrid led in a group of scared looking first-years. The room grew immediately silent.

"Care to make a wager on Ravenclaw?" Hermione muttered as 'Adams, Breanna' was called.

"I'd gladly take that bet."

"Name your terms."

He turned to look at her, eyebrow upturned. "My classroom, Tuesday night?" he murmured, she had to strain to hear it.

"Agreed. And if I'm right about Slytherin?"

"Name your terms," he replied.

"Your classroom, Tuesday night," she replied.

He couldn't help but smile slightly, but his scowl returned as a couple first years dared to take a look at their Potion's Professor. Two years after his wedding the other teacher moved on to teach at Durmstrang, leaving him the only option. "And if it's Gryffindor or Hufflepuff?"

"Your classroom, Tuesday night," she smiled.

"Not much of a wager," he muttered.

"OK, if I win you have to do all the cleaning for a month."

He growled. "Agreed. And if I'm right you have to help me set up my new Potion's lab in the basement."

She sighed. She hadn't relished the idea of possible explosions in the basement of her house, especially since it sat in the middle of a Muggle neighborhood. Despite that, she nodded. She was sure Ravenclaw was out of the picture.

His hand slid from it's crossed position long enough to shake on the deal.

They watched as "Potter, Lily," a small girl with red hair and glasses, was sorted into Gryffindor. A few students later McGonagall finally called...

"Snape, Gardenia," McGonagall called, and if possible Severus straightened taller.

A tall girl with bushy black hair made her way nervously out of the crowd. She had the soft facial features of her mother, with the stance and imposing air of her father. She glanced nervously at her parents with her deep brown eyes, and they both gave small nods and smiles of encouragement.

"Last chance to back out," Severus whispered as she turned and sat on the stool.

"No way," Hermione replied as the hat was placed on her head.

The hat seemed to have a hard time deciding where their daughter would best fit. She sat with the hat on her head for a full two minutes before the seam opened wide and declared loudly "Ravenclaw!"

Hermione and Snape joined in Ravenclaw's enthusiastic applause as their daughter made their way to their table. McGonagall moved on as she would with any other student, finally sorting "Weasley, Xenophilius", another redhead though this time with a distinctively mysterious air around him, was sorted into Gryffindor.

"How did you know?" Hermione asked once the feast started.

"Because I knew her heritage disqualified her from Slytherin, and since I knew she was too bright to be a Gryffindor I knew it would have to be Ravenclaw."

"What do you mean 'too bright to be a Gryffindor'?" she asked indignantly.

"You heard me," he replied with a smirk.

"I was in Gryffindor!" she protested loudly.

"I guess that's saying something," he replied, his smirk widening.

She turned to her food in a huff, and batted his hand away when he went to grab hers. Instead he did something he hadn't done at a Beginning of the Year feast, he broke his scowling persona long enough to wrap his arms around her and kiss her lightly on the cheek. She couldn't stop the smile that broke out across her face, and he confidently returned to his meal.

"Mum! Dad!" Gardenia came running to them after the feast.

"Ravenclaw!" Hermione smiled, hugging her. "We're so proud!"

"Are you, Daddy?" she turned to Severus.

"Of course. We'd be proud no matter where you wound up."

"Oh, Daddy," she said, hugging him. "Some of my new classmates said you're scary, Daddy."

"Shhh.." he smiled. "Don't let them know I'm not."

She made a zipping motion across her lips.

"You should go," Hermione said with a final hug. "You don't want to get lost on your first night, do you?"

Gardenia shook her head, bade her parents goodbye, and rushed after the backs of her new housemates.

"Shall we retire to our quarters, Professor?" Severus asked Hermione, snaking a hand around her waist as the last of the students trickled out of the Great Hall.

"I was thinking, why wait until Tuesday?" she said with a playful smile. She started from the room, and he was quickly following.

A/N: Well, everyone, that's it. No quotes, sorry, I got lazy. I hope you've liked reading it as much as I've liked writing it. Please leave a final review, and thank you so much!