In the meantime Hermione Granger was sitting on her bed, her face covered with tears. She was clutching a letter to her heart: Severus' letter.

She couldn't believe that he'd written those words, but Dobby had told her so. She reread it for the umpteenth time.

I'm writing you to tell you I am completely in love with you.

She couldn't believe that he returned her feelings. Oh, yes, Hermione Granger, current Transfiguration professor was in love with the snarky Potions Master. She knew it wasn't just a crush. She had always admired him, since that first day of lesson. She never doubted him, not even when he killed Dumbledore. Oh, yes, she was confused and she didn't understand what had happened, but she never doubted him, never. And then, a year later she thought she had lost him forever, but it seemed that Fawkes didn't agree with her on that, and so the phoenix had healed him with its tears. Three years later she came back to Hogwarts to teach and there he was, alive and well, sitting with the other professors. But he was as he had always been: a snarky bastard. But she managed to befriend him in the end and that was when she started falling for him. It was two years ago.

She stood up with the intention of confronting him, but a movement from her window caught her attention. It was raining but a lonely figure was walking through the gardens and towards the Black Lake. She immediately recognized it: it was Severus Snape! What was he doing out there?

She quickly grabbed her cloak and went after him.

Severus was walking through the Hogwarts grounds. He didn't care it was raining. He needed to get out of the castle. He reached his favourite spot near the Black Lake, and he just stood there, looking in front of him.

"Severus!"

The man turned around. Hermione was running to him. Gods, she was beautiful. He quickly turned back to the lake. He couldn't look at her and hear her rejection.

"Severus, would you look at me?" asked the young girl panting.

"What do you want?"

"We need to speak, Severus"

"About what?"

"The letter, Severus! The letter you wrote to me!" answered Hermione angrily.

"If you have read it, then there's nothing to talk about" he answered coldly, keeping his back to her.

"Nothing to...? Will you look at me?!"

'Why is he acting like this?' wondered Hermione.

Severus turned back to her. His face was full of anger.

"What do you want to know?" he shouted. "If I meant what I wrote? Of course I did. I meant every single, fucking word! Are you surprised that the bat of the dungeons can love? Believe me, I was perfectly fine when I was alone!"

They stood there, staring at each other, under the pouring rain. The atmosphere looked both romantic and heart-breaking at the same time.

"You don't mean it, Sev" said Hermione, quietly.

Severus looked at her and then closed his eyes.

"No, no, I don't mean it" he said slowly, sighing. "But you have to understand... it's difficult for me. It's difficult to love a woman who thinks of you just as a friend. I would be better if you didn't know I existed."

Hermione looked at him and understood that he was afraid of her rejection.

"Severus do you trust me?"

The man opened his eyes and looked at her curiously.

"Of course. Why?"

"Close your eyes"

Snape looked confused but he did as she said.

The witch stood on her tiptoes and she lightly kissed him on the mouth. Severus slowly opened his eyes.

"What..."

"You don't have to be afraid, Severus" she said simply.

"You..." he sighed again and closed his eyes once more.

Hermione stood on her tiptoes and she kissed him again. At first Severus was still, but then he relaxed and kissed her back. Hermione put her hands in his wet hair and he brought her nearer by taking her waist. They remained like that for some time and when they finally came up for breath Hermione looked at him in the eye.

"I love you, Severus Snape" she said with a big smile.

Severus was shocked. He hadn't expected this to happen. He had imagined every scenario possible in which she rejected him, but this simple thought never crossed his mind.

"I... I cannot believe it. I... I love you too, Hermione" stuttered Snape.

Hermione smile even more and hugged him. Severus put his arms around her and, placing his head on top of hers, he said:

"I'll need time to get used to this"

The girl looked up at him.

"We have all time in the world"

Severus smiled.

"Now, let's go back. I'm beginning to feel cold" said the young witch, taking his hand and together they went back to the castle, towards a future together.

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THE END!