Epilogue

By Katia

Rating: T

Legal stuff: I don't own anything. It's all JK Rowling's. Please don't hurt me, I'm little. You get the picture.

London, 2007

"The know-it-all is wrong again. Things do not change." Her heart sunk.

"I apologize, Professor. I will be on my way then." She moved to get out of her chair, but one of his hands grabbed her wrist and kept her from moving. She stared at him, but sat back down.

"I would like the opportunity to explain myself, Miss Granger."

"Of-Of course, Professor." She could not understand what was going on.

"My opinions, as I believe you put it, have not changed, although I believe you mistake what they are as they concern you. He looked up at her and the look in his eyes shook her right through her core. What is going on?

"I have always held you in the highest regard, Miss Granger. I have, in fact, followed your progress through University, and beyond." She gasped a little, and her face turned a shade of pink, but they maintained their eye contact.

"You have done well, and I am proud of you." Was he really saying what she thought he was saying, or would he end by assuring her that he had never felt anything more than a friendship of sorts. She began to entertain hopes that it would end better than that.

"Hermione," he paused for a moment. "I have never stopped caring for you. I have never stopped loving you." He spoke in a near whisper, but she clung to every word.

"I went to your conferences and was too afraid to see you," she whispered. "I have loved you all this time. I still do. But why? Why did-"

He cut her off quickly. "It was not safe. I couldn't bare the thought of you being killed because you were with me. And they would have killed you, had they found out."

"Why didn't you tell me, or explain it like this?" She was near tears, not sure if they were from happiness or sadness.

"I didn't think you would understand," he said simply.

"I have suffered for nearly eight years!"

"As have I, Hermione."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" She realized his hand had moved from her wrist to grasp her hand. It felt warm and right.

"You seemed happy, successful. Who was I to invade your world and ruin it with my unhappiness?" He shrugged. "I honestly believed that you were better off without me."

She sighed, and then smiled at him. "We were both rather childish in handling this whole situation, weren't we?"

"I suppose we were." He almost smiled at her. "I am very glad you came to speak with me today."

She was puzzled for a moment. "What do we do now?"

"That is up to you, Hermione. I have told you how I feel, but I do understand if you only came over here today to get answers. I can accept that."

"Haven't you been listening?" She nearly laughed. "I want more, Severus. I want you."

This time he did smile. It was small, but it was there. "This is sudden, I know but…" he paused, looked away for a moment, and then "Will you marry me?"

Hermione was stunned. She hadn't talked to him in eight years. Could she agree to this? She looked into his eyes and knew the answer. He was right, people don't change, at least nothing significant changes. He was still the Severus she loved, and she knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. "Yes, Severus. I will."

They were married in a small and beautiful ceremony. He looked into her eyes, and she into his, and they both could feel the love flowing between them. Finally everything in the world seemed right, seemed at peace.

As they danced slowly together in his chambers that night he softly whispered into her hair "Mrs. Snape. You are mine now. Forever."

The way you wear your hat
The way you sip your tea
The memory of all that
No, no they can't take that away from me

The way your smile just beams
The way you sing off key
The way you haunt my dreams

No, no they can't take that away from me

We may never, never meet again, on the bumpy road to love
Still I'll always, always keep the memory of…

The way you hold your knife
The way we danced till three
The way you've changed my life
No they can't take that away from me

Everything was as it was meant to be. This time fate stood back and did not intervene. They would continue to love each other through time, but this one moment stood out from the rest. It ended happily.

A/N: Song by Ella Fitzgerald (my favorite song ever!). I forgot about this fic once again, although it is one of my favorites that I've written. Please review! I hope everyone enjoyed the ending! It's quite short, but I felt it was adequate.