AN: This is it, the final chapter! Please leave your thoughts. Also, I rewrote Chapter 23. I felt the previous version was not true to either character. Thank you all for the feedback.

Lavender Brown

"I want to see you," Severus whispered. "To feel your skin against mine."

I shook my head. I believed Severus to be above such silly things as judging one based on appearance, I still feared his repulsion. Even though I knew he'd already seen more than most, and I wanted so badly for this to continue, but also dreaded it.

"Lavender, trust me," he breathed into my ear sending a shiver through my form, pushing away my fears as he pulled the garment over my head.

As he looked over me, my eyes clenched shut and my jaw tightened. His lips pressed against my neck and moved down my skin to my breasts, and his fingers raked down my flanks as his teeth teased my sensitive flesh.

My heart pounded as my breath quickened. His arms embraced me, cradling me closer as his lips continued to move over my curves. As he neared the disfigured skin, without thinking, I reached to push him away.

He caught my hand in his and pinned it down as he continued a path down my skin from collarbone to hipbone along the edge of the scars. Then he pulled back and traced them with his fingers.

I shivered and opened one eye followed by the other. He met my gaze as his fingertips continued down my flank. "This should have killed you."

I swallowed and nodded, not trusting my voice.

He nodded. "I admit, I greatly underestimated you before, Ms Brown."

I frowned. One moment we're snogging, the next he addresses me as a student? "We are back to Ms Brown, now? Hardly seems appropriate."

He scoffed. "Lavender. None of this is appropriate."

"According to whom? The people who would have us locked back up in St Dymphna's? I'm sorry, but I don't really give a damn what they think?" I pushed away from him and looked toward the wall.

He sighed and I could hear the frustration in the sound even though I could not see his face. His fingertips brushed my shoulder. "I only meant, it must have been terrible."

I turned to him. It was terrible. It is terrible. Each day brings new pain and each night brings, "The dreams…" I chewed on my bottom lip, and he reached his hand up and ran a thumb across it. Leaning closer, he kissed me.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes fluttered closed again. He kissed me again as his hands ran down my backside and freed me from my knickers.

My pulse raced as the cool air touched my bare skin. It was actually happening. I was about the shag Professor Snape and I never wanted anything more.

And then it did happen. We both gasped as our bodies met the first time. Limbs twisted around limbs, lips found lips, tongue danced with tongue, and hips moved against hips again and again.

He pulled me tighter as his breath quickened. My thoughts spun, and my body burned as he continued to move against me with increased pace. My chest heaved almost painfully as I could think of nothing else but the ever growing fiery ache within my core. Finally, I cried out and clung to Severus as the peak of the moment crashed over me. As I caught my breath, his body tensed and a sound that could only be described as a suppressed growl escaped his gritted teeth.

He sighed and fell beside me.

As I turned to look over at him, he laughed. I did not understand why, but soon I too was laughing. I turned and curled against his side as I felt his arm around me. "Thank you," I whispered.

He nodded slightly in response as his eyes closed.

SIX MONTHS LATER

I walked into The Leaky, my eyes searching for Parvati. It had been almost six months since the last time I'd set foot in this place and a lot had happened since that night of drunken stupidity. Through it all, Parvati had remained in contact, but this was the first time since that night we'd be face-to-face.

Parvati stood and waved me over to a booth in the corner. "You've changed so much, Lavender. I can hardly believe it." She embraced me and laughed.

"No. You are exaggerating." I pulled away and smiled.

"No. Really. I don't know what it is, but you just seem so much more at ease." She paused. "And dare I say, happy."

"Well, I am happier than I think I've ever been. That's true." I laughed.

"But with Snape? Really?" Her eyebrows raised with skepticism as we sat down at the table.

"Yes. Severus had been ridiculously patient and supportive." My face flushed as I glanced at the floor.

Parvati shook her head and laughed. "If you say so. Who am I to judge?"

We sat across from one another. "He was right though. He encouraged me to master Occlumency to better control the emotions, nightmares, and memories that wear on me month after month. It truly has changed me. I finally have some control of myself."

"Yes. I can see that it has. And you are still living with him?"

I nodded. "Yes. It seems to work. We've settled into a comfortable sort of routine and neither of us seems too motivated find alternatives."

She laughed again. "And the sleeping arrangements?"

I felt my face flush again.

Parvati gasped just as she used to when I'd tell her of my latest overnight rendezvous when we we were at Hogwarts. "So is it anything like we use to joke about back in the day?"

I found myself suppressing a giggle as a long lost memory replayed of the time myself, Parvati, and several of the other Gryffindor girls had gathered on late weekend night in the common room playing 'Shag, Marry, Kill.' I'd admitted to the thought that Snape would make a better shag than Professor Lupin referencing what his sharp tongue and sinewy fingers might be capable of doing if one could get past the smell of greasy hair and damp dungeon. We had all laughed then.

I smiled. "Let's just say he has not disappointed, and he cleans up pretty well."

She laughed again. "I will have to trust you on that." She paused as the server plopped two steins of beer between us. We both took long drinks, and as she set down her mug, she shook her head. "So you are headed back to Hogwarts after all this time?"

I pulled a clear vial from my pocket and spun in between my finger and thumb. "Yes. Tomorrow I start my training with Professor McGonagall." I held up the vial and examined the green leaf within.

Parvati stared too, an eyebrow raised. "Mandrake leaf?"

"Yes. I am suppose to put it in my mouth tonight and keep it there for the next 30 days. How gross is that?"

"Well it will likely make your sleeping arrangements less enjoyable," she winked.

I laughed. "You are awful."

SIX MONTHS LATER

Dr Cornwell

A tapping on my office window started me from my notes. I gasped as I found a large grey owl sitting on my window sill watching me. He tapped again.

The bird did not startle as I approached the window, but instead watched me restlessly. Against my better judgement, I pulled the window open, and he fluttered in. After briefly landing on my desk, the creature left out the same window and flew away.

I shrugged and closed the window. How strange. When I returned to my desk, I found a purple envelope that had not been present prior to the animal's intrusion. Glancing around, I slipped the letter opener into the flap, broke open the seal, and pulled out the contents; a simple white card with an artistic line art rendering in lavender ink of a fox.

I flipped open the card.

Dear Dr Cornwell,

A year ago we left your care, and a lot has changed in that year. It only seemed right that you should know that for the two of us, things have been well. We hope you understand why we could not stay. Thank you for your compassion.

Sincerely,

Lavender Brown and Severus Snape

As I closed the card, I noted something had fallen from it. I reached for the paper and turned it over to find a photo. As I stared at the photo, two vaguely familiar faces looked back. I pulled the photo closer to get a better look and gasped. Before my eyes a slim dark-haired man wrapped his arms around the waist of the younger lighter-haired woman and pulled her closer, a small smile flashing on his features as the woman seemed to laugh, and a lake glistened with soft movement in the background. The image repeated the strange dance, and I flipped the photo over several times looking for the technology to produce such a thing. On the back was written, Severus and Lavender on holiday at Loch Ness.

I flipped the photo back and watched the man embrace the women yet again before setting the enchanted photo aside next to the calendar which highlighted tonight's full moon. For a moment, the memory of Ms Brown and Sir's first encounter within my facility replayed in my thoughts. "I never would have imagined that." I laughed and returned to my notes.

The End