A/N: Well, here it is – the last chapter. Ha! With a ton of effort, I got it down to 2000 words exactly!

I want to remind everyone quickly that this fic makes no attempt at all to be either HBP- or DH-compliant. Therefore, as you already know, Dumbledore is alive and Hermione's parents went to America (not Australia) without any kind of memory alteration; similarly – as you'll see in this chapter – I've ignored the whole Horcrux/Elder Wand thing (may I say that with the complexity of all that, I understand why DH was about a million pages long?).

BTW, I also moved Gilbert Wimple from the (canon) Committee on Experimental Charms to the (non-canon) Committee on Experimental Potions. It made sense to me that they would have one …

In any event, I hope you enjoy this final installment. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed – and if you haven't, this is your last chance to let me know what you thought!

Chapter 9: Final Showdown

Upon discovering Percy's role in Hermione's abduction, followed quickly by his death at the hands of Voldemort, Harry was furious. The Weasleys were more conflicted, as they were both irate at Percy's betrayal and grief-stricken at the sudden loss of their son and brother.

One positive outcome of Hermione's brief abduction was that Harry and Ron finally and fully accepted that Snape really was on the right side. When Hermione showed them the Portkey Snape had given her, they were shocked that Snape would make such an effort to protect her. Harry even began to question Dumbledore's judgment, both in failing to tell them that he suspected Percy was a traitor, and for leaving it to Snape to provide Hermione with a way out in case she was captured.

Harry and Ron were so relieved that Hermione was unscathed that they insisted on thanking Snape personally for protecting her. Thus, the very next time Harry met Snape for his private lessons, Ron tagged along; they apologized humbly for doubting Snape's loyalties and thanked him profusely for saving their friend. Snape managed to accept their apologies and thanks with reasonable good grace, and a tentative truce was formed.

After that, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Snape began meeting weekly. Whenever Harry had a lesson with Snape, Hermione and Ron would sneak down to the dungeons under Harry's invisibility cloak, and they all considered whatever information Snape had brought them. They agreed not to inform Dumbledore of their meetings; if he knew anyway, he didn't comment. Gradually, as they tried to develop a foolproof plan to eliminate the Dark Lord, an odd sort of friendship developed amongst them all. If pressed, Snape would admit to himself, and perhaps even to Hermione, that Harry and Ron had matured into tolerable allies – not that he would ever tell anyone else, of course.

Despite their new detente, their meetings were often frustrating, as they always seemed to come back to the problem of Nagini. Even if they managed to find the Dark Lord without too many Death Eaters around, Nagini was always there; that being the case, they just weren't sure how they would get close enough to Voldemort for Harry to kill him – nor had they come up with a way to kill Nagini with the Dark Lord and his Inner Circle present.

And of course, there was the added concern of additional possible attempts to take Hermione. She was never permitted to be alone, except when safely tucked away in Gryffindor Tower or her own room. This severely curtailed the amount of time she could spend in the library researching new ideas. Eventually, they all agreed that she would work in the Room of Requirement, with one of her trusted friends accompanying her. At least the Room would provide her companions with what they needed, too. Still, she quickly grew tired of needing an escort everywhere she went.

Hermione also continued to meet with Snape thrice weekly to work on her independent study. The more generalized prophylactic potion was far more complex than the one specifically designed for Cruciatus, and Hermione was beginning to doubt that they would succeed with it. Nevertheless, they were still trying, and as frustrating as it was to feel that they were unlikely to prevail, Professor Snape told her that she had already learned more about Potions than most apprentices learned by the time they attained their Mastery. Therefore, they agreed that Hermione would write up the project, regardless of outcome, along with the Cruciatus Prophylactic, and submit it to the Society of Potions Masters for consideration to obtain her Mastery Certification.

In addition to their comfortable working relationship, Hermione found that she and Professor Snape continued to grow closer, though without explicitly acknowledging it, on a personal level. Gradually, they reached an unspoken understanding: the moment Hermione's schooling was complete, or the moment Snape was no longer needed (or able) to spy for the Order – whichever came last – they would explore the attraction that simmered constantly below the surface of every interaction they had with one another. Neither of them knew how they knew this was understood, but they both understood it with complete clarity and confidence.

One evening in May, the four co-conspirators met as usual and discussed – for what seemed the hundredth time – the possibility of breaking into Malfoy Manor. They argued (yet again) about how to protect themselves from Voldemort, Nagini, and whatever Death Eaters might be present. Eventually, Ron threw his hands up, exclaiming sarcastically, "Shame we can't just Imperius Nagini and order him to kill You-Know-Who." A sudden silence descended over the room, and everyone looked at Ron, then at each other, then back at Ron. Ron asked, "What?"

Harry turned to Snape and asked cautiously, "Could it be that simple?"

Snape shrugged and mused aloud, "Perhaps …"

Hermione interjected excitedly, "Remember fourth year? When Crouch Imperiused the spider? Why couldn't we Imperius Nagini?"

Snape said, "Mr. Weasley, I believe you have stumbled upon the ideal solution to the Nagini problem."

Energized with new hope, Hermione quickly researched to ascertain that nothing would prevent a familiar being Imperiused to kill its master. Once they were reasonably certain it could be done, they planned carefully, and the next time Snape got information that the Dark Lord would be relatively unprotected, they tipped off Gawain Robards, who arranged a raid to distract and capture whatever Death Eaters were there. Harry, beneath his Invisibility Cloak, slipped in with the Aurors. In the ensuing chaos, no one noticed as Harry let Ron and Hermione in, then silently cast Imperius on Nagini. The snake struck Voldemort before he even realized what was happening, and he died screaming in agony within mere minutes. Harry and Ron then turned their attention to ensuring that the remaining Death Eaters (but not Professor Snape, who was there in his Death Eater guise) would be arrested without incident. Snape, meanwhile, killed Nagini with a quick Sectumsempra.

When the screams had finally faded, Snape ripped off his mask and looked anxiously at his left forearm, and a true smile lit his face when he saw only a faded-looking scar. Hermione, seeing this, was so excited that she forgot herself completely, throwing her arms around him and laughing happily. The people in the room were perhaps even more shocked by Snape's reaction to this unseemly behavior than they were by anything else that happened that day.

The normally dour, sneering, sarcastic Potions Master simply laughed, catching her up in his arms and twirling her around, in full view of everyone, before leaning over and kissing her full on the mouth.

Thus, after years of anxiety and effort, the Dark Lord was vanquished in a matter of mere minutes, and the wizarding world rejoiced the return of happier days.

Two weeks later, Hermione sat between Ron and Harry at the Leaving Feast, talking happily about what they had planned for the summer and beyond. Harry and Ron had both earned tryouts with the Chudley Cannons, and were planning to spend the summer ensuring they were in top form for those.

Hermione would stay at Hogwarts to complete the writeup of her mastery projects, and to explore the possibility of a true relationship with Snape. She wondered if the boys realized she was in love with the man they used to hate. She decided not to mention it just now, figuring it would be better to wait and see how things developed. Besides, she doubted they'd condemn her for it, considering that they actually rather liked Snape themselves now. They trusted Snape with their lives; how could they not trust him with her heart?

She resolved to enjoy the remainder of the Leaving Feast and take things one day at a time with Snape.

As the Leaving Feast was ending, Severus approached Hermione, who had found her parents. They were newly returned from America, and Hermione looked very happy to be with them. Severus almost hated to pull her away, but he felt he had been waiting so long already that he simply couldn't contain his impatience any longer.

Despite their unspoken understanding, he found himself nervous now that the time to speak openly had arrived. He had little practice expressing his more positive feelings, and even less history of happy outcomes when he had tried.

Fortunately, he could ease into it, as he had a surprise for Hermione.

When he drew near, Hermione smiled brightly at him, her eyes hopeful and her cheeks pink. Severus felt his own cheeks grow warm, and to cover his discomfort, he asked, "May I speak with you privately?"

Hermione quickly agreed, and he led her into a quiet alcove, away from the crowds. She said, "There's so much I want to say to you."

He couldn't help smiling at her eagerness, which boosted his confidence and helped him relax. He said, "And I to you, but business first." He handed her the letter he had received that morning, and watched her face as she read it.

To: Hermione Granger, in care of her representative, Professor Severus Snape, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The Department of Magical Intellectual Property is pleased to grant patent number POT75389 for your "Cruciatus Prophylactic Potion." The list of ingredients you provided shall be kept confidential, as it is the Department's view that witches and wizards who see the list might get ideas. While we agree that this potion is a major advance, we do not wish to tempt people to cast an Unforgivable Curse by widely marketing protection against it.

Thank you for submitting your patent to the Ministry.

Sincerely,
Gilbert Wimple
Committee on Experimental Potions

She said incredulously, "You got me a patent?"

He smiled and replied, "You earned it." He shrugged. "Since you had your NEWTs to finish, I submitted it for you. I hope you don't mind."

"No, of course not. Thank you." She paused, took a breath, then said, "But I'd rather talk about us."

He smiled. "So would I, actually. I wonder if I might be permitted to escort you to dinner tomorrow evening?"

Hermione smiled widely. "I would love to have dinner with you, Severus. I assume I may call you Severus now?"

"Of course," Severus replied, smiling. "It would feel rather odd, I think, courting a woman who didn't address me by my given name …"

Hermione smiled. "It would," she agreed. "However, I was thinking more that it would be awkward to call you 'Professor' just before doing this …" She stretched up on her toes and brushed his lips lightly with hers, then rocked back, apparently to gauge his reaction.

He widened his smile, and said, "It would, indeed, though perhaps not quite as uncomfortable as calling me 'Professor' just before I did this …" He leaned over and proceeded to snog her as thoroughly as he could manage while fully clothed and in public.

When at last he stepped back, he was pleased to see that she looked thoroughly bemused, and delightfully mussed. After a moment, she said, "You know, Severus, I've been waiting so very long to spend time with you on a more personal level. Why does it seem like one more day is just too long to bear?"

He laughed. "Tonight, then? And, perhaps, tomorrow also, and the day after that, and so on, for the rest of our lives?"

Hermione smiled. "Severus, I believe this is the beginning of our happily ever after."

Severus smiled back, and kissed her again. He didn't tell her that he didn't believe in happily ever after, because suddenly, here with her – and with the Dark Lord truly, finally gone – for the first time in twenty years, he did.

"Yes, Hermione," he said, "I do believe it is …"

Quote from QA: "It is the Department's view that witches and wizards who see the list 'might get ideas.'"