Hermione sat curled comfortably in a large plush chair in the library. She had just returned the ancient tome to Dumbledore, who had said little- yet spoken volumes with his sparkling blue eyes. She was more than accustomed to the way he operated and simply shook her head and skipped back down the stairs.

Now she was comfortably ensconced in a little corner of the library with a book in front of her and feeling more relaxed than she had in an age.

"May I sit here?" Hermione's eyes snapped up to find a pair of emerald green staring down at her. She tipped her head but shrugged and motioned to the chair just to her right. The auburn-haired witch settled in to the chair with a quiet breath and Hermione tried to pretend she wasn't there.

They sat like this, Hermione pretending to read and Lily straightening her skirt, smoothing it across her knees. The silence was heavy and uncomfortable.

"How is he?" The witch finally asked, and Hermione's shoulders sagged. This was what she'd been waiting for.

"I want to say that you don't care, that you threw him away." Lily opened her mouth to speak but Hermione silenced her with a hand held up. "But, I know you were friends for a very long time, he's good, I think he'll be okay now."

Lily nodded softly and cleared her throat.

"Have you had problems from the boys? Are they behaving themselves?" Hermione nodded softly.

"I honestly haven't thought even a moment about them." Hermione smiled softly, a smile that fell as soon as Severus rounded into their little nook and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hermione?" She held her breath, she knew that there were a million ways he could react. She could only hope that his reaction would not be incredibly negative.

"Severus." She chose to remain calm, smiling softly in his direction.

"I should go, thank you." Lily turned to Hermione and placed a hand on top of hers for a short moment before fleeing past Severus and out of the library. Hermione rolled her eyes, coward.

If she couldn't stand up to Severus she never would have been able to be with him, no matter how much the man wanted her.

"What was that?" His look was dark, she was treading on dangerous ground here. She knew she needed to answer his question, well and quickly.

"Well, I'm not certain what it appeared to be, but Lily," he didn't flinch at the name and it made her heart clench happily in her chest, "wanted to know how you were doing. She was also quite curious whether or not the Marauders have been bothering us lately."

He nodded slowly and moved to sit in the seat the other witch had just occupied.

"She didn't try to warn you away from me?" He was staring down at his hands, as if that had been his expectation. Hermione stood and came to kneel in front of him, her eyes searching his out and holding them.

"Severus, it wouldn't matter if she had, you are mine, you will be no matter what anyone says. No matter what you do, or how we grow I will love you. Please don't ever doubt that. Don't ever doubt me."

"I don't."

"Good." Hermione answered before leaning over to press a soft kiss to the wizard's cheek.

SSHG

"Severus, I wanted to talk to you..." His attention was caught by a soft voice and he turned his gaze to the redheaded girl- young woman- who had once been his best friend. His everything.

"Are you certain that is wise, Lily? I would be remiss to invoke the wrath of Potter." He sneered in her direction. The wounds she'd given him were still raw, he still hurt with the sting of her ultimate rejection. Hermione had told him moving on was the best thing he could do, for all of them, but it was much more easily said than done.

"I'm sorry, Severus, I don't want this bad blood between us anymore. I want to be friends again," the redhead gave a tentative smile, "can we try that? Being friends?"

The dark-haired wizard heaved a breath and stood from his seat at his potions station. He was incredibly early to the class and Hermione had not yet arrived. He wondered if this was intentional on Lily's part of if it was simply coincidental.

"Hermione tells me I should move on, that I will be happier should I forget the past and allow the future to be my focus." He cocked an eyebrow at the smaller witch as he spoke and Lily nodded, a bright smile on her beautiful face.

She was pretty, it was true, he didn't know how he'd ever thought she could outshine his Hermione, however.

"She's a smart witch, I think she has really been good for you, Sev." She placed a hand on his upper arm and he no longer felt the zing of energy, of tension he'd once felt when she touched him. He truly had moved on then? It was a freeing feeling, something that he hadn't anticipated.

"She has, we are quite in love I dare to say." He spoke quietly, Lily nodded and gave him another brilliant smile.

"Good, but our friendship Sev, is there any chance we can try again?" She tipped her head, red hair cascading across her shoulders. Severus glanced to the doorway to see Hermione standing just inside the room. She was leaning against the wall, a gentle, if a bit tense smile on her face. At his questioning gaze she nodded, he knew he wasn't imagining the little hint of sadness in her brilliant amber eyes, however.

"I think it would be acceptable to begin a tentative try at friendship. Now, we should be settling in for class, Slughorn will be here any moment no doubt." Lily nodded, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug that he hadn't anticipated, and he gave her back a gentle pat. "I am sorry, for everything that has come to pass between us, Lily."

"As am I, Severus, would you like to partner today? Hermione hasn't come yet?" She tipped her head at him and he nodded to the back of the room, Lily turned her head before flushing a soft shade of red. "Oh."

Hermione nodded at the other witch but maintained her distance, watching Severus, waiting to see what he would do. Knowing what they knew, that she was his soul-mate, that he was hers.

Severus felt his heart stutter in his chest, she would still stand back and let him have a chance with Lily once more, wouldn't she? His stomach flipped as he glanced between the witches, he could see it so clearly now, the light his Hermione shone upon entering the room.

Lily was pale in comparison, she was nothing when compared to the brilliant witch who had stolen him, heart and soul.

"I am afraid that Hermione and I have been working together quite amicably, perhaps we could gather as a group to study at some point?" He cocked an eyebrow at Lily who nodded before giving him another brilliant smile and turned to go to her usual table on the other side of the room.

Hermione approached him only after the other witch was gone, her fingers hooked together behind her back and her eyes hesitant on his face.

"Severus, if you want..." He cut her off with a gentle kiss, his lips brushing hers with delicate care.

"We'll speak after class, okay?" He took her hand in his and squeezed it softly before turning to their station just as Slughorn made his entrance and the class began.

SSHG

At lunch the pair sat together, close enough that Severus could hook his arm around Hermione's shoulders and pull her close to him. He was pleased to hold her in his arms, despite his distaste for such public displays. He could feel several sets of eyes on them, at least one pair belonging to the Gryffindor table, and as he looked up he realized that there were five at the Gryffindor table staring at them.

Each seemed to have their own reason, and a different expression on their face as he cradled his witch to his side. She ate slowly, glancing up at him on occasion and when he finally brought his eyes back down to her face she was watching him with a careful sort of guarded expression that made him feel incredibly lacking.

"Hermione, we need to speak on some things." She gave a downcast look, he could feel the turmoil, and resignation rolling off of her in waves and he cleared his throat. He never wanted to see such looks on her face where he was concerned, and he felt like the worst sort of boyfriend for making her feel such things.

She opened her mouth to speak and not wanting to hear what he could so clearly see written on her face he stopped her with a finger to her lips. Their seventh year would be ending soon and they would be moving on with their lives, moving on to bigger and better things. He had no illusions that he would go on without her, that she would ever not be a part of his life.

Now seemed as good a time as any.

"Hermione, love," he pulled the small box from his pocket, he'd sent for his Grandmum's engagement ring weeks before. It was time, he needed to do this now, to erase any and all doubt she might have in his loyalty, in his dedication to her. He would not be leaving her for Lily, he would not trade a real love for an infatuation, they had been through too much, come too far. "Hermione, it would please me endlessly for you to become my wife, you are everything to me." He opened the box to reveal the gleaming silver ring. A fair sized black pearl sat in its center and Severus knew there was a rune for protection carved into the underside, invisible to the naked eye. On either side of the pearl sat two delicate moonstones, glinting in the light and the ring emanated a magical aura.

Pureblood jewelry was always infused with the highest degrees of magic. The Prince line was old, and his Grandmum had always favored him, her only stipulation had been the requirement that he bring his future bride to meet with her.

His mother might never have inherited the Prince line, but someday Severus would be its head and it was incredibly important his chosen bride be accepted by the family.

"Oh great goddess Severus..." She trailed, her fingers covering her mouth, trembling as she stared down at the ring. "I hadn't expected- when she came to you I thought, oh sweet Merlin."

Severus couldn't help the smirk that pressed its way onto his face. "Do put me out of my misery, Hermione, I'm quite certain I will simply combust if you do not answer, and soon." Her eyes shot up to his and he could see the tears that gathered at their edges.

He frowned, gathering the witch into his arms and closing the ring in his large hand, hiding it away as he held her firmly in an embrace. "Hermione, love, it's okay, I haven't meant to upset you." He breathed into her ear as he held her and she shook her head. She was sobbing in earnest now and when she finally pulled away to look into his face she had the biggest smile he'd ever seen painted across her lips.

"Oh Severus, you haven't upset me, just surprised me is all!" She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his in a salty, tear streaked kiss. "Of course I want to be with you forever, of course I love you." She pulled away and pushed out her hand waiting for the ring, the ring he took delicately from the box and slipped onto her slender finger.

The ring glowed a soft white, wrapping magic around her wrist and arm that trailed straight up to her chest to wrap around her heart before resizing. The light faded, and she stared down at the delicate setting on her finger.

"I love you, my sweet witch. More than you will ever know." Severus pressed a kiss to the top of her head and she smiled, wrapping her arms around him once more for a tight embrace.

"I thought you would leave me..." She trailed as he stroked a hand down the back of her head, his fingertips tangling in her wild curls.

"I am never leaving you, Hermione, you are my witch, and I belong to you, heart and soul."