Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc. of the Harry Potter series are not mine. I just play with them.

When Severus Snape had been named Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he did not expect his first task to be to find the school's new Headmistress a replacement.

The applications had certainly not poured in. Instead, they had come in at a steady trickle, and he had reviewed each one carefully, none looking more promising than the other.

And this remained true until in the second week of advertising an application was mailed to him that he knew he would be stupid to reject.

A Ms. Hermione J. Granger had written to Mr. Severus Snape to inquire after the position of Transfiguration Professor, and to ask how he was faring. Severus's eyes did not fail to notice that Hermione Granger was both still a Ms. and a Granger and that she had taken the time to ask after his health. He would not, however, ever admit that this had any influence on his next course of action.

Severus Snape picked up a piece of parchment and his quill, dated it the parchment, and began a letter to Ms. Hermione J. Granger, inviting her to Scotland that Thursday for an interview.

Severus awoke Thursday a bit earlier than he usually did, and he took much longer showering, shaving, and brushing his teeth than was his habit. While dressing himself that morning in his finest everyday robes, he decided that he would stay away from his laboratory, for he knew that as soon as he entered it, the effort he had gone to in washing his hair would become a complete waste. Though, he could always tie it back. Hermione had always given him that certain look when he wore his hair tied back…

Shaking his head to clear it of these thoughts, Severus decided he would try to avoid thinking of Hermione Granger in any way that was not strictly professional. She was coming up to Hogwarts for an interview, not for a date. This behavior was ridiculous; after six years of separation, this hoping was futile.

Severus gave a derisive snort of laughter as he began button up his robes. That's what he was doing, wasn't it? Hoping. How ridiculous. How pathetic. He should know better by now than to hope. If life had taught him anything, it was to know that hoping got him nowhere.

So she had asked if she was well? So she was still called Ms. Hermione Granger? It meant nothing. The first was probably due to simple, common courtesy. The second could be attributed to the fact that she had always been a forward thinking woman who, even if married, would always go by her maiden name.

She was probably married. Probably to Ron Weasley, even. And though he'd never admit it, he'd much rather see her happily married to Ron Weasley than any of the dashing, clever men he'd sometimes imagined her meeting and falling madly in love with while at university.

Severus shuddered. She probably had married someone dashing and clever, though. She was probably married with two lovely children, and she probably never gave any thought to him. She probably had never thought of him at all until she'd seen that he had placed that advertisement in the newspaper.

And then she had written a response to the ad, and out of sheer politeness had inquired after him. That was all. She was simply being well mannered.

There was absolutely no cause for hope.

Severus Snape had started pacing outside in front of the doors to the castle half an hour before Hermione Granger's appointment with him. He had decided sometime at breakfast to wait outside for her arrival. Because it would be a nice thing to do, of course. That was his only motivation.

He was just a nice man who liked to do nice things for other people. Honestly.

He had been pacing for less than three minutes when a soft, feminine voice tentatively said, "Severus?" on his right.

Severus froze. He knew that voice; hell, he dreamt of that voice. Turning his head, he saw her, standing before him in all of her beautiful glory and smiling shyly up at him.

"Hermione?" he said, knowing his eyes had probably doubled in size as they came to rest on her. She was even more beautiful than the girl he remembered. She was a woman, now, that he could plainly see, and she was still absolutely perfect.

"Yes," she said continuing to give him that same shy smile. "It's nice to see you."

"You too," Severus replied, willing himself not to fall to pieces before her. "You're early," he added in a gruff tone.

She blushed. "Yes, well, I was hoping to clear my mind a bit before I went in for my interview."

He smirked. "Not nervous about it, are you? You must know you're perfectly qualified for the position."

"Oh, I know," she began, her cheeks flushing a deeper red as she realized what she had said. "That is, I meant to say that it wasn't that part of the interview I was worried about, really."

Severus frowned as he felt his heart drop to rest somewhere in the area of his stomach. She was worried about seeing him. She was scared of seeing him. "Indeed."

"Yes," said Hermione as she cast her gaze to the ground. "So we should just get to the point then, shouldn't we?"

He hated the overwhelming urge he suddenly felt to curl up into a ball and die. She was going to tell him all about her clever, dashing husband who was probably called something awful like…like…Herbert. Yes, that was terrible. Herbert and Hermione who probably had two lovely little children with sparkly little eyes and pouty little mouths like their mother's.

Oh, he just wanted to die. But instead of dying, he spoke. "Yes, I suppose we should."

"All right," said Hermione, raising her head to look him in the eye. "What's her name then?"

Severus furrowed his brow in confusion. "Whose?"

"The woman, Severus. The woman you've fallen in love with," Hermione said, her voice wavering. Goodness, were those tears in her eyes?

"What woman?" Severus demanded.

"Don't treat me like a fool, Severus Snape," Hermione began, waggling her finger at him. "You owe me more than that. It's been six years. You can't possibly still be in love with me."

Severus frowned at her tone. She was accusing himof falling in love with someone else? Oh, she had nerve. "Don't be ridiculous! And anyway, what about you and Herbert?!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"Who?" said Hermione, her hand frozen midair.

"The handsome husband you snagged while you were at university!" he yelled, growing frustrated.

Hermione's eyes widened. "I'm not married, Severus."

He felt his widen, too. "You're not?"

"No," she shook her head, "no, I've never married."

"Oh," said Severus, "right."

"Severus," she began, her hesitance evident in her tone, "I've dreamed about you."

"What?" he asked. He couldn't have heard her correctly. She had been dreaming about him?

She blushed. "There were so many times when I apparated to Hogsmeade, just out of the blue, fully intent on coming down the dungeons and never leaving. I never got farther than half way up the path to the castle, though. I suppose I knew that I'd have matured and would be ready for a relationship when I could walk all the way to the castle," she paused to laugh, "and here I am.

"I've dreamed about you, Severus, almost every night for the past six years. I dream about the day Harry defeated Voldemort when we first kissed and you told me that…you told me…" she stopped speaking to clear her throat. "Tell me truthfully, Severus. Do you…do…" Hermione's cheeks were redder than he'd ever seen them. He could only watch as she shifted from foot to foot. "Do you still not hate me?" she asked timidly.

"No," Severus replied quickly. "I still don't hate you, Hermione. I don't hate you at all."

Hermione gave him a small smile. "I don't hate you either, Severus. I don't think I ever will."

He gulped and took the three steps forward that placed him right before her. He looked down into her eyes; they were still the same warm brown they had been six years ago and the emotion shining in them was the same he'd last seen there.

"Hermione," he whispered gruffly as he slid his hands up her arms. He took the fact that she did not shrink away from his touch to be a good sign. "I know it's been a good few years since we attempted such a thing," he continued, "but I must confess, I'd rather like to have the opportunity to admit to not hating you on a fairly regular basis." He paused to gulp again. "That is, of course, if it would suit you."

Hermione smiled up at him, and he felt her hands slide up his chest and come to rest on his shoulders. "Are you offering me the position as Transfiguration Professor, Severus?"

He smirked, and dipped his head so that his lips were a mere hairsbreadth from hers. "I am indeed, Hermione," he whispered.

She laughed before moving her hands to grip the back of his neck and pulled him forward so that his lips met hers. It was heaven for him, kissing her again after all of these years. The kiss wasn't as gentle as the ones he remembered from that summer he'd spent in Order Headquarters, but they were certainly just as sweet.

"Severus," Hermione breathed as she pulled away slightly, "I must confess that I'd like to admit to not hating you as often as possible."

Severus smiled. "Please, Ms. Granger," he began as he took her hand in his own and pulled her towards the doors to the school. "Allow me to show you around your new home. I believe there are some lovely living quarters situated in the dungeons that might suit you perfectly. I hear the Professor who lives in them now is quite lonely and would very much enjoy having a lovely witch like you as a roommate."

"Indeed?" she replied as she allowed him to lead her through the doors and into the hallway. "Who am I to deny a lonely Professor of companionship? I can only hope my presence will be as enjoyable to him as you seem to think it will be."

He stopped walking to turn and face her. He lifted his hand to cup her cheek with it, his thumb brushing against her skin gently. "Trust me, Hermione, there is no need for hope," he brushed his lips against hers gently, "when there is absolute certainty."

She grinned at him and Severus smiled in return. Maybe despite all that life had previously taught him, Hermione Granger could teach him a bit more about hope. Perhaps, it was not as futile as he had once thought it.

"I love you, Severus," she said, softly.

He grinned at her. "I love you, too."

"Ah," she replied. "I believe that's my cue." Severus watched as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her so that she could claim his lips in a kiss. And though no words were spoken, Severus could hear her promise and it sounded like forever.

The End

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Author's Note: Yay for short epilogues! And they lived happily ever after. So, there. I would really like to thank each and every one of you who have taken the time to read this story, and many thanks to those have been thoughtful enough to review. I would never have expected such a positive response for such an unimpressive story. So, thank you very much.