With Christmas and Boxing Day over Hermione was back at Hogwarts and this time so was Charlie. Hermione was so busy that the only time she was able to even talk with Charlie was at meal times.

By the end of February Hermione was so exhausted that putting one foot in front of another wasn't even an option, turning to Severus on a Friday night she finally sat down and told him enough was enough. "Severus I can't keep up like this any longer, I really need this weekend off. I am so tired I'm afraid I'll make mistakes. I teach first through third year for you and do all the grading and first and second year for Professor Flitwick and do the grading and then you add in the potions and brewing and reading and practicing and I'm working twenty out of twenty four hours."

Severus looked at Hermione, really looked at her he could see that she wasn't even keeping a glamour on any more since she was too exhausted to keep it up. She had dark circles under her eyes and her hair looked dry and brittle. "I guess we can take the weekend off, you really do look exhausted."

"You sure know how to make a girl feel like she looks nice."

"Well you have dark circles under your eyes and you have been working hard."

Hermione sighed, "I'm going to sleep until I wake up in the morning."

Severus laughed, "I'll see you at breakfast."

"What are you talking about I don't expect to be up before dinner."

"You will find yourself up at your usual time wait and see."

Hermione sighed I really hope you are wrong, I would like to sleep in and maybe actually spend more than meal time with Charlie."

"I noticed that Mr. Weasley seemed rather upset at lunch yesterday."

"Yes he took the job to be closer to me and the only time we even see each other is meals. He's rather upset about that. But, I'm trying so hard to finish everything up so that I can spend the rest of our life together."

Severus pulled Hermione over to the chair by his desk. "Hermione if Charlie is really in love with you he will work with you and understand. You have been working so hard that it looks like you will be done by spring. That's unbelievable I've never seen anyone get through an apprenticeship this fast. You already have more patents than even I had when I completed my apprenticeship. It took me four years before I earned my mastery and you are going to be done in less than two year. "

Hermione nodded as she wiped the tears that had been running down her face. "You are just trying to make me feel better."

"Have you ever seen me try to make anyone feel better? You know me better than that. I would rather make fun of someone then ever make someone feel better."

Hermione nodded and finished wiping her face, "I'm going to go get a shower and see just how long I can sleep."

Severus nodded and watched Hermione walk away, why in the world can't I just tell her that I want to be with her? I don't think she will be happy with Weasley but I'm too afraid that I can't make her happy either. This is ridiculous I'm sitting here talking to myself. I have to get over the girl no woman she will never be mine I just need to accept that. Severus got up from his chair, moved to quarters, poured himself a glass of firewhiskey, and settled in for a long talk with himself.

Hermione started up to her quarters and then turned and headed towards the first floor. Stopping in front of the portrait of a Hungarian Horntail Hermione knocked on the frame.

Charlie opened the door, "Hermione what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you I'm sorry I've been so busy I asked Severus for tomorrow off. I thought maybe we could spend some time together tomorrow, that is if you aren't busy I don't want to interrupt anything."

"I would like that, why don't you come in and have a cup of tea before you head up to bed."

Hermione smiled and walked into his quarters, "I do love you Charlie I'm just trying to get my apprenticeships done so that we can have a life together."

"I know Hermione I've been a git I love you," Charlie pulled Hermione into his arms. The two of them kissed for a long time and when they finally pulled apart Hermione was feeling like she and Charlie had made up.

Hermione told Charlie good night and moved back to her room. The next morning the two of them met at breakfast. "Do you know where you would like to go today Hermione?"

Hermione thought for a few minutes," why don't we go to Diagon alley and maybe go to a movie afterwards."

Charlie nodded, "that sounds good I just want to spend time with you."

Hermione nodded and the two of them finished breakfast before leaving. After apparating into Diagon Alley, they stopped and saw the twins. Hermione was surprised how busy the store was with school in session. However, most of the students were young kids not at Hogwarts yet.

After visiting with the boys for a while, they walked into muggle London and took in a movie. Charlie loved muggle movies and really didn't care what was showing as long as there was action. They watched the DaVinci Code. When the movie ended the two of them went after pizza and then took a walk around London.

By the time they got back Hermione was once again exhausted. Charlie tried to get Hermione to go to his room with him but she was so tired all she wanted was bed and they almost got in a fight before managing to get lose from him. Hermione was fuming by the time she headed to her quarters. She just could not understand why Charlie got angry with her for wanting to sleep. Thinking to herself Hermione was livid, what in bloody hell is wrong with him? I am tired I told him I was and that after dinner I planned on coming home and going to bed. NO, he had to throw a fit because I wouldn't come in his blasted quarters.

Why can't he understand I am trying to finish everything so that we can be together? Grrrrr I just want to hex him right now, why can't he grow up and realize that I am tired.

Hermione waved her wands in quick snappy movements and she said the password and dropped the wards on her quarters. Hermione entered her quarters still mumbling about Charlie. Changing for bed Hermione crawled in bed and laid for the better part of an hour before she gave up and got up. She knew as long a she was angry that she would never be able to go to sleep.

Looking at the time Hermione decided to go to the lab and check on the potions that she had in various areas of completion and figured if nothing else, she could grade essays. Entering the lab after slamming the door back just as Severus did when he entered a class room she didn't see Severus in the back corner reading his journal.

Stamping over to the caldrons, she checked each of them all the time still calling Charlie names under her breath. Severus listened her muttering and kind of smiled. He loved seeing the sparkle in her eye and the way you could see the magic simmer off her when she was upset. Severus sighed he hadn't seen her like this since the war she had her spark back; he just wondered what Charlie had done that had stirred her up.

Deciding he better let Hermione know that he was there Severus cleared his throat. Hermione jumped and turned around. "Severus you scared me."

"I apologize but you were talking to yourself and I didn't want to interrupt you."

Hermione sighed, "I'm sorry Severus, Charlie just made me so angry."

"What happened I thought you were looking forward to your day out with Charlie?"

"I was and we had a good time but when we got home he couldn't seem to understand that I wanted to go to my quarters and sleep."

"If you were going to sleep why are you down here in the lab?"

"I'm angry and now I can't go to sleep. I tried I laid in bed for about an hour and just couldn't settle down."

"Hermione sit down a minute and let's talk. You seem really upset and I'd like to talk with you."

Hermione sighed and moved to the stools at the counter they worked on their journals at. "What do you want to talk about Severus?"

"You!"

"Me, what about me I'm just trying to get through my apprenticeship."

"Maybe I should say about the two of us, Hermione what do you want to do with your life after you finish your apprenticeship? Do you really want to go to the Dragon reserves or are you settling for that because of Charlie wanting to stay with the dragons?"

Hermione sat for a few minutes and thought. "Truthfully Severus I don't know. I think I love Charlie but I see a lot of Ron in him and I cannot deal with that. I really thought Charlie was totally different than Ron but I guess with both of them being raised by Molly I should have realized they would have a lot of the same traits."

Severus sat back and rubbed the bridge of his nose while he tried to think. He was trying to figure out if he should tell Hermione how he felt. "Hermione you know I respect you and that I consider you a friend?"

Hermione nodded and wondered what Severus was getting at.

"I know I'm a lot older than you and that you think of me as nothing but your professor and maybe a friend. But, ummm well ummm."

"Severus I've never seen you at a loss for words spit it out please."

"Hermione I'm know I'm too old for you but I think of you as more than a friend. "

Hermione's mouth dropped open and she looked at Severus, "Ummm Severus I'm not sure I understand what you are saying?"

"I'm trying to tell you that I like you as more than my apprentice and as more than my friend."

Hermione tried to process what Severus was saying she still wasn't sure she understood. Then she felt the light come on, "Severus are you saying you like me as someone you would want to date?"

Severus rubbed the bridge of his nose now he was sure he said the wrong thing. "Don't get me wrong Hermione I do like you that way but I understand that you are engaged to Charlie and that I'm too old for you."

Hermione looked at Severus, Hermione knew that she had been thinking so much about Severus, she also knew that part of the reason she was so depressed at the end of the war was she missed Severus. "Severus are you serious please tell me you are serious."

Severus looked at Hermione and realized that her eyes were glowing and that her hair was starting to spark on the ends. "Hermione I've never told you anything but the truth."

Hermione reached across the table and took Severus's hand. "You don't like me as a daughter or a partner in the lab you like me as someone you would like to have a relationship with? Hermione's voice was cracking and she was shaking as she asked.

Severus nodded, "Actually I would like to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

Hermione started crying and Severus didn't know what to do but new that he had to do something. Getting up and stepping around the table Severus pulled Hermione into a hug and held her as she cried. "Hermione I'm sorry if I upset you, I know I'm too old and I know you are in love with Charlie and you are going to get married. However, I wanted you to know that I will always be here for you. I know you lost your parents and I will do anything for you."

Hermione finally got the crying under control and looked up at Severus. She looked up into the eyes that she had thought of so much in the last two years. Finally, she stood up, put her arms around Severus's neck, and pulled him down to her.

"Severus you aren't too old for me, I've been in love with you since we worked together the last year of the war. But, I thought you were dead and I knew I had to get on with my life. When you came back I knew that you didn't care about me that you thought I was just a child."

Severus looked down at the young woman that he had tried to protect during the war. He had learned that she was smart, aggressive, and brave and most of all that she had a heart of gold. She had made him realize that he wasn't all-bad he had just made mistakes.

Looking into her eyes, he saw that she was watching him. "What are we going to do about these feelings?"

"I think that I need to talk to Charlie in the morning before we do anything. Then I would like us to have a talk. Severus I, ummm ummm I really do love you I know that after the war part of the reason I was so depressed was that you were gone. I want us to see where this will go. I know that Charlie will be heartbroken but I need to see where we might go."

____________-

Thank you to all that helped me! I hope that you enjoy the way this ended if you don't sorry. I still have to finish up Strange Bedfellows. I've got another story playing around in my brain so I hope to do another story.

Thank you all for the wonderful comments!