Disclaimer: I acknowledge that I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or universe. No offense is meant by the situations portrayed in this or any other fanworks.

A/N: And there you have it, the end!
I played around with writing an epilogue, but I wasn't completely satisfied with it. If enough people want it, I'll rewrite the epilogue and post one, but if not, here's the end!
I will eventually be working on other works aside from the Hattie Potter series, so if there is something specific you liked in this piece that you'd want to see in another, let me know and I'll try to please!
Thanks to everyone for sticking with me through it, even if you were just watching, I really do appreciate it! I hope you liked it!

Chapter Twenty: So Tell me when you're Gonna let me In

The rest of the day was spent with discussions, filling in all the blanks that had occurred. Saqi noticed that both Allie and Severus had mistaken her for a Granger. So, of course, he and Dumbledore figured out that Herr Schreber was from Hermione's era. Dumbledore also noted too, that when he noticed Hermione's eyes lingered on Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait, he knew something was up.

The Professors raided Hermione's memories and Snape offered up some of his once he had been discovered. They saw the monster that Tom Riddle would become. Armando Dippet found it hard to believe that the boy was capable of such a transformation, but he recognized some fragment of the boy in one of Severus' memories where he kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes. None of them asked for the memory where Hermione killed Tom Riddle. They decided to let his missing person report continue to be lost amongst all the casualties of Grindelwald's war. It would be a while before any member in the ministry even touched his file, and if anyone starting doing a more thorough search, Dumbledore assured them that he would handle it.

Despite all their questions and reviews, both Dippet and Dumbledore agreed that they couldn't stay at the school. There would be too many issues when their former selves came to school, not to mention other biases they would have with students and staff. So they suggested Hermione fast tracked her way through school, so she had to take her N.E.W.T.s with Minerva and Poppy. They let Severus finish his year, but as a librarian and he had to move on afterwards. Madam James was relieved to finally retire, but it was up in the air as to who would replace Snape after he left.

They were also not allowed to speak to any of the students about what had happened. Lucy Audley apologized profusely for taking the ring. She said that she had taken the ring to keep Hermione away from Tom. She was planning to confront Hermione with the ring to demand she stayed away from him, but she found she couldn't bear to part with it. Hermione claimed the ring took the form of what the person desired most and slowly drained their energy and Audley believed it. Hermione noticed the girl lost a bit of her glow, and she looked much more tired than she had before. She wondered if Lucy's connection with the ring took a toll on her, specifically when it was destroyed.

Both Lucy Audley and her father were furious that Hermione was leaving before Lucy. But nothing they offered or threatened made Dippet budge on his decision to keep her out of the school. Hermione told both of them that Lucy would be fine, that the major threat was gone. She even forged a two-way mirror so Lucy would be able to contact her if she was every in danger (or, Lucy noted, needed help with upcoming assignments.)

Of course, Hermione had to tell Hagrid, Minerva, and Poppy the whole story, but she kept Dumbledore out of the loop that they knew. She didn't want to ruin their futures as well. They had little to contribute aside from the fact that they were all disappointed they couldn't have helped in that final battle. Hermione assured them that they did enough fighting her original timeline to make up for it. Hermione also confided in them that Herr Severus Schreber was from her timeline too and had come back to make sure everything had been completed.

"See, she knew him before!" Poppy said, nudging Minerva. "And here you were worried she was going to sneak around with some authority figure."

"I'm sorry Hermione," Minerva said, chuckling. "It looks like I've misjudged your character again."

Hermione laughed along with them, and she didn't tell them how her relationship with Herr Schreber was originally teacher and student. She knew Minerva would go back to being suspicious of her. But Minerva and Poppy were happy to have another study partner for their N.E.W.T.s. and they even discussed applying for some jobs where they could work together. Hagrid, however, was anxious that everyone was leaving, but they assured him that he would be fine by himself.

"I can't believe you spent six years reading Muggle fiction," Severus replied.

"I needed to keep my mind busy somehow," Hermione replied.

Hermione was studying in the library, but she sat at Severus' desk. He found the librarian job quite boring. Hermione had begun hiding restricted books in with the normal books so they could watch the younger students open them and get startled by the screams that came from inside the books.

"How frivolous," Severus said.

"It teaches you about life," Hermione said. "Philosophy and psychology, all those things."

Snape sniffed. He responded, "I have lived long enough to know better than to waste my time reading about fictional lives for life experience."

"Because you have experienced everything," Hermione replied.

"I have experienced enough," Severus said. "But I would have willingly experienced Azkaban too, if they blamed you for Tom's murder. I don't know what you were thinking, taking the blame for me."

"I thought you deserved a chance to finally live without anyone expecting anything from you," Hermione replied. "I had nothing to lose."

"I will not get into an argument with you over who has lost more in this damned war," Snape said.

They both grew silent and focussed on reading their books, until Hermione said, "I was wondering, why didn't you change physically when you released so much energy? Both Allie and myself had physical changes after we released a heap of energy."

Snape shrugged. "What changed for you?" he asked.

Hermione smiled, twisting a stray strand of her hair with her finger. "My hair," she replied. "I missed it."

"That's the difference then," Snape said. "I didn't miss anything about my former self."

Hermione thought for a moment. "You know what," Hermione said. "After I killed the basilisk, nothing changed. Tom always said my eyes turned brown when I was releasing energy, but they never stayed that colour. I like my green eyes because it feels like Harry is staring out of my eyes."

"How macabre," Snape replied, indifferently.

"Do your eyes change colour?" Hermione asked.

"Miss. Abercorn, I do not stare at myself in a mirror when I am releasing energy, nor do I have any young boys ogling me while I try to kill them," he replied.

Hermione smiled.

"What?" Snape asked.

"You called me Abercorn," Hermione said. "I like that."

Severus' ears turned red as he began concentrating on his book again. It made Hermione think of Ron when he was embarrassed. It had been a while since she had been around redheads. She lingered for a moment on thoughts of the Weasleys and the family she could have had with them.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Hermione replied, "Why did you pick that body?"

"Well it was before I remembered what an insufferable know-it-all you were," Snape said.

"That explains even less," Hermione replied, furrowing her brow.

Snape exhaled and slammed his book shut. Several of the students loitering in the library looked up to see him, but then went back to their work. Most of the students preferred Madam James to Herr Schreber for obvious reasons.

"If you must know," Severus said, "I was a bit delusional in my later years and you became... a Lily to me, another dead muggle born to fight for. I treasured those few memories I had of you. It was a comfort, comforting you in your time of need. Most of the time I felt used, but to feel needed, like I actually had a true place in all this, not just playing the role of the double agent, but having some sort of meaning. It meant a lot to me and... you meant a lot to me.

"When I knew I was going to find you again, I wanted to find a body that you would like," he continued, "While still having my 'ace-in-the-hole' status. Of course, now I remember what a selfish little brat-"

"So everything you said about Luna and Neville-" Hermione said.

"I wasn't lying," Snape said. "You were just a bonus, something to keep me motivated while I was growing up in this wretched past."

Hermione's heart pounded in her chest. She thought of that night when the memories of Snape came back with a vengeance. Her cheeks burned and she knew. She had a second chance at life.

Hermione took his hand in hers even though he avoided her eyes. "I felt guilty before," Hermione said, "For seeing you as a comfort. It was as if I was cheating on Ron if I had someone else to care for me, but I think I was just cheating myself. He would want me to be happy, wouldn't he?"

"Perhaps," Severus said, "But he probably doesn't care about my happiness."

"But I care about your happiness," Hermione said, giving Snape a knowing smile.

She pulled him close to embrace him, but he pulled away. "Hermione, there are students everywhere," Snape replied. "I am a professional."

"We're getting kicked out anyway," Hermione said. "What does it matter?"

"I suppose you are correct," he replied, "as usual."

Hermione felt one of his cool hands hold her chin lightly, drawing her closer to his lips. She felt her heart rise through her. It wasn't like Ron's kiss or Voldemort's. It was different. It was new. It was warm. She twisted her fingers into his curls, pulling him closer to her. As the kiss dissolved into an embrace, Hermione asked, "So where do we go now, Herr Schreber?"

Breathing in her hair, Severus replied, "Anywhere we want, Miss. Abercorn."