They popped into the kitchen and hurried to the entranceway where Ginny assumed they still were to find their lips joint. For a moment, Ginny thought she had just ruined her best friend's relationship, but then the best friend in question pushed Ron away.

"Ron! I don't love you and I never will! I've moved on and you need to too!" Hermione yelled. "I've found that one person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, and it's not you! It was never you and never will be! I'm not going to let you ruin my life again!"

She was crying by this point, facing away from Severus and Ginny and so couldn't see them, but Ron, on the other hand, had noticed their arrival. He was silent, looking desperately between the pair in the shadows and the woman he loved, not knowing what to do.

Hermione frowned when Ron didn't reply, but when she noticed him looking behind her, she turned to look also. The moment her eyes came to rest on Severus, she leapt into his arms and held onto him with all her strength, only pulling away slightly to kiss him soundly on the lips.

Severus took her in his arms happily, sucking lightly on her bottom lip as they kissed. He was exceedingly glad Hermione wasn't angry with him anymore, in fact, their current situation would suggest the opposite. He exhaled happily as she pulled away from his lips, but kept her face close to his with her eyes closed. Her hot breaths washed over his face, making him shiver slightly. This caused Hermione to open her eyes to plant a delicate kiss on the tip of his nose.

A distinctly fake cough pulled them away from each other to look at the two youngest Weasley children. The younger smiling happily, while the elder shooting an enraged look at the pair.

"I'm sorry, Ron." Hermione broke the silence. "But I love him."

Severus visibly stiffened as she said this. He knew she had feelings for him – strong ones at that – but he didn't think she loved him. He was afraid this would happen, but being truly honest, the same thing had happened to him. He didn't think he could fall in love, no less would voluntarily do so, but the beautiful, intelligent witch that had just proclaimed her love for him had proved him wrong. He had, in fact, over the past two and a half years, fallen in love with her too.

"Love? How the bloody hell can you love Snape?" Ron yelled. "How can you feel anything for him other than hate?"

"Easily. Very easily." Hermione answered. "Now, if you're going to continue being difficult, you can leave our house."

"No, I will not leave while you're still under some kind of spell! This is Snape were talking about! Snape! You may love him, but he's not even capable of loving anything!"

"That's a lie!" Hermione shouted, knowing that he may not love her, but he was capable.

"Prove it." Ron sneered. "Come on, Snape, tell her you love her."

Hermione heard him gulp loudly and turned back to him, softly stroking his cheek.

"It's okay, Sev. You don't have to." Hermione whispered. "You know I don't expect you to love me."

He stared into her eyes and saw her happiness, he saw how contented she was with him. He could see that she didn't care whether he loved her or not. But he did. He just didn't think he could actually say it, and in front of two Weasleys? The entire Wizarding World would know within the hour.

"Ha! He can't do it, you know why, Hermione? You want to know why?" Ron taunted. "'Cause he doesn't bloody love you! He will never love you!"

But Hermione wasn't listening, she was focussed entirely on Severus. She could see the battle taking place behind his eyes, although she didn't know what it was about.

"Sev?" She whispered.

"I know you don't expect it of me." He told her, slightly short of breath. "But... I do love you."

Hermione's heart literally stopped beating for a few seconds, she had never expected him to love her, not in a million years, but here he was, admitting it in front of Ginny and Ron. He pulled her into his arms when the tears finally fell, holding her as close as possible to his heart.

"I love you too." She sobbed, her hands fisting in his hair, never intending on letting go.

Meanwhile, Ginny and Ron were staring at them in shock, Ginny's was happy shock, Ron's, however, was not.

"Looks like your plan backfired." Ginny said, placing a hand on her brother's shoulder. "We should go."

"I- but- he-" Ron was blubbering, still staring at them.

"Now, Ronald. We're leaving." Ginny grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door. "Bye Hermione!"

When she didn't receive an answer, she glanced back and smiled. Ginny realised it was impossible for her to get an answer, as Severus' lips would muffle any answer Hermione gave.

Severus and Hermione were automatically aware they were alone.

"I never thought you would." Hermione breathed. "But I always had hope."

"To be honest, I never thought I would either." He told her. "But I do, I love you, Hermione."

"And I will never get sick of you saying that." She leaned in to kiss him again.

Well, that's the end, I hope everyone liked it =]