Severus deposited Hermione slowly onto his bed. He ran his hand through her hair, managing a small smile. She returned an equally small grin.

"Can we just get in your bed and snuggle?" Hermione asked, tired.

"I had the same idea. Let me just wash up quickly." Severus walked to the bathroom as Hermione made herself comfortable on his bed.

When he returned, Hermione was already half asleep. He noticed her discarded robes on the chair by his bed and his eyebrows shot up. Surely she wasn't naked underneath the heavy duvet.

"Are you coming?" Hermione's groggy summon pulled Severus from a trance he did not realize he was in. He sheepishly noted he had been standing next to his bed for an embarrassingly long time.

Nervously, Severus walked around his bed to the opposite side. He contemplated what to wear, decided against his embarrassingly battered traditional wizard pajamas, and in the end transfigured his teaching robes into appropriate loungewear. He scowled when he realized his nightshirt and lounge pants had retained their previous pattern. It looks like I'm wearing a costume version of my teaching robes, he realized, quite annoyed.

Severus was about to reconfigure the patterning on his clothes when he heard Hermione giggle.

"Severus, what on earth are you wearing?"

Embarrassed, Severus stumbled, "I was trying to get into something more comfortable."

Hermione sat up slowly, the duvet falling aside to expose her upper body. With a smile, he realized Hermione had borrowed one of his shirts to use as pajamas.

"I hope you don't mind I dug around your trunk for something to wear."

"Not at all, darling," he responded, "it looks much better on you anyway."

She smiled and leaned back onto the pillows. Severus felt her eyes on him as he waved his wand and changed his pajamas to a subtle dark gray color that resembled something an actual human would wear to sleep. He dimmed the lights before crawling under the covers.

He felt Hermione's hand reach out and touch his arm. She palped around a bit to determine where the rest of his torso was, then slid herself over to his side. Tenderly, Severus raised his arm so she could get her head on his shoulder. It was amazing how well she fit against his body.

Hermione looked exhausted. The crying really wore her out, Severus realized. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tight. Her arm, draped across his middle, hugged back, albeit with much less force behind it. This worried Severus, and he placed a sweet kiss on Hermione's forehead.

The witch was soon asleep. Her breathing became slow and steady as Severus watched. The frown on her eyebrows disappeared, and her entire body relaxed against the older man's. He smiled.

Severus, however, had a very difficult time finding slumber. His mind was racing with thoughts and plausibilities. He had to kill Dumbledore in order to maintain his position to help Potter, that much he knew. He also had to protect Draco under penalty of death. He had to somehow convince Voldemort and his followers of his enduring position – Dumbledore thought that Severus committing the murder would seal the deal, but he was not so sure. Most importantly at this moment, he had to make sure nobody would ever come to know of his affection for Hermione. If he were found courting one the enemy's closest friends, Severus had no doubt Voldemort would order him to torture Hermione in order to gain information. Perhaps Hermione would be used as bait to lure Potter – Severus had certainly conceived of that as well. Voldemort did not care for love; he only understood what you could get from other people, and Hermione certainly would have a lot to offer.

Wait, Severus suddenly realized, did I just use the word 'love'?

With that new idea floating around in his head, Severus finally slept.

The next morning, Severus awoke at his usual early hours. No sunlight reached this portion of the castle, so he had become quite used to waking up naturally at precisely 5am. He rolled over to check that Hermione was still with him and was greeted by the pleasant sight of her sleeping form illuminated by the dim torchlight.

She had rolled off of him at some point during the night, her arms now encircling a bunched-up duvet. Her wild curly hair was sprawled all over the pillow, her shoulders, and her face. The shirt she had borrowed from Severus had ridden up substantially, exposing her bare back. Severus wondered if below the sheet he could catch a glimpse of her panties, and was both ashamed and aroused by the prospect. Ever the dignified man, he peered no further, and instead enjoyed imagining the sight, rather than finding out for himself just what she looked like.

He must have made some noise, for at that moment, Hermione stirred awake. Sluggishly, she rolled to face Severus. Her eyes were half-open and she had a lazy smile on her face.

"G'morn, Sev," she drawled. He found it endearing.

"Good morning, darling," he spoke softly, "Since when do you call me Sev?"

"I dunno. Seemed easier, I guess." A yawn overcame her and Hermione stretched, her hands reaching up and the loose shirt exposing her midriff. Severus was captivated. The soft and supple skin of youth on her slightly curved belly enthralled him. The man stared, absorbed in examining her body.

His attention was not lost to Hermione, who awkwardly pulled down the shirt to cover her middle.

"Ugh, Severus. Why are you staring at my stomach?"

Earnestly, he stammered an apology, "I apologize, Hermione. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable."

Hermione seemed annoyed at his response. Severus closed his eyes in disappointment and marveled at his ability to fuck things up every time, without fault.

"No, it's not that you've made me uncomfortable," Hermione began. She then paused and reflected before continuing, "though, actually, you did. But that's probably my problem more than it is yours, to be quite honest. You've done nothing wrong." She smiled to emphasize her point, but Severus was not sold.

"What do you mean by that?" he inquired, confused and still feeling badly. "If I made you uncomfortable, is that not my offense?"

"It's not your fault that I've got body issues, Severus."

The potions master was taken aback. "Issues? Are… are you ill, Hermione?"

Hermione made a sound that appeared to be a sad laugh before letting her face fall. "No, Severus. I'm healthy. Please don't worry about me."

A long silence hung over them. Severus did not speak – he had an inkling Hermione had more to say.

"It's just…" she continued, the silence driving her, "I know I'm not…. you know…. conventionally beautiful. I realize that I'm probably not…. the most appealing person to look at. And I'm ok with it, really, because it's my head that I'm most proud of…. but it doesn't mean it's always easy to handle it."

Severus was flabbergasted. "Hermione, I… do not quite have the words at this moment," he managed to stammer out.

"It's quite all right," she smiled again, "Like I said, I'm ok with it. It's only once in a while that I let it get to me at all."

"No," Severus found his thoughts, "This is, frankly, nonsense. You are beautiful, Hermione. Any wizard would find you stunning. I find you absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous."

Hermione beamed at Severus. Fueled by her encouraging response, he continued. "You are so dazzling, so lovely, so beautiful!" he spoke in ernest. Hermione blushed. Severus smiled.

"Thanks for the confidence boost. You're not so terrible to look at either," she teased, grinning back.

"Please," Severus scoffed, "I'm under no delusions. I'm old, scrawny, and sad."

"Don't say that, Sev! You're none of those things." Gently, Hermione placed her hand on his chest. "You're just as beautiful and wonderful as you say I am."

Severus felt the warmth of Hermione's body as she hugged him fiercely.

"Thank you for always being so good to me," she mumbled, her voice muffled as her face pressed into the nook at Severus' shoulder. He enveloped her with his arms and held tight.

"No, Hermione - thank you."

The two laid together for some time, simply enjoying each other.