Chapter Text
Two years later, Hermione dropped her quill to the floor with a clatter. "Blast," she muttered, and before she could conjure up enough energy to bend over, the pen had bounced back up like a rubber ball. Ah, it was one of Severus' charmed ones; of course.
"Granger," Snape bellowed from the sunroom. "Did you already water the 'mums? They're looking a bit peaked."
"Oh damn," Hermione called, resting on her elbow. "I must have been distracted. I'm so sorry, love."
"No matter," he responded, just the slightest bit of irritation in his voice. "Your exams are almost over. So long as you feed me, I can feed them."
"It might be a lot of porridge, this week," Hermione answered, smirking a bit at Severus entered the room. While he remained just as limited as he was two years ago, he and Hermione had developed a great variety of charms and workarounds to give him maximal independence. "I'm afraid my revising timetables are ghastly."
"Never you mind." Severus approached and laid his head on her shoulder. That simple gesture still made Hermione's heart skip a beat, even after being together for a while. "I could do with some reducing."
"Mhm." Her tone was neutral. Hermione didn't care to argue too much with him on the subject. Severus had only gotten heavier since they began dating, and truth be told, Hermione liked the weight on him. He no longer looked like a scrawny underfed cat, all skin and bones and sinew. His flesh had more fullness, and even his hair looked healthier now that he had adequate nutrition.
"You are incredibly beautiful," he murmured, rubbing the tip of his nose along the slope of her neck.
"I sense you want something," Hermione answered, feeling sensation stirring below her belt. "I'm *busy,* Sev."
"Just a few minutes," he begged, his voice so sad and plaintive. "I swear, something is happening. Every time, it feels like.... *something.*"
It probably was an exercise in futility, but Hermione and Severus had been working on various remedies to get at least one of Severus' unmoving limbs to function. The fifth one, in particular. With certain medicinal potions, blood did rush there, but not much tended to happen after the fact. This was enough to sate Hermione's needs, while doing very little for Severus'. But that did not prevent their making *strenuous* efforts in the area.
"I would, if I was any good at these practical spells." She pressed a kiss upon his cheek and sighed. "I need as much practice as I can manage. But it's just one more semester of this bloody healer's program, then I'll be all yours."
"That's a load of shite," he said agreeably, pressing a tender kiss upon her upper arm. "You'd be working four-hundred hour weeks if you had it your way."
"Don't pretend you can't *wait* for me to get out of the house every day so you can tinker about with your inventions." Hermione wanted to push him away, but he was on her right arm, so he had her at a disadvantage. Probably on purpose, sneaky Slytherin.
"They just pass the time," Severus chuckled. Hermione just shook her head; Severus had gotten extremely good at the dictaquil, and was now using it to draft all manner of inventions (spellwork and otherwise) with the specificity and prolificity of Da Vinci. He had published no fewer than six patents in the past three months - and had at least nine more in final stages of development.
"Meyers says that last one could land us more money than we could use in a lifetime," Hermione reminded, lifting her left hand and running her fingers through his hair.
"Witch, I'm surprised you are so financially motivated." There was a playful edge in his voice despite the gripe.
"Only because I'm going to be working in the nonprofit sector, dearheart," Hermione responded sweetly. "Problems don't solve themselves. Money, unfortunately, is what moves mountains."
"Of course," Severus grumbled, "I *have* to fall for an activist."
"Don't act so surprised." Hermione pressed her fingers into his scalp seductively. "You've known me a long time, Snape."
"So you must remind me." Despite the kvetch in his voice, he kissed her arm again. "Pardon my grumblings. It's nothing personal."
Hermione began to realize there was something bothering him somehow. "I sense you're nervous about something." She continued to stroke his hair. "Can I help in some way?"
"I just want to take you to dinner," Severus said. This was a surprise in many ways - not the least of which was that Severus was practically a hermit these days. Hermione could not remember the last time he had left the house.
There was something in his throat, it sounded like, and Hermione felt her heart skip a beat, then two, then three.
"Of course," she breathed, feeling the significance heavy on her shoulders, but light in her chest. "Whenever you like, Sev. Wherever you like."
"At a restaurant," he explained, a bit gruff. "Next Thursday night, after your final exam?"
"That would be lovely."
He took a breath.
"I... won't be able to get on one knee," he said lowly, with pain in his voice. "I suppose that's obvious. I hope that isn't too important to you. If it is, I'll-"
"-Oh, sweetheart." Hermione turned and shut him up with a tender, gentle kiss. "You are perfect as you are."
"I never thought I would be here, now," Severus mused, with that small half-smile that was as close he got to actually smiling. Unvoiced, she heard the implication: *being happy.* "And I have you to thank for it," he said.
And Hermione thought back to that terrifying moment years prior, when she'd been paralyzed by fear, and leaped to action against her better judgement.
"Somehow terror has not yet gotten the best of us," she stated softly, massaging the back of his neck with her fingers.
He rumbled in agreement, "Let us hope it never will."
~fin~