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When we last left our heroine:

"Yes, I really love you. More than words could ever say, or mean. Why are you asking me this?" I thought he was going to pop the question there.

"Because I...I'm afraid I'll lose you for some younger, handsomer guy."

"Never, I'm yours forever Severus, I LOVE YOU."

"Well then, where were we?" he had one of those rare smiles.

"I believe here..." I said and put my arms around his neck, kissing him again. My legs were across his left side while I sat in his lap on the concrete balcony. He grabbed my legs and pulled me closer, deepening the kiss. He suddenly stood up, never letting my lips leave his. He carried me over to his bed.


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Chapter 5

The next day I woke up to warm, lustrous sunshine streaming onto my face. The balcony window was open and its curtains were softly blowing around. I couldn't feel anyone next to me and I panicked. I shot straight up out of the bed and wildly looked for Severus. He must have heard the sheets rustle for he was standing at the edge of the bed in a split second.

"Something wrong love?" he asked in his silky baritone voice. The sound of that beautiful voice sent shivers throughout my body. With that voice of his, he could make me do anything he wanted me to. I blushed slightly at my reason for being jumpy, but it wasn't an unreasonable explanation.

"I...I thought you were called," I mumbled my excuse and was even more embarrassed. He would have woken me or left a not if that was why he was gone, but I still had cause to worry.

He chuckled slightly and wrapped his silk black robe tighter around himself as a gust of icy cold wind blew his papers off of his desk in the corner. I sunk further into the depth of the blankets.

"I'm worried for you safety Severus."

"I know. And I am worried about yours, especially after Remus' outburst yesterday." Now it was my turn to laugh.

"Don't you remember our discussion last night? Even if he does like me that way, you're the one with my heart. I thought I made that blatantly clear! Please don't make me repeat myself. You know I hate doing that." I lightly punched him as he climbed back into the bed with me. He growled and wrapped his arms around my waist, forcing me back into the bed. I laughed mirthlessly as he started to kiss my neck.

A soft moan leaked from my lips and enticed Severus to continue his ministrations. But before he could go any further, the grandfather clock in his sitting room chimed six o'clock. He gave me one last passionate kiss, indicating we would continue later. I pushed him off me lazily so I could shower and head to breakfast before Harry or Ron noticed I was gone.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Oy, Hermione! You going to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked as he sat across from me in the Great Hall. Ron followed suit, sitting on Harry's right side.

"Crap! That's this weekend? I thought it was next weekend! Sorry guys, I don't think I'll be able to go. I have plans." By their expressions, they weren't surprised by my excuse.

"Studying again Hermy? N.E.W.T.'s aren't for another two months!" Although that wasn't my real motive, I decide to let it go.

"How many times do I have to say it RONALD? My name is HERMIONE! Not Hermy. And, it never hurts to study early and be prepared," I replied ardently. I watched as Ron shrugged his shoulders and started to stuff his face with muffins inelegantly.

We ate in silence for the rest of the time. Once we were finished, we said our good-byes and went out separate ways.

After I was sure they weren't following me, I made my way to Gryffindor Tower. When I arrived in my room, I looked around for my discarded book-bag. I found it near my vanity chest on the right side of the room. In my haste to start my antidote, I had cast it aside and left it, forgotten in the hubbub. All of my homework was scattered on the floor beside my book-bag from throwing it down. I gathered the parchments and textbooks and stuffed them back into the black bag. I also threw a few quills and inkbottles in. Then I made my way down and out of the common room.

I took the long way to the library. As I was going down the last few corridors to my destination, I could sense someone following me. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw no one. So I continued on my way and started humming a song from one of my favorite muggle bands: Evanescence.

Everyone was at Hogsmeade except the two younger years, and they were wither outside or in their respective common rooms...so no one would, or should, be following me to get help on some obscure homework assignment.

AS the eerie felling grew, I grew more panicky, so naturally, my pace quickened. Before I knew it, I was at the library. I let out the breath I had been holding unconsciously and opened the double doors.

There was no one behind me again as I turned to shut the doors. No one was in the library except for Madame Pince, but she was busily re-shelving books. She acknowledged me with a curt nod, but ignored me otherwise. She knew if I needed anything (which was rare) that I would ask.

I deviated around the different aisles when that creepy feeling that someone was following me returned. I flat out ran this time. I ran to my own addition to the library.

I hastily murmured the wards and ran through the wall, hoping my stalker didn't see me disappear. I then whispered the wards and put an untraceable charm up, and sat back in one of my extremely comfortable armchairs.

I watched closely as my pursuer finally appeared in front of the entrance. He was a tall shadowy figure; too tall to be a student.

He just kept walking closer to me, as if he knew exactly where I had gone, but that was impossible because I made sure he didn't see me come in. there was very poor lighting in the room because I hadn't the time to get proper lighting equipment in here.

Still, he moved towards me.

"Hermione, I know you're in there. There's no need to be frightened, please come out," he whispered. The voice was familiarly silky and I knew whom it belonged to.

Severus had a voice like no other. Making sure the coast was clear, I took down the wards and stuck my hand out of the entranceway, grabbing Severus's frockcoat and dragging him in. I reset the wards and turned to face him. I could feel my face flush a deep crimson red. He just stood there and smirked at me. AT ME! How dare he, after what he did to me!

"You had me scared witless you bastard! I thought you were some kind of..." I never finished because Severus took hold of me and brought me close to him, kissing me into oblivion. The devil, I thought. But I would let it go for now. It's not everyday Severus Snape decides to (almost) publicly display his affection for me. This was the first time he has been so bold to do so outside of his chambers.

When he finally let me go he said, "Is it a crime to worry about your wellbeing? I never trusted these dunderheads. Lord knows they're children, but who knows what they are capable of. you're Harry Bloody Potter's best friend...and a girl at that, you're susceptible. I will not lose you."

I stared up into his coal black eyes to see his sincerity and quickly plunged my lips back onto his. "Severus Snape, I love you," I said as I unwillingly pulled back. He took my hand in his and kissed it.

"Come with me. I want to show you something." He promptly dropped my hand and my face fell. He smirked and pecked my forehead lightly before disappearing on the other side of the wall. I followed his lead, having absolutely no idea where he was taking me.

As he led me outside, the chilly air of a new spring day bit me to the bone and I naturally shivered. Severus saw this and quickened his pace. He was heading for the greenhouses. I could see that now. But upon our arrival, Severus did not go into the up-kept ones. Instead, he headed unwaveringly, for the cruddy, run-down ones.

"Professor?" I asked, not quite sure what I should call him and whether or not it was safe to be here.

"Just stay close and keep following me, you'll be fine," he returned. I sped up until I was close enough that if Severus turned around in haste, I would have run right into the back of him without thinking twice.

I hesitated as Severus opened the next to last greenhouse's door and waited patiently for me to enter first.

I looked up at his face and cautiously stepped inside. I looked around and saw nothing special; just a run-down greenhouse, but it was unusually warm.

I turned back around to ask Severus what was going on, but he was nowhere to be found. "Severus?" I called out, wondering if he left me by my lonesome.

"Follow my voice," came a reply far off. I headed in the general direction of his voice.

"Keep talking if that's what I am suppose to be following!"

"What do you want me to say?" Exasperated, I turned to my left and kept talking to him like such until I finally caught up with him.

"Now, what the bloody..." I gasped in surprise as I saw why Severus was playing games with me.

"Tsk. Tsk. Such ugly words from such a beautiful young lady. Shame on you!" he teased me. I playfully smacked his arm and ventured forward.

"How did you find this? Is this your personal garden? Who else knows about this? Oh, Severus! It's amazing! I love it."

"When Professor Sprout couldn't care for all of the green houses, she gave some to the staff for their personally use. I received the last two. This one holds my rose garden and the other contains my personal potion ingredients. Only you and I know of this particular garden, and I am pleased you like it. I worked all last summer getting this cleaned up and running properly." When he finished, I ran up and wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him senselessly.

"Thank you so much!" I whispered into his awaiting ear and releasing the death grip I had on him. I wandered up and down the maze of roses of all colors: white, yellow, orange...but strangely, there were no red roses to be seen.

"Severus, are there no red roses?" They were my favorite flower, and I would have been sorely disappointed if he didn't have any.

"Follow me," he said as he smirked like the devil he was.

"Not again!" I mumbled, but nonetheless, I followed. He wound his was way through the jungle of roses and promptly stopped, turning to face me again.

"Close your eyes and give me your hand," he demanded. I relented and did as he requested of me. Soon enough, I could feel him leading me somewhere. One, two more minutes and we stopped.

"Open your eyes," Severus whispered in my ear. I gasped in utter adoration and put my free hand over my heart.

Right before me was a fountain. There were tall hedges filled with red roses, enclosing the space we were in. The whole area was about the size of the Great Hall, but wider.

There were a few trees here and there, but the red roses were all over the ground. The only place not covered with roses, on the ground, was a little path, just big enough for two people to walk side by side.

The path led to a couple of trees and the surrounding areas of those particular plants so you could sit. Then the path ran around the fountain and just wandered aimlessly through the rest of the place.

It was beautiful. I was speechless.

"Are we...are we in the middle of the garden Severus?" I called out. No reply came. So I ventured forward and sat on the edge of the fountain.

AS I looked into the water, I noticed a few fish were in there. There were beta and gold fish. But one beta fish caught my eye. It was a rich purple color with a little hint of red on its stomach and a bluish tint to the tail and body. It was almost as beautiful as the roses. I decided that I would ask Severus if I could keep that one.

I jumped out of my skin when someone lightly touched my shoulder and sat down next to me.

"Severus?" I questioned.

"Hmm?"

"This is spectacular! I love it. It's gorgeous. But...why did you do this for me?" There was a silence that could have killed a bird. Well, except that the water was trickling down behind us.

"I..." he faltered, "I love you. Do you know that? And I would do anything for you. I would willingly die for you."

After a few seconds when he didn't say anything, I decided to say, "Okay...Severus what are you getting at?" I was usually good at guessing his Slytherin ways, but this time, they truly had me lost.

He took hold of my hand and continued, "I want you to stay with me forever. I want you to be my wife in life and in death. Will you marry me Hermione?" He finally spilled the beans and pulled out a little velvet black box, opening it to reveal a platinum diamond ring.

TBC...

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A/N: Please review. I'm almost done with the sixth chapter. You'll hate me for it though. That's all I'll say. I'm working as fast as my life will let me.