-=Hp-verse belongs to J.K. Rowling who is amazing.=-

A Talent for Death

Epilogue

“Severus, it's Hermione. I'm here to get you.” Hermione removed the invisibility charm. Snape lay quite inert. She almost fell on him in her haste to get to him. Taking his head between her hands. “Hey there.” His eyes fluttered open. Hermione kissed every inch of his face as the tears rolled down her cheeks. He coughed and panted. Conjuring a pillow for him, she got up and warded the entire shack. Severus needed to stabilized before she moved him, they'd have to go by apparition. She couldn't trust Harry's words to have reached many ears. Examining the remaining phials, she drank the draught of peace.

Calm washed over her, focusing her attention and relaxing her mind. She couldn't mess this up. After mending the physical injuries to his neck she sat Snape up. Looking at him squarely, “I'm sorry but I have to do this.” Tergeo. Evanesco. “Here drink, I needed to make sure I got all the poison washed out thoroughly. Now drink. Excellent.” He was too weak to hold on to her, so she gripped him. “Where do you hurt?”

“Lap.” Confused Hermione looked at his lap, he had an enormous erection.

“You randy thing you.” She looked at his lap for a moment. “I missed you too. Are you in pain anywhere else?”

“Chest.” She laid him carefully back. Pull his shirt unceremoniously open, one of the phials was crushed. The broken pieces left deep lacerations. Tergeo. Healing the wounds, she closed his shirt to dig the shards out of his pocket.

“Can you help me with the healing song?” She implored.

He shook his head 'no'.

“What do you mean 'NO?'” Hermione pleaded.

“The words don't matter, you have to focus on the love of the person you wish to heal. Very old magic.” Hermione thought of her Patronus, like that. She filled her heart full of love for Severus, opened her eyes and waved her wand singing the words her heart gave her.

She was sweaty from her efforts, Severus' eyes were fixed and unblinking. “Is...are you alright?”

Snape sat up on his own which was surprise enough for Hermione, then he looked at her. “I didn't think you actually...you love me? Really love me?” Hermione burst into tears swallowed in Severus' embrace.

~*~

A different Ella walked through the door than he last saw, her hair had been braided into a single plait. The eyes were different. Standing a respectful distance, she bowed to her Last Master. When he signalled to her that she could approach, she stepped forward. “Ella...it's been awhile.”

“I can't stay, I wanted to tell you how grateful I am for your teachings. They helped sustain me every day, I couldn't have been luckier to have such an excellent master. Thank you.” She touched her forehead to their linked hands. “And Master Pall, it's not Ella.” She smiled shyly. “It's Hermione Jean Granger Snape. I know it's a mouthful.” Hermione chuckled and released Master Pall's hands, bowing low one last time she left.

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FIN

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A.N./Thank you for joining me on this crazy ride. If you liked this story please say so, if you didn't like it, tell me how I can improve it. Be The Peace, Varity Sinning