The following day, next exams were supposed to take place, but they were all cancelled and postponed; after all that had happened at night, everyone had other things on their mind, and no-one really wanted to deal with things as trivial as the exams. Besides, the examiners seemed to be even more shocked by the night attack than the students.

McGonagall, to celebrate the successful completion of the battle, organised a great feast. Miraculously, after all, we managed not to lose even one of our men, even though Neville had half of his face burnt, and some of the combatants suffered minor or serious injuries – all of them, though, were alive, and their health did not stand in danger. Besides, the most important thing was that Madam Pomfrey was all right, and now, she could help the victims along some other people.

The fact that Severus and I had survived without any serious injuries (yes, we were both a little bit singed, and there were some abrasions here and there, but nothing more), as I suspect, was all thanks to Felix Felicis, although we had been doing our best to avoid any unnecessary risk. It did not mean, though, that we had been acting like cowards – Snape could not be a coward. Once again, I had experiences his bravery firsthand, and I seriously hoped that it would not remain unnoticed.

The whole morning and forenoon, as we had made sure that the Death Eaters were not hiding in any empty classrooms or other chambers, we spent on tidying the castle up, and then, we had a chance to sleep a little bit (the Death Eaters locked up in the dungeons were continuously watched by the Ministry's employees).

In the afternoon, a meeting of the Minister with some other people took place. I did not participate in it, but Severus told me that, among other things, they wondered where to put the prisoners, since Azkaban was no longer a safe place.

Everyone who had come here to fight, stayed for the whole day, helping and resting along with the school staff. Thanks to that, I had a chance to get to know Neville's friends better: not only Harry Potter, but also Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Finally, I also had a word with Draco Malfoy, a young man, who had once been considered to be a teacher's pet of Snape's, but who turned out to be a really kind person, and I realised that I really could talk to him freely, like to no-one else.

The evening came, and with it, the feast promised. The Great Hall was now more crowded than ever, because the examiners and our guests had been invited, too. During said feast it was also officially announced that Professor Severus Snape, for all his heroic efforts, was to become the Deputy Headmaster.

"So you're not saying goodbye to the school?" I asked him, enthusiastic, applauding him loudest of all.

Severus sent a very soft smile to me, as though he did not want the students to notice that, then took my hand.

"I intend to stay here for a very, very long time," he answered with a hint of carefree hint in his voice, one I had never heard before. "The Minister himself said that... that his previous decision had been too hasty, and during the meeting in the Headmaster's office... he, well... revoked it, allowing me to keep teaching."

At that moment I felt a terrible urge to wrap my arms around him and simply kiss him, but I realised that I should not do that in front of everyone, so I only gently squeezed his hand.

"Then my hopes did come true," I said, and when Snape raised his brow quizzically, I explained, "I hoped that finally someone would appreciate the fact that you're a brave man. That you'd stop being the 'bad guy'."

"And what if one day I'll turn out to be the 'bad guy'?"

I laughed. Never before had I seen him in such a good mood – but I could understand him perfectly. I knew that at last all the tension and fear caused by the Death Eaters raising forcers had left him, even though it was not the end of the war yet. Moreover, he no longer had to be worried by the fact that because of some "illegal experimental spells" he would need to say goodbye to being a teacher.

He was staying here. He was going to be the Potions Master for many years, and perhaps one day become the Headmaster once again, after having left the office in rather inglorious circumstances. This time, though, he had a chance to write his name in history in a more positive way.

No longer was it the effect of Felix Felicis. I knew perfectly that the potion had stopped working many hours before that, but I still felt the same, wonderful excitement and happiness, as though everything was laughably simple. I wondered if it was caused by the fact we had scared away at least one of the dark shadows, or by one Potions teacher, the same who was now sitting right next to me.

Usually Severus sat a couple of chairs away from me, on the right side of the Headmistress, while I sat on her left. Now, though, no-one really cared about where they were sitting – the Gryffindors were mixed with the Hufflepuffs, the Ravenclaws with the Slytherins. The teachers sat among the students, the examiners next to the examinees.

"What now?" I asked quietly, but I knew that in the buzz of the conversation no-one would pay too much attention to us. "It's not the end yet, is it?"

"It's not," admitted Snape, "but there's nothing to be afraid of anymore. The majority of the Death Eaters in the dungeons have already been questioned, and it turned out that it's much better than we thought. Well, yes, many of them are still at large, but there are not so many of them as we supposed."

I bit my lip and looked at the table in front of me. Just a couple of hours before I had not been sure how the night was going to end. Now, another one was approaching, and it was going to be completely different from the previous one. Soon, the term was going to end, too. All of that fell onto my head with a surprising force, and I felt overwhelmed, even though I knew I should be relieved.

"You're pale... are you certain you're all right?" asked Severus, and I nodded my head, but did not answer at once.

"Everything's all right," I muttered after a long while. "I just... realised how much had happened."

Snape smiled once again. I had already begun to get used to this sight; it was pleasant and I truly hoped that I would get to see it much more often than until now. And then, I thought of the upcoming holidays.

"You were very brave last night," said Severus.

"It's thanks to the potion," I explained, but he shook his head.

"The potion may change a lot... but not this. You were just brave."

My heart seemed to jump up to my throat in a very pleasant way when Snape repeated that, even more when he lifted his hand and gently caressed my cheek. I leant into his touch, closing my eyes.

I felt a bit ashamed of myself when I realised that I had never really made up with him after our argument on the way back from Hogsmeade. That was when I noticed that the meeting with Lucius Malfoy seemed to have taken place so long before... and yet, not even forty-eight hours had passed.

"I don't like feasts," confessed Severus suddenly, and I opened my eyes to look at him. "I'd rather get some fresh air."

I suggested, then, to go out, and he accepted it willingly. From the corner of my eye I noticed that McGonagall raised her brow a little bit as she spotted the two of us getting up, but she did nothing to stop us. I could have sworn that I saw her smile.

When we were crossing the corridors, they were completely empty, because the majority of people were gathered in the Great Hall now – actually, everyone except for those who were currently in the dungeons. I felt sorry for the people who had to keep watch over the Death Eaters... but not to the point where I could sacrifice the walk with Severus to go and help them.

The man took my hand as we got out of the castle. It was a warm, rather steamy evening; over our heads stars were glistening. I liked that sight, so I was really glad that in my room there was a ceiling enchanted in the way that I could see the little silver spots sparkling on the dark blue paint, which made it look almost exactly like the night sky. And yet, I could never replace the real sky with even the most beautiful charms.

On the sky were also a couple of little clouds, telling us that it would be raining – perhaps the next day, I thought at that moment.

"Are you going to join the battle with the Death Eaters at the Ministry?" I asked, glancing at Snape, and he, to my surprise, flinched slightly.

"Honestly, Shirley, can't you talk about anything but work?"

That question surprised me even more than the grimace upon his features before a moment. The man walking by my side seemed to be an utterly different person than the Snape I had always known. Even the Snape I had lived in Hogwarts... or the one that had shown me around his house in Cokeworth.

Once again I thought of the upcoming holidays, and my stomach squeezed. I did not know what was going to happen during the two months that suddenly turned out to be surprisingly close. Disturbingly close.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

I did not manage to finish that sentence, even though I really wanted to explain that to him. But at that moment, all my words suddenly evaporated from my head.

Severus pulled me close, cupping my cheeks in his hands and kissed me like never before. For a moment, I was so surprised that I did not know what to do. Only after a while did I embrace him, returning the kiss.

"You're making me go crazy," he whispered after some time, breathing heavily; the pad of his thumb was gently caressing my cheek. His hands were still strangely cold despite the warm air around us.

"I could say the same about you," I replied, laughing quietly.

Snape leant his forehead against mine, and for a while remained like that, completely motionless. He closed his eyes, and I felt him calm down – and it soothed me, too. I also let my eyelids fall, and my breath became deeper and slower.

The man who was now holding me in his arms was a very special person. And yet, at that moment his presence so close to me seemed to be something as natural as breathing.

After a moment, he moved away and once again took my hand, so we could walk around the park. Only now did I realise for how long I had not been doing that; partially because I had been too busy, but partially because Snape had not let me do that. And now, as I thought of the horryfying number of Death Eaters that had come from Azkaban the previous night, I could finally properly understand why had been so worried about me.

Most probably only thanks to Snape I was still alive. And it would be a lie to say that I had been in danger only because of him, even though the fact that I was close to him had put me in even greater danger. Now, though, it did not matter anymore... or, actually, it never had. I would have never given the thing between us for certainty that no-one would lie a finger on me for the rest of my life.

We were silent as we were walking. And yet, I did not feel the need to talk; this silence was not that awkward kind of silence – it was tranquility both of us needed at that moment, and I was glad that I had a chance to share it with Severus.

I had no idea how long we were outside the castle, crossing those narrow stone or sandy paths. At that moment even the Whomping Willow looming on the horizon quite unearthly, seemed to have its own peculiar charm.

"I believe we should be going back," said Severus after a long while of silence. "The rest might get anxious if they notice how long we've been away."

"Just a little bit more..." I asked, shaking my head.

I could not see Snape's face, but I had a feeling that my answer put a smile onto his face. Softly, he squeezed my hand, as though saying "well, all right," even though he did not tell me anything.

"Are you going to miss it?" he asked, looking around.

"Yes," I said, glancing at the outline of the Forbidden Forest. "But it's just two months. And after that, I'm going to get back."

"Two months can be just as long as the eternity," he noticed in a shockingly gentle voice, as though he was talking about something he had experienced himself rather than about what – as he could have thought – might have happened to me.

"I know," I nodded, feeling dryness in my mouth.

Soon, I was going to be back at home. In the place where although I felt loved, I had a feeling that I was not accepted. My parents had never fully accepted the fact that I was who I was, and I could not – or maybe did not want to – agree with them wanting me to live a life of someone I was not.

I did not want to live a life of a Muggle, even though I knew perfectly that it would be a much easier and safer life. Yet I did not want to live a safe life, if that meant that it would be boring and deprived me of a part of my own self.

I was well aware of the fact that if I had agreed to live the life my parents had planned for me, I would have never met Snape, or entirely understood what had happened those few years before, when we had all thought that he had died. Never would I have experienced all that he had let me experience.

"Though, on the other hand," continued Severus after a while, bringing me back to reality (I blushed, slightly ashamed of the fact that for a moment I had forgotten about his presence), "two months may be nothing but a glimpse."

"Like the past months," I laughed.

Snape came to a halt, and I glanced at him quizzically, because I knew that he wanted to tell me something.

"I know that we don't always agree, Shirley, but nothing has changed for the past months," he said, holding both of my hands in his and looking me straight in the eye. "My offer is still valid if..."

My stomach turned a somersault, and heart began to hammer madly, as though it wanted to jump out of my chest.

"I love you even more now than back then, in Cokeworth," I whispered, flushing.

Snape smiled a little, then leant in to plant a soft kiss on my forehead. Just the same like back then, when I had been unconscious. It seemed to have happened before ages, even though not so much time had passed.

"I'll need some time to prepare everything... but I believe that the second week of July would be fine."

I felt dizzy.

"There isn't much time left, Shirley," he added quite harshly, but I understood well that he was just teasing me. "So, were I you, I'd think of the witnesses, bridesmaids and other details."

I laughed out loud, and before I realised what I was doing, I embraced him tightly.

"Are you certain your parents won't have anything against?" he asked. "After all, I'm much older than you."

"My parents would only want me to be happy," I replied, "and there's no-one else who could make me as happy as you do."