It would be easy to say, or squeak, or have a scroll read "And they live happily ever after" like any other story that contains magical creatures, fantastical spells that can do anything because the author says so, evil wizards and fairy godmothers. Oh wait, that is what the world of Harry Potter is all about, except for the "fairy godmothers" bit, fairy godmothers being deceptively kind if anyone has visited that other world called Shrek. Be that as it may, it would not be very wise to leave the much beloved wizarding world just like that, not before finding out what has happened to this unlikely couple. Parting is such sour happiness.

To conclude, details can be boring, especially when a teacher reminds you day after day the expectations she has for you and your grades. In this case, however, details can be much desired.

Here then, are a few glimpses that this writer should be careful to check that Severus does not mind them being publicised. Hermione is infinitely more sympathetic in that department, as opposed to an infinitely more taciturn Severus, whether as a shy pianist or a greasy-haired git. He does not understand why anyone would pay attention to these things, things that are none of our business. He is right. Readers are incorrigible. As said, this writer should pay heed to his warnings, but on a balance of probabilities, it was noted that the Potions Master would, after all, not read the poor pieces of work written. Hence, it was decided that it was perfectly fine to write what was deemed fit and above all, interesting.

That said, if the Daily Prophet publishes news about a Muggle girl who was sent a letter full of hexes and poisonous fumes… no. It does not bear thinking.

When Severus and Hermione went back together to the wizarding world, Dumbledore was waiting for them, with arms wide open. Could any other witch or wizard be more omnipotent than Albus Dumbledore? He is so omnipotent that rumours abound about how Dumbledore was the mastermind who orchestrated the success of the Harry Potter series and that J.K. Rowling was only the messenger, or agent. It is quite possible that Dumbledore had been spying on the couple, but the old coot continues to deny everything till this day.

Hagrid was there too, and Severus did not appreciate being picked up from the ground as easily as a leaf and shaken about by an overjoyed half-giant. Hermione, on the other hand, was used to Hagrid's effusive greetings.

Sybil Trelawney, as she is wont to do, insisted that she had foreseen this, after fainting first at the sight of a colleague she dislikes and a former student she dislikes more announcing their engagement at a staff meeting. When Severus asked sarcastically to prove her prediction, he did not mean for Trelawney to comprise a whole, thick pile of evidence, because that was what Trelawney did. In Trelawney's mind, her reputation was much at stake after this ostensible challenge laid down by a rather hard-to-please (and that in itself is an understatement) wizard, known for blasting students out of the classroom with his outrageous standards of how students should perform. For more than ten years, Severus always said triumphantly to Dumbledore that students were dunderheads and would always be dunderheads. Then Hermione came along and Severus conveniently forgot to repeat his little, impressive and intimidating speech of "dunderheads" for the following first years after that.

Anyhow, when Trelawney produced that heftly pile of evidence, Hermione raised her eyebrows in wonder. Trying to humour the Divination Mistress because she herself was in an excellent mood, Hermione looked at some of what Trelwaney had written. She concluded that it was nothing more than she and Severus not possessing the inner eye and hence being made for each other. What a waste of parchment and destruction of trees.

To proceed, wedding preparations became the highlight of that year. And when Opal and Daniel were told of the happy news, they insisted that the wedding take place in Daniel's restaurant. Although they might not have suggested it when they saw the odd people who poured into the restaurant on the wedding day. An old man who produced one little ditty after another without any instruments to be seen, a woman who seemed to be able to change appearance every minute, a man whose eye kept swirling about till it made anyone giddy… the list went on. And Daniel was besieged by a red-haired man who kept asking about "elektriks". Opal was puzzled as to how these hundreds of people could be in the small restaurant with more room to spare.

There were celebrations everywhere, especially among the students, when Dumbledore announced that Professor Snape was still on the road to recovery to retrace his memory and preferred to take an extended holiday and would not teach for another year or so yet. The various newspapers, which were because there were no villains and atrocities and scandals to report about after the war, plundered into this new wealth of information. Some turned in stories that they claimed were first-hand accounts. Of Severus and Hermione "having a sort of, ahem, understanding, ahem, if you know what I mean." You see things became a trifle out of proportion by the time Severus and Hermione exchanged wedding vows. But it was not like anyone was hurt in the process. Friends and family cheered the couple, the community had more gossip and the newspapers profited from it.

Hence, everyone was happy all round.

The wizarding world has the same custom of honeymooning as the Muggles. So Severus and Hermione took a well-deserved rest after her project was finished to travel around the world. In that aspect, they had the advantage over Muggles because of the remarkable magic known as Apparition. Even with the fastest transportation like the aeroplane in the modern Muggle community, seats are made for passengers squirm and unable to sleep properly.

Now and then during their travels, Severus had the liking of popping into bars and restaurants where there was a piano and played a few tunes. Hermione forbid him from continuing after more fan girls chased after him. Severus did not mind. The war was over, his enemies caught and he was free as the air. Best of all, he had Hermione with him. And when he returned to Hogwarts with his wife, he was as happy as a man could be.

This commentator once remarked on the heartlessness of Severus Snape. But he is forgiven for his unfortunate, or perhaps fortunate, loss of memory, and the entertainment he had brought to curious readers (hopefully). More importantly, he proved himself worthy of Hermione's steady love. They treated each other as equals and Severus was ever warm, sensitive to her needs and caring, without losing that edge of personality that had drawn so many readers to him. That sour temperament was still there and it probably will always be. But Hermione most certainly had not regretted marrying Severus. And she made it a point to tell Severus that everyday, because, as she confided in Minerva, Severus's self-esteem was more fragile than the average man was.

And now it is time to write the immortal line, "And they live happily ever after."

Until the babies arrived, one wailing Snape at a time.

The End.

Disclaimer: This writer has nothing against babies.