Disclaimer: Except for some OCs, the characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling.

A week after the final battle at Hogwarts, Healer Snape was allowing her one patient to get up and move around his room as long as he got right back into bed within a few minutes. He hated the exposure of even his own nightshirts and dressing gowns, so she allowed him to dress in robes in the mornings.

Severus Snape was thus well prepared to receive visitors when the recently named Minister Shacklebolt and Auror Dawlish arrived to question him, along with Percy Weasley. Emily sent Hope away with Brendon, but helped her husband to a chair near the bed. She glared at the officials, and stood before them like an avenging angel.

“You will not upset him or overtire him. He very nearly died, protecting all of the people and secrets he was obligated to protect. He's been very weak, and a major strain could injure him.”

“We just have some questions, Healer Snape,” said Kingsley in his most soothing voice.

“Don't try to calm, me, Minister! You can't know what it's like, having to worry about my family all these years and all the different ways they could be threatened—”

“Many of us know exactly what it was like, Mrs. Snape,” Percy interjected.

Emily looked up and then over at her husband before sitting limply in a chair near him. He took her hand and kissed it. “Some families have suffered losses worse than anything that has happened to us,” he murmured.

Emily was embarrassed into silence.

“Speaking openly,” started the Minister, “there are several things the Ministry cannot resolve about the person of Severus Snape. The question is whether he is a murderous traitor, or a spy who worked on Dumbledore's behalf until the very end.” He held up his hand as he saw Emily's mouth open. “No one is deciding the answer to that question, today. Right now, we would just like the answers to a few questions, just to see if we can clarify a few points.”

“I'll answer what I can.”

“That's all we want right now. So, Professor, I found it curious that whenever asked if you had been to your mother-in-law's house, your wife always stated that it was protected against Death Eaters. I have checked Auror Moody's spells, and found them to be intact even to this day. However, during the past year, I have observed you entering that very house, myself. Healer Snape, when asked directly by Mr. Weasley, here, did not give a direct answer. Severus, are you in fact a Death Eater?”

Severus looked at Emily, who shrugged. He rolled up his left sleeve. “It's lightened considerably in the past week, but you should be able to see it's not the same as the Dark Mark.”

“No, it's not. Why are you different?”

“There was a vow between my wife and myself. The result was that I could not become a Death Eater. The Dark Lord was insistent, however. After my mother was killed and we met with Dumbledore, I entered Voldemort's service, but as Dumbledore's spy.”

“Your wife would not release you from the vow?”

“It was an Unbreakable Vow, and she could no more release me than you can.”

“I see. So the crimes you've been personally accused of, such as providing information on the prophecy that eventually resulted in the death of the Potters, killing Dumbledore...?”

"The Dark Lord wanted me to do all of those things, and Dumbledore himself encouraged them.”

Kingsley proceed to ask Severus the details of many specific events. After a while Emily saw that her husband was starting to slouch in his chair.

“Kingsley, he's still quite weak. Please, can't you continue this another time?”

The Minister agreed.

Dawlish commented, “Of course, it would be easiest if he came to the Ministry.”

Emily bristled and stood. “As his personal Healer, I couldn't allow that. He cannot leave this hospital until I'm convinced of his wellbeing.”

Kingsley gave Emily a look. “I get your point, Healer Snape. Be assured that we will make every effort to prove your husband's innocence, if it can be done. Many people want to see Severus rewarded as a hero. The Ministry will be in a bad spot if the evidence proves otherwise.”

Kingsley, Dawlish, and Weasley left. Emily slumped back into her chair, her hand over her face. Severus reached for her other hand. “Your mother and midwife stopped by when you went outside with Brendon.”

“Did they?”

“Margo is worried. You're not recovering from the baby as you should.”

“Every woman is different, and it's only been a week.”

“They say you're bleeding too much, and that it's from overexertion. Your mum says you were working too hard even before the birth.”

“Funny how Voldemort wouldn't postpone his war for my convenience. It's been a trying week, and it's really not that bad.”

“Emily, look at me.” She looked up and he smiled at her. “Your mother, who loves you and wants what's best for you, has told me that if you don't rest more, she will have to take you to her house and put you into the care of the house-elves.”

Emily shuddered. “It would be months before they let me go, and I wouldn't be able to watch out for you,” she whispered. “They treat me as if I were still six years old.”

“You don't need to watch out for me.”

“Did you hear Dawlish? They want you in Ministry custody. Severus, you're staying in this hospital until you're free and clear or, or—”

“Or until they've decided I'm guilty?”

The anguish on her face was his mute answer.

“Is there anything that needs doing this afternoon?”

“Not until the baby wakes.”

“Why don't we rest until then?”

“Because I have to—”

“You just told me that you don't have to do anything, Emily, but look after your patient. That patient demands to rest within the arms of his Healer.” As he spoke, Severus stood and walked to the bed with Emily at his side. He pulled her onto the bed with him. After getting comfortable, he plied her with gentle kisses and whispered endearments until they both fell asleep.

---

“Hope?”

At the sound of his voice, she mangled the plant she was attempting to transplant. She turned and looked at the object of her affection. He was healed from the injuries of the battle. He seemed taller, somehow, and more manly. Being a hero agreed with him. “Neville! You look good.”

He blushed and suddenly he was Lucky, again. He reached for the plant she was destroying and deftly put it to rights. “Thank you. I've been doing a lot this week. I've been thinking a lot, too. You were right, Hope. I just needed time to think it out. I owe you a huge apology, and your whole family a debt of gratitude. The more I think about it, the more obvious it is that your dad was looking for ways to help us without being too obvious to the other teachers. Will you forgive me?”

Hope smiled. “Of course, Lucky. I forgive you. I—Well, you're my best friend and I know you just didn't understand.”

He held her shoulders and kissed her hair. “You're the best, Hope.”

She smiled, with stars in her eyes. He turned and took the next planting that needed to be potted. “I've gotten an apprenticeship, a really good one. I'll spend the next year here, then off on expedition to see different plants in their native environments. Then it's another year here and after that I can get a teaching job somewhere, perhaps Hogwarts. The best part is that they'll take me in anticipation of my N.E.W.T. scores.”

“That's wonderful news!”

“Have you decided on your course of study, yet?”

“I'd rather do the Aurors, but they haven't taken applications, yet. They have so much to sort through. I may start here in the Healer training program for the short term. The Aurors will appreciate the extra training, and if they don't want me I want to be a Healer, anyway.”

“I can't imagine them not wanting you. People are talking about the way you walked from the school to the willow tree that night.”

“I didn't even really think about it. I just had to get to Daddy.”

“I'll be very surprised if they don't beg you to join.”

“You're very kind.” They smiled into each other's eyes.

“Neville? Are you up here? I hope you're not getting muddy.” It was Hannah.

Hope quickly used a cleaning charm to remove a smudge of dirt from Neville's shirt collar. He whispered his thanks and then asked aloud, “So, can we study together for N.E.W.T.s? We can even do it in public, now.”

Hope smiled. “I'd like that.”

Neville smiled back and left with his girlfriend. Hope allowed her face to settle into an expression more indicative of her feelings. Hannah was perfectly fine, as far as that went. Why Neville had to pick her, though, was something Hope wished she understood. Clearly it was time to try to forget him and move on, however one accomplished that.

Hannah sighed as Neville took her hand. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop, and she didn't hear anything that would make her worry, exactly. Something about the friendship between Neville and Margo always bothered her, though. They always spoke with a closeness Hannah never thought she would have with Neville. She had long since given up talking to him about it, though. Somehow she always came out wrong.

---

The summer after Voldemort's defeat wore on, and the Snape family developed a pattern to their days. Emily watched over the improvement of her husband's condition jealously. The Minister and an Auror came on a weekly basis, to question Severus about various events in which he played a part. Emily bristled as they arrived, but realized that if she resisted too hard, they might take him to the Ministry.

The days filled with more than official business. Several times per week, some member of the Order of the Phoenix or other came to visit, too. Those visits were quite awkward at first, involving embarrassed apologizes on both sides, but over the course of the next month they became something to which the Snapes looked forward.

One week, Kingsley came a second time, along with Harry Potter.

“Minister, I must protest! Once per week of your questioning is quite taxing enough for my patient.”

Kingsley's eyes twinkled. “Relax, Emily. We're here to see Margo, and you and the professor because you are her parents.”

“Oh.”

The Snapes' daughter was fetched from the greenhouses and came to her father's room. She was greeted by the assembled group. “You called for me, Mum?”

“Actually, the Minister and Harry, here, wanted to see you.”

Kingsley cleared his throat. “On the night of the final battle, Miss Snape, I personally witnessed your march across the lawn from one of the towers. Your nerve, unflinching action, and accuracy were quite impressive. I did not watch you during the events in the Great Hall, being otherwise occupied.

“I have heard about that from others, including Neville Longbottom, who says you fought alongside him and have been a help to him for several years. Clearly you have great native talent--” This was with a nod to the girl's parents. “--and you have received excellent training. In short, we are looking for people of your caliber to become Aurors. You in particular appear to be suitable to be one of the lead Aurors as we rebuild the division. Are you interested in joining us, Miss Snape?”

Emily watched her daughter smile brightly for the first time in weeks. “I'm very interested.”

“We will start training at the beginning of July. Can you be ready?” Harry asked.

Margo looked at her parents, who both nodded to her. “Yes, I'll be there.” She walked the two wizards down to the visitor's entrance of the hospital, as her parents sat together.

“I knew she was thinking of the Aurors, but I've been telling the Dark Lord, all this time, that she wanted to be a Healer, like you,” said Severus.

Emily shrugged. “Perhaps that was just as well. Wouldn't he have demanded to put his Mark on her if he knew she wanted to be an Auror and had so many of those skills? She'll be working with Harry Potter and his friends...” It was the only thing of concern to Emily.

“If they're all willing to move past House rivalries, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.”

---

One week in mid- June, Severus found that his wife had several Healers looking him over. On one evening he finally had enough.

“Emily, why have I been checked and re-checked so many times? I'm tired of it all.”

Emily gave him a mysterious smile. “I just wanted my assessments to be verified. I saw the midwife, today, too.”

“Are you telling me—“

“We'll talk after dinner.”

Dinner came and they ate, but Severus couldn't get certain possibilities off of his mind. “Comfortable as we have been in this room, Emily, I cannot imagine...”

Emily looked up with a secretive smile. “Severus, finish your dinner and then we'll see what happens.”

When he promised he couldn't eat any more, she stood and took his hand. They walked through the corridors of the hospital until they were in a hallway Severus had never seen before. Emily stopped before a statue of a Healer surrounded by children. She patted the head on one of the children, and a door appeared and opened to them. When they entered, they found themselves in a room that looked very much like the bedroom of Emily's flat.

“What is this?” asked Severus.

“It's similar to the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. There are reasons why some patients need to be in rooms with flexible characteristics.”

“Do I need such a room?”

“Your personal Healer seems to think so,” said Emily. She put her arms around her husband's neck, and drew his head down for a long kiss. “We have the use of this room for the next several hours. Brendon and Albus are with my mother until Albus's next scheduled feeding.”

“We're both healthy enough?”

“Yes, it's time, Severus. We don't have to wait any longer.” She tugged his lips back down to her own. “Oh, I want to be with you, again.”

She unfastened her robe and dropped it to the floor. She stood there, wearing not the skirt and blouse that she usually wore to work, but a lacy negligee. Her figure still showed signs of having recently given birth but her husband groaned and pulled her into his arms. They kissed as they undressed each other, moving slowly closer to the bed.

They explored and caressed until they couldn't wait any longer, coming together with an unsurprising intensity that delighted both. They enjoyed each other in the afterglow of that delight as their bodies cooled.

“It is Heaven on Earth,” said Emily, wriggling to get further into her husband's arms, as if such a thing were possible. “I've worried so much, since before you were injured.”

“It's what I always hoped, but scarcely believed at times, myself,” answered her husband. He slid his wrist down to the small of her back as if to draw her closer yet, searching for her lips.

“Again?” Her voice was tinged with amusement.

“By my calculations, it's been almost three months, Emily.”

“Do you feel all right? Any muscle aches or tiredness?”

“Just one ache right now,” he answered as his lips trailed down her neck and lower.

“Oh, I seem to have a similar ah... ache.” Emily's voice started to get squeaky.

“I have just the potion for you,” he answered, his fingers finding a rather ticklish spot to caress.

“I love that potion,” she whispered as her hands began their own exploration.