Inevitable Return

Thanks to Madbrilliant for the beta, and thank you to everyone that has left a review, or many as the case is. I really appreciate all of your support!

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Chapter 14 – Inevitable Return

Hogwarts was still frozen over and covered in a thick layer of powdery white snow. The Christmas holidays had ended and the Hogwarts Express had returned the students only two days before. Most of them seemed surprised to find that on their return there were two Professor Snape's instead of just one. However, it was infinitely clear that the majority favoured one over the other. Hermione had expected for the students to give her a world of grief for marrying their Potions professor.

She had been pleasantly surprised to discover that not one of the students had suspected their relationship in the slightest. In fact, they all appeared to be oblivious to it and were shocked that all of a sudden she had married him. They had been dating for years – since she left Hogwarts. Hermione smiled in remembrance. It was just over two years since that first fateful Christmas when Albus had sent Hermione to stay with Severus. Who would have thought that she would fall for him and become his wife?

But she did not really perform all of the duties that one's wife did – or at least not really so far. Sure, sometimes she would grab a couple of things every now and then for him, but she did not cater to his every whim like an obsessive teenage girl. But perhaps that was a relief. Who knew?

It was lunchtime in three minutes, and her fourth-year Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw class was doing a pop quiz on their coursework from before the holidays to refresh their memories. The last few seconds seemed to creep past until it was finally time.

"Alright, students, quills down and pack up your things," she announced, eliciting cheerful chatter from them. "You are dismissed."

They all left, and she summoned every last test to her, including one that came to her from outside the hallway. She smirked. One of her students was trying to escape with their test paper again, and she knew who. Jacob Cootes was always playing the fool. She left her things in her office before heading down to the Great Hall to have something to eat as she was starving.

She entered through the staff door and found Severus already in his seat and sat down in her assigned chair beside him. "Afternoon, love," she greeted tiredly.

"Good afternoon, Hermione," he replied, adding a dash of Tabasco to his salad dressing to make it less bland.

"One of my students tried to avoid having to hand in an exam today," she said with a soft laugh. "You would never believe me if I told you who he was."

"Who else but Mr. Cootes?" he drawled sarcastically.

Hermione smirked. "That is biased logic. I think you are only saying that because you want your Slytherins to win everything, you grouch," Hermione teased affectionately.

"Indeed," he agreed.

"Oh, you're no fun. Always agreeing to get out of trouble, but then dong it anyway," she grumbled.

They laughed, shocking most of the students in the Great Hall, as they had never known the original Professor Snape to find humor in anything. Hermione smiled at the fuss it had caused, and they took the rest of their meal in silence. Hermione returned with Severus to his office in the Dungeons and sat on the edge of his desk, just beside where he was reclined in his desk chair.

"Do you think we gave them enough to talk about?" she asked, referring to those in the Great Hall.

"I think I have scared them out of their sensibilities enough for one day, I suppose," he replied with a smile at his beautiful wife. "Ah, love, you look like an angel today."

"Just today?"

"Especially today, my lovely," he insisted, reaching out a hand to draw her to sit on his desk in front of him.

They chatted for a little while longer before lunch ended, and Hermione Flooed back to her office from there as he had a Double Potions with his seventh years. Hermione had nothing to do that afternoon, as there were no more classes for her to teach until the next day, so she wrote a letter to Harry. He had written to her, asking if it would be fine if he came to visit.

Hermione had intended to say yes the entire time, but had simply been too lazy to do so. She wrote a brief missive, hoping that he would able to stop over on his travels. She smiled just thinking about their good times in the old days. She sent off the letter with her owl and walked to into her old chambers that still contained a few of her belongings and sat down on a couch to read for a little while.

When the time for the last lesson of the day came around, Hermione woke up from the light nap she had drifted into and put away her book before leaving the rooms to go to her office. She Flooed directly to their chambers in the Dungeons from there and entered the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. She heard the sound of her husband entering the room with a loud slamming noise only a little while later and rested her hand on her slightly rounded stomach. With her teaching robes on, one could hardly tell she was pregnant at all.

"Severus, love, would you like some tea?" she called to him.

"I'll be fine," he called back and, by the sound of his tone, she could tell that he had found a better substitute in the form of a bottle of the finest whiskey.

She took her coffee with her to the sitting room and placed it on a table, removing her teaching robes and hanging them up in the cloak cupboard. She walked over to her husband who was busily pouring himself a tumbler of the potent liquor. He downed the contents quickly and put the glass back down on the table before turning to wrap his arms around his lovely wife and mother of his child.

"Hmmm, so how was your afternoon, my love?" he asked, leaning in to nuzzle the tender skin of her neck.

"Uneventful. I wrote a letter to Harry, and I should imagine that he will be stopping by Hogwarts for a visit at some point," she replied, tilting her neck to give him better access.

"Lovely," Severus said sarcastically.

Hermione hit him playfully. "Oh be nice, Severus. He's one of my best friends. I couldn't deny him," she said in a serious tone. "I expect you to be on your best behavior when he comes."

"I will if he does," he said stubbornly.

"Very well, Mr. Snape. But if you are anything less than civil to him, you will be sleeping alone on the couch for a week until you repent," Hermione warned, pulling back and then pressing her mouth to his, kissing him before he could argue with her logic.

Later on, the two found themselves clothed in only bed sheets, both slightly sweaty and panting for breath after their love-making. Severus placed his hand on Hermione's slightly rounded belly and gently traced small circles, pressing soft kisses to it every now and again. Hermione stroked her husband's hair as he came to let his head rest on her chest and his strong arms encased her tightly.

She felt more loved than anyone had the right to, and soon she would have to go for her next check up to ensure that everything was well with the baby. It had not yet been announced that she and Severus were expecting, so they would have to think about that too. Soon – she thought, soon they would tell everyone. She would make sure she found out the gender as well.

Sighing, she pulled out of her husbands' arms and went to relieve herself, as the call of nature was too strong to ignore. He was fast asleep, in the age-old tradition of men everywhere after they had made love to their woman and found satisfaction and completion. Whether it happened both ways, only Merlin knew. She chuckled and got dressed in a simple bathrobe with the intention to shower later.

When she arrived in the kitchen, an owl was taping on the window and she went to retrieve some mail, feeding it a treat as she did. It was addressed to her husband, so she put it on the desk in the study for him to read later.

"Hermione," moaned a voice from the bedroom. "Come back to bed, love."

She shook her head silently and went to stand in the doorway of the room, her arms folded across her chest. "I'm not getting back into bed until after dinner tonight," she replied.

"But, my love, we can order food down all the same," he said in a whiny voice, putting on that face that would have made most women cave in, but Hermione stood her ground.

"No,' she said, smiling and leaving her husband in bed. He would follow her out soon anyway...