Chapter 3

Severus returned home and promptly kicked the dustbin across the room. After everything that had transpired, Hermione was still repressing her emotions. She still felt some loyalty to that Weasley fool even though he was ignoring and disrespecting her. There had to be a way to make her understand that she did not belong with Weasley, but with him.

Of course, given the fact she was avoiding him, this was going to be difficult to accomplish. He had to find a way to make her feel comfortable around him. Their conversation at lunch had been pleasant, and he had gotten her to lower her defenses, if only briefly.

Looking at the coffee table, he rummaged through the pile of Witch Weekly and assorted Muggle women's magazines. They had helped him get through to her this afternoon, perhaps he could avail himself of their advice again.

As he flipped through magazine after magazine, he couldn't help but marvel at how emotional and easy to manipulate women were. If only he had read these women's magazines years ago, he would likely not be in a situation where he was alone in his mid-forties. But then again, he never would have set his sights on Hermione. Now he could think of no other woman who was worthy of his attention. They others had all acted like the harlots described in these magazines.

A part of him wanted to write a letter to the editor saying that if women were so desperate for male attention, that they should act rationally, and not like helpless twits. But he knew that it would do no good.

There was a knock at his door, and it startled him. The Wards must have gone off, but he had obviously not noticed them. Quickly, he banished the magazines to his bedroom before moving to crack the door. He was met with a most unpleasant sight.

"Potter? What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you about Hermione. May I come in?"

Thankfully, his years as a double agent had taught him to conceal his emotions, but he still could not help the unsettled feeling in his stomach that Potter knew of the affair they had had. "What about her?"

"Look, I don't want to talk about it on your doorstep. Let me in."

Severus scowled at the younger man. He was loath to let Potter into his personal space. Finally, he opened the door, curiosity getting the better of him. "Be quick about it. I am in the midst of an important experiment."

"I won't be long. I don't want to be here any more than you want me here. Has she been involved in an accident at work?"

"Of course not. She is the most capable person I have working for me. Why do you ask?"

"She was acting a little odd, and I thought that perhaps something had happened at work."

"What sort of odd?"

"Nothing you'd notice, I'm sure. Thanks for your time." Potter turned to leave.

Severus wanted to stop Potter and ask more questions, but he knew that he could not. That would only draw undue attention to his feelings for her. Staring at the closed door, he tried to reason why Potter would have come to see him. Clearly, she had decided to confide something to Potter, but what?

It was obviously not the fact that she had been unfaithful to Weasley. Had that been the case, Potter would have hexed him into the next century. Perhaps she had told Potter what she had told him earlier that afternoon.

************

Ron hadn't cared that Hermione had been mad at him. She had never understood Quidditch, or him for that matter, and her recent behavior only reinforced that. He had always had the impression that she looked down on him for his career choice. When he had told her the Cannons had recruited him, she had cautiously asked if he was sure he wanted to do that rather than Auror training with Harry. While Ron knew he could have been an Auror, he knew that it would not have made him happy. He had had enough of chasing and fighting Dark Wizards. Yes, some might think that playing Quidditch was frivolous, but he did not care. He thought that he had earned a respite from the seriousness that had been the last few years.

Now, he had found someone who appreciated him, understood him. She was perfect for him in a way that Hermione never could be. She would never truly accept him for who he was, but Cliodna did.

That was why he was standing in front of the door to her flat. He needed to be with someone he could hold an actual conversation with.

"Ron? What a pleasant surprise," she said in her musical lilt.

"I thought you might like to talk a little strategy for the upcoming match," he said, his best boyish grin on his face.

She leaned against the doorframe and smiled back at him. "Is that really why you are here?"

He took a step closer to her. "No, but I thought it sounded good." Unable to control himself any longer, he reached out and pulled her tightly against him for a kiss.

"Aren't you expected at home?"

"She's a workaholic and she doesn't miss me. On the other hand, I missed you terribly."

"Practice only ended a half an hour ago," she replied playfully, leading him into her flat.

"And what a long half-hour it's been." His couldn't keep his hands off her, wanting her out of her clothes.

"Then why do you stay with her?"

He shrugged. "I hadn't had a reason not to." He pulled her shirt over her head.

"And now?" She was fumbling with his trousers.

"Things are going to change." He gently pushed her onto the bed. "But for my mum's sake, it has to be her idea." Seeing the look of disappointment on her face, he added, "I wouldn't worry. I'm being as inconsiderate as I can, and it's frustrating her to no end. I'll be free before the season's over."

She flipped him over so that she was on top. "That's excellent news. I think we should celebrate." Slipping her hands under his shirt, she pushed it up his chest so that she could tease his nipples.

************

Hermione was not at all surprised to find that Ron was not at home when she returned. Feeling guilty about the passionate kiss she had shared with Severus, she decided to go and watch him practice. It was something that she rarely did, but she hoped that Ron would appreciate her small show of support.

When she arrived at the clubhouse, there was no one out on the Pitch. Checking the locker room, she also found it deserted. If Ron wasn't here and he wasn't at Harry's, where could he be?

She couldn't go back and talk to Harry about this since she had just come from there. She sighed, realizing how alone she really was. Harry and Ron had always been her closest friends, and without them, she found she had no one to confide in.

There was always Severus; he understood her, but she wasn't sure she trusted herself to be alone with him, not with the way she had felt when she had left him.

Once again, she found herself missing Ginny. Of course, she wasn't sure that Ginny would have been on her side. After all, she was a Weasley, and blood ties surely would have been stronger than friendship. Wouldn't they?

Hermione was all alone. Just as she always was.

************

Two weeks had passed, and Hermione's efforts to reach out to Ron were still failing. If anything, they seemed to be growing further and further apart. She was trying to spend more time at home, but she would continually come home to an empty house. Of course, it was possible that Ron had always come home late, and she had just never been home to notice. Though strangely, he no longer seemed surprised when he came home to find her already there.

At night, if she would try to initiate intimacy, he would claim that he was exhausted or sore from practice. She was beginning to feel that she was no longer attractive.

Of course, she still had her feelings for Severus to deal with. She kept trying to avoid him, but he always seemed to know where she was going to be. Thinking back, she couldn't tell if she was running into him more often or if she was merely noticing it now. True, some might think that he wasn't exactly the most attractive man in the wizarding world, but he was a man of substance, her intellectual equal, something Ron would never be. They could have stimulating conversations that did not involve Quaffles and Bludgers.

A part of her wanted to talk to him, but she did not trust herself alone with him. Especially not after what had happened in the park.

Deciding that staying at home was doing nothing for her sanity, she decided to go for a walk. She didn't want to take the chance that Severus would be at the office.

Alone with her thoughts, she started making a mental list of assets each man had. She was shocked that Ron's list was so short, but then she realized that she was strangely at peace with that conclusion.

The only problem she could see was that if she divorced Ron, it would devastate Molly. Ever since her parents had been killed, Molly and Arthur had become a very important part of her life. She sighed. How had her life become so difficult?

She decided another visit to Harry was in order. He hadn't owled her with anything specific about his discussion with Ron. Perhaps she could get Harry to be more frank with Ron.

Though, what was to be gained? What did she want Harry to uncover? Did she want Harry to tell her that Ron was as miserable as she was?

A part of her wanted exactly that. She collapsed into her favorite chair, trying to decide what she should do. The logical part of her told her that she should confront Ron and find out once and for all what was going on with him. But another part of her feared that he would start asking her questions too. Ones she didn't want to answer.

She ended up doing nothing.

The following day at work, she was quite irritable and distracted by the drama of her personal life. As was her habit when she got into one of these moods, she was working alone in the lab, everyone else in her department having found somewhere else to be.

"Hermione, something is bothering you," Severus said behind her.

She tried not to jump at his sudden appearance. "Not at all."

He reached over her shoulder and grabbed her hand. "Then why are you adding unicorn tears to that potion?"

"I'm not..." She looked closely at the phial in her hand and saw that he was correct. She had been about to add unicorn tears and ruin nearly a month's worth of work. Setting the phial down, she sighed and said, "I guess I am."

He pulled up a stool and took a seat next to her. "May I ask what it is that's bothering you so?" After a few seconds, he added softly, "Is it Ron?"

His voice was so gentle and caring that she broke down. "He's been ignoring me for weeks. I can hardly get him to talk to me anymore. I don't think he loves me anymore."

"Do you love him?" he asked gently.

"I do, but I don't think it's the same as it once was. We've drifted apart. Quidditch is his life and this," she swept her arms around the lab, "is mine."

"Why don't you talk to him about that?"

"I try, but he's either not at home or he's too tired. He just doesn't seem to care anymore."

He placed his hand on her knee. "You need to force him to discuss this with you."

She just stared at his hand, unable to meet his eyes. "I know. It's just..."

"You're frightened," he finished for her. "It's understandable. The two of you have been together for a long time."

Looking up at him, she tried to read his expression, but found she couldn't. "Why do you care so much?" she asked, trying not to sound suspicious.

"You are one of the most brilliant minds I have ever met. And I would like to consider you a friend, if you would let me."

She couldn't suppress the giggle. "I think you are a bit more than a friend."

He smiled warmly at her. "I suppose that I am." His hand drifted up her leg.

"Severus, I'm a married woman," she cautioned.

"Are you really? Is what the two of you have really still a marriage?"

She sighed. "No. I guess not." Suddenly, she realized that he was right next to her, and she wasn't sure how it had happened. Even more surprising was the fact that she had wrapped her arm around him. "We can't do this here." Her heart was racing.

Leaning down, he gave her a deep, passionate kiss. "My office. Five minutes."

Nodding numbly, she replied, "Okay." A few minutes later, she found herself standing outside Severus's office door, looking nervously down the hall to make sure no one saw her. But she craved physical attention from someone, and he was offering to give it to her.

As soon as the door was closed behind her, Severus pulled her into his arms and quickly locked the door.

His touch excited her and she wanted more. This was not a time for words, but a time for action. She backed him towards the small sofa and was quite surprised to find herself flipped around and flat on her back. But she didn't protest as he slipped his hand under her robes. Fumbling with the front of his garment, she longed to touch him, to feel the intimate contact of skin on skin.

He expertly teased her and soon had her writhing and moaning. She gripped the sofa, fighting for control of her body as she started panting. "Severus, please," she moaned.

He gently pulled off her knickers before slowly entering her. His motions were smooth and slow to prolong the experience.

She was so close to the edge that she grabbed at him, hooking her legs around his, trying to pull him even deeper and faster. This is what she had wanted for so long. Finally, he quickened his motions, giving her what she wanted. She started moaning and crying out.

He captured her mouth in a kiss, momentarily pausing. "Quiet, my dear. I only locked the door and there is no Silencing Charm."

She didn't really comprehend his words, only wanting him to continue. "Okay." When he started again, she felt his hand on her mouth as she gave in to her passions. As her orgasm started to wash over her, she bit her lower lip and gripped him tightly, wanting to feel him deep inside her.

In the euphoria following their encounter, she felt that she could spend all day with him.

He disturbed her reverie. "You really should head back to your lab."

"What?" Her voice fell with disappointment. "I suppose you're right."

He brushed stray strands of hair from her face. "Come by after work."

"What?"

"Come over to my house. I'll make it an evening you won't forget."

The offer sounded wonderful. It was exactly what she wanted, but she still hesitated. "I don't know."

"He expects you to come home late, doesn't he? And this would be much more pleasant than more research." He teased her nipple with his fingers. "He comes home late to you; why should you feel guilty about doing the same?"

The same. Those words resonated in her mind. What if he was doing the same? It all seemed to make sense now. He was ignoring her because there was someone else. She had been replaced. Now that she was contemplating the possibility, she was determined to catch him. This would not be her fault. "We'll see. I might have something to do."

"More important than being with me?" he asked in mock hurt.

A devious grin spread across her face. "If this works as I think it will, there will be much more time for you and me in the future." After a hurried Cleansing Charm, she gave him one last kiss before flitting out of his office. She had no intention of returning to work this afternoon. She had something more important to do.

************

Once again, Ron lingered behind after practice, hoping Cliodna was doing the same. Once they were alone in the locker room, he moved across the room and pinned her against the wall, nibbling at her neck. "I was thinking about taking a shower..." he started.

"I hope you were doing more than thinking," she replied playfully.

He spun her around. "Why you..." But he didn't get to finish as she gave him a passionate kiss and guided him backwards toward the shower. It was a long, luxurious shower, both of them enjoying the touch of the other.

"Perhaps we should go somewhere more intimate?" Ron asked.

"I'd love to, but my sister's at my flat for the week."

He didn't want to settle for being with her in the locker room. "It's still early. We could go to my place."

"Are you sure?"

"She won't be home for hours."

A wicked grin spread across her lips. "I like that idea."

They quickly dressed and Ron Apparated them to his house, which, as he had expected, was deserted. "I told you."

"So where is this bedroom of yours?" she asked as she started undressing him.

"A little randy, are you?"

"Around you? Always." She kissed him deeply, showing him exactly how she felt about him.

He pushed off her robe and led her down the hall to his bedroom.

*************

Hermione left the office and was not surprised to find the Quidditch Pitch empty. Practice was generally over by this time of the day. Knowing that Ron had a team roster at home, she decided to start her search with the other players on the team. She didn't think he would be thick enough to get involved with a teammate, but then again, this was Ron that she was thinking about. Though it wasn't like he didn't have a lot of young women fans.

She decided to head home and consider her next step.

When she opened the door to their house, she was quite surprised to see clothing strewn all over the front hall floor. It didn't take much to figure out that some of the clothing belonged to a woman.

She was beyond incensed. While she was ready to call it quits with Ron here and now, she still couldn't believe that he would dare bring his dalliance to their home. A part of her wanted to shatter the door and hex both of them to oblivion, but a voice deep inside reminded her that such rash action would accomplish nothing.

Slowly, she crept down the hall, not wanting to give either one of them a chance to escape. The bedroom door was cracked open, and through it she could hear moans of passion. Once again, her anger bubbled to the surface. Wand at the ready she prepared to immobilize them.

Throwing open the door, she saw Ron's bare arse in the air, with a pair of long legs wrapped around him. "What is the meaning of this?" she shouted.

He pulled away from the woman, who grabbed at the sheets to cover herself. "Hermione? This isn't what it looks like."

"This isn't what it looks like? It's exactly what it looks like." She pointed her wand at Ron. "Get dressed." Then she pointed at the woman. "Get out of my house!" She then stormed out of the room, holding onto her anger to stop the tears that were threatening to flow.

***************

A/N: Thanks again to nota for prodding me along and helping me rediscover those words I can never remember when I'm writing. The real life issues that were keeping me from writing as much as I wanted to seem to have finally abated. I am hoping to be able to get the next chapter done in a reasonably short period of time.