I have to tell you, I did not see this coming.  I am in no way disappointed, but still, I thought for sure there would be some sort of drama in the way.  This was a big step for them, though.  They have been intimate before, but the first time she can't recall the details, and the next time, it was him asserting himself to giving her pleasure that she was unwilling to admit she needed. After that, she attacked him in her sleep.  This time it was finally mutual, for lack of a better word.   I have to wonder what will happen after they come down from their post-coital high.  Or perhaps nothing will happen because they will collapse with exhaustion.  If that is the case, will he still be there when she wakes up?  I have no idea what to expect at this point.

Had the dreams been caused by the attraction, or had the attraction been caused by the dreams? She had tried before to puzzle it out, and it never seemed that she reached a conclusion. It was as if there were some impediment in place that prevented her from concentrating on it for long enough to work it out.

Now what is going on?  Yes, we know she can't remember her wedding night and that it was a calculated move by her husband, done with her consent, but is there more?

It's interesting that Hermione thinks there is something going on between her husband and Vector.  It makes me wonder if it is just her insecurity and jealousy rearing it's ugly head, making something out of nothing, or if they've done anything to actually warrant her suspicion.  Somehow I don't see Severus being unfaithful to his wife, even if his marriage is only for show, but it is possible that there is a flirty edge to their realtionship and/or Vector is the type of friend who is very touchy-feely and Hermione has witnessed it and blown it out of proportion.  Either way, I feel bad for her.  Especially with this line:

... and worst of all, she was his friend—a position of trust and camaraderie Hermione could never hope to attain.

I am already looking forward to the next chapter.  You have a lot on your plate with real life, so I very much hope that your priorities are completely wonky and posting this story rates at the top of your to-do list.  :)

Short it may be, but full of sweet intensity! I really love the build-up of Hermione's experience in this chapter, to the "climax" ;) and that third last line, that did it for me!

Well, that's a start.  Now, a little conversation? :)

oh my!!  Mmmm....

And I'm still waiting for the other one to drop. Sex is fine, but I wished they would actually talk to one another. Ja, ja, verboten, but still. *sigh*  Thank you, MotB! 

short sweet and to the point thank u for the quick update!!

hugs and chocolate!!

wow short and sweet thanks!

I just read it ones , but I intend to read a few times more. It is so wonderful the way you write .Such a lowely story. I wish you post this story twice a week, and still it wont be enough for me.Can wait another week for now one.
Still thank you for giving as all a lowely time and delight .
Best regards from Lora.

I am loving this! Such a cliffie. I am having a hard time waiting for the weekly installment!

First things first, how exciting that your daughter is getting married.  Time will fly, no doubt.  I wish her the best of luck, and I hope mama doesn't shed too many tears.As for the story, this chapter explains a lot of things.  Not everything, for sure, but I feel like I am at least starting to see where we are coming from.  In the beginning, I feel so bad for Severus, wanting to do anything but think about his wife and their relationship, or lack thereof, but being surrounded by couples tangled up on every available surface in the house.  But it leads him to think back to their wedding night, and for that I was grateful.The wedding was kind of nerve-wracking in and of itself.  Not that the baddies in charge could likely get in to the room and spoil things before the wedding took place, but still, it was very tense.  And Severus made her a potion that is clearly forbidden.  Whether it is dark, or addicting, or typically used to do inappropriate things to others and have them never remember *shudders*, who knows, but the fact is that even at this early stage in the game, he took a gamble and brewed it for her.  I wonder why?  Did he want to enjoy the wedding night and felt like he could let down his guard and have a good time, knowing that if he made a fool of himself, or revealed true colors that he wasn't ready to present to another that it would all be wiped from her memory?  Or does he really care for her already?  Or did he, too, want to avoid the awkward situation that was bound to follow?Briefly he wondered if she'd pull her wand on him at some point during the proceedings, and just in case, he cast a non-verbal protective spell.  Haha!  Who is scared of whom, I wonder?'I have no need of it,' he answered, feeling an infinitesimal reduction in his normal state of tension. He need not guard every word and action now, for she would remember none of it.She considered this. 'I suppose any period of … forgetfulness … could be a detriment in your … position.'Oh Hermione dear, is this really why you think he isn't taking it?  Perhaps there is some truth to it, but I suspect he really does want to remember this night.   I am glad that you set this up so that she is aware of her memories being erased, because while we as readers have been all up in arms about why and what she can't remember, she hasn't actually been terribly bothered.  Yes, she is having weird flashbacky dreams, and it must be disconcerting to know something happened, but not remember the specifics, but she is aware that the memory was erased with her permission.  Not that I thought there would ever be a single plot hole in your story, but I had kind of forgotten until now that it had bothered me early on that she wasn't more bothered by her missing memories.  If that even makes sense.And back in the present ... she must not be permitted to think she was unwanted.  This had me feeling a little melty.  She really shouldn't be allowed to feel unwanted, and he shouldn't feel that way either.  They both want the same thing, at least physically, so why not get on the same page and enjoy what they have coming to them?  Except I fear that the front door noise which roused him from his memories was his wife exciting the building.  Sigh.  Although since you didn't let them play in the mud, you are welcome to have them get down and dirty in the woods.  Though somehow I think that seems to easy at this juncture.Fantastic chapter, as always.  Every Friday I swear to myself that I am going to save the next chapter for late that evening when work is done and the kids are in bed and I can cap off my day in the very best of ways.  But as I am at work, the knowledge that there is another chapter available for me, gnaws at me, and I end up hiding away on my lunch break to read.  I have no self-control.  Thanks for making that blatantly obvious.  :)

He was a bit slow but got there in the end! :)

*reads other reviews and shakes head sadly*
Everyone, he said "don't be ridiculous".  Not "of course not, don't be ridiculous" or "don't be ridiculous, absolutely not".  It could just as easily have been "don't be ridiculous, you're an attractive girl" or "I am already", you know...

Yes, he can be a real bastard, but Hermione's doing enough of the putting words in his mouth, do YOU have to do it too!? :P

Oh dear, now she has more fuel for her fantasies. And the poor man will be as frustrated as hell, no doubt. :)

Who could refuse an offer like that? :)

Bet he wasn't asleep... ;)

She's not the best actress. Not good for his pride, I dare say. :)

Suspected it, but love the way you avoided spelling it out. :)

Ah... If she had only said, "no, I'm not yet ready to go to sleep yet," and reached for his neather regions! He may have not been able to resist. It would have at least put to rest his suspicions about her (non-existent) desires for Lupin. Perhaps her brush-off of his attempt at comfort outside did not go unnoticed by Severus as he observed from the window. We can always hope.As others have already said, I would love to know what Severus is thinking through all of this. If he would only use Legilimens on her he would see who she truly desires and he could put all of his insecruities to rest. Perhaps she could give him permission to do so? If it comes down to convincing him of the truth?  But then she would have to admit her feelings to him. And I can't blame her for not wanting to do that since he seems to have no desires for her in the beginning.Great story. Keep up the good work.

Well that's progress. Well written, lookIng forward to more :)

Well another piece to the puzzle. Not that I can figure out where it goes yet. That was not the most romantic or sexy way for Hermione's needs to be attended to, but it certainly gives the situation some more tinder for the fire burning beneath. Sev was definitely affected but since he's Severus he can't show it. What a tangled web they're caught in. Can't wait to see where all the lines of it are coming from.

Subversa, dear, we need to talk. I have a problem. Namely, an addiction to this story. A 2500 word hit is not going to cut it. If I have to wait a week for more, I will surely go into withdrawl, and that is not going to be pretty. Imagine the guilt you would feel if that happens.Yeah, I didn't think it would work, but it was worth a try.I find myself feeling more and more confused as we go. Her memory was a valid one to surface, considering the last line before she runs from his room. How awful to have such burning desire for someone who was so adamant that he could never find her attractive. It doesn't matter whether he said it out of truth or obligation, she is a young insecure girl, and that comment will stick with her. It certainly makes me wonder how their wedding night went.I really wanted to enjoy him helping her with her "problem", but it felt so clinical that it seemed wrong to get any satisfaction from it. I think she enjoyed it physically, but what is going on psychologically and emotionally? She seemed to just let herself go and enjoy it in the moment, but I have to wonder what happens next. There is no way she is going to go to sleep now. And the following day, will they discuss what happened? Will it become the elephant in the room? Or will she do her very best to avoid ever coming in contact with him again. Avoidance would certainly be difficult in such close quarters. That said, I am over Hermione for the moment. While there are still many unknowns about her recent past and present, I have a small understanding of where she is at. Severus ... geez, I’ve got nothing. I think that once you peel back all of the layers, he is a good guy, and he could easily be kind given the right circumstances. But what makes their pre-wedding meeting in his rooms a right circumstance.? I would expect him to find, after a time, that they had things in common and might enjoy the company of one another, but to be so considerate right off the bat ... hmmm. We know that there are issues of some nature about Hermione’s memory, but what of Severus’? Are his intact, clear as day, or has he been messed with as well? And in the current situation, he takes care of Hermione’s needs, but with the same interest as if he were helping her fix a sprained ankle. Is that because he desires her and is trying to remain distant? Or is it because we are getting it from Hermione’s POV, and she isn’t paying attention to his perception of the situation? I find that I just can’t fathom where we’ve been in these seven months. Is he wishing she would return the favor? Has she done so before? Gah! This story is so deliciously frustrating! But don’t worry about me. I’ll just be sitting here working on my autobiography titled Infinite Quantity of Impatience. :)

He *almost* seems dispassionate and unaffected. I believe he is anything but. However, the fun will be in the revelations, right? Excellent chapter!

Lemme see... on Christmas night in 1997, Dumbledore can to the Gryffindor Common Room to gain Hermione's cooperation in with his plan to have her stay at Hogwarts when the new term begins in January by marrying Snape.

Then eight days later, Dumbledore, with Minerva, interrupted Severus and Septima Vector in the Potions Master's lab.  Severus and Septima seemed very content in their separate pursuits until the visitors arrived... and Dumbles told Severus (in so many words) that he was leaving the castle and Severus was going to have to marry Hermione.  Then a week later, the wedding took place, and six months after the wedding they found themselves at Forest Haven. 

In Chapter 2, Hermione had thought back on everything that had happened back in January, I realized that she may not have been particularly happy about being Severus wife:  Professor Snape had been the best choice for her, if she wanted to remain at Hogwarts and continue to work with Harry and Ron—and the Order—towards Voldemort's demise. That did not, of course, mean that the professor was particularly graceful about it. And neither had she been, *countering his snide nastiness with her shrill defensiveness.*

Their marriage negotiations had not gone exactly smoothly either.  Hermione had been quarrelsome about having to sleep in his quarters- and they'd only had sex once- on their wedding night.  Is that right?  Can that possibly be correct if she is having these fantasies about him? 

Why had Severus gone out of his way to insult her when Minerva had brought her to see him the morning of their wedding day:  'Do you,' she began, and his attention fastened upon her face. 'Do you think … you could ever be … attracted to me?'His mouth twisted into an ugly sneer. 'Don't be ridiculous!' he spat. 'Now, get out!'

And now here they are in their bed, and Severus has just brought her to orgasm.  He had been very civil, even concerned for her well-being, throughout his ministrations to her.  And she thanked him afterward!

Let me tell you one thing, missy, you have me so mixed up about the where's and why's of this story that I think I'm gonna be bonkers by the time we get to the end.  Go, Subversa!!!

Beth

No! Too soon! Make it last longer …I agree! The end - and the end of the chapter - came much too soon. But I'm glad they had at least a little time together, and she now sees that he doesn't think less of her for having sexual desires. I am hoping he now sees that she is plain embarrassed about admitting she has sexual desires, rather than disliking him. Hmm, are they really going to sleep now, or will there be more.... You know my vote for that! Thank you for the new update!!

Gah!  That was quite the flat rejection. No wonder Hermione didn't want to go to him, no matter how much she was attracted, not to mention already married, to him. So what in all the bleeding hells is he up to now?