Draco's Mistake

Big thanks to my beta, Nakhash Mekashefah. This chapter is part one.

And, for posting here at the Petulant Poetess, I'd like to thank my readers...yes, both of you.

Severus stirred the simmering cauldron thrice before moving away from his personal worktable to stalk through his classroom. It was his seventh year class, and all were busy with their projects. Hermione was still ignoring him. They were due to perform their 'marital requirements' that night, and she was also due to take her monthly potion, which was what was simmering on his worktable. Perhaps, he mused, he should take some time with her tonight; give her a reminder of what she was missing.

"Mr. Zabini, are you not supposed to be brewing the Property Binding potion?" he asked.

"Yes sir," the stringy young man answered.

"Then what, is that?"

"Um...the Property Binding potion?"

"I see after seven years in my class, you still cannot answer a question appropriately." Snape reached out, taking the ladle from Mr. Zabini and allowing the substance to fall back into the cauldron. "Tell me, what colour should this potion be?"

"Um...purple...sir."

"This is a most creative rendition of the colour purple, is it not?"

Zabini just clenched his jaw and waited, not saying anything.

"In fact...it is such a creative version of the colour purple, that some would even say it was...orange." Snape dropped the ladle in the potion, pointed his wand and muttered "Evanesco." He fixed the young man with a glare and said, "Three feet of parchment due Monday on the correct brewing procedures of the binding potion, as well as an analysis of what could possibly result in an orange potion, Mr. Zabini."

Snape stalked back to the second row, checking on the various potions in progress. For the most part, everyone had brewed their potions adequately. He reached Malfoy, whose potion was perfect, and started to move past him, but stopped when the boy looked at him, a haughty smirk on his face. Snape glared at him suspiciously. Malfoy had grown more and more confident over the last month. Snape wished he could simply get rid of him. He moved on to the back row and glared down at Harry Potter's cauldron.

"Mr. Potter, I wonder if remedial Potions would be in order for you...again...this term," he said. "Evanesco," he muttered, causing Potter's potion to disappear. Potter glared at him angrily, and Snape sneered back at him, daring him to say something. "Five feet of parchment, Mr. Potter, on the properties of the Dragon's Breath potion, due on Monday, and five points from Gryffindor."

Hermione stiffened slightly as he moved in front of her desk and looked down at her potion. It was, as always, perfect. "I need you to remain after class," he said lowly. He waited for a response, but received none, and so he continued on, then back to the front of the class where he added another ingredient to the contraceptive potion and stirred.

The bell rang ten minutes later, and his students packed their things. They already had their assignment for the weekend. Hermione remained behind, but made no effort to initiate conversation.

"Come here...I've completed your contraceptive potion, you may as well take your dose now."

Hermione got up and walked to the front of the classroom, where she took the proffered phial and tipped its contents back, swallowing thickly. Severus watched her, waiting for any sign she was going to say something, but she merely handed the phial back to him and turned to leave. He reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder, and moved forward, pressing against her body.

"Hermione," he whispered in her ear, "there's no need for this." His hands roamed down her body, moving down, then across her abdomen, pulling her back against himself. He heard her breath hitch, and he nibbled her ear. "Are you afraid of me now?" he questioned in a soft whisper.

"No...I'm not," Hermione said. "I just don't want..." she trailed off as his lips found that spot just under her ear. "What happened to treating me as a student in the classroom?" she demanded.

"Class isn't in session now," he reasoned, and then resumed nuzzling her neck, her hair tickled his nose. He ignored the fact that it did feel decidedly odd to touch her in the classroom while she was dressed as a student. He'd spent so many years ignoring students in that way. Still, she was his Hermione, his wife, under her robes. "You will come back to my bed, Hermione. I know you want to; I know you're just as tired of this act as I am."

"Not until you can make some compromises." She stepped away from him, back held straight as she walked towards the classroom door.

"I have the recipe for the potion here...and it will be in the workroom adjacent to the living room. I do believe there are enough ingredients for a large batch...perhaps even sixty doses," he said before she could get too far. She stopped and turned back at him, a look of surprise on her face. It was time to begin negotiating. A full month of silence, glares, and pouting...and nearly no sex, was enough. She was obviously stubborn enough that she wasn't going to take the first step in returning to him, and so it would be up to him to make that first step.

"Why?" she asked him after a moment.

"Surely, you should know that the thought of dozens of women becoming pregnant because of the Ministry's laws, when a solution is easily available, would be undesirable. Be careful...while it is not strictly contraband, it wouldn't do to be caught."

Hermione gave him a single nod and then left. Severus watched her go, glad, at least, that she hadn't simply ignored him. When he had started his plan of punishing her, he hadn't thought she would be so stubborn. He'd also begun to wonder what it was about her that made her so reluctant to give in...she had been doing so well, before. Perhaps, he thought, she was trying to make some point with her stubbornness. He knew he affected her...during their copulation the previous week she hadn't been able to keep from grasping at his shoulders, wrapping her legs about his hips as he thrust into her...it was brief, and he had seen her agitation and disappointment when he pulled away. She was frustrated...in more than one way. He wondered if she'd begun taking care of herself in that department.

Severus put away the last of the supplies and then scanned the classroom for anything out of place before placing his grade book back into the top drawer of his desk. It was time for lunch, and on Fridays he didn't have any classes after noon. He would have been looking forward to spending the weekend with Hermione wrapped around him...and he wondered again if he was going about convincing her to submit to him in the best way. Still, he was agitated with her. He'd been quite clear about what he wanted...what he required of her; there should have been no room for misinterpretation on her part, even considering what she thought she'd found. He knew that most importantly, he couldn't give in...whatever occurred now between them would set the stage for the rest of their relationship...this was the time to be firm.

Just as he was about to lock up the classroom, he felt a tingling in his wand...it was the signal he had set up with Hermione's amulet to alert him if she was in danger. He cursed as he realised she had left alone; he should have made her wait until he was ready to leave, as well. With haste, he snapped the wand from his sleeve and rushed from the classroom at a near run, his wand acting as a guide to point him in the direction she was.

*****

Hermione left the classroom trying to ignore the arousal she felt. It was a weakness that she enjoyed his touch so much, that she longed to return to being with him in his bed. She wasn't going to allow her body's urges to dictate her decisions, though. Besides, if she gave in now, she knew that he would think her a pushover...she knew it was best to set her limits now, to make a point now, because it would make a difference on how things worked between them for the rest of their lives.

Hermione was surprised that he'd made such an offer on helping with the other women trapped in forced marriages. The support group had discussed birth control methods at the last meeting; Treva had suggested they start on something practical while they got to know one another and developed a rapport. There was another meeting set with the smaller sub-group that Hermione was going to be in, that weekend, which was composed of a good number of the women who had married friends or acquaintances to avoid a possibly worse marriage.

Actually, several of the women had already solved the problem through Muggle methods. Many of them were in marriages of convenience (or as convenient as you could get under the circumstances) and their spouses weren't opposed to using condoms to prevent pregnancy. However, one woman had tried that route and had discovered a latex allergy, making that method impossible. Still, condoms were faulty; they could slip, or leak. And so, it would be best to use a good birth-control potion. And although she didn't need to depend on him, the ingredients were hard to find. It had been very nice of him to offer...so she would go to the meeting tomorrow loaded down with contraceptive potions.

As Hermione rounded the corner to the corridor leading to the stairs to go to lunch, she was grabbed and knocked against the wall. Her head hit the stone with a dull thud, and she was stunned into immobility for a few seconds.

"Finally you're brave enough, or stupid enough, to walk alone, Mudblood," Draco Malfoy spat. "Think you're so smart, do you...marrying that traitor to get away from me and my father?"

"Get off me!" Hermione shouted and kicked at him, attempting to use her knee to connect with someplace sensitive, but he was too close to her, she couldn't get at him. She pushed and fought for a moment, before he shook her, slamming her head against the wall of the dungeon again.

"You should learn your place...I thought Snape would put you in your place. I had a chance to find some old memories back home over the holiday that my father had put away. Turns out Snape and my father used to share their playthings. He likes it rough...maybe you like that...do you, Mudblood?"

Hermione's eyes widened at his words before she tried striking out at him again, but he was too strong. He was taller than her by a good six inches, and years of playing Quidditch had left him with a strong, lean body...which he was now pressing up against her. She felt sick as she felt his erection straining against her abdomen, and saw the cruel gleam in his eye.

"I want my father to have a chance to get you...but why should I pass up the opportunity when it's right here in front of me? That traitor Snape isn't here to protect you now."

Hermione renewed her struggles, somehow managing to wrench an arm free. She got hold of her wand, not even pulling it from her robes but merely grabbing the handle in her pocket, and blasted Malfoy with 'Stupefy'. She gasped to regain her breath, pulling her wand from her robes and pointing it down at the prone form of Draco Malfoy. She then saw a great black shape moving swiftly down the dimly lit corridor...it was Severus.

The spell hadn't been very strong because it wasn't aimed squarely at Malfoy. He was merely stunned, and was trying to rise from the floor just as Snape swept down upon him, grabbed him by the front of his robes and hefted him up against the dungeon wall.

"How dare you touch her!" Severus bellowed. He then pointed his wand and muttered a spell; Hermione jumped as she heard Malfoy's high-pitched shriek of pain, as Severus alternately muttered hexes and slammed him repeatedly against the wall.

"Wait! Stop!" Hermione yelled, rushing up to them. She just knew Severus was going to kill Malfoy...she'd never seen him like that...his lips were pulled back from his teeth in a snarl and he radiated fury. "Stop!" Hermione repeated. "Severus...you can't...don't...we should call the Aurors," Hermione said. Somehow cool reasoning had taken over and she realised that, despite the circumstances, Severus would be in deep trouble for killing a student.

She waited for several tense seconds as Severus stiffly resisted pummeling the shaking youth. He then turned to her, taking her appearance in with a sweeping glance over her form.

"Did he hurt you?" he finally asked.

"I'll be fine...it's nothing serious," Hermione answered. Her head throbbed where he'd slammed her against the wall and her arms and shoulders burned, but it was barely noticeable in the rush of adrenaline.

"Go wait in our quarters," he snapped and then pulled Malfoy away from the wall and began dragging him down the corridor, heading for the entrance hall.

"No...I'm coming with you. If you're going to call the Aurors then I should be there...I'm the one he was trying to hurt."

Severus turned and regarded her, his eyebrows drawn together as he scowled at her, then his face relaxed and he nodded slightly. "Very well then, come along."

Malfoy tried begging and pleading as he was dragged to the Headmaster's office, but it was to no avail, as Severus ignored him completely. Groups of students on their way to lunch stopped and stared, wide-eyed at them. Malfoy stumbled and tripped up the steps to Dumbledore's office, as Severus wouldn't release him, instead dragging him practically sideways; he had no option but to try and keep up.

Dumbledore looked up as the three entered his office, and Severus threw the boy in a chair, casting a spell to bind him with magical ropes to it.

"He attacked Hermione," Severus spat as explanation. "Luckily for him, she insisted we call the Aurors. I don't know what possessed him to do this. Tell me boy, you've never been that stupid, why?"

Dumbledore looked sternly at the blond young man, who was now darting his eyes around at the three of them nervously. The Headmaster then rose from his chair and walked with purpose to the Floo, tossing in a handful of Floo powder. Hermione felt weak, and suddenly the office rushed around her as she sank to the floor, barely hearing or seeing anything. She was caught by strong arms and then lifted and placed in a nearby chair. She opened her eyes to see Severus looking at her closely.

"You should go to the hospital wing," he said intently. "Where are you hurt?"

"Um...my head," Hermione answered, her voice sounding far away.

"Headmaster, I will be in the hospital wing with Hermione," he said, not looking at the older man who nodded his assent as he rose from the fireplace. He began to lift Hermione, but she stopped him.

"No...I can walk," she protested.

Despite her protest, Severus did insist on supporting her as she walked down the stairs and to the hospital wing, glaring at any student who looked at them in confusion as he walked through the entrance hall, which was filled with students mingling as they made their way to lunch. He stayed quiet, still churning with anger. One small mistake...one small lapse in vigilance...one small distraction had led to this. He cursed himself for his folly...it was his duty to protect her and had it not been for the amulet he had given her, it could have been much worse. He wanted to kill Malfoy...but he was thankful for Hermione's cooler head. Had he killed him, he would have ended up in Azkaban...teachers did not kill their students. However, Malfoy wouldn't be his student much longer. There was at least some good in the situation; he was going to move to expel him now that he finally had a concrete reason.

They arrived at the hospital wing, Severus walking slowly as Hermione's steps became slower. Once inside, Pomfrey rushed over, asking what was wrong.

"She was assaulted by Malfoy in the dungeon corridor...she is experiencing head pain."

"Well then, get her over here," Pomfrey instructed, bustling beside the young witch who was now pale and sweating.

Severus eased her down on a nearby cot, watching her closely. He surmised, from her pallor and the way her eyes tracked around, that she might have a concussion, and he cursed himself again for not thinking of her when he came upon her. He had been so focused on Malfoy that he had barely given her a second glance. She was standing upright, and so he had assumed she wasn't too badly hurt. She was probably just riding the adrenaline.

Hermione watched him with a confused look as Pomfrey cast several diagnostic charms and then instructed her to remove her outer robe. Slowly, she complied, and saw Severus's eyes track to her upper arms. She looked down and saw the bruises, slowly darkening, where Malfoy had held her.

"She has a concussion and a few bruises. I have a potion for the concussion," Pomfrey said in her clipped tone and then walked away, returning with a phial. "Drink this, Miss Granger," she said, not realising her mistake in names.

Severus scowled at her but said nothing, as Pomfrey checked Hermione over, using several incantations to check for further damage.

"I'll need for her to stay here for the next hour, then you can take her back to your quarters if her condition doesn't worsen. She'll need to rest, but it would be best for her to remain upright, just in case. Observe her for signs of dizziness, and make sure she doesn't move around too much. Is that understood?" she demanded sternly, giving Professor Snape a no-nonsense look.

"Yes," he muttered.

"I'll be down to check on her tomorrow, and she may need to be excused from her classes Monday, as well." Pomfrey bustled off to fill out some forms, and after several moments, Headmaster Dumbledore entered the hospital wing, followed closely by two wizards in Aurors' robes. One was Kingsley Shacklebolt.

They were informed that Draco Malfoy had been taken into custody for assault, and was being treated for his injuries at St. Mungo's before being taken to a holding facility at the Ministry of Magic. They took a brief statement from Hermione, but as she was feeling dizzy, Severus insisted they could continue with that at a later time when she was feeling better. He then answered their questions and gave his own statement.

After just over an hour, the Aurors left. Hermione had dozed a bit, propped up on about four pillows, as they had talked quietly just outside. When Severus returned to her, she sat up.

"Madam Pomfrey says I don't have to stay here."

"Come then, I will walk back with you," Severus said, reaching out a hand to help her up. Hermione looked at him a moment and then took his hand, walking with him slowly to the dungeons.

Hermione thought over what had just happened; she still felt dizzy and her thoughts were muddled. She realised that Severus could truly be scary. When he'd attacked Malfoy, she'd seen pure rage...it reminded her of the time near the end of her third year when he'd been so angry when Sirius Black had escaped...it scared her that he was capable of such violence, such rage. And this was the man she supposedly should trust not to harm her in such dangerous games? However, his arm supporting hers was firm, his stride slow and measured to match her own. He said nothing, but she was aware of his scrutiny as they descended the stairs.

*****

Severus placed the tray of food on the side table next to the couch. She had made a trip to the loo, but otherwise had remained on the couch, pretending to read a book for the last several hours. Dumbledore had come to their quarters to discuss the incident and had then left them alone. "You should eat," he said. He watched her as she looked over to the tray; he'd chosen light food for her: a broth soup and bread. Having had a few concussions over the years, he knew she wouldn't feel like eating much.

"Severus...it's Friday..." she said. "We have to..."

"Yes, it is. You've a concussion, though," he said, scowling at her preposterous suggestion. She could barely walk a straight line or move without wincing. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some potions to brew. I'll be in my workroom, the doors will remain open. If you need anything, call me," he instructed. Just before he turned to leave, there was a knock on the door, and he went to answer it.

He scowled down at Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley.

"We heard what happened," Harry said, "and came to see if Hermione is okay." The three stood their ground warily, trying to affect a firm, yet respectful tone. Severus thought a moment, Hermione was in the living room, not her room, but it wouldn't be good to move her.

"Enter," he finally conceded. With wide eyes, the three walked in. "Touch nothing. If Hermione is too tired, show yourselves out. I will be in the next room, understood?" He glared as the three nodded their assent and then he turned to Hermione, who was giving him an amused smile. He scowled at her and then left to brew the large batch of contraceptive potion. He was only doing it because Hermione couldn't at the moment, he reasoned. She wouldn't be able to go to the support group meeting, either, and so he resolved to owl her partner in the endeavour to distribute the potions to any who had not found birth control through other means. And perhaps, if Hermione saw that he was willing to help her out in certain things, she might be more willing to put aside her current silliness and get back into his bed where she belonged.

*****

Hermione smiled at her friends as they walked in. Ginny sat beside her on the couch, and Harry and Ron took the two green wingback chairs perpendicular to the couch. They looked rather uncomfortable, sitting stiffly and looking around warily. They'd only ever been in her room when visiting, which was quite different. The living room held no trace of her influence, and was a nearly clichéd masculine library in style, all leather and wood and ancient tomes.

"Hermione...I'm really sorry, I should have waited for you after Potions class," Harry said guiltily after a moment.

"It's okay, Harry...I'm fine. Besides, you should have seen the look on his face when I Stupefied him," Hermione said, smiling weakly. Her head really hurt, despite the potion.

"Is it true he's going to be expelled?" Ginny asked.

"Yes...he was arrested, too."

"Well, that's one good thing, at least," Ron interjected.

"Yes..." Hermione said. She leaned her head back against the couch, wincing. "Malfoy Sr. and now Malfoy Jr. are out of the picture...finally."

"So you can relax now," Ron said brightly. He then dropped his voice conspiratorially, "And while you're getting better, Snape has to wait on you." Hermione laughed in spite of the pain. Severus actually was being nice...very nice...she felt a surge of melancholy. He really could be nice sometimes...maybe not like most people perceived it, but there were times she had really had a good time with him. Why did he have to be so stubborn over such a little thing? Maybe if he got over it, they could go back to having a good time sometimes. She still hadn't talked to him at all about what he was going to require of her before returning to his bed...it had been a month. A long very month, of ignoring and avoiding him, of strange dreams of snakes and ropes and pits, and she was getting tired of it. But, she knew thinking about problems when she felt so tired only made them seem worse; it wouldn't seem so bad when she felt better, she surmised.

"Hermione, you okay?" Ginny asked.

"Oh...fine Ginny, just a bit distracted is all."

"If you need to rest, we can go...we just wanted to check and see how you're doing. We can come by tomorrow if that would be better."

"Yeah...I think I need to sleep now. The potion is making me tired. You guys come by tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah...we'll be back." The three then got up, Ginny and Ron headed for the door, while Harry stayed behind, standing close to Hermione. "Snape is helping you, right?" he asked with concern.

"Yes Harry, he is. Don't worry...it's fine." Harry nodded, smiling tightly. She could see the guilt on his face and knew he still blamed himself. "Harry, it was bound to happen sooner or later. He's gone now and so I'll be safer. It could have been worse, really, don't blame yourself."

"All right," he said, but she knew he still did.

After they left, Hermione returned her attention to her cold soup and bread, which was going stale. She halfheartedly dipped the bread into the soup and took a listless bite before placing the bread back on the tray. She didn't really feel like eating.

Hermione yawned widely and then looked back at the book in her lap. Her vision was a little blurred, and it was too much work trying to focus on the pages. Instead, she rested her head gingerly against the couch and drifted off to sleep.

*****

Severus finished with the potion and walked into the living room, pausing to look at Hermione, who was now asleep on the couch, the open book on her chest. He withdrew his wand and cast a calming spell around her, then removed the book from her grasp, placing it on the table beside her. He rose, intending to leave, but when he saw her pull her arms up about her torso, decided she was probably cold. He turned, and lit the logs in the fireplace with his wand and then summoned the coverlet from her bed, placing it over her.

Satisfied that she wouldn't wake for a while, he left their quarters and walked down the hall to the Slytherin common room. The process of brewing had helped him clear his head from the anger he felt against Malfoy, and now it was time to address the rest of his house. It was nearly curfew, and the students should all be in their dorms or in the common room.

He stopped at the portrait and muttered the password. It swung open and he stepped inside. Several students were in the midst of talking, and they all looked at him attentively when he walked in. He saw Pansy Parkinson sitting over in one corner, though, with a very dissatisfied look on her face.

"Zabini, Goyle, Bulstrode, and Parkinson. Go check the dorms; I wish to address the Slytherin house – call everyone to gather in the common room."

They looked at him curiously, but moved to comply quickly enough. Parkinson attempted to wipe the scowl from her face, but did shoot him a look before she disappeared into the hall of the girls' dorm. He waited at the top of the steps as the students trickled in, taking seats in the old leather couches, standing behind them, or standing against the walls. When all were gathered, he spoke.

"As some of you may have heard, Draco Malfoy was taken into custody by Aurors today, and he will be expelled from Hogwarts." He paused, waiting for the news to sink in. "He attacked another student – not only did he attack another student – he attacked my wife, Hermione Snape. I am going to be very plain...I will not tolerate anyone taking action against my wife...any actions taken against her will be considered a personal affront by me and will be treated as such. Is that understood?"

He glared at them, especially the seventh and sixth years who had known Hermione the longest, through her school years. The younger students, whom he wasn't too concerned about, nodded their assent, and waited for him to continue, as they checked to see how the elder Slytherins reacted. He noticed, however, that the sixth and seventh year Slytherins were attempting to cover their reactions of distaste and disapproval.

"Is that understood?" he repeated, in a biting tone.

He received a number of affirmative murmurs and head nods. "Good. Mr. Malfoy apparently thought his place in Slytherin, and my wife's lineage, would mean I might overlook his transgression against me. He will not be achieving much from a prison cell, will he? Let's not allow the misconceptions about the house of Slytherin to be given merit. Our house has a long tradition of achievement, despite recent history of less than worthy members who think to achieve greatness through brute force and threats. Remember that, and think of that when about your business. Getting caught in underhandedness will gain you nothing, nor will trying to forcibly attack those you hold grudges against." He allowed them all to absorb that and then turned swiftly and strode from the Slytherin common room.

Once in the corridor, he tapped the wall in a pattern, on the bricks, with his wand. Checking again to be sure there were no students in the corridor, he stepped through the bricks, which had become as an illusion, making it appear he was stepping into the very stones.

He walked along the small tunnel and made two sharp turns, before he came to a stop at a balcony-like enclosure. He took a seat and looked down on the Slytherin common room. He could hear everyone easily, as well as observe them. The balcony appeared to simply be a wall from the inside.

Most of the younger students were returning to their rooms, readying themselves for bed, or were immersed in their studies. However, Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zabini were huddled together just below where Severus sat.

"Why did Malfoy do that?" Bulstrode was asking. "It doesn't seem like him."

"Goyle said he was hexing his pillow this morning...Hey, Goyle, over here," the stringy Slytherin boy called. The large young man ambled over to them and leaned up against the wall, directly under Severus.

"Yeah? What is it?" he asked.

"You said Malfoy was hexing his pillow this morning...what would he go and attack Granger for? Did he just lose his mind?"

"Don't know," Goyle said, shrugging. "He's just been acting strange the last few months...I think what happened to his dad may have something to do with it."

"I almost didn't believe it when I heard Snape had done that to Lucius Malfoy. My mother said they were friends for a long time," Parkinson said.

"Well, if he's going to betray the Dark Lord and then betray his blood-kind by marrying a Mudblood, why wouldn't he betray any one of us?" Zabini pointed out.

"Can you believe he married a Mudblood?" Bulstrode asked.

"Probably the only way he could find someone to suck his prick," mocked Parkinson. Severus felt his shoulders tightening. For some reason, the usual things he heard students say of him seemed somehow more biting than before.

"My cousin married a Mudblood, too...my grandfather wrote him out of his will. It was some twit he went to school with; she went crying to him when someone petitioned her under the new Marriage Law. I think he just felt so sorry for her he went ahead. He never was very good at passing up a pity story," Bulstrode said, sounding disgusted with her cousin.

Severus doubted sincerely that Treva Bulstrode, nee McGoodwin, had gone crying to anyone or that she had elicited pity, either unintentionally or on purpose. But if that was the only way Miss Bulstrode could think of her cousin with a Muggle-born, then that was what she would think.

"Well, I'll say this...I'm not going to get married at all if I have to marry a Mudblood," Zabini declared firmly.

"Yeah...me either," echoed Goyle. At least one good point, Severus thought. The only way that lump would get a wife was if she had no choice in the matter. Fortunately, the predominant distaste for Muggle-borns kept many of the purebloods from taking advantage of the Marriage Law.

"I'm just glad they didn't make it so Mudblood boys could petition for pureblood women...that would be awful. Getting married to some bloke you don't know..."

Severus saw a small, blond Slytherin boy, first year, listening on the edges of the conversation. He moved over to stand next to the other students and then spoke up. "Don't you think the Mugg – er – Mudblood girls don't like getting married to men they don't know?"

"What would you know? Besides, they're Mudbloods...there used to be a time when they knew their place was to serve their betters. I think it'll put them in their place, personally," Parkinson said haughtily. The boy, trying to hide his feelings of chastisement, edged back to the desk he had been studying at.

"Yeah," Zabini chimed in, laughing, "You think Snape has put Granger in her place by now?"

"Well, you don't see her waving her hand around in his class anymore, do you?"

Severus scowled, as they laughed and started theorising on what happened in his bed with his wife. He would have liked to hex the little buggers. There was a time when one could take pride in being Slytherin. However, he had some hope that the younger Slytherins, in the time that the Dark Lord was vanquished for good, could be influenced to bring his house back to its former glory. It wasn't for nothing that Slytherin had won the house cup for so many years before Potter came to Hogwarts. Despite his frustration at teaching, he wondered if it might be better to remain, if only to see Slytherin return to power...but perhaps Sinistra might make a better Head of House. His reputation as a former Death Eater might be influential in the wrong way; at least Sinistra didn't have that hanging over her head.

When the topic changed and, eventually, the group broke up to go their separate ways, he left his observation point and went back to his quarters. He had been gone long enough, Hermione was probably fine, but it would be best to be certain.

*****

She wasn't sure how much later it was when she felt a gentle prodding at her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she saw Severus standing over her. He then sat beside her on the couch. "Here, I have another potion for you. This should be more effective for the pain than what Pomfrey gave you earlier." She took the proffered phial and drank. She was surprised to find a blanket draped over her legs; he must have put it there.

"Thank you," she said.

"You are welcome. Are you still feeling dizzy?" he asked.

"A bit. Oh shoot," she groaned. "I was going to -"

"Make the contraceptive potions? It is done."

Hermione turned to look at him, surprised. "Um...thanks, you didn't have to..."

"You were in no condition to do so," he said with finality.

"Okay."

The silence stretched out, Severus staring into the fire, and Hermione doing the same. She wanted to say something...their argument...impasse, whatever it was, couldn't keep going on. It was so silly, too. How long would it keep up? One of them had to say something.

"Severus, can we talk?" she finally asked.

"If you wish, yes."

"Last month...at my parents' house...when I found those articles. I may have overreacted a bit."

"Yes, you did," he agreed.

"Don't you think you overreacted a bit, too?" she asked, hoping he would admit to it.

"No."

Hermione took a deep breath, exasperated. At least the pain in her head was clearing. "Why is that such a big deal to you?"

"I informed you before we married of what I would expect; you agreed. You then went back on that agreement. I never lied to you about what I desired, Hermione," he said evenly.

"It was a lie of omission; you should have told me about all that other stuff," Hermione insisted.

"No, it was not. What you found that day had absolutely nothing to do with what is between us. I told you exactly what I wanted and exactly what I expected. If someone else has similar desires, that is of no concern to me or you if they invent different ways of carrying it out."

"Can't you even compromise on one little thing?"

Severus turned and regarded her thoughtfully; Hermione met his eyes, not flinching away or trying to avoid him as she had been.

"Perhaps," he finally conceded.

"So you'd be willing to go over the safeword and contract thing?"

"No."

"I'm going to bed," Hermione sighed, fed up with him. A bit faster than she should have, she got up from the couch and took three steps before dizziness threatened to overwhelm her. Severus was behind her in a flash, one arm around her waist.

"Silly girl," he muttered. "You can't move around like that with a concussion."

Hermione gritted her teeth as he walked with her into her room, and eased her to sit on the edge of her bed. Just as Hermione was about to lie down, eyes closed, she felt his hands at her collar, unfastening her robes.

"Stop..." she complained.

"You don't need to sleep in the clothes you've been wearing all day," he said, and continued, first removing her robe and then slowly unbuttoning her shirt. She drew back from him, bringing her hand up to clutch her shirt closed. "Now you're just being ridiculous. Do you think I've forgotten what your body looks like?" She was too tired to protest, and so settled on giving him a grumpy sigh as he undressed her.

"I suppose you like this then."

"What do you mean?" he asked, having removed her shirt, and now was unfastening her skirt.

"You like pain..."

"Hermione," Severus said, one corner of his mouth quirked up in amusement, "there is absolutely nothing arousing about a concussion." His hands drifted up her arms and then to her back, where he unfastened her bra and removed it. "Now...have you taken the opportunity of exile to your room to resume wearing night clothes?" he asked.

Hermione scowled at him. "No," she admitted. Severus looked slightly triumphant, then moved to adjust her pillows and draw back her covers.

"Why are you being so..." she couldn't quite think of a word to describe how he was acting.

He looked down at her, frowning in thought. "You wouldn't be in this position had I remained wary," he said quietly. His gaze sharpened, his eyes glinting as she watched. "Malfoy shouldn't have even had the opportunity to touch you. He won't get that chance again," he said firmly and then turned to leave.

"Severus?" Hermione called. He turned to face her.

"So...let me get this straight...a concussion is bad...but whipping me is arousing?"

He paused for a moment, an eyebrow cocked up, and then answered, "Immensely." He then left the room, leaving her door open when he exited.

Hermione didn't want to think at the moment...and so she closed her eyes. Just as she was drifting to sleep, Malfoy's words came back to her.

"I thought Snape would put you in your place. I had a chance to find some old memories back home over the holiday that my father had put away. Turns out Snape and my father used to share their playthings. He likes it rough..."

What had that meant? She decided it was another of many things she wanted to clear up with him.