Okay, this is an old story and I suspect this issue has already been addressed, but I still feel the need to address it. Ms. Figg is one of my all time favorite Sevmione authors and this story is absolutely one of my favorites of hers and in general. That disclaimer aside, there are some situations she presents as typical, acceptable behavior or beliefs that are harmful. I wish she would have at least written disclaimers at the end of the chapter that first presents the problem. Maybe its somewhere in a response to a review, but it needs to be prominently displayed.
The first one is the idea that if Hermione had not been a virgin, Severus would have had the right to demand sex from her. Make no mistake, the reason presented in the story is not because she is his wife, but because he believed she wasn't a virgin. This assertion is wrong in either instance. This is not only insulting and asinine thinking, it's dangerous. It's dangerous for men to assert and for women to submit to. In the case of marriage, it supports the idea that a man can't rape his wife, which he absolutely can! As for the issue of virginal status, there is nothing inherently virtuous about virginity in an adult, male or female, and more importantly, nothing shameful about not being one. Believing otherwise implies not being a virgin makes you less than, somehow. Less clean, less honorable, less ethical, having less integrity, (no, ethics and integrity aren't the same thing. There's a suble but real distinction. Integrity is about your motivations: what you believe is right. Ethics (as I define it) are strictly about your behavior; i.e., actions that result from decisions based on what you believe is right). There's nothing magical about being an adult virgin. It simply means you haven't had sex with someone. Something that is no one's business except those involved. If you choose to abstain from sex before marriage because of religious beliefs or what you were taught, that's your choice, but know that this is based on opinion, not fact. Regardless of how old or widespread this or any wrongheaded belief is, beliefs are squarely in the realm of opinion, not fact. This issue comes up a lot in Ruth's (the author) stories, which always made me sad about what she was either told or any experiences that incorrectly taught her this.
Tied to the preceding issue is the idea that Hermione bears some type of blame for Severus' lust for her. That's all on him; regardless of how she dressed or what males she gave him the impression she was dating. Everyone is responsible for their actions, regardless of what or who inspired them.
A most excellent story. You captured all the nuances of all the range of emotions.