Maternal Instinct

Fingers curled around her upper arms, firmly but gently, seemingly to keep her in place, but they weren't needed because Hermione was frozen, unable to move. The kiss was so attentive and even affectionate, that she could hardly believe the man with his lips pressed to her own was Severus Snape.

One of his hands slid back around her shoulders, pressing her closer and, with some reluctance, she complied. This really shouldn't be happening! So many things could happen; Corrin could wake up and wander down stairs, or Amy might finally show her face, or some one might come through the front door and... God! So many things could happen! So many things could go wrong!

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Severus could feel her discontent slowly turning into a resigned willingness. He wasn't sure when he had made the revelation, but it was now clear to him that Hermione Granger didn't have a bad bone in her body, and now he wasn't really sure why he ever hated her - apart from the fact that she was Harry Potters friend, of course.

That little, annoying girl had turned into an intelligent, beautiful and caring woman. The fact that she couldn't have the thing she wanted the most was cruel. Severus had never been the sort of person to sympathize with others - and this time was no different - but he found himself angry that some one as shallow as Amy could have children when some one as lovely as Hermione could not.

He had never been one to see the good in people, but now - as he kissed the most bewitching, entrancing woman on the earth - he could not think of one single bad thing about her - only a few brilliant ones. And he wasn't even drunk, so he couldn't blame his thoughts on alcohol! That probably should have shocked him into stopping, but he only pulled his mouth away from hers to take another breath, before quickly lowering his head to take possession of her lips again.

Severus wasn't sure where this sudden affection for her came from - lots of things had changed. Well, OBVIOUSLY lots of things had changed, he just wasn't sure HOW.

Did it really matter how? Probably not. He felt something for her, obviously, and he doubted that would change. He had always liked routine and hated it when things changed, as he didn't like to be unprepared - being a spy had seen to that - and he had a feeling that HIS feelings and thoughts towards Hermione Granger would want to change too quickly.

He had never felt this way about Amy - never ever. She had always been too self-absorbed, centering her life on parties and socializing too much for his liking. She had long, straight, butter blonde hair; fake-looking nails; and she looked like she had had a thing that muggles called cosmetic surgery. He didn't dislike her because of that, but because her PERSONALITY was so fake.

But Hermione was different. She wasn't fake, or patronizing, nor did she have an unhealthy obsession with her social status. The only thing she wanted was something that the female body had been made to have. And, unlike Amy, she didn't cry crocodile tears, but real tears of anguish and grief, and - for that moment outside - they had touched him deeply.

Severus pulled back again and looked down at her. Delicate chocolate curls rested lightly on her shoulders; the softest red he had ever seen glowed in her cheeks; she kept her eyes averted, as she first bit her bottom lip, then sent the tip of her tongue out to alleviate the apparent sting. After she repeated these actions, Severus thought that perhaps two tongues would be better than one.

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Hermione shivered with an unwelcome desire, as her lower lip was sucked on softly. She didn't want this - really she didn't - but her time with Viktor had made her forget how nice gentle kissing could be. Viktor just seemed to be all tongue and quickness.

Now, she felt as if somebody was actually taking their time with her. It was lovely to feel the way she was feeling. Somebody was taking the time to be gentle with her. She was exhausted emotionally after the last few weeks, and now she felt as if somebody actually cared.

And this somebody was Severus Snape. And... He was married and they had a daughter.

What was she doing!

Hermione pulled away, shaking her head, but the arms around her were to strong for her to go too far.

"No, I... I can't..." She said softly, "Please... go and find some one else to sleep with behind your wife’s back... I don't want anything to do with it... I can't... not now... I-I'm sorry..."

He still didn't let her go, "The only thing that makes her my wife is a signature on a piece of parchment. She means NOTHING to me."

Using a reasonable amount of force, Hermione removed herself from his arms and took a few steps back. "Well, she should." She hissed, "But if she really means nothing, then I suggest that you go and find some one who would be willing to sleep with you behind her back, because I am now making it perfectly clear that I will not do it a second time. I hear that the women in Knockturn Alley don't care about the marital status of their clients." She took a deep breath, "So, if you'll excuse me..."

Hermione was nearly out of the front door when she heard him speak, "Be sure to come and see Corrin tomorrow. She missed you."

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Severus watched as the front door closed. Why did Amy have to get in the way, even when she wasn't in the room? He wasn't even clear on why he wanted Hermione in his bed again - he just knew that he wanted her there.

How could he tell her that it was because he actually liked her? It would sound so fake - every man in every book seemed to say something similar to the woman he wanted to sleep with. But every couple in every book seemed to fall in love.

How could he fall in love with Hermione Granger? It was impossible. But more importantly - how could Hermione Granger ever fall in love with him? That was even more impossible!

Anyway, he didn't want to fall in love with her. He just wanted feel and taste her soft skin, hear her gentle sighs, see her breathless with desire again. Just thinking about it made him impatient with an aching longing in his chest.

He had to get rid of Amy.

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The Healers at St. Mungo's had told her to rest and not exert her body too much, so, the next morning, Hermione sat on the bench in the back garden. Corrin was playing with a black kitten that Hermione had transfigured from a hair pin.

She hadn't seen Amy today and, although she had seen Severus, she hadn't talked to him, merely spared him a glance. For some strange reason, Hermione wished she had stayed last night - she blamed it on her current emotional state - but she just couldn't sleep with a married man again. The guilt from the last time had almost killed her - she just couldn't do it again, no matter how much she wanted to.

A shadow fell over her, but she didn't look away from Corrin, even when some one sat down beside her. However, she glanced down when something was placed in her lap. Without looking at Severus, she picked up the parchment and read it. He had signed the divorce papers. Either Amy had refused to sign, or he hadn't asked her yet.

Hermione sighed and turned her head slightly towards him, looking at him finally, "Do you even know what you're doing?"

One of his fists clench, as he growled, "What's wrong THIS time?"

"Do you know how this will affect Corrin?" She asked, then she sighed again, "No, you probably don't. I... I used to have a friend. I went to school with her before I went to Hogwarts; she was called Chloe. We were both know-it-all's. Her mum and dad divorced, because her mum had an affair, and she stayed with her mum. Her dad left the country. When Chloe was ten years old, she found out that he was back in the UK and contacted him. She told me how excited she was, even though her mother had told her how nasty he could be. He replied to her letter and told her to never contact him again. Apparently he had another family and he was happy without her; he didn't want to know her, or acknowledge that she even existed."

When she paused, he asked, "What happened?"

"I wasn't going to go to Hogwarts, because Chloe was in such a mess. She was really upset. So upset, in fact, that she overdosed on some drug. I realized that there was nothing to keep me in the muggle world and decided to go to Hogwarts in the end. She killed herself because her dad didn't want her."

"But Corrin won't be going with Amy -"

Hermione sighed, "That's not the point. Amy can be horrible and she's already shown that she doesn't mind poisoning her own daughter. When Corrin grows up, she'll want to know about Amy, and if she tried to contact her mum, you now that Amy will ignore her. And apart from that, girls need their mums to teach them about the world and how to look after themselves; they need their mothers to look after them the first time they get dumped, and help them when they fight with their friends and do all the things that a father just can't do. I KNOW that Amy won't be very interested in all of Corrins life, but one day your daughter will realize that she needs her mum."

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"Forgive me if I’m mistaken," Severus said quietly, "But if you have just described what a mother should do, then I find that Amy does none of those things and that you do all of them - when it comes to my daughter."

He watched as she stilled; she even seemed to stop breathing, but then she took a deep breath, "Then perhaps it is best that I renew my resignation. Maybe, without me, Amy will be forced to realize that she actually has a daughter. Thank you for opening my eyes to the situation, Professor."

She pushed the parchment back into his lap and started to rise, but he caught her arm, "Wait. You know perfectly well that my intention was not to make you resign." he said quietly, "You know that my intention WAS to show you that I really don't care for Amy, but you, Hermione, are just being stubborn, and I’m beginning to get impatient."

She was shaking - whether it was from anger, Severus didn't know - and she said softly, "And I remember telling you specifically to leave me alone and go to Knockturn Alley."

Severus let out a slow breath, "If I wasn't married...?"

She nodded, "Yes -" Then she groaned and shook her head, "No... I mean, maybe... look, the fact is that you are married and you do have a daughter. Corrins best interests have to come first - even before your own desires - and it's in her best interests that you leave me alone and try talking with your wife instead of arguing with her. Your daughter is wonderful and I won't - in ANY way - get in the way of you and Amy more than I already have. It would be best for Corrin if you and Amy tried talking to each other properly."

"Need to get something!" Corrin shouted as she went into the house.

As soon as the girl was out of sight, Severus turned to Hermione, "I DON’T want Amy! I want YOU!"

Her eyes widened and she tried to stand up, but his hands came down on her shoulders, stopping her from getting up and drawing her closer at the same time. He clamped his lips securely over hers, trying his best to show her exactly how much her wanted her, how much he had dreamt of her.

But a scream broke through the garden, and an overly hysterical voice screeched, "How DARE you!"