Bloodbound

Confusion

Hermione crept slowly back up to the Gryffindor common room. She knew Ron and Harry were going to want to speak to her. She was really quite glad she had minimal time before her afternoon Transfiguration lesson. She really didn’t want to talk to the boys, especially Ron for he had been the reason for her latest punishment. She was dazed and full of confusion. She had made love to her- her husband, and being chained to the wall was certainly erotic. But then the tone had completely changed, and he treated her more like a mischievous child than his lover. Her arse was still stinging from the blows he had dealt her, and her pride had taken a huge dent. She had been so good! Managed to avoid this sort of punishment for weeks. She wondered if he really did love her. She had sensed as much, and his thoughts had told her he did.

“Stop it, you’re being silly,” she scolded herself. It was common knowledge that Severus was a stickler for rules. She knew it was even an obsession of sorts. She should never have allowed herself to be alone with Ron after Severus specifically forbade it. “I’m sorry, Severus,” she thought, really concentrating hard on him. There was no response and she wondered if he hadn’t heard her, or just hadn’t chosen to respond. She finally reached the portrait hole. Even though she did not sleep in the Gryffindor dormitory anymore, the common room was still open to her, and she liked to go there between classes to think. She also still frequented the library, and Snape for the most part allowed her to do whatever she pleased between classes. The rules were few and simple, and she had no reason not to follow them.

Severus heard Hermione apologizing in his mind. He wanted to tell her that it was ok, and that he loved her, but he could not bring himself to do it. He’d never yet spoken the words aloud, and even though he suspected she knew, he was not ready to tell her. The look in her eyes as she was leaving seared through him. He decided that if she were able to love him then he would lift the touch barrier, and simply place a no penetration spell breakable only by his own death. He knew she needed the comfort of her friends right now, and as much as much as he didn’t like the idea of Potter touching her, he knew that there had never even been so much as chemistry between them. And once she gave her heart to Severus, then the Weasley boy would be equally harmless.

“Hermione, everything ok?” Harry asked her as she slumped down on a chair by the fire.

“Oh, uh yeah. I just had to feed Sarah,” She half lied.

“I still cannot believe he is making you breastfeed his daughter! I mean he could get a wet nurse or something, instead of making your- y’know,” suddenly Harry turned red.

“It’s really ok, Harry. I have grown to be close with Sarah. She is almost like a daughter to me. And I don’t mind the breastfeeding. I was concerned about her, because she wouldn’t eat, the child was practically starving to death. C’mon, we’re going to be late for Transfiguration,” Hermione said, motioning toward the portrait hole.

When they got to the classroom, Ron was already there. He seemed bitter, and Hermione could only guess why. There had always been a bit of a sexual tension between them, but nothing they had ever acted on. When Hermione had begun dating Viktor, Ron’s insane jealousy gave his feelings away, and he naturally assumed they would begin dating after she and Krum had broken up. Her conracing to the Snape family was bad enough, but to marry Professor Snape had just been too much for Ron to bear. He had been on edge for a few months, ever since his mother had told him of Hermione’s bonding to the Snapes. Hermione only just realized she had been using Legilimency on Ron and reading his thoughts. She looked away, embarrassed, when the door to the classroom opened. She almost fell off her chair upon seeing Severus standing in the doorway. It was unlike him to interrupt another teacher’s class, and particularly McGonagall’s. Everyone knew of the rivalry that existed between them, and McGonagall made no effort to hide her disapproval of his marriage to Hermione.

“May I help you, professor?” McGonagall asked him sternly.
“I need to borrow Miss Grang-er Mrs. Snape, please,” he asked, looking slightly embarrassed at having almost called her by her old, muggle name.

“Can it not wait, Severus?”

“No, I’m afraid it cannot. Hermione?” Snape sneered, his lip curling menacingly.

Hermione rose from her chair and followed her husband out the door. They walked in silence down to the dungeons, into their chambers before Snape spoke to her.

“I wanted to let you know that I received your apology. I wanted you to know that these punishments do not alter my feelings for you. I have grown very fond of you over our time together, and I sincerely hope you can return my love,” he said that last word as if it were almost painful to utter. She searched his deep eyes and her expression softened.

“I never knew you really loved me. I thought I felt it, but I wasn’t sure. This is all such a big change for me, and I want you to be able to trust me. I know you think I have feelings for Ronald. And truthfully I do, but not as you might think. Before, the only thing that separated what I felt for Ron from what I felt for Harry was a physical attraction. But due to the binding, that attraction no longer exists. He does not make my entire body tremble as you do. You have plunged into the depths of my very mind and learned things I have told to no one. We have a connection that goes beyond anything I have ever known in my life. This marriage is difficult for me because of my classmates. And I would love nothing more than to not be so separated from them--”

“You want me to remove the rules, don’t you?”

“Well, yes to some degree. Severus, you stole my heart away the day you protected me from your father. It was the first time I was truly happy you decided to take me for yourself. But Ron and Harry are my best friends, and I miss being able to hug them, or sit near them. I do not long for them to touch me like you touch me, but I long for their comfort and their support, as is natural for one to long for the comfort of friends,”

Suddenly, much to Hermione’s surprise, Snape grabbed her and began to kiss her with a ferocity she could scarcely imagine. His tongue pried at her lips and she kissed him back, hungrily longing to be near him. She half expected him to touch the tattoo, but he did not. He simply held her close and kissed her deeply. IT was the first time she had seen how much he loved her, and he didn’t care that she could see. She told him she loved him and he believed her. After a long moment, Snape broke away from her lips, and gazed into her eyes.

“I’ll remove the touch restriction and replace it with one of penetration. You may be alone in a room with Weasley, because I trust you. But if you ever give me reason not to trust you, I will replace the anti touch charm and reinstate the policy with regards to Mr. Weasley. And I will make it irreversible. Hermione nodded, knowing his word was final. She lay against him, just enjoying his presence for the first time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ok I know this chapter was probably to be considered fairly dull, but I really needed a transition into the next phase. Plz R&R those reviews are what inspires me to write more.