I know I should be working on my other story, but this just popped into my head and I couldn't resist. I don't know if I like it, yet.

Obviously not DH-compliant. Severus lives and is probably a bit OOC.

Disclaimer 1: Anything you recognize belongs to the Queen, JKR. I own nothing and make no money.

Disclaimer 2: I've read hundreds of FF stories over the years; so if you recognize your own plot or scene in here, believe me when I say it's not intentional.

I don't dig flames, so if this isn't your ship, don't read it. Constructive criticism and compliments are more than welcome!

Thanks for reading!

Severus hadn't seen her in years. He'd heard rumors, of course. Minerva couldn't keep her mouth shut about her prize lioness. Apparently she'd had an apprenticeship in transfiguration lined up before she even finished her schooling, let alone completed her NEWTs. He would never admit it out loud, but Granger (he refused to call her Weasley) had been the finest student he'd ever had the displeasure of instructing and he'd been disappointed that she hadn't continued in potions.

Granger had spent the last several years steadily working on her mastership. The research that she'd done had been phenomenal. She was far superior to her peers, not to mention half the current transfiguration masters. The only thing holding her back was that oaf of a husband. Severus had nearly choked when he'd heard the news that they'd been married two summers ago. She was too good for him.

Severus huffed quietly. What business was it of his who she married? It was her life.

He looked up from the firewhiskey he was nursing to see her smiling and laughing near the Christmas tree that the Potters had put up in the corner of the room.

She was beautiful. Her hair was cut in a short bob and it suited her. The tailored silk blouse and fitted grey skirt hugged her curves perfectly. Continuing her perusal, he felt himself harden when he saw the red pumps that housed her delicate feet. Those things weren't appropriate anywhere outside of a bedroom.

Severus glanced back up to her face and watched the tiny flash of fear as her eyes spotted her husband making his way across the room. Intrigued, he watched the scene unfold. She immediately ceased her conversation with the Macmillan boy and turned to face her husband with a tight smile on her face. Severus tensed as the idiot grabbed her tightly by the arm and dragged her from the room.

Trying to maintain an outward calm, Severus moved swiftly through the room to follow them.

Fucking hell, he'd been a spy, for Merlin's sake, why couldn't he find them? He knew they hadn't apparated, but he had no idea where they'd gone.

Finally, Severus spotted white silk out the window at the back of the house. Heading towards the door, he saw that she was alone.

He opened the door and stepped out into the cold, blustering wind. When he reached the girl and placed his hand on her shoulder, she spun around and he could practically see the fear emanating from her shaking form.

"Good gods, girl! Calm down. You must be freezing out here, come inside," he said quickly.

Her face hidden in shadow, she stepped back and looked around, "I'm fine, Professor, I cast a warming charm on myself."

Severus reached for her again and she flinched, stepping back into the light cast from the window.

Snarling, "Did he do this to you? I'll kill him!"

"No! Please! You'll just make it worse…" she cried, the fear evident in her voice.

Still breathing heavily, he stepped towards her and pulled her to him. Hermione melted into his arms as he apparated them both to his quarters.

Severus stood with her in his sitting room for almost 10 minutes before he finally extracted himself from her grip.

Stepping back, she looked up at him and he cringed. The bruise on her left eye was blooming into a full-blown black eye. Severus gently set her down on the sofa, "Wait here, I'll get you some bruise-healing paste."

"Don't bother, I have some," she smiled sadly as she pulled a worn jar from her bag.

Snapping his head back, "How often?" he asked a bit more harshly than he'd intended.

"What? Oh, it's not as bad as that…really," she mumbled as she expertly applied the salve to her swollen face.

"Miss Granger?" he ground out.

She sighed as she put the lid back on the jar, "I shouldn't have been talking to Ernie…Ron can get a bit jealous."

"He was angry that you were talking to Mr. Macmillan?"

Hermione looked at him suspiciously, "Things haven't been great between us for a long time. We only got married because I was pregnant. We had been really drunk and barely even remembered having sex," she explained when he raised his eyebrow. "When I lost the baby, he blamed my apprenticeship. He said I worked too hard, that I needed to stay home. Of course I argued with him. That was the first time…" why the hell was she telling him this?

Severus just stared at her. He'd expected a story of young love and 'We were happy in the beginning.' This wasn't at all what he'd pictured.

Leaning back, she looked at the man in front of her, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you this. I shouldn't even be here," she started to get up, "I should go, Ron will be angry if he can't find me."

"You're not going back to him," where the hell had that come from?

Shocked, Hermione sat back down and stared at her former professor, "Excuse me?"

"I said you're not going back to him. You're staying here," WHAT? Was he out of his mind?

"That's very generous, Professor, but…"

"I'm not your professor anymore," he cut her off.

Glaring at him, "Fine, Severus, as I was saying…"

Cutting her off again, "You're supposed to be the brightest witch of your age," he sneered, "You're wasting your life with that brute."

Hermione snapped, "What do you care what I do with my life?" she knew that had been uncalled for as soon as she'd said it.

Eyes flashing dangerously, he glared down at the woman on his sofa, "I don't care what you do. Why would I? Why would I care what the most brilliant student I've ever taught does?" Looking away quickly, he flopped down into the nearby armchair.

Hermione softened and looked at the man glaring angrily into the fire. He looked tired, "I'm sorry. I've been defending Ron's actions for so long…" she looked down at her hands.

Snorting, Severus looked back at the woman on his sofa. The bruise on her eye was starting to fade, "Don't apologize. I know what it's like to waste your time on someone who doesn't love you," he turned back to the fire.

Comprehension dawned on her as she looked up at him.

"You'll stay here tonight; tomorrow I'm taking you to the Ministry," he spoke quietly, still staring into the fire.

Weakly, she responded, "Thank you."

Severus stood and went to his bedroom. He knew accepting the Potter's invitation wasn't a good idea, but this certainly wasn't what he'd imagined.

No lemons yet, I know. Review! I still don't know where I want to go with this story.