A/N: Stuck at work with nobody here, daydreaming like no other. Italics are Hermione's thoughts.
Hermione Granger pictured how her life would be if she had chosen to return to the muggle world. She would have pursued a degree at a muggle university, choosing teaching certification over a degree in library science or literature and while she took classes, her husband would work as a schoolteacher. Yes, muggle life would make things simpler in the Granger-Snape household.
Hermione Granger stood at the front of a classroom fruitfully trying to teach a room of 30-something 12 year olds about the importance of citations in academic writing. Her lesson was brutal—children snickering and ignoring her almost entirely. Her mind reeled with biting insults that Severus once told her in her first year at Hogwarts but she held her tongue and hoped that the last ten minutes would pass quickly. An eternity later, the bell rang and the little devils fled from the classroom. She sighed and ran a hand through her brown waves. After bidding her supervising teacher goodbye, Hermione fled to the privacy of her car where she let a few tears drip down her cheeks before starting the drive home.
Meanwhile, Severus muttered about the annoyance of owning a dog that would not listen to a single word he said. He blamed his wife for deciding to own such a laid back and docile dog as Fern. "Bloody Bernese Mountain Dogs…never can listen to a damn thing I say." Severus' dog—a slightly chubby bulldog—trotted behind his owner without causing the hassle that Fern had. Upon returning to their flat, Severus walked to the kitchen and began reading his students' latest assignment. His eyes glanced at the clock as he estimated his wife's return home.
Hermione turned her key in the lock slowly and listened for the inevitable sound of paws on tile as the dogs ran to greet her. She pushed open the door and was greeted by Fern while the bulldog held back. Dropping her keys on the table, Hermione turned to greet the smaller dog. Her pumps clicked and clacked on the tile floor to the kitchen. Severus pulled a cold beer from the refrigerator and set it on the counter for his wife. Hermione loved looking at Severus while he was concentrating. He got the most wonderful look on his face while reading assignments—especially at the end of the day. His glasses were perched high on his nose, his stubble was beginning to show, and his mouth set in a concentrated purse. This was the man she fell in love with…he was intelligent, stoic, and handsome.
She pushed off her pumps while taking a drink from the chilled bottle. Severus set down the paper he was reading and looked at his wife; he liked her without shoes on—she had to stand on her tiptoes to kiss him then. He loved his wife's eyes the most; those coffee brown orbs haunted him in his dreams every night for years. She was more than beautiful to him.
"Hi." Her voice was low and soft as she greeted him. His hands reached for her hips to pull her close.
"Hello." His greeting was brief as he lowered his mouth to hers. This was familiar. She pulled back and hoisted herself onto the counter. Severus reached out and began rubbing her feet as Hermione let every moment and annoyance from her day pour from her mouth.
After rubbing her feet, Severus' hands made their way to Hermione's thighs and stayed there. Her eyes were tired but held the brightness that never failed to emerge with his touch. His fingers found the buttons of her shirt and began removing the garment. He pushed the last button through and the skin of her stomach showed. It was here that he lifted her from the counter and carried her down the hall.
Hermione, sadly, was pulled from her daydream with the slam of her office door. She looked up to find the occupant of her thoughts striding towards her with purpose.
"Hello," she murmured.
"The incompetent nature of these students astounds me more and more every time I grade an assignment. Does nobody know the proper use of 'your' and 'you're' anymore?" His anger was subdued and nowhere near the level it could be on a Friday afternoon.
"Well I certainly know the difference…such as I'm your daydreaming wife and you're going to take me to bed."
"Hmm yes…you do appear to know the difference. I would expect as much from a know-it-all like you." He lifted Hermione from her chair and walked through the door at the far end of her office. She was light in his arms as he walked down the passage. "You had that look on your face when I walked in…were you daydreaming again?"
"A daydream that you know well…"
Yes…muggle world or Wizarding world…Severus always took care of his wife.
