A/N: I read over this story and realized that it was overflowing in grammatical errors among other things.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Naomi, Delila and Charlotte.

Pain, that is all that was running through Naomi.

Both physical and emotional, she did not understand why she still felt this way anymore. He didn't love her, she was just his trophy wife. And yet she still felt hurt every time Severus came back home with a new woman on his arm. And tonight was no different, she heard the front door slam shut and laughing coming from down stairs. Though she had to admit, that the number of bringing conquests home had reduced from being an almost nightly tradition for him to once a month. But his reasons for that can lead to any sort of conclusion.

She had been reading a bedtime story to their 4 year old daughter Delila. In an effort to droun out the noises that were making their way up the stairs she closed, warded, and silenced the door. Naomi went to lay down next to her daughter and finished reading the story.

"Mommy, are you and daddy like the prince and princess of the story?" Delila asked sleepily.

Naomi just lay there not knowing how to answer her daughter. She wanted to say yes that she and her husband were like Belle and The Beast and that they were in love, and that little Delila was the result of such love. But no, Severus and Naomi are just one of many other people affected by the marriage law. Naomi is one of many muggleborns that were paired with purebloods and half-bloods to re-populate the wizarding world after the second wizarding war was won.

As she was about to give Delila an answer she looked down to see her fast asleep. Naomi couldn't help but smile in relief and love at her small child. Delila didn't need to know how she came to be just yet.

'She is so innocent. For her to know about her father's 'activities' would destroy her,' thought Naomi sadly.

She got up from the bed and strechted. Moving to the door she made sure that the noises being made were far enough away from Delila's room for her to open the door wide enough for her to squeeze through. She opened the door a little bit at a time and was relieved to hear the noises of her husband's current conquest and sex to be muffled by the closed doors of the master bedroom.

As she passed the master bedroom she couldn't help but whimper at the noises of passion coming from within the room knowing that she would never have such a love filled relationship with the man. She kept moving towards her room trying (and failing) not to let the numbness and cold take hold of her. She sat on the bench in front of her bureau and just stared at her reflection. Now, Naomi is far from average looking...her eyes are a deep blue that resembled the ocean, her hair is deep chestnut brown that if the sun were to hit it you would see the almost red wine-ish colored natural highlights. Her skin is pale, but not sickly and is as smooth as a baby's bottom. That's what body lotions do when you use them both properly and nearly every night. The natural rosy hues that cover her cheeks and lips made her look like a china doll. Her figure (while not toothpick slender) has that healthy fullness of having carried a child and has an hour glass body that she maintains through healthy eating habits and the constant playing around she does with Delila as well as some horse back ridding.

Naomi did not see that. Her confidence as a woman was never very good. And during her marriage to Severus Snape, Naomi thought that she was never desired(at least for her body).

During the beginnings of their marriage she went to extremes to make herself look physically appealing to him. But no matter what she put on whether it was high end lingerie, or lingerie that was literally bordering on whorish(A/N: No offense to those that do it for work!), or just plain nothing! Really! there were times when she would walk around the house naked to make him notice her even on a sexual level. But he was never affected by any of it. At first she thought he was gay but that changed when he started bringing women home.

When that started she was angry of corse but what shook her was the treatment she received from some of them in the morning. Some had seen her and believed her to be a maid, others knew who she was and flat out did not care, the rare ones would be the ones that would see her and realize what they had just done; those would run crying after seeing her. She had pleaded with him to stop bringing them, that if he needed to be satisfied to go a fancy hotel. Every time she said that to him a piece of her would crumble knowing that she would never be desired by him in such a way. There would be the times that she would wait for him well into the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes he would come with company others he would come home drunk. These were the times he had gotten into physical fights with other patrons in the pub.

When they would argue about it Severus only yelled at her saying that they were the only release he had as a hot blooded man. She would scoff at the remarks and leave to get some semblance of sleep. She stopped trying after it was clear Severus was not even remotely interested in her. She surprised both him and his flavor of the month by making them both breakfast. If he didn't care what he was doing to her as a woman then she wouldn't give a rat's arse about who he was sleeping with. Before Delila was born it was her career she had to maintain soon after she had Delila.

You may be wondering how Delila was born since Severus' rule upon their wedding night was that they were to sleep in separate bedrooms. Well, all in all the marriage law demanded a child before the end of their second year of marriage. The 'sex' was...well it was so bad that the word horrible is an understatement. Severus had taken an enhancement potion (if you get the my drift), he walked into her room did the deed and was out before morning light. Naomi new that consummation was inevitable but she didn't expect it to hurt as much as it did.

When Delila was born she had given birth with her best friend Nina for support. Naomi didn't know where Severus was but her best guess was that he was with one of his conquests. When he came home it was alone but she could smell the linger scent of perfume that clung to his robes when (to her surprise) he had stopped by her rooms. He peered at Delia and she could have sworn she saw something soften in his cold eyes. But she had learned not to trust whatever emotion he chose to show...they would often end with her crying on the bathroom floor. As the years passed and Delila grew Naomi was pleased to see that he was actually a good father to her despite his many bouts of infidelity and preference to stay in his lab most of the time. But Naomi knew that the time would come where Delila would hear of her father's infidelity. And prayed that she would be able to protect her (Delila) when the time came.

To think that she had loved him once boggled her to no end. She had been his student...it started in her sixth year. She had been enchanted by his voice and the way he carries himself. Those two qualities alone makes it clear that he demands respect. Even though he had his 'Bat of the Dungeons' reputation she couldn't help but fall in love with the genius behind the grumpiness. On Valentines's day that same year and until they got married she would send him letters. The letters held her admiration for him, her personality (in case the list of candidates held something similar to what she wrote) and her want to know him no matter what.

Naomi laughed as she steadily came back to reality. She continued to brush her hair then finish her nightly routine. She spared a glance at the clock and the green lit numbers told her it was one in the morning. She went under the bed sheets hoping she wouldn't have to drink a sleeping draught to sleep tonight. She sighed and stared up at the empty ceiling, sleep was not going to be achievable tonight. Eventhough she wanted to sleep she knew that if she got hooked on the sleeping draught it would get problematic.

Sooner the rays of the sun started to illuminate her bedroom. Naomi took a deep breath checked the time. The clock read five thirty, her normal wake up time. She got up and went through her morning routine, undress, shower, brush teeth, make bed (against her house elf's protests) and get dressed. She had decided to wear a casual set of black robes chuckling quietly as she realized she was wearing her husband's favorite robe color. It was six a.m. as she made her way down the long hall to the kitchens. She took a peek inside her husband's room to find him asleep with his current conquest. She felt her heart tightening in her chest and quickly (and quietly) made her way to her daughter's room.

Delila was still sound asleep thankfully. She closed the door and continued on to the kitchen. Naomi put the kettle on the stove and proceeded to get the bacon, eggs, chesse, green onions and potatoes from the fridge. She put two frying pans on the stove to get warmed up as she sliced and diced the vegetables and gave the potatoes a thorough wash. She started breakfast by putting the poatoes on the hot pan with some butter, salt and pepper so they could get crispy on the outside and warm and creamy on the inside.

Naomi got lost in her cooking and the songs from the Disney movie The Beauty and The Beast, her favorite, and kept on with the cooking. As soon as the last piece of bacon was ready and the eggs were cooked she headed to the dining room and started setting up the table (for two). With the table set Naomi made her way back to the kitchen intending to clean up when she noticed her husbands conquest standing near the kitchen island.

"Oh, good morning ma'am," said the woman with a kind grin.

To Naomi their grins were all the same. Kind smiles would get them what they wanted, Naomi knew that if the girl kept being (or pretending to be) nice Severus would let her go with a lot more than she came in with.

Naomi nodded and began to clean up. Naomi hated cleaning with magic and ever since she began to make breakfast to her husband's conquests doing the washing gave her an excuse to keep her feelings from coming through. After everything was clean and put away she led the 'conquest' (as she had yet to learn the woman's name) to the dining room motioning to the set next to the head of the table.

The woman gave Naomi an odd look and asked, "Why are there only two settings on the table?"

Naomi gave her a sad quiet chuckle and went to get the tea pot and cups along with the pitcher of pumpkin juice.

'As if you need an answer to that question. I know you know who I am...I know you know I'm his wife. So there is no need for you to act so nice,' Naomi thought as she kept moving around the kitchen.

"Can I help you with anything?" The woman asked Naomi as she began to stand from her seat.

Naomi wanted to laugh at her question. Why did she ask? Is Severus hiding somewhere looking to observe if my behavior towards his conquest is appropriate? It wasn't a surprise to her that Severus didn't trust her. What surprised her was that this woman had just asked her if she needs help. None of his conquests, not even his more tolerable ones, asked her if she needed help with anything...ever. They normally sat as far away as humanly possible from Severus when offered breakfast (the more tolerable ones would be told to stay for breakfast by Naomi) or would stay in the kitchen (Naomi would be gone by then) and use the back door to leave.

"No, thank you," Naomi answered kindly yet somberly.

The woman looked at her hands that were on her lap and nodded dejectedly.

They both grew quiet. The silence was deafening to them both and neither knew how to turn it into at least a bearable silence until Severus made his appearance. It was well passed six thirty when Severus made his woman straightened where she sat and Naomi exited the dining-room to get the rest of the food.

The skillet of potatoes, scrambled eggs, and toast with condiments were soon on the table hot and ready.

"Thank you for the lovely breakfast ma'am," said the mystery woman surprising both Severus and Naomi.

Naomi stopped and heaved a heavy sigh. She slowly turned to look at the woman fully and gave here a kind but pained grin and in her steadiest voice said, "Your welcome."

She then turned to Severus who was staring at her with very ill-hidden surprise and in her steadiest voice bid him a, "Good morning."

Without waiting for a reply she walked out of the dining-room and to the kitchen where the kitchen island held her breakfast, some potatoes, eggs and a slice of buttered and jammed toast. Along with a cup of tea and juice. On the other place setting is Delila's favorite cereal, milk and juice.

Naomi heaved a sigh of relief knowing that her house elf Mitsy had set everything here while she was making her way out of the dinning-room. She made her way to her daughter's room to get her ready for the day.

"Delila? Delila, time to wake up," she whispered to hole gently shaking her.

"Mmmm," Delila pulled the covers over her head.

Naomi laughed at her daughter's antics and gave the blanket a swift tug.

Delila's hands wandered around her person and grunted at the invading chill of the morning; reluctantly getting out of bed and into the bathroom.

It's Friday.

That is not a good or bad thing to Naomi. Her weeks were all the same, wake up, shower, brush teeth, occasionally make the bed, make breakfast (for any and everyone in the houseold), wake Delila up, shower, teeth, bed then sit her in her high chair and ulternately feed her as she tried to eat her own breakfast. After both ladies had eaten Mitsy would come and wash the dishes as Naomi took Delila to her last day at Wizarding Primary school before the holiday break.

Delila loved to go to school, despite the early wake up call. She usually comes home looking for someone to share what she had learned that day, it usually is her mother though there are times where Severus gets to sit with his daughter.

As Naomi was about to disaparate she saw a man dropping off his daughter. She couldn't have been any older than her Delila. The girl smiled as her father kissed her forehead goodbye and smiled (despite herself) when the girl opened her arms for him to hug her. Naomi held back the sob that was threatening to escape her as she saw the love the man has for his daughter and how her own while recognizes her would not show such affection towards her. The man saw her and smiled. Naomi nodded and watched as the little girl ran into the school.

"They grow up fast don't they?" the man asked.

Naomi cleared her through swallowed the sob and gave him her best fake smile.

"Yes they sure do. You have a beautiful daughter sir," she said trying not to cry again.

The man smiled and said, "Thank you. She's the light of my life along with her mother. Have a good day."

"Thanks you too," she answered as she aparated to the front door of Snape Manor.

She took a deep breath and walked in to see her husband and the woman from this morning having what looked to be a tender moment. One of his hand was on her waist the other had one of hers in his, her other hand was on his back. And her face, Naomi noticed was glowing, the girl was in love. Naomi took another deep breath, hung her cloak up and as quietly as she could she walked passed them to her study. She locked, warded and silenced the room and slumped onto the chair that was in front of the desk.

She couldn't hold the pain and despair back in longer. And before she knew it she was screaming into the empty room. This was what she was afraid of...the curling into a ball and crying as the despair of knowing she and her daughter are not loved nor wanted wrapped around her like a blanket. As she cried she imagined herself to be married to a man like the one she met at the school that morning. Caring, handsome, loving...She wishes for someone like that to want her, love her and her daughter and to be able to live the rest of her days in that like a safety blanket. A sort of happily ever after...But happily ever after doesn't exist. She chuckled and for the first time she thought about taking her daughter and leaving. Severus, magic, hell even the Wizarding World in itself even! A knock to the door brought her out of her mind. She quickly cleaned up her tears and magically covered her puffy and blotchy face as much as best she could and took down the wards and silencing spell.

"Yes?" She aswered as levelly as she could while opening her computer up to look at her email.

"Naomi?" Came the voice of her husband.

She froze in her seat and said, "Yes Severus, what can I do for you?"

"May I come in?" he said.

"Of corse," she said curious.

Naomi heard the door open and after he had closed the door she turned to find him and the still-nameless woman standing in her study.

'Now he's going to tell me he is marrying her,' Naomi thought bitterly knowing that this was going to be the straw that breaks the hippogriff's back.

"Naomi, this is Charlotte. She is going to be staying with us for a while," he was holding the now named woman (Charlotte) by the waist with this satisfied grin on his face. That was when she noticed it...her belly was bulging a little around her middle, she's pregnant.

She nodded numbly and turned back to my computer.

"And may I be so bold as to say the we'll be needing more than just one room available," he said softly, almost lovingly.

"She's pregnant," Naomi said blankly.

Severus nodded with a happy smile on his face.

"Congratulations, I hope you both the best," she said.

Naomi swallowed her sob and sorrow at the realization that Delila...her baby was not loved by the man she called "daddy." Severus had no idea how much his child loved him and it is clear her that as accepted by Severus as Delila is, he doesn't love her as a father should. As she rummaged through one of the many drawers on her desk. Severus' brow furrowed as Naomi brought to view a wrapped item and saw her enlarge it. Naomi took out his birthday present and enlarged it followed by the letter she had written to him after it was known that he was to marry her. At the beginning of their marriage, Naomi thought of giving him the letter herself but her shy heart thought that he would reject her if she did. And here they are eight years later and that remains of her love for him are the broken tatters of her heart. She figured that this would come soon enough.

She turned to him and handed him the letter giving him a hesitant but kind and loving hug saying, "Happy birthday Severus."

She quietly collected her computer, its charger and left to her room to start packing. She entered her room and with a wave of her wand all her clothes were folded and packed into her trunks. She looked at the pictures (most were of her and Delila) on her bureau and with shaky hands picked up their (Severus and Naomi) wedding picture. He didn't want to see it so she kept it in her room as a sign of hope that maybe what is forever frozen in the picture might come true. She took the picture out of the frame grabbed her quill and on the back of the picture she wrote her last letter to him.

'Dear Severus,

I know that these past eight years married to be have not been the best despite my efforts to at least befriend you. If I as a woman, wife and mother of your daughter have ever made a mistake by you then I apologize for whatever I have done to you. If you ever read the mysterious letters you received on Valentine's Day then the last letter I gave you will reveal the identity of who had sent you said letters. Since you have proven to not want me as a wife then let this be my last letter to you. Expect the divorce papers before the end of the week.

Goodbye,

Naomi

P.S I hope you and Charlotte are blessed with a healthy little one and I wish you both the very best.

She shrunk her belongings and quickly moved to work on her daughter's room. As soon as Delila's clothes and toys were packed and dared to re-enter her study. She walked into the study to see Severus and Charlotte reading the letter that she had so lovingly written him. Charlotte with a guilty almost regretful expression etched on her features (at least that is what Naomi thought she saw on the young woman's face and body language). She charmed her bag with an extendable charm and a light weight spell. She shrunk her books and put them in the bag. The silence is deafening and Naomi was relieved when she walked out of the room. Naomi entered the master bedroom and left the wedding picture on his pillow.

Naomi told Mitsy she was going to be staying with a friend and asked if she would like to go with her or stay in the manor.

"Oh, Mitsy will be going with yous miss," the excited little elf said.

With that Naomi left Snape Manor.

A/N: Hope this is easier to read and understand! Sorry for the delay in updating my other stories.