A/N And welcome back for Chapter Three. I hope you are enjoying this story and please feel free to review. The last chapter will be up tomorrow. As always HP belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter Three

Ginny's plans were now firmly set in motion. After speaking with her parents they agreed to watch the twins from 11am, letting Hermione and Ginny spend the afternoon in London together. She got the feeling that they saw through her false cheery facade to the weariness hidden not far beneath. She was incredibly grateful to them however, and agreed with Ginny that she needed this day out. Severus knew nothing of her plans and was too busy anyway, what he was doing she didn't know and wasn't about to ask him. Her work had been great letting her have the day off, it wasn't as if she asked for a personal day often.

So here they were in search of a dress for Hermione. They had already been in two shops but after trying on several dresses nothing seemed to shout out at her. In the third shop Ginny decided she had enough of Hermione's hesitancy, so pulled out several dresses for her friend to try on.

"No way Ginny. I am not trying on that." She groaned holding up the piece of blue fabric to look at. "How on earth can this even be called a dress? It won't even cover my bum." Frowning Hermione hung it back on the rack, only for Ginny to pull it back down, flinging it into Hermione's arms.

"Honestly Hermione stop being such a prude. You want to grab your husband's attention don't you? Well to do that you need something with the WOW factor." She grinned, pushing Hermione into the changing room. "Now try it on."

Groaning Hermione reluctantly done as she was told. Closing the curtain she began to undress before pulling the 'dress' from the coat hanger. With much difficulty and struggle, she was finally able to get it on. Looking in the mirror she didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry. This was definitely not the dress for her.

"Well." Ginny shouted from outside.

Before Hermione could answer Ginny pulled back the curtain revealing a grimacing Hermione, who tried to quickly cover herself up. At seeing her friend in such an awkward state of undress Ginny bent over laughing, she just couldn't help it.

The dress was too small and barely reached Hermione's thighs. Her bust was literally spilling out over the top of the dress and it was incredibly tight around her stomach to the point she had to suck it in and hold her breath.

"I'm so glad you think this is so hilarious." She moaned trying to keep as much of her dignity as she possibly could. Her friend's laughter didn't exactly help her insecurities much. She knew Ginny didn't mean to but she was only making them worse.

"I'm sorry Mione, honestly I am. I just…..God that dress is just awful. It's not you it's that thing." Shaking her head she tried to stifle another wave of giggles. "On the plus side I think I may have found the perfect dress for you." She smiled holding up a red piece of fabric, this time it was much longer in length than the last one.

Closing the curtain Hermione struggled back out of the blue dress and hung the offending garment back on the coat hanger, before handing it back out to Ginny. Who in return handed her the next dress?

This dress was a form fitting red maxi dress, but it wasn't so tight that she wouldn't be able to breathe in it. There was a slit up the left side going daringly up to her thigh. Hermione wasn't sure about showing so much of her leg. It had a scallop back dipping down meeting the zipper. Stepping out of the changing room she got Ginny to fasten the zip before looking into the mirror. Hermione couldn't help frown at the amount of cleavage on show thanks to the deep plunge neckline.

"I think this one is a no too, I think I show too much boob and leg." She sighed.

Ginny's eyes widened with shock.

"Mione are you kidding me, you look amazing."

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror and frowned.

"Gin I'm too short for a dress like this, plus it makes me look even frumpier. I wouldn't feel comfortable in it."

Shaking her head in disagreement Ginny said,

"First of all Mione that's why women wear heels. Just a little heel and it'll be fine. Secondly get a bloody grip of yourself. Which part of you is frumpy? Hell, give me your figure. Honestly Mione, I wouldn't lie to you. This is the dress. Trust me."

Sighing she ran her fingers over the soft material. It did look rather nice; she just wasn't comfortable showing so much flesh and wasn't really convinced it looked nice on her.

"I'm still not sure, Severus might disapprove."

Ginny groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Mione please remember why we are doing this. Isn't it to get him to start looking at you again?" Hermione nodded her head. "Well here you go, mission accomplished. If he sees you in this there is no way he'll be able to look at anyone but you. Hell everyone will be looking at you." She giggled. "Draco might even have to pry my eyes away. You're hot." She laughed again as her friend blushed.

"You really think this is the one and I don't look utterly ridiculous?" Hermione asked Ginny, looking straight into her eyes for the truth.

Taking her friends hands in hers she smiled warmly.

"Honestly Mione you don't look ridiculous. You looked ridiculous in the blue dress but not in this one." Both girls laughed at that. She did look really bad in that blue thing.

"Ok Mistress of makeovers what color of bag and shoes should I get?" Hermione asked trusting her friend's opinion.

Fifteen minutes later Hermione paid a small fortune for her purchases ending up choosing a pair of black peep toed heels and a black clutch bag to go with her stunning red dress.

Sitting across from her friend at the bar, waiting on their lunch they indulged in a rare glass of alcohol, deciding to order a pitcher of Cosmopolitan between them, a rather delicious fruity cocktail. They were child free and having a day out so they decided why not take advantage.

Sitting talking with her best friend was cathartic, she needed to just unwind and get everything off her chest, which is why Hermione told Ginny her new fears.

"Ginny remember last time we spoke I told you that I didn't think Severus would….you know." Her cheeks turned red as she spoke, not wanting too but rather needing to confess her fears. She needed Ginny's honest opinion.

"Yes." Ginny said, treading lightly.

"Well last night I was doing the laundry and when I checked Severus's pockets for junk, I found a receipt from a jewellery shop."

"And? He could have bought you something?" Ginny said, trying to reassure her friend.

"Maybe but he knows how much I hate getting presents. He's never bought me a present since I told him not too. What if it's for her? What if he's moving things along? What if-" Hermione was beginning to get incredibly emotional and her voice was rising into an almost high pitch screech, before Ginny stopped her.

"Hermione stop with the 'what if's' and thinking the worst in things. I'm sure there's a simple explanation."

"But Gin…" Hermione went to protest but was soon cut off.

"No Hermione. I love you and I know you're stressed and upset but thinking like that will only make you feel worse. Trust me. Tonight you will dress to impress and knock your husbands, no doubt, black socks off." She smiled reassuringly.

Hermione knew her friend was probably right, that there was probably nothing to worry about and that she was probably overreacting but that was too many probably's for her fairly practical mind. She just couldn't shake that feeling off. She wanted to believe there was an innocent explanation but when she thought of Alyssa, how young and stunning she was, and when she remembered the way Severus continually watched her. Well she just couldn't stop being reminded of what she wasn't and all of the small doubts she felt culminated into one big feeling of doubt.

After lunch Ginny whipped Hermione into the hair salon thinking she was just going in to get her hair and makeup done. Little did she know what else Ginny had planned.

"Absolutely not Ginny. I am not doing that." Hermione groaned her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape.

Pulling Hermione away from eave droppers she said,

"Why not I've had it done plenty of times? You're a muggleborn surely you've had it done?"

Shaking her head Hermione whispered,

"No I've never had that done. I've always been too squeamish."

Ginny couldn't help but laugh at her flustered friend.

"So how do you take care of your lady garden then?"

Blushing an almost identical shade of red to her dress she whispered,

"I use magic of course. I thought you would as well."

"Honestly Hermione trust me, magic is rubbish compared to the real deal." Pushing her friend back towards the waxing table she turned to the beautician and said, "Give her the landing strip Lesley, it's her first time."

As Hermione got up onto the table her heart beat nervously in her chest. She had faced Voldermort and his merry band of Death Eaters, she had given birth to twins, but she decided that she would rather face all of that again than get a bikini wax done. The thought of that scared the hell out of her.

As Lesley pulled off that first strip, Hermione cringed and swore at her best friend who just stood laughing. Hermione was so afraid she requested Ginny stayed in the room with her. Now she wished she hadn't bothered as Ginny was no support at all.

Once the whole ordeal was over she cursed Ginny, quite literally, sending a secret stinging hex to her. That got her back for putting her through that torture.

"I swear to God Ginny, I feel like I'm walking like John Wayne."

Ginny giggled then looked at her friend with confusion.

"Who?"

For a moment Hermione forgot who she was talking too.

"Never mind Gin. So what next?"

"First hair then makeup. And Hermione when we leave here just cast a little healing spell down there. It takes the pain and redness away." She said with a knowing smirk.

"That's good to know." She said truthfully. If things did go well with Severus this evening, which she was now beginning to doubt, the last thing she wanted him to see was her lady area red raw and swollen. What an awful welcome home that would be?

As Ginny spoke to the hairdresser about Hermione's hair, she was currently sitting in the chair looking nervous as hell. What was her friend planning this time? Knowing Ginny she would be going all out. She watched in the mirror as Ginny showed the hairdresser Hermione's dress, before they started talking animatedly to each other, totally ignoring Hermione whose hair was just about to be hacked. She was able to pick up the words, short, curly and dyed, causing a nervous sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

With a warm smile the hairdresser finally acknowledged Hermione, as she walked over and put the cape around her to keep her hair free and dry.

"Are you ready?" She asked smiling.

"No." Hermione said truthfully, before the hairdresser laughed and tilted her head back to wash her long curly mass.

"Mmm." She thought this was nice. Then she was lost in the whole process as her mind and body began to finally relax under the hairdressers ministrations.

While someone worked on her hair, someone else worked on her toe nails and finger nails. While Ginny sat side by side getting seen too herself. Hermione had to admit that this was nice. She had never gone out like this for a lady's day to pamper and preen herself. She never thought she was the type of woman who would actually enjoy it. But here she was loving every minute of it, except from having her lady area ripped in two that was horrible. She still itched and stung down there and couldn't wait to cast that healing spell on herself. Thank God for magic.

They wouldn't let her see her hair until her makeup was finished but she already knew it was shorter than she would normally have liked, plus it felt a lot lighter and more manageable.

She wondered what Severus was doing and if this crazy idea of Ginny's was going to work. After all of this she hoped it did, for if it failed then what did that mean for her marriage. That thought was unbearable.

"Are you ready to see yourself Mrs Snape?" The hairdresser asked nervously.

Looking over to Ginny she saw the smile on her friends face and the warmth in her eyes.

"Honestly Mione you look amazing. Trust me." So as always Hermione did.

Nodding her head she closed her eyes and waited for the hairdresser to tell her she could open them. Taking a deep breath she willed her eyes open and what she saw reflected back in the mirror took her breath away.

She looked like herself but at the same time didn't. She looked more mature, yet younger somehow, more sophisticated, and less tired and weary. Plus she had to admit she loved her hair. It was amazing.

Trying so hard not to cry, she gave a watery smile and whispered.

"Honestly ladies I love it. Thank you all so very much."

With the last of the final touches now in place, she was now ready to take on the evening. She was ready to see Severus.

He was angry in fact he was more than angry he was seething. How dare she? He wanted to lose control, he wanted to take his anger out on something, he wanted to blow things up and roar with unadulterated rage.

Why did he want to do this? Because his 'loving' and 'devoted' wife had lied to him.

She had sent him her patronus to say that she was running late tonight and would get changed in the office. So he should just make his own way to the ball and she would meet him there.

He of course wasn't happy with this as he had planned to surprise her with a nice home cooked meal and his gift. In the hopes that tonight they could finally talk and sort out their marriage woes. He didn't want to attend the glamorous ball, where all their friends and acquaintances would be, knowing that there were kinks in his marriage. He didn't want everyone watching them, picking up the tension between them and spurting their rubbish at them.

He just wanted an enjoyable evening with his wife.

So he had packed a small dinner for them, keeping it under a stasis and headed to the Ministry of Magic, a place he absolutely loathed to go. Heading to her department he stopped at the desk of Hermione's assistant, who looked both confused and bewildered to see him.

"Hello Miss White may you tell Mrs Snape that I am here please."

The woman's face turned instantly red as she began to splutter.

"I'm sorry Pro-Mr Snape. Mrs Snape isn't in."

Staying calm he looked at the incompetent dunderhead in front of him as she shifted nervously in her seat.

"Oh and can you tell me how long she shall be. I can always wait in her office."

He watched as she turned a darker shade of red before she said,

"Pro-I mean Mr Snape. Mrs Snape hasn't been in work all day. She arranged to take today as a personal day off."

Severus stood silent for a minute looking at the woman. Surely she had made a mistake. Hermione never took a personal day and if she did then she would have told him. Wouldn't she?

"I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you Miss White it must have slipped my mind."

With that he went to turn on his heels and storm away, but as he did she stopped him.

"Please give my best to Mrs Snape and tell her I hope she enjoyed her time off. Heaven knows she deserved it"

Through gritted teeth Severus replied,

"Oh I will."

Striding away he dumped the food he had so carefully cooked and packed into the nearest bin before flooing home. The house was once again empty. The kids weren't home and hadn't been in all day and she was no-where to be found either.

Running upstairs his heart pounding frantically in his chest, he reached the bedroom they shared and flung open the doors to their wardrobe. With a feeling of relief he noticed that all her clothes were still there.

Running into the children's room next he done the same thing there and was once again met with the sight of their clothes. Slouching back against the door he calmed his breathing down, relief filling him. They hadn't left him.

He needed to speak to his wife desperately and find out for once and for all what the hell was going on. But when he went to send his patronus he stopped in mid wave.

Hermione had been gone all day and had taken a day off from work without telling him. They kids hadn't been home either and he doubted very much they would be with her. So heading downstairs he picked up the muggle phone Hermione had insisted on and dialed her parent's number. When his mother in law answered on the third ring, he heard his children shouting with glee in the background. Unable to face his mother in laws integration that he would no doubt be subjected too, as that's who Hermione got her love for asking questions from. He quickly hung up the phone with a loud thud.

So if his wife was missing and if she hadn't been with the children all day then where had she been? Or more importantly who had she been with?

His wife was young and beautiful and there were a number of men who he knew, who would love to be in his place. And with the way things had been in their marriage who was to say she hadn't found solace in the arms of another man.

Sitting down he needed to catch his breath, as the pain in his chest tightened. All his fears and insecurities swirled around in his head, crushing his heart. He always knew she was too good for him but he trusted her. He thought she loved him and would always be faithful. Had he been wrong all this time? Had she lied? Did she say all those things just to open him up only to destroy him in the end?

Dragging his hands through his hair he let out a long shuddering breath. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't wallow in self-pity. He would face her tonight as planned. To hell with everyone else. He would confront his wife once and for all and find out the truth.

Letting his anger simmer he slowly and methodically got washed and dressed for the ball arriving alone and on time. With his most confident stride he walked into the sea of familiar faces with purpose and a confidence he did not possess. Briefly scanning the room for her but failing to see her.

Instead he saw Draco and Lucius standing with the two Mrs Malfoys. Walking over to them, he grabbed a flute of champagne and began to slip slowly.

"Good evening Lucius, Draco Mrs and Mrs Malfoy." He said courteously.

"Honestly Severus how long have we known each other now and yet you still insist on calling me Mrs Malfoy." Narcissa smiled warmly, leaning over to kiss her friends cheek fondly.

"What can I say, old habits die hard?" He smirked.

"Where is Mrs Snape tonight? Didn't you arrive together?" She inquired politely. Since the War a lot of things had changed including their opinions on purebloods and muggleborns. It had been no secret that the Malfoys were in deep with the Dark Lord and his followers, but after seeing him for what he truly was they changed sides and ideologies. When at one time they hated Hermione, now they loved and adored her. When she married Severus she just fell in with them with no problems.

Trying to hide the anger and chill from his voice he said,

"Hermione is running late tonight. She said she would meet me here."

"But Severus I already saw her. And may I say where have you been keeping her locked up." Lucius said with a flirty lilt to his voice. Narcissa playfully smacked his arm in retaliation.

"Yes Severus, Hermione's here she arrived early with Draco and me." Ginny said, a smug smile on her face. Severus would swear that the youngest Mrs Malfoy was up to something and he didn't care much for it.

"May you please point me in the direction of my wife then?" He couldn't stop the sneer from appearing, as the woman began to test his patience.

"Of course, she is right over there." She smiled sweetly. A little too sweetly for his taste.

Following the direction she pointed in, Severus's gaze floated over the people conversing but still could not see his wife. He was beginning to feel annoyed now and wanted to hex the redheaded Weasley girl.

"I'm sorry but I do not see her. Perhaps you were mistaken."

Rolling her eyes she shouted across the room, in the most unladylike way, calling out her friend's name. At one point the Malfoys would have been mortified by such a display, but they all knew what was waiting for Severus, so only looked on with amused gazes.

"There she is." Ginny said.

Turning his gaze again, he was about to protest when the most beautiful women he had ever seen turned around to face him. She had been standing talking with Remus and Sirius her back facing him. But when he caught sight of her face, his breathing became ragged and he had to force his mouth shut.

Walking towards her ignoring his friends who simply chuckled at his reaction, he couldn't take his eyes off of his wife. He suddenly felt very jealous and possessive wanting to cover her up with his jacket and toss her over his shoulder like some sort of primitive caveman.

She was stunning wearing a form fitting red dress that showed off every sensual curve of her hour glass figure. The split in her dress crept up to her thigh revealing one perfectly sculpted long leg. While the neckline of her dress plunged daringly low, showing off more of her cleavage than he liked. But the thing that had most captured his attention was her hair. The glorious mass of light brown curls, that he so loved to tease and taunt her about were gone. Instead her hair was now a rich dark chocolate color, cut just above her shoulder and styled loosely with the most gentle of twists and waves, with a small side fringe crossing over one half of her forehead down to her eye. She held a glass of champagne, showing off her red painted nails and her makeup was too a minimum except for her luscious red lips. This was not his wife standing before him; this was some kind of temptress. And he didn't like it.

He saw her straighten her shoulders up defiantly as he approached, her gaze focused on his, as a small smile, that didn't quite reach her eyes, appeared on those red luscious lips.

"Severus." She greeted, kissing him formally on the cheek the way one would kiss a friend and not a husband. While Sirius and Remus looked on or rather looked on to Hermione.

"Mrs Snape, perhaps I may lure you away to have a quick word with you." He was jealous and angry and was trying so hard to contain his feelings.

"Aww now don't do that Snape. We were just having a lovely conversation here." Sirius piped up letting his gaze roam over Hermione's body openly. If they weren't in public Severus would have hexed the bastard into oblivion.

"I'm afraid you have taken up too much of my wife's time already gentlemen." He hissed out.

"Still can't understand how someone so breathtakingly beautiful ended up with you Sniv-Snape." Sirius teased. "I can understand why you so desperately want to lure her away. Hmm. Sly dog." He taunted.

Severus's whole body tensed his back straightening as he walked towards his old enemy.

"I must ask you to desist from talking about my wife in that way. And to keep your implications to yourself mutt." Before Sirius could answer, Severus took Hermione by the arm and literally pulled her towards the exit. Once away from prying eyes, he let her go and stared angrily at her.

"What the hell do you think you are doing Hermione?"

She stood in front of him, her own annoyance showing clearly in her face.

"What the hell I was doing? Don't you mean what the hell you were doing Severus? What was that in their?" She huffed.

Moving closer to her onyx eyes staring into cinnamon eyes, he spoke in a slow quiet tone. The one that he used to terrify his students with. One that Hermione herself was familiar with.

"I acted in that way because my wife-" His gaze traveled up and down her body critically. "Decided to come to a formal ball dressed as some kind of-"

He stopped talking when he saw her eyes widen with shock and hurt.

"Some kind of what Severus, go on finish your sentence."

"Some kind of harlot." He hissed out.

Folding her arms across her chest defensively, her eyes narrowed with anger. This was not the impression she wanted to make on her husband, she knew this was going to be a bad idea.

"Then it seems I cannot do anything right in your eyes then can I?" With a defeated sigh she began to walk away until he grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him.

"Where do you think you are going?" He asked, feeling both angry and scared.

Pulling her arm out of his grip, she whispered.

"I am going home Severus. I don't want people thinking you paid a common harlot to accompany you tonight." She went to make a move again but stopped, her own anger welling up. "You stay Severus; I'm sure better suited acquaintances will be here momentarily."

Walking away from her stunned husband she tried to keep control of her feelings. But as she reached the floo the one person she had wanted to avoid tonight came sashaying towards her, in all her stunning glory, making Hermione feel put to shame.

Her blonde hair was piled up on her head elegantly revealing a perfect long neck. Her makeup and figure were flawless, as she wore a figure hugging black dress that didn't show off her attributes in desperation, like Hermione felt her dress did.

"Good evening Mrs Snape." She said with a smile.

Hermione wanted to cry but with a deep breath said,

"I'm sorry Alyssa I'm just leaving but you will find my husband inside. Good evening." Without stopping or looking back she stepped into floo. And the minute it had activated she let out the tears that she had been desperately trying to hold in.

The next and last chapter coming up is the Snapes confrontation. Hope you are enjoying this story xx