CHAPTER NINE

Assaulted by the tangy sour smell of old sweat, Hermione wrinkled her nose as she opened the door to her chambers. The smell permeated the room and seemed to hover like a dark cloud. If she wasn't moving out today she'd have to seriously think of a way to fumigate. As it was, she seriously considered casting a Bubble Charm on herself.

Offensively, Hermione held her wand toward any possible attack and covered her nose with her free hand. How was she going to pack, hold her wand and cover her nose she didn't know. Whatever she was going to do, she had to do it fast.

Grimace firmly in place, she walked forward and pointed her wand at her husband, who lay sleeping in a corner on the floor. He looked rather uncomfortable… and she was okay with that.

Giving him a wide birth, Hermione carefully walked through the disordered room, hardly giving thought to how it became that way, and threaded her way softly toward her bedroom. Although she was ready to deal with Remus, she preferred not to.

The courage of a lioness that had fortified her to kiss Severus this morning was now working to abandon her. She should have taken Severus up on his offer to accompany her to retrieve her belongings. It was not that she didn't want to appear weak, it had more to do with her feeling strong and capable of handling her husband. Now, she wasn't so certain.

It was better to hurry along, get the items she came for and then get herself to Harry's. She chuckled as she wondered what he would think, when she just popped in and made herself at home. He just might want to get into her knickers. Severus was right on that front, too. While she could resist Harry, if she remained with Severus she wasn't strong enough to withstand the temptation to get into his trousers.

No, to Harry's she would go. He'll understand, and being the good friend that he was, he would welcome her with open arms.

The appalling odor that seemed to permeate every corner of the living room, thankfully, didn't make it into her bedroom. Here she could breathe easy and concentrate on the task at hand. Like finding her overnight bag.

Magic was a beautiful thing. Hermione was able to reduce her wardrobe, including her shoes, intimates and toiletries quickly, and pack them all into her smallest luggage. It was easy enough now that she didn't need to hold her nose to keep from vomiting.

The last item she needed to collect was her briefcase. She found it where she always leaves it, against the wall on the far side of the bedroom, undisturbed. Even her birthday party, the evening before, didn't deter her from placing her briefcase in its rightful spot. It was important to her to keep her professional materials in one place. And this was her cherished space. While she could have use of any number of spaces in their comfortable chambers, including their very own library, it was here, in the corner of their bedroom, that she found solace. Usually, she rested on the comfortable chaise lounge with a glass of Chianti and reviewed her clinical notes. It was an important time she set aside in order to plan on how best to help her clients improve their treatment outcomes. She was always well prepared for her clients and sitting here in her lounger, next to the hearth, was the perfect place for it. It was a special time that she was dedicated to every night, and it was a time that she looked forward to. She would miss it.

She frowned. As she added some final contributions to her overnight bag, she wrinkled her nose as the stench from the living room was making its way towards her. It was like the hand of death reached across the chamber to torture her.

She stowed her wand in her briefcase, picked up her luggage, scanned her bedroom and sighed. She would miss this room. It wasn't because of any sentimentality towards Remus and their marriage, but because she had spent a lot of time and energy into decorating it to her style. It was a beautiful room and she didn't know if she would ever see it again. The bag was heavy, and she lifted the strap higher onto her shoulder as she slowly turned toward the door to leave her past behind.

The stench assaulted her as she turned around and found Remus staring back at her. He was standing in the bedroom doorway, looking intently at her, and he remained bound and gagged.

She felt sorry for him.

He stared at her, sadly. His gaze conveyed judgment, sorrow, and above all they begged her. For what, she wasn't certain. However, she was clear that her Remus had returned and he was pleading with her. He wanted, no, he supplicated her to release him from his binds. Despite the overwhelming odor, she approached him. She desperately wanted to hug him, show him her affection and apologize for her treatment of him. The odor was coming from him… from his very pores. He must have put up a grand fight after she left him bound, to release himself from her Charms. It obviously was a futile effort, but one that left him exhausted. He must have struggled for the better part of the night. The messy living room now made sense.

His gaze was accusatory as it traveled between her face and the luggage she was carrying. He appeared heartbroken as he understood that she was leaving him. Without giving a second thought to her actions, she removed her wand from her briefcase and cast a silent Finite Incantatem. He reacted immediately to his release, as he fell to the floor and cried.

Watching him cry was agonizing. She was the culprit for his pain, and that was the most upsetting. She couldn't be a bystander while her husband sobbed.

"Remus?" she asked as she joined him on the floor and gently touched his shoulder.

He raised his head, away from his hands and looked at her. He was a mess. He didn't answer her, but now he whimpered.

"Remus," she whispered. "Please Remus, answer me. Are you okay?"

The diagonal scars on his face had once been endearing. However, in his current condition they made him look menacing and dangerous. Fear, in and of itself, wasn't a bad thing. Fear worked hard to keep one safe. Hermione wished she had listened to her fear and kept a respectful distance. He didn't look as innocent as he had a moment ago. She was getting alarmed… fear gripped her and she scuttled back, away from him.

His strength returned as he appeared to pull himself together. He rose from the floor and slowly walked toward her. The bags she held fell to the floor. She was too frightened to think. Her anxiety came in waves and made her nauseous.

"Hermione, darling," he murmured, his voice gravely from lack of use, "please, let me get near you."

"Remus, stay back! I… I promise you that I will bind you again if you don't move back." Hermione was scared, and she quickly scanned the room looking for a means of escape. But he was approaching her fast, and in another few seconds he would have her pinned up against the wall.

He looked at her, then turned his head toward the bed and smiled. She followed his gaze and panicked as she realized why he smiled. Her wand was on the bed, on the other side of the large room. Even if she summoned it he would intercept it.

"Darling, I am your husband and I missed you," he articulated his intentions as he pressed his body against hers. Her retreat ended when she came upon the far wall of their bedroom. For two years she'd waited for him to be assertive, and now, once he'd gone over the edge into the land of the clinically insane, did he do so. No, she would not allow it. She'd rather get fucked by Filch.

Although she turned her face away from his, he insistently pressed his body into hers. She felt his arousal against her abdomen and he suggestively ground his erection into her, letting her know what he intended to do with her. Without giving much thought, she exposed her neck to him, as she turned her face away from him, avoiding his stare and the rotting stench of his breath.

He brought his face to her bare neck and licked his way down toward its juncture with her shoulder. He suckled her flesh and she shivered. She was scared because he was frightening, but also because it felt so delightful.

"Hermione, you have been a naughty witch. I know you spent the night with Snape… and only after spending the evening with Harry and Ron. You will give me my fair share as well."

"No! Nothing happened, Remus, with anyone!"

"You think you can lie to me, but remember I have a nose that knows. I can smell you, Hermione. Your body has been aroused." Remus moved toward her ear as if he were going to share a deep secret. "Your pussy is wet."

And she was. Not only because of her time with Severus, but also because Remus' behavior triggered her deviant desire to be claimed. She had always desired a strong domineering man to want her, to take what was rightfully his. Why the fuck did it have to be Remus, and why now?

He scraped his teeth over the racing pulse at the base of her neck and she shuddered. They both turned their heads towards the bedroom entryway as they heard a knock on the front door. The person at the door was insistent and the knock came again and again. She wanted to scream, to call out for help so that whoever was at the door would rescue her, and she would finally get away from Remus. She was about to call out when Remus ripped her shirt away from her shoulder and pressed his hand against her Mark. The feeling of calm and tranquility was instantaneous. She no longer felt frightened of her husband. She belonged to him… completely. She had been so stupid. She had placed this poor man through hell and back again. She vowed never to hurt him again. She was his wife and she had to take care of his every need.

Hermione's smile slowly returned, laced with desire. If she ever tortured him again, it would be different. It would be slow and completely sexual. She wanted to please him in every naughty way possible and as she kissed him, she planned on just how she would make it most enjoyable for him.

"Hermione, love, let me lick your beautiful tattoo."

"Why do you want to lick my tattoo, Remus?"

"You chose this tattoo because you said it was a symbol of me, your beloved mate. I want to treasure it as you have treasured me."

"Oh my God, Remus, please take me!"

Hermione threw her head back and waited with anticipation for his attentions. Instead she felt him roughly pulled out of her arms. Her eyes flew open to find an enraged Severus, with his wand drawn and pointed at her husband, who now lay prostrated on the floor.

"Severus, why are you…" She stopped. Whatever she was about to ask no longer mattered. In a matter of moments, she felt the fog in her mind give way and she… remembered.

"Yes?" he asked. He looked angry and she was fairly certain he was angry at her.

"I'm so confused," she mumbled as her tears began to flow. She was bewildered. It felt as if her life was in upheaval. One minute she was determined to get rid of Remus and the next she was in his arms ready to make love. She didn't understand herself. She was embarrassed and concerned over what Severus would think of her.

"Hermione, do not dawdle. Get your belongings and let's get out of here." He was clear and she would listen to him. She picked up her bags from where she had dropped them and turned back to look at Remus as he remained on the floor, a coward in the face of Severus' wand.

"Now!" Severus bellowed and she ran out the door.

She rushed out of the room and out of her chambers without looking back. She stopped in the hallway to catch her breath and make some sense out of everything that happened. She didn't have long to think, as Severus grabbed her forcefully by the arm and led her away from the area.

"Severus, you're pulling me! Where are we going?" she asked as she tried to keep up with his pace without falling on the floor.

"We are going home!"

A/N: Ha ha ha ha! Severus is her knight in shining armor! Remus is something else, isn't he? He knows exactly what buttons to push or in this case, what tattoos to lick! LOL!

Thanks to Wartcap for the beta and for spanking me when I need it.