Severus woke up to the glittering stars being gone from above them; instead saw a beautiful dawn scene around him. The colour scheme of the room had changed with the change of sky, the cream accents swapped for light green, and the midnight blue changed for the same tone of blue that the sky now was. He looked at his watch which was on the bedside table. It appeared the sky was not in keeping with the real time, as it was 10am, and he knew he needed to get up. Then he saw the girl on his chest, and he never wanted to move again. She looked so peaceful, and he gently stroked her hair, which was so soft. Everything that had happened the previous night ran through his head whilst looking at her. It brought a smirk, it hadn't been as bad as his nightmares had led him to believe, there was much less crying anyway. He then saw her stir, and she looked at him through groggy eyes. She then took in the surroundings around her and was slowly coming to the same conclusions as Severus. "What time is it?" she asked.
"Ten in the morning. We should probably join the rest of the castle."
"Oh god. Where are they going to think I was last night?" She said, not moving a muscle away from him.
"Professor McGonagall told me she would tell your roommates that your prefect quarters are now finished, and that you've moved into there, therefore your entire house – no, the entire school will know you're in a prefect room. We'll settle you into my quarters later, but now we really should get up," He said, stroking her hair the entire time, not wanting to let her go. He saw Hermione cast a look at her new wedding ring. She must be worried about people asking. Good thing I prepared for this. "Hermione, give me your hand."
"Again?" She said, a smile playing across her lips. He heard a deep chuckle from above her.
"Yes, again," he replied. He reached for his wand on the bedside table, and Hermione gave him her hand. He pointed his wand at the ring and murmured a quick disillusionment spell, and she saw the ring disappear from before her eyes. How did he know?
"Your face, Mi-Hermione. Your face tends to reveal what you're thinking," He replied, smiling to himself. "Now no-one will know you're married to the dungeon bat." He saw her face redden slightly. "Of course I've heard the rumours, I've utilised them – fear doesn't grow by itself you know," he said, smiling. "Now, Hermione, we really have to get up and go," he said trying to get up, and Hermione rolled off him, but as he tried to get out, she touched his arm, causing him to look round. She just looked at him, and he knew what she wanted. He leant in and gave her another kiss, a common occurrence he was growing to like. She tried to deepen the kiss, but he pulled away slightly. He whispered "What have you done to me, silly girl?"
Hermione knew he meant it affectionately and just smiled at him. He then pulled himself away from her and got dressed. He had arranged for a house-elf to bring some clothes and leave them in the room where he and Hermione had gotten married. He quickly dragged in the package, and gave Hermione her set, but she was still in bed and looking like she wasn't going to move anytime soon.
"Hermione, we really have to go. Otherwise questions will be asked," he said, beginning to get annoyed with her now, as he was putting on his clothes.
"I know, but I just don't want to leave this room. It's so beautiful," she said sadly. He understood, and turned whilst she got out of bed and quickly into casual clothes. She saw his mind working and smiled, she realised she had smiled more in the past 24 hours than she had in the past week. "I should go now," she said, more to herself than to anyone in particular. Severus smirked to her as she left the room. He was staying behind to make sure their belongings got to their room without any disturbances.
Hermione arrived in the Great Hall just in time to see Harry try to slip something gold into Ron's drink. Immediately she knew what she saw. "Harry James Potter, what the hell do you think you're doing!" she hissed into his ear, gaining the attention of Ron. Harry pulled an innocent face, whilst elaborately putting away the Felix Felicis. Hermione's blood began to boil. How could Harry use such a highly sought after potion on such a trivial thing as a Quidditch match? She saw Ron drinking away happily, but she felt sick to her stomach about what she had just seen, and gave Harry an evil look for the rest of breakfast – something he wasn't comfortable with.
Severus had just made it in time to see the beginning of the Quidditch match. He despised the sport, but he had to be there to show something like 'support' for his house. When he got there, he was unnerved to see both Minerva and Dumbledore looking at him, with an almost twinkle in their eyes. He hated it, and sat down as far from them as possible. The last thing he needed right now was them going on about what was meant to be a secret arrangement. He knew he was surrounded by people who knew the secret, and it just made him more uncomfortable. He decided that the best course of action would be to simply stare ahead of him and try to focus on this shambles of a game. He scanned the stands, looking out for any malicious behaviour – which was often more interesting than the game itself. Then he saw her, and felt himself relax a little. That's when he noticed the look on her face – a mixture between anger and trying to hide it, and it was directly aimed at Mr Potter. If looks could kill…
Hermione just glared at Harry as he zoomed around on his broom, making a list of all the things he could have done with the potion than waste it on a trivial thing. As Ron saved goal after goal, Hermione grew more and more sick – to the point where she couldn't stand to be there anymore. She stormed away from the stands, bringing her scarf around her neck even more tightly against the tight winds. There was no need to stay. She knew how it would end. She could feel the stare of someone, but as she glanced around to see who it was, the feeling was gone, and she made her way back to the castle, cursing Saint Harry James Potter.
Severus watched the display intently. Hermione was more loyal than anyone he had ever known, and this caused him to wonder what the Potter boy had done to earn such a strong reaction. He glanced at the Weasley boy for any hints, seeing as he hung around them a lot. And that's when he noticed. The boy had, apparently, gotten some goal keeping skills. Then it all clicked. Potter cheated. But surely that wasn't enough to make Granger leave; she had after all set his cloak on fire five years ago, which wasn't very fair. He must have done something really stupid to cause such a strong reaction. He watched the game intensely to look out for any other hints of foul play, and was almost disappointed to see that there weren't any. Just Weasley getting the goals, which would be hard to prove wasn't from his own intuition. He didn't have a case. Potter got away with it once again.
When the party was getting underway, Hermione couldn't help but feel disheartened by the whole affair. She knew that Ron could do the job well if he believed in himself more – rather than relying on the job of a potion. And she truly believed that Harry knew better than to waste the potion on a damn game of Quidditch – he could have used it against Voldemort for Christ's sake! So she didn't feel very in the party mood, when the horrid boy in question sidled up to her.
"How's the prefect room?" he asked, but was met with a glare similar to one he had seen Mrs Weasley give on occasion. He then knew what he had to do, and pulled out the small flask from his jean pocket, and Hermione saw that it was still filled to the top. Not a single drop had been spilled.
"…the placebo effect," she whispered, and Harry nodded – glad that he was now out of the firing line. She relaxed a whole lot, knowing that Harry wasn't being an idiot. That's when she looked over and saw Lavender jump Ron. She felt Harry stiffen beside her, knowing he had seen it too. As she looked at the innocent young couple, she suddenly realised everything she was going to miss out on by being in the arrangement with Severus. She found it very difficult to breathe, and so made her excuses and left.
She sat on the cold stone steps, practising her charms. She took comfort in all the things that were being flung wildly out of control – she could at least control the small birds now flying above her head. She stared at them for a while – admiring the fact that they were free. She felt somewhat jealous. She knew in her heart that had she not been forced to, she wouldn't be married, or defending the entire wizarding world against one man. She heard soft footsteps behind her, and saw Harry approaching – looking as sad as she felt. "Hey Harry,"
"Hey," He said, quickly trying to remove tears as he sat down beside Hermione. They both sat in the comfortable silence, each content to let the other have some thinking space. Their silence was soon interrupted by the sound of two giggling teenage idiots. Then they emerged, and Ron and Lavender only looked mildly embarrassed as they realised they were not alone. Hermione quickly analysed the situation, and saw the look of both joy and sheer disappointment on Harry's face. She worked it out quickly and sent the birds straight for Ron – and they were looking savage as they raced towards his ginger head. As Ron was trying to back away from the birds back into the corridor he came from, Hermione saw Harry's face. It was a look that agreed with the punishment that had been delivered. It would have been perfect – had Ron not bumped into a wall of black.
"Mr Weasley, what do you think you're doing?" the familiar drawl sounded. Everyone's eyes bulged, certain that they were in trouble. Severus agreed with them, but took in time to analyse the situation in front of him. A Weasley looking red faced, a Brown looking Embarrassed, a Potter looking ashamed and a Granger looking pleased with herself. It was a recipe for disaster. "Four Gryffindors. Out of bed. After hours. 120 points from Gryffindor," he said, and was greeted with moans. "Now, everyone back to your separate," He said, glaring at Weasley and Brown, "rooms, or there really will be trouble."
Ron and Lavender set off for the Gryffindor tower, but Harry and Hermione stayed put. Hermione, because she didn't really know where her room was, and Harry because he was going to accompany Hermione to her rooms. That boy really did have his emotions spread all over his face. "Mr Potter, I will ensure that Miss Granger gets to her room in one piece. Now leave," he drawled out. He soon left at that, giving Hermione a sympathetic look. Once he made sure the boy was out of sight, Severus held out his arm, "Shall we?" he asked, and Hermione shyly looped her arm through his.
He led her to a door, which would have otherwise looked completely ordinary. He opened it, and it was the same size as a small cupboard, with a small table holding up a fake rose. "That, Gr-Hermione, is a Portkey. It is special, however, as it will only respond to your touch, as well as mine," He said, making sure the girl was taking it all in. "And this room is enchanted. If anyone else beside you, me and other members of staff, should walk in, they will simply see a normal bedroom, get bored and leave." He was quite pleased with the concept – after all, he had come up with it. Hermione just nodded, taking in the information and saving it under 'Important'. They then both held onto the rose, and were hoisted towards their destination.
She found herself no longer holding onto the man when she came to. She found herself in a darkened room, lit only by the fire which was burning vigoursly. In the dark room, she could only make out a small sofa, and off to the right of the door, to what must have been the rest of the castle, was a desk littered with parchment and other things. She had never seen something so disorganised – and she had seen Ron's room. The rest of the room seemed to be made up of ridiculously tall bookcases – filled to the brim with books. Thick tomes covered every inch of the bookcases, and Hermione found herself not wanting to wait for the opportunity to unlock the knowledge contained within them. A small cough brought her attention to the dark man in the middle of the room.
"Ah good, you do have ears. Splendid," he said. "Now for the abridged tour, through that door," he continued, pointing to a door to the right of the desk "Is a bathroom. Through that door" he said, whilst pointing to a door to the right of the fireplace, "Is our next destination," he said, an almost smile playing out on his lips.
He took Hermione's hand, and led her through to the other room, and allowed her a moment or two to take in what she saw in front of her. The room wasn't quite as bright as the room this morning, but it wasn't as dark as the living room either. A medium blue tinted the walls, making seem much more home-like than the rest of the castle. A chest of drawers and a wardrobe in mahogany were in the corner of the room, keeping in with the theme of the room. But then her attention was brought to the big four poster bed in the middle of the room, mahogany frame as well, which in that moment looked so tempting. Two small bedside table stood by it, and the curtains for the bed matched the wall paint so well. The bed covers were that same blue as well, but had small silver stripes going vertically up it, and the pillows matched. Then her attention was brought to the massive window. It gave a view of the grounds, with a small portion of the lake as well. She knew it wasn't possible for this view to be real, but it was beautiful all the same. And it looked so lifelike, even capturing the climate outside. She then yawned, the day finally taking its toll on her.
"My sentiments exactly, Hermione, shall we?" he asked. Hermione then quickly got changed into a comfortable nightdress, and slid under the covers. Severus changed into only pyjama bottoms, and crawled into the other side, and watched her back slowly rise and fall. When he thought she was asleep, he slid closer to her and softly stroked the hair away from her face. He could hardly believe that this beautiful creature was now his. He was shocked as her hand rose, clasped his and brought it to her stomach, allowing him to pull her closer to him, as they eased into a deep sleep.