Severus woke up the last day of the year dreading the night to come, almost as much as he had dreaded being in the presence of Voldemort all those years of spying. He had promised himself once he was free of his spying duties he would never go back to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place or the company that inhabited it.

He watched Hermione as he sat in his chair by the fire and read. She walked around their chambers happily, obviously looking forward to spending time with her friends. Severus smirked to himself as he thought how Slytherin that little ploy was to get him to go tonight. She had made the deal knowing bloody well she could successfully make the complicated potion and already had the research to complete the rest of the task. All of which she had neglected to tell him before making said deal. Completing the potion in only her second year was a feat within itself but to cut the brewing time down was amazing. Granted she did not come up with the idea all on her own but she had done the research where before there was none or at least nothing solid.

Severus watched as she plop down on the couch with a book and flipped to her marked page.

"I'm not going," he said as he looked back at his book.

She looked up. "Yes you are…we made a deal. I successfully made poly juice potion in less than a week, so you are coming with me."

"It was not a honest deal…you left out some important details….like how you already knew you could complete the complicated potion and how you had already completed the research to speed the brewing process."

"Yes it was kind of Slytherin of me, I suppose you are rubbing off on me…but I wasn't dishonest, you just never asked for any additional information. And I figured you already knew about the incident in second year since you know everything that goes on in the castle."

"I do…usually… in my spy days I might have missed a few things here and there since I was more worried about staying alive and keeping my cover with the death eaters in case Voldemort returned."

"Well you not getting out of it," she said.

"I'm still not going and what can you do about it?"

She thought about it for a second, "well I do have a batch of poly juice potion made up…a few of your hairs and Hogwarts could be seeing a new side of Professor Snape. Maybe a nice little nude streak down the hall. Or a strip tease during dinner."

"Fine but I'm not staying all night," he growled.

"Just a few hours," she smiled.

He spent all day trying to think of a way to get out of going. But truthfully there was no reason not to, except he didn't want to go. He was caught up with all his potions and had finished his lesson plans…he was stuck. Hermione agreed not to drag him there before ten p.m. and not stay longer than one a.m. . He worked hard to talk her down from staying until three down to one.

They ate dinner in their rooms. At the table he continued his fight to avoid going.

"I do not understand why you are so adamant that I attend. You would enjoy yourself much more without my company."

"You're my husband and its New Years Eve. I want to spend it with you."

"Then we can stay here and we celebrate alone."

"I want to spend time with my friends too."

"You realize that I do not make public displays of…affection…" he couldn't think of another word. "so there will not be a spectacle when the clock strikes midnight."

"Yes I know, is it so wrong to want to spend time with my husband, amongst my friends?"

"No…I suppose not…but I'm still sure you would have more fun without me…I'm not much of the party type."

"So I've noticed. But maybe you can relax a little bit now that the war is over and there is no need to be the snarky bastard of the dungeons," she said playfully.

"Like I've said before…old habits die hard."

They made it to the party about ten thirty, after much stalling by Severus. Most everyone else had been there all day so they were the last ones there. They both were greeted when they walked into the room, Hermione with hugs and Severus with awkward hellos to which he replied with a nod or a simple hello. Hermione had walked off with Ginny to find out if they broke the news to Ron yet about her and Harry.

As Hermione and Ginny stood across the room from Severus, Remus walked up to Severus, both men had their eye on Hermione as she talked and laughed with her friend.

"So... are you taking care of her?" Remus asked as he stuck his hands in his pockets. Both still watching the two young women.

"She's alive isn't she?" Severus snarled. "And she is quiet capable of taking care of herself."

"That's not what I meant," He looked to Severus, noticing he still watched Hermione. "Are you being nice to her?"

"That is something you would have to ask her," Severus realized he was staring at his wife and brought his attention to Remus.

The men just stood and stared at each other for a moment. Remus was the first to turn away.

"Well she does look happy,"

Severus let his gaze fall back to his wife and started to smile as she laughed at something the Weasley had said, but he stopped himself. This was not the place for that.

Everyone began to find a place to sit in the small room. Severus' spot was in a lone chair in the corner. A few minutes after he got settled Hermione pulled a chair next to him instead of with her friends but still close enough to talk to them. They all sat around talking and drinking wine, which Severus was sure to check for anything the Weasly's could have slipped in it, before he ingested anything. He didn't want another scene like Christmas Eve. Only reason he didn't hex those two was because he did rather enjoy that night, now if they were seen by anyone other that Albus or Minerva, who were like family to him, it would have been another story.

Severus sat quietly, with his normal scrawl in place, as he watched everyone else talk and gossip. All the other couples sat together with their significant other. Ginny practically sat in Harry's lap, so obviously they and told Ron. There were touches here and there and kisses both chaste and not so chaste. Severus rolled his eyes and turned to look at Hermione who watched the couple with envy.

The night continued on and Hermione longed to be able to act like everyone else with their partner. Closer to midnight everyone stood and began the count down. With forced excitement across her face, Hermione looked down at Severus who was still seated. She managed to get him to stand but couldn't get his face to lose the hard, stern features. When the clock struck midnight everyone cheered and couples kissed…and kissed…and kissed. It had only been a few seconds but it felt like an eternity to Hermione, she wasn't expecting a kiss but she did not imagine it would hurt this much to see everyone around her enjoy their Ney Year's kiss. She stared at Harry and Ginny until she realized Severus was looking at her.

She smiled at him, "Happy New Year, Severus."

"Happy New Year," he smiled back. He saw the hurt in her eyes as she started to turn away. 'What is this girl doing to me' he asked himself.

He reached his hand out to her and grabbed her cheek to turn her back to face him. He didn't say anything just bent down and pressed his lips to hers. Once her surprise faded she opened her mouth to him. The kiss deepened…slow and sensual. There was something different about this kiss maybe it was because of the room full of people that were eventually forgotten or maybe it was the little bit of wine in her system.

They did not realize everyone else, who had a head start, had finished kissing and now watched them. The boys looked disgusted but Ginny and Tonks just smiled.

Their lips smacked as they finished one kiss and started another. It was a sensual smack not like that of two horny fifth years behind the rose bushes. Hermione let out a soft moan as her hand reached up to touch his face. Before they could go any farther Remus loudly cleared his throat.

The two stopped kissing and looked at each other, a blush started to grace her face as she realized everyone was watching but she couldn't take her eyes off of Severus. There was something in his eyes that she had never seen.

"Would you two like to be alone," Sirius asked the couple.

Severus answered, without looking away. "Actually yes we would…or at least I would," he had spent enough time with this lot, he was ready to be alone with his wife. He wasn't in to all the hoopla with the holiday but he was human, he enjoyed having someone to spend the holiday with especially when that someone was of the opposite sex.

Hermione saw the pleading in his eyes and thought that he had endured enough company for the night. She looked away from her husband at the faces that watched her. "Um…we're going to go guys…I've tortured Severus enough for one night."

When they got back to their rooms he pulled her close and kissed her like he had a few minutes ago. When they broke apart she was smiling.

"What?" he asked.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing…can't a man enjoy kissing his wife on the first day of the new year?" He kissed her again and they made their way to the bedroom.

Once clothes were strolled across the floor and they both laid naked on the bed, he slowly entered her, eyes burned through hers, never leaving their gaze. Moans and sighs filled the dungeon bedroom as he slowly slid in and out of her. She bit her bottom lip as she concentrated on the look in his eyes and the feel of his body in hers. This was almost like the lust potion but not quite, that was more animalist this was…something else.

Once they were sated, Hermione laid with her head on his chest lost in thought. She couldn't figure out what was different about this time. Maybe she was just imagining it….wishful thinking perhaps. Could just be the wine had went to their heads….although they did not drink that much. She listen to his heart beat as her thoughts ran rapid through her mind.

Severus stroked her arm as he stared up at the ceiling. He had never felt anything like that before. Those Weasley twins must have slipped them something again, from now on he would not drink or eat anything he had not brought himself.

He continued to stroke her arm. She liked her post sex snuggle time with him, it was the only time she slept well. The nights they didn't have sex they each hung on to their own side of the bed. She was still lost in her thoughts when sleep found her.

Classes started a few days later, and everything was back to normal. No more time alone in the castle with Severus. They went back to teaching and studying but they did seem to have grown closer since the holiday.

A few weeks later, there was a warm Saturday and the end of January, and Harry persuaded Hermione to go to the Quidditch pitch and have some fun. She hated flying but they promised not to go to high. They had been out for over an hour and Hermione had become more comfortable on the broom. She had to admit it was a little relaxing to fly through the air, wind blowing in her face and through her hair. Her hair was going to be a mess when she was done but she didn't care. The four of them were hovering above the ground, not too high, caring on a conversation when Hermione's broom started to shake which freaked Hermione out. She decided it was time to have her feet on the ground. As she started toward the ground the shaking got worse and she went out of control, the broom bucked her off and she fell to the ground.

Severus walked down the hall toward the front entrance of Hogwarts, he was on his way to the forbidden forest for some potion ingredients. He saw Malfoy and his two cronies walking in the door. Talking and laughing about something. Severus could only hear part of their conversation.

"Did you see the look on her face?" Malfoy said. "And the sound …" he shut up when he saw his professor walking toward him.

Severus gave them a quick glare and continued walking out the door. Once outside he saw a frantic Ginny Weasley running toward him. She stopped in front of him trying to catch her breath.

"Need-Madam-Pomfrey-Hermione-pitch," was all she got out.

"Go get Pomfrey," Severus said and then ran off to the Quidditch pitch.

When he got there Harry and Ron was kneeled over her body which laid on her side. "Don't move her," he shouted as he knelt over her. "What happened?" he asked as he ran a quick diagnostic spell.

"I don't know. We were flying and then all the sudden her broom took on a mind of its own," Harry explained.

There didn't seem to be anything seriously wrong just some broken bones.

"What the hell was she doing on a broom. She hates those things," Severus said , as he levitated her and started walking toward the castle. Half way there, they past Ginny and Madam Pomfrey.

"I'll take her from here, Severus," Pomfrey raised her wand ready to take over.

"No, I have her," he continued to walk past.

Severus made it to the hospital wing with his still unconscious wife, followed by her friends and the medi witch. He gently laid her down on the closest bed as everyone gathered around.

Pomfrey ran a more complex diagnostic spell and determined she had a broken wrist some broken fingers, three broken ribs and a bump on the head, but nothing too major. "Ok you all need to leave so I can get her fixed up," she said as she walked over to the curtain.

All but Severus left, he stayed behind and watched as his wife laid on the hospital bed, her hair fanned out across the pillow.

Pomfrey looked at him as she started to close the curtains. "You too Severus, I need to get her changed and heal these broken bones."

"She is my wife, Poppy. I've seen her naked, after all we do have sex, thanks to the bloody ministry."

"Oh right, sometimes I forget what they have done do these poor young children, making them get married so young," she pulled the curtain closed and changed Hermione into a gown. It didn't take long to set the bones and heal the scratches she received from the fall. "She will be fine in a few days, bones should be repaired in a couple of hour but she will still have some pain. She should be awake by morning. She was very lucky she was close to the ground when she fell."

"I'll stay here until she awakes," he summoned a chair and sat by the foot of the bed.

"There is nothing that we can do now, just give her time to heal. You go on to your rooms and I'll let you know when she wakes."

Severus looked up at her, the look in his eyes told her he wasn't going anywhere.

Pomfrey laid some potions on the side of the bed. "Very well, should she awake here are some pain potions if she needs them."

Severus just watched her for a while. He had no idea why she was on a broom, she had told him before that she was afraid of those things and was not a very good flyer. He would be sure to scold her for that once she was feeling better. He thought back to when he was walking out of the castle, Malfoy had something to do with it, he just knew it although he had no proof. Severus summoned his house elf and requested that he bring him the book he had been reading from his chambers.

He extinguished all the lights by her bed except for a single candle he let float by his book. After a few hours she started to stir, obviously in the middle of a bad dream. She opened her eyes and screamed out.

"It was just a dream," he said softly and put his book down.

She had tears in her eyes. "I was falling…."

"Your fine now," he stopped her before she got started. He didn't know how to comfort her so he sure didn't want to see any tears. He was used to causing them not stopping them.

She tried to sit up but winced in pain.

He walked over to the bedside table and grabbed the potion Pomfrey had left, "Here drink this."

She immediately felt better. "Thank you." she handed the vial back to him and gave him a little smile.

After he laid it back on the table he started back over toward his chair.

"Will you sleep in the bed with me?" she asked.

He was about to say that it would be inappropriate but her eyes where full of desperation. "Of course," he removed his robes so that he was left in only his trousers and a black shirt.

He laid down beside her on top of the covers, once he was settled she rolled over on her side and laid her head on his chest. She was asleep not five minutes after he laid down and he was soon to follow.

Severus woke the next morning to a familiar throat clearing. Severus and Hermione laid in the same position they had fallen asleep in.

Minerva gasped, "Severus, this is highly inappropriate behavior in the hospital wing. What if one of her classmates came to visit her?" she looked to Albus who stood next to her.

"Am I not allowed to comfort my wife?" he asked.

"I have no problem with that but you should keep your clothes on," Minerva scolded.

Severus was slightly confused, he looked down at the witch head on his bare chest. "I assure you I went to sleep with my shirt on." He looked on down his body to make sure he had on his trousers…thankfully he did.

Hermione raised up her head. "Sorry…that was my fault, it aggravated me while I slept so I divested it," She sat all the way up in the bed.

"And where did you send it?" Severus got out of bed and looked around for his shirt.

"I'm not sure … I was half asleep. I'm sorry Severus."

"...That's ok," he put his robes on over his bare chest.

Minerva was surprised that he did not get angry.

"How are you feeling my child?" Dumbledore asked.

"Much better…just a little sore."

Madam Pomfrey came through the curtain. "Good to see you awake my dear."

"Thank you Madam Pomfrey. How long do I have to stay here?" she hated staying in the hospital wing and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"Stay at least until after dinner and if you still feel well you can go. Just no strenuous activity for at least a week."

Minerva looked over at Severus.

"What? I don't force her into my bed. We are adults we can abstain for a week."

Hermione blushed at Severus' words and tried to think of something to change the subject away from her sex life.

A/N: Ok one more chapter to go which I pretty much have written out already. My muse is gone, no more ideas for this one shot, unless I think of something in the next week or so. Thanks for reading.